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Ferdinand

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  1. Ferdinand
    I have been developing a Ferdinand's Theory of Buildhub, which applies to everyone here, regardless of age or sex. That has to be read out with the same tones and empasis as "Herge's Adventures of Tintin". (*)
     
    There was an Episode of Star Trek Voyager called "Tuvix" where a transporter accident (always a useful plot device) combined the officer Tuvak, and the cook Nelix into a character called Tuvix, who had a very complicated makeup job on set.
     
    My theory is that all the self-builders on Buildhub has gone through a similar experience with the three main characters of Last of the Summer Wine - Foggy, Compo,  and Clegg - and are now made up of proportions of each.
     
     
     
    For myself, I think I am mainly Clegg - garrulous and hapless, but hopefully also, like the Planet Earth, mostly harmless.
     
    Your degree of Compo is measured by how many sheds you have, and how much junk (as identified by other people) is deposited therein.
     
    * 
     
     
     



  2. Ferdinand
    This is my attempt to think  
     
    As a person with diabetes, I have a higher chance of catching, and then being seriously damaged by, this thing.
     
    How to manage contamination of the home
     
    - Make the home a sterile - ie anything coming in is washed or wiped in such a way as to remove COVID.
     
    - Give the virus time to become inactive.
     
    Have 2 lots of things, and use on alternate days - eg 2 coats, 2 sets of gloves etc.
     
     
    - Things that require managing
     
    Door handles - keep doors open (see door retainers)
    Cupboard handles
    Light switches
    Sockets
    Plugs of devices
    Chair backs
    Towels - dry hands using tear-off paper, or kitchen roll, or use an air blower
     
    - How to Avoid infection when out
     
    Wear gloves, and wipe down on return
     
  3. Ferdinand
    This is potentially relevant to Buildhub users who have purchased, or are purchasing, existing properties (derelict or habitable), in order to repair or replace them. It concerns whether you pay the Residential Rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax, or the Non-Residential Rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (which are lower).
     
    (Gird your loins - slightly - for this, and get a cup of whisky plus a couple of Jaffa Cakes.)
     
    This post is General Information only, and does *not* constitute advice in any form.
     
    It is about a Court Ruling from January 2019 in the First Tier Tribunal Tax Chamber called HMRC vs Bewley, which changed the Liability for Stamp Duty Land Tax in England in one case where the property was found to have been unsuitable for use as a dwelling, and so the (lower) non-residential rate should have been applied. This level of Court is not automatically precedent-forming though decisions may 'be taken into account' by other Courts; the Upper Tribunal, where a case goes when Appealed from the First Tier Tribunal, is precedent-setting.
     
    For two groups of Build Hubbers, it could affect people who buy buildings on plots to demolish, or perhaps people who want to pass a plot or  building-on-a-plot on for the purposes of developing more than one dwelling. There is potential, for example, for the vendor to sell the property in an uninhabitable state by doing various things, and the price varying to allow for the lower amount of Stamp Duty which may be due, or perhaps for an indemnity against a higher tax bill considered (if such an agreement is lawful). The status of a building would be changed by an application to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
     
    On Buildhub we have had conversations about what makes a property uninhabitable in connection with liability for Council Tax, for example the absence of a potable water supply. This conversation is similar, and eventually will be about what prevents an empty or derelict property from being suitable for use as a dwelling.
     
    I am not launching into my own discussion of that, beyond noting that factors that may end up coming into the future guidance which may eventually be published by the Tax Authorities if necessary may include things such as "is there a kitchen", "is there a bathroom" (both of which affect 'mortgageability'), and potentially "does it have planning permission yet". I will simply post the summaries of the Ruling.
     
    What about the potential impact?
     
    The difference between the Residential rate of SDLT can be substantial. The potential savings for people buying expensive plots look to be quite tasty. Note - these rates quoted below are basic, partial information for illustration; there are exemptions and special cases by the bucketload - and you do need to check properly.
     
