How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Never underestimate the ability of an insurance company to wriggle out of paying.

I think the problem lies in this with the manufacturer of the wood, going by us suppling stuff to a customer the warranty is with the manufacture after like the month we buy something. So you can be at the mercy of them! If the installers were decent and knew what they were doing id say it isnt with them although the manufacturer might use that as a get out of jail which they tend to do sometimes sadly

Very happy yo take your money but not so happy to pay out should you need it. Absolute bastards.

Sure, but people often go with the cheapest quote and then complain that the company is a pain in the arse to deal with. The cheapest quote can often be a false economy. It's worth doing research on how an insurance company pays out and paying a bit more to go with a company that has a good reputation.

Also the legislation that means insurance companies have to offer renewals for the same price as they would a new customer mean that insurance prices have gone up for people who used to shop around each year for the cheapest quotes, but it's a good thing in the long run.
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I mean they redecorated half my house after a water leak several years ago. Definitely be careful on who you go with.

I actually found the perfect off the shelf product: ‘Tamlyn XT-VERT profile’.

Can be had from here, among other places: https://www.guttersupplies.co.uk/aluminium-vertical-trim-3mtr-black-p-XT-VERT-MB/

The only issue now is the lead time to getting it powdercoated in a custom RAL…

Oh nice work! Would rattle canning it be good enough?

My (admittedly in Berlin) powdercoater had a turnaround of 48 hours the last time.

Depending on the coating you might not be able to powdercoat it anyway.

Martin Brown Paints do small amounts of RAL mixed paint you could apply with a foam roller for a very good finish - like coach enamel. Think it’s the “brushing synthetic” I’ve used.

Excellent, thanks! Will this hold up to decades outdoors in direct sun?

That’s a question for MBP

Even powdercoat fades though

Loft taking shape!

Using warm deck roof construction, so ceiling beams will be left exposed for the illusion of extra headroom in the larger room (will achieve 2150mm from finished floor level to bottom of joists).

Not stepping down the roof in the smaller dormer (split-level house), so ceiling height is massive.

Hyped to get the slates up, windows in, scaffolding out of the way so the ground floor walls can start being built!

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Holy shit all that sounds awesome, a warm deck roof will make a massive difference aesthetically (and prob other ways). Very jelly. I guess this shows the value of a full architect design.

I wish we could afford a full architect design!

I did the drawings, specced the materials and roof build up etc, just got an architect to amend the drawings to building control requirements for £1200.

Oh that’s bloody good then! How did you spec roof? I defo asked about warm roof but it was either too late or too expensive, or both.

Feel you’re doing a better job of self managing and planning.

Excuse the spam - I posted some nice leftover tiles and paint here for collection from E5 in case anyone interested:

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/178667/?offset=42850#comment17192316

For the warm roof build-up, I googled and lurked on the BuildHub forums.

Our builder is also luckily up for taking direction.

For the loft, I really didn’t want to end up with the bog standard dark slate covered shed looking box with massive soffits and uPVC fascias, so spent a long time obsessing over roof pitch and drainage fall, powdercoated aluminium trim, raw cement tiles, window reveal details etc. No idea if it’ll actually work out in practice tho…

Got to be honest I still don't understand what this will look like.

Do you have a drawing?

How does the semi-DIY approach work with building controls?

[Edit] never mind - just read the other post!

You can see the real thing when the dormer exterior is hopefully complete in a couple of weeks.

It won’t be anything spectacular or that out of the ordinary, it can’t be as it’s all done under PD, but hopefully will look a bit more intriguing in a sea of identikit loft conversions.

Sounds like what I tried and failed to do, think I got burnt out dealing with my last builder.

I’m sure yours will work out! Look forward to seeing what I wanted but failed to sort out. 🥲

Finally got my Building Control Completion Certificate through! Less than two weeks before we're due to complete on the sale. Squeaky Bum time is over.

If I have learnt anything from this it is being friendly and patient with Building Inspectors pays off, as although it came seem frustrating the level of detail they want (especially when build is done), having a good line of communication is important.

Providing everything goes through ok in the next few weeks my first task is to deal with this monstrosity. Thick shag pile carpet in the bathroom!!!

Actually thats not true. The first thing to sort are the sheets of asbestos in the garage ceiling. Then the shag carpet.

Shag carpet in a bathroom is rank.

Aside from a new floor and tiles the bathroom looks decent though.

Is the garage roof posing an immediate threat? If it's just an undamaged asbestos roof sitting and chilling you can ignore it for a while surely?

I think the bathroom is fairly good quality but its old, 40+ years old. Bath is damaged (maybe you can re-enamel, sink is cracked etc. I'd imagine once I start fannying around with the floor/tiles things will become even more broken.

The garage ceiling is a must from the other half. I'd be ok to leave it for a bit and in reality we'll probably be slow getting it sorted but I have been instructed its priority #1