Ferdinand

I would consider having a variety of species for interest. You can also make an interesting hedge from Evergreen Oak (Holm Oak). if the Council are trying to make it into a municipal park, i would gently ignore them as much as possible. The RHS have a page with a *lot* of suggestions, then links to a page about each. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=351 Hawthorn is good - you can then encourage one or two of them to make small trees. I used to live somewhere called Thorn Cottage which had a red flowered Hawthorn tree on one corner, and a white on another. I'm doubtful about Laurel as a thin hedge - big leaves. And you can also add in a flowering climber or three to add colour. I'd encourage you to allow slightly more heinght so birds in their little nests will feel safer and more cat-proof.

So minimal exposure can do it but yours sounds small enough to be relatively safe. It is also a sunk cost, so not a lot you can do apart be sire to take care in future.

There are several us on here who lost family members to asbestosis. I lost my dad, and his only known exposure was as supervising (ie not working directly on it) Council architect on a ventilation system with asbestos in it 40 years before he died. So minimal exposure can do it but yours sounds small enough to be relatively safe. But *never* relax about it. So I find @Ralph's comment below to be rather too broadbrush: High levels over time is what causes problems like asbestosis. I would not worry about what you've described at all and it sounds like you are generally being careful anyway.

I had one with a LED light in the mirror, and including an anti-steam feature. You can get ones that are nearly 1m wide, with an illuminated edge strip, demister feature, and sometimes a bluetooth speaker, with touch switches embedded in the mirror, for £100-£200. Watch whether they are mains or battery powered. They are out of the extravagance category. eg https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Bathroom-Mirror-Additional-Features/dp/B07SQYBHP2 F

Let me be on topic for once. 1 - Do you plan to have an arrangement of 'side mirrors' as for a traditional 3 mirror dressing table? And are your mirrors planned to be illuminated - the prices for large integrated-lighting mirrors surprised me when I redid my main bathroom recently. I have a sort of version of this in my bathroom - in my case driven by my current need to self-haircut. 2 - If you are going fitted but open shelves, is there value in having some cupboards for dust avoidance on items used less regularly? That could even be a different idea, such as roller blinds. Ferdinand

I now have images of you and Ms Joe90 being like Bernie Ecclestone and Slavica.

If you were a real fashion victim, you would know these things.

Fabric First. And don't skimp on the standards. Make damned sure that you do first the things that you cannot do later such as under floor insulation, walls etc.

Ye Gods. Wotta lotta underpants.

I have found hedgehog fine, and have used the Hedgehog clips where necessary. These: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hedgehog-Gutter-Clips-Keeps-Brush/dp/B00FOTN35Q The only recent problem was that it needed so little attention that a clump of grass rooted in it. Sorted by glyphosate.

We're actually going with a more thorough layout. It is a 10 year tenant who should stay for another 10, and the sparks is tame.

Be aware how close you are to the boundaries of your plot and neighbouring buildings; potential complication with eg Party Walls // Party Wall-Fences, and perhaps access to the rest of the plot if the basement dig takes up most of the width.

Wouldn't a sparks protest at that, as it needs to cover the max possible. Had a conversation re a tenant's outhouse where the requirement is a washer, 2 dryers and a fridge and a freezer, and the sparks nearly had kittens.

Censored, hopefully. Or the bastard child of Paul Raymond and Dame Edna Everage.

3. I do lurve the idea of fir doors. Very Barbarella. .

Also, bear in mind that there are different views on here. As someone who handles rentals I tend to view drawings and ip as part of the building project / documentation. Mr R has a different view.

Is your previous designer so much on his dignity that he won't sell it you for £xxx ? Find out what the extra cost will be to redraw from the new one, and have a chat to the old one. Screwing you for a few hundred more should cause happiness.

How much are your green ethics worth to you? Or can you get a better price?

Cornwall !

Galv steel would be fine. Wood concreted in would rot just above the concrete in a depressingly short time.

Wickes are removing the charm from life. Their name for "olives" is "compression rings".

Well. That sort of worked.

How have you protected your posts? Or are they galv-steel as well?

Like that. "Tighten until tight." ?

Yes - pretty much. Get a spare olive to take along just in case. Find some PTFE tape. Then clean the end of the pipe (sandpaper?). Presumably I can use a pair of plumbing spanners. Then see if it is leak proof !