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Everything posted by saveasteading
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Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
That doesn't matter. In fact it grips the concrete better than non-rusted, and without water it won't change. -
@Gus Potter and I have been discussing this in detail. The resolution? Use the appropriate national building reg's and don't mix them. The other documents are guidelines even if better written and used as the basis for the national regs. Without checking, don't the GBRs say to work to the building regs? To my mind, option 1 will work well but not comply. More pipes would make it comply. Option 2, looks like the book says, except one trench may be too near to the bank.
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Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
OK. So good luck with it, and report back please, as I've never used SCC. -
Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
We are concerned for you, perhaps unnecessarily. It's what you don't say. Can the lorry get close? Can its chute reach nearly all the way so that you don't have to move it? what quantity is it? Is the mesh already in and has the bco approved it? Are you both physically strong in handling the chute and moving it (it's very heavy esp with concrete in it. You'll be doing this while walking in wet concrete on a layer of steel mesh. NB the driver does not help! He turns the delivery on and off when you shout. Later he washes out. You've probably got 30 minutes from arrival to completion or they charge a lot. you are going to get messy. wellies, waterproofs, gloves. After the concrete is in and the lorry gone, have you asked how long it is workable? You have not got the time or luxury of using the laser. there wont be any break time or rest for these 2 hours. have you a contingency if one of you has a problem? Can you find a third person? what is containing the slab? masonry or a shutter? mark the finished level on there in advance plus some pegs in the middle. Have you worked out the quantity exactly? what is it? how much have you rounded it up? the leftover is all going on your ground. 1/2m2 is a lot esp when it spreads or makes a solid lump. and so on. expertise. I have supervised maybe 300 pours from 4m3 to hundreds. I seldom handled the shovel. But I've seen it go wrong often. I've especially seen it go badly wrong on other peoples projects, esp by amateurs and poor builders, and it is a shame, a waste of money and can have knock-on effects. to reiterate : It's what you don't say. If you knew you wouldn't be asking, and you haven't asked the right questions. -
Magic air cooling. Squeeze all the tech terms you can think of to impress the gullible and charge a low price. A magic box that you screw to the wall, plug in, and don't have to vent. This is a small extract as the guff goes on and bonus. But I've spared you it. I've deleted the trade name to reduce its visibility. Facebook don't care.... About anything other than thing: money. And world domination. 2 things. The xxxxx Mini Portable Air Conditioner utilises an advanced hydro-thermal absorption technology. This compact device draws in the suffocating, muggy indoor air and channels it through an internally sealed cryogenic cooling chamber. There, a specialized nano-honeycomb matrix strips the thermal energy from the air molecules, instantly converting the oppressive heat into a refreshing, crisp, and ice-cold breeze
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Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
I've never used SCC so perhaps others can advise of any special measures. I.m guessing here, but perhaps a length of 2x2 would be handy to persuade it all the way to the far corner. Any shuttering will be prone to leakage as will gaps in plastic. Have you a plan for the surplus and the washout location? Wherever you tell them to put it, it will keep flowing! If it is like pumped screed, it is like water until suddenly it isn't. ripples won't matter at all but getting it level +/- 3mm is well worth while. -
Why we need "Net zero"
saveasteading replied to Beelbeebub's topic in Environmental Building Politics
Interesting When the Right start agreeing such things, it's too late. Telegraph is becoming more liberal these days isn't it? "Its Scotlands Oil" was the slogan but perhaps now could extend to water and wind. Pipelines will surely follow the cables south? I know that in Spain they have huge pipelines and pump stations that are turned on when rivers are in spate, taking it many kms to agricultural areas in the few hours it lasts... filth included. I wonder if tanker ships could be used now? Loch Ness has more water than all other water in E & W. Taxed 1p/m3 at Inverness into the local exchequer? -
Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
OK thanks. This is what I assumed. It is a slab not a screed. Flattish will do but it is a shovel, raje and float (or tamp) job, not tripods and dapple bar. I suggest you bang some steel or batten in to finished level. Not best practise but pragmatic. You'll be too busy shovelling to check with a laser. How many of you? Quantity is easy as you have a simple shape and presumably a consistent level. -
Well done. Others readig this.,. Dong assume it's this easy.
