saveasteading

Something wrong then. Joists are designed to not collapse, then checked for deflection at 1/360 maximum. So in a 3.6m wide room they should not move more than 10mm with full furniture load and people jumping. I wonder, do people jump to test posijoists, but don't worry about timber joists? Then when the furniture is placed, a lot of the bounce is taken away and nobody questions it again. The first time I used galv steel as a floor, I, of course, jumped on it hard and it concerned me how it shuddered. In life it was fine. If it still bounces after loading then it needs a discussion with the supplier.

Up to you of course. Some people like the digging. I don't, but my compost is great and just gets spread on the top, and the worms do the rest. It also means that plants can be in small areas, all year. As i understand the science of it, the undisturbed worm holes allow a more active biodiversity underground, and especially of microbes and fungi, that are a benefit. Digging breaks all that up. I've got very heavy clay, which is like brick in the summer. I might sometime dig an experimental hole in a raised bed to see what has changed, if anything , below the soil line. Soil mechanics meets gardening...keeping it relevant for BH.

My view is that I know more about some things than does the bco. Also if I am the designer and/or builder then I already know why it complies, and so I can readily demonstrate the fact. My job to make it easy for the bfo if requested. If I don't like a regulation then I have to demonstrate why it is unreasonable or that I have an alternative solution. Most regulations are for good reasons. If in doubt , go back to the green clauses in the English regs. Treating the bco as a fool is morally bad, and could rebound, whichever of these matters more to the individual trying to trick or fool the bco....and endanger future users.

I made the mistake of spreading unrotted manure. Horses guts don't appear to digest seeds. But easy to hoe the seedlings. I should have put a membrane over it. As you say, keep on top of it. Less work overall.

Now that it is established, I really recommend " no dig". It's not just a gimmick or lazy, it works really well. National Trust veg garden nearby say that since theirs got established they never water after 2 weeks in the ground. I'm trying that this year.

I'm feeling oddly supportive of the BCO here. He needs to know that nobody will fall out of the window. So use a barrier, or make it easy to be sure about the glass.....they can't know or remember everything and it isn't their job to research everything about every project...the fee doesn't cover that. Neither is it their job to search every panel for sometimes obscure marking and to have the BS or Eurocode with them. 'Dear BCO the windows satisfy clause x because they are made of glass type y, which is deemed to satisfy under z. The windows are etched with the evidence, see these photos, showing that they are to Eurocode a, and here also is the manufacturer's statement to confirm. If that is not possible then there is a problem. and bco is right to not accept it. If you choose, instead, to fit a barrier then it is easy to obtain an attractive grille, which could be an external panel such as for a deck, ie something that is attractive enough and not being contemptuous, and obviously temporary..

Not essential to have wheelchair access if the rest of the storey is self contained. "As accessible as possible". Steps as in section 4.3.

I am assuming you have a brick chamer with a cover. This is clear volume, unlike a rubble soakaway so holds lots of water, then it dissipates. Presumably there is a cover, and through it you are seeing silt. So why not just clean it out?

Roof battens will be thicker for 600mm. Perhaps the roof sheathing too, simply for temporary support of the roofers. Plasterboard is OK over 600mm too. Agree that cold bridging might be significant, so consider the additional insulation. I would have expected changing to 400 would be fairly expensive, esp on labour. Sturdiness and flex are calculated in the design, so don't worry.

Wouldn't a brick chamber be easy to clean of silt with either a sucklift service, or getting in there with a shovel? As it is existing , that will avoid the need for permission. A crate system will replicate what you have, although one in parallel would give you more temporary storage.

The rules are fairly clear. I always have another read through when in any doubt. https://www.gov.scot/publications/building-standards-technical-handbook-2020-domestic/4-safety/4-1-access-buildings/

Number 1, I just took out the turf and laid them in there. Next time I had learnt not to bother, and I took out the turf only enough to set the timber down beneath it, and put cardboard over the rest. It needed to be set down, to resist the spread of roots. If it wasn't in grass, i don't think it needs recessing at all. Note the VPL as a weed suppressor.

Here are mine.

For rot I only painted them with creosote substitute (looks like old sump oil). All good after 4+ ? years except some big fungus growing...which i reckon is a sign of the health of the soil. Mine are simply frames, sunk 50mm into the ground. No anchors, braces, pegs or cross bars. I would not line the inside with plastic as it will make it damper. I made a small trowel hole to plant a lettuce, and disturbed about 5 worms.. The worms are doing a great job. I am utterly converted to "no dig" gardening. Mine are not, however, handsome features, just doing the job.

