saveasteading

But you can build to the same standards and save on the margins and management and transport of the systems. With systems I would say the advantages are certainty and the package principle. If you can manage, including managing the design, then you have a choice. Don't stint on quality either way.

I don't buy own brands any more. quality can even change with the supposedly same product, probably from another source, just branded the same. I've had shrinkage, not flexible enough in life, too runny or too thick to apply.

I would say that is long enough for the ground to recover. so we don't consider it. A big thirsty tree in clay may need a few years for the ground to recover. A small or less thirsty tree less so. But 6 years should be enough for anything....not that I've seen any studies of this. I have built near disappeared trees after a year and not had problems, but that really depends on having a proper winter with drizzle over a long period so that the ground gets properly wet and expands to its original form..

Harder, smoother. But yours looks polished to me. It is done with the same machines, just after the surface is hard enough to walk on, with a different angle on the blades. These are very neat straight cuts. the reason for filling with mastic is to keep biscuits and other detritus out of them, and to restrain the edges which will otherwise get hipped away over time (with chairs dragging etc). Theoretically it keeps the crack free of obstructions , should the slab ever want to expand again...but they don't expand again.

Prepare for surprises and tricky detailing. Barns are underdesigned. They have no factors of safety (newish ones) and are simply a bit lighter built (older ones) without any building control. You may have to make it stronger...so ask around ASAP for an experienced SE. I always suspected that some barns are not strengthened but BCO's insist that there are no 'blind eyes' to this.

The OP thinks that they all have different specs. Paintmaster reads best. Description A highly durable oxide gloss with a rust inhibiting formula preventing the risk of corrosion. Based on an oil-based solvent and suitable for wood, concrete and metal. Especially suited for use on metal and wood building. High durability and is easy to clean There is no mention of chalk. Lots of colours.

Leylandii have minimal effect on foundations, and the roots aren't huge or intrusive. I would consider ignoring them other than digging through them, and reinforce the footing there.

Not really. It allows a client to pick and choose between contractors on very line. The bottom line is what matters. If it is that wet, then you should be building higher so that it doesn't become an issue. That is bad. The planners don't normally understand drainage, hence flooding and sewage being released into waterways and the sea. But you could try to do 'the right thing, which is to delay rain on its way to the rivers and lakes (and sewage works). Barrels at downpipes can do this well enough, set to a dribble to release the water slowly into the drains. It seems the BCO is designing this for you for free. Well done. The builder should know this, but dig to 1m only if it is very dry at the time. otherwise it all gets muddy and mud should not be built upon. Whatever the level, the bco will ask for 100mm to be removed before concreting, so dig 900 and have a shovel ready to get the mud out in a hurry...while not making more mud.

Is it the joists or the boarding? joists? screw the central pair together. boards? more fixings. try screws with coarse threads to pull the board down hard.

We all say that. Then 2 years later it has become something of a chore. However, you are right. you will know a lot, not get ripped off, can finish things off properly, and more.. A big plus is flexibility. you can take an opportunity or accept a delay if it is in your best interests, as compared to a commercial project where there are penalties for going over programme. For example, we had a demo contractor start 2 days after I met him. he had a gap in his workload. we could accommodate it. There then follows a very long delay with no action. On the opposite extreme, if no price is right, don't start: keep looking. Good luck. 3 years? allow 4.

a small what? will plastic mesh do the job? It may need replacing after 6 months as not all of it can stand sunshine. It can be in green or blue. You can pin it down with tent pegs.

NO. It is less than twice the work. But twice the earth has to go somewhere else. The concrete quantity depends on the design. the deep trench may need shoring for safety. So it is more expensive for sure. How much? well, technical estimating was my job for decades and I still don't know without knowing all your details. The tree trunks and roots will rot and leave voids. The leylandii wont be too much trouble and perhaps the bottom of the trunk can be left in place and bridged over. If the bigger trunks can be carefully removed then there is still a hole, and any replacement fill will be harder/ softer than the existing. It needs onsite expertise. The less ground id displaced, the better.