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Why we need "Net zero"
saveasteading replied to Beelbeebub's topic in Environmental Building Politics
Permission to scare you? There's an article in the Independent today. It says that there is a leaked report from the UK armed forces to govt, that there's no point in defending the country if there's nothing worth defending. Ie food production/ water must be sorted urgently. Meanwhile the rest of the world is worse and will want to come here regardless. It's an opinion piece so it doesn't have to be verified. And.. relax. -
Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
We don't know much about it at all! The questions are not answered and I fear that the author doesn't know how much he doesn't know. It is out of concern that I keep trying to help. @flanagaj please explain what the construction of the floor is and what stage you are planning. -
Ground bearing slab curing
saveasteading replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
I wouldn't want a rocket scientist pouring my concrete. You can do this but be prepared. You say screed, and your equipment list is for a thin liquid screed. But earlier you say slabs. So j assume this is concrete on plastic on stone. Presumably this is being delivered ready mixed. You have half an hour unless you arrange for longer. Is it chuting staight to position or are you barrowing. So you and 2 strong mates have the half hour to get it in place then another half hour to compact and level it. I'm happy to say more if I know whether this is concrete or runny screed. -
The more you make mortar a feature, rather than functional, the better the bricklayer has to be. And the batching. If site mixed, you need precise control of the materials and the quantities. Not flinging in half a bag of cement and x shovels of sand.
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Renovating 200 year old property in Gloucestershire
saveasteading replied to nobody's topic in Introduce Yourself
I didn't make my shower comment clear at all. It is an electrically powered shower using hot water from a boiler, mixing with cold. 2 pipes lead to the position as normal, but terminate at t he powered unit from where 1 pipe leads to the shower. There is no argument for economy, it is convenience and control. I had forgotten how bad some showers can be until in an old hotel recently. -
Renovating 200 year old property in Gloucestershire
saveasteading replied to nobody's topic in Introduce Yourself
brings us back to my subject.... assuming UFH (another one!) can you fit in your floor of stone, slab, insulation and screed? -
Renovating 200 year old property in Gloucestershire
saveasteading replied to nobody's topic in Introduce Yourself
very interesting chimney . the rustic construction would be great to retain for interest but will need a lot of attention. Doable though. are these stone flag floors? on second looks... perhaps old timber planks and some infill modern stuff? Yes SE as you say... pardon me in advance because this will happen al the time. SE EPS PIR x 100. Foundations. Can you ask why the modern building had deep founds? on perfect ground you would be 900mm deep. deeper means that the ground is soft or there are trees nearby. BUT 200 years ago they would scrape out as little as possible, topsoil really, and build stone straight onto that. That construction rises and falls annually, while the new bit stays put. Hence I suggest checking how much asap (sorry abbreviations again). My prejudice perhaps but importantly... however good an SE , not all have expertise in old stone. Ask. They will very likely be straight forward and decline if they think someone else will know better.. Unlike Architects who mostly take on anything and the problems arise later. Ditto builder. ("subject to Engineer's inspection" becomes your risk later. whereas the issues should be addressed early and influence the whole design. -
Renovating 200 year old property in Gloucestershire
saveasteading replied to nobody's topic in Introduce Yourself
So the original has been rxtended, not enclosed? Is the stonework dressed or rubble? Mortared in place, pointed? It might help dampness to leave some exposed. You need to find how deep the footings are. The steading was only about 300 below ground in total. You can't excavate much below that. The inglenook may be supporting the building. This is SE work. Esp at a party wall as there may be a shared chimney AND you don't know what the neighbours have done. It is scarily common for people to remove a chimney at GF leaving the chimney hanging. Understood re photos but some closeups perhaps? Another important issue is door heights. If you raise the floor can you get through without ducking? -
Renovating 200 year old property in Gloucestershire
saveasteading replied to nobody's topic in Introduce Yourself
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. -
Renovating 200 year old property in Gloucestershire
saveasteading replied to nobody's topic in Introduce Yourself
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. -
How to unlock unlimited geothermal energy, anywhere we want
saveasteading replied to SteamyTea's topic in Boffin's Corner
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.