    Residential SDLT
     
    Source :https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates
     
     
    Non-Residential SDLT
     
    Source: https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/nonresidential-and-mixed-use-rates
     
     
    HMRC vs Bewley Summary
     
     
    and
     
     
    Resources:
     
    The full decision is here:
    http://financeandtax.decisions.tribunals.gov.uk/judgmentfiles/j10915/TC06951.pdf
     
    The existing VOA Guidance relating to Council Tax Liability for Properties in Disrepair or Derelict is here:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/council-tax-domestic-properties-in-disrepair-or-derelict/council-tax-domestic-properties-which-are-in-disrepair-or-are-derelict
     
    Some notes from a 2018 meeting of Tax Authorities on the meaning of "residential property" subject are here:
    https://www.tax.org.uk/sites/default/files/SDLT Section 116 FA 2003 meeting 11 June 2018 summary points FINAL.pdf (document itself)
     
    Winding Up
     
    It would be useful to have some of the Buildhub hive mind on this, especially as this is not an area of specialist knowledge for me. We have discussed this issue wrt Council Tax, and mainly at the end of the build, for example in this thread by @vivienz. But we have not - that I am aware of - considered so carefully unsuitability for use as a dwelling at the start, and with respect to Stamp Duty.
     
    Another category I am not aware that we have discussed is Stamp Duty liability on properties gifted.
     
    In general this is one to be aware of, and then probably discuss with advisers. The difference in SDLT liability in the case discussed was £6k.
     
    I have discussed this wrt England (and probably Wales if they have not changed that bit yet !), but the "Notes form a 2018 Meeting" link above shows attendance by Tax Authorities UK-wide.
     
    For example:
     
    Has anyone successfully applied to have derelict properties defined as unsuitable for habitation and removed from the 'register' at the VOA, and subsequently reduced their SDLT liability on that basis?
    Has it been done with kitchen and bathroom removal, rather than roofs and windows?
     
  4. Ferdinand
    I have been trying to think up how I would like to see law around construction improved for, or after, 2021, whilst wondering what I would put in a start-of-year letter I might write to my MP. 
     
    This is my little list. For the sake of keeping it focused, and making the points high-quality, I have limited myself to 5 ideas plus a bolt from the blue, and also to English Planning / Building Law - which is the one I know best. The Law has diverged is some measure since devolution, although all follow similar principles, and in Scotland has always differences - so I am interested to hear what others think.
     
    It is not especially around self-build, and there are a couple of hobby horses here - of which I am sure we all have a stable.
     
    1 - Place *all* Building Regulations (BR) Documents in the public domain, from both private and Council Building Inspections
     
    2 - Make BR Inspections on Housing Estates 100%, not a statistical sample
     
    3 - Encourage gradual growth in small villages and rural communities
     
    4 - Consider compulsory fire sprinkler systems in all residential premises
     
    5 - Tighten up the John Gummer clause - Paragraph 79
     
    If I were to add a speculative Blue Sky idea that I have not considered deeply, it would be to prevent Local Authorities running any Housing at all, as there is too much of a conflict of interest, and too many opportunities for corruption. Make it a properly distanced, permanent reform eg via Housing Associations rather than intermediate creatures-of-the-Council such as ALMOs (Arms Length Management Organisations).
     
     
  5. Ferdinand
    This blog post is just to note the possibility of using Blackthorn (also known as sloe) as a hedge - which was not one I had thought about.
     
    Blackthorn will grow into a small tree, but can also be made into a hedge; personally I think it might be attractive as one species in an informal hedge. The fruit can be made into jams, jellies or flavoured gin. Unlike many gin flavourings, it is far more than a tinge - you *know* that it has sloes in it.
     

     
    It also has white flowers between March and June, and is hardy throughout the UK.
     
    Do any buildhubbers have blackthorn in their hedges? Are there any problems?
     
    My garden is entirely walled or fenced, but I think I might find room for a bush to grow to perhaps 2.5 or 3m high. For the birds, you understand. And the gin.
     
     
  6. Ferdinand
    I have written a number of articles about adapting a house to be more suitable for use by people who are frail, older or disabled.
     