I had not heard of this product called Barn Paint, but see it is widely available. If it as great as the descriptions , then I should be a standard product, hence my suspicion. At first I assumed it is what we see as the ubiquitous red coating of country retreats in Scandinavia and Canada. ie for wood cladding. But some is available in many colours. I have 2 possible purposes for it. 1. our latest barn conversion is a rusty steel portal frame. once it is enclosed in new sandwich cladding it will be dry and safe, but it is obvious that it should be painted beforehand. It is actually in good condition, with red oxide pain still present to most of it, but with a patina of rust. I was thinking of using Rustoleum or similar. But in searching I kept finding barn paint which apparently can go straight onto steel, or wood, or tiles, or concrete....etc. It is chalk based, or acrylic, or water based according to what I read from different manufacturers. What I like is the idea of minimal preparation then one coat of paint that will stick to anything that isn't flaking.. maybe 2 coats.. 2. My house is weather-boarded, painted white. I prepared it thoroughly during lockdown and painted in primer, undercoat and gloss. Very thoroughly actually. 4 years later there is lots of flaking, mostly the bits I didn't do (there might be 10 coats over the nine decades, some onto unprepared surfaces when nobody was watching.. So Barn Paint might be the answer, as apparently it adheres well and flexes with the wood. Any advice or information please? Anyone remember Snibbo? I fear it is too good to be true.

argh. no. I would suggest this one. because it stays permanently plastic under the skin. ie when the building moves or distorts, this will move with it. 2 longitudinal beads then place to material on it. then fix. I think there are others similar, Most mastics set hard and lose this ability to stick while deflecting.

We have a big shed laid on a slab. Not an especially exposed site, with hills and trees around. it should have been fixed down. In the wind it blew across the slab about 2m, and that was just a windy night, not a gale. We put car tyres on the roof for dead weight, but that wasn't enough. It is now bolted down to the slab. As there isn't risk to life, you must make your own judgement, but overdo it, don't underdo it. These brackets are not strong in themselves, and could bend at the screw or rip out at the first screw. I would suggest using a heavier gauge of thread with a wider head or a washer. eg a decking screw.

All the above are good. Many 'temporary' cabins have sat on paving slabs for decades. I would let the wind whistle underneath it. Then tie it down. So have steel straps under or into the concrete bases, and fix them hard to the structure.

'capable of being towed' , it says.

The HSE lacks the resources because the government has cut them. Inspectors would previously visit a contractor every few years for a chat, and an overview, even when no problems had occurred or were foreseen. They saw it as working together for better safety. Little builders with no F10 would only meet an inspector after a nasty accident. The punishments can be severe. A stop notice is a big deal too. I think I met HSE maybe 8 times in 300 notifiable projects. Did I ever recount about when I phoned HSE to report a dangerous situation on my own job?

Could this be hoisted by crane onto a lorry, either with chains underneath, or cleats fixed onto very strong struts? You can see why they have done this I think. how many 20m 'caravans' are never, and could never be, moved.

Beware producing lots of paperwork (or virtual paperwork) rather than actually dealing with risks. An Inspector would rather a safe site with minimal (or nil) bureaucracy then find multiple files that nobody looks at. I've been on a site where the national contractor had 3 lever arch files but couldn't find the section he was being asked for. The site agent tried to fob hse off onto me, as the subcontractor responsible for the interesting works at that time...cladding at 8m. I showed HSE my 12 pages and then had a walk round and he was happy...but not with the big contractor. So yes, have written stuff but not too much and make sure it is relevant. Your Architect is either selling himself or doesn't know or respect what other professionals do. CDM isn't normally one of the key skills of Architects, in my experience, and they tend to suggest the client engages a CDM consultant.

That would be the norm. then anyone interested can contact you. I'm not admin, but I think the issue is to avoid any suspicion of advertising, and its a matter of opinion sometimes . The same would apply if it is criticism.

Seems to be real, but is so glowing that it could get some free design bonuses. It is an Architect with capital A. Looking at previous posts for context though: I think the taxman might be interested in the serial developments listed on here. How long do you have to live in a house before it is a taxable gain?

I know nothing about particular mvhr pipes but do about pioes in general. Some pipes that are ribbed on the outside have an almost smooth inner surface. But in general they are crinkly inside too. This creates a lot of turbulence and flow resistance: reducing flow and making the fan work harder. Therefore it's best to use smooth pipes whether rigid or flexible. The odd length of flexi to get round obstructions or smooth a turn would be ok.

We may have different criteria. your obvious and mine may be different.

Something is wrong if it does. Pumps don't often fail. Yours would be operating for what? 5 minutes a day? To do maintenance you hire another pump, or a tanker service, pump it out and sort it. A very cheap and easy solution. I vote for that.