saveasteading

I'm more concerned that beneath your floor is effectively a basement, ie below ground level and could fill with water. Even the floor slab is below ground level. Is there a reason for this?

Sketch please? It sounds as if ventilation has been an afterthought. When you say the plans have been approved, by whom?

Some level of competence and training is needed. I'd have to see more closely but I think this is surface staining from swarf, created by steel particles from cutting, and left on the surface. Cutting discs should never be used, but they are. That spreads a dust of iron filings all over and also overheats the steel and the edges will rust. Paraffin and elbow grease cleans thd surfaces. Damaged ends need painting. So you need sheet from a recognised supplier. Beware agricultural quality. Then it needs knowledge. A half decent builder can do cladding but needs to know about cutting. Or you hire the nibbler tool and make them use it.

Cemfloor quote 35mm minimum. I wouldn't want to aim for that unless really struggling for the last few mm. Allowing for real life, there will be even thinner areas. With UFH id think 50mm is the minimum sensible. Anhydrite sources appear to quote 25mm or 30mm or 35mm variously. 50 for UFH Less than 35mm is becoming a levelling screed. The bagged stuff from Merchants will become favourite at some thin-ness, as it is diy and doesn't need further treatment. If you lay 35mm of anhydrite then remove laitence, what thickness remains? Is a marketing side of it that it uses waste products rather than cement? Sorry for these queries. It is an area of ignorance for me, having never come across it in my centuries in design and construction. This simply means that it wasn't marketed at my sector. FRom what i am reading here it woulsnt have been attractive anyway.

I've only done concrete floors until our conversion. Choice of cemfix or a designed concrete pumped screed. Nobody offering anhydrite that I came across, hence my ignorance of this laitence issue. The cemfix pumped easily and flowed well. The only issue has been a couple of shrinkage cracks where another crack inducer would have been better. Completely hard and ready for tiling. With concrete there should be no need to take laitence off. Twice had to grind it but for super-flat industrial spec, not because of laitence. But yes, too much "fat" is a problem if not controlled.

OK I see that from a quick read. I wasn't aware of this. Very glad we used cemfloor. What is the point of anhydride?

Why do you need or want the laitence off? If it is properly mixed and laid , it all goes hard.

Usual routine. Deny, then blame you, then next they will deny responsibility through time or bad luck. Then hide. Perhaps genuinely ignorant. More likely incompetent and immoral. Do you know what product it is? Perhaps the supplier can help to maintain their name.

On many projects where the planners wanted a traditional looking roof, or where the original architect casually wrote down zinc, we used steel. Choose a profile that can be called "wide pan, low profile" ( the magic words) and in grey or aluzinc. Saves a fortune. Ie the crowns are about 35mm high at 330 centres. Standing seam is an option too, but more expensive.

+2 There are unknowns so get rid of it.

I think the planner is bewildered and confused. Of course it applies to all windows. If there was any differentiation it would obv prioritise bedrooms and bathrooms....but there isn't. Memory tells me that 21m is guidance not obligatory, but the principle is clear enough. Alan a is right. Do it online pdq. Stick to the facts unless you can find very specific rules or precedents.

Everybody that likes it think its worth 2.35?

I'm assuming the same. I haven't checked at all, but the location is the Downs (which are ups). They seem to have tried to set it extremely low to avoid it spoiling the views, resulting in no views from the property. Such is the depression that maybe it was a chalk pit. Guessing is fun. What does it take to be 'renowned architects'? A quote from their own brochure? An award? Not that renown is always good. I really dislike the huge open spaces interlinked, and think the eventual owners will park themselves in the snug, when not having parties with folk down from the City. And those steps. And marble everywhere is very bling, with the kitchen reminding me of modern 5* hotel toilets. The outer shape is fine, but it is just a shed with wood on it. Actually should be very economical to build, so £1M must be location, £400k for marble , £200k for the renowned architect, and £700k as the building cost.

This property is just on the market. 6 bed house £2.35M. And I don't even like it. https://www.hobbsparker.co.uk/estate-agents/property-for-sale/property-specifics/?propertyId=ACH230105&utm_source=hs_email_rss&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EA - Earlybird - Property for Sale

There is also 'own brand' metal stud. I was told in confidence where it comes from, at least to that merchant, and that was good enough for me.

The air supply pipe is fiddly even when done as part of the job. it would be very disruptive as a later addition, unless pipes are left on show. Its got to be a good thing though.

I would use the LA for a standard `domestic project, but private for anything commercial or to a specialist design.

Screws don't leave holes unless you take them out again, and they will be into timber so it isn't a worry. What you might have is holes and gaps at light fittings, but this should be avoidable. That seems rather a lot if the ceiling is at bare joist stage. What do you reckon? 2 workers x 2 days? £800. add material, add margin 20%. Or Nod's idea of the foil backed board will be fine for bco too.

It is one of the very different requirements under the Scottish reg's, that a house must be future proof, for living on the ground floor. That and minimum space and movement standards. And a space that can accommodate a desk, with extra sockets. All sensible and I would now say desirable, when self building , wherever you are. Space for a lift, without compromising the layout is another option, and I would build a box-out into the floor to reduce disruption should this need arise.

It can simply be the habit of the designer to always state knauf etc. Just adding, 'or similar' lets us use an alternative. I suppose it's sensible when there is a particular spec for fire or acoustics. But it can simply be for the designers ease, or because of a cosy relationship....the manufacturer helps with technical stuff that the designer isn't capable of. If another product is lots cheaper then I would ask for a change. The merchants can be bound to only quote the stated product when they know others are better prices. One told me they get trick phone calls to test them on this. Similarly, only allowing plasterboard and stud from the same supplier is restrictive.

Condensation and tar. More primitive systems are male up and supposedly sealed with fire mastic, so I know this from experience.

Good point. I favour approved inspectors over LA but choose knowledgeable, tough ones so that we get it right. Developers don't perhaps want the best. A LA near me once made a planning condition for a housing development that their bco was entitled to inspect from time to time, to maintain standards.

I refer you to my previous comment. Perhaps I am respectful to planners because they have always been respectful to me. They are pitted against bullying, cheating, litigious developers all the time, yet have to go by the book. I've done perhaps 200 planning applications. Maybe I've been lucky every time. Yes, on some we had differences of opinion about what were reasonable conditions, but it all worked out. And then we built what was proposed, and informed them of necessary changes, such as window positions. Thinking about it, we did delete basement parking once, because it didn't work as the original designers' proposal (cars could get down but not out again). but we did get permission for a variation.

They can be in the same corridor or even room, but seldom liaise. On balance I think this is correct and proper, or they would be dabbling without the full knowledge. I'm sure a planning officer could ask the bco whether a basement had been constructed....but why would they, in normal life?

I got one of those from either lidl or aldi, and the extractor head wore out immediately, being softer metal than the screw. Known branded next time.