saveasteading

That's posh with the handle and standing up. That will do it rather quickly as a diamond grinder is OTT for that soft surface. But better that than struggling. Are you just smoothing it or taking a mm or two off? Dust! You'll need masks etc and do you vacuum it up? Whose decision was it to pour despite the rain? Or was it not forecast? It's a very big decision to cancel a pour, so I appreciate the pressure to do it.

In what respects? Better, worse?

I have been out of that industry a few years now, but last i knew, it was an epoxy or polymer, not concrete. So it's a paint really, in any colour, but not at all interesting. If you want your house to look like a garage....

Have used Lindab and been very pleased with the appearance and effectiveness, especially the hoppers which were curved to maximise flow. It all seems to be very durable (still good after 20 years) and lots of colours available, including copper effect the last time I looked. But Id advise against using copper effect. I've heard of it being stolen in the belief that it is real copper, although on Lewis perhaps that isn't a concern. But I expect black will look appropriate anyway. Even if the roof area only needs one downpipe you should consider two, or a weir overflow in case there is a blockage OR use a design where any overflow is outwards.

I have simply googled 'kitchen worktops stone resin' and found a specialist 10 miles away. They even quote a guide cost of £450 to £900/m2 (not fitted) and have an online quote service. AI has very cleverly found the same one and 2 others. It seems they can supply sinks in the same material. Why not? It's a goo made into a shape. The number of slab manufacturers remains boggling and I don't see any reason to not use the cheapest which appears to be Silestone.

Unless they have done the same.

Do a sketch and you will see that this won't happen, or be the tiniest amount of liquid that will be replaced every flush.

I am pretty sure they have added water to the mix, causing these very visible shrinkage cracks. If you have the delivery ticket, they will have had to sign an instruction to add water as it absolves the supplier. It is a common mistake but utterly misguided and you could ask for some recompense. These cracks will be right through the depth so taking the surface off will not remove them, although the crack widths may reduce. It's possible that only the top few mm was hideously wet and overworked. Are there contraction joints elsewhere, and what has happened there? It's ok for any overlay as it won't move again.... unless overworked. I'd try chiselling a bit off the surface to see if it is well bonded to the mass. Re the tamping ridges, that may not matter for tiling but has to be ground off for anything else. It's a diy job with a grinder made for the very purpose.... but hard work. A new poured surface is possible but would be very expensive. It would involve taking all the pasty surface off then laying a granolithic or resin material. It might not crack if very skilfully done. Best to decide that you really like tiles or vinyl. If you must have a concrete finish then you could regard the existing as a base layer and pour a new floor, 100 thick, with reinforcement and careful attention to detail BUT all concrete crazes and my opinion is that it is for commercial buildings. You could also consider grinding down about 20mm into the stone, so you will se the matrix of stone and sand/cement. then you'd have to seal it as it will show stains. Again, this will cost an awful lot.

That's great work. We have much the same in mind at a change in level and we have a stack of harvested sleepers from previous agricultural use. I am inspired by the lighting and wondering if it can be low voltage. A length of armoured cable and stacks of connections is rather daunting. I don't mind the steel being visible, using the 'display the structure' principle. I guess the other option would be a vertical piece of sleeper tucked into the web. The steels and sleepers align perfectly. Beautifully done.

The cost of doubling the extension size would only be about 1/3 extra as a guess, so I endorse this, and get a proper shower as result.

I looked at the Dekton website. Loads of info and I had no idea there were so many options of manufacturers and products. No prices though so it's difficult to know where to start. Diy Kitchens Direct oth have a virtual walk through of their 60 displays, and immediate costings incl resin stone worktops and most appliances. Very impressive and I respect the openness. Anybody know if that comes down in negotiation? 5% ot so of a lot would be worth having. The cost is a good third less than we've had as a 'Starting Price' elsewhere.They were more interested in "what is your budget" and didn't understand that freezer doors can't sit against a wall. So much for expertise. The only issue so far with DIYKD is their modelling tool only seems to accept rectangles. @Tom I'm nowhere near you. do i search for "worktop suppliers".

Yes I guess that works as the principle. Except no targets.

I often follow the 90% better principle, and so should the country. That way at least something gets done. I relaid the paving slab patio. Lift a slab, remove muck, ants and lumps and then rebed in sand or mortar. Done and passable 90% towards passivhaus is optimal in my book. Ufh and air source, solar and battery, but a woodburner for emergencies and Christmas. And so on. Net zero is extreme and hence won't happen , and I don't think is optimal anyway. But what snappy phrase would apply to mine, "90% improvement will do".? I reluctantly feel that we need a nett zero target to aim at and wing.

To others : Always remember that opening windows creates strong draughts for the quickest effect when humidity is very high. You don't get the satisfaction of emptying buckets though. Machines for when you have a deadline.

Hmmm. Thinks. No that would be wrong of me so of course I will discard the thought.

to the people in pretty villages. I'm meaning the huge pylons that would traipse over the Highlands, Lowlands, Dales etc. But perhaps not the Cotswolds.. roads run both directions. bringing services and selling goods. Pylons tend to be sending energy in one direction. I live in the SE but do think that it is a resource for the areas it comes from and there should be recompense. A very big meter at Dalwhinnie, or Banchory or wherever.

