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Sounds like a neat solution. Most of the flow adjustment systems are either clunky (like running around changing restrictor plates) or mean screwing the actual terminal in and out on the thread, so they all end up looking slightly different if there's a lot of adjustment. For a budget solution I think it's hard to beat the ones I linked to, as they are very unobtrusive, especially as so few people gaze up at the ceiling all the time, where 90% of them are fitted. Here's a view of one in the corner of one of our rooms, The outer ring that sits flush with the ceiling is around 150mm diameter:

^^^ Should there not be a charge of "wasting parlaiments time" for that?

Friday night tradition in our household demands attendance at our local, the Unwashed Self-Builders Arms - a pub until recently owned by HM the Queen. A pub so well designed that anyone using the carpark gets treated to a ringside view of the shake, bob and tuck routines (some more extravagant than others) performed by occupants of the men's loo. But hey this is West Lancashire. By the fireside we chatter about the week gone by, and plans for the next. We’ve been going to this pub for many years now. Time enough to notice patterns of behaviour, and be able to read the car park accurately enough to see who’s in and who isn’t. One thing that unites trades folk in this pub is their tendency to gaggle at one end of the bar. A phenomenon that I have seen for years, but not really noticed. Until recently. Trades people are an elite. They have wealth far beyond the more common understanding of the term. It is at least in part an earned elitism. First, most have expertise if not by formal qualification, then by experience: sometimes both. Many of those same experts are fantastically adept at avoiding communication. In exactly the same way as formally qualified, licensed professionals make themselves invisible, incommunicado behind layers of secretarial support, trades folk have a simpler but just as effective modus operandum. Don't answer the phone. Let their voicemail inbox fill up, Or maybe switch the ringtone off. Then they are also an elite because of the professional networks they construct. The one slight difference about their professional networks is that they started building it in primary school. How many doctors, teachers, dentists, work daily with their best mates from their school days? So many times in the last couple of years I have heard and watched trades people contacting a series of other tradesmen by phone. Each phone call was answered instantly. Each conversation came up with the resolution to a problem we needed to solve jointly. (well at least the promise of one). And how many BuildHubbershave that high a strike rate? I’ll tell you: every single trades person on this forum. And none of the rest of us. I made a huge mistake: I assumed that trades people would always communicate efficiently, or at least as efficiently as I had to in my professional career. How naive, how smoked could I be? I now use four phones, not just one. Why? I’m certain that trades people will almost always answer a call from a new phone number. It's a self-limiting tactic, though. How do you contact an uncontactable tradesperson?

All I can suggest is wrapping the wires in polythene and using expanding foam to fill gaps. PVC insulation on wires should be kept away from eps and the like.

Not the cheapest, but for example.... This kind of thing or this one

[Apologies for those that got a half-complete notification - I somehow submitted without having finished] Thanks everyone for the welcome, and indeed the comments/suggestions. Addressing some of the key points raised: Terminology - Yes, if I've found one thing with MVHR it is the variety of terms in use often interchangeably! I am seeing manifolds and plenums being swapped around; and valves, terminals, grilles, vents (and now 'ceiling holes'! ) all being used. Here am indeed talking about, well, the ceiling holes (that's arguably the least ambiguous term given its uniqueness!) System Type - I am intending on using the HB+ system with the central manifold-based flow restrictors (based on your previous discussions/experiences with them JSHarris) and accept that initial balancing is going to be a bit of pain. Having performed a 20-stage iterative balance of our wet central heating system, taking around 6 hours to complete, I've got the determination (and OCD?!) to see something like this through though! It may well end up something of a hybrid system of different suppliers where possible/compatible and I *might* make my own manifolds to suit my specific needs (and budget). Something worth mentioning is that this will be a retrofit installation and whilst it will be performed alongside a new extension it does mean I can afford to be a bit more focused on some of the arguably less(er) important aspects! As you say, Ian, a complete self-build must mean any available time is highly competed for and so I could well understand that subtleties of vent aesthetics are justifiably low down the list! The fact that I am retrofitting means that wherever possible I shall be wanting to install from the below-ceiling side (just to be clear: the ducting will be in the ceiling void; it is just which side I'll be primarily working from!). For this reason I may well end up fabricating my own plenums that I can fix from beneath using a 63/75mm-to-125mm adaptor and 125mm right-angle rigid bend as all plenums I've seen are very much fit-from-above or at first fix. I think I'll be able to do all this from underneath (I've done similar before with an inline shower extractor fan) given the right terminal type (particularly the ones with a collar that is screwed to the ceiling hole edge. The Conus air valve is not one I'd come across JSHarris but could be just the ticket given how slimline it is and depending on how easily I can attached it to a non-HB+ plenum. Am I right in assuming that there's no distinction between supply/extract with that particular type? The type Lizzie has also sound very interesting, but my desire for (expensive) aesthetics is unfortunately sometimes countered by my thrifty-Northern roots so I might have to avoid looking too much into that option!

Don't shoot the messenger ?

