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The warm weather this week has got me thinking about looking into trying to work out the issue with getting our Vaillant AroTherm Plus cooling the UFH for this summer. Installed the correct resistor last year, made all the changes to activate cooling but to no effect. We have one zone and four separate thermostats which can individually call for heating when required. Should the thermostats be turned off completely as setting the required temperature to say 15 deg doesn't seem to activate cooling mode, despite the cooling symbol being displayed on the controller? Any other thoughts (or useful links) gratefully received.

Galvafroid, MIO (micaceous iron oxide), black bitumastic etc. But then I'm old school.

Hi folks I have some steel work to paint for our outbuildings. It is exposed on the inside of the unheated building, though mostly covered and protected from rain. Is currently bare steel and not yet installed. Any recommendations for a suitable paint? I can get Johnstones Agricultural Oxide locally, though I think it needs a primer (Johnstones quick dry zinc phosphate possibly?) I've also seen this Agrox stuff, I think it can go straight on. The picture look suitable agricultural, and this from it's description sounds appropriate: "Agrox Grey Oxide Paint has been specially formulated to protect agricultural and industrial metal structures exposed to harsh environments. Ideal for use on barns, haysheds, and similar buildings"

I spent a while experimenting with different things and I've opted for a lump of C16 under at least 2 rafters. A handful of stainless screws and once i've finished cutting the rafters and levelling i'll finally fix with cascamite and screws. The timber adjustment pieces get gradually thinner to follow the adjustment required. This gives me the same birdsmouth cut as the unadjusted rafters, so less mucking about marking and cutting.

If an internal soil pipe comes down the wall and exits the house via a rest bend, is the invert level of said waste pipe governed by the thickness of the floor build up, eg screed, 150mm PIR, 150mm concrete slab, sand blinding, hardcore? Or are those layers irrelevant by the virtue of exiting straight out the house? I am also scratching my head as to how I use a rest bend and Radon barrier to hat on said rest bend when the bend radius is quite large and the Radon membrane is underneath the concrete slab. This will mean that for the barrier hat to be sitting on the vertical pipe, the invert level is forced really deep. I had no intention of having to run a deep invert just because of a Radon membrane.

I do have a piece of ground that I can just dump the slops on. Someone suggested knocking up a plywood 1m2 sized container that they can use.

Hi All - I was wondering if anyone has used or had expereince of using charred timber for decking. I've used it to clad my extension and am very happy with it. I've never liked the standard fluted look and out of principle am not going to pay millboard prices. I am not worried about slippage as I think that is a universal issue regardless and comes down to good maintenance. Cheers, Paul

Are you referring to the doormat issue, or are we going to need a trim for getting flush to the sliding door / window (i.e. can we not get the flooring to be flush to the edge)?

@saveasteading and other interested parties Here is part of it, no tape measure needed ( @Pocster ).

There is a trim for this similar to ones for doorways but its one sided. Not got any pics on my phone

What about fitted wardrobes if shown on drawings too? Log burners these could well be add ons but likewise its a fixed item not going anywhere.

Yeh worth remembering when submitting planning if you want a gazebo or pergola to include in planning drawings

Any advice / experience on laying a floating floor LVT system. I'm aware of the requirement to leave a gap at the edge underneath skirting board, but we're wanting to have it flush at a couple of locations. Would appreciate advice on the following scenarios: 1. Flush/right up to the edge of the sliding door and windows which make up 3 sides of an open plan kitchen/dining room (all other edges of the flooring will have a gap around the edge concealed by skirting). 2. Flush up to a well mat at the front and rear doors. Can we take it right up to the edge of the mat, or is there a trim that would neatly act as the edge of a mat well and provide a cover over the edge of the LVT? Thanks in advance.

you should be ok for manpower then. Have you thought where the surplus and slops are going?

That certainly applies for outdoors stuff that isn't shown, eg a pond or tree. But a worktop is part of the kitchen. I wonder if the vat check is that this isn't a replacement of an original.

Concrete beam & block, 150mm PIR, UFH in 75mm screed, LVT to finish

The brickie and his labourer are now coming along to assist.

Theres zero possibility of enforcement action 20 years after the event, so to be blunt who cares? Theres no legal requirement that says you cant buy a house without the relevant paperwork. If you think its badly done,get someone competent to look at it. Its only a garage conversion.

Do certain items have to be specified in planning drawings to qualify for vat reclaim. Not just after thought add ons? Perhaps this is where the discrepancies come in

There's no such thing as a free lunch you're always paying someone to do it. I get your point though if groundworkers quoted you a package with it included. Every time ive built ive got away with an os map on the planning and heights being marked on elevations. Never needed a topo upto now so have always marked out with lines and profiles. I accept its probably not cost effective on a more complex layout though. Particularly if there's other paid work you could be doing. I suppose like all self build its a trade off of time for£

Im useless with all tech, but i tried to get it to do a design for an extension flat roof. it failed. Or i failed. Im not sure which. Has anyone done this? Succesfully. If so, how?

I've been reading the Andrew the Vatman brochure that I collected at a recent exhibition. It's all very good info for the uninitiated.... and it turns out me too. We have experience of running a construction business, so won't need the help, so all I can say is best wishes to Mr Jones, and it's good to be so forthcoming with free info. My question is for those of you have reclaimed VAT, and anyone else who wants to guess. There is a list of the likeliest issues to be raised by the Vat inspector, and it intrigues me. Why are Granite worktops frequently queried? And fireplaces, log burners, burglar alarms? The list is long.

I asked AI and got rejected. So try GQT, they usually have an answer, sometimes a humours one. Many years ago I stumbled across Geoff Hamilton's gardens at Exton (I scrumped a ripe apple off his tree). Fantastic place for inspiration. @Omnibuswoman just get a local pass for The Eden Project. It is always warm and dry there.

How deep is the PIR? What is the build up of the floor upto and including the PIR? Could you run the cable below the PIR and then bring it up to the location of the floor sockets? I have 2 floor sockets. The cables were run between the joists and then a hole made to bring the cable up vertically to where the floor sockets would be.

My Cosy rate drops to 10.82p (from 1.33p) per kWh and is fixed until 1 October. And will get paid 12p for export. So that's a win. Not sure the difference in price is worth export from battery though. So will continue with excess PV only.