    This is a list so that anyone interested (or not interested) can find them slightly more easily.
     
    Converting a Downstairs Bathroom into an Accessible Shower Room
     
    Cost for this was just over £2k, including about £1k for the Fitter Labour and £250 for a shower seat and grab rails etc. A full replacement would have cost about £2500, with perhaps £1250-£1500 of materials. For a DIY version it would have cost £1200-£1500. 

    A detailed set of 6 articles about my downstairs bathroom being made into a shower room:
    Accessible Ablutions - Strip OUt Accessible Ablutions 2 - Ducts for the Future Accessible Ablutions 3 - Half Way Photos Accessible Ablutions 4 - Finished Photos Accessible Ablutions 5 - 3d Printing Accessible Ablutions 6 - Costs and Components  
    Project Discussion thread:
    Recommendations for Bathrooms for Elderly / Disabled  A forum post where I reflect a little after some time of using the new shower room.  
    Adding a Bath to the a large upstairs shower room
     
    Before and after articles with 3-d model, finished video, and debate leading to design changes:
    Bathroom Refurbishment Project (1) - Comments Please Bathroom Refurbishment Project (2) - Proposed Design Bathroom Refurbishment Project Finished  
    More will be added as and when. The next projects are a further bathroom refurbishment upstairs and an accessibility ramp on the front path.
     
     
     
  7. Ferdinand
    Douglas Adams, in "Life, the Universe and Everything", that Arthur Dent expressed a need for "a strong drink and a peer group".
     
    That is what this Gardening Blog is for - my need for the same thing because my knowledge about gardening is patchy, just like my garden. Buildhub cannot supply a strong drink, but I am hoping that the peer group can help me get to grips with the garden I inherited last year. The idea has been around for a couple of months, and is now in a position start.
     
    We talk a lot about building here, but not so much about all the aspects of the settings of our houses - planning, clearance, climate, fencing, groundworks, trees, plants, soil, hedges and all the rest.
     
    That is what I hope can get a bit more coverage and conversation here, in all its aspects.
     
    This is a group blog, with potentially as many authors as wish to contribute, so if you have a question, or a project, or a garden you have liked or a plant you have spotted or grown, we can sign you up as an author or do a one-off contribution. If you would like to involved as a one-off or regular, do send me a Private Message.
     
    For my first question - what is the purple plant in the middle of the piccie below, and is it a weed or a specimen? Do I take it out or leave it in? Comments are most welcome. Plant identification is one of my weak points.
     

     
    * The header picture is of the Dill and Watercress in my microveg "Green Wall" - which has been one my new projects during the lockdown period, which I will post about more as things go on.
  8. Ferdinand
    At the start of lockdown in March 2020 I decided to try to see how well I could grow what are termed Microgreens.
     
    What are microgreens? At a simple level, these are a posh version of “mustard and cress” that we all grew at school, and comprise several dozen different crops that can be grown indoors at eaten very young – usually when the cotyledons have grown, and sometimes when a few leaves have also developed. Typically these are nutritious and flavoursome, and perhaps colourful, small plants that can be used as a garnish or flavouring, or as a portion of salad. Some of the microveg are “cut and come again”, so several cycles of harvest are possible.
     
    The time from planting to harvest is anything from perhaps 6-10 days to 20-30 days. So by planting in waves every couple of weeks, it is possible to keep a continuous supply of microgreens rolling.
     
    Examples of microgreens are mixed salad greens, water cress, beet, dill weed, rocket, mizuma, coriander, alfalfa, basil, various other herbs. The current header picture for this Gardening blog is a closeup of Dill Weed and Watercress from my second batch. 
     
    Fortunately I was able to get to our local 'hardware and everything' discount store (“GJ and Daughter”), and buy a selection of seeds etc. just before everything locked down around 20 March.
     
    There is also a category known as “sprouts” (sprouted seeds), which are consumed even younger.
     
