Moonshine

Sounds like a good idea to support the screws, my dot and dab is pretty think so it may be a couple of layers of ply will be needed to get it pretty flush to the plasterboard lining. once you have the ply on the wall, how do you fix the cabinet, screw into the ply, or go all the way though the ply to the masonry with the hammer type fixings?

yes, plasterboarded

What is the best way to fix the wall hung brackets to dot and dab on aggregate masonry blocks (not aerated blocks)? standard rawl plugs in the masonry and long screws?

Looking over the chippies work this morning and there are significant markings on door edges where it's been cut. Can anything be done?

yeah that's another red flag

Anyone got any ideas?

I am about to do my order for my garage door from habitable space as below, this needs to be a fire door FD30s the main door is going to be this, with Intumescent Fire and Smoke Strips https://www.howdens.com/joinery/doors/howdens-holdenby-oak-fd30-fire-door-obj-sku-family-11831356 i am not sure what threshold is need for a seal at the base as howdens are quoting this https://www.howdens.com/joinery/door-fittings/door-linings/unbranded-softwood-fd30-trenched-door-lining-obj-sku-family-dfr3120 is there any issue for regs with it opening out into the garage (this drawing was approved by BR), and what type of lock is needed in it?

There is no acoustic testing required for detached properties to meet building regs

as its all internal walls within the same house, the walls won't be tested as they aren't required to. There is a minimum requirement for sound insulation for walls and floors, but this is a lab sound reduction, not an insitu measurement, the requirement in scotland are Rw 40 dB for walls, Rw 43 dB for floors. This is not a high requirement and can be readily achieved, with a timber stud wall with 12.5mm wall board and insulation in the cavity. The floor can achieve it with a standard construction with insulation the cavity. The walls and floors may be spec'ed right, but its all down to the workmanship. There could be the mineral wool missing but you would have to check that is the case.

But there is a £50k sum in the quote for the PM/QS for a 28 week period. So it could be considered double counting.

As stated above there are a lot of provisional sums in this estimate and its probably a factor of unknown specification, which drives the price up. it depends on how good your architectural drawings are, but it could be worth getting a costing estimate from somewhere like this https://www.estimators.com/ it won't pick up all the details but give you an idea. I picked up on the second fix carpentry (as i am doing it now) and there is an factor of how high spec you go. The provisional sum is £530 to supply and fit a door which could be wildly off depending on what you go for. For me a Howdens prefinished door (which are mid range), door linings (softwood), and door furniture comes to about £150 + vat materials, this can be more if you go for flash doors. I was getting quotes of £200 a door to fit door linings / door / and furniture in timber studwork, London may be more. So about £350 a door supply and fit, but again what door you go for.

I am putting a loft hatch in which doesn't need to be sealed or thermally protected. in effect its going to be Ply on a timber frame, a bit like below. However i want to conceal the hinge, is there anything i can do to hide the hinges?

My manual silicone gun broke on site, and gave me the opportunity to try my hand at a DIY silicone gun. Some threaded M8 bar, some M8 nuts and some araildite metal, all hanging around the site. An hour messing about and I think that I have a passable, if rough version. Hopefully it will help with all the caulking and silicone of skirting boards / architraves coming up!!!

Ah the gamblers fallacy

I used 6mm Allshield Tile Backer and got it for £5.90 + VAT a sheet (1200 x 800mm ~1m2) https://sound-is.com/products/allshield-tile-backer/ Labour was straight forward as you can cut it with a couple of scores of a sharp knife and bending it, and screw down to it without pre-drilling, heads stick up a bit but nothing major.

I have just been through this process We did 6mm fibre cement board tile adhesive and screwed down, with the option of the ditra matt. Tiler turned up and was happy with the prep and didn't feel he needed the Matt. Tiles are going down this week so won't know if there is an issue for a long time

@ProDavethanks for the insight

Just interested in how the finances work out, being on £200-£300 a day seems to equate to mega money a year, and wanted to know if I am under estimating the costs that eat into that.

Agree with this, but I thought that it was on daily rates If its on a fixed price and you have accepted that then idleness is hurting the pocket of the employer. If dailys then the idleness is hurting your pocket.

Can anyone shed any light on the finances of tradies. I was thinking about this the other day and got interest but can't find anything on line really. Say a trade charges £200 a day, works 48 weeks a year and has a revenue of £48k a year. There maybe additional income like marking up materials, but what is the range of out goings like van, tools, insurance, tax Also the extra hours going and pricing up jobs. Really interested to know how it stacks up as a annual take home

Nicely done and super quick, now the fun, stress, fear, and craziness begins.

Howdens ginoa doors are about to go into the rooster sale from 20th March. I am about to buy doors and this might save me £20 a door, may help someone else

I started in May 2021, never going to build again!

I have failed mine

Not really found anything on the best way to do this, and was thinking of using something like these https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-tx-countersunk-concrete-screws-7-5-x-80mm-100-pack/8400h anyone got a better way?