Ferdinand

Places like Ikea do wooden utility trolleys including drawers and shelves etc which are very good small "islands" on wheels. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vesken-shelf-unit-white-40307866/ They are called things like FORHOJA !! (which is what small boys shout in Sweden where we shout GERONIMO whilst jumping 4ft down a sand dune) and BROR (which is part of the Swedish for Brer Rabbit, Brer Rabbit being a not very tastefully named Swedish sex-toy.).

You are scoring about 92% in your patience test.

We're avoiding it because it could be a detailed question, but let's chat. It depends on the conditions and what you want to do with it. Do you know what the temperature is in there? Is it like a space under the ground which will have a constant temp give or take (once you are a couple of feet down it will be 5C or so most of the time), or does it fluctuate? What about humidity? is it ventilated to the outside either properly eg air brick or via air leaks? Does it get moisture going through? (Ideally: run a min/max thermometer/humidistat in there for a bit. Useful things - I have about 3 of these at £10. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017KNQNZA) At present is it adjacent to the outside in any dimension, or is it buried underneath the middle of the house? If you want it eg to put tools in, dryness is important, whilst if you want it for eg wine or jam or plastic things or your drain-rodding kit or bulk household storage, it may be a bit more tolerant. Is it a room above that floor, and do you need to insulate that? Once you have decided what you want it for, then if you need to insulate you either leave it at current temp and insulate the door * and sides adjoining the house, or install an insulated box inside the cupboard and do usual airtiightness things if you want it inside the insulation envelope of the house. If you just want to stand things on the bottom, or install a freestanding shelf-frame in there, then you may be able to get away without a frame and just either glue sheets of insulation together (I did an insulated box for our cat like that), or perhaps glue them to the sides. Imagine using eg large offcuts, or 75mm or 100mm sheets. If you need a frame, then you could potentially glue your battens to the sides and affix to those, and screw to the joists above. Were I doing it, I would want to know it was dry, and I would do it in a dismountable way which lets me get behind the cupboard without destroying it. I hope that is a few points. Spare materials for the house is a good call. Ferdinand * One neat way to do that is with magnetic catches and a panel with two handles that is 'magneted' to the wall.

Point of Order: how does a flayed *corpse* freeze to death?

I think that biodegradable plastics will make a lot of progress for packaging. Plus house construction will work more heavily on dismantle-ability.

Chasing games, or to hold the fondue.

You could get one of those Plasticised Flayed Corpses from Dr Gunther von Hagens, and install it behind @pocster's walk on glazing. Then you can have a hallway like a scare-ride at a funfair, with a light and a siren, and a "bwahahahah" speaker. Absolutely essential if you have children under 10. Squeamishness warning: https://www.standard.co.uk/reveller/attractions/body-worlds-london-piccadilly-circus-a3952486.html

I wouldn't enquire so closely. There is still space...

Do you have some data to support that? It is a factor, but nothing like the total imo. And your other suggestion (better car fuel economy) has not changed in toto. It is a beloved notion as a trump card for people who do not like it being pointed out how well the UK has done on these issues relative to the EU. That's not true in total energy consumption. Total energy consumption by cars is the same as it was 20 years ago (with a switch from petrol to diesel). There is a balance between 20% more cars since 2000, a lower mileage travelled per car, and somewhat improved fuel economy - which all ends up at a total change of around zero energy used. It's correct to say that the energy used per km has reduced. The calorific value of petrol and diesel is with 0.5% of each other. The only thing that will reduce this total energy number may well be a switch to rail / active travel - since electric cars tend to be comparative tanks. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/928350/2020_Energy_Consumption_in_the_UK__ECUK_.pdf I don't buy this. I have already pointed out that we have the best part of 2 GW of gas based generating capacity mothballed. Plus we can flex up imports if necessary. Plus our wind resource is on track to treble by 2030. Plus demand is falling. Given that wind now generates more than nuclear, and is set to treble, I am not very worried about a partial reduction in nuclear. Ferdinand

Reading the above it seems to be an above ground level void (sloping site), so it looks useful as either an insulated space, or uninsulated space (ie insulate the door) depending on your needs.

I wonder what the chap said when it happened? "Er .. ooops". If the bod is not already off the premises, there will be some serious ragging. Ferdinand

Why did you not offer her a 1m long hall cupboard? :??? ?

Looks good. And best of luck with the health. I've had so much treatment in the last 2 years that I've just asked for the latest (nasal polyp) to be put on hold for a year.

