Ferdinand

misread

Are we back to merkins again?

So what happened to this gate and why does it need to be 50mm higher? And is this problem dealt with, now?

Option 6 after fixing it, which I will have to add to the Construction Cocktails page. The Forget-me-Shot. From the Simpsons. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi7e8mWV0Ec

To add to this a little. I have had a poke around in a few places. If we consider social media as forum, email, twitter, pinterest, instagram, youtube, podcast, facebook, linkedin it seems that people build out from their background or starting point, and used some media but not usually everything they can. They tend to stick to their knitting, and use other channels *to an extent* to increase footprint. The people with an existing esablished base (TV, newspaper columnists etc) tend to stay identified as individuals - rather than say businesses or services. They have professional services doing stuff for them. People who have built a significant presence without such a base are rarer, and it takes a lot of time and/or effort. They seem to use a wider range of services. Examples and Questions: TV types (eg Phil Spencer) have a large Twitter presence, and usually Instagram / Pinterest, with various dabblings and name donation to paying sponsors on eg Youtube. I am quite interested in how well Ben Adam-Smith (House Planning Help) has done, because he has grow his network from his skillbase as a independent media-producer type person, thugh he now calls hisself a "Self-Builder" on Linkedin. He has used podcast (250 off - 1000+ hours of work) on a Premium Service model, and grown a small community of paying subscribers around that who are mainly mentees, and have access to extra material, and sells services such as training courses. Some features similar to parts of the Patreon model, though that is more altruistic. I think we have one or two mentees here. For a third, Ultimate Handyman, which is a limited company run out of Preston, and is basically a forum, has used Youtube extensively, but only have a smallish Facebook presence, and uses Pinterest well, but seemingly not Instagram. Is anyone aware of Interior Designers who have a significant following on Instagram? F

@recoveringacademic Excellent response ?. Especially as I am the one always asking for their objectives from newbies. The question was quite deliberately open, as I have not focused it yet. This question is a conversation ! More usefully, the immediate end-in-mind is To repurpose content I have created here and elsewhere on my own resource. That has lots of elements to it. Which leads to the first two of many questions, these thinking about the form of such a resource and the way to set it up wrt to technology and integration of online services: 1: What will, in 2020, a beneficial, conversation generating online resource look like? 2: How can the 2019 internet be best used to generate such conversations? And the question for this thread which is a starting point: Which examples of resources around self-build, construction, design use the contemporary internet effectively? How do they do this If you want to move this thread to the members only forum, that is fine. Ferdinand

Slightly specialist. Can anyone point me to any blogs or websites in the self-build, construction or design space which are making good use of Social or Distributed Media. By social media I mean eg Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, mayber Twitter, Reddit, Youtube etc. I am after examples of sites rather than "howtos". Cheers Ferdinand

Ask your Council that one.

That will just give you time for your next Planning Application and Appeal for the gym ?.

This may well be possible, but be prepared for things such as long lead times for TF suppliers - which may make you decide between your favourite house and rapid progress. The Time-Cost-Quality triangle applies in spades to self-build You only get two at once at the cost of the third. https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-scope-triangle.php And welcome. Ferdinand

"Ooops" is very useful. But I once said "Ooops" when I had made a mistake in a team building exercise, and I got a distinct impression that it was insufficient self-abasement. Umpteen apologies and bootlickings were apparently expected, and I think they would have been happier if I had done a self-imposed Joan of Arc solution. Like a forerunner of modern politics. Crowd-sourced Welsh suggestions here. F

Here was one I did last year, using the Plastic not composite version. On that end, the gable was done in about 2011 and the "corner" was done in 2018 - as closely matched as I could find as the painted surface was weathering. The product on the corner is a Rosewood Cladding Product from Eurocell. I think it was of the order of low £ twenties per sqm. It is mounted on roofing battens.

What stage are you at? Lots of options, but may not be applicable if your glass is in already. As JSH mentions, you could use something switchable. You could also perhaps go for something printed to break it up a little - but that would perhaps also show through in the light. Or could you consider a modern strained glass design? Abstract and/or monochrome? Or can you specify translucent glass, or enamelled or textured glass from someone like Linit UK on 01634 890750. They also do printed glass and lots of others. Based in Kent iirc, so not too far away. http://linituk.com/linit-colour-enamelled-glass.html You could even do it as an Interior Design thing with a full height latticework, bamboo Japanese style, or fretwork screen behind the window. It will cost a deal of money, though, whatever you do. F

"Ooops !"

Glutton for punishment, or inspired minor adjustment? Hmm. I can see the benefit, especially on the entrance route, and perhaps someone can give you a ballpark number for the cost of those foundations. Rather than a full sketchup, try just adding the new outline bits onto a printout or trace a plan onto a new sheet over with a pencil or coloured felt tip. An option for the hall-light would be glass panels beside the front door. Would you try and pull he garage inside the insulated envelop? You could do the hall and door and bay under PP, then leave the garage/gym for PD? Remember you only have 3 years to start . F

You have obviously not met my niece ! Unless it is a staircase like the Spanish Steps.

