saveasteading

There are a lot of useless people doing this, and good too of course. the test is whether they ask questions and/or give suggestions. interested or its just a job. have some questions. some are just random guys that have been given the task by their employer. I recall a family purchase and upgrade, of traditional brick walls and somebody came to assess for the gas or electric company for some reason. He spent 5 minutes making assumptions for 'this sort of building'. didn't check in the loft. wouldn't listen that we had upgraded the party wall. I wouldn't be surprised if he thought this was a cushy job and would start his own assessment business.

using wedges?

75mm of screed. Presumably this was pumped, and was hard in a few hours. this is mixed very precisely and should not have excess water (if it did, it would be utter slops). the majority of the water enters the new chemistry of the screed, and is not wetness. the remainder evaporates over a week or so.... Unless it got wet again of course. The free water would be the equivalent of about a 5mm puddle, and we know that doesn't stay there for long. double that for seeping upwards I've had floor fitters claim excess dampness then I've had others test it and it has been well in tolerance. I suspect the fitters wanted to remove any warranty responsibility. BUT if it really is wet then that is an issue. I suggest you get an independent measurement. It has to be somebody who knows what they are doing as I misunderstood one machine: it was reading a high figure but the expert explained something or other that I can't recall, that it was well within. The diy probes are quite possibly fine for timber when you an push probes in, but less reliable for other materials.

Fear is too strong. But I want him to visit again in a good frame of mind. Who knows what he might want proof of, at cost of much time , maybe some fee. The green bit of the regs is ' do a good job' and the rest is suggestions and interpretation. So I will show willing (do a bit), take a flattering photo and then membrane over it. It's a much better job than most he will see and walk past. Eg when I've cut the insulation to just the right shape and it needs to be hammered in with stud offcuts as spreaders...... then it won't come out again for certain. He will have walked past plenty of undersized, maybe underthickness, boards with expanding foam.

Yes. family members did it diy. All the tiles have a camber so it is essential to straighten that, using the plastic wedge method. It has been in place 2 years now and not a problem. One of those things where diy gave more certainty as well as the cost issue. I have a thing about wood-effect... you will never see the same pattern on 2 planks so I don't wat to se it on tiles. the ones we used had about 20 patterns and then could be reversed. I've tried to see the repeats of course, and managed, but they are very convincing. You may have seen the recent discussion about decoupling mats. I can't remember if the steading had one so will ask. Anyway, I wouldn't be using one. Notch? I suspect that with having the camber to resolve, you'd want more rather than less adhesive.

That's a commercial application not a self-build issue. does show that wind is better than oil though.

Made me laugh. What if it is low alcohol Peroni or vegan?

Continuing this drift from the original question. We have had a difference of opinion with the BCO. Any advice will help, either technical or to my behaviour. I am personally infilling between timber studs at an isolated area where the architecture requires that we add some insulation. 50mm of rockwool would meet the numbers required. Because we have some 150mm eps and pir left from the floor works, I am using that. Obv this far exceeds the requirement. I wasn't there during the routine inspection, maybe as well. BCO isn't happy to see different materials being used. There is PIR and EPS, and even that looks like different products because batches have different amounts of the black specks from graphite additives. He also doesn't like where I have used 2 or more pieces butted within a section of wall. It is all sealed at edges and any joints with aluminium tape. Why have I used more than one piece? Economy and avoidance of waste. Sometimes because there is a nail sticking out so I've cut it for ease of adjustment, or there is a pipe behind and I have used 2 pieces, cut for exactness. And some are where eps has snapped, as mentioned above.... I have used it but taped the junction. In family discussion I suggested we tell him where to go / ask him on what grounds there is any suggestion of a problem / submit proof that this exceeds regs / sign it that I have a degree in Building Science. Pragmatically we are avoiding a row as it isn't worth it. So I've gone back to address the worst and there actually isn't anything that bothers me. I saw one panel where I'd used 3 bits so decided to pull that out and redo. Then I saw why I had done it. The sparky had inserted a noggin so I had pushed what I could down the back of that, in 2 bits to get a good fit. Then I had done the front, with a gap at the noggin but used eps and pir. The boards are so well fitted that one won't come out So I decided to reduce the quality to please the man. I've cut 30mm off one of the blocks, but 30mm off it and joints and placed 25mm board over for better aesthetic effect. Lowering standards to get approval... Grrrrrr. I'm thinking of peeling the aluminium face off PIR and gluing it over any panels with joints. But no, I will not lower myself to that. Thanks I feel a bit better now. we have had a difference of opinion with the

