Hecateh

Looks good - made me consider giving them a whirl. According to Wren, they trade on their name and are no longer well made - but they would say that wouldn't they Wren say they construct with solid backboards whereas none of the others do. (As in Magnet, B&Q. Howdens and one other I can't remember - they had examples of carcasses from each of their comparisons) They don't have a wide range of choice though and I wasn't impressed with the salesman who I talked to. He was all 'come back when you are ready to order' Whilst my thoughts were to get information before it becomes urgent

Yeah - unfortunately it all came down to timing in the end. With it being Christmas if we hadn't gone ahead when we did everything would have been out for about 10 days which just wasn't practical. They are on contract so wages would have had to be paid. And my lack of experience was a big added hindrance. They have got a fair way on already with just 2 days bricking

Also being Yorkshire Cheaper Don't take up any valuable space Nothing extra to clean

Yes - without needing the space or totally separate plumbing

Bathroom is moving to the other side and becoming an ensuite on bed 2. My sister comes for the weekend once or twice a year and my daughter only stays over about the same. Sone lives half a mile away so little use really for the second bedroom so keeping that as small as possible. With a loo downstairs and my ensuite the bathroom will barely be used either. Will get more use out of a decent utility as I refinish furniture as a hobby/ Yes - I want one of those for each loo. I holiday in Turkey and they have the integrated ones - but just cold water which isn't so appealing over here. Research brought up those and they went on the 'must have' list.

He talks in bricks rather than mm. so going from 4 to 3

course it is - just shows how much my brain is fried not realising that. So tapering to 300 - ,akes more sense

That picture looks cool - not sure it's quite me though. I said about building out a bit too but builder wasn't keen - though he'll do it if it's what I want. Don't really think it is necessary though. So long as the door opens out or is bifold or something I think there is plenty of room. I was thinking of something like this for the loo - really like the idea of tanking it as a wet room though, Even if It's just for a had held shower. Would work if I was temporarily immobilised or this Totally opposite but both appeal in different ways

No-one has mentioned that since we discussed it right at the beginning, I think a stairlift could be fitted. It would be possible to live just on the entry level, though it wouldn't be much fun.

This is what we are planning BUT not sure we need to because this isn't the entry level. On the entry level I was just wanting a tiny ensuite on the second bedroom (which they class as a single but it is as big as some main rooms on houses I have seen for sale. This is the one that looks as though it may have to meet accessibility requirements - which I think it may - so long as there is only a single bed. These are the final drawings. Where I want the loo is where the doorway is next to the stairs in section EE So door width and 1300 deep - plenty of room to fit in what I want - but won't meet regs if they apply seeing as it is not entry level High Croft Bungalow b regs-007C.pdf

I'm trying to future proof. At the moment, it is not a problem at all - good for me to use stairs - but I'm 63 and intend being carried out in a box. We've got around 900 x 1300 - not sure that meets regs. There will be a bathroom/ensuite on the entry level and the same but bigger on the upper level

I am desperate to find a space for a downstairs loo in my split level house. I was thinking there was room under the stairs but, of course, because the house is split level the ground level is higher under the stairs - it is not a void. Any idea what minimum size I will need?

Getting stuck in to Fort Knox foundations this morning. This programme has blended two separate photos/ I took one of the site and a panoramic of the view - which looks kind of moody with the low mist. Dragged them both on here and it has melded them = amazing.

Yeah - that's what we're doing. Bitter taste but too late to stress, It is what it is now - One thing - I'll have almost a nuclear bunker once it's finished I could live for two years on 20k though

Neither of them will be coming any where near the site. Architect came twice, once before pre planning and then before actual plans. SE has never even been, which is a big part of the reason that he has massively over specced. Matt (my son) has been for a couple of hours this morning. Had a good long chat with the builder and they have worked out how it is going to go, where there are grey areas that savings can be made without damaging integrity. Agreed builder does know what he is doing but doesn't speak 'architect/structural engineer' language. Matt going to speak with SE with adaptations that, more or less, maintain what he has said - and some alterations to the plans that architect has drawn that just don't work. (what a surprise!) No one else will be coming out until damp proof check (builder got to take photos though), by which time, a lot of stuff will be hidden - will still be over specced but will save about a quarter (like 400 mm tapering to 375). There will be no surprise visits over Christmas and New Year - people have got better things to do. @Onoff @Nickfromwales Definitely inexperience all round. Mostly on my part.

