saveasteading

Perhaps this can inspire anyone in the process of renovation/ transformation. This has taken 2 years from purchase, and the rest of the building is still a shell being fitted out. But, yes it's a liveable space, and the caravan is almost redundant.

Which is where the leak is....are the photos coming? 90% chance of a leak and 99% chance it is a joint at an outflow.

Only a concern if you are a woodworm moth looking for nice new timber. As long as it isnt still wet from the treatment process it is fine to use. Why online? This should be available at bm, and diy stores. You can then ensure it is a decent quality for knots and straightness.

First look for a leak. If you find and stop it, the osb will dry out, and you are sorted. 90% chance it is a leak.

Expanding foam to be avoided if at all possible. Likely to cause other problems.

And take pics of the overall arrangement and at the pool. Try to get very close to it, nose in the puddle almost, to look for an joints, cracks or whatever. Eg at the drain. A very local coat of sealer may resolve this.

A 70 year old building may be on very shallow foundations, and move seasonally. It may have settled differentially very early in its life due to some walls being loadbearing and others lightweight.

In that case I suggest more homework. I see that this system has the insulation bonded under it. What thickness insulation for £100? Is it structurally complete or does it need more concrete on top. How far does it span as quoted? It is certainly a quick and clean way of suddenly having a floor. Do they include craning and is solid access avaliable? Is there a reason for a suspended floor?

I'd expect the damp area of osb to be greater with condensation. I'm going for a leak, possibly tiny. On hands and knees look at all lips and seals at this point. You say this is the lowest point on a big roof. What happens there? Puddling, drain or gutter. An open edge or a barrier? Photo of the top please?

That is a water feature. It will still evaporate at up to 10mm/ day. or more if exposed to the wind. Were we discussing duckweed on here, or was it another discussion? anyway, it was covered on Beechgrove Garden to day (I-player) They waded in and netted it out , saying that would be the end of it this year, with so much nitrogen removed in the weed.

Not dismissive. Cost and lack of adaptability are the two main reasons I've never used it. and large prepayments.

I only have a decorative fish pond with 8m3 volume. It took years to stop algae (esp blanket weed) but there is none this year. Barley straw made a difference but more important i think was stability.....and lots of plants. Lilies especially keep the sun off the water, and absorb fish poo, and i remove all yellowing or excessuve leaves to compost. Is this relevant to swimming ponds? I think so if reed beds etc are part of the system.

so if it gets damp there, it will show on the ceiling. the top surface of the roof is not labelled on your drawing. If that is an internal gutter I'd be more concerned about that.

As you say, a high proportion of non soil, which farmers will often take, never mind smothering a field or filling in a natural hollow. Actually, not the farmers but the landowners. Yes, the stream may flow out again, but there is a large bottom surface for soaking away, a large top surface for evaporation, and the transpiration of the plants. I expect someone has worked it out. And in drought the stream will not fill the pond and there may be some flash flood retention. See what a good thing you are doing?

And a bad thing! Might this reduce flooding downstream?

Volume builders don't supervise like we do, and choose the cheapest workers, so they need to idiot-proof the process. Our stick-build was made into panels on site, so that is yet another option. Zero risk on materials, but you need a good joiner / carpenter whichever name represents the more skilled in your area. It really depends how much management you plan to do, or if you prefer to (and can afford to ) use package deals.

you've answered your own question. The algae must go. No algae means the sticklebacks starve. The best way to get rid of algae is with barley straw. You can buy it in tiny quantities for high cost at pond centres, and even more expensive as a concentrate. But if there is a barley field near' then, it is not far above a waste product. An armful left by the balers will last you a year. Stuff it in a net bag and leave it in the water. Remove as and when aesthetics require. There is a village pond near here where they throw a bale in the middle, and the ducks sit on it.

From my previous research, it seemed you need a lot of filtering for a small pond to keep it pleasant. What can you tell us?

Welcome. There are a lot of us on BH from around there. Getting busy. If thats your real name, hi. We tend to use pseudonyms on here, just in case, so you might want to start again before getting in deeper. Sips is fine of course. But not the most common choice where timber is so plentiful.

I'd rather speak to someone local. Doesn't seem to mention design and engineering. VAT? Come to think of if , this doesn't seem specific to any project, but generic.

Welcome and good luck. More please. Are you rural of urban? Big or small hpuse? Decided on build method? Challenges? You're in "my" patch if I can help with specifics, esp the ground.

How about a few trees or shrubs? domestic rather than country. 3 in a row is a statement. if there is any suggestion of a break in flora, that would be the place , or here's the answer: how far would you wander from the house of an evening with glass in hand?

Aren't they saying that it is your opinion of the immediate surrounds?

Good point. Among all the many exclusions, it is simply scary that someone calculates a cost without seeing the site, or an Engineer's assessment.. The ground can easily make a project unviable.

Agreed to both. A parapet needs very secure fixing, not to a couple of blocks. Whatever is specified, do not use expansion bolts: they can work loose with repeated movement which a parapet gets from wind and people.