saveasteading

But what is your plan if they simply cross the line without asking? If they dif across then the LA may help, as it is planning and building regs related. But if they just start working on your side???

Perhaps forbid them from crossing the boundary in any way. They have no entitlement to do so, above or below ground. Where do they intend footings to go? All on their side? How will they finish their wall without access or scaffold?

A fence. Otherwise it will be damaged. Be aware too that a replacement sheet of cladding never matches. One damaged sheet can require the whole face to be replaced. That may require fascias and gutter removal. Photographs, submitted formally to your neighbour will prove condition and that you mean what you say about repercussions. Where is the boundary?

Thanks for the link. It looks good in the pictures of course. I'd expect that the ground surface needs to be sealed. Also for it to be hideously expensive. Have you asked? I once had a project that required grinding, albeit for super flatness, not appearance. The grinding cost about as much as the concrete. Power floats are big, with a circular sweep. How do they reach into corners?

Agreed. Might as well fit clingfilm. No benefit. For something that would form a thermal break but be solid to work with and durable, I suggest tile backer such as Marmox.

Indeed. It will be ripped and dimpled and isn't especially strong, so it needs covering. But a power floated floor isn't pretty either and still has 3mm dips. OR you get the surface ground off it and expose the stone. Don't ever spill red wine. Why, really, do you want exposed concrete? To impress? To be different? A brutalism lover? You MUST see a few finished examples before proceeding any further along this line. Then I'd love to read your comments.

How close did the neighbour come to your boundary? How close to the boundary do you intend to build? Why do you want a basement? It will cost about double £/m2, maybe more, be dark and carry more risk. During construction it will hold all the rain like a tank.

Concrete floors always have cracks. If perfectly made these are microcracks, but thousands of them. Mineral shake makes it harder, perhaps prettier, but it is still industrial. Any spills will show the cracks and stain the concrete. You'll gather I am in favour for forklift use but not domestic. I suggest think of 2 stages. 1.Structure and heavy work. 2. Internals and Finishes . It's all been done before and it is very brave to consider innovation.

Precast stairs are great for car parks and heavy industrial use and for fire resistance. Esp if integrated with a precast structure. Last time I used them, the geometry was set so there were limitations on dimensions and the rake. They need wall or beam support at the top. If I wanted concrete stairs in a house they would be in-situ as the photo above. They will still need support at the top.

I don't what one of them is. A Civil Engineer can assess the ground and the stability of an excavation. But then there are the options and costs involved. That's a specialist contractor with the Engineering and cost knowledge ... and there may be several options. 1. Dig a big hole to work in. Build basement and fill the surrounds back in. 2. Piling on the perimeter. Temporary that comes out again. Or permanent and it becomes part of the construction. 1. Is simplest IF you have space and time. You can use a general contractor. 2. Is generally specialist and more ' big time'. Question 1. What is your ground? As in the photo referring to neighbours? Is that actually it?

Good point. It is a pain waiting, so filling one first (link near the top) is quite a good idea. Or any compromise.

The physics are (is?) indeed straight forward. From the diverter it is all gravity. All rain sticks to the dp sides and goes through the diverter until it sits full at which stage it overflows within the dp. Any more rain goes on down the dp. But if the diverter is above the tank it keeps filling the tank and water comes out of the tank top. The tank won't fill above the lower diverter. With 2 inlets I think they need to be at the same level or it will run from the higher to the lower. A link between tanks is best low down so that it works ASAP when rain arrives. Yours works only when one tank is full, but that is OK.

Perhaps mention that you might be interested if the price dropped... a lot. Please let us know if you hear it seems at asking price, and completes: it's the sort of house sale that falls through at survey.

But first think what you need to do. I've asked this formally of planners. Half a brick would never be argued against. 100mm. Also whether they considered you were cheating or it's just reality. Strangely nobody ever builds half a brick smaller.

The box simply bolts down on this.

I'm intending to use it as rainwater harvester on the barn project. Buried with pipes in and out and a pump for garden watering.. oily water for a few uses but bugs will deal with that. Otherwise it will cut up easily. Agreed , timing is important. But sod's law will kick in and cold weather require that the tank be refilled.... or just imagine the domestic pressure! I guess I can buy or hire a small pump, and find some barrels. I will diplomatically ask the plumber to reread the regulations.. atm he says the rules require it be bunded.

I think 80m isn't that far, so they might be OK. We found that the bco was relaxed and that prevailed over planning, oddly.

Multifoil does not perform as well as they suggest, esp mixed in some other construction. Note that the suppliers target homeowners not the industry. Is any used at all by house-building companies? It will add to insulation but not a lot. In your case it would be compressed which defeats the whole premise of it (gaps where the heat units bounce around and get stuck.). I'd consider it for my garden shed or an attic that needed some protection because it would be loose and it's easy. But I'd more likely use Bubble-wrap. Have fun asking the builder to explain how insulation works and how multifoil works and then to prove it.

If. Any second opinions on this? It's obv not mentioned by the tank industry. At some stage the house will be surveyed and I don't want that to be tut-tutted.

Unless you are a bricklayer who can also make a nice door, buy a fibre glass kiosk. You need proper hockeystick ducts too. The concrete base is easy diy apart from getting the ducts in the right places.... these cables are big and stiff. Thr kiosk will look the business and recognisable the electric company will be happy, and it's easy to recognise and access in perpetuity.

I would have to allow for pumping out the oil then returning it to the new tank. Was the plumbing part simple? I wouldn't need to involve the bco. Quote was well over £4k. diy more like 1.5. For a couple of days' work even slowly. I'm hoping there's nothing complex eg the boiler will suck the oil in past the tiger loop.

It feels so simple but I haven't come across any such being mentioned or advertised.

I have information. The steading phase 1 (3 bedrooms ) has been in use for a year or so. A self contained unit of 107m2 gross internal. Ufh to the ground floor and radiators 1st floor, all from an ashp. All electric, No solar or battery. The power used has been rigorously recorded from monthly bills. Nov to March inclusive we will consider to be winter. 0.19kWh /m2 /day average Cost £200 / month use winter Summer £20/month. The insulation is good but to conversion standards, not new. Also the surface area is very high compared to floor area. And it is Highlands. So for a chunky building in SE England it should be much less. So I think I may simply forecast the barn conversion use as kW/m2 x our floor area. 0.19 may be extreme as an average but a decent guide as worst case. Any thoughts or your own numbers?

Thanks @Iceverge. That's one of the pages I found. Vague. Should, might, if etc "Ask one of our approved techiicians" is their main thrust. So now I have to convince an approved technician that should / could etc do not mean the same as must. Or do it myself without the small amount of plumbing being by a proper plumber, which I'd rather it was. We are looking at the difference between a £700 tank or £1800. Plus margins. And whether on the existing stone base or a new concrete one.