saveasteading

The issue is simple enough. Can residents get safely from that room to exit without going past the fire? Non disruptive options might be to give very early warning using a fire alarm from the kitchen to the room. Or sprinklers on the route or for the kitchen.

So this: The dispute resolution process will also start if they don’t respond to your notice within the given time. Much as a friendly chat is to be preferred, you might have to get formal of it will drift indefinitely. For formality you could either send it by tracked post, or email, or put it through the letterbox with a witness. Then the 14 days. There's nothing to lose, and they might even agree.

But what is the ground temperature under the slab of an unheated building? 11° perhaps?

You could say to visitors...this used to be interesting but we hid it. Other relevant matters. How much of it will be garage or otherwise unheated space? Will it be subdivided by (insulated) walls? Are you building over the top? Or what I'm getting at is: does it need much insulation to external walls and floor?

That's practical of course, but the interest is gone. And the arches decorated in moorish style?

I've gone to the trouble of researching this in Spain for you. The land where all issues are hidden by render or tiles. They would leave a shadow gap so that any differences in alignment do not show up, and no overlaps. I think there is first a general base coat on which a batten is fixed. Then top coat up to it. Or perhaps simply a coat of render is sneezed into place with the batten. Btw The white bead on the left used to be an external corner so isn't relevant.

How splendid. Building regulations document Z for converting a ziggurat. If it was me, I think I'd do it all inside and keep the look. It would be the same principles as converting a stone building. In Scotland the regulations allow pragmatism: "as far as reasonably practicable" is often stated. In England it isn't, but the building control officer may be pragmatic. We worried about losing internal space but it was the right decision. Yes, there will be a cold bridge through the arches but they are a stunning feature. Are you keeping the pump?

Good point. Sometimes galvanised steel has a paraffin coating to ease it through the factory rolling process. So it's worth a wipe beforehand.

I got this as part of an ad, in an email from Build-it. I wonder at what stage, if any, they point out that it isn't necessarily true, and isn't suitable in clay.

I'm the kitchen skivvy, so it's my opinion too.

Hoorah. We can all relax. 😃

Mine agrees. The other option is too close to the bulkhead for elbow space and no space for moving from dirty to clean. Draining board on the left and you are both happy.

Few builders are skilled in reading drawings. Some don't even try. Having 52 drawings would be off-putting for anyone though. If the architect knew you were getting the frame and roof and windows elsewhere I cannot see what all these drawings are for...and there isn't much left for other contractors except as individual trades as and when. And the architect seems to want a main contractor to pick up the pieces, at your expense. I feel you are at the end of the road with the architect. Now you need a groundworker. The rest may follow by word of mouth.

Gratitude makes the world a better place. I'm grateful for it. Ironically, that weep pipe may be causing wetness to concentrate in the ground in that area. No harm though and drying the rest of the wall.

To be clear. The outlets are close to the bottom of the wall, above the ground outside, below it inside. I like the fence.

Eventually the salts in the blocks and mortar will run out. If you add some weep holes it will be drier and leach out more slowly, and it is good practice anyway. Some bits of drain pipe pushed through flush with the garden side and as spouts on the outside. Holes that size are fairly hard work but ok with a good drill and high quality bit. For now, the salts will brush off or wash off and eventually you will prevail.

When was this built? Perhaps you know the construction or can get hold of the drawings. If it was a formal dispute, then i would have that air brick taken out to see what we find behind it. presumably a concrete screed slightly lower than the brick, and a suspended floor above....

Attractive .cast iron ones. like in a Georgian town. Cheap ones will look awful. Of course it is part of the building regulations. Except for exposing it to impact, so the developer/builder should sort it. More photos of the water issue please. I've often dealt with water going in, but running out is weird, and needs sorting.

As Kelvin says. Timber cannot rot unless wet, and a properly built house will keep all the water and dampness out. A secret fix roof does not have exposed screws, but there can be other issues especially at cuts and openings. I did steel buildings for decades, never with secret fix, through cost. I think there will be 3 million roof screws. There were problems with about 100 screws at most and that was down to some bodge by the cladder. On a modern house roof design you will have a space then a membrane under the cladding so any leak would be harmless. The solution is to design out the need for local skills. A kit timber building would be my choice, onto a simple foundation. also keep the geometry simple, using a proven, standard design if possible. That's the structure. For fitout others can advise. £3,000/m2 even on Skye?

There is a rule of thumb applicable elsewhere called 'turn of the nut'. Finger tight, then one turn of the spanner. No discernable movement would be the other option.

Calling a person a troll is not acceptable. 19,000 posts and 6 followers is not trolling.

...in anything that doesn't back up your own view. I'll be off too then. I wish you well though, perhaps everyone is out of step except you.

But I do. Conifers are low water demand. I usually avoid saying anything that suggests an overdesign could have been avoided. but I assume these trees were very close.

Couldn't you drill a hole, or several, for now? put a pipe in it for tidyness and to cast the water away?

If you formed a hole in the floor slab where would it go? What is preventing the water running out at the walls?