Steve, in usual circumstances the liner is laid on top of an underlay. The underlay is there to prevent sharp stones etc,that may be in the soil or rock, from penetrating the liner, whether it be PVC or EPDM [or in the UK where I believe Butyl liner is becoming popular now]. The underlay sold by pond supply dealerships here in N.America, is a Geo-Textile material that allows any water that gets between the liner and it, to peculate out into the sub-soil. Some DIY pond builders just use old carpeting as the underlay, with great success. So I imagine if you have sharp protrusions of hard concrete, on your pond's side walls, it could lead to trouble, once the weight of the water starts to pull on the liner. Now there is [ or at least was at one time]a U.K. pond forum on Garden Web, though I don't know if it is used as much as it once was, by pondkeepers over there. It went through my mind that people over there would share with you, their knowledge and opinions, on what the normal pond building and liner installation practices are in the U.K. I don't suppose that they differ greatly from what is done here in N.America. Maybe you could check it out. Good luck with your contractor, it sounds like he is a "fly by night" merchant! "Horton"

We are in the process of building the Collinwood. We liked the outside (except the gazebo), but we rearranged things to make larger bathrooms, a smaller master suite and large bonus room. We basically eliminated some bathrooms and then made some modifications in the kitchen/office/mud hall areas. We also enlarged the garage and added an upstairs laundry. Frank Betz was great to work with - we were assigned an architect. I sent a list and a drawing of the changes we wanted and they sent us a quote. It was cheaper than hiring an architect, but we didn't have a PE, architect and structural engineers at our disposal, so depending on the extent of your changes, you may not need to pay for the modification. We still ended up making a few changes as it was being framed, which was no problem for our builder. We had a good framer and he said the plans were fine to follow, but some of the measurements went from inside wall to outside wall, some from outside to outside. In one case something didn't add up right, so he was a few inches off which made our foyer 4" narrower. Not a big deal, but we aren't sure if it was his fault or the blueprints. Our modification fee included a full set of working drawings that consisted of the foundation plan, floor plans with schematic electrical layout, elevations, stair/building sections, cornice and miscellaneous details and a roof overview plan. We paid extra for drawings showing the floor and ceiling joist layout and the roof rafter layout at the request of our builder. We made EXTENSIVE changes (basically almost gutted the inside and moved walls all around), keeping the outside elevation the same except removing the gazebo. We also specified brick exterior, which affected the blueprints. We had to pay for the plan itself, a fee to reverse the blueprint (roughly $200) and then a modification fee of roughly $2,600, so overall it was about $4,200. Considering the extent of our changes, we thought it was a reasonable price. Something to note though, the plans are not stamped by an architect so if that is something required by your local permitting office then you will need to get a local architect or engineer to review and stamp the plans for you. It wasn't required it in our area, but we wish we had ours checked by a local architect who knew our soil conditions and we would have done our foundation a little different. Oh, they also need to know where you are building, because some areas require special hurricane accommodations. We love the house and had a great experience with Frank Betz. I don't think you will be disappointed. We even called them a few times into the build for clarifications and we wanted to add a window, but weren't sure of the placement and our architect sent us a revised drawing for no additional fee. After we agreed to the modifications, the architect communicated well with us and sent us a draft for review. We went thru three drafts before the final. We would highly recommend them as we had a great experience. One more thing, due to our extensive changes, the turn around time was 5-8 weeks. Not a problem for us, but worth noting if you are in a hurry.

Congratulations tinker1121 on the upcoming shed! Just a few quick comments for you to consider. Will you be preparing a concrete or cement pad for under the shed? (Stops a lot of bugs and termites.) Wooden DIY shed kits usually require additional materials (like shingles) and may not come with a floor kit. Vinyl sheds can be installed in a few hours but they may need to be anchored down if you live in a windy area. How will you run electricity to the shed and do you have any local codes that need to be met to do this? If you live in a snow zone - will the roof be able to withstand the weight of the snow? Will you install windows and a workbench or overhead loft storage space? And finally, will you need a permit or permission from the homeownerâÂÂs association before you build the shed? Sorry to sound like your mom, but once you build the shed you will be amazed how you lived without one for so long! Best wishes and please tell us what you decided.

Thanks tigerdunes. From reading many of your responses to other threads, I was ready to hear you ask if other brands were available. Our builder is a custom home builder but I know he has a pricing agreement with the contractor for all of his homes. I will inquire about the possibility of a different contractor regardless. Elite series on all components - condensers and furnaces? I admit I like the idea of getting to the better components in the Elite level but the upgrade costs seem excessive to get there. In previous threads, I have found recommendations against spending $1k to upgrade from the ACX series to the XC series due to the prohibitive pricing. The structure will be a 1 1/2 story with a basement. Both furnaces will be in the basement. Main floor unit will have all ductwork in the basement feeding up to main level. Second floor unit will have ductwork running up to attic above second floor living area with ductwork running in unconditioned space. An additional question - what about the possibility of consolidating to a single system using zoning vs two systems? I imagine this would allow you to have a very nice staged system inside and out for the same pricing. Since this is a new build, we could do whatever it required for ducting from the get go.