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For those who are in the same boat Will we need to heat a passive house?

@Onoff Reminds me of when SWMBO was pregnant last year and the nesting instinct had kicked in, I had to give up a weekend to redecorate the 'nursery'- a room which I intend to convert into the front entrance hallway and stairwell when we do the loft conversion. Lots of stripping woodchip off walls that aren't going to exist in a couple of years time. To cap it all off, we painted the whole place a lurid pink colour following the first ultrasound, and then a few months later a baby boy popped out. I was even less enthusiastic the weekend that we repainted the place blue...

Today's job was to try and organise getting the phone line connected at the new house. Previously Open Reach had visited, given us the cable and duct which is all installed so it just needs connecting under the grass verge, and a socket connecting in the house. First phone call to BT new connections did not go well. He could not find the address of the new house on the address data base *. He stated he cannot process the order until the house appears on the address data base. I argued that my next door neighbour managed to get his phone line connected without being on the database, so it must be possible. No it is not. Can I speak to your manager please. I gave up after 10 minutes of canned music, that was never going to be answered. So I call back, expecting this time to have to get irate at the call to the manager not being answered. Instead I got a different operative, this time much more helpful, who finding it not on the database simply said I will have to put it through manually and proceeded to take all the details and place the order. I have an activation date of 23rd March, so watch this space to see if it happens. * as a point of principle, I am at the moment refusing to pay to get the new address listed on the address database. I didn't pay for the last house, and I have been receiving post to the new house with its new address for well over a year (electricity bill) so I personally have nothing to gain by paying for that. So I am holding out on the basis if someone else wants it they can pay for it (a whole different topic of course) I suspect that will come to a head when we start getting charged for council tax?

Epoxy grout is good, but a pain to put in. I will take a photo when I get 2 mins

Pah, you think that's muddy.......

PMSL! Here's hoping for some major hot flushes then, we've used 100L of oil since 10th March. The house is like one big patio heater. Even the vermin have moved out.

Unless the mother in law comes around, I'm not even going to dust until we leave for the new place. Probably a year away, but you can draw some really pretty patterns in dust.

Well I have told my missus if she wants to do it that's fine by me but I ain't doin it ( knowing full well she wont) ?

Lol. A TS can come with dry pockets cut into the side, basically a metal tube capped at the water side, and the torpedo of the stat just slides into that for referencing the cylinder temp. I ordered a TS assuming the manufacturer would have provisioned for the cyl stat. They didn't. My fault. One of the spare flow and return trappings would have accommodated that unit and saved me a mountain of grief. Type that in ?

They used to do a stem version too with the pocket included but seem to be out of stock.

@Ferdinand , the cheque is in the post. Only got to get it past Debbie, and the job's done.

OK thats the puppy I have... If you look at appendix D.2 its a W-Plan they are using BUT there are a number of issues with it how they have it configured The Hot water and UFH feed have to be the same temperature (ie 45c) which does nothing for your COP and is too high for direct UFH Connection If you go direct UFH then there is no circulation pump so you are reliant on the ASHP pump circulating the floor and that will get cut off the moment the cylinder stat drops below the set temperature. The W plan wiring doesn't allow for heating when the DHW is off at the controller so you need to modify the wiring slightly to put power to the off terminal and enable the diverter when the DHW controller is off. Without a buffer tank, the ASHP will short cycle so will be innefficient and potentially cause other issues. To do all of this isn't complicated but it needs the use of a couple of pipe stats, a changeover valve and a relay. So you need 2 of these - one set to the DHW temp (47c) and one to the UFH temp (32c) Immersion Thermostat And one of these - must be the CR5-02 Version - 3 Way Valve And a standard 220v change over relay DPDT Relay Those valves have the benefit they don't burn out synchro motors, and they can drive the changeover relay. Wire the stats to the output pins (pairs) on the relay, with the input pins to the control box terminals marked as "thermostat". Wire the coil to the WH/YE circuit on the valve head so that when the valve opens to connect the ASHP to the buffer tank/UFH then it connects the relay and switches the pipe stats from the "DHW" temp to the "UFH" temp. The DHW "Off" position on the time clock needs linking to the Heating "On" in the W-Plan so that in the event you don't want a permanent hot water cycle then the valve will drive the ASHP to heat the buffer. Both of the tank control stats are used to drive the pump on/off terminals on the ASHP control box. Finally..... the room stat drives a zone valve between the buffer return and the manifold so it only has access to heat when the stat allows the valve to open. I've got this drawn up somewhere but need to find it !

Its max output is 7kW. I think I'd need about half an air-brick to meet this requirement. As it stands my stove is being supplied by a 110mm soil pipe which pokes in to an underfloor void fed by about 38 air bricks.

I have a similar issue with some gu10 lamps in my kitchen and it was suggested to me that it might be induced current, and that there wasn't anything to worry about. But it was probably Jeremy who suggested it so it'd be interesting to see why it's more likely in one installation that another.

