saveasteading

Just ask how they are dealing with sealing.

As long as the pipe is fully home. I've seen miscuts used that should have been done again. The risk is when the plummeting solids hit the bend at the bottom, forcing it downwards. But if that is properly bedded, again no issue. It's good to understand the products and to seek reassurance where necessary.

No. Just think of the effect downstream and the answer is clear.

let's see your sketch please, when done.

this will be noted during any search process, so the vendor should be advised to allow for this reduction. unless of course they think it is allowed already in the asking price. MY inclination would be to do less rather than more, ie clean it out and increase the soakaway. £2-3k ? But at worst case you do this and it `works for a while then ceases to work, so you end up with a treatment tank. £12k. £5k allowance reasonable, depending on how much diy is involved and any design costs. Others may say allow more.

Most? Certainly a lot: a relative had their semi assessed by some unskilled operative, I think sent by the electric company for no good reason. All he noted was the original construction and ignored the huge improvements. And I know the developers used to tart one unit for testing, which is fraud basically. Do they still? But even a poor assessment is a start and the heating cost should be noted in the value.

Do a scale drawing and it will all become clearer. Nothing fancy and after some iteration you can put it up on here for comment. I'm not always negative! Others may have done something like you are proposing. But as a starter, how do you stop the deck from rotting? Tanalised timbers , maybe marine ply decking, then dpm, insulation and so on. 2.5m3 of concrete is a morning of barrowing for 1 hefty labourer. So you are right that it is limiting. A groundworker will do that, but for diy it's hard. For diy I'd be inclined to site mix as it is takes the pressure off, and could be done in phases. For cost comparison, what would be the screw pile cost?

Sorry to say: that is a garden shed , and will be cold , damp and will rot. I guess you've seen how groundscrews are hyped as the cheap and easy way for amateur construction. Yes they are, but for decking, fences etc I'd agree. For a comfortable building you need damp proofing , materials that won't rot, insulation. Otherwise you will not be using it except as a store, until it falls apart in 10 years.

That's the easy bit, and not where the costs lie. For any once in a lifetime prospective self-builders looking here. This is really about getting it done by builders. For actual hands-on self build it is different. I don't know what I would advise re cost expectations except to say don't believe what anyone is telling you that has something to gain. eg that self building is cost effective or any £/m2 rate unless there is a formal quote to justify it. I was a main contractor for decades, and worked for local biggish contractors before that: not for domestic housing, but the principles apply. Doing a one-off project is a risk, and the client has to pay a premium as as the contractor will have it covered either as a lump sum, or in cautious contract terms. No QS knows the price. even with a detailed design in front of them. They are making many assumptions. Without a detailed design then even more so. A contractor's estimator is doing what a QS does but with inside knowledge of what their employer is efficient at and the overheads expected, and they can get feedback from previous projects and input from preferred subcontractors. Even so the quotes may vary dramatically. The more individual a design is, the more the price will increase. This is because of basically experiments by the architect. This is a risk. so is the fact that every client is a one-off.... I will exaggerate slightly but it is an 'amateur' client with an obsessive interest in progress and detail, and an untested inclination to pay on time and in full. The specialist contractor is the best or only party who can give a realistic price and good advice on value engineering. But they won't because they know the ideas will be hived out to other parties. The best projects for me and for our clients were those starting from a position of mutual trust. Either repeat clients or those to whom we had been recommended. We want x, what will it cost? By that relationship we can input ideas and efficiency from the outset. OR the client gives us a sketch design and we can use or criticise as necessary. But generally a domestic client won't have these contacts or feel able to trust the contractor. So they hadn't a clue what they were doing, and guessed a safe figure. Hence a one-off self build is an expensive thing to do. You must have knowledge or a very special reason to want that site and that design. Otherwise buy somebody else's when they have to move on. Sorry.

Yes that. And not a very bad thing as long as it is working. Brand new brick would allow seepage anyay. An older one will have cracks and I wouldn't repair it unless it was clearly causing problems. I had ours emptied once and there was a foot of sludge on the bottom. More importantly it had junk in it , dumped by cowboy roofers from the past, and most importantly the inlet and outlets were damaged and needed repair. You should assume that yours will need some such unpleasant work s a minimum. Eg 1. Suck out tank and the outlet pipe, rinse and repeat. 2. Check for internal damage ask thd tanker company for an overview. For this you must tell the company first or they will only allow a quick suck and leave. At some cost level you decide instead to build a new system.

Likely, yes. But the brickwork is probably already leaking significantly, but steadily and in semi treated form. it would probably be better and easier to extend the rubble soakaway rather than dig it out, then there will be new clean capacity and the old volume may rot away over time. OR you build a modern style soakaway using perforated pipes / drainage field.

That's a good option, and easy to stick down. There seems to be quite a big market for these tiles but do check the wear... some are like new while others can be worn through. But paint everywhere and rugs locally seems the pragmatic way.

It's a failure. Good bearings work millions of rotations. I was recently marvelling at a roatating flue vent we have. Rotates nil to 20 times a second, say 5 average. 15 years doing that outdoors in the wind. An mvhr fan is doing a simpler job at constant speed.

Diy £20? It might look good a bit deeper than the standard ones.

You could use 2 x 100mm lintels and pour some concrete in-between. Or make your own, and ensure a stunning finish. Yours is a selling point for buying from a diy or Wickes, as you can choose a lintel that satisfies the surface you seek....some can be a bit rough.

In my opinion a lintel is a visible and important part of the structure, , and an invisible lintel (eg Catnic) doesn't look right, as if the bricks are floating.. Concrete lintels come in degrees of roughness, so an upside down one might work for you. The tendons will be in the centre so it will be the same strength. Then you can paint or render it if you want.

If you buy the cheapest garage floor paint it doesn't stick well or last long. Grey or red probably. So if in 2 years it comes off easily, great. If it doesn't come off then stick to it. Meantime, keep some for touching up the worn areas.

Tell more.

Similarly that superfoil is hyped beyond it's capability.

Or maybe our primitive brains know where to scratch for water, and the rods make it seem more convincing.

Divining works for me. 2 x welding rods bent as L shapes. Hold loosely. For me they cross about 1m past so I do it both ways and split. If you doubt the efficacy it wong work... seriously. Or hire a drain rod with tracker. That is more accurate but needs outlet access. The vendor would be crazy or hiding something if they declined. Otherwise any sale may fail at discoveries stage.

It's fine as long as you can get in the trench and do a thorough job in bedding and getting the gradient... and joining the pipes. Unlikely. But you could do most of the depth in 400 or more and the bottom in 12".

Seriously, I think we might be helping a few people not to get caught out by these charlatans. If they search for radiant heating 360 graphene infrared and find us here.

Kingspan 150mm for the house. Other brands don't do that thickness or are as expensive. 40mm Colorclad for the garage. There is lots of choice in thinner panels.

Me. Just done it. It has a metal internal skin and does not burn. Check the manufacturers spec. Which of course the architect could do, but probably wants you to spend more to make it more to their liking. In business we've used it lots in commercial and education too. Oh a d our own office for 15 years without issues. They are screwed down tight and I think that noise and movement are imagined issues by competitors. Standing seam, otoh, is meant to move so may well make sounds. You will hear rain on skylights. Most users tell me they like it because it is natural and a pleasant sound.