saveasteading

I looked this up. 4 staff members, and 5 other persons. Have you anything more on this as it seems to be an allegation, and unspecified, not a known default so it isn't proving anything as you suggest. I'd say the chances of 4 staff being illegally in cahoots is quite small, but I guess the team get arrested and bailed to allow questioning.

Have you checked out the exposure resistance yet? Also how the seams lap. Some simply fit over each other, while others need the joint to be rolled, in position, by a special tool.

That price seems totally wrong (very high) to me. What is access like, and is this including a scaffold system? It should be done in a day, such a small area. add another for the flashings being finished off neatly. probably 3 persons, simply as a team setup and for handling the long sheets. If you cur this type of cladding it has to be with a snipping motion. It drags the galvanising over the steel cut. This can be steel snips (they come in left hand , right hand and straight) and nibbler (a motorise punch that nibbles a cut by means of punching a stream of crescent moons (or toenails), Never use cutting discs or reciprocating saws as they wreck the material and it will rust.

If I could find my little black book, then this would go in it. It is full of such info from all the trades. m2/hr and such like. The value of such information is that it does not change over the years with inflation. It might however need some factor applied to the work ethic of a region.

Agreed. You can hire the proper shears and nibbler if you need to cut it. Also research screws. I would only use stainless from a major brand. And get the official head to fit precisely. A lightweight battery drill with accurate torque settings you might buy or rent. Lindab, catnic and cladco buy in coils of steel ready coated, and roll-form it. So it will be the same stuff. I don't know Greencoat. I doubt it is suitable so near the sea, so get assurances. Normally you will need the extra thick version of plastisol coating. It's not just the salt, also the gulls mess. And design so that the rain can lash all areas....no overhangs or ledges.

A properly done one or not at all. Ducting protects the chimney but also you and your neighbours from fumes through the brickwork. The ducted intake is mandatory now I thought. Cheap and nasty ones will warp and allow fumes into the room. All 'niceness' is soon forgotten

It's much more interesting being there. The only ones going to committee are big or controversial. But there is 'people watching' too which you wont get online. Get there early and see if councillors are discussing items. Try to work out which, if any, have looked at the documents. Is the planner having to explain policy to councillors? It is as interesting as you make it. Hoped perhaps. There are useless planners like in every walk of life. And the number of times i have heard the head of planning or chairman explaining utter basics to the members!

Everyone critical here, please attend your local council planning committee as a visitor having read up on the applications. Then report back.

Don't cut it out. It appears to be holding up the cross timber which further supports the ceiling joists. It looks rather skinny hrnce the exta support. And someone has cut out the tops of joists for services. Too many i think.

I have some experience of helping people with poorly constructed newbuilds. I understand that some developers are thorough and have good reputations. Of course i haven't been asked to look at them. Do not assume that builders are all competent, that site management is thorough or that a bco has inspected every element.

Correct. They have 2 advantages though. They will get to speak for 3 minutes if the application goes to committee. There is an element of authority. That counts for nothing if the planning constraints are not followed. That's generally pejorative of course. But nobody in a nice place wants it spoiled. A neighbourhood plan is the answer.

Proper curtain walling will be 2 to 3 times the price of everyday glazing supported inside a frame. Then allow for the framing. If you look af the section sizes, the reason is clear.

Interesting stuff. Lots of comments as if we had seen the issues and the report. Is the writer actually a qualified Engineer, capital E? As an aside. When i took my professional exams, 25% of the essay marks were for clarity of writing, but less than half marks in that element eg 12/25 and it was a total fail of 3 + years post uni experience. Brevity and clarity are to be welcomed. But there is a limit. Gus describes it well.

I'm not going to discourage you engaging someone to do this for you. However don't assume that they will be good at it, or that you won't. Splitting the job up and getting risk assessments from each trade is a simple start. Even on big projects I tried to do this as the greatest risk was the interfaces between different trades.

I've dealt with planning in perhaps 12 councils. Scores of applications. Applications in 10, and also meeting them in working groups in 2 of these. I think they were all behaving honestly. Of course they are people, and some are less competent, organised, modest, strong willed, hard working than others. Some will tend to bend as required by bullying councillors, developers etc. Do they respond to bribes or threats? Not that I have heard. Parish councils are amateurs. They can't be made to go on training courses. Some are there for their own ends, there is no doubt, and will bully and lie and use their position. Most are there for the best of reasons but can be bullied by the former and by the public...and often will leave. Is that corruption? No, but bullying is as bad. Parish councils can't control planning anyway, only advise. Bigger councils have more clout. The elected members are usually also politically linked. You are into the world of lobbying and lunches. Most are doing the best they can. I think it's too easy to assume corruption is behind decisions we don't like. The ones who cast blame are those least likely to put themselves forward for public service.

Interesting. It's a good point about the difference between building regs and safety. They shouldn't use the same term. I'd say that competence is required rather than expertise. A lot is common sense. For building regs it is a contact point and reasonable site management. For safety, a lot can be learnt from hse leaflets, all on line. Eg does the first time self builder know about ladder use? Does a seasoned builder know it, or care? But it is a serious matter and safety should not be shrugged off.

Not corrupt. Essay may follow.

Quite rightly so. If you are not competent then you shouldn't do it. If an accident happened then the principal contractor is going to be questioned. If you have taken all reasonable precautions* then that is likely to be the end of it. But setting up someone else to be it, then they have to be competent. * mostly common sense and checking that any contractors are experienced, insured, and appear competent. Someone is responsible for risk assessments. I'm on site now with groundworkers. We haven't done a formal risk assessment but we are competent and discuss stuff.

When the sun shines and I stay indoors, is the sun going to waste?

You can be the principal contractor. Who will call the the bco to a site inspection? You? Then it's you. If you use a contractor you can shift the responsibility as you go along. There are responsibility. Management, safety etc.

If I may confuse the issue. I tried always to supervise air tests. This because the attitude of the tester could vary between a quick test and disappear, or having a walk round to check for any open vents etc. And they never, ever offered to find a leak and test again (eg a vent fan that needed polythene over it.) One asked me what number I was looking for. I'm pretty sure I was never going to get a better figure than that. On a tricky refurb the airtightness could never have been great but it was all the client wanted. There were no tests required. Later he had a test done to help rent the building, and I saw the report with clearly imaginary figures for insulation and airtightness 'as required'. What am I saying? Study the subject and supervise. Some trades will be contemptuous of airtightness, but that is part of managing the project. For the test either find a small scale tester who will obtain the number you ask for, or use the best who will help improve the airtightness. Be present.

Weather. If it rains it can be ruined. Can't do it on a freezing day. If it is hot or windy it can dry too fast. That can be controlled with polythene, but isn't ideal and you may get marks. You need to be flexible.

I have recently used a fencer's spade for the first time. tapered to a smallish end, very heavy. I want one. I feel that will go through the wire with ease. Your fencers will have one. I think some are too lightweight.

That's fine if detailed properly. Insurance may cost more, but you will have saved tens of £k in the build and the insurers will catch up.

I have seen this cycle of insurance panic a few times over the years. Sometimes quite rightly. Other times without properly investigating the issues. Then one breaks ranks and gets lots of business and the others follow. Hence timber construction is a no-no to some, and metal cadding. Looking back decades, industrial buildings had polystyrene exposed as roof insulation, cavity barriers were rare and some so-called fire walls had not been tested. It's safer now, if designed properly without corner cutting. What we can never count on is the average builder knowing the rules, or understanding, or caring. Unfortunately this also applies to some consultants.