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Hi folks. Anyone understand how you install a radon barrier, when you have block and beam ground floor - the builders QS says we need to "fill" up the underside on the floor. Is this correct - I would have thought it can be installed lower down. Approx, the void w/o fill would be 900mm. TIA

I was wondering what you think about insulating under a block and beam floor. Building control specifies approx 200mm ventilated gap under a suspended block and beam floor. I am quite unsure of why this is. Apart from expanding of clay floor underneath, I can't quite see a reason (with suspended timber, it would be air circulation, but for block and beam?) Would it be possible to fill the space underneath with insulation. For example perlite, or some other no moisture/rot sensitive materials, maybe eps in granulated form. What would be the problems that could arise from it? Anybody got some experience in doing this?

Hi, I’m currently refurbing the entire ground floor, converting integral garage to Kitchen and moving the lower flight of stairs. I’d like to install ufh with ceramic tiled floor throughout but only have 65mm from the block and beam surface to current floor level. I’ve seen some tile direct eps boards which look like they will work, but the insulation value is not great so I’m looking into possibilities for insulating the void below the block and beam. Any thoughts on pearlite beads versus blown loose eps versus polyurethane foam injection would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, I’m new to this site, we’ve just got planning permission to build a 3200sqf house, after waiting a year. we built a hse 15 years ago so we have a little knowledge about building. just looking for some advice on costing please. we have agreed a price on timber frame. foundation's are our problem. strip foundation block & beam drainage to treatment plant. quotes of 72k am I out of touch or is this expensive

Things seem to be happening very quickly and progress has gone really well. The block and beam of the huge extension is coming together now and the focus has been outside, although with the occasional downpour the inside is now half empty with our 1970s bathroom suite finally gone. In the interim I've sold everything inside, the kitchen, boiler, naff internal doors and even the crappy floor tiles we took off. All copper and rads ready for my dad to weigh in. Have now run out of stuff to sell! Here are a couple of pics from this week. The final pic, the bank you can see and the path runs 90 metres from the entrance to the end of our garden from one old railway bridge to the other old railway bridge the other end which is over the canal. The railway at the top of the embankment is no more. It was the line that ran from Whitchurch to Chester and we can clamber up to the top of the embankment which is now an overgrown mess of bramble and ivy, no track any longer. We cleared some of the ivy and when we were clearing the garden of shrubs, bulbs and plants that we knew would get disturbed I literally moved every one by hand and planted it on the bank and we have been lucky that the majority of the plants have taken and had daffs, bluebells and lots of other things flower so it looks quite nice, even the foxgloves that seem to have gone crazy. We do need to sort out some sort of wall or something to replace the rockery' bit which was already there. I dread to think of the cost for such a long length. It's not as high in some places and levels off.

Finished the piles this week. Just need to cut them level now ones we have the ring beam forms in place. Then fill the lot with concrete and piles and ringbeam s done. http://tintabernacle.blogspot.com/2019/12/piling.html?m=1

Trying it on here now. I am looking to buy any block and beam floor insulation. The stuff that is t shaped, fits in between the beams. The manufacturers of these insulation panels (tetris, jablite, readytherm.....) do not sell the insulation separately but only in combination with buying the concrete beams. So they only selling the complete floor system. I m trying to get around that as I can get many parts of the floor for cheap or free( e. G. The concrete beams would be close to free, the top layer of the on top insualtion, very cheap). If anyone on here should have : - connections to block and beam insualtion -leftovers from own block and beam floor -option to order more infill panels for their own block and beam floor Please get in touch. Would be massively appreciated.

Once again, a bit lost here. As far as I understand the "best" or typical setup on a block and beam floor with ufh is something like this : With from bottom to top : -block and beam floor (or in my case, beam and insulation)) -top layer of insualtion -damp proof membrane -ufh pipes tacked into the dpm -top screed This will lead to the ufh pipes being stapled through the dpm like this : Isn't this a bit of a problem? Piercing the membrane. And generally, I'm a bit in the dark about the different membranes (dpm, dpc, vcl, radon barrier) in the floor. I do understand how a wall setup works, and no problem with a roof, but just struggling with the floor membrane locations.

I am nearly done with my entire demolition. We only got the little Brick Plinths wall left where the previous suspended Timber floor was sitting on : (This was the previous Timber Floor): The new Foundations go in the exact same spot as the old Brick wall (this is whats left of the now) : So my Problem is, I want to re use as many of the old bricks as possible , but a fair amount is just crushed or falling to pieces when you touch them. I am going to remove the bottom of the walls with a mini digger, but would like to avoid carrying/driving the old bricks that cant be reused out of the site. So my Plan was to keep them in the middle, underneath the new buildings Block and Beam floor . Maybe crush them to Gravel and fill the bottom of the Trenches as well. The only rule I am aware of atm for suspended Block and Beam floor is, that you need an airgap/clearance underneath of at least 150mm , better 225mm which is ventilated and clear of organic material. Is there any rules or practical reason not to do this . So my plan was next, to dig out the old wall and at the same time dig the trenches for the new build , ready for the piling contractor to put piles in and concrete the RC beam with the Piles in 1 go . Any suggestions?

Good Afternoon All. I seem to be progressing on my new build and I should have the Building Regs documents back from Potton in a few weeks. I am going to put them with my own drainage layout and Bingo ..the lorries can roll (or so i thought) After a talk this morning with Potton it seems that the bit in the Order that says THEY do all the layouts and stuff, is only applicable if you pay the extra for them to do the planning permission and all such like ...(sigh) I am OK with the drainage layout as its a "funny one"as we are going through our parents land to connect to all services .. ..about 50m in all (thankfully most of it in their garden, so we can do the work ourselves) What has reared its head is the "foundation plan" ...or "foundation engineer report" ...I had never heard the words until today from Potton. So I called up the company doing the foundations and they tell me they quoted (and expect it to be) they HAVE visited the site and we have got a soil report ....so.........100cm x 60cm / Beam and Block ...which from what I can see is a standard. They have told me they have never been ASKED to make an engineer report for a foundation Potton said they will give the foundation company the "Slab setting out plan" and "line and point loads plan" ? ....but I don't think that is the same So I guess what I am asking is... a) will the council expect this ? b) is it basically a drawing I could do? b) does anyone have something i could look at to get an idea thanks in advance Eddie

Hello Everyone, I am progressing with some quotes for the foundations for my Potton home. I must admit, the prices have me a little daunted as they seem to be a lot MORE than I was told about 6 months ago. I am not suggesting I am getting "shafted" but I want to run it past you guys to see what you think. I am building a Potton Timber Frame and have been advised that Block and Beam would be the way to go ....easier and more friendly on the surroundings (i.e better received by planners) The house area from looking at the architects footprint and adding on roughly 50cm around (I just did this to be on the safe side for my working out ...I am not sure if it actually done) ..I am coming up with an area of 121.81 Sq Metres with a Perimeter of 49.82 Sq Metres. Now I have the first quote and it is over £23k, I know this company is trusted and has done many foundations for timber frames...But does this seem expensive? I have snipped the basics from the quote below ..so you can see what it entails ...hopefully someone on here will know what some of the specifics mean thanks