saveasteading

I'm too suspicious that these will be on the point of clapped-out-edness. We had a very good groundworker who we used for years, and he had lots of costs and delays for repairs, esp with tracks. One machine he abandoned on our site. Any advice?

I have looked but can't find this story. Could be a windfall tax on developers. The landowner effectively pays. Field worth 30,000 is suddenly worth 500,000.

So you are building a very small industrial unit? These specialists do huge slabs, say 1000m2 in a day. They would turn up with 8 workers ,concrete pump, 3 power floats and all the kit. 2 of them stay overnight for the final polish. That isn't what you want is it? PFF is not good for a house. Can you explain why you want it?

Membrane yes. It prevents the gravel and sand mixing and becoming nearly a solid.

Not concrete against the wall. Let the water drain down. These holes in the mortar half way between air bick and render look like injection holes for a chemical dpc. As if the building didn't originally have one. Other people may know better than I. The air brick is probably to ventilate under the floor. Is the floor timber? Where is the floor level relative to this picture? The doorway is the easiest guide.

Agreed with @Mr Punter. I've just done this to lower some ground that was too high. Finished level of gravel at a brick, or more, below the dpc. This is so that splasing stays below the dpc. My gravel is about 25mm deep on membrane but deeper would be better. Use non-woven membrane (looks like felt, not cloth) so that weeds don't get through. Be sure that the ground below is permeable, or dig more out to hold more water. Pea shingle is a third the price of crushed stone and easier to handle. And at some stage it will be filthy and need cleaning or replacing so again pea gravel as new stuff will match.

I've never tried one, but often observed. Professionals will tend to have the biggest as there are fewer passes and lips. But these were handled by very strong guys. My hunch is to use the small size for control. There was always a lot of shovelling and shaping pre bull float. This was usually a pump mix concrete which is easiest to move around. What is your plan? As I must have said 20 times before... do not add water. Thinking more, isn't a tamp finish more appropriate? In which case the tool of choice is a straight piece of 4x2.

But no point. The joists themselves are the thermal weakness. Suppliers will do that for you, but assume 16mm pipes at 150cc. I like your principle, but if it's re "carbon" then the lifetime of reduced heat loss prevails. If it is because celotex and kingspan should be avoided on business ethics then I agree, but there are others. But for being breathable? I'd have to think on that.

This is the way if mixing on site. Position a board (600 high or so) at about 300mm off the tank, and pour your concrete or gravel in there. Backfill the rest, pull out board, repeat. A small digger to fill the hole is preferable to barrowing. Saves money on concrete or gravel, and in muckaway. This process may work with ready-mix too , IF you have the labour to speed it along.

After it is faded to grey you can't stain it natural light colours, only dark.

I'm moderately happy at 150mm depth but pir not woodfibre. There is diminishing return after that, esp if you are turning the heating off at times. But then on top you have an option of material. There is a 22mm ? Eps panel system with pipe grooves already in it. Or simply pin the pipes to the pir. Then pour self levelling screed 40mm or more over the top. But thicker insulation is better obviously. And i agree about stuffing under the floor if you have access.

These are also made for hot flues. The plastic is red for clarity. I can't remember what "hot" is defined as... basically anything more than ambient I think, but up to very hot from gas burner flues.

Agreed. We are glad we did that and that the bco agreed. Externally, you should read up on best practice guides. Lime coating the whole face is not great unless the masonry is soft or really rough. Limestone can be soft or hard. Yours?

Some fundamentals. Don't dig the hole bigger than necessary. You have to stop an empty tank from floating. So a)if the water table is low then no risk. b). There are several ways to hold it down and that isn't with total concrete backfill. It depends on the tank but the Graf pic above shows holes through the base for bars or ties. Options are 1. to backfill in stages with concrete against the tank and earth away from it. 2. Concrete slab as a base and tie the tank tied to it...then all fill is acting on the slab and it won't move. ..in which case gravel surround will work too. You mustn't have anything against the tank which might puncture it eg fill with bricks in it. But some tanks may have other requirements. But some tanks instructions may be overcautious. If the hole is filling with water during vjnsyruction it's going to be a good test. Dig a sump lower than base level and pump from there. I wonder.... could those auger piles sold for decking and fencing bases be used as anchors. Or platypus anchors?

@Jess Shannon Welcome. The weather and physics are the same so on practical matters there is lots of knowledge on here. When do you plan to start? Are the stone walls about 600mm thick? Granite or what?

@kandgmitchell that's nicely explained. Going back to the actual regulation is often the way forward. If you can summarise the logic in meeting the requirement then the bco can more easily be 'reminded' of the requirements. If it is written down then it can go in their file.

Diversion. Seen the news today on failed external insulation ? Appalling.. Find it on bbc news online. I never did trust 'trustmark'. I wonder how many of the cowboys will be held to account.

On t&g spruce. It moves , so I discovered it is best to stain it before fixing. One coat of sickens light oak is almost invisible, which is the point really. It then dies to leave a light gloss. After 5 years the colour is much the same, ie no fading. After 10 years esp south facing there is fading but still no grey. FYI we also used a very dark brown called dark palisander. After 10 years it is largely the same on north faces but on need of a re-coat facing the sun, for aesthetics not durability. In-between colours we never did. On the steading I was over-ruled and it is cedar, which is fading , but fairly consistently (still coloured where shadows protect it) and attractively so. Be very careful to use fixings which don't react with cedar....it can look awful.

If it's on the drawing then that is what is approved.

I prefer the top picture but it won't stay like that unless treated. My choice is spruce then treated with 'light oak' Sadolin so it keeps that look. Others like grey, but have you noticed that Architects always show newly built properties, never the greyed or mouldy result. I should say seldom/ rarely.

My thoughts too. If it is open to a hillside then the rain runs off the hill and the water table will be low. With an external membrane and a carrier pipe at the base, is that all that is required? It's a retaining wall. Ask a basement waterproofing company for a basement design and you get what is shown, but it isn't a basement unless I'm misunderstanding.

OK. So you can walk out of the basement onto this area outdoors. So it is patio rather than basement? Rain falls into it?

S isn't even near 2 on the keyboard. 2illy me. Carele22.

The planning permission rules apply and you have accepted them. It is normal fof neighbours to object to a new development: it wasn't personal. I think you have to respect them and their mood may improve. If you have to do noisy stuff, even in approved hours on thd weekend, try to get it over with ASAP.. a breaker going on and off for hours can be avoided. Ask them to let you know of any times that would be a real nuisance, eg they are having friends rounding you will try, not promise, to minimise it. No radios... that is just inconsiderate. I've had this.. it usually goes away if you show consideration.

I don't really understand what this is about. What is a basement "open on 2 sides? What is the drainage channel for? The wall should not leak if designed properly. Putting a membrane inside a basement is to resolve an existing leaking basement, not newbuild. Where does the water go from the channel? Presumably it is 2m or more underground.