saveasteading

It's not going to fall over. Water will run through the gaps so you might want to put a drain along the base, as long as it has somewhere to run to. I

I'd never read up on this so has been interesting. One of the sellers had good info on use class. Light domestic, light office, heavy commercial, including how much water it could hold! 6 litres/m2 is a lot. Thicknesses not so easy. It's potentially tricky and messy to retrofit so needs thinking through.

Of course. But any time you open the door most heat will shoot out so I can't see the point. And the surface area compared to volume also provides a poor figure. Spending a fortune on sustainability for a building that is far from sustainable through the material/carbon content doesn't make sense. A shepherd would not do that.

That's quite good. More important is local variations. The industry way is remarkably and sensibly lo-tech, with a 3m straight-edge. Any completely straight timber will do. Lay it down (not levelled) and measure any gap whether at ends or middle. Then lean on the ends and rock it, and repeat. Any and all directions. 3mm or less is a pass and a few scattered failures may be OK too. I bet your floor passes.

Does that work for sand and cement? For a large area I'd use our cement mixer, but it's dreadful for getting loads stuck to the rear and the paddles.

This discussion prompted a lunchtime discussion.... so has been very timely. So it's decided to have a recessed matwell to the front door. We will box around an area on top of the pir so that ufh doesn't wander over. Then screed leaving a void. Them bring up to the necessary level in latex, then form a well with angle. And to sliding doors, just an over-mat that can be removed when we want the brochure look for the floor tiling.

AS mentioned above... clearance is a big deal. I've got 2 doors where mats sit too high and the door hit them. Not my mistake obv.. it was a concrete and lino floor and just putting tiles down caused a clash. Next time I woul cut out matwell. Thinks.... don't put ufh pipes right at the doors.

My concern on SIPS is my own ignorance. That to a large extent is because they don't seem to aim at the professional contractor market... which to me suggests that it isn't commercially competitive. I see the systems used in Architect led projects where the end result seems very expensive to me... so I (cynically?) suspect that they do target the public at self build exhibitions, and some architects who are , unlike designer-contractors, not so aware of the real cost. Hence quotes I have seen on here and elsewhere will exclude steels that may be needed, interfaces, perhaps even insulation targets. Thus beware. absolutely. To know how it works out in real life the pros on here need to know more. The self builders who have used sips may well be very happy with the results, but have probably not got experience of other ways. But they will advise of what, if anything, to beware of. My gut feeling suggestion is to you, as a self builder who wants lots of hands on and economy , is 'stick build'. It fits, and is sympathetic to newbies*... it offers second chances. But you won't see that at exhibitions. * that would include theoretical me if without builder help. Strip footings, stud build, timber cladding, timber roof, metal sloping roofing, or tiles.

That to me is decent justification. A kit reduces risk for the beginner, just don't try to change anything from a proven form. It depends on more than that though. Geometry, the ground and topography, how it links to the existing...and more.

Tell more?

On reflection I'm not thinking to add redundancy thtough extra piping, but to avoid petty savings. Eg does the utility room need any ufh? Miss it out, or half of it and save £30? Space the pipes further apart in some rooms? Likewise. There are places to save hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands and this isn't one of them.

Measured by bucket or bag, not by shovel until you have a total feel for how much a shovel holds. If you shovel the mix to different spots there is less brushing. It's not hitech but very important so that blocks are locked really solidly.

with a fan drawing air from the adjacent areas every time it is used.

I agree with @ProDave that bolts are advisable, not expensive either. But it might be tricky to drill unless you have a 90° drill. ring shanked nails or fully threaded screws at 150 cc, staggered.

I'm no expert but we are having a big area designed at present. There are additional pumps at manifolds.

You should have lots of fixings. The whole floor load, where raised, is resting on the fixings.

On top of what? Can you recall the price level?

I was tempted by a pruning chainsaw at the local market. Incl 2 batteries £30. But my sensible self decided it would be poor, maybe dangerous.

With experience now of the steading stove. Externally fed air makes for extremely efficient combustion with even a single log glowing brightly. The tiny amount of ash confirms the efficiency too. So it doesn't have to be a huge blaze with multiple logs as in old draughty burning boxes. Is it justifiable? The steading is rentable and gorgeous, so it's a big plus. Although it is highly insulated the heat isn't excessive and is controllable Plus it's a backup in case of power outage.

Client didn't want or need it, or want the cost.... I'm guessing it's about £40/m2 extra. And like, presumably. Try spilling some red wine on that. I've nerdily done that on tiles we are currently looking at.

I've posted a real floor after 15 + years as a separate post. Dryshake I've used once. It makes the surface harder and can add colour, but it still crazes. If a domestic client wanted a concrete look I'd recommend large porcelain with that effect ( very realistic, as concrete tiles really could be made crack free). £50/m2. Resin does not, of course, look like concrete. If budget is of interest, you don't need concrete over concrete at all.

This was a project of mine about 15 years ago, maybe more. It is used by a company you all know. I was there recently as a customer and asked if I could look at the warehouse for interest. I'm really pleased how this is performing after the years of forklift use. No cracks other than the controlled joint which has barely widened. But look closely at the micro cracking of the surface. This is normal and is always there unless covered by paint... and then it isn't exposed concrete. This is why I don't recommend concrete in a house unless desperate to impress on Grand Designs ( who won't return to see it with stains and cracks years later.) And this is a very good floor by utter experts. Bte the few tiny indents are caused by lignite which we get in aggregate.

So a very heavy warehouse for forklifts and racking? You can do almost anything over that. Your internal walls and even steel columns could go straight on your floor with SE input. Above that I would have minimum 150 pir then a screed with ufh. As prev discussed I don't see the attraction of a polished slab in a house, perhaps because I've built hundreds and see them as functional. I'll find a photo to emphasise this.

What are you finishing the floor with? Are the levels generally OK apart from ridges and raindrop marks? How soft is the top? Can you scratch it?

if you dont have them I think Wickes would too, or a small builders' merchant maybe.