Is this "overage" - a clause to retain extra value for the seller if the buyer does x, y, or z? The clause is perfectly normal and is a risk /benefit sharing mechanism. Entirely normal to have one. They just need to be written or parsed quite carefully. It will be a jointly appointed RICS, or similar. What does your surveyor say about the final GDV of the project? I don't understand why you can't get a decent estimate of value with PP. That is also normal. You could renegotiate the clause - eg on sale of first barn. I have heard of one where it triggered on the nth house, so they just stopped at n-1 . Just a normal part of the risk mix. If they want all the money they could of course have gone for outline themselves. You can play games as well, of course. If it is "triggered by PP", then you could apply for one - trigger it and pay. Then apply for the other two a bit later. We had a clause on a bungalow (.5 acre plot) we bought next door once, and that was 20 years 50% of value uplift triggered by grant of PP binding on successor owners. That one was vulnerable to this strategy but in the end the people we sold it too did not want to develop, just extend, and they limited it to PD rights so the clause did not apply. ( @Bramco, not a strategy to be used with your own family, unless you want a perma-schism. ? ) TBH 1m sounds a *lot* for *potential* barn conversions. Is it a well-written clause? I might be inclined to try and lance that clause for a smaller amount than it could potentially achieve. Depending on the wording, apply for PP for a shed or garden pond ?. Certainly get legal advice. F

"Pastiche of Local Vernacular".

On avoiding his demand for a fake chimney. "Pastiche" is a useful polite, but contemptuous, word, as it hints at fake.

Yes -all energy demand, not production. If you relate it to all generation, then one missing bit not shown on these total numbers is imports which have grown relatively over say 20 years.

If it only has 3mm of insulation I would take it all off and do it properly.

Pity they didn't hide it in a haystack.

Doesn't seem to work for the Ministry of Defence. ?

Ahem: https://comicvine.gamespot.com/builders/4060-60019/ Just not made the movie, yet? They are behind the creation of the entire Universe from Chaos. But, as the Architect said - who created the Chaos?

Don't do that; they will have no option other than to back down and let everyone else walk all over them, or go nuclear - which could end up with them forfeiting your lease. That is sensible. NLC have some successes, as well as some (imo) overambitious aims. You may end up at the Tribunal, if you are determined and they demur. F

Given that nuclear regulation is independent and statutory, I think that "Chernobyl incoming" is a little overwrought. I note that we have 2 gas power stations mothballed with 2/3 the capacity of Hinckley Point C, and that energy demand has been significantly falling for 20 years now. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1007132/DUKES_2021_Chapters_1_to_7.pdf

Depends on what is in your "fixed price" contract. It may include terms as to what may change under which circumstances. There is also a thing called a "firm" price contract, which is really fixed. See: https://www.commercial-consulting.co.uk/post/contract-price-type If someone tries to impose a price increase on you, your action needs to depend on all the circumstances. Half may be reasonable if it is genuinely unpredictable, but if eg it is recent and you have discussed Brexit / supply crunch consequences then it may be different. Nick's "take a hike" could potentially leave him with a liability.

Depends what else you do to mitigate. There is, for example, a current proposal for a 'social tariff'. I'd put a carbon tax on everything based on emissions, which would simplify it very much. And gradually turn against gas as electricity is decarbonised. We have just had a god-almighty media and political flap about a rise in energy prices, yet they are still *after* the flapping around 25% *below* the real level they were at around 2013. I see no reason to subsidise anything out, beyond what has been done previously. I can see a case for ramping up some current projects by volume, though. The normal replacement cycle for heating is 10-15 years for gas, and whatever it is for oil fired. So one thing we need is to insist on upgrades when these are replaced. A ban from 2035 seems quite reasonable, but I am concerned that the current Govt are running scared and risk defecating on their own relatively good record as emissions-reducers. As for relatively rich people in older properties demanding money from the relatively poorer population to make up for their own neglect to invest in properly maintaining/upgrading their own properties in the past - I find that quite obscene. We probably need some quite heavy Pigou taxes, such as higher rates of Stamp Duty or an extra band of Council Tax for poor quality properties from an efficiency point of view. And it needs to be in the Owner Occupied sector, as that is where the slum properties gather now. Yes - they need to catch up on this one ?. They are ahead on setting a timescale for requiring decent energy efficiency in OO properties, though. The Govt in London are dragging their feet, though Rishi shows signs of addressing this. F