All Activity

Having owned property of similar age and condition I don't see anything that would greatly concern me. The house probably has minimal foundations, brick corbel plus maybe 100mm concrete if you're lucky, but has lasted over a century including a mix of exceptionally dry summers and very wet winters with what look like minor cracks. I think it's worth getting an SE to look at your specific concerns (the left E pic most notably) but I'd be careful not to get pulled into a lot of expensive remedial work for limited benefit by the first less than scrupulous builder you speak to.

I want to fit a key lock mechanism to a door, ideally want to fit the key lock mechanism without changing the door too much and since the door already uses a tubular mortice latch the solution I reached to is to use a keyed lock door knob or lever handle, example [ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Qrity-Stainless-Entracne-Passage-Lockset/dp/B06XKJHDP6 ]. Pic of the door without the spindle of the tubular mortice latch, the latch seems to be similar to this https://www.screwfix.com/p/smith-locke-chrome-tubular-mortice-latch-64mm-case-45mm-backset/339px and has the same 45mm backset so I won't be using the latch they are providing since it has a larger backset but since my current latch also has 2 extra holes like the screwfix latch, that are correct distance apart so it probably will work with the door knob above. This seems reasonable since this is an interior door and doesn't need to be that strong and would fit criteria of not changing the door too much. But I don't know much about locks and such so want to know if anyone else has experience dealing with these kind of key lock door knobs or levers from amazon that work with tubular mortice latch.

I’m just going to comment on your original/repeated question - How I would approach this: 1. Keep it simple (as a few others have said). I’ve done both approaches, with good reason and the right intent, but the best response and subsequent discussion has come from a very short initial enquiry. You’ve thought a lot about this; one way of cutting it down is write everything down and then get one of the AI tools to summarise your concerns into, say, 3 bullets that you could easily describe in an initial phone call. I wouldn’t expect it to give a finished solution, but this sort of approach can be good at sifting your thoughts. 2. Start with a phone call. You won’t be able to sift the good from bad necessarily, but you’ll get a feel for whether they’re interested and if it’s worth them visiting (or if you’d rather not progress to that stage - I’d want someone I could comfortably talk to). 3. Approach at *least* 3 before arranging one/two to visit (depending on cost/offers/approach - they will vary). Search for local recommendations, local FB groups you may be on/neighbours who have had big building works done etc. 4. Walk them round the aspects that concern you and why - the subsequent conversation will be led by their professional experience (this is why you want to try doing research on the company/person in advance. IMPORTANT: Check companies house (worth doing for any professional service imho). Dead easy to search - google “company / individual name companies house” this will give you an idea of how established the company is, what the finances are like and when you look at the names of the people you can see if they’ve had multiple businesses. This isn’t always a problem, but it helps you understand the risk or how you choose to pay (for example, I’d be less inclined to pay a lot upfront if there are any aspects that concerned me). Based on your post, personally, I would go for an SE assessment, before then seeing where it may take you as to the work required. Depending on how you get on with the SE you may find they have a few recommendations of other professionals they have a positive opinion of. Always get more than one quote (as mentioned earlier). Best of luck

All day at it. Claude's now struggling to find optimisations. So I need to be extra creative on the method rather than the code. 1024 trees on screen kills frame rate. Tricks a plenty needed

If you have imperial spaced icf then you need to hang your plasterboard American style which is horizontal, not vertical.

Solar is in the planning, but very contradictory, just really just says that it should look like it did before, which it can't as none before. They also want ASHP, MVHR, rainwater harvesting etc and 2 EV chargers. Basically, none of the existing barn exists due to very shallow founds which we replaced and walls converted from single skin to cavity. Planning guy came round one day and said fine, carry on. BC is just concerned with the BC bits and architect has lost interest. That said, it does look like it did before, blocks with openings. It won't as we are having render and cladding, all approved. I think the planning just didn't want anything bigger or higher. Most of the current roof has been removed and the rest will in due course.