    My drivers were a desire for some more difference in what I eat, a reluctance to go into the garden every time I want a herb, and a north facing conservatory that was ready for a new purpose after my mum passed away in November 2019.
     
    I started with a goal to experiment and see if I could grow the equivalent of one portion of veg a day in my north-facing conservatory in a space about 2m wide and 2m high, using a couple of bays of (yacht varnished) IKEA IVAR shelves as I have umpteen of these available. There is still a long way to go, but I can see a route to get there.
     

     
    I am now into my third cycle of experiment.
     
    1 – The first was a couple of trays just to get an idea as to how it works.
     

     
     
    2 – The second was about 10 types of microveg planted in early May to be a bit more systematic.
     

     

     

     
     

     

     
    3 – For the third cycle I have a few growlights, as my lower shelves get significantly less light than the top shelf, and I will be buying seed in bulk to grow the plants close enough to be self supporting. Photos to follow.
     
    For this first article I think there are two or three major insights worth mentioning:
     
    1 – The amount of seed needed is startling. To grow a normal 18cm x 50cm seed tray of microgreens, which may give up to (I hope) 150-200g of crop, will require around 10g of seeds. This is about the same amount of seeds as 4-5 packets, which makes clear that seeds need to be bought in bulk, as otherwise it may need £5+ worth of seed per tray. Bulk seed is many times less expensive.
     
    Packets of seeds is fine for playing or going for garnishes to add interest to salads or soups or smoothies, but bulk suppliers are worth investigation. One supplier I am looking at is Moles' Seeds, where 50g of seeds for eg Sweet Basil is around £5, compared to approximately £1-3 per for about 2-3g of seed if bought in a packet.
     

     
    An official “5 portions a day” portion is about 70-80g of vegetables.
     
    2 – There are a wide variety of systems and growing mediums that can be used. I am using – as mentioned – IVAR shelving, and conventional potting compost. There is no need to feed as I am replacing the compost each time and putting using the compost in the garden. It works with normal sized seed trays, of which I inherited approximately 30 in the potting shed.
     
    The site I mention below uses a system of 4” x 2” shop display racks, and large 10” x 20” trays, using a growing medium of COIR (made from coconut fibre) with hydroponic chemicals. They use shop undercounter display lights for growlights.
     
    3 - The thing can be done with relatively little time, but regular input – essentially daily – is needed for example to check whether watering is required and misting. A 48 hour break is possible. A one week break is likely to kill some things. So timing is important. A auto-watering system may help, and is readily available.
     

     
    4 – There is a potential small cost saving here (or at least a lower cost for interesting flavours and better food) as microgreens from supermarkets can be quite expensive, in addition to the benefits of growing our own. For example a portion of microveg can be anything from under £1 to about £2 or £3 depending on the shop and the product.
     
    I have gained quite a lot from a site called “On the Grow!” which the story of a couple who grow their microgreens in a specially fitted out small-container-on-a-trailer, and maintain a videoblog.
     
    There is also their excellent written walkthrough / get started article here:
    How to Grow Microgreens
     
    And a particular video walking through how they do one particular crop.
     
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcqnIHnK-75WdpaVPQOUxtw
     
    I’ll post further articles about my experiments over the next weeks.
     
    Ferdinand
     
    * Blame the title on a youth spent p-p-p-picking up penguins and being asked what I would be doing when I reached n-n-nineteen.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  9. Ferdinand
    ... may have been well summarised in a quote on the Radio 4 programme "You and Yours" this lunchtime by a gentleman from the Swimming Pools Association about the current boom in swimming pools.
     
    "What about Hot Tubs?"
    "Hot tubs are the devil's own swimming pool."
     
    This was known, in almost all its features, to Hieronymous Bosch the artist - 500 years ago.
     

     
    This is "Tondal's  Vision".
     
    (No, I don't like hot tubs very much.)
     
  10. Ferdinand
    I have a somewhat vigorous mature Clematis and Wisteria, rambling over a frame dividing the leisure garden from the kitchen garden.
     
    This is an exchange from during lock-down with a friend, but I would welcome any further comments before I tackle this.
     