It's almost certainly leakage current. If these are Chinese, then please disconnect them and take them apart to make sure that they have an earth connected - my experience is that very often they don't! If the earth wire is properly connected internally, then check that the line and neutral are the right way around - again it's quite common for Chinese stuff to have them swapped, I've seen this on power supplies in particular, and once on a battery charger (not nice, it meant that the negative battery connection was sat at mains voltage................). It's also possible that instead of a proper LED driver they may just be using a capacitive dropper, sort of OK if everything is properly insulated internally, but again Chinese stuff can be poor in this regard. If you find that the light does have a proper LED driver inside, that the line and neutral are the right way around, and that the internal earth wire is properly connected to the alloy case, then you can still get leakage via the interference suppression capacitors fitted to the supply side of the switched mode LED driver unit. The problem is generally current flowing via earth in this case, not enough to cause an RCD/RCBO to trip, but enough to make the LEDs glow. If that's the case then the best fix is a double pole switch, but please disconnect the light and look inside for earth or wiring faults first. Sadly there are a lot of these that are just bloody dangerous. I bought 4 very similar flood lights and all four had the earth wire loose and unconnected inside the case, and they were all sold by, and badged with the name of, a UK company.

For the grief with the stove installation, unless you intend to use it a lot, I'm with him. I completely disagree with him about driving the preheat into the DHW tank as that's nonsense. If your Pv is generating at all, then your likely UVC ( proposed TS ) temp will reside ABOVE the low grade temp range of the ashp 'pre-heat' ( aka high CoP ) yield, so basically you'll be COOLING the cylinder with the ashp and that's obviously not the way forward. The only way to link the ashp to the DHW tank is to accept the hit on the CoP and drive it at 55oC. Essentially with your new guys proposal you'd never get the ashp to supply any heat to the TS unless it was switched on from cold. As it would prob never get that cold it'll never ask for low grade heat input. Regards to the recommendation for the TS instead of the UVC then it's a bit too difficult to just say it's a good / bad idea. The primary tank for low grade ( in previous chat ) would sit at a temp low enough to not give masses of unwanted latent heat loss, but will then allow you to reduce the size of the UVC. The UVC will be the tank with the higher, possibly nuisance, latent heat loss so that's the one to focus on. If you change to a multi input single TS, it'll be very high temp ( 70+oC ) and it'll need to be a biggy. More losses, less efficient, more ( *) connective pipework to leak heat away, and zero opportunity to preheat ANY DHW from the ashp, ( * ask @Declan52 about the importance of keeping the pipework related losses under control for real life feedback ), plus you'll need to keep boosting it with electricity to max out the correct temp, as, even at 55oC, the ashp is not at all suited to directly and singularly running a TS. ( IMO ). Pointless in going to the efforts you have done with insulation / airtightness etc and then have a horribly inefficient heating and DHW system. Sorry for the headaches

You need to run some timber battens down either side of the valley to take the weight of the valley tiles. We used them - they do look good.

I have been using limestone tile sealer on grout in my rental properties for years and it works a treat.

Page 35 gives details of fitting valley tiles http://www.dreadnought-tiles.co.uk/res/plain clay tiling guide1.pdf

On the day all went well including the power floating that I was not looking forward to. Was right on concrete volume - over ordered by 0.2m3 - nothing on the scale of things.@oranjeboom came over and lent a big hand. The shower tray & wet room former/ mould / pattern worked very well but concrete didn't get fully under it - suspected that was where the excess concrete came from - but removed mould yesterday and only needed 2 buckets of mix to fill the gaps. I learned loads will put that in a blog entry. Images of the main area finished and final power floating of studio space.

I fretted too much over my design, and it wa only when I realised that all I was doing was farting about with partitions etc that I finally submitted planning drawings. I'm still fretting occasionally now, even though the shell is up and I am about to start plasterboarding! I keep having this sudden urge to make the place open plan. It's probably what an architect would want me to do. But then you try to work out how the space would work as a home and it doesn't make so much sense. I might start a thread on it, actually...

I used GRP valleys rather than lead. I found them easier to install. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=grp+valley+boards&client=firefox-b&prmd=simvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwja-Om5wOnSAhULCsAKHbbvD4YQ_AUICCgC&biw=1024&bih=704

Good comments and a fantastic question to ask. You haven't said when your PP runs out, which sets a limit to procrastination ! I say take a break and relax for 2 or 3 months, away from your design, so that you can recharge your batteries and allow subliminal insights you have gained space to surface. Then think and make a decision or some changes. Or not. This is also for hinterland ... which helps give a more rounded judgement. Architects get it through variety, and the sheer length of their training. eg In the 1950s when traininng my father was sent from Sheffield to I think Edinburgh with a group of students to do a site survey of one of the Civic Buildings by crawling all over it. I think taking a break gives self-builders a chance to reflect and perhaps rethink. Isn't there a French slogan "reculer pour mieux sauter" about pausing your horse slightly better to jump the fence? If you have sufficient time and have had your heads under the bonnet (so to speak) looking at spark plugs, then perhaps there is merit in stepping away and looking at the whole car. Have you been heavily house-focused for so long that you may have allowed your "life we want" compass to be obscured a little? Perhaps focus away for a month or four and do something completely different or that you love. Go on a weekend course about to learn about oil painting, butchery, or a new skill, cycle down the Rhine Path to find some Euro-architecture, or go on a cruise, or to Le Mans, or spend a week at Iona, or go to Barcelona to visit the Pavilion, or on a theatre binge. And come back refreshed in June or July to make any changes or get started in autumn / spring. And/Or spend some time "window shopping" to see other people houses (see eg http://www.themodernhouse.com/) or there are various distinctive modern / innovative houses owned by the National Trust (Willow Road, The Homewood, Red House, or Hill House for the NT for Scotland) which may differently inspire. The Landmark Trust also has a wide range of contrasting houses where you can stay, such as Anderton House in Devon by Peter Aldington. I still like Aldington, and his own modern house can be visited, and is in a village setting. Are there not also some "Grand Designs" which do B&B? Here are eleven in a slightly out of date article. Who knows .. you may find just the thing to soften your house into its setting. Not so much about finding new ideas, as setting a deliberate semi-colon and seeing some different ideas - for an extra contrast and perspective now you are slightly different people. Vive La Difference ! Ferdinand