In that 1.5 acres, and if you are aspiring to be carried out in a box (being a little provocative again ), then you have space and time to do something quite spectacular outside - in terms of establishing a treescape etc. That could be done even if you keep the pastures as pastures, bulbs in spring etc. It really is a lot of time. Not quite Tarzan Towers, but potentially a joy to live in and watch. F

Aldi has a 2.5ah 16v cordless drill for 29.99. https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-16v-li-ion-cordless-drill/p/096976230604100 Reviews very well. I have one and it is good for something you intend to use as a sacrificial or lend. There is also a corded track saw for £80. F

Thanks guys. The reason for doing it now i because I am adding a leanto for the T, and the roof will be on soon. There is no intention to do EWI; I looked at that for the whole place when I started doing major upgrades a few years ago, and it was 14-15k - nowhere near viable in energy or rental terms. Since then I have upgraded to roughly halve the bills despite increasing the floor area by 50%, so I think that the >15 year payback exception would apply to a small project on this gable. There are currently no damp issues, so I may be alright with cement render. Need to think a little still, but it is looking like remove the loose stuff, patch, and paint with masonry paint for the aesthetics - perhaps brick red. Painting is not something I want to do, but perhaps I should this time. Any further comments also welcome. Cheers Ferdinand

Hi Again @Sue B General points, since you are still thinking generally. I am trying to be a little provocative, so apologies if I have missed anything you have already told us. Firstly, I am having trouble with the sharpness of this plan. Do you have your compression level set to less than "best" on the PNG file, or something similar? You say very few plots have lawful houses. Does this mean you may not get PP, or do you know you will get PP for something? Just checking you are not being premature and diving into detail too early. >get the 1 mile down the track to the nearest corner shop than the house with luck That means you need sufficient provision for bikes (including potentially trikes), and robust (=Type 3) multiple mobility scooters (charge points!) - that you can get to without going outside or cold (wouldn't want to be tripping on returning in winter at teatime and be stuck outside until morning with a broken leg a mile from help), that you will go barrelling together down the lane on wearing purple when you are 86 and 87. >planned an overhang from the floor above along the entire length of that wall to keep the ground floor cooler in the summer That will need to be incorporated into your heat calculations / modelling. > So finding what is "normal" is a little tricky. Pre-app advice? (Need a lot more contextual info to advise whether that is a good idea). > flat roof There are options for that. Totally flat, or low angle (say 20-30 degrees), or trad, or a mix eg pitched roof into the wind backed by sheltered flat terrace for enjoying the views. There are pros and cons for all of them. There are always options for hiding them (eg see Jeremy's in-roof system, or I have 35 panels where they cannot be seen from the front), without letting it control your whole roof form. I think you could perhaps consider intermediate space - that is something between inside and outside, such as a sit-outside-but-sheltered-from-the-weather place, with a secure, warm but (storage, maybe work area - eg scooters) and an outside under-a-roof area. I think that is one way to root the new house into the landscape. I think the design is OK, which sounds like damning-with-faint-praise, but is not meant to be that. Have you thought about the house-in-its-setting as well as house. You may already have done that, but I think we have only seen the plan. I mean things like sun orientation, vistas from rooms into your planned garden, prevailing wind, existing trees, and how the design relates to it all. These are things that architects should be strong on - if you have an AT and muggins, it may not be sufficiently considered. Classically the design process is both outside-inwards and inside-outwards, then the two are resolved where the ideas meet. Can I recommend that you read the blog by a member here called Caliwag - Jim Comrie. Currently @caliwag seems to be on sabbatical. His blog is mainly thought-provokers about design. He also wrote an E-Book called 'Self Build Home...the last thing you need is an architect', which was a set of notes he then expanded into a full book. It has been very beneficial for a number of us.

The centipede was happy, quite until the frog in fun said "Pray, which leg goes after which?" and worked her mind to such a pitch she lay distracted in a ditch - considering how to run !. F

Would that be due to Buiding Regs. I had not had that thought. Is that the same as indoors ... more than 50% of the thermal element being re-rendered requires a full do-over? Cheers F

I am not counting step ladders, beyond that in the 1,2,3,lots... maths system, it is “lots”.

Personally the tallest set of ladders I have were left at a house purchase because the previous people did not have the capability to take them away. If they move it will be to be weighed in. I get get nervous about ladders, and always go branded or known rebranded. I have a three section rebranded Youngman which was sold by Wickes as their Professional Range. I think it is 2.50m as it is just long enough to crack the windscreen of a Vauxhall Corsa if you misalign it with the thick part of the rear door. I know this through careful measurement *. It has been fine and I would recommend. They do a longer version for just over 7m which would fit in the longer car Which for some reason I have now. It is 3m folded and about £220. Eg https://www.laddersukdirect.co.uk/trade-extension-ladders/youngman-t200-triple-extension-ladders-195.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1rOS3bjh4AIVhoXVCh2d6wBgEAQYASABEgL48_D_BwE I have a telescopic ladder from Aldi, which is surprisingly good, and a pro scaffold tower which also fits in the estate car. It sounds as if you need your correct ladder, then roofbars to carry it. The other item I have is a work platform ... again Youngman via Aldi, Which is good, and can be a platform to 1.5m or a set of ladders that fit together as a pair. All are recommended by me. Ferdinand (*) /liar

Those updated labels will not attach themselves every year ... ?