saveasteading

Had the same issue with another big name supplier. They were very unhelpful. Also, they didn't stock that pump any longer either. I think they are out of that market now.

Choose one or more of the following. 1. Cut the hedge locally....you will know where when you start. For first approximation you can have someone hold it high. 2. Stand on a box or step to see over the hedge. 3. Buy rods that are in sections so can go higher.https://www.yorksurvey.co.uk/1m-point-jointed-pole-section-c2x23061987 4. Tie to a post (or in the hedge. 5. Make your own with very straight timber. OR buy a laser and be disappointed that you still need rods, and can't see the laser beam. Once you have done this retro method you will be in tune with the Egyptians, Romans and our own industrial revolution. Sometimes the old ways are best....these are still for sale so plenty people still using them. They look good on your site too, and are a good way to wind up the neighbours that a road is coming through..

I suggest just leave the remaining gunk to weather, then wd40 again. What is left may be a bit of glue combining with dirt that was already there, in the pits. If you wanted it to stick, it wouldn't. Summer heat, winter cold, long-term wet...it will give in at some stage. As glass is a liquid, it will all smooth out in a few hundred years,....if there is no real hurry.....self build always takes a while.

If this refers to preventing the drain from being crushed by foundations/differential movement, then polystyrene or packing foam. Can be wrapped around and tied, or laid as blocks to 4 sides. This is also how to pass a drain through a footing.

Ranging rods. either by pure line of sight or using a site level. Very easy to see, tall, have sharp points and appropriate diameter for projecting along the line. They are not expensive, can be found in sectional form (for storage and to make extra high) , and are handy for any marking out....so handy for other people that they keep disappearing.

While on sticky labels. I had trouble with Wickes pre-painted mdf skirtings. The factory (who I think provide multiple retailers) put the reference labels on the good sides. That refused to come off without taking the paint with it. Apart from slow, careful, and imperfect peeling, I didn't find a solution and had to touch up, which completely defeats the object. Any suggestions for another time?

Agreed wd40 is surprisingly good. Also try paraffin or white spirits. No abrasives.

To be fair to contractors, VAT is a pain, and especially when not standard. Some builders struggle with the simplest accounts, and have not studied the more complex rules on VAT. The risk is always on the contractor if HMRC decide that the project was not liable for zero rating or 5% or whatever. He may have to prove that the project complies, not you. So the contractor may have paid VAT on the materials, and not be able to claim until the next quarter, and may have to provide proof to HMRC even then. The bigger the job, the more onus on the contractor. It can be a significant cash-flow matter, as well as perceived risk. If the contractor continues to refuse then there may be other solutions. 1. Write him a contractual letter guaranteeing that you will immediately reimburse any monies that hmrc disputes with him, until resolved. 2. You pay for the material direct, and remove that part of the risk, as just suggested above. (That has issues re quality, guarantees and perhaps some concealed margin, and can get awkward)

Compriband is a seriously good product, and used in very heavy civil engineering projects. But you are not building a viaduct or dam. If I remember it correctly it is oily and a bit messy, and takes a lot of effort to compress before insertion. The only reasons I can see for you using it is that either there is a prediction of differential movement between wall and soffit, OR the bricklayer has an issue with the coursing not working out Re the latter , it should be possible to calculate the coursing so that there is a small infill of mortar, this can be raked back hard to form a solid infill. then a timber fillet can be fixed over it. I'm just a bit suspicious of the need for compriband at all. There are other memory foam tapes too, made for small gaps. Very handy at corners where nothing quite forms the seal . You do need to close it off.

Many Chartered Architects are good value and know what they are doing. Likewise technicians. Many Chartered Architect's will not be expert with normal domestic houses. Likewise technicians. Yes, an Architect has to study for 7 years further education before proper earnings, but they don't necessarily charge you extra for their lean years or the skills learnt. I suggest rule neither out. Even where an Architect's practice sounds like a big setup, (The Smith, Brown and Jones Partnership) they often work as individuals, and don't have big overheads.

I know of what I speak, on this subject anyway. It is to keep all site water off the road, so it has to be at the bottom. It is a permissible condition, and commendable, to make the road safer. If it was an extension then you might try to argue against it, but this is all new. There is more rainfall, and certainly increased storm quantity, in recent years. You have a point re hard standings, if they might also slope in that direction. Whatever water will run down there, from hardstandings or the ramp, must be caught by the drain or drains. Therefore it is a complex calculation of area and rainfall event quantity, then drain, pump and soakaway capacity.

