saveasteading

A concrete slab raised above the existing is best. You could potentially just lay slabs instead. Then bolt it down. What is going in the shed?

That is what I meant. Sounds as is it is a tin levelling screed, but of what material

Except that the businesses generally look at the return on investment and what other they could do with it. Return in 10 years is the normal rule of thumb, then influenced by the certainty or otherwise. Also, big portal frames are not designed with spare load capacity to support PV panels, or shouldn't be without the express decision by the client paying for the building. Not only the dead weight of the panels, but also increased wind uplift. I offered PV to clients, or the option to allow spare strength for the future, but this was never chosen, and rightly in most cases.

No, not unless the water has some means of escape. What is the material? Not 'cement' but concrete/ mortar or what? How thick? In theory trapping water in the concrete for ever might not be terminal, but it isn't the done thing, just in case.

Really? With your own money? I would allow for some future repair in your costing, and hang on to the money for something more useful. Consultants, valuers and roofers will likely tell you it is high risk, and that reduces their liability for any future issues. My roof was apparently retiled 70 years ago. Despite some slipped tiles, and even some failed battens, it is holding on, and has never leaked. We bought it 30 years ago at which stage the previous purchaser had just pulled out having been told to replace the roof. Has to be your shout though.

Same as my house. Concrete tiles, with a few broken. The valley one does need replacement....or at least shoving back in temporarily. Generally pretty good, but far from new and will need repairs from time to time. The change in line from the end ridge cap to the next one is more than i would say was normal, and seems to be reflected all the way down to the eaves. Tht is good in thaat it prevents water from runnin g over the gable edge, but just looks more than i would expect. I don't mind the moss as it slows the flow a bit. It will need clearing from the gutters once a year but makes decent mulch. Also these tiles will release sand so the gutters will have sludge, which also needs clearing. Not zero risk, but looks pretty good.

The beans are poor. Plenty of flower but not many turning to beans, so about 2 per day going into whatever veg mix we have. But courgettes good, and the cucumbers and tomatoes looking much livelier in the sensible temperatures.

My technique is to think of where any individual raindrop will go. Every one should have an easier route away from your wall then towards it. Not Every raindrop obv, but a sample.

If a barbecue is extinguished when the food is done, what looks like ash is about 80% charcoal, which can be used again, or spread on the ground. Put it in a container, soak it and the charcoal floats to the top. With a bonfire, the charcoal content will depend on how long it has been burning, but I find it to be about 30%. Someone else will know better, but I gather that bonfire ash is good for the garden, but wood-burner ash is inert.

A cross section of the wall at the higher ground would be good. You must get below the footing, and make it easier for the water to runaway than go into your wall. Do you think the ground was always higher than the wall, rendering the adjacent room very damp, or has this been filled by occupants who don't understand the issue? It doesn't look too much work to drag a 1m strip out, below floor level. Looking again at the damp chimney area, yes a flashing above might solve this. It would be surprising though if the constantly wet render stays put for long.

Wood was coppiced on a very large scale for making charcoal. The trunk size was very convenient for stacking for charring. I think any hardwood, but may look up a book on the mediaeval iron industry, if I can find it. btw Coppiced timber was also used for splitting into broom heads.

Yes. Usually they need an edge cut off though, if the spindle is close the the frame. This is the easiest solution if the door is catching the floor.

See page 43 among others. https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2020/02/guide-for-practitioners-6-conversion-of-traditional-buildings/documents/guide-for-practitioners-6-conversion-of-traditional-buildings---part-one/guide-for-practitioners-6-conversion-of-traditional-buildings---part-1/guide-for-practitioners-6-conversion-of-traditional-buildings---part-1/govscot%3Adocument/Conversion%2Bof%2Btraditional%2Bbuildings%2BPart%2B1%2B.pdf

I can see that. Thanks for the pictures. The stonework is probably difficult to make attractive, being small rocks. Therefore I can see the attraction of keeping it, and the rain off. My suggestions. As a priority, lower the ground so that there is no rising damp, and any rain splashes are below the floor level. (Rising damp does exist, according to me and apparently to all professors of rising damp. One website that doesn't agree seems to dominate google, so look beyond that. Also deal with any other issues like chimneys and leaking gutters. Then over-clad but with a rain-screen that will keep the rain off but allow the wall to breathe. (Over-cladding creates a thickness, standing out from the all. this can be a problem at the eaves, as the gutters need to be moved out, involving roof extension.. Therefore I expect this has to be quite thin.) OR patch up the cement screed again and see how the wall behaves in a loved building.