You get stuff like that every day, often from the same few correspondents. If you're lucky you can get the correspondent declared vexatious if they do it often enough, which then means you don't have to sort out a reply, you can just bin everything they send in. I had some really beauties, like the chap that invented holographic spy satellites. He argued at as lasers could create a 3D hologram that had all the visual characteristics of a real object, we didn't need to send up spy satellites but could create them when needed using 3D laser holography. The same chap invented a ground to air refuelling system, where a long hose was paid out from the ground and spun around in a big circle, getting higher and higher until an aircraft could catch the end of it and then fly around in a circle whilst fuel pumped itself up the hose using centripetal force. Another one was a chap that had invented kevlar sandbags, for greater protection, never mind the cost or the fact that you really want a round to penetrate the hessian outer of a sand bag as it's friction with the sand that slow it down and absorbs the energy. I could probably come up with a few dozen more like this, and they all have to be assessed, a recommendation written and sent on to the relevant minister or committee.

Long shot... but is it possible to retrofit flush skirting?? I am not worried about a shadow gap but just don’t want skirting sticking out proud from the wall. We originally specified flush skirting but had some issues which meant that much of the House is now using insulated plasterboard (ie celotex bonded onto plasterboatd). So builder did not stop plaster at skirting level or use trims to achieve a shadow gap, since it wasn’t possible. My plan was to score the plasterboard and remove from the insulation behind and then attach skirting so it is flush. But builder is dead against. i guess my options are: - cut plasterboard as planned and get him to plaster and work out how to attach skirting to insulation later - let him carry on and plaster down to the bottom of the wall and later work out how to cut plastered plasterboard off and retrofit skirting - give up and maybe fit an aluminium skirting or similar so it is as low profile as possible. Also, is a trim necessary if I am not worried about a shadow gap? Very grateful for any views!

It's more than "possible" Just tell him that you will decide who the suppliers are for everything. It's your build and your money, end off.

If you want it to look perfect at the new wall thickness, i would imagine you would need new door casings which are wider, a fair bit of money involved and time and effort, but it will then look perfect.

Bought new bits, jams once inside board afew mm. set length correctly. Using 38mm screws and set to 40mm. My bro is a bit tough on his tools and it might have gone airborne afew times.

Well 'ee needs a kick up the Bryn Glass then dun 'ee?

If a clean look is important what about a square profile skirting the same colour as the wall. Beware dust traps, however.

Cockney not Barcelonese

Just as well as welsh has no vowels in it and just causes spittle.

Nick obviously has Cockney roots. Bobby Moore = “Score”

@recoveringacademic - Bobby Moore ! - "what's the score" - a nice touch of good old cockney rhyming slang!

Not worked with that model but first thing first - what condition is the drive bit in? If worn it will not drive the screws in proper. Are the screws jamming before entering the board or part way through? Also, have you double checked or amended the settings? My Senco has settings for countersink depth and the length or screw being used. I actually have it on 40mm despite slashing 35mm screws - seems to perform better!

IMO it would be so much grief it wouldn’t be worth it. Also if you just score the plasterboard how are you going to separate it off of the insulation thinking outside the box could you now over board what you have done but with your shadow gap.

As far as I know there's no law to stop you. It'd be like camping on your own land, but with the added cover that you have planning permission, so the principle of living on that site has been established. People have lived in houses for a long time before getting a completion certificate before now. There was one chap on (I think) Ebuild who only realised he'd not got around to getting a completion certificate when he came to sell, IIRC.

Welcome to the forum.

This place is brilliant at helping anyone think calmly about a disaster. If you don't believe me read this Remove the rush: store the door. Look for the opportunities provided by the problem. The mere process of doing that softens the blow. You have a good trade network it seems: tap in to that expertise You aren't dealing with an impossibly difficult problem Stagger costs by phasing the work: all trades folk understand the need to work to a budget Post some images: try to imagine what we will need to see if we are to give high quality advice We've most of us felt as sick as you do now. Just grit yer teeth and keep talking to us.

For those of you who stopped by the stand, I was very pleased to put a face to a name. My take on the show was; Saturday very busy lots of existing business who were interested in Sunamp being part of the solution. Sunday far more family groups in the morning - with the threat of snow, lots left early on Sunday

Curious, don't you think, that HMG allow this to happen - still, anybody would think 'the people' were not important or that they do not understand that real wealth comes from creating 'stuff' rather than servicing 'stuff'.

Sunamp recently announced some new heat battery products at BuilditLive (Feb 2018), hope to see details on their website before too long: - hope

I think the issue is in the building world most of the time the customer won’t see the work completed until they get home from work. At which point they think it’s a good idea to call the person running the job and discuss things (I used to run jobs but not any more for this exact reason.) I used to get calls at ridiculous times. They generally don’t understand that we have lives too and finish work at 5 like everyone else. By all means send me a text and I probably will reply that evening but I will do it when I’m not eating dinner/ watching a good bit/ having a bunk up,....... or call me within the hours you are paying me for. The other difference would be that “usually” white collar workers have got a secretary/PA to fob people off until they are ready. We don’t. We just have a misses that moans at us for never stopping work when we do rarely answer the phone out of hours.

