saveasteading

Standard concrete by the looks of them. Easy to check with a chisel or drill, as concrete is very hard and thermalite etc is made from a paste, looks like grey aero underneath and turns to dust under a hammer or chisel.

Airtightness first, ventilation second. It is for the avoidance of uncontrolled draughts that we do the airtightness, and then the extracts and intakes can be opened up again.

Or used sticky tape, as you can over fans etc too. For long-term quality though I suspect most sticky tape fails. I've just brought my decorations boxes down from the attic and most of the closing tape has failed, regardless of being packing tape, gaffer tape or supposedly gorilla (or whatever). It will fail in cavities and over leaky details too, where it can never be seen to have failed, and can't be replaced. I suspect a lot of commercially built properties are taped up for the test.

Yes take their advice, as they will see the circumstances. But they are not likely to say that they designed for a joint and now it doesn't matter after all. My point I suppose, is that if you happen to know that the materials were already stabilised, then the SE might just think that could be ok. (sometimes blocks arrive on site that were made the day or week before, and they are guaranteed to shrink, or bricks are still war from the kiln and guaranteed to expand.....and then there are problems without joints) keep us informed please.

Insulating externally will be expensive and very difficult. It will affect the roof, drains, window: everything. So I think the cost kills the idea. Loft is easy and cheap so use lots of good quality mineral wool Floor: If timber you can lift the boards and insert insulation between the joists. (You have lots of headroom so you could feasibly insulate over the existing floor, but it will probably make the doors too low.) Walls internally. It would make a mess, but perhaps do this gradually if ever you have to strip a wall back for other reasons. It is probably lath and plaster, but that looks like good condition and you wouldn't want to strip it only for insulation. If covering any floor areas put down underlay with carpet, but also foam board under any tiling or vinyl: even 10mm makes a big difference. Are the windows double glazed? In order of benefit 1. do the loft 2. Draughts 3 Windows 4. Floors 5. bits of improvement when appropriate.

There are good fixings that will hold to the plasterboard, or you can use long screws to the block. I would trust the plasterboard, just use plenty of fixings in case someone sits on the radiator. There are all sorts of fancy fixings but I would just use plastic wall-plugs, and plenty of them as the brackets have several holes. BUT pay the little bit more for a known branded make.

It may be only me but I question that movement joints are always needed. You build this perfectly goo traditional masonry wall, then insert weaknesses. There are no such joints in old houses. Bricks expand for a while after manufacture, while concrete blocks shrink, and the new walls can be very stressed. If you can afford to let the materials sit on site for a few weeks in typical weather, then likelihood of a problem from that source is removed. Not expanding foam (out of a tin) please: it seals but is not flexible, and tends to spread more than is desired. There are expanding foam tapes specially made for this: you squeeze them smaller then they gradually fill the gap tight. Then seal with , again, special mastic filler which are flexible and also grip the sides...the name's I can't remember at present.

Blocks are standard sizes. What kind of fixing are you considering and for what purpose?

My guess is that the stink used to vent in the attic, but the valve now prevents that. Now when there is any pressure in the drains it forces bad air through any weakness. I would check the wc drain seals. the tiniest hole can allow smells through. I once found a tiny gap in the plumbers' mait seal, but only by getting into very uncomfortable positions. Problem solved.

I have limited experience of render but some. When my choice we never spec'd render, because I have seen so much failed or grotty stuff. But some projects came with it written in. There is some crazily expensive Swiss stuff we had to use on a Mercedes dealership. This was applied direct to plywood externally, and it stayed put. Then our choice of render on a block wall (flats). This was high up and very exposed. The difference to yours is that the mesh was tacked to the wall first, and a base course applied. Then the finish coat went on. Again it has performed well. The 'mesh first' ensures that any local loss of adhesion does not cause the render to bulge. So I am guessing about your product and circumstances. I agree that it is not coming from above or below,: it is failing where the water is getting in. That is likeliest to be due to microcracking, and driven rain will get in there, then freeze and pop off. It may be a local problem due to drying issues when applied, or may be everywhere.....we will hear. On the other hand perhaps it is simply a poor bond locally, due to the finish of the board...dirt or oil, or too smooth. I am surprised it has gone back to place..it must be very flexible. How exposed is the site? From my studies your area doesn't look too severe. Anyway, how do they define severity?

If the site arrangement and topography and all other circumstances allow, I would favour having a settlement tank at source, filling by natural flow from the burn. This can be constructed to take in the best flowing water with minimum floating bits. The tank allows the water to still and bits to settle and float, and your outlet pipe then takes water from near the bottom. this then provides free and low-maintenance first stage cleaning, and a holding tank for quantity/backup. Then gravity flow to the house. If it comes from high up it may fill to the attic without a pump. After that you may need more filtering or pumping. You can decide if you welcome the colour or want to filter it out. BTW, (and no need to read on) I had a summer job very long ago, to build exactly one such. The existing intake tank had a tiny trout living in it, and somehow getting a living in the closed dark place. The water was not chemically treated so we must have been drinking some element of the trout's excretions. You could say the fish was pre-treating the water, taking out organic matter. Nobody cared as long as they didn't know! (A controlled spillway would prevent this happening in your tank.) It looked good on my CV as I didn't mention the size and scope, and got me a job saving the Netherlands from flooding.