Bag that up with a bit of fertiliser and sell it as John Innes compost to clay areas. So, non shrink soil, dead or distant trees. 1.2 may not be necessary but i wouldnt argue. Good news, well done.

We found that our local bm was able to slash the price if we took a whole box. Minimal handling, no stocking, no losses, one transaction. As above £2 becomes 50p.

In case it helps in any way... I have suffered arch....etc surveys in kent i think 5 times. In none of them was the consultant responsible for trenches. We argued that the foundation excavation was sufficient to allow them to inspect. This kept the cost and disruption down, and remained in our control. The worst case was when they wanted the excavations to half depth for one inspection, then another at full depth. In reality there was clearly nothing there so they said carry on, but didn't reduce the fee. I met them on each occasion, and they were happy to explain that they were mostly looking for ditches, to complete a plan of ancient field boundaries. On another, it was a known Roman stopover. There were bits of pot all over but they didn't want any more. Could have been serious if we had found a footing or well etc. One job had no condition and they turned up on site, hoping we would let them look in the excavations. He got excited thinking he had found a roman road they knew was nearby. I explained it was a stratum of ironstone. Then they left. Lastly a known brickworks, infilled with filthy dirt. I complained that the survey was pointless because the works didn't reach the old buildings. Made it easy for them to agree by drawing cross sections. i e give them a non awkward exit. Hope that helps. Study your site. Ask what they expect to find. Question their proposal if excessive. Stand over them. They will be decent people, expert in what they do. But best not at your unreasonable expense. As it happens I am at a talk tonight about roman , and other, excavations. I'm wondering who is paying for the dig.

25mm would be used on a 30m span portal frame, albeit longer and into much more concrete. 12mm sounds fine. Eps is ok for sitting the floor on but not the structure. There is heavier duty material for that. Either build a heavy raft, or sit the structure onto the stone. I've done my bit on this now.

I used 4 x 4 timber packers from steel deliveries. Lapped them and screwed them together downwards and ends, and it is working fine after 4 years. I didn't bother with corner or side pegs. There is negligible load from the soil. If you practice 'no dig' the soil will stabilise permanently too. It becomes a crusty entity, crisscrossed by wormholes and good fungi. I don't fancy cutting the sleepers though, unless of course they are sitting there foc. I fear they might also distort dramatically when cut. Start collecting cardboard (without sticky tape) and newspapers to lay on the ground. They smother the grass and weeds, then rot away. The amount of worms in mine is amazing, due to compost and manure on the top over the winter.

This actually is a raft (as previous;y discussed) as it isn't sitting on anything other than eps....which isn't strong enough., the slab isn't thick enough, and needs more reinforcement. I fear the problem is trying to build it like a garden shed, esp cost-wise, but looking for house performance. Which is the priority?

Doesn't that reduce the suction significantly? Especially once it gets dirty. I was looking recently at the effect of an extended duct and bends, and it was much more than I had expected.

I dont like the exposed polystyrene on the outer face. It will get damaged, and isnt easy to fix or to fix a face onto. How about a compromise and use a thin but durable insulating board like Wedi Board? I would just use 12.5mm to take the edge off the cold bridge. but thicker is available. Sole plate to edge of concrete, then wedi over the concrete and the sole plate.

Unnecessary with a good and thorough brickie. But it does ensure that excess is not poking into the cavity, and that it is compressed. I think I might even pay a little extra for that. Flush should suffice though. How to check? Brickwork before inner block, makes it visible. Alternatively stick a hand down the cavity and feel between the bricks. Some 'brickies' have been doing it for days (they were labourers last week) , and aren't keen on questions. Diplomacy. Others are stunningly skilled. As with many trades the best ones don't seem to be working as hard but somehow do more in the time. Again diplomacy...they would do it properly anyway.

A fully mortared face between the perpendicular faces of adjoining bricks. For an amateur like me it is tricky. For some "bricklayers" also perhaps. And many will simply apply the minimum to the front edge for their ease, as they will usually get away with it.

What everybody else says.(some of it anyway) Then do your own test ( as ProDave and others). Tape over all fan and other ducts. Close or tape over window vents. Dont assume any builder understands airtightness. Then tell the testeron site that you need 0.8 ( or whatever) and are confident of achieving it. Difficult gaps to complete are at the eaves ( and there is a lot of it) and openings. Examine the detail, discuss with the builder. Supervise.