saveasteading

The difference being that in a normal loft conversion you are protecting the existing, finished house. No new-build houses have a complete enclosure to work within. Is yours effectively a new-build, or do you have to protect any sensitive internal finishes?

Firstly a declaration. I think gutters are a good thing, recognising that rain happens and is best got rid of efficiently. Also I don't like sedum roofs other than for appearance (from above?). Not 'green' not 'sustainable'. Practically though in your case. If water runs off an eaves onto a flat roof it makes a noise and wears out the surface, even steel. After the rainstorm, the roof drips for many hours. You will have sedum, so it will kill the plants and wash out the growing medium, then probably cause a blockage in the drainage channel and rwp. You are going to have to do maintenance every few months, especially of the concealed gutters. A matter of opinion perhaps but I also don't rate having downpipes running through the living room. The sound of running water may provide a 'connection to the outside world', but it is a worry for keeping clean and intact. It rains everywhere in the UK. In the areas that have more extreme downpours (west coast and SE England) the water will power off at an incredible rate and cause damage. I am interpolating from the drawing that there are also some valleys, which will concentrate the rain even more into spouts towards the middle of the roof. Gutters and external downpipes would be a great idea. You won't feature in Architects' Journal but your house will last longer and you can relax when it is raining.

Some insurance companies don't accept properties within a certain distance of the flood forecast, regardless of the height above. Shop around.

I think I used tile adhesive, and that allows a few mm adjustment. Otherwise self-levelling screed first. the floor should already have a membrane under it. I see there is a manhole. Yo need to keep that accessible. I would cut the insulation around and on that shape for access. Carpet tiles can be lifted, and then your boards too. Whatever insulation you do will be fairly pointless for energy saving as there is the metal door with gaps around. The floor insulation is for comfort and feel-good.

My suggestion. It is a hard product and can be glued to the floor, then will take carpet tiles/vinyl etc. and witshstand foot and furniture pressures. Expensive at about £15/m2 but will last, which celotex wont without a screed over it. This is only 10mm thick but the effect is significant, as standing in socks on a board and directly on the concrete will demonstrate. There are some alternative manufacturers. I have used this before fitting a warmup system, and it was easy. In a garage being improved for recreation, I might use carpet tiles on top, as they add more insulation, and are easy to diy.

There is plenty of water in the sea to travel 10 miles. How far above the flood forecast level are you?

That seems reasonable, as maps and plans have more mistakes than is generally recognised.

The planners will overlook a minor difference, and this was once defined to me as 'a brick'. in other words practical tolerances. Doubling the size of this element is not minor. While it is rue that few buildings have to be reduced, it does happen. More likely would be that, having deliberately ignored the permission granted, they will be upset at the contempt, and it may take a long time, and cost, to get it through this way. The conversation is recorded here too, and you have already asked for the planners' advice, which will not help. I think I would either. 1. get formal advice from a Planning Agent, who may know a way out of this. or 2. Build as permitted but with a steel frame and stud based wall that can be removed/ moved. 3. Don't build this extension until you are occupying the ret of it and can do it the habitation way, as you explained (but I have not checked on). But it has to be your shout.

Tell me if I am getting this wrong. SteamyTea: red pen out please. Warm the air and it absorbs more moisture, which all must effectively come from the floor slab in a sealed room. Then chuck the saturated air out at 18 degrees and bring in outside air at 5 (?)C. The colder air has half/third of the moisture in it, leaving capacity to repeat daily. For a 50m3 room this will 'only' be a pint of water each cycle, but is in addition to what is taken out by the machines. I don't know how much water is surplus within the screed after the chemical reaction has used most of it. Say 3% volume. So for the same 20m2 room and 50mm screed there is 1m3 of screed and so 30 litres of surplus water. Doesn't sound too onerous. I don't think we ever aim to get all the water out. Daily removal: 0.5litres by opening the windows, say 2 litres in the machines. 2.5litres/day for 12 days. ???

This is one of the rules among building operatives. The client knows nothing. The professionals know nothing. I the tradesperson am the most important person here and everything must suit me. How much water are you collecting in the buckets?

You can probably design it so that the extra metre or so fits in efficiently if you get permission. Nothing stops you from building out to the piles as that is foundations not 'the building'. Perhaps you can build a demountable outer wall that can be moved when you get permission.

Ask him if you can delay his payment until it is approved. Easy to risk 'someone else's money'.

For anything smaller you could use timber of any size, but it will be more wobbly. Perhaps use 38 x 63 turned sideways for extra strength and line it with ply or other board.