That's absolutely what I would do... if it wasn't my profession already. The reason I say that is that even a very good building surveyor (not a quantity surveyor) who is RICS, or the most practical registered Architect will see the cracks and tell you that there are cracks. And that you need an SE to look into it. The AI suggestion above will include both the surveyor or Architect and then the SE. Surveyors and Architects are much better at self publicity, hence AI has found this ready made suggestion.

Yeah we had to submit a NMA for this, no problem getting it approved but an annoying hoop to jump through plus the cost of application

Ours were EPS filled. Worth mentioning you can buy all the bits from Eurocell and make them up to size yourself, which may save a bit although I don't think they were too badly priced ready made.

The other thing if the panels aren't on your plan is it legal to install them. Your planning documents are a legal document for you to follow once approved. Do a variation showing the roof full of solar.

For our Nudura build, we screwed directly to the 8" c/c plastic webbing in the ICF - yes a pain for metric boards, but nothing's fallen off 😉 I posted a a video and photo of hot knifing the channels and fitting plastic conduit (although if you pay a little extra for the low smoke cable, no conduit is required) https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/38949-fitting-conduit-in-eps/?do=findComment&comment=558991

You seem keen to get a report from a SE. Most will deal with this competently. Let us know what they say.

What suprised me were the channels in the formers were not filled with foam, just air gaps. I understand pvc windows are like this but I expected eps within the closers having used the off the shelf ones before. They have a bba cert so they must be good for their stated performance.

As @torre the premade ones are so much better than the off the shelf jobs. I've used them before wouldnt mess about any other way on 150mm cavity construction. To answer your actual question they are stable enough for the brickies to build in as they go. You may find for doors they will set a profile or straight edge up the reveal also.

Max rating of the pipe. I didn't check before I sent it but I thought generally the plastic pipe makers were ok upto 80/90C. You wouldn't want to run like that* but they need to be able to stand behind the product if someone does. * Older hospitals, hotels, etc, often have very hot loops and mix down near the consumers.

I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer i gave some moments (weeks)ago. Listen to what @Nickfromwales said, There is a much cheaper option than CVC for it.

Is it worth approaching your planning department as, with your new solar panels, it will be most certainly NOT like-for-like. Given that all local councils like to big-up their green credentials then an amendment/new planning application might allow you to consider other, less expensive, material choices Regards Tet

Double glazing at 1.2Ug, isn’t bad at all but expected Ug now for double glazed. I can only suggest getting a system that can handle the weight.

Factory glued but also done on site when required, as sometimes you need to fix through the frame and glass needs to be supplied loose.

Do the installers glue the unit in when window fitted then or do they come factory glued?

You get £1 from them and whatever the utility company pay, so for us £1.12 per kWh

They need to tie in to your meter, they also tie into your battery/inverter so they can automate everything. But also provide an API for home assistant app and a setup guide for home assistant also. If you want a referral code to get £25 https://vpp.axle.energy/landing?ref=R-VYFYIHBL

We have our bedroom window open until heating season, then it's closed. But being in Scotland we have to CO2 monitor in our bedroom, it records and gives peak and average readings. I used it tune flow rate to bedroom with bedroom door closed also. So we kept CO2 level at a low but sensible level. Once set there is no need to continually monitor and react.

I use one of these in one of my MVHR units https://ebay.io/m/evTvz0. Site in a simple junction box and sensor goes in the air distribution box on the return side. My MVHR is all based on zero volt signals. Brink etc all seem to be based around an expensive ecosystem.

I'd suggest using 40mm pir filled double skin. It is a good balance between stiffness and practicabiliry, price, insulation. And it will be much the same height as you have already. Flashings and seals need detailing Easy to source too at about £40/m2. BUT, with waste that's coming to 10k already. Plus vat. So let's say 10k sheeting 2 for sundries Gutter 3 Scaffold towers etc 2 2 workers x 3 or 4 days say 2k Tool hire 1. 20k and rising. Plus vat. Plus the risk that you make mistakes. Are the purlins OK?