saveasteading

That's the easy bit, and not where the costs lie. For any once in a lifetime prospective self-builders looking here. This is really about getting it done by builders. For actual hands-on self build it is different. I don't know what I would advise re cost expectations except to say don't believe what anyone is telling you that has something to gain. eg that self building is cost effective or any £/m2 rate unless there is a formal quote to justify it. I was a main contractor for decades, and worked for local biggish contractors before that: not for domestic housing, but the principles apply. Doing a one-off project is a risk, and the client has to pay a premium as as the contractor will have it covered either as a lump sum, or in cautious contract terms. No QS knows the price. even with a detailed design in front of them. They are making many assumptions. Without a detailed design then even more so. A contractor's estimator is doing what a QS does but with inside knowledge of what their employer is efficient at and the overheads expected, and they can get feedback from previous projects and input from preferred subcontractors. Even so the quotes may vary dramatically. The more individual a design is, the more the price will increase. This is because of basically experiments by the architect. This is a risk. so is the fact that every client is a one-off.... I will exaggerate slightly but it is an 'amateur' client with an obsessive interest in progress and detail, and an untested inclination to pay on time and in full. The specialist contractor is the best or only party who can give a realistic price and good advice on value engineering. But they won't because they know the ideas will be hived out to other parties. The best projects for me and for our clients were those starting from a position of mutual trust. Either repeat clients or those to whom we had been recommended. We want x, what will it cost? By that relationship we can input ideas and efficiency from the outset. OR the client gives us a sketch design and we can use or criticise as necessary. But generally a domestic client won't have these contacts or feel able to trust the contractor. So they hadn't a clue what they were doing, and guessed a safe figure. Hence a one-off self build is an expensive thing to do. You must have knowledge or a very special reason to want that site and that design. Otherwise buy somebody else's when they have to move on. Sorry.

Yes that. And not a very bad thing as long as it is working. Brand new brick would allow seepage anyay. An older one will have cracks and I wouldn't repair it unless it was clearly causing problems. I had ours emptied once and there was a foot of sludge on the bottom. More importantly it had junk in it , dumped by cowboy roofers from the past, and most importantly the inlet and outlets were damaged and needed repair. You should assume that yours will need some such unpleasant work s a minimum. Eg 1. Suck out tank and the outlet pipe, rinse and repeat. 2. Check for internal damage ask thd tanker company for an overview. For this you must tell the company first or they will only allow a quick suck and leave. At some cost level you decide instead to build a new system.

Likely, yes. But the brickwork is probably already leaking significantly, but steadily and in semi treated form. it would probably be better and easier to extend the rubble soakaway rather than dig it out, then there will be new clean capacity and the old volume may rot away over time. OR you build a modern style soakaway using perforated pipes / drainage field.

That's a good option, and easy to stick down. There seems to be quite a big market for these tiles but do check the wear... some are like new while others can be worn through. But paint everywhere and rugs locally seems the pragmatic way.

It's a failure. Good bearings work millions of rotations. I was recently marvelling at a roatating flue vent we have. Rotates nil to 20 times a second, say 5 average. 15 years doing that outdoors in the wind. An mvhr fan is doing a simpler job at constant speed.

Diy £20? It might look good a bit deeper than the standard ones.

You could use 2 x 100mm lintels and pour some concrete in-between. Or make your own, and ensure a stunning finish. Yours is a selling point for buying from a diy or Wickes, as you can choose a lintel that satisfies the surface you seek....some can be a bit rough.

In my opinion a lintel is a visible and important part of the structure, , and an invisible lintel (eg Catnic) doesn't look right, as if the bricks are floating.. Concrete lintels come in degrees of roughness, so an upside down one might work for you. The tendons will be in the centre so it will be the same strength. Then you can paint or render it if you want.

If you buy the cheapest garage floor paint it doesn't stick well or last long. Grey or red probably. So if in 2 years it comes off easily, great. If it doesn't come off then stick to it. Meantime, keep some for touching up the worn areas.

Tell more.

Similarly that superfoil is hyped beyond it's capability.

