saveasteading

PeterW advice abut layering is good. The cheap stone will be half the price of the expensive. Talk to either the quarry or a haulier who sells stone. Tell them what the plan is and ask what stone they have. Include reclaimed stone, and crushed brick or concrete should be cheap for your base. That will come in 20 tonne loads. Beware that the cost is per tonne, and you get something like 1.8 tonnes per m2, ie les than it sounds. Can you get a lorry in? If so, a friendly driver will move forward as it slides out. Membrane yes. 60p /m2 for non-woven, which is best for keeping weeds under. That will also stop mud coming through and mixing with your stone. I don't think you will need weed-killer, and can always zap any that come through. But why stone it over? green is good. Yes, so if you have a barge in an adjacent estuary, that is an option. otherwise...no.

I meant to but couldn't find them on my phone. Will look again.

I would definitely keep the feet apart from the grass, by fixing them on plinths. This keeps them away from rot, insects and lawnmowers. For a blind system as shown, I think you have to commit to a full kit.

I made my own using laminated timber, cut to size by the manufacturer. Then erected it single handed in one day. About 3m x 4m. The materials cost much the same as for a very flimsy kit. About £800 I think. On its own as a skeleton it is a feature without a purpose. Do you want shade or waterproof? Just for shade, lovely as it would be to pick grapes, any plant will drop stuff and need maintenance. But a solid roof ends up having to be a proper roof, waterproofed, otherwise it will drip and get slimy. We wanted shade so fixed rolls of sticks on top.

Porcelain will be very slippy when wet. Also make sure any tiles are suitable for cold weather as well as nonslip. I have observed paving laying differences uk and Spain. You don't see a lot of cracks and potholes in a spanish street or square because of 1. The weather. But 2. Because under the tiles is a reinforced concrete slab, suitable for forklifts. But good builders do the same in domestic situations too. Therefore as above...dig out some more ground, lay compacted stone. Then I would lay a concrete slab with mesh, 70 thick. Then the tiles or slab are a finish. All on a slope. If you want, you can break up the existing material small, to use as hard-core on the bottom.

Broker told me that staff leave and take leads with them, or simply sell the lists to competitors. Hence many of the contacts we get at exactly the right time.

Why can they possibly need my phone number, other than to sell? Least suspicious is to direct sell, most is to sell in a list.

Me too. my name is Qwerty, and my postcode is AB1 2CD....the trouble is that may be a real person in Aberdeen. No, I ducked out too when it got personal. They don't need this info, just want it.

We do know that something is causing it, so a change of pressure somewhere. Perhaps when a cistern has filled. I doubt if a plumber would be able to help. If they did it would probably be a tut-tut who put this in? Of course it reverberates everywhere, but do you think it is from the tank area? Hot or cold? There are water hammer arresters which can be put into the line. I assume they have a compressible chamber to absorb the pressure and the noise. I have no idea if they work, but it sounds feasible and simple, and £30 plus labour. Next try Youtube.

A very big question. As PeterW: read the local policy, then make a tick list. Then make it easy for the planner to see how you have complied by writing out policy/ solution . They like this assistance. If necessary, plans and references are good. I usually reserved street-scene / artists impression until it was requested or it helped resolve an issue, because it takes a lot of effort to make a good job of it. In practice you are showing that there is no need to worry, and that requires an almost perfect image of what it will look like. We would take a photo of the view in question (minimising the effect, but not manipulated) and then superimpose a cad 3D view perfectly. In every case, councillors were relieved and relaxed...because they cannot read drawings, and don't assume the planner is good at it either. BUT on one project the councillors were objecting to size and the view from the street. The building was going to be invisible due to existing trees.....and the difficulty of getting that across to them was exasperating. If something in particular is troubling you, please tell.

I am wondering if that array is only suitable for what is already officially potable water? ie improves the taste and takes out lime? The burn water might, of course, be even cleaner with regards to minerals. But peat / other organics? I think that perhaps needs a coarse filter and UV zapper as well.

Fundamental is that only the green bit near the front of each document constitutes 'the regulations'. The rest is guidance. Therefore any references in the manufacturer's literature is better than any vague guidance/ best practice. The BCO is generally a decent type, who wants your building to be safe. If there is a nice certificate to close their file then that gives them cover in the case of a problem. I have met a few who think they know better than the book, but eventually sorted them out.

