saveasteading

No, because it's purpose is entirely to hold a few days of waste until a pump or the power is fixed But it will cost as much as the digester. The bco not understanding or caring, and letting you omit a holding tank with duplicate pumps, would be a very big risk to take.....and wrong because of potential mess in your garden.

Inflation was 10%. Now its 'only' 3%. So that's an increase of 13%. Approximately, I know. So any savings suppliers can offer are off that Increased cost. Maybe a bit cheaper than 6 months ago, but not than a year or 2. In my experience there is much more material cost to be saved in good design and efficient use of materials than in discounts. Do both of course.

Staplehurst architect recalls the moment his unique roof design collapsed on Grand Designs TV show - and cost him £200,000 It won awards despite falling down and later all the turf slipping off it. My main thought arising is ' how come nothing was damaged, and it was rebuilt in a week, and it cost £200k? The article is here if you are interested in building an arch with layers of tiles. Don't forget to refuse the options. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/my-grand-designs-collapse-cost-me-200k-304652/?fbclid=IwAR3FRsatlvZp-JcSHcEzDkgMuyHJQj5DEjz8adotrjA8SfC_mr-WgIQvfYY_aem_AaCCbhk_bWjckpKNM5mqO1vxtYwaC__9aLt9EOb4NOQsML9Np4b28-yVN2D0Tax5Zs7wdvIdK31a7_Jun3Y4Fu44

Firstly, are passive houses appropriate for housing. Yes but they are expensive and not everyone would use them properly. On BH there is more on record of [people working to PH principles than to the letter. That, to me , is sensible and pragmatic. I am NOT an expert on PH , but have followed the principles for decades. It is basically good Building Science. Also I am prejudiced against committees and authorities who claim to be expert and issue certificates. They are not usually as expert as they think, and have their own prejudices. In summary, the country can't afford for government buildings to be PH designed or controlled.

The pyramid style doesn't appeal then? The Egyptians covered some of theirs with marble. The Inca left them stepped., and un-rendered.

That will be about 1m3 at a guess. or 7 person.days. Then what comes out? Is it partially treated, or is there a baffle system to hold the worst of it?

To me a brieze block (seem to be called breeze more often) is a low strength block with cinders bulking the concrete out, and are low strength. As you say these are reclaimed then perhaps this is exactly what you have. If so, they will be very weak. lay flat with gravel behind each one as you rise, and 50mm step back for each layer.

That is similar to a commercial retaining wall product, where the pots are sloped backward into the hill . They are filled with gravel. The issue might be durability differences between a certified engineering product and garden centre quality. I'm currently conscious of that. having had 2 fibre cement pots collapse after 4 years' use. 800 isn't high if you want to chance it and there are no dangers created in so doing. ie if it fell over, would there be any consequences? Shouldn't be near a building or a boundary either. want to send in a sketch and a photo of the block type? probably step these back too.

That sounds complicated and the effluent would go untreated if there was any problem, whereas the 3 chamber types work to a high % of optimum without power.

If the bco accepts it and it works, then that may conclude the process. It will probably never be tested by the authorities. I will try reading the instruction manual again, to see if I can work out how it works, and if it is a real or imagined advantage.

Interesting. I will have to read the bumph again because I am not understanding how it works, or why they have not used 3 chambers. It seems to be a single chamber, ie more like a cess tank than a digester, but with air bubbles. Then the outlet is by a pump, not gravity, the 'airlift' of the title. There is only a 20mm drop in level from in to out. The sampling pot does not have the 150mm suggested but is effectively pumping a sample out. But if it works...

With zero, or close to, waste. When I was ordering concrete for big civil engineering works I was allowed to round up by 1/2 m3 regardless of it being 5 or 50m3. That allowed for what was left in the truck or on the shovels. The washings were examined for excess, and then became hardcore . Quite right too. Being short of concrete was a very serious matter.

Did it have that 150mm drop in it though? They seem to want that and it is still a 150mm loss of height.

So far i saw a hilti jig listed at ' from £130' but the actual quote is £1200 for a week minimum 'because it is a crosshire". Won't be going there. Another national hirer says £320 per day or £420 a week, and i know they don't do discounts. Now have a definite offer of £360 for a week. Will try one more that i'm told may beat that. If I am doing 5 or 6 holes I'm prepared for this cost rather than a much more tiring and vibrating time with a hand held. The control may save on blades too. As @Gus Potter excellent essay above, the investment should be worthwhile in either saving construction cost or designing particularly to suit the situation. How many slabs are uniformly as thick as designed? Not many. It's difficult and concrete is expensive. How many fail because if this? Not many, as long as the quality is high. Btw in no particular order these merchants are Travis P, Brandon, Alliance, HSS. The tools are Hilti or Husqvarna.

A QS once said to me, talking about Chartered Civil Engjneers.: "there are only 3 professions who vow to protect the public and world at large as a priority. Civil Engineers, doctors and nurses....and I'm not so sure about nurses."

That's a good point. This will lower all subsequent drain runs and the soaway or drainage field, increasing cost and risk. We need another solution.....the buildhub detail. I'm guessing that the intention is that an inspector can take a flowing sample as it emerges.

@Mr Punter can you tell us of this bad experience?

Agreed. I didn't understand all of them or what the subtle differences were, so just typed 3 in them. So I suggest the are reduced in number, to give respondents a soft lading experience. Also, I get the impression that the complier has already decided that passive house is appropriate to government buildings when it probably isn't. As to soft landings. this is a good thing. @nod probably does this already by ensuring that m&e systems are easy to understand and use, and explained at handover. But if systems are badly designed in the first place no amount of soft landings handovers will ensure long term success.

In my experience of using treated wood and staining it, it's still good after 25 years and counting. That's proper vacuum tantalising, not the surface spray I have seen recently.

I've been in one where the 'robot' simply inks the studs and osb at cutting points and with part numbers, fhen people cut the parts then nail them together in a shed about 400m2. (£30k per annum rent?) 3 houses a day were going out of the door as wall panels and posijoists.

I supppose there are different definitions of modular. Perhaps you mean ready-made rooms that bolt together. Yes there is a lot of void tto transport but it can be handy where space or time are in short supply. My definition is made off site, in factory conditions, to standard details. These are the advantages. This perhaps creates extra cost, perhaps not, depending on how the speed and certainty are valued. Not really. They can be made in small grotty old factories and made / shipped without taking much space. It is just a couple of saws then nailing wood together then whatever services might be wanted at that stage.

1. Don't cross the boundary with the footing of any overhangs. 2. You need to work from their garden now and for maintenance. 3. If rain lashes against the side wall does it run on their garden? 4. It needs to look good on their side. 5. Will it affect their enjoyment?

You can but you really shouldn't. You should cover it with plastic sheeting to keep the water IN for a few days. This allows the chemistry to take place. If you mix with water quantities according to the instructions then most is taken up in the chemical reaction. The rest will evaporate in 2 weeks of normal spring temperatures. If you speed the water evaporation it will weaken the screed.

There's nothing wrong with timber if the detailing is good. Have you experience of problems or is this a perception?

Agreed number 2. So much easier to build and also means that the slab can poured last, and in the dry. You need a stone sub base beneath the eps. Again that is a good working surface while you build it. I'd use "stick build", esp with your skills. You should line the walls internally to be fire resistant, being on the boundary. Is the neighbour OK that you will be working in their garden?