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gives more of an idea on the planters ....just ignore world war 3 going on around them LOL

If you say it's for furniture then it will likely be a no, but if you say it's because you need another 20k to complete the build and it's within the LTV limits then maybe. No harm in asking but stress that it's to complete the build not for other items.

AFAIK, Internorm don't make glass or glazing units, they will fit whatever meets the spec they need, so probably either Saint Gobain or Pilkington. Saint Gobain do SGG Planitherm Total + that is very similar to Pilkington Solar E, and is available as a low external emissivity laminated glass. The whole argument being put forward against external films seems based on fake science to me. This is the second summer we've had external low emissivity coatings on our glazing and my contact thermometer always shows that the surface temperature, inside and outside, of the glazing with the low emissivity film is a lot lower than it is for the glazing on the same elevation that doesn't have the film. The temperature differential between the internal and external faces is also always lower for the glazing with the film on, so any thermally-induced stresses in the glass must be lower. I'm convinced that the manufacturers simply haven't conducted long term tests on the specific glazing system you have, and so are just covering their backsides by saying "no", even though they know it's completely illogical.

I am now starting to get going on some planting. The plot is a suntrap in summer but gets all the weather in winter after deliberation on what will withstand drought, baking heat and then howling wind in autum and winter I am having a mediterranean style garden very simple no borders or beds to dig I want it to be easily maintained with minimal outside help so I have built raised planters (rendered) and gravelled areas for pots to stand on. All that I will put in the ground will be some climbers for the pergola (hoping to grow grapes on that) plus of course a lawn. Yesterday I planted 30 french lavenders in the new planters topped off with left over slate from the house (goes with my gabion bench too) today I have to pot up 4 fair size olive trees and small lemon and orange trees plus some giant agapanthus and some impulse umbrella bamboos......oh and 4 large miscanthus. I am lucky I have a good start with existing very large potted things as I brought mine from previous house......huge bamboos, 2m high lollipop bays and olives, big Nandinas and acers....all cherished for many years. Nearly fainted when I worked out what it would cost me to replace things of that size at garden centre! Hoping to get some school holiday labour to help with fence painting next week.

It's fine, he'll measure 368 times and cut once .

Geberit are bombproof. You wont be disappointed. No need to mount on anything other than a flat, vertical wall. Doesn't need to be on blockwork. ?

This is what happened to us (1 of 7 in the series: the others are hyperlinked at the beginning of the story )

There are some Cistus which are OK in windy coastal locations, good in pots and evergreen to boot.

The price seems fair to me. Last time I tried approaching an architect I was quoted about £25K for a similar package and they would not negotiate one tiny bit, which is why you will not find me speaking highly about architects.

Lol, I have various contraptions so that I can move stuff these days; dollys, sack trolleys and the like. No choice if you are on your own. Best I ever did before was 'help' a little.

Looks perfect for a low maintenance garden. Lovely outlook too. Looked the white one up - Lavendula Snowman but it seems to have finished flowering now whereas the others are still going. Love the acer (assume it's an acer?). Can't have them here - just too fragile by the coast. I couldn't have those tree like ones either (bay?). Anything like that would be ripped apart. Pity as those are really attractive. I have several types of hebe that so far have survived all weathers and could possibly withstand a small bomb.

Wow Lizzie! What a beautiful setting. Don't think I had seen pics of the views before. Love the planters, very crisp. I have always had blousey cottage style gardens but want something low maintenance & contemporary for the new house.

2nd coat of tanking, on the other "half" of the bathroom goes on 9pm tonight! Other bit of bath surround will go back on once the floor tiles are down. I'll tank it then although the ply in the picture above and pocket is all primed.

I'm on the coast in the Borders about 20 miles north of Berwick Upon Tweed.

Love your planters! Really smart. I have quite a bit of lavender here and it does pretty well; English, French and a white one that I've forgotten the name of.

Internal recirculators here as well. Zero rated as supply and fit.

@Square Feet , this a reference to the 'Approved Certifiers of Design' referred to in your first post which applies in Scotland. They come in two versions, 'Building Structures' and 'Energy'. As competent persons (well maybe?) their work does not have to be checked by BC at building warrant stage and a small discount is available. http://www.certificationregister.co.uk/

I claimed for my extractor (it's not vented to the outside due to MVHR).

@Square Feet Have you looked at Beattie Passive system? it looks like it would be good to use for a DIY project, however I think getting them to design the house is quite expensive. http://www.beattiepassive.com/system.php

Thanks Peter, that is good to hear. I think that because of access restrictions, it would need to be a stick built structure so hopefully that would lend itself to a DIY approach.

