saveasteading

How uneven? 40mm screed should be the minimum and some slab layers are hopeless at levels..

Thanks all. This is all very helpful. I did some electrical engineering at school, just as an extra subject. My teacher couldn't believe how bad I was at it when i was good with other sorts of engineering. so thanks for the patience. We are supervising so can ensure that a reel is unwound. The reel, has the advantage of easy relocation, either out of the way, or to suit room arrangements as they get built. We can brief the workers too and label the ends with instructions. The point about checking the spec is good, as some give very few details. I can see that a non-reel somehow seems more credible. and could be fastened to a wall: but I'm amazed that I haven't found any ready-made. On this basis we should locate the outlet fairly centrally, then an adjacent transformer and no other sockets. shortest distances for 110 cables from there. this is £3/m cur to any length, so a reel of 25m at either £50 or £30 seems surprising. we have plenty of transformers, I think through often needing them in a hurry then back to store after use. @ProDave what type of plugs would be best for your way? Or domestic one ended , round the other? CEE seems to be the term, and they look somehow more credible to the amateur (which our demanding, but seemingly corect) joiners are in this regard. are they straightforward to connect. I've done armoured and surely anything is easy compared to that? what does one do with the multiple L and N cables? Just join them in as if it was a 3 core cable? Id like to buy the cable in blue as it is clear what it is and easier to see, but can't find any. can I just use 2 of this and join them? OR How about this for a quick fix. I buy 2 of the reels shown above. Thence they have lots of capacity and can be set in different spots. or 3, with one extending off the other to the other end of the building? Call 'silly' if it is so!

is it as simple as this, or 2 of these\? https://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-ldct2513bq-4-xd-13a-4-gang-25m-cable-reel-240v/54615

Thanks. I didn't know HD 240 existed. I now see them advertised at all sorts of amperages if that's a word. should I be looking for one that will reach the middle of the building? what amps might be a sensible spec? I see so far 13, 16 and 32A. will these be 3 pin or the round socket sort? in the building what will we have? a single 110V transformer or a multi socket one, or as many singles as are wanted? is blue a preferred colour to indicate what the cable is? i see them in blue or black and even orange. if i am understanding. In either the garage or canteen we plug a 240V domestic type plug into a normal socket. perhaps with a conveter from domestic plug to round. We then take that cable to the barn, perhaps well above ground to avoid accidents. Blue or orange would be safer than black. in the barn it is dry now, or soon will be, so we simply have a 240V socket into which we plug a transformer. thereafter the guys just plug in what they want. Perhaps @markc 's idea too. so the 240V for most purposes but retain the trailing separate 110V to a few lights, in case of a local trip.

That's the issue then. what would be worst case if there was damage at that location? so you get it sorted in that unlikely evet. what could cause damage there? is there heavy traffic? I'd accept the exclusion and if by some tiny chance anyone has a problem in 5 years then you do the concrete thing. same cost much delayed.

Agreed you stop those leaks as a priority. But as it is a warm roof and the void doesn't need airflow, is it worth filling the whole void with fibreglass? any residual drauchs will be stopped and there will be masses of insulation.It will be messy and a rebuild of the ceiling but better than just another cover of insulated plasterboard. The insulation can be loft roll , so not expensive.

Some electric supply advice required please. We have a garage building with our permanent electrical supply already installed and complete. This will later have an armoured cable from it to the barn conversion which is 15m away. We have normal sockets in the garage from which we run 240V machinery adjacent or of course through a 110V transformer. We also have a commercial (rented) site canteen (15m from garage and 10m from barn.) This is supplied by an armoured cable. From this they are taking a 110V supply into the main building using a 220V socket, a transformer then 10m looping cable to the building and up to 20m cables therein. This has been working successfully in operating fairly substantial electric saws etc. we are doing lots of cutting of 6 x 2. However we now have to run a lot of lighting as well. Our workers are saying that there isn't enough power for both. They are asking us to take in a temporary 240V supply. Of course this is another significant cost, involving trenching or some overhead draping of an armoured cable, and an electrician yet again. Easy to ask for but we have to watch costs and I don't like the expectation that they get whatever they want. Is there any technical reason why we can't simply use an additional 110V cable from the canteen? or 2 or any number? Alternatively we could take the 110V from the garage direct to the main building. It seems obvious to me but perhaps there is something I don't understand. AND if it is simply a matter of more yellow cables, then I have to explain subtly / technically why it is not cheapskate and is perfectly sound. They can be sensitive flowers about not getting whatever they ask for. If it helps I can do a sketch.

This batman is marketing to your architect, so the comments are unofficial and without merit. The Architect should have realised this. I've a lot of time for good and pragmatic specialists but am very suspicious always. The number of times I have been required at planning to do an archaeological or nature or landscaping report and works as a requirement by the same party who would make money from it. They often back down when challenged on the conflict of interest and shown why their requirement is disproportionate or plain wrong.

with 2 or 3 lesser bends and perhaps a slight tweak to pipe direction, almost any angle is feasible, and the bend ends up being gradual which is good for flow. The adjustable bend must normally be airtight surely? I'd buy Osma for once because at that price they are surely better researched and made. Build and test before backfilling to be sure.

