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I am sure the plan is frame to both side walls, AND further timbers spanning between these at no more than 600mm centres or better still 400mm centres.

Thanks Gus… that would seem like good advice. We’ll be looking at this in more depth 👍

No problem at all I’m not sure I follow, sorry Gus… do you think £4k for 1-8 is low or high? And do you think 9-21 should be more than a couple of thousand? It’s actually nearer to £3k, to be fair Based on the other quotes we had, these guys appear very reasonable. It doesn’t bother me one way or the other really, as I’m very happy with what they’d done (and continue to do) but it’s still interesting to hear other people’s take on fees…

The problem with that is that it starts to push out the payback time. I suppose it depends what strengthening work might be required. Anyone have any idea what might be typical?

I would worry the centre of the plasterboard sagging with a 1m span.

Yes will do. It glides nicely. The only thing I would say about it is that with the weight of 3G it has a fair bit of momentum so if you put too much oomph in to it it'll reach its stop with a bit of a bang. Oh and thanks for all your advice and help!

It's a smart slide neo door, and I got one window too, not sure of the name there. Fabricated in Poland, I had to wait a couple of months for them, which was over Christmas and New year.

Appreciate the input - in this case both the independent expert and FENSA concluded the installation does not meet the standard of reasonable skill and care and is non-compliant with Building Regulations. I understand that in a fully specified project more detail could be agreed upfront, but for a standard domestic installation the expectation is that the installer designs and installs appropriately. The findings here point to installation defects rather than specification issues. Also, if the installation requires the customer to design thermal detailing and specify tolerances to avoid basic defects, it’s probably not being carried out with reasonable skill and care anyway which the reports confirm.

Exactly right, Dave. It would also be fiddly to box in the whole wall, so just that part with the pipes is plenty, and as you say it won't make the stairwell feel narrow. So my main worry -- that the 1 metre span across the hallway would need ceiling brackets in the middle -- sounds like something I can ignore! Instead I can just anchor the frame to the wall all around the edge. Thanks!

What is this other thread? Regarding a brilliant quote / method of obtaining BUS grant ect? Cheers

With controls remote from the shower, I would (I did) put the controls on the left hand wall, so you can reach in and turn the shower on without the cold water in the pipes spraying on you.

I would strongly suspect the tight curve on the flexible hoses and the tube inside collapsing. The angle changes need to be taken up with solid elbows, the flexible is there to absorb vibration and noise transfer, not really to change direction.

Did you get Windows and the Neo Slider? Have been looking at options recently, but couldn’t find anyone down my neck of the woods who use Aluplast. Similar story with the Rehau Artevo range - have found 2 fabricators thus far but not local.

Can't get high enough to photograph. Alas I can't afford a builder to reduce its height and my brickie skills are lacking. What's wrong with rendering,?

Here is ours. Went with neither 20 years ago, although the screen folds in half inwards, so it helps the screen clear the shower head. The centre line is on the left of the riser, i.e. midway between the riser and the centre of the shower head - you can count the mosaic tiles.

It certainly is, it is difficult to believe how slow and change resistant the market is. You would think, for example, that by now there would be a multitude of lighting suppliers offering smart down lights. I could only find one supplier, now taken over by another company that then instantly cancelled their smart lights from the range. If you are going to produce downlights where you can switch the power and colour temperature - why on earth in 2026 would you not be making them smart. And still, even now, idiot companies think people will buy their own branded hub to go along with 12 others. You sometimes wonder whether they actually do any research at all on where the market will be going.

FYI - It is not unheard of for sloping roof trusses needing to be strengthened when PV panels are fitted, so based on @TedM's findings I would be looking to add extra wood to the existing timbers. A friendly SE's input would not go amiss in this situation, especially as you are talking about ballast systems

I think you're right. Will be giving this a miss then.

The pump (UPS 3) is not setup to modulate, it's running on speed three (maximum, also factory default). I don't have anything at all in the system intentionally reducing flow rate. As i say without the monobloc in line it happily circulates at 24 so yeah, agree it was never great even when first commissioned. and now it's barely operational

I've not currently got a build. Just researching things. They all seem to use the same Chinese motors these days. Can maybe save a lot if you order the motors from Aliexpress and fit them to normal blinds (just need to make sure the blinds you get have the right type of tube. (Obviously check import costs, etc). As someone who really wants to hardwire everything the current market is annoying. Either really high end/cost hard wire, or the battery/wireless ones. The wired but not super high end ones tend to lack other features. I believe that a number of the battery ones can be wired in to charge permenantly. So basically you can wire in USB chargers to them. Doesn't help with control though.

I definitely wouldn't have the Flexi on a curve, they definitely aren't like hydraulic hoses, so more likely to collapse over time. Why do you have you flow set at If you are restricting flow to get that I would take that restriction away and allow pump to modulate (if it does). Even that is low, a 4kW should kick out 20+L/min, the bigger the heat pump the higher the flow rate.

Riser rail for me, that is more obvious if not centred.

Ah, I am going to skip wired wall switches for the blinds all together. What motors are you using for the blinds ? 240V ? Somfy ? I am waiting on what may be a hideous quote from a blind company. A lot of blind companies only seem to do the rechargeable ones - but I can't face having to recharge blinds.

Not strictly true I think, although some councils imply that it is only allowed for small projects. Other councils may say 'should' rather than must. the planning portal use the phrase: "it is perhaps best suited to small work." But it presents a huge risk and you have to be confident of getting everyhing right, and comlying with all regulations and also hoping that the bco agrees with you and your designers. I've done commercial projects worth in the millions on building notice.... sometimes it was the only way to complete the project to the programme required. eg the one where I met the client for the first time, there was no design, their requirements were complex, and they wanted to use it in exactly a year.... and it was on landfill... and they didn't own the site yet... and politics required that we used the local LA, who didn't like being hurried. BUT again. I've had heavy meetings with BCO's flexing their muscles about their personal interpretation of the reg's, and it is scary to think they may stop the job/ want a stair removed etc. Right now we are converting a steel barn, and it is complex and unconventional. Being done on notice with a private bco, but we are a family of Architect and Engineer and being a main contractor, and with a Structural Engineer who can handle the complexity and accept (can I say relish?) that things might change along the way. SO I am being pedantic just for clarity. Full plans is highly recommended / essential for most projects on BH. Perhaps it is sensible that an LA says 'only for small domestic projects' even if not strictly accurate.

I agree you can do it with a single acting button but it's less flexible. Also, things like blinds could really do with 'up' and 'down'.