That is not really an issue though But the gentle people of SE England don't want to see turbines or pylons but do want the energy. Some power somewhere is keeping it that way. And the transmission lines really do disfigure vast areas of beauty and wilderness, The residents, through whose areas they pass, get no recompense.

Over the years (business and home) we have cycled through Magnet, Benchmarx, Howdens as the quality / pricing has changed. I've also looked at worktops in Spain. Although they have vast amounts of marble, that isn't what sells at diy stores. But they do have lots of resin/stone worktops which are rather good value but too big for the car! Am I right that we would get the VAT back on appliances if bought with the units and built-in?

We have gone with 'the devil you know' as they have agreed to buy in what we need and keep it indoors. obv this is no risk just cash-flow and a bit of space, but shows willing. We do have to do an urgent tally of expected quantities. (we have several km of timber going in) I can't understand why they can't put tarpaulins over. That is a one-time cost. The industry could make them to exactly suit bundles of timber at a low cost. Their industry document shows this. I guess the merchants just throw these covers away because the yardmen can't be bothered. I'm quite cross about this and worry somewhat about the quality of other buldings... eg the ones where our rejected timber goes to later. Also that the majority of project managers must be accepting this stuff.... and what else do they not care about? In case anybody wants more info. It quite clearly says that keeping it dry is very important. https://timberdevelopment.uk/are-you-keeping-your-timber-stocks-safe/ And the following summary comes from AI so is hardly hidden info. The yellow is my highlighting. Based on TRADA guidelines, proper storage of timber on site is critical to prevent moisture changes, warping, distortion, and staining. Key Principles for Timber Storage Keep Off the Ground: Store timber on dry, even ground to prevent moisture uptake, preferably on elevated, level bearers (e.g., 75mm x 75mm). Protect from Elements: Use waterproof, breathable covers to protect from rain and direct sunlight, which causes warping. Allow Air Circulation: Ensure air can circulate around the timber, even under covers, to prevent condensation and moisture buildup. Avoid Contamination: Keep timber away from standing water, muddy areas, and sources of damage.

We qualify as 'Trade', if that adds any suppliers to the list. Howden say Trade only but I doubt they enforce it too strictly. I had dismissed 'DIY Kitchens' but now see they are manufacturers too, and have big showrooms. Worth a long trip perhaps. Dekton does look interesting. You mean you gave them a target and they knocked 2/3 off the price?

We had a delivery of sopping wet timber and sent it back. From asking around it seems that all suppliers round here keep tanalised (and other treatments) timber in the yard, uncovered. They think that is ok because it won't rot, and they regard it as 'outdoors' timber. Few have enough shelter, and seem to me to have far too much stock, perhaps as an investment. Their own trade specifies that all wood should be protected and ventilated. But they don't much care as long as it is selling. They don't invest in tarpaulins. The brochures may say kiln dried, but then forget to mention ' and then left outdoors in the rain until somebody accepts it.' The thing is, that we are using treated timber for the shell and are investing in the long term with no worries about dampness , woodworm etc. I know from experience that wasps can find their way into tiny gaps and like to chew wood for their nests, Treated wood won't be chewed twice. Plus as we are building in the open, it was bound to get a bit wet for a while. An earlier delivery was also wet, and it bent by up to 50mm over a 6m length, making it unsuitable for structure. Half of these were also sent back, without argument. So the moral is to tell your supplier that the timber must be dry in accordance with their industry guidelines. They might decline, but they can also set some aside under cover, or buy it in new from the docks. This probably does not apply to CLS which presumably is regarded as internal timber. We are ordering some so will see. Structural timber must be dry so that it keeps shape, especially in the vertical. And I dread to think what happens to a floor when the joists twist. Do the floor screws reach? Plus you don't want it twisting after construction. The timber industry body agrees, except that the merchants dont seem to know that.

We are still putting the structure up, but discussing kitchen supply and especially worktops. It might seem premature but it affects ducting and of course budget. The units will probably come from the Howden/ Ikea range of suppliers. Does anyone have advice on worktops, especially island ones? Everything is currently rectangular. It is not going to be oak, because of what water and heat does to it. Resin and all sorts of resin that include stone are favourite ... until we see the cost. From preliminary costing and discussion it seems that the unit suppliers don't do resin worktops but sublet it.

I don't know the product, but would be wary that the rest will continue to fall off. That might get stick behind battens and be worse than having nothing. No money until this is sorted. Make sure you put this in writing. Keep it reasonable but robust. Is it holding your project up? The experts above can advise if it needs to be removed and prepared before redoing.

I don't see what the problem is. We have this and a heated towel rail in an unsuite. The heating mat simply glues to the deck ( a marmox board in our case)and is negligibly thin. Then tiles went on with normal tile adhesive.

Oops. I still order 6 x 2. But I make sure a joist hanger is 47mm. My excuse is that a 6 x 2 is not a measurement but the name of a component. And I measure in yards if pacing in slippy conditions.