saveasteading

Not really. Not over a few days anyway. The 3 chamber types do a pretty good job without the agitation or oxygen. I've run one on a site for 6 months without power. I didn't get what came out tested but it ran visually clear and did not smell. That only had site toilets going into it, no washing machines or showers but that might even have reduced the load, and certainly diluted the contents. So if you recognised the power issue and reduced the stuff going in, then only that amount would come out, and all from the 3rd chamber which has no solids in it. I can't comment on other types as I haven't used them and am not inclined to.

That's a good point. But not many builders can calculate the volume accurately. Too much and it is dumped messily on site and a waste. Too little an there are stop ends in a hurry, which cant be done sensibly with high tech structures. Have you heard of 'plumbs' in mass pours tat seem to be a bit short? Of course most builders add water which automatically increases the volume while weakening the structure. A scary distant memory has just appeared....calculating the volume to phone through for the final load of a huge pour, while the current load is still going in. I'd forgotten my life had been so exciting.

I thought they were much the same cost. eps is half the price but half the insulation. Then there is the possible complication of that extra 150mm inside or outside the building. I would however split the difference and put 150pir on 150 eps as the insulating benefit is not linear.

The only issue I had was the pan to gantry fixing where it involves flimsy looking plastic inserts for big bolts. They came loose, but I think it was my fault for being scared to tighten it to the limit, being plastic and porcelain. It's been fine since it was redone.

Agreed. But better to find a gravity solution if you can. Perhaps phone your local sewage pumping company to see what distance they can pump, then your bco might be happy with that. Tell them the height it must rise as well as the distance. The only mandatory regulations are the ones in green boxes at the front of the document. that probably doesn't mention 30m but will say it has to be pumpable...you'll see I haven't checked. In reality it doesn't need pumping out very often (or at all) if it's a good make.

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.