     
    These are a few "high summer" dripping wet piccies from this morning:
     

     

     
    o
     
    This is the type of frame that is under all that greenery; a 2m tall horse fence.
     

     
     
    And these are the replies from a friend who posts as "Cyclefree" over on http://www.politicalbetting.com/
     
     
    Thanks in advance for any comments.
     
  11. Ferdinand
    For PC
     
    Get irfanview from here.
     
    https://www.irfanview.com/
     
    Get a window grab of the view from Streetview (using Ctrl-Printscreen for current window or Printscreen for whole screen). Or use a photo.
     
    Trim it using the cursor and CTRL-Y (crop selection)
     
    Do an Edge Detect from Image > Effects >Edge Detect menu.
     
    That gives you the edges in white on black.
     
    Invert the image (CRTL-SHIFT-N) to get black on white.
     
    Print out. And play.
     
    (Most photo packages will have a similar)
     
    Ferdinand
     
     


  12. Ferdinand
    Here are a few photos of the refurbished bathroom when done, including the 'ease of use' items such a shower seat, except for a few finishing touches.
     
    (There are a couple of 'before aids added' photos which I have left in.)
     
    There is one more post to follow in this series, which will talk about a couple of final touches, and detail the costs of the project.
     
    [Edit: Added bonus video from the "Recommendations for Bathrooms for Elderly / Disabled" forum thread created for this project]
     
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     
  13. Ferdinand
    Buildhub member @NSS is doing a cycle marathon in his bedroom (OK, that's an exaggeration; it's in his shed ... maybe) to raise some money for a favoured cause during lockdown.
     
    I have my own slightly mad cycling project, amongst several others.
     
    I tried to get a local forum going a few years ago, which went exactly nowhere. So I’m trying again with an FB group whilst there are about 5x as many cyclists around ... many going up and down my lane. In adjacent areas great things have been achieved over the last few years, but not here. Yet.
     

     

     
     

     
    But some bugger has bent one of my driveway safety mirrors - very strange,  as it is to prevent accidents and me squashing people walking past with my car.
     

     
  14. Ferdinand
    These are two Gresham lectures by the Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer.
     
    Gresham Lectures are free lectures in London, funded by a legacy from Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-1579).
     
    The first was on the centenary of the Spanish Flu epidemic, looking at the history of pandemics.
     
     
    The second is on COVID-19 Coronavirus.
     
     
  15. Ferdinand
    I posted this video of a "Distributed Bolero" by the l'Orchestre national de France to the COVID Thread, and it seems to be worth posting here, especially as there is an established method of making these videos.
     
     
    Here's one from a couple of years ago:
     
     
     
    And here is a short tutorial (2 minutes):
     

    And a longer tutorial - 40 minutes:
     
     
    And a place where you can find a template for Garageband
     
     
     
  17. Ferdinand
    Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Lyme Park - an Italianate Country House owned by the National Trust near Disley, Stockport - to rendezvous with an old friend. However, it is not necessarily the best idea to visit somewhere at 800ft elevation in February; it was significantly cold on a day such as the one we selected, which did wonders for the cafe trade in soup and coffee.
     
    Lyme Park was built in the 1720s, after possession by the same family since Medieval times, when they became much more wealthy due to the discovery of coal beneath their land during the industrial revolution. For more information on Lyme itself try the Wikipedia article. It looks extraordinarily posh and huge, from the lake side.
     

     
    We approached from the back - the North, which is far more modest.
     

     
    And into the enclosed courtyard, which feels surprisingly intimate.
     

     
    I have not reflected on it often, but the landed aristocracy, or newly rich industrialists or robber-barons, are all self-builders. And that like most Buildhubbers they only ever build one or two houses, and that therefore like us they have little chance to learn from their own mistakes, as they have little or no experience. They are sometimes like all of us are sometimes - feet of clay and heads in the clouds.
     
