saveasteading

Pump. Even a saniflo can shift a fair distance or height. 20m or up 1m or so. Then there are dedicated pump chambers. Worth a look. Anyway, for planning they need a feasible proposal. You can change methodology for the construction.

That solves access which would be s major planning issue. You might be able to extend water and elec too. Could you pump sewage to your existing system rather than a new digester.

Is the intention to be a self contained dwelling or an annex? If the former then it is clearly a new dwelling. If the latter then you would not need the works, by extending the current services, shared access, etc. Don't cheat the system by pretending the latter, as it is wrong, and you would be found out ag some awkward stage.

Aesthetically I think it should either be completely random or dummy the effect of being over joists, ie all joints line up. The other advantage is that only factory ends are on show. I don't think I would use a 50mm end piece or less. 100mm ? But if that is thrown away, then ends line up. It really depends on the room length. But that raises the matter of the width. The last row probably needs to be cut to width, and is best to remain a substantial width.

Ground water movement would provide some fresh energy resource so might make it feasible. Ahh I see what you mean....you can't have both as a benefit.

I wouldn't. I could say more but can't get too specific. Sufficient to say that I studied the subject closely, got close to some experts, and would only consider it in very special circumstances. Perhaps 15 years ago there were dozens of companies doing it, subsidused by government grants, ....and then there weren't. There were some very professional companies who refused to do inappropriate projects, and they lost their business through no fault of their own. Air source meanwhile flourishes. That is because the air is exchanged for fresh and warmer air continuously whereas the ground gets colder, even freezes, unless flowing water replenishes the heat or heat is pumped in....all year. If you can get a price and any technical info it would be interesting and a service to the community.

Thanks. Interesting. Very believable for the less sceptical ( and experienced). Storing solar energy in the ground will help but not in the winter. I don't want a legal battle so I will say nothing more about the claims made. Is there another page with conditions and limitation? About the ground suitability, and any guarantees on performance and how this is guaranteed?

I'm too much of a sceptic to be cheeky enough to ask to be sent a copy. What kind of ground do you have and where is the water table? On clay it seldom works economically, 40m deep isn't unknown.* On sand you've a chance due to water change. On Norwegian rock it can be a bit different. * I helped some people get the GS turned off and changed to air source. It was costing them thousands p.a.

I may have said this already. I would not put one in to a new house. I might well for an office or some industrial uses. This is down to the cost of the tank plus the completely separate plumbing to wc's and outside taps. ie an office has lots of flushes in the day. A big office can justify the capital and maintenance. So would any business with vehicle washing. I do plan though to put a big tank in- line in the garden. Maybe 3m3. This will be for garden watering only, by hand or electric pump, tbc. I put one in to an office and it served about 40 persons. In theory 5m3 was the size but we put in 10m3 to catch all of any storm in summer from a 500m2 roof. The water bill was £80 p/a due to being for kitchen and whb use only. Say £150 at current prices. It never ran out. The pump failed twice in 6 years use, and slso allow for electric use. The 2 stage sump had a tiny coat of silt on the bottom. Sewage bills were tiny too, being based on mains water used. Payback was projected as 6 to 8 years but was 3, maybe 5 allowing for power.

Should know this but, doesn't it apply also to redundant social buildings eg churches and village halls.

Dishwasher tablets used to have, I think, some bleaching type ingredient but no longer. But they do have lots of other chemicals. I think most of them are bonded to the waste by the time they are drained so prob no problem. I recently checked out toilet duck type stuff, and there was no bleach. But there is so much bleach in the shops, and cheap, that we can see that it is very widely used. I think I will hide it as a garage stored chemical.

Yes I may be being unfair to the plumber. Perhaps I will find another stopcock inside the keyhole. Does one come with the kit? Is there a reason the video man doesn't remove the tubes to get the outer plate out of the way?

A lesson for future builds...the wc in question shown has a slab cover that lifts out, revealing a stop-cock just in reach but tricky to reach with a screwdriver. Our other units do nof have removable tops...i wonder where the plumber put the stopcocks? I fear they are unreachable. The video has it reachable through the front opening, and it is hand operated..this should be the standard.

All round or across the opening? The latter is only 5mm gap all round.

Thanks all. Just knowing how to take the cover off is hugely important. I've managed to turn off the water, with a short screwdriver tied to a long string, so I didnt drop it to oblivion. Can't do more for a while but I will report back when I've had a chance to open up.

I've always worried about this. There is a constant dribble into the pan, so the cistern simply needs adjusting or cleaning. But it is a concealed cistern with hardly any access. It is Roca so presumably they are made to be maintainable. We had this done about 10 years ago, but I wasn't much involved so trusted the professionals. I can't even see a maintenance valve in there. The lid comes off and I see a sturdy timber boxing, with a thin tank half covered by the stud. The flush plate must come off too. Any help please?

That video is great. The carboard seems to be smoking but not burning, which is very impressive. In the tests I have seen the fire made the paint expand about 10 times, and it became a very brittle ash-like material, but that provided insulation. Yours seems to have remained quite robust.

Envirograf are my favourite too. The original owner was a proper boffin who experimented and created lots of niche objects such as fireproof cat flaps. It's great when a small company can survive against the very big companies. How much did the stuff expand when you torched it? A story: I once handed about 12 pots of intumescent paint to a professional painter and told him how far each tin had to go in length of wall, and why, using as many coats as it took til it was gone. I think I even laid them around the room to denote each area. Only then could he apply the top coat. I thought that was easier to understand than using a depth comb. Did he understand? 'Yes, I know all about fireproof paint'. Next day, he proudly showed me that he had managed to use only half of the paint, and I could take it back 'it's expensive that stuff'. Never overestimate the intelligence of your workers. It can be inversely proportionate to confidence.

Last time I checked anyway.... Check the spec for this. Intumescent paint is moisture absorbent, so needs a special, expensive, sealing coat, which can be coloured. Eggshell over that is just decorative, but shouldn't replace the official seal coat...not without checking the properties anyway. I've never known a bco check intumescent paint spec or thickness*, and so I'm sure a lot of instances receive far less thickness than is specified, and/or no sealing kit. *(Happy to get an official looking piece of paper from someone. I wonder if that is 'orders' not to get too involved.)

Top of head..... £60,000 extra, as 'self-build', more if by a main contractor. For the structure, not any other works. Add for risk if the ground is a challenge, liable to flood, or near other buildings. Don't forget the area that a stair takes up when working out the usefulness of the smaller size.

Because if there were large loads to spread, past a big hole, then a surface only connection isn't carrying the load into the core of the timber. It might distort or twist off....needs lab tests with coffee sticks and mugs.

Not 30 °, peehsps caused by costa's length constraints.. but why 30°? Trusses are made with 45° straps.

Yes. But a number of small screws is less impact than a bigger hole for a bolt.

With just one it needs to be somehow threaded over the pipe.

I'm not understanding this.