You appear to already have a 'metalled' driveway, albeit in need of repair. The condition is to ensure that your mud and grit does not go on the highway. Also gives you good traction at this important area, onto and off the highway. Drainage is mostly to prevent water running on the highway and freezing. Secondary is to reduce rain load on existing drainage. The proper job is a drain at the foot of the driveway and getting the water away to soakaway adjacent or pumped back up to the top. You could possibly get permission for a solid permeable driveway (special blocks) from the road all the way up. However, if I was the planner, I would want proof of design, and that would probably entail a very large depth of clean stone, and then a soakaway that can be proven. I doubt if permeable tarmac will work at that slope, and poss same issue with blocks. solution: Gut feeling.....aco type drain at bottom, feeding small manhole. Pump back up to top and to soakaway in the grounds. Cost £3,000, if along with main job. Then surface dress the tarmac. Try to get permission for the drain being 600mm or more uphill. This will avoid having to use approved highway contractors, and traffic control. This needs a formal proposal to the planner, and the timescale will be on your permission. Use a Chartered Civil Engineer for the design. The design will then be appropriate and accepted. Without, they will probably ask you for a lot more proofs. Get their suggestions first without mentioning mine or others above...they may have another idea, but not necessarily know the cost differentials.

Looks to me as if a previous issue has been plaster-boarded over. That is based on there being one big crack up and then along, probably on a board edge. At the corner crack I suspect you might find a similar crack outside, so picture please as already mentioned. Probably not big issues, poss workmanship from prev repair. But could be.

I don't think it was answered above. Excuse me if I have missed it. Cord-pull for bathroom light. I got this wrong about 4 years ago, and realised I was out of date. Light switch can be in a toilet because it is assumed that you will not be using it while standing wet and barefoot in a puddle of water. Close to a bath or shower is another matter, hence putting switch outside the room. The pull-cord has its place if you might want to switch on the light and fan in a bathroom, from within, if it goes dark or steamy.

Check out the relative cost of a sewage treatment package. The cost of a pump system can be surprisingly high, mostly because they have a large capacity in case of breakdown or power-cut.. Plus, usually a spare motor in it. Then there is a lot of pipe. This is small dia, flexible and easy but is going through other land and the connection can be tricky. And you have power to the pump. thousands. whereas a package treatment system is near to the house, and all yours. PLUS you don't pay sewage rates. It may not be the answer for you, as it depends on circumstances. However I think my decisions over the years has been 2 treatment plants to every pump.

Yes, but also flues, vent pipes. If the cladding is predominantly flat, and the opening happens to come through the flat part, then flashing is easy enough but the sheet is weak at that point. if there are multiple crowns to cut through then a mini gutter is needed at the top. It is difficult. so tricky that, aesthetics ignored, it is common to add another flat sheet all the way to the ridge. With pre-planning the velux can have the appropriate flashing kit, the cladding is cut on site to suit and all is well. I am surprised it isn't recognised as being tricky in housing (my main experience is large steel buildings) unless......perhaps there is always another waterproof layer below, the vapour barrier, which is catching the leaks and carrying them away. Traditional roofing of slates or tiles (which drip onto each other) , then flashings and tape, then vcl then sarking provides a lot of opportunity to catch drips and deal with them. Steel onto steel is very exposed. Many penetrations in steel are sealed with silicon, and it can be a problem. It works long enough for payments to be made, but fails in a few years. I know..I have been on many a roof to fix the bodges, by reforming flashings, using proper seals, and with very special silicon tape that stays flexible. I remain utterly in favour of metal roofing. Just make sure it is a good spec, and fitted by experts, as IanR will have done. Agricultural cladding is half the price, and good enough for cattle and hay.

Ashp radiators are not very hot. I suggest add an electric element and timer. You just push an on button and it will turn off in 2 hours. Esp good in summer as rads are off.

On a positive, I have seen people who say they are no good at maths, but can do darts scores in their heads (multiplication and subtraction), or betting odds. There must be potential in some cases. Teachers do have to deal with the syllabus, and all levels of ability. One said to me that the most important part of my lesson was telling that I use simple maths in my work, all day, usually approximations in my head. They mostly saw maths as an exam, that then was ignored in life.

What is the wall costruction? Looks like it might be solid, 1 brick thick ( 9 inch) in whuch case damp must be considered.

That is only partly true. here is more info than you probably want. The fact of it being steel is not the issue, as it is cut in such a way that the ends remain galvanised protected. Cut end peel can be a problem with plastisol, unless you pay more for the upgraded material, or apply a lacquer. It is not a problem with other coating finishes like pvdf or the rarer superpolyester. There are many grades of quality in both the metal and the finishes. Buy the best and there is little concern. As to standing seam. The main advantage is of course that no screws are visible, along with less chance of leaks as there are fewer penetrations. The same applies with composite panels. The disadvantages are that any damage in future is very difficult to replace. If you cut holes into the panel, then closing off is awkward and ugly, and the leaks benefit is reduced. This applies especially on very big roofs. And cost. I never had a client, spending their own money, who chose to go standing seam. ie architects specified it but were not aware of, our didn't consider, the cost. I reckoned that one screw in 500 (at 10/m2) might need tightening after which there would not be a problem, and that was on 10 degree slopes. If near the sea or pollution then additional checks are necessary for material and coating, esp re seagulls.