It's when the car park attendant says "You shouldn't have turned off the 249 mate...Sheppey's straight on!".

The last time I did a complete rewire of a house was in the early 90s. It was so simple, SEEBoard fitted the supply cable and meter and connected in my CU tails. I told the engineers I had done the rewire to the latest IEE regs and they said not to worry as they were still working to a much older standard. Of course all the privatisation has done no end of good. We all have so much choice and it must lower costs because that's what they tell us. I always prefer chasing round after three companies instead of one, to get a job done and it's so much better for me to trawl through endless numbers of tariffs to find the cheapest. I solved that one by going to Good Energy where I have the option of one tariff, even if it does cost me more so I'm not for ever changing suppliers. Sorry for the rant, I can tell it's going to be a bad day today.

God forbid there's ever a nationally adhered to standard for what's done by these companies. Some want red ducts, some want black. Some trial fitted meters with built in isolators then abandoned it as the shareholders were losing out! What the website/email/people on the phone ask for and the blokes on the tools do are often very different. Make their job easy with coffee, biscuits and parking for a start.

I don't use white CT1 for ANYTHING. It goes near custard yellow. I will only, and reluctantly, use colour matched silicones to give a job the cherry on the cake IF I can't do the cosmetic / final sealing with a clear bead of CT1. This siliconing is done over a fundamental seal and accepted as 'sacrificial' sealing for aesthetics only. That can be quickly and easily removed and replaced as the silicone gets tired / grotty. The reason for the mix of makes is that I've not actually seen a clear Sikaflex tbh ( and haven't really looked for one either, for whatever reason ). Also, comparing the two, I maintain that Sikaflex is unrivalled for use as an adhesive, complimented with excellent 'sealing' properties, and stays white. You could quite easily tool and finish white Sikaflex and have it as the final product on display, but definitely not so with white CT1. Fwiw, the colured CT1's seem fine and maintain their colour so a shame the white goes 'off'. Hold the press....Bingo I'll get some and give it a whirl.

Neither are silicones. These are marketed as combined sealant, adhesive, gap filling goop. Sikalfex is extraordinarily good stuff IMO and is my weapon of choice for setting in and fundamentally sealing shower trays / formers and bonding baths etc into place. The merchants often have a 'sample' box with two pieces of wood bonded together with a ~6mm bead of sikaflex and the challenge is to get the two apart. It can't be done, I've tried twisting and tearing it and it just doesn't die. CT1 is pretty much as good but can be torn / pulled apart. I use the clear one for sealing between trays and tiles as it doesn't degrade, go mouldy or fail like clear silicone does. For 'chemicular dissection', don't ask me .

You want to know how bad smart meters are, this is the kind of nonsense that Parliament has to put up with: Cyril W. Smith says: January 29, 2016 at 10:40 AM Comments for 'Smart meters' evidence check Cyril W. Smith Scattered light contains modulation at frequencies of the scattering object . This information is retained in photographic records and after internet transmission. Scattered light from the above image of a “Smart Meter” was imprinted into water and measured. The table below lists the frequencies measured using excitation with Toroidal and Caduceus field configurations. It was not possible to make these measurements with instruments having a frequency calibration certificate. The Comment column lists acupuncture meridian/chakra points which have their endogenous frequency nearby. These would be stressed along with the target organ by exposure to that frequency. Furthermore, the world power supply frequencies 50/60 Hz happen to be on natural resonances in melatonin which is the chemical awareness of dark and light but, many people can cope with the Arctic Summer. Frequency Hz Comment Toroid Excitation 6.000 × 10-2 Lymphatic Meridian 6.000 × 10-1 Lung & Liver Meridians 6.000 × 10+1 60 Hz 8.30 × 10+5 2.40 × 10+6 Gall Bladder & Pericardium Meridians 8.50 × 10+6 3.10 × 10+7 9.90 × 10+7 Allergy Meridian 2.82 × 10+8 Urinary Bladder Meridian 4.15 × 10+8 Heart Meridian 9.15 × 10+8 Caduceus Excitation 2.000 × 10-1 Sahasrara (Crown Chakra) The frequencies and meridians stressed would be different in a 50 Hz environment where the Gall Bladder and Liver Meridians might be stressed. The above measurements only relate to frequencies modulating light scattered from that particular ‘Smart Meter’ and recorded in its image. I presume the 60 Hz indicates it is from North America. The electromagnetic fields at the meridian/chakra frequencies emitted by a “Smart Meter” should not penetrate into the building and particularly into the sleeping areas. This could be the subject of on-site measurements at each ‘Smart Meter’ with installation and suitable shielding measures incorporated into the building. The electrical environment is not going to go away any more than is the motor vehicle. Polluters and users of the electrical environment should carry similar ‘third party’ insurance to cover the labour intensive treatment costs of persons affected. https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/science-and-technology-evidence-check-forum/smart-meters-evidence-check/?page=15