saveasteading

Unlikely to be significant unless these are old, shallow footings. In any case a dowel would be drilled in how far? 200mm? would spread a very small proportion of the new load onto the old footings, and I can't see what benefit that would bring. In any case a tiny movement of the new structure would be better on the junction than at some random position. Plus a drill hole horizontally into an old footing is a pain to do, down the bottom of the new trench (perhaps even under water), , and might weaken or break the old concrete. A dowel is fine, though if it makes everyone happier. No harm will be done. I reckon most of them go in a very short distance and the end gets thrown away. (I have seen this when the culprit has forgotten to hide all the ends)

The bounce also reduces dramatically when the screed goes on. I do hope your have a concrete screed next, and not insulation. firstly the blocks will be rather loosely placed and will not contribute the overall strength, unless you fix them as mentioned above. Secondly, and more importantly, when you add say 100 to the top of a beam it becomes composite and that concrete is now compressing whenever load is put onto the floor. It also spreads the load out further, so onto more beams. In approximate terms , you double the thickness and quadruple the stiffness. So stop bouncing on it or you may crack more blocks. what is the construction from now?

Yes I have found that helps. there are lots of seriously knowledgeable people on here, and they will browse through new posts and pick the ones they are best able to help with. I too rather skimmed through and may have missed some points. So, hI, you will get lots of help here. Why not run with the point that most concerns you first?

So don't consider them any further. However I am guessing that the much cheaper houses look like prefabs or sheds, are on the small side and are standard units that can't be changed.. All of these things keep prices down. If you can find a standard design that you like and NOT make any changes then it can save a great deal of money. These house designs have been perfected over time to be efficient and economical to build. This will also save a lot of Architect cost as there is nothing to be done.

A problem with multiple sites can be that the first buyer has to arrange services at high cost, that the subsequent buyers then get the benefit from. That is why the vendor should sensibly have already arranged mains to the site, suitable for connection. Electric, water, road access. Why don't they? Cost (and they may not have the resources) wishful thinking, lack of project management skills. A lot of plots were put on the market just too late for the boom, and the vendors are not prepared to drop to the current market price. If you contact the water and electric companies, prepare to be shunted round lots of departments until you find the one person that will help, which they will. Phoning is usually the only way if the enquiry is preliminary and vague. You can legally start the approved works while you wait for the revisions to be approved. This would be a bad idea if the changes were to the geometry. Broadband. Go on site with your phone and check the signal. If no good, then find which companies are better for signal round there. Satellite signal should get better and cheaper??? somebody else advise? BUT they will never put in fibre or even copper to your site, so you are dependent on any technological changes in future.

Not a problem. they were probably damaged in handling, and the foot traffic is not the real cause. When the screed goes on top they become very much stronger as it all bonds together. For now, to redcue your concerns, if you pour over a cement slurry mix and work it into the gaps, the blocks will bind together and not joggle when walked on. Just cement and water in pourable consistency, applied with bucket and broom, or even watering can. You possibly don't even need to replace these blocks, but I would.

I forgot to tick the 'notify replies' button, so doing it this time.

I got a response in 3 days just this last week. Perhaps my question was easier. Welcome to the Buildhub community. Briefly for now. Drainage. Don't panic, there are ways. Tell us more, without giving away names and location. If you speak to a mason, they will have a use for the stone and should take it free or cheaply. Or use it as an occasional quarry? Lots of experts on here. The heating system may influence the building design so best decide soon. However I predict that you will be urged towards Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP ) and underfloor heating (UFH). Depending on your preferences, add a wood burner for the aesthetic and for a quick heat boost.

Not the way I understand it. It is what I would do anyway: either that or after research just do it if I was confident of the proposed works. You are right that some councils may not assist in the slightest. Others may say it is their opinion that it doesn't need permission, or fill in the forms and send money.. But without checking fees, for such a small project you would be looking at similar fees for full planning or LDC. £120 or so??

Project that will cost £200 plus your own labour? Add Planning fee £120 and drawings and submission etc. Submission by yourself? Amateur sketches and a photo should suffice. There is another option. Letter to planners stating what you intend an asking if it requires permission and an application. They will likely say 'no' and you are in the clear.

Should be easy and relatively inexpensive for he consultants to decide if the reports are still valid, and if they can extrapolate to the enlarged area. Then they can write a simple statement to the effect and all are happy.

O2 must be heavy Oxygen.

They exist, but they charge a lot more. Energist for one. You can talk to the assessor, argue your case, provide details and they will include it if it helps. They also point out any reason why your assessment is worse than you thought so maybe you can change a detail. Not all that goes into the BRE assessment programme is logical, but they have to use it, hence you can choose to do what is best for the job or the rating. But they of course charge a lot for their input. I'm sure they will discuss your aims without charge, and probably enjoy it. There are other similar companies too, but not tested by me.