I am not fully understanding. However in case this helps: once you have planning permission and start the project within the usually 3 year limit, the whole permission is locked and there is no time limit to complete. Full Plans and Building Notice are Building reg's, not planning, so are of no concern to the planners other than proof of when you started the work. Please explain re the shed: are you wanting to apply for planning permission to further extend the house onto where a 'shed' used to be?

Has anyone an idea why these are not more common? A commercial version of OnOff's device. Even in Spain they are fairly uncommon, although that may change now that electricity prices are more commercial. They can at least prewarm the water and they are not expensive.

You mean they have cut it in retrospectively?

Me too, except once when under pressure (big floor too, 800m2) and I learnt not panic, as it dries vey much more quickly than people want you to think (so they can hire you machines or charge for a floor seal, or delay their work) But in this case I can see that the OP needs to try everything.

A post a few months ago said that the factories categorise their ceramics after manufacture, according to how the glazing turned out, and the top-of-range stuff had an extra/better coating. But I expect all the big names do QC on everything and chuck out the sub-standards....they really do not want them rejected by users.

So that is just the 50mm of screed, as the precast slabs will have absorbed very little water. That isn't a lot of free water. If it feels that damp in the space, then it must be evaporating. But I note your very tight time-frame, and so some expense is justified. I agree with some of the above, but not all. If not already using heaters and dehumidifiers, first open all windows and doors to get a draught through and clear the currently sopping conditions. then: 1. close all the doors and windows, so you are not drying the world. Site instruction to all: never leave the outside door open. 2. close the doors to the area with the wet screed, to contain the water for removal. 2. An electric fan heater, probably commercial quality, so that the whole space heats up and the air is moved around, 24/7 3. Powerful Dehumidifier, with big collector tank so that it doesn't need emptying in the night. A week of that and you should be sorted, and it should noticeably change from sauna to dry atmosphere. I would not want the screed to dry too quickly under and in front of the heater, so best raise it. After a few days, put some plastic down on the floor for a few hours and see if it gets sopping wet underneath. It should be possible to do some sums on how many litres you are looking to capture. If you keep this room closed then you are not drying out new air from elsewhere. I cant see why bringing in replacement air is necessary: either use natural drying or this forced method, but not mixed. And you will know this BUT just in case the plant-hire company suggests it: Don't use gas heaters as they create water.

I have taken to using the local plumbers' merchant. The prices are perfectly reasonable compared to the big retailers, the advice is good, and I feel that they can't afford to supply anything substandard (reputation). Perhaps being in the industry helps ease of discussion if it gets technical, but I really don't think that matters. I recently had a tricky shower challenge with a sloping ceiling, and they had a special screen made Roca is good too. And I don't think there is anything wrong with Armitage. Where do the unbranded ones come from is my biggest concern? Not from the big names.

How thick, and what is under it? There should not be much 'free' water anyway, as most of it should react chemically within the screed. You may find that what appears sopping immediately after the pour, improves dramatically in a few days. Most to all second fix materials will not be affected by short-term dampness.

It is a good idea to have the stop at mid height of the door. By doing this the door is not distorted, as it is when the bottom of the door crashes against the buffer. The centre of a blank door usually has a structural section at mid-height, but aim for another horizontal bar to suit your door. The height also prevents the post from being a trip hazard. In simple terms it can be any sort of post with a doorstop fixed to it horizontally. If this was a rear service door then it can be as functional as you like: a 2x2 timber will also flex when hit so is good for the door. A scaffold tune is firmer. Then work up from there to something prettier as appropriate to the location.

1. Get a Japanese style wc. a gentle spray instead of paper, followed by air-drying. I have been lucky enough to try many, and they are even normal in public toilets in Japan. From thinking they were a gimmick, then finding how to resolve initial unpleasant surprise feelings, I came to like them. If changing the toilets at home I would consider it. Cost.....anything from a conversions seat to a top of the range German one. £300 to £5,000. I think £600 gets a decent on, and some plumbing and electrics. With savings in TP (used or not soaked) , it will pay itself in 50 years. 2. Keep it in the dry area, and pick a predicted requirement before entering and commencing.

The plaster will shrink very slightly as it cures. if you are still doing skirting then the joint remains hidden, and no crack will be seen.

Have used Envirograf for decades. A small company with good customer service and very good technical advice: they wont just sell it if it is not the right product. They even made up seal coat to a special colour to avoid an additional decorative coat (but that was internal use).