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We have the foundations out of the ground and have infilled with crushed concrete. The next layer, to protect the dpc, is sand. We have laid sand over the whole of the foundations to a depth of approx 10mm it might be deeper in some places and shallower in others. The Building Inspector has just visited and told us that he thinks it is too deep. He did not say it in a way that meant we had to change it. What do others think? Is he saying it for something to say or do we really have to tamp it all down? What will happen if we leave it at that depth? I would have thought that the concrete pour over the dpc would do the job of flattening it down?

Sorry if the question has been asked before (I did do a quick search) but I'm really tired after a couple of hard days and Part H is confusing me. Can someone be kind enough to advise me as to what the minimum depth is for foul water pipes running along side the house and then across the garden to a sewage treatment plant is. I see information for fields and roads but not garden etc... I guess it may be different near the house from in open garden. If the regs don't set a minimum depth, then experience appreciated. There are some things you don't want to step in when walking in the garden and, without a dog, this could be the greatest risk.

As I'm getting the roof taken off the bungalow next week, I thought that I had best get my site insurance sorted out. When I was ringing around for quotes, every organisation asked whether the build would need piles in the foundations to which I answered in the negative as I had not heard anything to the contrary. HOWEVER, the lack of information in one area doesn't equate to certainty in another so I contacted MBC for some information from their SE as to whether he felt, at this stage, I would need to have piled foundations before going ahead and purchasing insurance. The SE, via MBC, got back very quickly indeed. This is the plan of our site with the existing and new structures superimposed, as well as where hedges and trees have been. The handwritten comments are self explanatory, but the orange areas are where the excavation needs to go much deeper than usual, probably about 1200mm, then back-filled with hardcore. Zarucki Fill_Excavation Depths.pdf So, to dig deep or to go for piles? The SE has said that both will work and the deciding factor is which is cheapest. In the sums I will need to do next week, I will also need to account for the cost of getting any piling system designed as MBC don't do this, then also getting the piles, foundation and super structure all connected up; please excuse the lack of technical terms. At the moment, I have no idea of what piling system would be needed, but if it's anything like @recoveringacademic experience, then it could be a process that requires a piling mat meaning I'll have almost formed the MBC foundation anyway. For those who want to read about Ian's experience, his excellent blog account of piles is here: Recovering academic's pile blog Of particular note is @Calvinmiddle's comment about his deeper foundation on clay for an MBC build. At the moment, I'm heavily leaning towards the deeper foundation and no piles. I will check out the economics of it; if it's a close thing, I would prefer to avoid piling just because I feel more comfortable with the principles involved in the deeper hard core layer and it avoids involving yet another contractor. But who knows - until 10.00am this morning, I had no idea what a piling mat was and a week is a long time in self-building.

and just like Bernard Cribbins, I'm left wondering how deep it should be? The job? Connect the outfall from the digester to the stream 100 meters away. Across a field that -in season- has cattle on it sometimes. I asked the farmer how deep he wanted it. He had no idea. I've looked at the Regs, and there appears to be no clear guidance. So, I'm asking you for advice, please. I'm thinking about the bloke in the bowler who might come along and scratch his head (0:28)