When footings are poured, there is often a 'stop end' to make a clean joint at the end of the load. It isn't normal to put any dowel to link to the next pour. Therefore I don't think you need to either. The loads are not complex, just down and perhaps some upwards for a light building in a hurricane. These loads will spread across your joint. Just make sure to clean the existing concrete, so that there are no gaps.

Yes we discussed that here. Perhaps it is difficult to measure oxygen. So to monitor the possibility of oxygen shortage it is easier to register that the breathed out gas is increasing. Then when CO2 is higher, O will be correspondingly lower ???? At some stage there won't be enough O. Perhaps healthy people wake up in alarm, while vulnerable ones might not. 24 hour record in the master bedroom. Wonder how often it is read? Then action stations to untape the ventilation again. Otherwise what is the point?

As long as you fill the holes with filler or paint, there wont be any air. This isn't the same situation as yours, as your floor is very dry.

An update I asked SEPA by email for clarity. I asked at what stage a discharge licence was sought, and whether I should send the drainage proposals to them or simply with the Warrant application. Have had a helpful response which I will paraphrase. Some Local authority Building Standards may consult SEPA for comments, some will not at all, some will advise applicants to contact SEPA with details and to provide our comments to them. The requirement to register the discharge with SEPA is prior to it taking place, as it is the discharge from the system to the water environment, that requires authorisation. Specific details such as how the ground investigations have been carried out, location, design and sizing of system are really the remit of Building Standards rather than for ourselves. Esp re the last sentence I am taking this to say, don't send anything to us if it is straight-forward as the BCO should handle it, and we do marginal and complex stuff. And no licence until the proposals are approved and the treatment is about to be used.

Quote of the day so far. They will charge for copying. Better to ask to see the files, explaining why, and then get copies of what you need? Or could you simply note it?

That is different, and to be encouraged. However I have seen many examples of suddenly trained and approved assessors making terrible assessments. I think it was a 'race to the bottom' with some people getting the business by promising a certain rating for a very low price. For example I did a commercial refurb once, to an appropriate standard, that would have got a C at best. Landlord got a good B certificate for it, without air test. I saw the papers and there was little to no assessment, just a nice certificate to tick a box and help rent the building out. Perhaps the charlatans have now gone? Likewise big developments where many houses are underperforming, but the air tests were done on the few pre-selected and well sealed units. That is why I doubt the accuracy of many EPCs Interesting to see the Mail article. I wonder who stands to gain from dropping epc? House developers could reduce standards but it seems rather trivial. More perhaps of the right wing demand to remove standards on principle? EPCs make no attempt to measure the carbon impact made during the home's construction, True , but breeam and other systems are also rather approximate. To some extent the builder choosing the best construction will do this anyway. Some assessment is better than none Re access to approved designs this is a tricky one. If I have done a clever design, or managed to negotiate a relaxation, or done a particularly good presentation, I don't want someone else cribbing or even copying it. It is commercial information. In any new area or with a new challenge, wouldn't it be great to crib off nearby completed projects? I admit doing this off planning applications, to see the sort of presentations that a particular council appears to like, including the amount of detail, or fluff and any buzz-phrases. Might the solution be to allow you the name of the original EPC assessor? If they have ceased trading, then the document could safely be released.

In the old days if you spoke to a planner about this they would probably say that you should not have asked. As long as all you say is correct about the absence of any planning constraints then you can do it. It might be prudent to tell your neighbours your plans. then if nobody complains there is no aggro. A change of brick size is common enough with any old building, as long as you get the colour right. How will the slips be fixed?

I will not join this discussion unless needed. Have designed and manage a lot of steel cladding. Let me know if anything is still in need of input.

1.4 is stunning. I don't think anything below that makes much difference. When it is that low it is not possible to get the fan operator to let you look for any flues etc left open. probably just a fan outlet or something similar.

CO2 monitoring equipment should be provided in the apartment expected to be the main or principal bedroom in a dwelling where infiltrating air rates are less than 15m3/hr/m2 @ 50 Pa. You are right!! Parents live and others may die. I suppose the point is that an overall issue is discovered and dealt with in every room, and the parents get woken by the false alarms.

Seems to be correct, about 5 years ago. difficult to find anything newer.

Ouch. We need to reduce the number of bedrooms. Nothing in the budget for this. Screwfix list CO2 alarms quite cheap, but then it seems they really only have CO. Please let me know when the price tumbles.