saveasteading

I've dealt with planning in perhaps 12 councils. Scores of applications. Applications in 10, and also meeting them in working groups in 2 of these. I think they were all behaving honestly. Of course they are people, and some are less competent, organised, modest, strong willed, hard working than others. Some will tend to bend as required by bullying councillors, developers etc. Do they respond to bribes or threats? Not that I have heard. Parish councils are amateurs. They can't be made to go on training courses. Some are there for their own ends, there is no doubt, and will bully and lie and use their position. Most are there for the best of reasons but can be bullied by the former and by the public...and often will leave. Is that corruption? No, but bullying is as bad. Parish councils can't control planning anyway, only advise. Bigger councils have more clout. The elected members are usually also politically linked. You are into the world of lobbying and lunches. Most are doing the best they can. I think it's too easy to assume corruption is behind decisions we don't like. The ones who cast blame are those least likely to put themselves forward for public service.

Interesting. It's a good point about the difference between building regs and safety. They shouldn't use the same term. I'd say that competence is required rather than expertise. A lot is common sense. For building regs it is a contact point and reasonable site management. For safety, a lot can be learnt from hse leaflets, all on line. Eg does the first time self builder know about ladder use? Does a seasoned builder know it, or care? But it is a serious matter and safety should not be shrugged off.

Not corrupt. Essay may follow.

Quite rightly so. If you are not competent then you shouldn't do it. If an accident happened then the principal contractor is going to be questioned. If you have taken all reasonable precautions* then that is likely to be the end of it. But setting up someone else to be it, then they have to be competent. * mostly common sense and checking that any contractors are experienced, insured, and appear competent. Someone is responsible for risk assessments. I'm on site now with groundworkers. We haven't done a formal risk assessment but we are competent and discuss stuff.

When the sun shines and I stay indoors, is the sun going to waste?

You can be the principal contractor. Who will call the the bco to a site inspection? You? Then it's you. If you use a contractor you can shift the responsibility as you go along. There are responsibility. Management, safety etc.

If I may confuse the issue. I tried always to supervise air tests. This because the attitude of the tester could vary between a quick test and disappear, or having a walk round to check for any open vents etc. And they never, ever offered to find a leak and test again (eg a vent fan that needed polythene over it.) One asked me what number I was looking for. I'm pretty sure I was never going to get a better figure than that. On a tricky refurb the airtightness could never have been great but it was all the client wanted. There were no tests required. Later he had a test done to help rent the building, and I saw the report with clearly imaginary figures for insulation and airtightness 'as required'. What am I saying? Study the subject and supervise. Some trades will be contemptuous of airtightness, but that is part of managing the project. For the test either find a small scale tester who will obtain the number you ask for, or use the best who will help improve the airtightness. Be present.

Weather. If it rains it can be ruined. Can't do it on a freezing day. If it is hot or windy it can dry too fast. That can be controlled with polythene, but isn't ideal and you may get marks. You need to be flexible.

I have recently used a fencer's spade for the first time. tapered to a smallish end, very heavy. I want one. I feel that will go through the wire with ease. Your fencers will have one. I think some are too lightweight.

That's fine if detailed properly. Insurance may cost more, but you will have saved tens of £k in the build and the insurers will catch up.

I have seen this cycle of insurance panic a few times over the years. Sometimes quite rightly. Other times without properly investigating the issues. Then one breaks ranks and gets lots of business and the others follow. Hence timber construction is a no-no to some, and metal cadding. Looking back decades, industrial buildings had polystyrene exposed as roof insulation, cavity barriers were rare and some so-called fire walls had not been tested. It's safer now, if designed properly without corner cutting. What we can never count on is the average builder knowing the rules, or understanding, or caring. Unfortunately this also applies to some consultants.

Welcome @john ferrigan. May I ask what attracts you to straw?

I agree that we should insist on the capitals. Yesterday I got a water bill, with the volume stated in L instead of l. I didn't realise Lister was involved with water. Apparently we are adopting the American L to avoid confusion with l and the number one. A script l would have been more elegant.

We should blame kingspan and celotex. I try not to use any brands of their holding companies but it is difficult esp when they change names and sell off the tarnished brands. They appear to have escaped largely unpunished. White collar crime is accepted.

Wouldn't a sharp post with thumper go through it? Or maybe a small cut is required first.

Note how the snow has not melted anywhere on the roof. A very good proof of continuous and effective insulation and airtightness. Or that the heating is set low or off.

That beam is going to cost about £800 and require lifting gear and pads. Maybe you can find a preused beam....just maybe. You can use very deep joists at close centres with the added advantages of ease of fixing and easier service routes. But do you have the headroom? The cost may well be similar or worse. It is very essy to find the joist size, but then it needs costing.

Yes be annoyed. If they miss at 600cc, then there is 1200 between fixing. That's too far. Regardless of anyone's hunch in it your Engineer has said 600, so that should be done. They may have gone to the next screw size up, but don't play with centres or miss any out.

It will likely be steel, coated with Plastisol. If within about 10 miles of the sea it needs a special finish. The PV will not load the cladding but will bear on the structure behind it. The reason for having standing seam is that the fixings do not penetrate it. So to then screw PV through it needs skilled attention. All the above may well be understood by the build team. It needs maintenance much sooner than tiles. Decades, but fewer of them. Why is the developer using it? Much cheaper while also being fashionable. That's why we are using metal cladding on ours, buf it will be screwed, not standing seam.

If the room is very small and very well insulated, body heat will do it at no cost. Gradually peeling off jumpers until dying of asphyxia or overheating. Could we call that IR heating?

Welcome. A good chance to sound insulate the party walls.

It is worth detailing to stop leaves and muck getting to the soakaway. Having the downpipes outlet onto grilled hoppers is standard.

@NMarshallthanks for the links. It's difficult to tell if they are lying about the supposed benefits, or simply don't understand it. Bottom line....it is an electric heater. It would be a nice luxury for bare feet on a tiled bathroom floor. Otherwise it is expensive to buy, and to run, and will NOT heat people by IR as claimed, as it is within the floor, which warms. These adverts should be shut down.

We used black tubes in the ceilings of sports halls. Gas is combusted at one end and expelled at the other. The tube gets hot and a lot of ' glow' is apparent underneath it. It heats the air of course too but it stays up high. Sports teachers report back that the pupils moan about being cold in the first class of the day. But they respond to the whoomph of it firing up, then start running about, and the heater can be turned off again for the rest of the day.

It can't possibly be any benefit? Or real even. Can you find this statement/ claim? Ashp are much more efficient than they used to be, and quieter. I can't see what your concern is re the depth of floor. That is a big issue in a refurb but not with a new build. I am not against IR heaters and have specified them often, both from electric elements and from gas fired hot tubes. As @ProDavesays, they heat the person or first object they hit so have their place for very local heating. When I am banished to watch rugby in a very cold room then I have an IR for that, also on a patio for summer evenings, hardly used. But they are electric heaters using a lot of power. We are here to help and learn. I'd like to know more about this product.