also of note. I have been a hater of expanding foam for years as it is used freely to hide bodges. But Soudal with a gun is another matter as there is control of quantity to some extent, and the nozzle can be extended into voids. BUT NB it acts as a solvent with EPS so must be used with caution. I have learned to squirt in a small amount as adhesive, then a sparing amount, then a 'top coat'. Not fast but a proper job

But laying 2 layers allows the staggering of joints. Having recently done 2 layers I'd be thinking of having the thinner layer below, as the top one will be stiffer to resist bending under load (if there are any voids). Jablite is much softer and the saw doesn't get stuck in thck boards. But for 50mm of either, a saw is fine. Both are easy with a machine. We had a contractor do the floor. He used a recip. saw and long blade. Fast but approximate. I've been doing some wall stud infilling. It's a pain. I'm using a jigsaw with 4" blade which only cuts 2". Then repeat other side.. so is slow. With a long blade it wanders wildly. I think ideally with pir I would cut first with a jigsaw then complete the cut with a recip. Also, eps makes lots of dust, pir much less but nasty and needs a mask. Another option.. pir has aluminium foil on both faces. It cuts by stanley knife and so for 50mm you can cut both faces and get a snap-off cut... and it ux marked in 100mm squares. Yes eps snaps rather roughly.

What have you been reading? Woke is the go-to term for trump and co for whom it means ' not extreme right wing'. I am therefore woke to them. UK oil would be extracted if it made economic sense. Anyway, It isn't any use for fuel but would be sent across the ocean to make chemicals. Certain parties either don't understand this or choose not to acknowledge it.

Finns are apparently much happier than they are portrayed or pretend.

I'm out of touch so accept the word of @SteamyTea, of course. But I recall a time when lots were being pitched at the new sustainability market. Planners were expecting to see that sort of thing too. They were being sold as gimmicks or to please planners, and in totally unsuitable locations. Then suddenly about 15 years ago there were none being touted. Since then, solar technology has improved dramatically but not, I think, turbines. We've discussed this on here before, and I think the moral was that tiny ones work on yachts, out in the ocean, but still won't boil a kettle. Thinking further, I once had journalists visiting as we had won an award for sustainable design, and they didn't understand that there was nothing to photograph. They wanted a wind turbine. I think that this may still be an impression, and being seen with one would be the only perceived benefit.... unless you are on top of a hill but always in shadow, , don't mind the noise and there is no alternative. Shorter answer: no.

Yes it should have been, unless it got wet some other way. How thick is the screed and what is under it?

over what length? 3mm is the industry max under a 3m straight edge, and the long length makes a huge difference.. not just under the middle, but if you stand on an end, and the other end sticks up, then 3mm max there too. That is the standard for commercial floors, so if in any warehouse or sports hall etc. The floor can slope overall quite a lot though and pass. I've never understood why. I have not checked if there are published figure for domestic floors, but if your vinyl layer is saying it's ok then it prob is.

It will depend on the spec. Some is very thin and would show every ripple. Some is thicker and may have a backing. What will it be stuck down with? It might be enough. It may be better to gently grind than use filler. It looks pretty good. You are needing smooth rather than level.

Agreed it can be perfectly good. A few items have been only mediocre but OK in short term. So great for diy, but may not last. But as a groundworker said to me, if a Titan tool (screwfix) fails in 11 months you get a replacement one. They won't say you have used it too much. My latest thoughts are on robustness and storage. The little battery jigsaw I've bought is good, but the snap-on plastic guide bits aren't going to last. Otoh thd expensive dewalt one I borrowed seemed to be lacking some bits too. And I will buy some plastic boxes.

