saveasteading

Was discussed earlier. it is a single brick wall, and no knowledge of foundations, but unlikely to be adequate. Plus the beam would be about 350 deep which isn't wanted. So probably no.

Ours was farm accomodation and was free with the building. Using as a site office. So not in great order. When I gutted out the folding bed and some other boxing it showed its years of use by way of dust and droppings. So yes, do a big clear out.

So they don't loosen when a joist bounces or rotates. I expect joiners perfer the speed of nails, so must use these. Screws don't pull out. If the joists don't move, due to noggins (or dwangs) I can't see a problem. It might need an Engineer to say so to the bco if questioned....Best ask bco before committing.

There is a leak from a big cold tank in the attic. It is all up on a gantry to maximise head, and very difficult to access. I can't definitely see the source, as it spreads over the ply deck, and seems even to be a couple of areas. I can't see any leaks from connections. Annoyingly the drips appear to slow and stop when I am observing....that might be some clue. What I have see is a dribble from the metal strengthening strap. Plus I think I saw a drip from further along that moulding. Do tanks fail? The tank was not full. I perhaps have to stop all household use and check overflows. ( I previously found that the adjacent hot header overflow had never been sealed. Same plumber 30 years ago). The overflow pipes are pointed down into the water. Is that an intentional thing? Photos. 1.The small tank in front is the hot water header. Behind are 2 large cold tanks, linked....one shared float valve, each with an overflow. 2. The linkage between the 2 tanks and the metal strap. Dribble stain visible on the right tank.

Use screws on whatever angle is possible or with a right angle drill attachment. Precut service holes in the joists: mass produced outdoors before lugging them in.

No. Not if you keep to the rules of size, position and spacing. Later we can sort that.

I've checked, and the word seems to be less offensive than I thought, or than it used to be.

Ask them. it isn't a standard process.

245 x 97 @ 300mm cc from john james. They don't show any closer cc.

It is almost solid timber!

Noted. It doesn't need that though unless it's a wet mix or not able to dry properly because of conditions. On s and c screed do you cover in polythene to cure first?

All very interesting. 75 days is just silly. Based on 1mm per day I think. An industrial slab can be 200mm. I've had client's consultants want 200 days ' drying'. They didn't understand that most of the water becomes chemically incorporated and not much evaporation is necessary. That's unless it is still being rained on. And some of the advice on screeds seems contradictory. "Scrape off laitence because it is loose. But don't wait too long or it gets too hard?"

That's rather extreme. I can't lay bricks well, most bricklayers don't understand structure or insulation. What annoys me is when they are too arrogant, or just dim, to do what they are told.

As I described above, using joists as the webs of a beam, and ply above and below as flanges. Needs an SE. I've done that to upgrade an old floor that was bouncy, Not very likely. The load is very concentrated so you need a brick pier or steel column, plus extra footing. before going too far...can you get 6m joists in there and up into place?

Care to give us any lessons learnt, or an overview? A photo would be great too, but understood if you don't want to.

My misreading was that clay is rather older than that. 120 year old foundations though. they tend to be about 2 ft deep at most. By the time you do trial pits and check the wall out too, then new foundations etc, I think you might just go with timber or engineered joists. This needs building regulations. With timber onto wall plates the bco might accept it by inspection, plus the load tables for the joist spec. If you have an Engineer then he could look at adding plywood top or bottom to make the floor into one huge slab....and the joists depth would reduce.

That would be pretty standard, but the walls need to support the steel. Padstones. Possibly wall reinforcement. Possibly more foundation. Are these existing walls?

It reflects energy. It doesn't have to be visible to us for the shinyness to continue. But it needs an air gap...or it is pointless. It doesn't follow that I think this is necessary of a good choice here. @Clennls what is driving you in this direction? There are perfectly well proven mainstream products.

Comes in 100m lengths, so most projects will have 80m left over....I certainly have.

"Exit interview" with the family. What would you do differently? "No pir between rafters, only mineral wool squeezed in tight." We had already iterated to half and half because 100pir was hopeless. Better 100mm of well fitting fibre than 100pir with lots of gaps.

Yes. A straight competition. I've used John James once and it will have been on price. But I remember the service was good too. I think they were 7m or so spans and I compared them also with rolled steel (Z) joists. The video of manufacturing is impressive ...stunningly efficient. Yes. You have to cut holes. Much lighter than a solid timber but still very heavy. The span tables give lots of options on price v depth v weight.

Try James Jones. Timber flanges and osb webs. Their website has an interactive span calculator

We will regard this as a test. My hunch is of being declined.

I'd have to check, but there is some distance rule (25m or 40m??) whereby ssen etc have a sudden jump in price for their bit. We put in a duct from the source pole to a new kiosk, and uk power joined them. Thereafter it became all ours, trench and cable. The kiosk is on someone else's land, but all formally agreed. It saved many £k.

You mean that a standard form of contract was agreed, just never formalised?