Introduction From South East Kent

[rjclark71]

For years I have dreamed of purchasing a small plot. One day I will, but in our area such land is quickly snapped up by small building firms. Often it is land you know well, land long assumed to be public, until it is not. Such is life.

 

A little about me. I am a concrete technical specialist, so if anyone needs advice, or if something has gone wrong with cement-based products, I can probably assist.

 

Take care.

[Oz07]

Welcome...

If doing ufh in slab, with the ufh stapled to insulation and no mesh, is this ok with concrete and cutting crack control joints in the top 3rd? Would the pipes likely accommodate any movement the concrete could make

Edited Sunday at 15:01 by Oz07

[SteamyTea]

Welcome.

 

2 hours ago, rjclark71 said:

 

A little about me. I am a concrete technical specialist, so if anyone needs advice, or if something has gone wrong with cement-based products, I can probably assist.

Brilliant.

Hunt around on here and start dispelling many of the myths about this wonder product. My chemistry is not good enough to fully appreciate just how useful it is.

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, rjclark71 said:

a concrete technical specialist,

Welcome.

Explain in what regard please?

 

2 hours ago, rjclark71 said:

land is quickly snapped up by small building firms.

Are you sure? Id have thought for big plots then yes, bigger developers will have it.

But on a small plot, the builder will only pay enough to retain profit after all costs including interest, selling and legal fees etc, and there is always risk.

For self build you may be prepared to pay a bit more IFFFFFF the site is very much to your liking.

You do not make money on a self build unless you are highly skilled yourself and do a lot of the work, whether design, management or physical...so maybe you have that.

 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Oz07 said:

cutting crack control joints in the top 3rd?

the pipes will stretch and perhaps even  slip a bit when pulled by the tiny movement.  

Using frequent joints, controlling the water content (low) and keeping the concrete wet while curing, the induced cracks will be small and insignificant.

 

OR, if it is all going to be covered then you don't necessarily need the crack inducers and can let it do its own thing with millions of micro-cracks.

[rjclark71]

On 28/12/2025 at 17:00, saveasteading said:

Welcome.

Explain in what regard please?

I have spent decades working across ready-mix, precast, materials testing, failure investigation, and standards compliance, gaining hard-earned experience that comes only from solving real problems on live projects under commercial and regulatory pressure.

On 28/12/2025 at 17:00, saveasteading said:

 

Are you sure? Id have thought for big plots then yes, bigger developers will have it.

But on a small plot, the builder will only pay enough to retain profit after all costs including interest, selling and legal fees etc, and there is always risk.

For self build you may be prepared to pay a bit more IFFFFFF the site is very much to your liking.

You do not make money on a self build unless you are highly skilled yourself and do a lot of the work, whether design, management or physical...so maybe you have that.

 

Locally plots seem just to appear on planning, planning is rejected then a forsale sign appears on the plot. I am either searching in the wrong places or just late to the party.

[rjclark71]

On 28/12/2025 at 15:01, Oz07 said:

Welcome...

If doing ufh in slab, with the ufh stapled to insulation and no mesh, is this ok with concrete and cutting crack control joints in the top 3rd? Would the pipes likely accommodate any movement the concrete could make

Thank you.

 

Keep bays as square as possible, ideally 1:1 to 1:1.5 and no worse than 1:2. UFH pipes stapled to insulation are common and fine, but they do not control cracking. Saw-cut joints to about one-third depth and cut early so the slab cracks where you want it to.

 

Avoid adding water on site, over-trowelling or closing the surface too early, delaying saw cuts, skipping curing, or pouring long thin bays. Get the joint layout, timing, and curing right and the UFH will cope with normal movement without issue.

You could use a macro fibre but it will not fix the basics. Used correctly, they are a support measure, not a solution.

[Oz07]

Yeh I know about the cuts being cracked control done it plenty. Just curiosity post people tend to tie ufh pipes to mesh if in slab or alternatively clip to insulation if in screed. Was wondering if the pipes accommodate movement ok if in actual slab with no mesh

[Oz07]

3 hours ago, rjclark71 said:

I have spent decades working across ready-mix, precast, materials testing, failure investigation, and standards compliance, gaining hard-earned experience that comes only from solving real problems on live projects under commercial and regulatory pressure.

Locally plots seem just to appear on planning, planning is rejected then a forsale sign appears on the plot. I am either searching in the wrong places or just late to the party.

Do you pull the applicant name and details and write them letters ?

Dear sirs seen this on planning portal would be interested in purchasing for family home etc etc 

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, Oz07 said:

pipes accommodate movement ok if in actual slab with no mesh

Yes.