saveasteading

Agreed. But as I say to everyone. Do not add any water to the supplied mix. That spoils the concrete but also remains as liquid water and might freeze. If using a builder tell them this strictly and also the concrete driver. No added water. If requested the driver insists on a signature to absolve his company. Your concrete will be safe after about 4 hours. @flanagaj you haven't set out the building, let alone dug the trenches. Ambition is great but assume there will be challenges. You may hit obstructions. How are you going to control the concrete level?

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Doing this currently. Handsaw ( multipurpose) for small cuts. Circular saw for longer cuts. And mask, goggles, hat with the latter. I had expected the eps to shed whole 'bubbles' but it cuts as very fine dust. So do it indoors or you will contaminate the area.

I've come to realise that you can either do this or you can't. And that many builders assume that by using lasers there will be no issues.

You can have mine. I was brought up on theodolites and tacheometers when simple total stations were just invented. We were told that without using the manual machines we wouldn't understand the full implications of the built-in inaccuracies and geodetics. That is true. The worst setting-out I ever saw was by a guy who claimed to have been a surveyor on Eurotunnel. Using a total station he set the rectangular building out with splayed sides... so wrong that eyeballing or pacing were much more accurate. It's quite a skill using a total station. Under some staff pressure I bought one at great expense. Nobody used it and we carried on using tapes. Anybody want a Leica Total Station? Was £14K, I'll settle for 2 as it's quite old but barely used.

Agreed. Your physical boundaries are what matters and seldom as OS, or even Land Registry shows. I won't bore you with my stories and cross my fingers for you that the project fits in the space available.

It wasn't stretching , simply very inaccurate. I can't remember how I discovered the problem. Probably used a different tape. I got my money back of course but refused to return them in case they sold them again, and binned them. Good fibre tapes are now very accurate IF stanley etc. That's great, but you do need to take references off it, or you'll have that great price 5 times.

And the pipes are now carrying warm water a long way, so need very serious insulation. It's standard stuff but expensive. When I had this at about 10m I used the double core insulated product but added more insulation over the top.

That is likely. That way or using tapes and triangulation doesn't matter. Please remember that they will mark stuff out and the very next operation is digging it all out again. So either they or you should provide reference points that you can refer back to. throughout the process, so that they dont have to repeat the operation. these can be offset pegs from their references, usually 1m parallel to the grid lines. Plus you can measure to permanent features such as fences or poles. a nail into these is good as it stays put and will hold the end of a tape. We can discuss that more after. and triangulation. If using a builder then you should discuss what they need from you, and what they will do if they dig out or knock over an markers. RE slopes, if you hold a tape horizontal, and pull tight then the slope difference is removed. The fact that you recognise this is very encouraging and you probabaly wouldn't believe how few do. Buy a 5m steel tape and a couple of 30m fibre tapes by recognuised brands. I once had 2 x steel tapes, 'silver something or other', from SF that were inaccurate 100mm over 30m! that could have been very expensive.

A service cavity filled with mineral wool isn't accessible any longer. Just partially fill? Your thermal bridging is through the studs but this will be calculated... it is normal. Have you a target for insulation or throwing all you can at it?

Ours are aluminium. We have a few of the crittals left, because they weren't rusting and falling apart... yet, so can compare. Nobody sensible would insist on steel. If you ask your local glazing suppliers, or go straight to the manufacturers they may have info on approved replacements in the area. They also may have publicity to help you. I'd apply with a detailed proposal... this now (emphasise the problems.)... this proposed. Preferably showing a similar construction.

Use one and they will be visible as 2 differing shades due to the light intensity and incidence.

I'd be asking them to specify what they require. They cannot insist on one supplier, crittall. When these Rationel heritage windows were launched both we and our window contractor saw them and thought ahaa, that's the answer. True enough the listed buildings architect approved them, having previuosly stated "only crittall". About 10 years ago? We also used an off the shelf door with skinny bars, but I made out it was special. It is usually worth the effort of a fancy presentation.

This is Rationel . Otherwise look for "heritage".

The skinny window bars is all that matters for the retained appearance. So the modern equivalent has exactly the same appearance with main frames matching your main sections, but infilled with single panes, rather than multiple small ones, and dummy astragals inside and outside.

I've replaced critall with a dg lookalike on our listed building. It looks the same which is what matters.

I've just come across suppliers of tube and plate and fixings at very good prices. metals4U sort of names. Google it. Better than going through ebay I'd think. eg I wanted a pair of steel plates cut to length 4.6m long. They arrived in 2 days for about £15 delivery ( obv not by Evri). So your poles could all be precut to length by them and you know the fixings will be compatible.

In most new buildings too. It's just worth the exercise to see if the numbers feel compatible with your issue. I've got a pair of 100m tapes for this purpose. Where the right numbers cross, I drop a brick on the ground. I can use hitech stuff but this works better and doesn't need calibrating. Later in the construction the same tapes remain ideal but the brick becomes too approximate and is surplus.

sometimes the non-expert ( you and me in this case) have ground-breaking ideas... BH is very good for getting these ideas tested / debunked. The issue perhaps is that they want the coolant air, which is quite warm, to disappear asap, whereas you want it to be enclosed somewhat so you can draw on it.

Hadn't thought of that. yes we should do that. It will restrict flow to some extent but we must try. But it would be best if the appliance has an automatic shutter, which is what I meant in your second query. No, in terms of having a draughty hole in the room. Wow. You won't get much kit for that. Is that simply a fan unit with heat exchanger and no ducting? Ive seen them and expect that the expelled air is drawn straight back in and the intake air is sucked straight back out.

When the timber is completely dry the mould will die or at least sleep for ever. No water means no rot. However, there are hot and cold pipes in the same space so there will be condensation. The pipes should be insulated. BUT the plasterboard has to be changed and you have this half done already so probably best to replace the timber, using preservative treated, and insulate the pipes.

I have asked several heating companies over the years why they don't harness the cooling emissions form chill-stores. They say it is a very inefficient process. I'm more inclined to think they'd much rather put in a chilling system for the factory/warehouse and a separate office heating system than do anything complex. Or their suppliers simply don't have the technology. Can't they at least have the heat pumps for the heating system close to those for the cooling systems? Apparently not.

Update. The big outlet pipes for the island hob fan are in, and laid to a gradient on eps. There is a very noticeable draught at the pipe , even though the building is a long way from enclosed. I was surprised at the amount of airflow but assume that the very strong wind is causing this. I have asked the family members who researched the hob, if the appliance is shuttered when not in use, or an always-open duct with a fan in it. We don't know. An 8" hole in the wall would not be acceptable , but that is effectively what this is. I've suggested we put an offcut of plasterboard over the hob when not in use.... apparently that wont be aceptable. OTOH are standard cooker hoods also open to the outdoors? I think so. Re the stove. The Steading (complete) has an ultra modern wbs, with direct air feed. It burns incredibly efficiently and there is no suggestion of smoke ever coming into the room rather than up the flue, or of any air leaks trough the door. I think you don't have to worry about interaction at all. And I doubt that mvhr is appropriate either, based on the info provided. Do you mind saying the cost level? to that add for some builders' work in getting the ducts around the place.

@flanagaj if this is your first time and a diy pour, we can help re level control, and waste avoidance.

It may still be worth checking that squareness is the cause. If the building is rectangular, measure diagonally and they should be the same within a few mm.