    There are exceptions, such as Bess of Hardwick who probably built at least 6 houses (Old Hardwick Hall, new Hardwick Hall, Chatsworth, a lesser known one at Oldcotes near Hardwick which has vanished, a Town House in Derby, and a Hunting Lodge in the Peak District), and also her own memorial which is now in Derby Cathedral. That is one way to control your reputation.
     
    At Lyme a range of special events and tours had been laid on - including one looking behind the scenes at the house, where the guides have plenty of time to talk and answer questions.
     
    The house was heavily remodelled by an Italian Architect Giacomo Leoni, who designed a number of Palladian houses in England, to a Palladian form but incorporating much of the existing building. He added a new frontage to an existing C-shaped plan to create an enclosed courtyard accessed via an entrance archway. I would say that the owner of Lyme was a victim of architectural fashion here.
     
    A number features are perhaps inappropriate, and quite major changes had to be made to parts of the building a century later. 
     
    It was noticeable that the courtyard was *much* colder than the already cold weather - entering through the archway felt as if moving from a fridge to a freezer. It would be more comfortable, at least in a Stockport winter, if the "inner court" were still part of the wider countryside -  the previous plan. I have no idea how this design works in Italian conditions; it does not work here at this time of year.
     
    The Guide remarked that Lyme is different in that it is characteristic for many large English country houses to be entered at first floor level - consider all those sweeping staircases such as at Keddleston Hall in Derbyshire, or even Town Houses with basements, or half basements.
     

     
     
    (I am not entirely convinced by the whole thing here, as the main entrance inside the Courtyard *is* actually at 1st Floor Level, but he does have some valid points. At Lyme many service rooms were built on the Ground Floor, and it seems clear that there were at least some design problems,.)
     
    In the 1800s' further remodelling many of these rooms were moved to separate buildings, and they even burrowed into the hill like hobbits to build a tunnel to move in supplies.
     
    The entrance sequence was also adjusted, to give a practical route to what was the Estate Office.
     
    It seems to me that here the self-builder of Lyme made exactly the same mistakes that can be made by modern self-builders can on a smaller scale.
     
    So what are the lessons:
     
    1 - Choose an architect with experience that is as comparable as possible, and that can be demonstrated to be such.
    2 - Self-builders need to self-educate as far as possible, to be an engaged and knowledgeable client. One job of the client, as the Plot Expert, is to help the architect avoid applying boilerplate ideas from elsewhere.
    3 - Do as much work as possible on paper, on computer, or in the head. As the project progress, changes become rapidly more expensive, and mistakes less likely to be corrected. Once it is fixed in brick, stone, wood or concrete, it becomes ...fixed.
    4 - Ultimately, it is the client who has to live with the results of their collaboration with the Architect, and the buck stops with them.
    5 - Whatever you do, do not be a fashion victim.
     
     
     
  18. Ferdinand
    A topic which has been done to death, but student @Lakeside has come up with a short and sufficiently general definition that to me it covers recognised categories of self-builder.
     
     
    It is quoted from this thread.
     
    (* What does the piccie of 2 cats shooting a cannon have to do with the topic. Nothing. Explosive debate?)
  20. Ferdinand
    I have recently (had) installed on our downstairs doors a set of doorstops that would prevent doors needing to be reopened from behind the swing, and hold them open when they do not need to be closed. Even oak suffers eventually from too many "Open that Door" impacts.
     
    This was needed to help make the house more accessible or an older person, who sometimes used a wheelchair.
     
    So the requirement was:
     
    Something to hold an open door, open. That would catch the door relatively gently. Such that the door could be closed again with a relatively gentle tug by an older person.  
    This is the product I used, which is a "Rauken DS-002 Stainless Steel Soft-Catch Magnetic Door Stop in Brushed Satin Nickel, Wall Mount-2 Pack", at about £16:00 for a 2-pack.
     
    Reasonably easy to fit, well made and recommended. The magnet is strong (though a little variable across half a dozen examples). 
     
    I fitted them half-way along the back of the door, but towards the edge of the front door for a stronger attachment to be less vulnerable to any draught-driven opening if both front and back doors were open at once.
     
