Owning your own home

These are decent if it's within your budget. They are well made, decent chrome and should be durable.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/hansgrohe-vernis-blend-m35-kitchen-mono-mixer-tap-chrome/294vk

I’m a fool who will tinker on the cheapest things just to learn how to fix a thing - guaranteed to lead to diminishing returns 😂

I would still change the cartridges as they are a few £’s from Screwfix and it may solve the problem.

I’m not quite sure what could be going on underneath the sink as it could only be the tails…

The joys of home ownership

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Gotta love a rotting deck

From the look of it, it's concentrated in the area near the wall that I assume doesn't get good ventilation and has more moisture from the lawn.

Our of curiosity, does anyone know what could have been done differently?

Don't use decking.

I'm open to alternative suggestions. It's maybe 450mm drop from the door to 'floor'

My suggestion: Fill it in and turf it.

An extra step down? Maybe Some sort of mesh/grille surface instead of decking boards would increase ventilation.

What's under the membrane, soil or concrete?

Paths, then fill the rest with soil / compost for beds?

From what I could tell when I was looking into building a sunken deck, the design is pretty much flawed due to the lack of cross ventilation. Even 'ground level' decks tend to be actually build from the ground level up, so 150mm or so finished level and I think it's generally accepted that they have a shorter lifespan. I can see yours* is probably raised on one side but closed off on most of the perimeter, so effectively no ventilation.

I was concocting a plan for a sunken deck with ventilation piped in from a cowled tube or two, but it seemed quite complex so we filled in the hole and sold the house.

*Edit: not yours

what are you replacing it with ? we have a raised deck in a shady end of the garden in the west of scotlsnd so probably limited lifespan though we do maintain it twice a year. ideally I’d like to take it out and put a step or two in from the kitchen down into a sunken patio area… sometime maybe

the design is pretty much flawed due to the lack of cross ventilation

Assume you’d need some slope in the surface below to let the water run off too, or maybe some gravel and sand to soak it away. Either way the supports are going to be damp most of the time so better hope the pressure treating didn’t happen on a Friday.

You can get pedestals/pillars for raised patios. No idea if they are any good, so double check.

But I would go for some sort of stone/porcelain.

You can get pedestals/pillars for raised patios. No idea if they are any good, so double check.

My garden office sits on pedestals, so I hope they're good!

I mean if the whole thing is resting on these, then hope.

Tbh I can imagine they only work where you've got a solid relatively level surface.

the design is pretty much flawed due to the lack of cross ventilation.

Cheers. This is what I wondered.

Not saying it can't be done but extra work and/or shorter lifespan are the caveats. I looked in to composite joists but even they need ventilation.

I missed that there appears to be patio on the other side in that pic so maybe there's is cross ventilation but I guess it's a good case study for why you need a clear line from either side and can't rely on the air circulating around closed corners.

There was chat in this thread ages ago (talking years) about someone who was in the process of taking over the leasehold in their block of flats/homes.
Friend has the opportunity to do this and is looking for advice on the process, positives and negatives, costs, etc..
If they’re are still on here, could they be pointed in my direction as I’d like to connect them with my friend.

Thanks

^ @ReekBlefs for leasehold taking over tales, I think

My suggestion: Fill it in and turf it.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145661000

Key features

1. FIVE BEDROOMS
   
2. EN SUITE DRESSING ROOM
   
3. FOUR STOREY LIVING
   
4. STUDY (not horticulture clearly)
   
5. IN NEED OF TLC
   

Having to go through the garage to get between the kitchen and the rest of the house is quite something.

Fuck me, that's beyond WTF.

I wonder if local building control have given their blessing to the limited fire separation between kitchen, garage and stairs.