saveasteading

I don't think they do, or not the realistic amount anyway, and so the game starts of building waste, plant, overheads etc into the rates, and showing a profit you think the client will accept. A game and a waste of time and resources. Then if the client compares rates they may not make sense. It is even worse on bigger jobs where the client has a QS who has to justify their fee, and existence.

I did not at first recognise your picture of a flattened woodland. (looked like foreground to the picture above it). I never thought of Angus as a windy area. Good luck with your repairs. Not easy at that height, and probably needs a replacement ridge section for aesthetics and because the protective coatings will be damaged.

I was surprised how many mature pines fell over, that had been through many storms before. Mostly along with the roots but some just snapped in the trunk. The power of nature is amazing, and scary. With that may I give one little piece of advice re metal cladding fixings, that I often see not to be done. At all exposed edges, eaves, ridge, corners, and especially at the corners of the roof, the wind force can be many times worse than in the central areas. this is partly to do with swirling and partly because the load is not spread to adjacent areas. (Varying gusts of wind are surprisingly small in area). So at all these exposed areas of cladding and to flashings, make sure that there are extra fixings, at least double, from sheet to purlin/batten and also plenty fixing for the support to the structure.

Correct, if the ceiling is plasterboard. For information only, the heavier a beam gets, the less protection it needs (heated perimeter/area) to the extent that ultra chunky columns might not need any protection....I have done such.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOh. I am repeating the wise (and crucial) advice from above. If you don't understand the reason, I suggest looking into it as it is a fundamental part of building knowledge. (Unfortunately, many plumbers and electricians don't know this either (or perhaps don't care), and damage the buildings they work on).

The screed should have done all its shrinking in a month, and there will be multiple cracks, perhaps invisible. Across doors will have cracks and it is fairly likely tiles may crack there later. So i would either fit a strip at each door or keep tiles in case any replacement needed. Looks great if whole tiles run through. Looks awful if they crack.

The steel fails at about 350deg, at which stage the stair is gone, and so are you. If you can fully protect the exposed sides with plasterboard, and infill the inner web by pushing in rockwool, then only the inner edges of the flanges are exposed, and that may suffice. But squeezing in a skinny board will def then do it. In reality protecting what you can see will prob be enough to protect the building from collapse.

Does that not draw air through it (vent to flue) constantly, chilling the fire when it is off, so a cold steel box in the room ?

They do quality at the right price. but they also have very tired ex-holiday units round the back cheap: but need a lot of work. Worth asking.

I can't see any reason for a treatment tank to be so far away (soakaway, yes as it could undermine the foundations), so would be worth negotiating if it was too tight.

It is difficult. There are programs to calculate it, but it is basically, simply the iteration of different rainfall possibilities against outflow, and how much is left to store. If you can handle the logic then you can do it yourself. If not then you may not get the right answer by buying a program. You will probably end up buying the exensive crates anyway, so might as well get their free design, with the benefit that bco will accept it. You can sometimes save by reducing the crates volume by using natural storage, eg ponds, swales, even barrels.

Stuff the stub ends with old polythene bags and wrap another tight over the end. Tie a bright coloured rope to the end of the pipe (the cheap blue stuff is ideal) and lead it to the surface with a fair amount of spare. Tie the rope to a peg, but even if the peg comes out the pipe end is findable, clean and not filled with muck. Yes, first if you can, if you have a proper design, but perhaps not if it is going to driven over a lot or another service will cut across it. Or not if there is any doubt on where drains will exit the building. Because it doesn't take much error for a digger to damage the building.

I can only give my experience, but is based on multiple large concrete floors with floor coverings. Flooring contractors nearly always said that their tests showed excess moisture and they would not lay without an extra for a sealing layer. I resisted this because of 1. cost (which was silly high for a coat of cheap sealer). 2. we would be trapping water in the floor for ever. 3 I didn't always believe them. After a couple of weeks more severe ventilation (just doors and windows open at opposite sides) we tested it ourselves if in any doubt, signed a form saying we accepted responsibility, and instructed the floors to go down. There was never a problem. These floor were 150 to 200mm concrete on polythene, and had been laid for 8 to 10 weeks. Therefore these dry out more slowly than thinner screeds. I can't comment on your circumstances of course but with timber flooring it must be drier, so patience is required, but sealing...perhaps not. It is vital to do as the manufacturers say about acclimatising, as I learnt to my cost with home parquet. although on old, dry concrete, it first expanded and then shrunk, leaving gaps. I suggest you live without the flooring for quite a while with the heating and heat recovery working.

Thinks...Porcelain is chalk, which is lime, which is alkaline.. so yes. Absolutely. but still wipe off after doing it.

We could get a lot that way.

Congratulations joe90 for providing my 400th 'like'. There is no prize for me or you, other than the satisfaction of knowing we are helping people, and learning a bit as we go.

If the tiles are real marble then bleach is the right thing as it will kill any live stuff but not attack the tiles. ie don't use brick/grout cleaner (acid). Then let us know the outcome.

Thanks for that link, it is a splendid achievement and an interesting situation re planning. If it lifts with a theoretical crane, is it heavy enough to sit tight in a gale? For that size of building, the steep roof and the void under, there could be a lot of uplift. Not likely to blow away but could move on the plinths. I think I would provide ties down to the footings, just in case.

It could just be dust from the building works. Plaster/bricks / clay tiles are that colour, and it shows on grout. There shouldn't be any mould on new and dry work. Clean off and see what happens.

Not necessarily mould. Has the shower been used at all? Is the staining close to the shower or everywhere?

Simple but clever. Electrician's tape would fall off in time, cable ties won't, and will hold the insulation on.

I didn't know such a product existed, and would be interested to hear what the advantages are. Doesn't fly away while awaiting battens to hold it down might be one. How do they combine the vapour transmitting properties with an adhesive backing...that sounds clever but expensive.

On our second delonghi Magnifica. the first lasted 5 years , this one 4 so far. Very simple to use. So much better than the identical beans pre-ground, which I bought once by mistake. It amazes me that it does what it does, when I push one button.

Thanks Nickfromwales. I was up in the attic of our house (not the project) and noticed how the pipe lagging was barely encircling the pipes, and had gaps between lenghths, so it has shrunk both directions over many years. It was probably the cheapest make going, and I am thinking it best to buy branded in future. Gluing must help, and straping as you suggest. Thanks for the info that the lagging slides on un-slit: I had imagined it being tight.

Thanks. in this situation it will be indoors in the constant dark.