saveasteading

I've mixed and matched before. Only for temporary drains I should emphasise. They have fitted. Had more issues with ( cheap) brown pipes simply not fitting each other, but they go in eventually.

As many previous discussions: building control do spot checks by invitation. Many things go uninspected.

can you explain please?

Some are better than others. It may depend too, on the scope of works yoj uave agreed. The cheapest quote may only allow for a quick calculation, without iterating alternatives, or for any oroject management. What does your contract say?

It definitely fails in sunlight. It goes white and brittle. Perhaps it fails but more slowly in internal air/ daylight. It really isn't worth using it above ground. Why the fuss?

you mean shower room, not shower tray area?

correct, but a photo will tell us a lot, and maybe it is nothing to worry about or easily remedied. also, please advise if there is an Architect or Engineer involved, and did anyone inspect the trench before pouring? Another thing you can do is imagine the line of the pioe, in both directions. Does it point towards any drains or chambers or a building?

That's a useful link confirming principles with some science. I wonder if I'm missing the point. There isn't a problem, there isn't a complaint and there isn't a planning constraint? You're just trying to do something fancy to minimise noise and nuisance. It needs numbers. 'Too noisy' is subjective. We need a target of a sound level in dB with the appropriate weighting eg dBA or dBB. This would be measured at the boundary. In caaw of complaint the LA might then measure the sound level. In my experience this has been the difference between current background sound and the new level, so it gets into cost quite early. But you don't seem to have any formal requirement. Therefore I suggest you do a good job based on regommendations above and cross your fingers. If nobody complains, that will be the end of it.

Acoustic fence for air conditioner works on Google. I can't see a diy one yet. But that will be enough for the planners. Show a commercial one with numbers.

70dB seems very high. Have you time to change the machine? Surely someone has designed and proven an acoustic fence already. I know what I would do but proving it would be tricky. I'm thinking it is planks vertically hit and miss ie one outside, one inside. That doesn't just bounce the sound back but kills it. But a right size of plank will work best for the frequency....someone somewhere has done this.

Good point. What else can most people go by? To this I add, selling themselves. Some can talk a very good job and are forever reinforcing how good they are. I'm not going to give examples now but I'm reasonably experienced and hardened, and they still do it ( including completely ignoring instructions) It works for them and I hate to think what they've done elsewhere.

The expulsion side of it is a rather undirected blast of cold air, so really needs to be to completely free space. In your case this would be immediately inside the wall at the big opening. But that's almost outside as regards noise. The inlet side will find air to replace it if you have loads of openings, or a very big but leaky garage. There isn't much point in an underperforming heat pump. Why can't you build a louvred fence around it to absorb the sound? Or a hedge? Lastly, do you know how noisy it will be and if it is really an issue?

I was surprised how well a cheap electric tile saw worked. I thought as long as it survived one project it was worth it. Kitchen and shower room, floor and walls Only 12mm tiles, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for 20mm apart from patience failing and pushing too hard that it strains the motor. Didn't even need to change the disc. £50 was worth it. I've never used a professional one, so can't compare.

Maybe some do. Maybe most. But most small to medium size contractors are proud of their reputation, don't want hassles and don't want bad publicity. As a design and build contractor, we weren't into housing but chose timber kit frame for nursing homes, clsd in brick / render / timber, which leep the damp out. . No problems. In fact, by the timd the vapour barrier goes on, it won't get wet again. But for big spaces it wasn't the right way.

I'd say shortage of skills is the issue, so anyone can make a living without what we would want to see by way of skill, knowledge and attitude. Anybody good can make a lot of money but then employs those others and has to manage them or not. It really annoys me when an unqualified bricky tells me about how Engineers overdesign, and similar tales to the above. Then forgets an opening for a door, leaves dropped bricks in the mud, ETC

I usually ask for a first coat over mortar joints, cracks and edges, including under any dpc or dpm that overlaps. Then the whole area, and perhaps stippling it on rather than brushing so it goes into any small recesses. Then another coat. I've been 'lucky' with that dozens of times even though it's not 'by the book'

I have to admit to once splashing some muddy water onto a steel cladding wall that had a small scratch. No guilt, as the whole wall was soon trashed in use by the client doing these same careless things as above described.. I recommend it. seriously, some issues will weather, so accelerating it isn't wrong. Failing that, the odd shrub in the field of view, or a distraction

yes. you mean 'as dpm'? yes. 2 coats. Imagine yourself as a drop of water below the dpm/ bitumen. Is there a way through by suction or pressure or gravity or as vapour? If there isn't , then any solution is a solution.

You will never forget. I see things on buildings from 30 years ago. nobody else sees it, because they don't know it is there. So you have to relax and look elsewhere.

He matters, you don't. It's normal. Builders, especially small ones are not trained and have no agreed standards. Sorry to say that the client has to supervise at all times and be prepared to try diplomacy first and a stand off if necessary. I must have stopped or complained about barrows being laid against metal cladding 20 times ( nb on multiple projects). The worst of that being that it would be repeat offences by my favoured (less bad than the others) small contractors. BTW, aluminium ladders are very slippy laterally if laid against gutters and trims.

I'd say so. But don't ask us. There will be strict guidance on policy, to be found in your councils' development plans (District and county). This is not up to the whim of officers. Some even show examples with photographs. Varying from no chance of permission, through rebuild, to ' do what you like" Builders like a clean start, so the price increases for a site allowing a new build. We punters may often prefer constraints if we have the time and patience to work to them, because of the cheaper purchase cost.

Is timber frame not such a 'thing' in NI as it is in Scotland? I'm pleased with how ours went, using stick-build and would absolutely do the same again. There now follows a strong opinion. I must get along to a self build exhibition and maybe see why so many people go for ICF and the like. As a designer/ contractor I tried hard to give eps blocks a chance but couldn't make it 'stand up' commercially. The parameters may change for self build / beginners. In the construction industry there has never been any excitement about ICF. The suppliers (other than a few eps, for a while) did not even target the industry. Stick build also reduces exposure to large deposits. And there is more wood down at the BM whenever you need it. A major advantage of wood frame also seems to be the ease of cladding, both internally and externally. Any shape or size. I cannot find any open costing comparisons, but stick build must be 20% cheaper, maybe 40% cheaper, and less risky, than ICF. I'd actually love to be proved wrong, ie that ICF is a great and affordable thing.

The lead won't spark but the bit might hot something. My recollection of old gas pipes is of plumbers flattening them. That would leave it intact but just about closed... or it splits and vents. But what if it is live, as the result of a previous bodge. ive seen some very dangerous copper gas pipe, expertly soldered but dangerously exposed...therefore.. it really needs a proper gas plumber to answer this.

Definitely not as 1). The likely design is that the pile is left high, then cut back with the reinforcement tying into the edge beam. Dpm would interfere with bonding. No dpm is necessary as the concrete is (make sure it is) very dense. Neither option shows any insulation. Anyway, under the slab and tucked into the wall seems right to me.

Might be as well to dig to the good material. 2.2m isn't silly as long as the width is kept tight and stability of the trench ensured. Another possibility is concrete pads down to the solid, and concrete beams spanning between. Then beam and block or planks for the ground floor. Ie design out any made ground risk.