Ferdinand

Nothing new that I would call a balance issue. But I've always had 3 left feet.

But if one has Leukemia, Hair6 Cell is the one to have apparently as the vast majority go into long term remission and there is little effect on lifetime length. F

It’s not been a vintage year so far. ?

According to the British Tinnitus Association, about 1 in 7 have tinnitus effects to some degree. The diabetes is currently under decent control (A1c just over 7), but next year is my 20th anniversary of diagnosis so it could just be a matter of time thing, as T is sometimes coincident of D. I also take statins, and T is a (rare) side-effect. Though all my blood counts going out of kilter over the last 18 months following a very nasty chest infection, of which one known issue is A1c tests getting pushed out of whack. At one stage saw a ridiculous fall in just a fortnight that we all thought was impossible. We got to a diagnosis of a form of Leukemia (Hairy Cell) in April / May, and I have been treated since with a monoclonal antibody, and it seems to be going into rapid and hopefully long term remission (the condition is well known with a well established treatment). That is currently front and centre for obvious reasons, but I'll talk to the relevant specialists on the Tinnitus. Cheers for the comments F

We have been at up to 29C today, and inside started at 23 and ran up to 25. I may be able to start a couple of degrees lower if I have the stack venting set up from 6-8am, but 8 am not comfortable.

I think it goes underneath the grill, or there is a dome shaped lid.

If it is so dark, I would be more inclined to go for white, or light (eg cream or pale yellow or blue or pink), render. Or stainless. Or even mirror. Done carfully, you could make it look like a secret garden through a doorway. Though plenty of plants grow in complete absence of sunlight. A photo would probably help us. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/design/lideas/mirrors-in-garden-design.htm https://empressofdirt.net/garden-mirrors/ https://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/blog/11-amazing-ways-to-use-garden-mirrors/

Yes, it does seem to match the heartbeat.

That's a good thought. Will check.

:Perhaps it's something else - but I've too much more serious medical stuff going on at present to bring that forward yet. The sound is a background woosh-woosh-woosh in one ear (like listening to a seashell !), which I first thought to be the central heating system doing something strange. Hopefully it will clear up.

One surprise for me is the extent to which spin speed makes a difference. My usual spin is 1400rpm - I find that if I use a wash with 1200rpm the drying time is significantly longer. That may be because my indoor drying setup is marginal compared to eg a place with MVHR. F

I seem to have developed a measure of tinnitus as (probbaly) a side effect of last winter's lurgy. Unfortunately that means that in addition to struggling to hear the microwave hum and warming drawer click, I am now running TVs and Alexa at nearly maximum volume, with a couple of surprisingly good <£40 bluetooth speakers for when I am outside. When this has all calmed back down I'll talk to a doc about it, but I am also going to need to tweak the sound system, Currently Alexa is an Amazon Echo G3. Can anyone advise on the best upgrade path? I think I want a second base (I think they can pair), or something that will give me a bit more amplitude with little loss of quality, I guess there are perhaps 3 rooms plus outside where it would be nice to have sound at this stage. I am not an audio geek, and all suggestions are welcome. I won't be buying SONOS, due to their previous loyal customer shafting activities. Cheers Ferdinand

On this one I''d say: 1 - Five bed is too busy - study can be optional guest bed. 2 - Move the asymmetrical pair of ensuites towards the master - that can afford to lose more space. 3 - Need natural light on the landing. 4 - Importantly - think about it in the context of the site eg position and arc of sun. Moving smaller shapes around in a bigger outline in mid air awill not give you an optimal place to live. 5 - I have not gone on real detail because I think you are thinking general concepts at present. F

Welcome.

This one? My tactic was to buy a tray that weighed half that...

it gets easier on the second house ?. Or the fifth house. So perhaps practice on the garage.

I think that one of the points of self-build that you don’t have to give a hoot if your requirements are standard or not. I think what I’m saying is just take enough time to be reasonably sure that you develop your ideas enough that you will get something good and you will not have any real Doh! Type regrets later. This thread is a very good thing to do, as you are getting lots of different opinions that you can adapt or consider then set aside. If you are dealing with a designer or architect at some stage, you will have that much more background to ask the right questions.

There's a learning point there. You are doing a sequential process - to fit your normal way of thinking / working. That is fine, but the risk is that you lose the links eg between the plan and how it can vary with different glazing types and positions etc. An architect might work more from a sketched network of room links and positions relative to the aspects etc, and then evolve it as an overall vision. Be sure that you go forwards and backwards enough times to make the links. If you are just a few feet in front or behind your neighbours for part of the width that means that you can get beams of direct sunlight much later or earlier in the day through a tiny bit of side aspect exposed round the end of next door. Ferdinand

Speaking of painting, have you considered spraying your undercoats? May be too late for this time! But worth knowing about as a technique.

Yep. It’s to do with giving appropriate compensation in cash or kind where they feel you have been sufficiently generous whilst you feel you have not been exploited. It might be a payment or eg providing a professionally designed and built shrub border over the bit of garden that your building project has trashed.

Welcome.

Five photos just taken in my house. Mine is built right on the boundary both sides. I was responsible for the conservatory .. the PP would have gone right up to the boundary but I did not want to get complicated with neighbours so left a gap which also means my middle lounge has a small strip of wall accessible for wiring, ducts etc on outside wall on my property. The test was done bŷ the previous owners who extended the bungalow in approx 2008. Personally I would not have the nerve to put those glass blocks in the garage wall. Translucent high window in conservatory. 2m garden wall 18” behind it. Next door house 3m beyond that. Panel in front door .. Edwardian style. For privacy bu5 that green bit is a peephole. Glass block window in garage. This is on the boundary. Roof window. Has stick on design as it would look onto next door. Tall window with permanent arrangement to provide a near field point of interest. Ferdinand

Disagreeing with that. No it doesn't. It means that you need to find ways that work getting light in from the sides, whilst not giving you a boring view. A blank wall - what a wonderful opportunity ! Also I assume there is space the other side so the next house is 2m or 4m away. Examples: - In the 1910s and 1930s they used all those wonderful part translucent, part stained stair windows. They did similar things where path was against path between pairs of semis. You get a nice bright glass design, no actual view out, and light in the dark part of a room. - In the 1970s they used glass brick panels. My dad on one occasion built a glass brick clerestorey (one row below a flat room) right up against a public footpath. I have a couple of "windows" made from these in my garage which are right on the boundary against the neighbour garden. - In yours there is nothing to stop you having a textured glass window at fence height, or as a horizontal window high enough up to get the extra light from the 2-4m to the next house.I have one in my conservatory. - It may be that etched glass, or a mosaic of leaded lights in different colours, would be interesting. - Equally you can put in a normal window (full height narrow say 2.2m high by 450 wide might be interesting), and do something interesting outside, which could be planting, a design on the wall, a bed of hostas or a climber, or similar. I know of one where the outside level is at 2'6", so they planted it up to have the feel of houseplants on a windowsill, but outside. - Or do something interesting inside to add interest to a blank-ish view, and distract from it. - If you Kevin McCloud you might get an external light well that looked like a chimney flue. I'm not saying think outside the engineering box ... I'm saying the box is actually quite a strange shape. Will try and find a couple of piccies. Ferdinand

It is easier to have a decent relationship with your neighbour such that you can work from that side for the short period you need. With an appropriate benefit to them. I hope you have this - better for all concerned.

One question. This is non-standard construction (albeit Laing Easiform is one of the more accepted methods and relatively mortgageable). Since you are planning EWI is it actually going to be a better solution to insulate under the entire roof under the tiles ("the full tea cosy") if you are planning extensive works? Ferdinand