About this blog

This is a blog for our knock down and re-build of our retirement home.  The first 3 parts with copied comments were published on ebuild

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Read more about MVHR Balancing

MVHR Balancing

Apologies I didn’t take many pictures of the process.   Initial Frustrations: Due to a delay in the First Floor (FF) Micro Screed, couldn’t access the house as planned (Thursday after arrival) but had to wait until the following Wednesday, I would have had the balancing complete by the Monday and had a week to do other small jobs, as it was I got the job finished, bit nothing else.   First of all I fitted the ground floor vent terminals, this involved trimming the termin

• 2 Comments
• 2602 views

• le-cerveau
• February 28, 20188 yr

Read more about MVHR Install

MVHR Install

I will write about the install of my MVHR system, as this is something I have done myself (with help).  Theo house is being built by my contractor, supervised by my Architect and QS (who is the CDM).  As I am remote from the location I can only watch what happens on CCTV.  When I was last there the old house was standing and we had disconnected the services. 6 Months later, I have a new house, Weather tight shell, Windows and doors in, sarking and felt on, and tiles and PV being fitted.  I am do

• 2 Comments
• 3628 views

• le-cerveau
• November 2, 20178 yr

Read more about 04-Toilet Ventilation system

04-Toilet Ventilation system

It has been a while since I posted and things are progressing, so expect a flurry of posts in the next few months as things are decided before we go to contract, however I have been working on some minor detailing.  I have decided that I want to extract toilet smells directly from the pan (see JSHarris blog part 32) I have 6 toilets in the house, in 3 pairs (see the plans on blog 02-The Planning Saga) so can use 3 extract runs, one to each pair, the simple bit.  I then need to work ou

• 7 Comments
• 6058 views

• le-cerveau
• August 13, 201610 yr

Read more about 03-Where Next

03-Where Next

Initial post date 21 Jan 2016 The initial brief for the house was: Passivhaus standards U-value of walls of 0.1W/(m2.K) Passive slab floor with 0.1W/(m2.K) low U-values, typically 0.85 to 0.70 W/(m².K) for the entire window including the frame, Triple glazing with built in blinds. Underfloor Heating with individual room/hall/passageway controls Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation with demand control Ground Source Heat Pump and Solar water heating Photo Voltaic Tiles (not p

• 0 Comments
• 1890 views

• le-cerveau
• May 26, 201610 yr

Read more about 02-The Planning Saga

02-The Planning Saga

Initial post date 21 Jan 2016 Our planning application took just over 3 months, however there was a lot of work done before this. As I said previously over an extended period the plans bounced back and forth between the Architectural Technologist (AT) and myself, with the occasional face to face when I was up at the existing house. The initial submission consisted of the topographic survey and photographs I posted last time, a OS map (very out of date, but required), Application form and

• 0 Comments
• 3329 views

• le-cerveau
• May 26, 201610 yr

Read more about 01-History

01-History

Initial post date 08 Jan 2016 My plan is to knock down the existing bungalow and re-build it with a 2 story house. This blog will be a record of the journey (hopefully), I will pass on any lessons (good and bad) and also ask the wise collective for advice (some of which I may take). The first question is why? We have a perfectly functional 4/5 bedroom bungalow that my mother lives in. I own the house (having bought my sister out of her half) and I wish to build a house to retire to. I am

• 0 Comments
• 1449 views

• le-cerveau
• May 26, 201610 yr