Hecateh

A guy who made vinyl decals for vans (large commercial ones) told me you spray it all with water with some washing up liquid in. Then it doesn't stick straight away and you can squeegee all the bubbles out before it dries. I don't know if the same applies here

Done - I din't realise I could edit the topic. I hadn't noticed an over abundance of politeness on this forum (thank goodness) I'd be insulted if people thought they had to be polite to me ?

And I've just noticed my typing error in the title - bugger!

I've opted for aluminium bifold. Door to one side and 2 pane folded to the other. Got a 2 week lead time though - delays ... delays ... delays. However, I am in the process of putting my current house on the market so that is my priority at the moment.

I'll second that your kitchen is definitely fine (more than fine in my opinion) Including 2 full height fridge/freezers and A drawer fridge, That drawer fridge on its own would be enough for me LOL

Cam out - is when the driver slips in the screw - As in 'Ahm tryin to screw it in but it keeps camming out' It's also what happens every time I am trying to use the electric screw driver unless it is directly in front of me and I can put my weight behind it. Apparently it doesn't happen if you use a 'Torx headed screw' whetever the f that might be. LOL

SNAP

You are not kidding. Choose your SE wisely. Mine (due to my inexperience) was attached to the Architect I used (who turned out not to be an architect at all. The SE is the architect, she is a tehnician, all her work is supposed to be check Ha! Ha!) He didn't visit, insisted on the 'ground investigation' and then insisted on foundations that the building inspector said could support a 10 storey hotel. (Which cost me an extra 13k, so, yes, they were very expensive holes

After I got planning permission, the next step was to get the structural engineer on board. He insisted on bore holes to determine what foundations were needed. Quotes ranged from less than 1k to over 3k, to do 4 bore holes to determine ground composition to 3 m and soil analysis following this..

You've intrigued me enough to visit Youtube. It's certainly a lot more listenable than the techno stuff my son listened to in his teens (he's 41 now. I generally only heard a less than rythmic thumping through the floor. I liked Kraftwerk, OMD which I guess were early techno (Yes? No?)

I knew the name (through my kids though) But what made me smile was the predictable unpredictability of your response ? ?

My brother built his own house about 15 years ago. For the first 5 years approx after they moved in I think there were various bits the were 'adjusted' but since then it is just maintenance. It's a 5 bed, 4 bath type place at at the opposite end of the scale to my little den.

I can cope with 20mm (for an upstand anyway )

I think that's what I want to do. I know people do have problems with them but it isn't a huge space (big for me) at 2.7 m. but I do worry about them being drafty

Nothing signed. Last email states what I wanted. They are saying it shouldn't have been sent but it was sent confirming a conversation. They are not arguing about liability.

Had most of my Windows fitted last week and this week they came to fit the sliding patio doors. I wanted bifold but because of cost compromised with sliders. It was suggested that I have 3 panels with 2 sliders to maximise the opening by a different company. The quote came through with 2 fixed panels which was counter productive in having a wider opening. I phoned up and explained what I wanted and that I that the single panel should be on the opposite side to that given on the quote and received an email confirming both instructions. The door came with 2 fixed panels and one slider. They were getting it in to position when I luckily went to look and saw it wasn't right and told them. It is a father and son company and the son is my contact. The father went ballistic saying they'd told me I couldn't have 2 sliders. Slammed everything down, threw everything back in the van and drove off with tires squealing. I got an email the next day from the son apologising for his dad's behaviour but reiterating that they had told me I couldn't have 2 sliders. I know that they can be made with 2 or even all 3 sliding. I was offered them by another company and have seen them online. However I am now wondering what to do. I am definitely not having the doors that have been made. They are just wrong. but Do I get them to make me some standard 2 piece doors? Do I source 3 way sliders from somewhere else? And if so do I go for UPVC, which I know will be bulky, or aluminium Or Do I pay the extra and get bifolds Another setback as of course whichever option I choose there is a lead time putting back me being watertight Thoughts please

Could.a ... would.a ... should.a ... You are where you are, which is a good few steps further than you were. There are always things that could have been sooner, differently or not at all. Some of the things I thought were important actually didn't need doing at all (or at least were of minor importance and not worth worrying about). These afar far out weighed by things I could have (or should have) done earlier. The biggest issues are often the things that you don't know that you don't know. As well as what you know you need to do, my suggestion is to read, read, and read some more about future things. Particularly on here (Buildhub) as you will find, as I'm sure you have already, that someone somewhere has already been through and shared your experience. Stress and time notwithstanding. You will get there, eventually. AND IT WILL BE WORTH IT (as I keep telling myself)

This is just one of the issues that this forum has really helped on. I suspect I did get charged VAT on materials - I didn't get to see original invoices. Moving forward, having ditched the builder, I am sure I will pay less for materials.

Plus 1 Although it has to be said the only one's that really took the p was the guy who was my main contractor and that is because his confidence by far outweighed his ability as a project manager and as a man manager as his team totally took the p too. They were getting a day rate and didn't care if they were sat half the day in the garage because it was raining.

I paid about £6,000 for 10,000 bricks laid - this was for the extra foundations the SE insisted upon so, being foundations, the finish was not important These brickies were quite good but slow and my builder insisted he lost money on it - having said that he says he lost money on the whole job despite only doing half a job

I agree their noise is soooo irritating. They nest (well pil a few twigs) behind the Sky Dish, Had three lots of babies lat year, even though I removed the nest between times. This year they have had one baby, I removed the nest straight after it fledged, (about a month ago) and no sign of them since. As I'm selling they aren't going to get chance to build another this year.

the dove flew out. There is a fledgling greenfinch up in the rafters. I've opened all the windows and am hoping it will find it's way out. It's flown into the glass a few times though so it is wary of trying

Uh oh! I think i have a bird nesting in the rafters of the new house. Just been standing in there ruminating and could hear a constant tweet, sounding like an alarm tweet. There is still a 2.7m gap where the patio doors are going to be as well as 2 doorways so I don't think the issue is finding it's way out. I can't see a nest but there must be a reason that bird was going nowhere. There was a collared dove in there last week but that made a hasty exit when I went in.

Hurrah - Power has been connected Now to arrange meters - I didn't dare do it earlier having cancelled twice

Electricity finally connected today. Yay! Windows were fitted last week and doors are supposed to be tomorrow. I will then have a finished shell. Whilst there is lots still to do I think a fully watertight shell is a definite landmark and reason to celebrate - even though I had hoped to be in by now. My current house will hopefully be fully on the market by the weekend in order to get the bank holiday viewers. Hopefully my luck will be in and someone will fall in love with it.