BTC Builder

From another thread, I know you're local to me. Can you recommend any suppliers of screed mix? It's a large area, 140sqm and we wouldn't want it all in a day as we wouldn't be able to level it in one go. we'd split it into two and have an expansion joint in the middle (doorway) regardless of whether we do it all ourselves or have someone else supply the mix.

I've got the man power and a large mixer so not worried in that regard, I just don't want to do the wrong mix that will crack or won't work with the underfloor heating

This is what i was wondering, I've seen it done on other jobs I've sub contracted to and would not attempt it semi dry. So wet mix is no good?

I was wondering if anyone had done their own sand and cement (75mm) floor screed and what the correct mix would be? I was thinking 3:1 with concreting sand and sbr but don't really know if this would be suitable with the underfloor heating?

150mm. I find pir as easy to use as dritherm, which is difficult and itchy to cut, but I don't like it getting wet and soaking through so prefer pir

I've got 0.17 u value, thomas armstrong 7.3n lightweight concrete blocks inner and outer skin, 100mm unilin PIR partial cavity fill. Blocks 97p each, 6.48 each for the unilin.

We're way past foundation stage. Could such a thing be left entirely external and only drill into the house if necessary above the dpc cavity tray? I've got a radon barrier so having a duct in the ground and up into the house seems at odds with that. I've also no intention of using any ducting as the cable is there in my front garden. I'll only be going down the ducting route if someone forces me to. I should add that someone else at LABC, a younger chap who is keen as mustard, has already mentioned my "lack of a connectivity plan" so it's not as if I'm opening any new doors in asking the question. I'm just wondering if my "plan" to use the existing overhead cable is viable

Why ask? Because I don't know what gigabit ready connection is. I don't know if it will or won't involve getting into the sub floor, which with underfloor heating, screed, tiles will cause massive issues, if I leave them until sign off inspection.

I know there's been a few threads on this over the past 18 months but I thought I'd see if anyone can help with my situation. I'm building a replacement house within a built up residential area. There's a telegraph pole at the end of the driveway where an overhead cable used to go into the old house and give us 100mb download speed Internet. When we demolished the old bungalow, we simply wrapped this cable up, covered it, and the intention is to simply put it back on the new house with the same Internet provider (sky). I just had a meeting with the local authority building inspector and when I asked if using the telegraph pole to provide a cable with a 100mb connection would satisfy part r and ultimately allow him to sign off the house, he wouldn't commit to anything and almost became a robot "every building regulation submission should have a part R connectivity plan". Well my plan is just to use the cable I've already got but he wouldn't tell me if he would pass it or not. He's an old bloke and probably thinks the whole thing is a load of bollocks. Would a letter from sky showing the speed available be good enough?

So would the summary be, avoid and stick to polythene trays above the radon tray? I noticed NHBC are now saying polythene trays should be avoided which probably contributed to the architect specifying zedex.

I'm already doing that with the radon barrier. it's a detail I've never seen before, radon barrier across level from internal to external skin at dpc level, then a tray down from the first course internal to dpc external. Two trays if you will.

A bit of a strange one. My drawing says to use "high performance Zedex DPC or similar approved" for the all dpc/tray at dpc level. I've never heard of this product and none of the local merchants stock it. When reading about it, it says that it does not conform to BS6515 standard which is what I'd associate with "normal" dpc rolls. Anyone any experience with this stuff? I'm a bit wary of it tbh. I'm also installing a radon barrier which is perhaps why they've put this Zedex stuff on the drawing in addition to the radon barrier.

I've said it in a thread of my own. CIL is a scam. The self build exemption is full of pitfalls and booby traps which councils will happily allow you to fall into. If you're exempt because you are self building, you should be able to claim the exemption you're entitled to, even if you've started in error without the correct paperwork due to poor advice from architects/designers or plain ignorance. I had someone reply telling me that CIL is in fact not a scam because councils need money. In your case, you've received some truly awful advice in this thread with regards to applying for demolition and replacement dwelling. That's the worst thing you can do. What will happen is, the council will gladly allow you to walk down this path, then when it is approved, the CIL officer will be in touch and say something like, "oh no, you've already started the build and you can only claim CIL exemption before any work commences, as per government guidelines. It's a real shame and I don't want to do this, I really don't, I swear, but that will be £52k please." They'll have you by the bollocks and there'll be nothing you can do. All you can do is fight this now to stay within your current approval which didn't trigger CIL in the first place. Of course the council want you to do a new application which will trigger CIL and will legally allow them to bill you £52k. It makes a wee bit of sense when you think about it that way.

Just getting on with it could prove to be a costly mistake. There'd be an obvious second floor staircase in the large gallery entrance that the bitter architect across the road, who put an objection in would soon notice. Old bugger would gladly report it, especially after I, a bricklayer, made him look a fool to the council when I countered his objection.

Having finally secured the funding for my build, it turns out I've got a bit more money than what I expected when I originally put in planning permission. I've now decided that I'd like to put attic trusses on and claim an extra two rooms. The problem is, I wanted to start in a few weeks. I've already got the cil exemption but I'm not sure how it would work if I need to do a modified application for the additional rooms. I certainly don't want to fall into the trap of having started and then the council wanting £50k+ from me because my exemption is for a "different" application. Can anyone offer any advice? Do I have no choice but to wait until a new application is approved?