A Finnish supplier I built for said their policy was exactly that. Let the trees grow another year. Presumably Sweden is the same. Are there other commodities you can do that with? But what creates a significant fall in demand in the first place? The manager was proud of Finnish timber being close grained and straight because it grows very slowly on flat and very cold plains. Since then I see trees on hillsides as straining to stay upright (does it grow lopsided?) and Finnish timber as reliable but miserable.

I think I would design these as distinct units, so that they can articulate without cracking, as the loadings are very different, and an 11m pool structure will be less complex than 28m. The gaps can be filled in with flooring.

Presumably this confederation is only for producers who meet the standards required. It will need testing and inspection for C16. The thing is, we have used about 8km of timber( and most had to be C24, ) so I can't test this supplier. But they were totally knowledgeable of the requirements and issues in real life (drying, milling, straightness, storage) so I'm confident it will be good stuff.

But it is not. It is a very big water tank, and if the ground moves a tiny bit, the slab and or walls could break and it gets very messy and expensive. And you will be indoors now, not outside., so damage and repairs are x3. There are a lot of failures of swimming pools and contractors have gone bust and Engineers had very expensive claims. And some of these are for proper designs: the ground we live on is very mobile. If the results of the boreholes are encouraging then you will save cost on the amount of concrete and of reinforcememnt. If they show poor ground then it really is essential to know that and design to suit. Is it still 27m long as previous posts? that is big and not to be dabbled with. How much do you want it?

Might it be easier to drive the nails right through and leave them there? (With a punch?) Battens aren't strong timber and I'd expect a lot of damage if prising them off. I'm all for saving the material . I recall a tool my dad had which was for this purpose*... about 3" long with a square head and then a taper to a round end for the nail contact. * I doubt he ever put a nail in wrong, but neither did any timber get thrown if it could be repurposed. BUT if anyone knows better than me then listen to them... I've never done roof battens.

I've tried and failed to obtain local timber when C16 is the requirement. So I was surprised and pleased to see that it is now being marketed. At the "future-build" exhibition in London I had a long chat with them. They were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the rep clearly knew all the merchants personally. Scottish timber grows fast and with wide rings. I'd expect Kielder and more southern climes grow even faster. So it is never close ringed and dense enough to provide the stronger C24 timber. But I have never been able to get uk timber because the merchants get in Scandinavian wood for their own ease. I am assured that some merchants will get the UK stuff if we insist/ ask around. And it should be cheaper for obvious reasons of proximity. Plus the carbon credentials are much better, and rather incredibly, Scottish forestry supports 34,000 jobs and GVA is £3billion. If it sold more as structural timber, then they would plant more. They also seemed to agree with my concerns on timber being stored and supplied wet by merchants. They understood all the concerns about dryness and straightness. I guess buying local and just-in-time might help that too. Confederation of forest industries, called Confor. Confor.org.uk Nobody else came to the stand. There were thousands there but the agenda was more about "solutions" and tick-boxing systems. A lot of Chinese exhibitors selling robots incl plastering machines , lots of IT and computer modelling, but also earth bricks and marble. Overall... the future of building is systems and protocols. I couldn't work out what some stalls were even offering, and their staff couldn't always explain either. NB.. it wasn't aimed at self build or small projects.

Everything I'd guess. I'm getting very prompt adverts for things we are discussing but absolutely not mentioning in messages or searches. So that's the phone listening? I bought a watch and there were ads for watches the same day and since. Pointless as I now have a watch. Wood burning stoves discussed... ads appear. And other such.

They should be fine. Drills don't use a huge amount of power. I've got 2A, 4A and 6A batteries. 2A fine for drills and jigsaw, and multitool. and lasts for hours. 6A for the SDS drill/breaker , bench saw, vacuum, leaf blower. ( the latter two still need changing after 20 minutes) 4A generally not my first choice as they are a compromise, so are backup.