Right, probably why I missed it on the 4OD player, kept locking up and I can't bare the thought of sitting through the adds ever again, as if I care about washing powder.

Cost me a fortune that did

Those screw-pile foundations seem interesting. Are they a tried-and-true solution from some other country, or perhaps a non-domestic application?

Then you don't need founds at all

<blockquote><cite>Posted By: ikimiki</cite>Those screw-pile foundations seem interesting. Are they a tried-and-true solution from some other country, or perhaps a non-domestic application?</blockquote>

We use them here in Canada a lot - they're much better than sona-tube (concrete cylinder) foundations and are much faster to install. We used them on the wrap-around porch of our country house - the length of the piles chosen was such that the helical screw part would be below the frost line.

These are the type we used: http://www.postech-foundations.com/

There's a UK company that does them: http://www.screwfast.com/

Paul in Montreal.

I was going to start a topic called "Brickbat of the Week" for Channel4 and Facit!

The Channel4 site lists episode 1 correctly but doesn't list episode 2 (the one we're talking about, I believe, I don't know where #4 comes from, Ted?)

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grand-designs/episode-guide/series-8

Plus they don't have an email address to tell them! Not that we should need to. Don't they look at their own website?

I first came across Facit a few years ago at Ecobuild - it's an interesting concept. Their website then was dreadful and I told them exactly why. It's now completely different but still unusable! But they aren't architects - they're industrial designers. It's obviously a "design led" website - functionality can go hang.

Posted By: MikeRumney

It looked as if they were rendering directly onto Tyvek ???

They did not mention it but I "think" I saw them render onto fibreboard of some description.

ikimiki asked: "Those screw-pile foundations seem interesting. Are they a tried-and-true solution from some other country, or perhaps a non-domestic application?"

As well as the firm Paul mentioned there are at least a couple of others:

http://www.gtl-partnership.com/screwpiles.php
http://www.abcanchors.co.uk/

They provide some history. Apparently screwpiling started in the 1830s.

Oh, also they could build a few boxes stuck together in factory to keep it dry to assemble on site? But that would be a sips though.

Posted By: Cav8andrewWith you nik, it's good to see some innovative thinking and practice, but when they appear to be able to machine to 0.5 mm tolerances to then leave units exposed to the elements seems crazy. I also cant help thinking that with a pile of OSB3 and 300 mm deep I beams you could achieve a similar outcome with less cold bridging and materials. I think it something to do with the process being like giant Lego that makes it so appealing.

My six year is quite good with Lego and while he freestyles a lot can quite happily follow the plans to the letter to produce a stunning building/(plane/tank/robot/car), unlike some builders. I think he also has more site experience than the 'artists'

Still unanswered:

Posted By: PaulJI don't think any of the providers give cover for helical screw piles

I never knew that. What's wrong wiv em? If calc'd by Engineer?

Posted By: joe90Question, What is the expected life of galvanised steel in the ground?

Centuries. Don't forget that regular steel piles are just steel. Rust needs air to form.

Paul in Montreal.

I think the use of helical coils is common in the construction of track side paraphernalia, gantries etc. At least when I looked at them for our build a lot of the examples seemed to be for that type of application. I think the idea of lightly touching the ground is a great concept for a building and would be tempted to try on a completely new build. Unfortunately in our situation they were not suitable and we ended up with 6/7 m deep concrete piles, not quite what I had in mind !

Image of Harold with a helical coil to the eye come to mind.

I was concerned about the application of black jack to the main beams that were held by the screw piles.