Youtube DIY - Builder

[Iain Corcoran]

Hi everyone, thought I'd introduce myself to the forum, I'm a self builder trying to put the wrong's right having moved into a new build in which the developer has now left site.

 

To date: One leaking en-suite shower, which carried water onto the lounge ceiling, having taken out the ceiling, checking the pipes it transpired to be a drip tray which the plumber hadn't mastic correctly, followed by inviting the developer to inspect rain water running from the block driveway to the garage, I asked for an ACO drain to be installed, however he declined got a couple of quotes and felt that £500 +VAT was far too much. I went online to a website for water irrigation order 6 Meters of ACO Plastic drainage with end caps. YouTube and help from my father in law took away two rows of block, dug out the ballast and positioned the ACO drain, added ballast and my first time made a batch of concrete, sharp sand courtesy of a friend in the trade, as DIY shops in short supply during lockdown. packed out the drain with concrete, removed the neighbours drain pipe and positioned and sorted as the overflow pipe was in his garden. Total cost was £85 and a couple hours work! So how a builder can quote £500??? is beyond belief

As I had learnt the master craft of mixing concrete I thought I'd set myself up another job of marking out where the three wheelie bins go and lay concrete, to then build a wheelie bin storage out of wood (All Photos to follow if anyone interested) 

My next task is a raised man hole cover which has been positioned in our garden, might I say very badly it's not level with the surface and my petrol mower has arguments with it when cutting the grass, so any advice would be much appreciated

Our porch on the front door the concrete between the tiles and wooden frame keeps cracking and dropping out, so thought about mastic or using a sealant and placing back in, rather than batching up concrete? any thoughts?