Too late - my own fault I guess. Builder has built loads of extensions but never tackled a new build before. This has made SE nervous. Plus, ground investigation people took over 2 weeks to get samples analysed which meant that builders were waiting to go. SE has therefore done things quickly and gone overboard to compensate for inexperience in specific new build requirements.Small company so not shutting down over Christmas, excpt for the 3 main days. If they went to another job I wouldn't get them back for 3 to 4 months which I can't afford as mortgage is only for a year so I have to be in and sold my old within the year. Concrete went in yesterday and 10k engineering bricks arrived today. My son is an architects technician but works long hours - out from 5,30 am to after 7 and doing his own reno at weekends so he hasn't had time to check things out for me. He is now talking to SE to see if he can get at least a bit of leeway. He is off now until the New Year and has offered to oversee - so fingers crossed we'll get some sort of compromise but I'm not getting my hopes with it being Christmas. Another, wervy expensive lesson learned I guess

These are drawings. I've got copies of all the calculations, including soil investigation and porosity which have contributed but. ovf course. they make no sense to me. Build inspector asked if we were build a nuclear bunker. Even he thinks it is way over the top BUT the architect has had them approved by the BC company so we're stuck I think High Croft Bungalow b regs-007C.pdf High Croft Bungalow b regs-005J.pdf

to make a wall 4 layers thick of brick, fleming bond, round 3 sides of building about 30metres Did give us that option but site access is difficult and pouring concrete, totally blocks access to 3 neighbours who re already p****d off

Just had a huge 'extra' that seems absolutely ridiculous but there doesn't appear to be any way round it. Granted my site is sloping, and because the design is split level, the 'downstairs is cut into the ground. BUT the structural engineer is insisting that we put a 4 deep retaining wall for foundations in engineering brick around 3 sides and across the middle where the level changes. £20k addition to estimated foundation cost on a £90k 64sqm build

Had to have words with the groundworks people onsite about their language. 'But you swear' - came the response. Yeah - but not loudly, so can be heard 100 yards away, when young children are coming home from school. To me it's all about context, audience and intention. Whatever the word it is only letters arranged in a specific way And on an adult forum - sorry ... forum for adults. I would object to being sworn at definitely but not the use of swear words.

Passive slab? Hoping not to have to go down the raft route but would like to know more about this, and it;s benefits. Do you know of an informative website where I can find out a bit more please?

I think you are right, I don't think she knew what was actually being tested and was just telling me the various things that it could be. So - if it is plasticity. is that something that has to be kept in certain conditions for a period of time? I wouldn't have thought so.

Thanks. It's fixed based on certain assumptions with variables built in for certain aspects that we knew were possible The architect herself isn't a structural engineer but her partner is and he is doing the calculations, I love that points are raised on here. Doing things by myself, I'm trying to keep on top of everything and make sure people have relevant quals and experience but there are so many details it is very easy to miss something and these responses give me a ind of checklist

Yes I've been told informally as well that everything is fine for normal footings but my architect won't budge and do me the drawings until we get the results. She won't even tell me if she thinks piled footings will be ok or if we are going to need a raft. We are pretty sure that pilings will be fine. I think part of the problem is she has told building regs it is a 3 storey building rather than a very small split level that is part one storey and part 2 storey and they have based their demands on that without looking at the drawings.

Thanks They have already got the samples - from the company that did the boreholes. I don't know who the labs are. The woman at the borehole company told me a week to start with and is now saying could be a fortnight because of what the testing involves - heat and pressure for certain lengths of time.