    The only issue with fitting is registration between the two halves, if the door is not to be quite parallel to the wall. One way would be to attach one half, chalk the end, then test open the door to see where it touches the chalk. Another is to put it on with a single screw initially (out of three) and then adjust later. A third option is to have long, thin, arms and a stubby screwdriver and hope the dog does not tread on you.
     
    The main limitation is that this product requires approx 6 inches (150mm) between the back of your door and your wall.
     
    If you meet those requirements, then I can recommend. It also comes with Amazon Prime, so no delivery charges at this time. It is perhaps worth trying a smaller order first to see if they work for you, as it is on Prime.
     
    There are options which are a little cheaper, but I am currently short of pfaff-time so I went for the one with the larger number of good reviews.
     

     

     
  21. Ferdinand
    My bathroom needs a refurbishment because a whole line of tiles has cracked, I think due to moisture-induced movement in the subfloor.
     
    In my last article, I posted some photos of the current arrangement, and possible ideas. This is just thinking out loud about a couple of possible layouts. As ever all comments are most welcome.
     
    Here is the current layout, which shows the plan but does not include the full set of posh bits (eg shower here is a wetroom area with showers both ends):
     

     
    and 3d-view

     
    Here are my two ways to incorporate a bath, and replace the wetroom area. Personally my preference is for  a location in the window, though perhaps with no door to the shower. Whilst I think this is stylish, the other option below is more practical. 
     
    IMO this option would need something of a more solid barrier to separate bath and loo.
     
    2 - Bath in Window Area / Reduce Shower Size
     
    This option uses a double ended bath as shown.
     

     

     
    3 - Bath in Alcove / Reduced Shower Size
     
    This has more intimacy, and would probably want a single ended bath, due to the alcove.
     

     

     
    The alcove into the hipped roof:
     

     
    And a photo of the dormer window alcove, which is 1.5m wide.
     

     
     
  22. Ferdinand
    This summer I need to have my upstairs bathroom refurbished. It was installed 12 yeas ago by the previous house owner, who also did the self-build addition of an upper storey to the previous bungalow. The bathroom has lots of lovely features including electric ufh, and a long crack all the way down a row of tiles.
     
    I think the room pretty much needs gutting, as the problem is probably under the floor, which is a huge pity because the fittings are so pleasant. I think, however, that I may be able to retain the wall tiles, and perhaps reuse the existing shower screen (which looks expensive to replace).
     
    The requirements are:
     
    1 - Fix floor, replace ufh and retile.
    2 - Replace wetroom area with large shower, perhaps with storage area (I really do not need a 2.6m x 1.1m shower).
    3 - Add bath.
    4 - Replace loo with something a little less temperamental.
    5 - Replace whb with one with more space for bottles and things, possibly a vanity unit.
     
    I have a couple of months to think about this, so any comments would be very welcome.
     
    Here is the crack:
     

     
    My verdict on that crack is that the subfloor may have been done with 8x4 sheets of standard chipboard, rather than tongue and groove, and that moisture has got in and made the joint expand. There are also a couple of other cracks at right angles, and the wetroom area is suffering a little.
     

     

     
    Here are a few snapshots of the room, including some excellent tiling on a hipped corner. First a simplified layout and 3d:
     

     

     
    Where it fits:
     

     
    Inside of dormer window:
     

     
    Whb and towel rail:
     

     
    Loo (the blotches are as a result of compressing the photo):
     

     
    The wetroom area:
     

     
     
     
     





     
    As I say, this is one to chew on ... so any comments are welcome.
     
  23. Ferdinand
    This is the last post in my series, with details of a couple of finishing touches and details of what I bought and what it cost.
     
    Summary
     
    For drive-by readers, the total cost came to just on £2200 including VAT, or about £2500 if the project had replaced everything - I kept the washbasin, vanity unit, storage unit and mirror.
     
    There is also potential to reclaim VAT on the approximate £200 spent on specific accessibility pieces such as the shower seat and grab rails. 
     
