saveasteading

No. The the BC is a generalist. He can look up the guidance on trees and foundations as we all can, but will accept an SE design. Whatever foundations you choose to do, that tree will keep growing until pressing against the wall so I say it has to go if you build nearer to it. Anyway the leaves will be a constant pain too, as will be any maintenance eg branch damage. So I'd get rid anyway. We humans have a thing about expanding our territory. Do you really need that 1m2 more of house while losing access for maintenance? What if the neighbour erects a fence?

I have only just understood, or think I have. Its is a ramped head so that a bit engages in one direction but not in the other???

a marketing term for faulty screws? were they a bargain?

I've just been cutting back a clay bank by spade. Dry and hard on the surface but wet just 150mm back. After a week of warmth and wind, the new surface was crumbling, and cracks appearing. For some reason it seemed to be forming bricklike shapes and coming loose in big lumps.

I have a photo, not to hand, of an electrician's slash to get a cable through a membrane. No attempt to minimise or seal it, and apparently no knowledge or interest in what the membrane is for. They fitted wires and got paid for it, and nothing else mattered. Diplomatically it is worth a word with the foreman to get their attitude, and establish whether they will now seal holes or not, and if you doing extra sealing behind them causes any issues to them.

I don't think you answered " where is the boundary?"

Not necessarily. I once proposed to a garage owner that he used a simple epoxy floor paint instead of what his original designer / car manufacturer specified. Downside repaint a small section of tyre wear in a few years. Upside. .. 10sof £k saved. Diy work, no closures. It isn't all expensive or thick. 2m tall people have learned to duck.

You simply would never do that. Raising all the doors would be preferable. Epoxy coating would work. Grey isn't so different from the original colour. @jackive just read your contribution. Hearing of your experience is so very instructive. I possibly come over on such posts as negative. The contrary is the case. I have sought design and site innovation and invented processes In business and self builds. But I do lots of homework first and try to foresee issues. Then on here try to balance my negatives with the sales pitches that new builders have been sold. Show me good results and I'm delighted.

Aargh. You will be rain and wind affected, and every dog, cat, fox and seagull from miles around will visit and walk over the wet concrete.

@Spinny I don't think @Mr Punteris being rude. It could be read as ' what is your particular concern if they do this?' Please don't suggest that bco gives dispensations for mates. Rules are rules.

It's nearly all stone. 5% bitumen. To me that's no problem. I've seen it argued that it's organic and not acceptable. I'd lay polythene over it I think.

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.