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Good evening gents, many thanks for your advice - afraid I haven't had a chance to go through it properly yet today but just wanted to acknowledge your assistance and links/details provided - this is what BH is about! 😎 Will go through and follow-up hopefully tomorrow if I have time.

Well that didn't seem to make a blind bit of difference... DHW setpoint changed to 40 degrees and hysterisis set to 5 degrees. DHW heating cycle seemed to kick in around 40 degrees cylinder temp and went on to reheat to ~50 degrees. 🤷

@saveasteading I appreciate all input. I’m really trying to work to best practices but have some limitations. I can’t take the drains out by the shortest route as there is not enough space around the building on the right side. Also, the foundations are stepped down where my diagram shows the pipe exit. So with 3 courses of trench blocks in this area it gives plenty of room for the pipe to pass through with a lintel. This is not the case with the footings at the top and right of diagram which have just one course of trench blocks then dolly blocks as per detail. The rest of the foundations are as per the detail (except concrete is deeper than 220mm in reality). Footing depth is 450mm including mortar between courses as per detail. It’s on slatey rock and BCO was happy with depth. The reason for stepping down the trenches in one area was because there was some made-up ground to get through. Regarding the ground floor detail with x2 DPM’s. This was led by the BCO. I originally had one DPM as well as hard-core and blinding sand but BCO suggested this as a preferred alternative. The secondary DPM is mainly there to help the slab go off consistently I believe. In all honesty though if he’s happy, I’m happy. The building is not going anywhere, it’s a single story cabin. My main focus is to refine the layout of the foul drainage under the slab to be compliant. I think it’s close (I may be wrong), but given the limitations, I am really keen to have other peoples ideas and if anyone has a better way of doing it, I’m keen to hear it. You can see in the picture attached that there is not much room outside the bathroom end of the building. There will also be a retaining wall there reducing space further. You can also see where the stepped foundations allow more room for pipe exit. This is also in direct line of sight with the existing drainage which we will be connecting into.

Hi Sarah, Did you start building yet? We are just coming to the end of self build just outside of Salisbury. It is a straw bale house on a foam glass insulated Limecrete slab. Timber clad on the outside and clay and lime plaster on the inside. It's been a learning curve to say the least. If you still have any questions I could try to help?

Lol. I’m in the trenches, so to speak, at the moment. I’m not shy of anything, as no job is beneath anyone, afaic. 😉

Excuse that I haven't read all the above. But I don't like most of what I see. Get drains outside of the building by a short route. Avoid bends and junctions under the floor. Why can't you take them out of the right side? Is the bco OK with footings 420mm deep? Is there to be stone under the slab? 2 layers of dpm should be unnecessary.

@Oz07I’m feeling pretty happy with this so far. Is the extra 45 coming off the Y on the WC ok? Where do I need to add rodding access?

Hi So we have performed a huge refurb. Understably budget has been hit hard and we have scaled the build back. One area we have overlooked in extractors and someone mentioned if I had looked at MVHR, and I have jumped down a huge rabbit hole. Getting ventilation downstairs now will be tricky but I will be able to do this for all the bedrooms and ensuite upstairs through the loft. Is there any value looking at MVHR for just upstairs? I might be able to gain access to the kitchen downstairs but other rooms might be difficult. Any good literature to read up on? Thanks Nick.

Not fit for purpose - ok for grass only.

My rule of thumb is I fill the tank and run it dry. That gives me enough time to cover a good area without overdoing it and means I never leave the machine with petrol in it as it doesn’t take long for it oxidise and gum up the fuel system.

You need a decent machine first and then a 3 blade cutter. Clear area rake it up, the spray with decent weed killer. I'm using https://www.stihl.co.uk/en/p/brushcutters-grass-trimmers-clearing-saws-fs-561-petrol-clearing-saw-183336#fs-561-c-em-petrol-clearing-saw-183336 With either this for first cut a 3 blade brush knife Part No. 41482000194 And a duracut for maintenance https://www.stihl.co.uk/en/ap/durocut-40-4-107595 Anything else just spend all day changing cutters. The above generally runs out of fuel before anything breaks.

You still need an expansion strip around the walls + movement joints in doorways. I'd probably do the same, using clip rails to fix to pipes.

I think the "grid load" is your house consumption, hence the picture of a house. Have you got a clamp on multimeter/ammeter that you can verify what's coming and going to the battery/grid/house and check your measured readings against what the app is showing??

