saveasteading

No. They don't wan't the hassle or risk. A lorry of bricks is a lot. Any BM would like that business.

Firstly. All slabs crack but we can control it to be microscopic. Using fibres helps a lot and just about prevents any big cracks if the slab is less than 3.5m. Not expansion joints. Contraction joints. As @IanRsays. 25% cut depth will make the slab crack where you tell it to. The crack will go right to the bottom in a very jagged fashion (which keeps it very strong) but you only see the straight joint. In a normal sized room you will only need a contraction joint at doors, (and a release surface at the perimeter.) You can cut this next day with a grinder or more simply, position a shutter across the openings. I believe there are cradles for ufh pipes to lift them more centrally in slabs, for a faster heating effect. Are you pouring this yourself?

Cutting out the slab probably won't be too tricky, and removes the worry of previous bodges.

I can't comment on that product without seeing it working. Generally foreign stuff doesn't work for UK rain, especially in the old days when we had drizzle. Absolutely right, that leaves should not reach a soakaway, or it will become a compost heap, and block. Neither should they go into storm drains, simply as good practice. I've experimented and my opinion is this: Don't fit gutter guards whether hedgehog fillers or wire mesh over. They do keep leaves out of the gutter but then they break down and become a stinking mass and thd gutters don't work. Don't fit gutter outlet guards for much the same reason, unless it is very easy and safe to access and clear regularly. Do fit a gully with grating at ground level, with the dp stopping a hands width above to allow easy clearing. An oversized grating helps. OR take the dp down to the grating bug cut out a mouse hole for getting leaves out. A silt trap works well too. But it needs a stilling chamber. I use a biggish chamber and put a bulkhead across the middle. I asked our worst bricklayer to build a brick wall and then the poor joints let water through with no leaves. More formally, make the bulkhead from expanded metal. Sticks and leaves float to the top, silt and so on sinks. Inlet and outlet at half depth.

Maybe. I have a parquet (in tiles) floor which was fine for a few weeks then pinged up as a whole, to about 100mm. This despite a 10mm cork surround. Then I relaid it with 20mm surround and it shrunk. It is non-engineered, and glued down. Engineered flooring has behaved better, being plywood effectively, but I'd still be wary of the forces that might rip at nails. I think it depends on room dimensions, more than the manufacturers say. Still worth following the instructions I think.

I've seen these but never used them. I've used the hair-like fibres and so have any readymix suppliers. It just rubs off underfoot. Yours would rub off with a carborundum or a brick, I'd think. Anyway, it's saved how much on steel? A few hundred?

I have a ceiling light with 3 led bulbs in it and one of them shines gently all night. If i recall, it is taking energy from the inductance ( no something else) always present at a live cable. The same thing that encourages flies to circle a light that is off.

That's clever. There isnt any cantilever because, instead, you have displaced columns away from the glazing/ floor area.

I'd estimate £15k, perhaps more, extra for a lot of heavy steel and foundations as it's supporting the roof, snow loads* and the sliding door. I'd love to see drawings or photos of it. * a valley gutter is assumed to collect a snow drift as well as the standard depth allowed for loading. It does look good though and where would we be if everybody did the cheapest thing?

Most Scottish councils accept a caravan by default. Perhaps some England and Wales do too. Anyway, it shouldn't be contentious but you need to show it.

Very impressive. A lot of steel for the omission of a column, and fun for your SE, but it does look good. From the first pic I thought it was half the size. Where does the valley gutter drain to?

Yes it is tricky to insulate and to make airtight. and yes, see last week's discussion...a new name to me and a new cost level.

@AndehhI've done this style a few times but always much bigger and as a steel frame. I think timber might be better here. What width is that roughly? The oversails are worth a lot of attention as they can be expensive or not. I quote a client £150/m run to see how much they like it. Don't forget you'll need a column in the corner. I'd make a feature of it a la Pompidou Centre. @mjc55 steel frame then timber batten? OR find a design by strom, as recently discussed. They seem to be standard, so maybe they have found an ideal solution, not that the price level reflects that.

Dab the person's name and a screen comes up with a mail icon on it. Unless they have disabled the option.

What about door heights? They're good for heating a person sitting adjacent in a cold space. Otherwise, they are simply electric heaters, and no more efficient.

I once forgot to tell the bco we had commenced, and our site manager didn't request inspections of footings. Oops. I sent photographs and confirmed I had seen the holes. He trusted us and said it was ok. As he said: " your design, your work, your reputation...I'm confident it's ok. But give me pics for my file." Elsewhere I've seen footings exposed for inspection, and condemned.

I stopped using the term but remember it being common. On a drawing there would be a mention of solum treatment: usually stone or concrete, and i've recently laid plastic sheet on mud under a Victorian timber floor, just to reduce damp in the underfloor void. It is Latin I think. A useful word. Is there still a requirement for solum treatment ( perhaps without the word) jn the building regs?

Should be ok as the board will spread the load. You can walk on pir if your feet are kept absolutely flat. Not infra red. It is for corners of garages, patios etc , not for for domestic.

A main contractor will spend a lot of time organising. Also he is taking risk off you, more or less according to what you agree. If they supply all the plant and materials then they are at more risk and have cash flow to contend with. 30% oncost may be about right, and may be good value.

Or at least smiled politely. Our joiner was intelligent, youngish, college trained and had clearly put up plenty of frames. We gave up on him sealing the vapour barrier properly, and it became an after hours diy. How many new builds, probably on new estates, are done badly?

I'd suggest that the other challenge is integrating suppliers who are not contractually connected, then working outdoors, in all weather. It's not like a factory or an office But I reckon you'd be even better at it next time.

Because you have grabbed our group interest. 1. you suggest projects go twice over budget. Most don't. 3 You brought up Strom. New to me and it has been interesting. I had no idea people spent ( or charged) that much.

I wasn't really joking either. That would be easily achievable. So British standards included. Exceeding them welcomed. Architect, Engineer included. Fixed price for construction. I doubt it will ever happen though if you don't have any plot in mind other than at very low prices. These tend to be problem sites that won't get permission. Do PM if this goes further.

I made one with rustic bricks sliced in half as a kerbed edging, and infilled with floor tiles. It works well in keeping the mess in control, and catching cinders. But someone dropped a log from a height and a tile broke. Another time, I'd use heavier tiles, or slate. As well as complying with the rules, check your own, and others', comfort in leaning in to feed and clean the fire.