I think the filtration system will be rather specialist and expensive. But perhaps install it in a hut and leave it as the permanent system. We are doing that, with a 3m3 water tank in a shed (all made from reclaimed rafters) so that we can store whatever dribbles reach and have some storage to get through any droughts, or in extremis it is worth getting a tanker in. Otherwise I would think you just fill the tank with a fairly primitive pump, as and when. OR you make a catchment upstream, with a pipe off it to your tank. The catchment can allow the junk to fly past and the sediment to settle, but ensure you are getting moving, fresh water. Then put an overflow at the top of the tank, back to the burn.

Our steading and the adjacent house get all the water via a well , then about 500m of pipe and a burn to cross. so crossing the burn isn't an issue. And for electrics you can feed it through a scaffold tube to cross the burn. If you do the old test of walking up the burn to check for dead sheep, or possible drains , that will tell you the suitability for washing/flushing/even drinking. Also google earth to save a very long walk. Our project has IBC water for the works, coming from the spring. You could either have an intake upstream or pump the burn water when needed. But encase the IBC to keep light out and perhaps insulate too. We drink it but from the pipe not from the IBC. For drinking, if you are concerned at quality, you could get it tested. Or buy one of these filters that turns swamp water to drinking water. I think this is still cheaper than buying bottled. Better yet is find a neighbour or town tap to fill up.

I don't really understand the question. The planners expect you to do what you have shown in the application. BCO wants to see the new building built properly. If you think it is sensitive, don't put it on here as it is public, but PM to me, Gus or whoever.

Some has been displaced by big feet or boxes moving.A lot of it does seem to have shrunk though. Perhaps quality? There is no tape. I am going to give it an overhaul. Any suggestions on quality and even source for the foam stuff (the pipes are too close for anything else)

Our plumbing contractor used rockwool pipe enclosure more than the foam stuff. You tend to see it in plant rooms and long hidden runs. I don't think it is theoretically better than the foam stuff, but in reality it seems to work better. Also I think it doesn't shrink or fall off like the stuff in my attic does. We are using Plumbing and Renewables too. Not at the stage of fitting the heat pumps yet, but happy so far.

Agreed. I've met people who made it. No further comment.

If I knew then I would tell you. I've had to do this on many occasions when taking a project in new area, and have had more problems with new contractors than clear successes. There isn't a best way other than talking and searching. Be very cheeky and approach builders on sites, preferably as they have a break in the van. Look at vans and get the contact details. The best people are busy already. The main contractors are not going to tell you , and perhaps lose their best subbies. The merchants will perhaps tell you their clients.....but at least that will be a start. The business cards on merchants' notice boards may not be the ones you want, but try. On social media I would ask for recommendations in my own area. I use a free 'parish based' site called 'Nextdoor'. Join that and extend your area to neighbouring parishes, and ask for recommendations of trades. Of course you will get mates and family suggestions, but possibly some happy customers. You will also find out about all lost animals, road diversions and items for sale, and pot-holes, and rants from people who know nothing. But you are likely to get some decent recommendations.

For estate agents measuring rooms, any one at all is accurate enough. For a builder, sometimes aiming for a precise point before cutting, get a better one. Leica is fine. For Engineering, perhaps outdoors in daylight, you might need a precisely aimed one with a bright laser on it. Serious money....I prefer a tape, and a brick to hold the other end tho not so handy across aerial spaces or vertically.

Not many of them are proper professionals these days, esp in local papers and even more so online stuff. Easy to hand over a ready made story. The Mail one has been filched from the other articles I think. In the Scotsman the council appear to be robust. Planning enforcement is usually half a person these days, and they are reluctant. But the councillors will likely insist.

which is the whole point of course. I agree not publicising now you have a plan anyway. All these discussions are searchable and public.

The curtain is probably the best solution, the heavier the better, and touching the sides and floor.

Not just me then. They haven't thought of putting them on the back. I did a lot of work for timber companies, and noticed that they were supplying the identical productsto all the diy's and some merchants, just changing the labels.

SteamyTea, o great guru: can you similarly advise how I easily reduce normal photos when I have taken them at say 5Mb ? Can only then post one at a time. ie just a few clicks and not having to make and save otherwise unnecessary copies.