Further thoughts. On reflection I thought I was being a bit harsh, so I am glad it was taken positively. This is somebody's future, so worth some more of my thought. It is very positive that he chooses , at this young age, to change direction. However it is important to know more about the opportunities in construction, or there could be another false start. That is why I suggested some time with a local contractor. one of the ones whose signs you see around your area, perhaps doing £5M to £20M turnover. After years of despair at the lack of skill, and especially numerical skills (not necessarily maths), as an employer I would have welcomed an approach from such a person, and invited them for a chat. It would be foolhardy on both parts to enter an employment contract but I would have suggested 2 weeks to a month shadowing staff and doing a bit of work for these staff. This would be a risk and a nuisance, so I would say offer to do it without pay. At the end of that you will have seen sites, in natural states, met many of the professions and roles, and have some idea of comfort zone and employment opportunities. There could be an immediate offer if the skills are obvious, and that would be a proper job with proper pay. After perhaps a year, the company should encourage formal training. One more thing, on roles. I often gave talks or had stands at County careers education events, for teenagers mostly. They seldom knew what jobs there were in construction as management or professional. None wanted to do a trade. All they 'knew' about was being an Architect or a bricky/plumber. They had heard of Structural Engineering, but not Civil, but were told it was too difficult. Didn't know anything about construction management or financial roles. That was not their fault but the schools'. If the school career advisors know next to nothing about the industry, then we can't expect your son to either. There are lots of opportunities to change tack, once employed. Practical maths classes were also a shock. I helped in any schools we worked in. Basic things like how much concrete for that floor in that new building. Very little understanding of numbers. Out came the calculators and answers varied in being utterly wrong, but especially decimal point errors. Do I order 3m3 or 33m3 or 330m3? Half a lorry, 5 or 50 lorries... most had no idea. Teachers' (or system ) fault again. I am not convinced that this can be taught later in life, having met accounts clerks who can't do the VAT, and surveyors who can't measure quantities. Why do I say this? skills in one job are not necessarily transferrable, but numeracy is a huge asset. But worryingly the maths teachers did not seem much concerned, so maybe they don't 'get' real life either. The main numerical skill is a fundamental understanding of quantities, not just doing sums. How much concrete goes in that hole? You need to have a feel for it before doing the calc. As all the self-builders here know, an error of a few percent , throughout the job, is the difference between budget and a loss. That sense of values then applies to everything a surveyor, buyer , estimator or manager does. At the top end of a big company, the estimating director, after intense analysis, then decides to add or deduct a few percent, as a gut feeling. That can be millions on a whim...fancy that? I am stressing number skills and hope I have that correct, but ability to write letters and reports is up there too.

If this was my son it would worry me. There is a decent chance of success for people inspired enough, but many don't know the fast thing about construction. Wants to be a 'builder' but really wants to be a developer. There is very little common ground, other than on this Hub. labourer/ tradesperson/ builder/ contractor/ main contractor/ developer/ client Somewhere in there is what he wants to be, and you cannot know it all for many years. Then there are the designers and the money people. Estimators/buyers/ project managers/ surveyors....lawyers . does he know these people exist in the industry, and does he want their skills too. So where do you start? My suggestion is much as others above. Decide which you want to be, and pitch in at a level below that with a local company. Ask for experience with a local contractor of some note. They are short of enthusiastic and skilled staff, and may well be willing to give it a go. If his city job is numbers then that will be a good start....surprisingly few are natural with figures and quantities. I would not go to college or pay for any courses at all until he has tested the water. What if he doesn't like the cold and wet? or dealing with stroppy contactors? Courses? 'Those that can't, teach' , is not entirely true, but has truth to it. A successful developer is not teaching, they are too busy developing. On site is the true classroom, at least for a while. I wish him well.

Thanks. found it, I think, at 10p/m2 which is 30p less than dpm and £1.70 less than the yellow make with writing on it. Over 500m2 that is saving a lot. Now if only I can get all the other materials at 1/18th of the advertised cost. But it is 32 microns, which is 0.03mm. This seems to be 3 times the thickness of clingfilm. is it strong enough? presumably stapled into timber. like this? Shield General Purpose Builders Sheet (50m x 4m) (DPS504) Large 4m x 50m plastic sheets with a thickness of 32 microns providing a waterproof protective barrier during..

Is there really any good reason that dpm can't be used? 40p/m2 It may be tricky to lift a wide roll into place but then is forever pinned onto joists and in the dark There is a considerable premium for the stuff sold as wall vapour barrier (and with writing on it to prove it). (£1.80) 500m2 at £1.40 difference? = a lot, if there is no clear advantage. I know some experienced builders here use the fancy stuff, so there has to be reason. Looking forward to the answer.

I agree that the backfill should be closed off at the top with membrane, to keep the fill clean in the long term. That could be 200 down so that the material above is decorative and can get dirty without problems. This is clearly designed to be free draining and has the collecter pipe at the bottom. As such it needs to be clean stone, like gravel, with gaps for water to run through. I am doubtful about rock chalk being the right solution, especially if there is a lot of water movement. Will it dissolve? Check that with your Engineer. Also it tends to be jagged and will not consolidate unless compacted. Gravel will fill the void completely and not need compaction. Coarse stone will not. Talk to your Engineer, explain that gravel is expensive and show him alternative materials that will self-compact, allow water flow, and not deteriorate. perhaps there is rounded crushed recycled material. Please don't assume that the builder understands the theory. They might, but more likely don't.