Or maybe our primitive brains know where to scratch for water, and the rods make it seem more convincing.

Divining works for me. 2 x welding rods bent as L shapes. Hold loosely. For me they cross about 1m past so I do it both ways and split. If you doubt the efficacy it wong work... seriously. Or hire a drain rod with tracker. That is more accurate but needs outlet access. The vendor would be crazy or hiding something if they declined. Otherwise any sale may fail at discoveries stage.

It's fine as long as you can get in the trench and do a thorough job in bedding and getting the gradient... and joining the pipes. Unlikely. But you could do most of the depth in 400 or more and the bottom in 12".

Seriously, I think we might be helping a few people not to get caught out by these charlatans. If they search for radiant heating 360 graphene infrared and find us here.

Kingspan 150mm for the house. Other brands don't do that thickness or are as expensive. 40mm Colorclad for the garage. There is lots of choice in thinner panels.

Me. Just done it. It has a metal internal skin and does not burn. Check the manufacturers spec. Which of course the architect could do, but probably wants you to spend more to make it more to their liking. In business we've used it lots in commercial and education too. Oh a d our own office for 15 years without issues. They are screwed down tight and I think that noise and movement are imagined issues by competitors. Standing seam, otoh, is meant to move so may well make sounds. You will hear rain on skylights. Most users tell me they like it because it is natural and a pleasant sound.

Haven't checked the sums but seems rightish. Beyond about 5 bags it might be worth buying a small truck load, but wastage can be worse. Bags can be offloaded and spread around near the points of use to reduce barrowing.

In similar circumstances I got a letter from the vendor stating that the septic tank and drain to soakaway in the nearby field had been in use for x (over 50??) years. It is very likely that your pipe extends beyond the boundary as it is pointed that way. If there is a hedge over a porous pipe it's roots will have filled it long ago. So it's likely a pipe to a rubble soakaway.

I assume this nonsense is only online I've noticed lies and nonsense like this on Facebook that is not qute repeated on a website link. Ie you can lie on Facebook but it would be illegal under UK or EU law (I saw a supposedly very special electric heater that used electricity differently.). @JKami84 well done for questioning this here. you haven't been caught out but others will unfortunately. Are these sellers of graphene infrared liars or naive?

The biggest issue is packing the underpinning up really tight under the existing foundations, so that it doesn't immediately drop. It's so long since I was involved that I won't say the way then, and it may be easier now. But you can be sure it is still very hard work. Mining mud then controlled construction. BUT most contractors don't understand concrete shrinkage, and they don't know that they don't know. Your SE should have a methodology in writing. Your contractor should accept this or recommend another way which the SE must then be consulted upon. I suggest you act as Clerk of Works, inspecting the process throughout. The contractor should accept this considering the seriousness. Keep us informed please.

To give you more assurance. I've worked with so called asbestos roofs a lot. They are actually 98% cement. The fibres are not visible. The only recognised risk is if drilling or grinding and you weren't doing that. We had HSE inspections and never the slightest telling off. I've just looked online. Horsehair or flax look likeliest. Asbestos fibres would have been invisible. The only worrying info is from businesses trying to worry you. Which it seems they have done. So unless you are allergic to horsehair?

A well known business like that will dread any bad publicity. And many / most businesses are perfectly honourable.

But you saw big fibres. If the fibres are there to hold mortar together then they were still doing that, not flying free. The Internet will exaggerate the risk . The number of cases in construction is very low. It's real, and you could better have wetted it and worn masks, but now relax. A professional risk assessment would advise that the risk is small, now totally closed off, and ig wiuld be best not to expose it again unnecessarily. Not to be confused with someone who fancies the opportunity.

Not at all. As @Conorsays your exposure has been very low or zero. And for an example, I was a professional in the industry for 20 years before I found out that most vinyl tiles had asbestos....and we have all walked over them. 1. I've not heard of this use in mortar. 2. It will have come out in lumps, and dust will be sand or cement. As you have seen the fibres you know they are big fibres, not dust. They are lijely yo be hemp or some such. 3. If there was any exposure it was then, and finished. Exposing it again isn't worthwhile. Relax.