    Counting up the wall tiles in the bathroom, I find that no fewer than eleven from about 60 now have holes drilled in them. That is the smallest number of spares I will need to buy now to restore the bathroom to should I need to do so later, of for example an elderly person dies or moves into a care home, and the property needs to be sold on. A thing worth bearing in mind; these are not projects where 2 or 3 spares will be sufficient ... "for a want of 15 tiles the bathroom was gutted".
     
    In practise in this case I have umpteen spares as someone gave me 10sqm of tiles when I only needed about 6sqm.
     
    Extras
     
    I added a shower caddy storage unit. These figures do no include fluffing.
     

     
    Lists of Costs
     

     
    List of Suppliers
     
    Most of the products above should be easy to locate.
     
    Here is a list of clickable deep links that I have available.
     
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CC6UNZG/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017O89SG2/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01CC6UNZG/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B074T41X9F/ https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Modern-Rainfall-Square-Twin-Head-Exposed-Thermostatic-Bar-Shower-Mixer-Chrome-54/232674611695?var=532155236037&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20190212102350%26meid%3D48370791d06f43a1972ba71707e98bf6%26pid%3D100012%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D332130829568%26itm%3D532155236037&_trksid=p2047675.c100012.m1985 https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/lillangen-washbasin-cab-1-door-2-end-units-white-s09188045/ https://www.tiletown.co.uk/en
    http://probablythebestpubsintheworld.co.uk/
     
    Wrap up
     
    That's all folks. Ask any questions below, and I will do my best to answer.
     
    If you are between about Junction 24 and Junction 28 on the M1, check out http://probablythebestpubsintheworld.co.uk/ - a local company with about 5 eating pubs, which are decent quality and very good value. And have good beers - my local one has Abbot and Taylor's Landlord.
     
  24. Ferdinand
    This post is a brief interlude in my "Accessible Ablutions" mini-project, and will be followed by one more post reporting the costing and sourcing detail of the project.
     
    I found that I needed to hold a hinged shower screen firmly in place against a slopoing ceiling, and needed a custom part.
     
    Through the good offices of Buildhub and @Temp, that was able to be done in a few days to the custom design required. This is a short description of the process, taken from the thread.
     
    The Problem
     
    I have repurposed the former hinged bath shower screen as the end screen of my walk in shower, as it is under the stairs. A side benefit was to be that the narrow 450mm entrance gap would you be opened a little wider for horizontally more extensive people, or putting a shower seat inside more comfortably etc.
     
    Due to a need to reposition the shower closer to the stairs, there is now such a minimal gap that I need to fix the screen in place, rather than let it move. So I need a part with a 42 degree upper surface and a slot to fit over the top of the 6mm hinged screen, which I can then glue or silicone in place.
     
    Pics and a diagram are below
     

     

     

     
    The Answer
     
    We came up with a design incorporating a toblerone shaped 3d-printed "thing", which could be glued to the top of the glass screen, and glued and screwed to the ceiling.
     
    After creating a "prototype", which was nearly but not quite right due to a measurement inaccuracy, it works beautifully.  
     


     
    The full story is in this thread:
     
  25. Ferdinand
    This project has now been going for a week, and should be finished with just under another day of work.
     
    Tiling and grouting has been done, and it is now just to fit the shower, the loo, and install shower screen and those grab handles etc that we have obtained so far. Then it will a case of experimenting and putting the final touches in as the shower is used.
     
    Here are a few slightly rushed  photos taken at this stage.
     
    Two runs of pipe installed for the future just in case, which go through to where most of the plumbing related gubbins live beyond the other end of the bathroom.
     

     
    Shower tray protected from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

     
    Access hatch for future maintenance
     

     
    Give it a shout - get on and grout. It's Friday.
     

     
    Nice corner detail
     

     
    Stay out and let it set
     

     
    If anyone has any bright ideas, I need to have a set of hooks about a foot below these. Is there any product that hangs hooks off the other hooks?
     

     
    We should have wrapped up by Monday afternoon, and I'll aim to do one more piece, with details and costs.
     
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