I wasn't aware of any problems.

I won't criticise but it is not high on my list of good signs. I assume that the exhibition advice was from FMB or a builder who is in it. The best sign is a long existence and dozens of reference projects. Any such would walk into FMB membership but probably don't want to.

The important issue is that it has a proper bed ans surround of gravel or concrete. That arches the load from above and protects the pipe. Got an photos during construction of did the bco see it at that stage?

It is quite clearly laid out in the building regs, so if you have done it according to that then you should not need another party to confirm it.

The pullout force on each screw is huge and osb is weak. If any dampness was to find a way in the osb would fail anyway. I assume the cladding fixings come where they come and dont hit rafters, so you need a batten running along each line of them... and so more height... or use noggins/ dwangs. What qualifications does this person have? And PI cover? Remember that standing seam does not work well with any penetrations. It is for looks more than performance. No vents, chimneys , dormers etc.

The slab has a dpm ( I took bores to confirm construction quality and spec.). The puddles demonstrate that the concrete is not porous. The sole plates have dpc stapled underneath, just in case, which will sit on the grout packing. I'm using tanalised throughout as an extra level of risk reduction. It's OTT at 1st floor but at about 20p /m more than CLS, it is insurance against damp and worm, and even wasps which would chew CLS. The slab is agricultural. It was built as a grainstore so they included dpm and strong construction for 3m of grain. But the levels are awful, with 30mm variation in random hummocks. So the highest point is datum. In theory the puddles will coincide with plate level, but we have now kept most of the weather out, and will try to remove the bulk of the water. Keep the queries coming though.

Agreed that is to many people's taste. The colour can distract from joins of wall to window too. It happens. We've decided a colour but the order confirmation says something else which we had discussed. We didn't notice and signed. That's our fault and we've decided we prefer the colour we've got.

You see rooms. Sole plates. The structure is hybrid. The portal frame stays in place and already has a new roof.. The existing slab is 175 thick. Rooms internally will be timber stud and the external walls are being studded too, as the photo shows. 6x2 joists and a few steel beams over big spaces. One great first floor deck will then receive walls and ceilings. The sole plates are packed up to level and will then be grouted, but they are not fixed yet as can be seen. Due to kicking and wind that will have to be done again. The timber house industry works to +/- 10mm, which appals me. We are working to +/-2. ie try for 1mm but accept that a few will vary from that. We hope the early precision makes everything that follows fit better and not squeak.

There were 3 more off picture. The gang was 5, but in the afternoon others turned up after completing other jobs, because it needed all hands to beat the wind. It had been foul weather.

It is low grade, just Big6 asbestos cement. apparently they expected us to double line the skip with plastic and seal it. I had expected either a closed skip or one with lots of cleats and a specific tarpaulin. It's something I was well used to in the past and it had to be in a sealed container. and that is what the replacement skip company say they supply as standard. Plus, the panels are coming off in 8ft lengths so won't sit flat on the bottom of that, and we will end up with a lot of air and needing another skip. Plus I believe panels should be walked into the skip and laid in gently, not chucked in from outside. I am aware that the risk is very small especially with old, wet panels. But the HSE guidance / rules seem to still require closed skips. My bet is that standards are slipping because HSE are under-resourced.

We had this delivered for stripped asbestos cement cladding. At huge expense. To me it is a normal skip and not suitable so we have rejected it. Plus it is on its last legs with rust and holes. Plus it came complete with junk in it. Somebody's resin drive surplus stuck on the side. I thought the skip industry had moved forward but this is awful. Or am I being overfussy?

We are wrapping the scaffolding to try to keep the rain out while framing and cladding.

OK that's good. No need to send a new photo of nothing happening. And you're going to save money on detergent while improving the efficiency of the kit... cleaner water coming out the other end, and less sludge.

Rounded gravel does not compact, and that is the point of it... it settles and is stable. so not option 2. You can just fill with the earth or as 3 or 4 but must compact it. If it is clay then this will be difficult to do well. 1. will be the quickest but cost you a bag of gravel. 3 the cheapest. You can buy a tamp for £15. 4. Does that mean it was soil but now has stone mixed in it? same as 3.

Did it start empty or did you fill it with water? If the latter then the drainage to date is a tiny proportion and the clean water will foam up, as in the difference of the frothy water before you start the washing up, and the lack of foam after. I don't know the science of detergents, but it is along the lines of it clinging to fats etc, and the rest forming bubbles. It will be going back up the inlet pipe too. Less detergent* (which will help digestion anyway) and a bit of patience is all, I think. And maybe turn off the bubbles for a few days while the festering gets going. But do keep us informed as I have never seen this... * we all know there is only one way to wash dishes and everyone else is wrong. I use little, as and when. I've seen other people use maybe 10 times as much... a great big scoosh and there is still loads of foam when finished.

It's not for us to say. It is a project specific thing, so your SE should advise on the structure, not the BCO. The BC can advise on insulation and damp, not that they should be designing for you. But as an overview, and as @Russell griffiths .. that is a big beam with a big load and the footing is absolutely NOT designed to support it.