Tsilanko, I would always recommend professional installation where needed. But what I am doing here is suggesting that WHEN you are planning to build or renovate, to consider how your plans will affect you in 20 or 30 years time. Split levels are very hep when you are young. A kitchen 3 steps down at 30 is rarely a problem, but might be a hazard at 60, or, as Marjie1059 suggested, if you break a leg. ... All my parents' homes were terrible for old people. They were forced to move to a bungalow in extreme old sge because the location and design of their home was more suitable for an active young couple with a large family than for an elderly couple with stroke disabilities. I would not want to move again, so my present home has features built in that make ageing in place simpler. Mostly small changes, like grab rails, and lever handles on doors and faucets. A major disability suddenly suffered requires major changes if permanent. I did look at this because it came up in the discussion, but if you look at the heading, Planning for Disability, it means just that. Plan ahead so you don't have to make expensive changes later on. But thank you for your advice, yes, major changes are not in the DIY domain.

Unpolished, unfinished wood planks, glass wool (use as last resort), or nylon fiber are three alternatives which can be used to seal gaps. Thickness of floors, walls also matters for sound to radiate through. Cheapest alternative is of course paper as the best sound absorbent paper. Unlaminated newsprint is the best.

Hello there, If you don't want to put load on your foundation, why don't you put a pergola of cement/steel/wood instead of a concrete roof slab? You could do a bit of landscaping too and could fully utilise the terrace. Regards, Aurum Ideas and Spaces Bhubaneswar

We are looking for an expert who can provide a watertight roofing solution for our stand alone house in Alibaug. It has 4 pitched roofs covered with a double layer of Mangalore tiles. The major problem has been leaks from the joints where the roof abuts a wall (probably due to poor flashing). Also frequent leaks from cracked / misaligned tiles. After getting repairs every year for 5 years we are looking for options to overhaul the roof.