This is the setup I am trying to work out. Unfortunately the 450mm inspection chamber exists in the wrong direction. I'm hoping I can put a tee right next to it to solve that, since the long straight run will be roddable from the 300mm inspection chamber bottom right of diagram. I'd prefer something smoother, but can't find a product that is a 'resting bend tee' equivalent. Does this look at all sensible? The existing 450mm inspection chamber has an outlet invert 600mm below the surface. 1:40 fall would necessitate 600mm - (15,000mm/40) - 2*(300mm_chamber invert steps) < 225mm. Noticed a product called a shallow access 90 degree chamber which avoids the steps at the two 300mm chambers: https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.uk/product/280mm-dia-90-degree-shallow-access-chamber-base-110mm.html @Nickfromwales do you get involved in the mucky pipes outside or just stay warm inside?

Yes that makes sense. I’ll re-do the model and post back. All advice so far much appreciated.

Maybe just one run and eliminate the bend before the main run exits the house. It'll be easier to do because you can align with basin instead of wc

So to put it in context ! If you zoom in you can see the green is shiny I.e damp . Yeah I know it’s minimal - but it’s still there . I’ll try my plan out the front for a few months . I know some of you will say “ (expletive deleted) that just seal the concrete in the upstand “ - what concerns me is where the water goes if it can’t get through there …

I’m sorry, I’m just an amateur. You’ve probably already seen this, but this is what Google Gemini says: For me, thinner paint and getting the pressure right had the biggest effect. Distance from surface and movement speed came next. I’d also heard about the “warming the paint technique”. Buy a different brand of paint, see if it is still a problem. I’ve only sprayed Benjamin Moore ceiling paint, Benjamin Moore Scuff-X Matt, and Valspar Premium Walls & Ceilings Matt. They all sprayed differently. I have a Graco sprayer, so I don’t know anything about Wagner sprayers. For ceilings I used FFLP514 spray tip. Google Gemini says this about tips:

All that will do is grow back so your options are hire a small digger and properly clear the area. If you don’t mind cutting it back a few times a year then you need a proper petrol brush cutter that can take a blade for the initial cut back then good trimmer line to stay on top of it. You want a two handled one (also called bull horn) and a harness as it’s easier to use and less physically tiring. You’ll also need a helmet with ear defenders and a visor. I recently bought a Honda commercial brush cutter which came with a blade cutter and harness. Not cheap at £470 but not too dear either as it will see a lot of use. It has the advantage that it just takes E10 petrol so no need to pre-mix. I also have an Echo strimmer that can also take a blade. It’s much lighter and I can get into more awkward areas with it. I cleared a huge area by hand using a bladed brush cutter then stayed on top of it with the lawn tractor. You eventually win the battle and the grass establishes and takes over. Looking at the field now you’d never know it wasn’t always grass. Gorse on the other hand! I have a lifetime battle with it unless I get a goat. If you are going to buy a hedge trimmer buy an electric one with two batteries. They are much lighter to use. I have a Stihl one and it’s great.

So a plan I had before I’m going to try . Remove blocks on this drawn section . So water can’t pool and run along the wall . A way for it to run off away from the wall .Remember with those 4 courses not in I had zero leaks ! . So it’s water running along the wall base and maybe down the lane the issue ….?

Where the cone is now nice toss pot basically put some of my pavers . Can’t possibly have sand on the lane ! Tosser !

Noticed damp in the recess . Went outside to look . Only lite rain today . A neighbor ( aka wanker ) had placed some of the cobble stones back at the end presumably to stop the sand washing out . No idea when they did this - but clearly will cause a dam .So clearly still an issue ( can’t say if their block caused the issue but it doesn’t help me ) . Removed blocks and put cone out now ffs . So still an issue - what a bast !

Depending on the area and frequency you wish to cut back the overgrowth, I would rent a 40cc + Husqvarna or similar for starters. It will need heavy duty strimmer line or a metal 3 tooth blade for dense and heavy grass and small woody stems. You will need a harness and eye / ear protection. Fuel and oil. I have a Huqvarna 545 RXT, it's a brute, yes expensive but will last me out if maintained. It can be exhausting clearing large areas so be realistic about your goals.

Is there any automation available within the app? Or possibly a setting that tells it what to do with the battery in certain circumstances like a discharge priority? For example, I can configure my system to dump the battery to the grid (export tariff) then charge it back up at the cheap rate. However it’s dependent on me entering the correct figures and TOU.