You are getting sensible suggestions based on the limited information provided. Airtightness/vapour barrier purposes are rather fundamental, so please explain what you don't understand. Likewise sloping roof. What is your concern?

https://www.nhbc.co.uk/builders/products-and-services/techzone/technical-updates/magnesium-oxide-building-boards

Timber in a wall doesn't burn unless flame reaches it. Therefore if you delete the external cladding, and then skin the timber structure in masonry or cement board (and render) does that not resolve the issue? The absence of a neighbour isn't the issue, as they might want to build close to the boundary in future. The rule can be relaxed if there is little possibility of that happening eg there is a river , pond, road etc.

More information needed. The avoidance of fire spreading from your house to another is the main concern, and the likeliest cause is through a window. Have you any on that wall? Then there is the spread of flame on the outside of your wall....if you have proposed timber cladding can't you just delete it? Plasterboard internally works perfectly well and there is no need to get complicated. Being 1m or less makes it more onerous but it should be easily resolved I feel. Anything that is not sold as vapour-proof will likely be porous and breathable, so I suggest moving away from niche products towards traditional. With 1m gap it is not as if it will be visible and a feature of the building.

That sounds like a small area of internal wall. The internal wall could be (wiIl be) covered in plastic, so an area of bitumen spray sounds ok to me, and much better than nothing. It will depend on what else you are doing to the wall, and where your general barrier will be going, but you can probably work out a lapping detail to keep the joists 'inside'. I have always found that bitumen on block requires at least 2 coats as the first doesn't enter all the dimples. if you can get a brush in all the better, but still at least 2 coats.

The warrant application response says that our building 'goes beyond Minor Works Structures Guidance'. I know that a storey over 200m2 needs special attention for fire. However I can't see any such guidance for structures, which is what he is saying. We are proposing a 95m2 (GEA) area of replacement timber structure, and no rebuild to the remainder which is about another 155m2 GEA. GIA is 270m2 total. It matters as he is rejecting the calculation of the timber structure using the 'Minor Works' design guides, which I have done. I am not registered in Scotland so he is requiring a registered Engineer to be engaged that we don't need , or want to pay for. Also choose any 2 Engineers (or of anything) and get different interpretations. The intention of the 'minor works' process is to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. Any pointers? Is there such a ruling?

It appears to cost a plumber £100 per annum, and to be an amalgamation of several trade lists.

I think this is a subscription register that plumbers pay to be in. Not statutory. I searched their website for evidence of training and standards but cant see any mention. I can see that some standards are desirable and not all 'plumbers' are really plumbers. I suggest you just write n/a in the box.

Agreed this is nothing to do with the planners or building inspectors,. Entirely the landowner unless they are paying someone else to advise them. For a single domestic supply the diversion will be a yellow plastic pipe in a trench round the building. £1,000 at a guess. Just possible that gas co may be sympathetic and give a discount. But if nobody made enquiries to them this is unlikely.

Some swallows will be disappointed when they return from South Africa in the spring, as their temporary home will be closed up for housing humans. From research there is no point in bird boxes on trees as 1. they won't use them because: 2 squirrels will get in. I can't find any info on alternative locations, but was thinking perhaps a substantial box fixed to the outside of an outbuilding, with a swallow slot and some shelves inside. Comments and suggestions please?

sorry if not clear: I am agreeing with you. The radio units have to be mains connected so there is no saving on that , and they are much more expensive than your £16 so the interlink wiring is not a cost concern.

Great news on simplicity and cost. Yes I am used to central panels, break glass, etc, even in tiny units where the fire would be immediately obvious by sight, smell or sound. Just got some thorough responses for an Ei wireless system. It would need the upgraded units that are connected to the mains, so the price has become average £75 each to buy instead of £35, and needs mains connection. Saves on interlinking wire and would be very easy to adapt if necessary. But if we have £60 change for wiring then that seems to be the way. To complete my report. CO2 detector also about £75 and CO (not linked ) is £16 but is only an alarm, and does not keep a record, as i think is required. I will relax and assume all wired for now. Thanks.

In my experience of education and commercial installations, ie not housing, fire alarm systems are very expensive. Maybe it is much less for domestic and my concerns are unnecessary. I liked the idea of £40 a room, installed and working. Do you have any guidance? As you say, it is like new-build so wire fixing is easy.

Thanks. Had not thought about that. We have a response from our warrant application, and the requirement is for an LD2 system. The one supplier I have asked about wireless has not come back to my query about satisfying the reg's yet. Maybe they can't? Will keep you informed.