saveasteading

Welcome. Neither are we until we know more. Eventually we will get there. What size? Number of rooms? In approx terms does it feel ample in size? The stone centre: is that an original building that has been encased in new? There may be construction and damp challenges.

A good one is an expensive luxury, but divide by number of showers and £800 becomes pennies per use. We have an aqualisa. Press a button outside and it starts. When the light stops flashing you walk straight into it. I realise how good it is whenever I have to use a lesser one.

I have forgotten an awful lot. But I kind of remember that there is an absolute limit to the height of a pump, regardless of size. Because of the sheer head of water mostly. In a mine there is tunnelling and it could be done in stages.

2km is a deep hole. That will be quite a pump that shifts water through it. I expect the microfissues , even the borehole will close up under pressure. So it interesting but a while away.

Quite so. I've just reread the original post. Concrete cracks, steels corrode. Newish walls can be removed again. The managing agents were not technical people, so their comments are probably irrelevant. So the residents' trust perhaps need to get a fund together and start from scratch. A good local SE will be a starting point. A free first visit for a quote. Then a solicitor (there are construction specialists) to formalise the process, get insurance etc. Then sort it. The value of all properties will then increase by more than the cost, esp for those who can't sell. OR. Is there a local big developer/ landlord who might buy the lot and sort it out... takes the risk and makes money?

To put it into real life context, in the Steading we left a significant proportion of 600mm original wall exposed internally. This was for aesthetics and a historical nod. That would never pass Passivhaus which is an extreme target. I have no intention of sacrificing lots of money and aesthetics for the certificate that comes with a few % energy benefit. But many do and it's their choice and money (never regained in £ payback). We did get respect from the bco who agreed it was a good design feature, and we balanced the insulation by extra elsewhere. You are building all new, so can more easily tweak the insulation. Should be easy enough esp with a proper analysis with expertise. You say lots of insulation. What products?

Premature use will damage the surface and make it too wet. Leave it too long and the surface dries before it sets. There are rules about not pouring in cold weather. But for hot it will depend on the mix, the thickness, time of day. I've never used sprinklers but I see the advantage as compared to single use polythene. Curing spray may be optimum.

Its not complex. A screwdriver which shouldnt go through, and a wire brush to remove the surface. More technically, a drill to look for inernal shiny bits.

Building control were fine with me using grano dust as the top layer. So they should be. Sand is often used far too thick to overcome poor levelling of the sub-base. Then it picks up footprints and other shapes which the concrete has to drag along if it shrinks while curing. This is textbook stuff apart from a couple of things which reduce your mark to 99%. Well done. 🏆

I think some presenters have something to sell, but they can't fill 10 minutes with the facts so exaggerate. The less they understand it the more they exagerate. It's as if those prescious but flighty heat particles were rushing through a piece of timber as if it was a big hole in the wall.

Yes it might be moderately simple but this is SE work. If we are to help further we need photos.

Whatever we build, it is a thermal bridge to greater or lesser degree. BH can sort this And carpentry skills will be of huge benefit to the final product even though the SAP doesn't acknowledge build quality.

I like the word 'just' there. Would it also creep into every corner under the floor and expand to put an upward pressure onto the floor, as in underpinning? But its certainly going to be easier than barrowing in the first 80% So that is a decent shout for the bulk fill.

Not something I'm familiar with.

A coal hole? It would probably be difficult to fill and compact after the first few feet.