You can easily do this yourself. This will show if it is feasible at no cost. Then you may have to get your professional to watch you do it again and confirm. It is not normally in SE or Architect skillset if it is a full assessment. But simple proof may be enough. As I said, contamination isn't the issue.... It is reasonable however for the BCO to ask how you are disposing of the rainwater. To a soakaway, any exceptional rain held back by a swale. None to burn if you can. All my comments have to be related back to the reality of the site of course. This will be on the surface. The test is dug beneath the soil, in the ground which has to allow the percolation. perhaps the same clay, but 18m is a long way down and maybe a different stratum there. Which brings us back to a pond. The fish and frogs will drink the water.

No, no no. The wall is still there because of the construction, including lime mortar and lime render allowing it to move and breathe. Any other render will likely cause problems. Don't trust the suppliers or contactors unless they are masons or can show you the successful use on masonry from more than 5 years ago. What stone do you have? any pictures?

Coppicing does not require the tree to be killed and if grown in the appropriate sequence is getting close to sustainable. Apart from buying a saw, and running it. and transport, and particulates. But nothing is perfect, and it is better than oil, or coal, or gas, or charcoal from the Amazon.

It clearly was, but should no have been. That is a lot of rods and resistance . Next time it might be worth hiring a flexi rod as it will be easier to push. They are available with a transmitter and receiver, but at quite a cost.

For an overview of the tiles: Are many missing or broken? Are they all the same colour (Concrete tiles fade, so repairs may be visble) Are they in straight lines along the roof, especially as they overlap the gutter? Are there any sags in the roof (best seen looking at an angle). It isn't so much the tiles that tend to fail, as the battens beneath, or the fixings.

The advice above is good. In a trench of round gravel, a third is air and the rest is stone. Anything less than round and the volume of air (hence water) decreases. Therefore your trench of 25m3 will only hold about 8m3 of water at best. Perhaps that is enough. The calculation depends on location, rainfall intensity and duration, and is rather hard work, hence computer programmes are used as standard. You haven't said much about the site: permeability, slopes, area. This can be increased by using expensive crates instead of gravel, or by adding empty pipes to the trench, although that can be as expensive. As Gus says, the trench will perform as a soakaway, depending on your ground permeability. This can be increased by changing the shape to provide more edge area, if space allows. Also you may be able to use the drain pipes as temporary storage, and soakaway area, if they are shallow slopes. It is good practice, even if not enforced, to avoid any water at all running straight to the burn. I don't think pollutants are an issue in your case, but it is good to do your bit to avoid increasing flooding downstream. What happens to the water after your storage trench? Is it to soak away, or is there a controlled outlet to the watercourse? Bottom line. Designers sometimes forget that rain has been falling on your site before your project. Your responsibility is to not make it worse for the environment. Soakaways, ponds and swales can be worked with to achieve this. The latter have the benefit of surface evaporation as well as soakage.

It's OK. leave it. If people can't tell if it is concrete or stone then it can't be too bad. I agree with jet wash , repair, and distract, Your beautiful plants will get all the attention. I would also drill some drain holes through the mortar to let water out and reduce pressure that may lean the wall over. as is probably the cause in the last picture. Try through the mortar at the top of the perpend, perhaps every 2nd or 3rd block, and that should be quick and easy. Drill bit as big as the mortar will allow.

Is that wise? Something not being normal is often for a good reason. I am thinking that the foam and silicon are flexible so the door movement might cause the timber to 'swing' ever so slightly relative to the steel. I think at least screw through timber packers (cut exactly or folding) so that the screw is pulled tight.

So can a piece of tape on the rod, and lay the rod on the surface over the drain run...but yours is more fun.

I think it was ProDave who pointed out that the summer PV is not a waste as it is needed for hot water.

I have used this a lot and it works. The plastic will chip at the top over time but it will continue its job of retaining the stone. Yu must consider if you will have heavy loads on it ever, and put more stone underneath accordingly. Yes you will be able to dive up that slope, but the decision on attractiveness/ comfort must be yours. Yes that works too but you then need pedestrian ramp or steps, and there is a potential 1m fall off the drive.