The whole house is cheap-rate at the appropriate times so all you need is a timer, possibly integrated on the appliance, one period for the off-peak and a manual override/boost for the on-peak use (or additional timed periods if use is regular).

great news! hope the builder is available too.

quick update before bed. 1st load of insulation arrived today had the perimeter and foul drains in by the time it was dark. Yep that's them in the top right tidying up before they leave

All you ever wanted to know about leadwork from the definitive source .. http://leadsheet.co.uk/home/lsa-pocket-guide/

Here's a starter for ten .... http://www.diydata.com/general_building/roofing/fixing_roof_tiles.php

What a relief eh!!? Did you manage to keep your builder or had he already given your slot to someone else?

So I can sympathize with that ..! Have you got your warranty sorted ..? If not I can give you a direct contact for a warranty provider and cut the broker out of that one too ..!

Yes I was awake at 2:00 AM wondering about concrete polishing - its all booked for next Thursday - I hope I have all the sums right!

I think the trouble is most of us on this forum know 1000% more than the average punter about ecobuilding and the kit behind it. Personally I would rather ask advise on here from people in the know than be sold something by a rep with a vested interest in their product.

Speedfit pipe award goes to...

I too have thought about standing, but it seems that people mainly vote along party lines. We often complain about NIMBYism here. I suspect that it is very hard to get elected in local politics without supporting local NIMBYs who I usually disagree with. I once read an interview with Archie Norman. He said that he hoped he could enter politics to help things. But there was too much politics in politics and that people would stall what they knew were good ideas if you wouldn't support their ideas. People seem to have a total misunderstanding of how local government is paid for. In Scotland they have just gone through an exercise of changing the ratio of band H to band A houses from 3x to 3.65x for council tax. So around a 20% increase in band H. I hear constantly that people in band H may own a £1m+ house whereas band A may just be £70,000, yet they only pay 3x more council tax. People fundamentally don't understand that most council revenue, around 80% I believe, comes from the block grant from central government, so people who pay more income tax are already paying a considerably higher percentage of the costs of running local government. It is a very difficult equation encompassing ability to pay and fairness versus paying for what you actually use. In reality the income tax system is based on ability to pay. People on low incomes simply couldn't afford to pay for all the services that they use. In a civilised society there has to be some realisation that it is fair that everyone pays their part of the burden and that is larger the more you earn. I don't think going back to a poll tax is workable. However, it gets on my nerves to think that people believe I am not paying a "fair" share as they don't seem to know how councils are funded. The other problem of this system of course is that voting power is concentrated amongst people who don't actually pay the costs of what they are voting for hence standing on a basis of sensible spending won't get you that far.

I wonder how these different charges are calculated, and whether they can be challenged? Local Authorities have fairly consistent salary scales etc across the whole of the UK, I believe, so the processing costs for adding a new house name or number should be roughly the same. My understanding is that public bodies are only allowed to charge the actual cost of doing an essential task; they are not allowed to set a charge that makes them a "profit". I remember going through all this with the public accounts committee, years ago, when questions were asked about the way internal charging operated between government departments, and the rules were very clear, and are the same as apply to the statutory responsibilities of local authorities. The variation shown up in this thread is massive; from £24 to £145, and I simply refuse to accept that there isn't a bit of profiteering going on. I know that our LA has been politically forced into making no Council Tax rises for four years; this year is the first increase for some time. The consequences have been massive cuts in necessary spending, that is, without a shadow of doubt, building up a bow wave of future spending that has been growing year on year as essential services and facilities degrade. One thing they have been doing is looking to extract money from people in as many ways as possible, hence the £115.50 charge for a house name, or the snooping tactics to find half-built houses that they can levy Council Tax on. I'd have rather they'd just put the Council Tax up a bit each year, as I've not been impressed by the political boasts made each year that they've held the increase at zero, when they've just been cutting corners with essential services that will end up costing tax payers far more in the long run.

My own preference would be getting someone in to do all the work you have described. You have to weigh up both the time it would take you to do it and the hire / fuel cost, vs the cost of getting someone in (with a bigger machine?) who could do the job in half the time. If you really want to have a go operating a machine, remember you will have landscaping to do.