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You have two differing opinions, both by people who are professionally registered and insured (I assume that you have verified their credentials and insurance). My first thought is that the second opinion is working on incomplete information/different assumptions. For example, the first SE specified OSB bracing and the second is specifying windposts. Is the second fully aware of the OSB bracing? Are they planning to require both the windposts and the OSB or is the OSB redundant in their scheme? Fundamentally, you should be able to go to the second SE and say 'I have a design from a registered and properly insured professional (who are standing behind the design) that you are calling inadequate, please explain precisely why you think that? Also if you think the design is inadequate will you be raising this with professional bodies for investigation?' That might be seen as a bit confrontational and I'm sure you could soften that somewhat, but they need to be able to explain to you in detail why they are right and the previous SE is wrong. Another way to potentially resolve this is to either engage a third SE to explain this to you or potentially query the discrepancy with the professional body ("I'm being given conflicting information from two registered professionals - how do I resolve this?"). Having said all this, my feeling in this case is that you have a design from the first SE who has heard the criticism from the second SE and still stands behind their design (ie, they have confirmed they have not made a mistake and are happy for you to proceed with their design as-is). As long as the BCO is happy to proceed with the design I would continue on that path.

Solar gain doesn't heat the air. It heats the floor next to the window. And then that warm floor heats the air. So cooling the floor interrupts that heat transfer.

Hi @flanagaj, I am sorry you have had no replies, and I am aware that you have already consulted 2 SEs, but I think any reply would have had to refer you back to whichever SE spec'd the windposts. They will, I think, have ad more information than we have. Sorry!

Thanks folks, on my way to Screwy's as we speak

Yeah, the house has UFH, zoned with stats connected to a wireless UH8-RF V2 unit (attached). When the HP isn't tripped into immersion mode, the heating is fine. Zones call for heat, the HP kicks in etc. I have the Heating switched off at the mo, and it hasn't cut out in a few days. I wonder if it's an issue specifically to do with the heating. Maybe the HP can't generate enough heat so calls for the immersion to kick in, and then everything cuts out. Does that sound likely? Water temp is set to 50° / auto adaptive. Regarding original Installers. Hmm. Competent installers but abysmal aftercare. Very quick to charge (whether they fix your problem or not).

Videos coming ! I’m away at the moment so getting Claude remotely to add new features and send me videos .

I think traditionally the connection hose always had a right angle where it screwed in to connect to the back of the machine, and then a straight connector on the other end to connect to the supply. Our new machine has the hose integrated with the machine and with a water leak detector/shut-off on the water supply end which is straight. We had a minor celebration at the weekend because for the first time in 3 years and 8 months the weekly wash did not have to be taken to the laundrette !

Would have looked even better with one of David's cars there 😉

Usually one right angle which fits on the back of the appliance.

Another Noddy question, but are appliance hoses normally right angle at the supply connection end?

Found exactly the same with a heat pump dryer. In the end we stacked the washer and dryer and just ran the utility work surface up to the space for the washer and dryer. Worked out much better.

That isn't how/when summer bypass mode works. Most (all?) MVHR units with summer bypass should switch to bypass mode only when it's cooler outside than inside, and only when the temperature is above some threshold (to avoid it coming on in winter). Even during a run of hot days, it's a rare situation in the UK when the overnight temperature doesn't fall significantly below the interior temperature of a typical house. It's therefore worthwhile to use summer bypass, especially if you don't want to open windows overnight (due to, e.g., insects or noise). Maybe it's of less use in Scotland because the interiors of houses don't get so hot in summer, but where I live, our bedrooms can reach 30 deg C, even with the underfloor cooling working downstairs. I see no reason not to use every available trick to reduce temps overnight. The one thing I haven't managed to get around to yet is to control the MVHR to boost during the cheap period when conditions are such that summer bypass will be in effect.

So for heating system think of red box similar to to high temp radiators, orange similar to fan coils, green thin screed or low temp radiators, thick screed is like blue. Your build method also has a big influence on time to heat - a build that is light, wood frame filled with PIR insulation will change temperature quite rapidly similar to the blue box. An old stone building with directly plastered walls will be slow to heat up no matter what your heat source. Add external insulation it will still be just as slow, add internal insulation it starts to act like a lightweight building. The ideal heating system and heat source will make the most of the building characteristics. But generally with a heat pump low and slow is the best approach, no matter what the building. Don't let the building fabric cool to much between heat sessions or constantly blip heat heat in. Lightweight buildings respond well to weather compensation as internal and external temperature changes occur quite quickly. The heavier the building the more likely there will be a phase difference in temperature changes, inside responding more slowly than outside.

Yes, definitely something to watch out for. I printed out all the dimensions for our washer to use for planning, and the plumber said the dryer would be slimmer than the washer, which I also expected. However when I did check the heat pump dryer dimensions I was shocked to find it actually deeper than the washer. Indeed I think it was 610mm deep and therefore incapable of ever being fitted in the standard 600 by 600 space. The manufacturers seem to compete heavily on machine capacity and so are constantly trying to make the drums bigger - pushing ever outwards at the back and at the front by making the front panel and the door stick ever further forward.

I never knew they had these leak detectors, thanks for the heads up

I was surprised to see how deep some of the condenser dfiers are. Some of the Bosch ones are deeper than 600mm and many others are just under 600mm (eg Hisense).

Sometimes of course it is not possible to put the connection in the adjacent cupboard because the adjacent cupboard is another appliance or a drawer unit etc. This is the case with us and we have the room (670mm worktop depth) to position the connector behind the machine - however we have ensured the supply pipe has a shut off valve under the sink. Regarding height, don't forget some washing machines and dishwashers these days can come with leak detection and shut-off devices attached to the water input pipe. These can be 3-4 inches long, so if mounting the connector facing down for example you probably need at least 6 inches and probably a bit more for the water shut off device and the bend in the pipe.

Great, the plumbing is working out so it can be to the side, but much easier to plumb if low down rather than high up.

This looks like a painting on the wall. I thought this was a modern take on Constable's Haywain when I first saw it.

Only in so far as it has to be accessible inside the cupboard.

There is generally zero room left behind the appliance to have an electric or water connection behind it. Run to the cupboard next to it. Water height - doesn't matter as long as your hose will reach. Electric we plug into a dumb socket in the cupboard and have a ready/easy to reach wall isolation switch on the wall. Waste connection also do in the next cupboard.

Does the height not matter at all?

+1 Adjacent cupboard.

Do NOT have the connector and isolator tap behind the appliance. Fit it inside an adjacent cupboard unit so it is accessible, and does not restrict the appliance going fully back into it's recess. Same for waste fitting and electrical socket.

Like most (I assume) we are to fit our washing machine under a worktop. In an ideal world you'd have a water supply with isolator just above the washing machine, but that's obviously not possible with it under a worktop. Given that option is off the cards, does it make any difference to have the connection and any particular height? The only consideration I can think of is to have it at a height that you can get a tub underneath to catch any water when disconnecting. That suggests a height of something like 150mm would be good. I suppose the other option is to still have it high, higher than the machine's own connection point, so the hose can remain full when disconnected and then get drained.