saveasteading

If you ask your local merchant for the price of a box of 12, it may plummet.

A short article on the anniversary. Bad engineering, bad construction and bad poetry. The latter didn't kill anyone. https://blog.engineshed.scot/2017/01/11/132/

Everbuild is a brand owned by Sika, whos products are top end, but at much more manageable prices than Sika. Everything I've had has been really good. Only an expert who has tried and compared the products can say for sure. Try it.

And any groundworker can paint 'civil engineer on their van'. Same to some extent with 'doctor'. An extended degree in anything would get a doctorate.....but I think the NHS and public know the difference. Strangely 'Architect' is protected even though the aesthetics of a building won't kill anyone. But the profession sells itself strongly. I don't always correct being called a Structural Engineer, (I kept to the Civil path,) as there is some recognition. Ask the public what is a Doctor or Architect, and all will know. Lawyer? Structural Emgineer? I think so. Mechanical/ electrical/ chemical? The same applied to trades of course. Electricians at least have standards with certification but I know this gets abused.

the width is a practical matter. How narrow a trench can you work in?.....bedding the cable in sand, backfilling and compacting , placing a yellow warning tape. In a road, the narrowness will reduce the cost of rebuilding a road surface. In a field it doesn't matter.

It's in the nature of Engineers to do the job rather than play for power. Plus as a Chartered Civil Engineer we have vowed to put society first. client next ( and by implication ourselves lower). "maintain lifelong competence, assuring society that the infrastructure they create is safe, dependable and well designed." I don't know about other Engineering professions.

Over agricultural land should be easy, and the farmers will know contractors to do it. Do you supply the cable in this scenario? That's £9/m. Duct or sand. marker tape is cheap. Kiosk too.

Start with this very accessible book and see how you get on. About £5 second hand. Maths is essential for Engineering, but not vice versa. Of course there is a big overlap where the Venn diagrams cross. 3 or 4 years at uni then min 3 in the real world to get qualified. There's a lot to learn, but knowing the principles and the right terms is a good start. If I remember, there isn't much Maths in this, but principles. The New Science of Strong Materials (or Why We Don't Fall Through the Floor) by J E Gordon

It is hard work, and very few people will do it. Dig a holeto the bottom of the footing. Get into the hole and dig under the foundations and down to the new depth, handing up earth all the while. earth to garden or skip. Pour concrete in the hole and pack it up super tight under the footings. Pay for the concrete and the small load premium. move on an repeat. Because it is difficult to pack up tight, the house may settle a mm or so. If there wasn't really a problem then this may cause differential expansion when the ground recovers. Your Engineer says it isn't necessary He knows the ground in your area.

Radiators all have thermostats plus there are room controllers in 2 distinct circuits, each with a hot water tank. Port valves? I don't know. On further investigation, I half recall that the radiator nearest to the boiler is on its own loop, for some reason of keeping a circuit open during maintenance????? may be wrong. That was the hot one. Others seem to be on and off without issues. Since my first post and turning the room heating (only) back on it has been working nicely. I haven't touched the controls. I will continue this for completeness and only turn the water heating on when necessary and then after a decent test period.

well done, that is always the best. it is liquid running water you are looking for. you have a leak. Imagine the cost of such multiple inspections, and the additional premium for being responsible for all workmanship and all consequences. That red circle does look favourite as a problem. I don't like the gutter chucking uphill and clashing with other running water downhill. But there is definitely regular extreme wetness at the left end of the bottom gutter. If not from the gutter then from the confluence as you neatly describe it. In looking for leaks I start from the end point. so that is the left gutter end and support. water generally takes predictable routes following gravity, so straight up the slope is likeliest. My kneejerk solution is a metal flashing from gutter left, to underside of the flashing above it. And another catching all the water from the red circle confluence. Plus the red circle gutter could do with being cast away from the circle onto an area of complete tiles, using an additional downpipe and shoe. This will also m ove it slightly from the lower confluence.

With a soppy sentimental story on the side. My great Aunt Gertrude rescued me from the slums. Her greatest wish was that some day I would fix a ceiling grid using self tapping screws into concrete. This is in her memory. But will I manage it?. Music "Dih dih daaaah! Fortunately a helpful group of blog members hear of this and offer advice.

In case its relevant: The header tank recently had issues which I resolved. The balcock valve was leaking so I changed the whole thing. But along with the leak, it was coming through the ceiling which is why we noticed it. So I found that the overflow was not sealed, and never had been....that was put in 30 years ago. I've sorted that too. I think I may have been overcautious in setting the balcock float so the level could be an inch higher, if that might reduce the temperature. I also removed the insulation, because that seems unnecessary in the SE. I topped up the additive but rather a guess.

Thanks. Not the immersion. It wasn't on: never is. It is an oil burner. I vaguely remember this happening before, and the little thermostat on the tank was an option...and that it's just in round number clicks. The boiler temperature is an uncalibrated knob, currently at mid point. U haven't twiddled them yet. Should I do one rather than the other? I've turned the CH back on and left the water off, for domestic harmony. No banging yet.

I think it is called kettling? Lots of banging and it will be spluttering into the header tank. It's not all the time though. Does this need a heating engineer? Can I turn something down for now?

Never let it be said that I don't take advice. Smaller mole grips fitted. Anyway it's sorted now. The lever and screw lost their lime buildup in the vinegar. The screw and washer lost their chrome too, and seem to be made of copper. The screw went back in nicely but didn't sort the handle....it seems the serrations have worn or rotted off. So I've epoxied it on , and it seems OK. The 3 days estimate was correct, but it was a half hour twice and no cost. I seriously expect the hot side to fail soon.

You are correct. Flashband and sealant is more for repairs than newbuild. You should be channeling the water away from the interface using metal flashings. These should underlap the cladding, say 100mm or more. You do need sealant. It should be a tape of silicon that is screwed tight at the joint. It should be a specific to cladding product that does not harden in time.

Are you sure it is an sds bit? They rattle about, deliberately, as a cross between drill and breaker and I'm not sure they drill precisely enough for this purpose. The screw has to cut itself into the concrete. Might be wrong.

These are specifically for concrere I hope. If so, then I'm sorry but there is something dodgy about structural fixings without instructions. These are hitech products and will have precise requirements. Too big a hole and they won't grip...expensive collapse? Too small and they won't fit and may damage the thread. Perhaps buy some new ones.

It will say on the package and needs to be exactly right. It's worth getting a new, big brand, bit.

Thanks but the plumbing is working fine, it's the lever that came loose. I may need a new screw if the thread is damaged, and /or or have to glue it back on.

That would be tidier but not a statement. You don't know where my smaller molegrips are do you? The fixing screw was loose but won't tighten again. It's all soaking in vinegar to lose the lime crud...not a problem you get in N Highland. I'm told the very nice sink came with the tap for a very cheap cost..much the same as a branded tap would cost on its own.

The kitchen tap broke last night. Q. Must be fixed today. How long will it take? A. Between 10 minutes and 3 days depending on where the mechanism has broken and what shops are open and have stocks. 20 minutes later it is solved with a new lever. I think this qualifies as Art as well as plumbing.

Yes, spell it out. Bullet points make it easier to read and absorb.

Their official email address will be public knowledge. An easy cut and paste from the above. The parish council are an advisory role only. The district Councillor has clout.