You should flush your pipes and jets regularly, standing water breeds germs in them. I used to buy a special cleaner from the bathroom shop lasted ages but some people I know just use dettol or miltonor you can use the shower head sanitising solution. You need to fill the bath to cover the jets and then run it with the cleaner in the water for a good time to flush it all out...10 mins or so I think I used to do. Mine was huge you could get 3people in it (dont ask!) it was so big it was rarely used other than by visiting small children who loved it. I used to flush clean it out every few months whether or not it had been used.

It's been eight weeks now since we got our acknowledgement, hopefully the refund will be soon.

First of all I would say if money is tight do you really want to be spending money on the old stone building to live in. What would be your plans for this building once your house is built? How much would you be spending on the old stone building building? I am assuming your current rent for a small flat can't be much and would probably be less than you would spend on converting the old building. In terms of the architect are they a proper architect (RIBA or RIAS) as this can impact what they charge? My fees were slightly less for a 326 sqm new build for an Architectural Technologist, however as you point out the quote is for 2 buildings. If the passive house is going to be timber frame you could see if the TF company would do the building warrant for you instead of the architect.

+1

@Onoff yes I didnt want the loose gravel, too messy and the drive is on a slope, had enough bock paving to last me a lifetime so this was a good option. I’m told it it stain resist oile etc will wash off. It is a job for someone with good trowel skills as its all hand laid, those men worked fast, 2mixing, one barrowing, 2 on trowels. They didnt stop for more than a few minutes during the whole time. It has to go down as one or you will get joins. i think there are courses you can go on to learn how to lay it one is here https://www.theresinmill.co.uk/resin-bound-training/ not a recommendation just one site I came across when looking around

Yes, becomes S&F of extractor so zero-rate at source.

Probably not, I suspect, as I have a feeling that they will only increase a mortgage for specific items. Worth asking, and it'd be helpful if they said yes!

It looks superb. Missus is quite taken with it. We both love the look of "gravel" but not the mess. (Our drive is as when we purchased the place. Compacted soil and ash full of nails where the previous owner burnt pallet wood). I'd be very interested in the DIY systems. What's it's resistance to oil like?

If there is a mix of supply only (kitchen units?) and supply and fit (worktops?) I would ask for separate invoices to avoid any confusion with the reclaim unless supply only things are clearly stated as such. I ordered my kitchen and appliances from a single supplier (supply only - the worktop came from somewhere else). The appliances were on a separate invoice all with vat included and I marked up the extractor and claimed the vat back for that in full. You may not have an issue but from reading the experience of others sometimes HMRC queries specific invoices and then don't pay out on those initially meaning you have to wait even longer for the vat to be refunded. So just make sure that it's all very clear and unambiguous. . If they fit the appliances should the extractor be zero rated too?

I have used a membrane underneath zinc that has a plastic layer on top a bit like Scotchbrite so if there is condensation under the zinc it won't sit in a puddle.

As @lizzie, if supply only you can reclaim VAT. Extractors are claimable, other appliances are not. However, if supply and fit you need to get supplier to zero the VAT as you cannot subsequently reclaim it. Your worktop should be zero-rated at source as they fit, cabinetry I cannot tell as they do not mention fitting.

@newhome , your DNO, Scottish Power, is likely to want you to have 3-phase supply for heat pumps of 14kW and up

@sam , Yes and No in that order.

And if they were blue-tinted glass, they could work even better. The 150 Cheapside building in London got there first… 150

I'll give you a tip though! Don't turn the jets on until they are fully covered. I got bored waiting so pressed it while they were only half covered. It shot a spray of water straight over me .

@newhome This is the information I received from the suppliers - The following heating requirement calculations for the property have been based on your floor plans. IMPORTANT NOTE: The performance of micro generation heat pump systems is impossible to predict with certainty due to the variability of the climate and its subsequent effect on both heat supply and demand. This estimate is based on the best available information, but is given as guidance only and should not be considered as a guarantee. Estimated annual income from RHI £878 per annum Qualifying period - 7 years £6,146 total. So, yes I am hoping that the RHI payments cover my interest free loan payments for the 7 year period. As you say, a no-brainer.

Of course, blinds and overhangs can have the other advantage of allowing passive solar gain in the winter months, when it will be welcome, unlike film.

Yep, have the instructions still: OK, traditional HW/CH system... I only have a 25gal cold water storage tank which is tiny tbh. It sits in the very apex of the roof in effect sat on top of the dormer. As well as supplying cold to the bath, that volume of water feeds the bottom of the hot water cylinder (that itself sits on top of the ground floor ceiling so below the cws tank). It's that "head" of water that forces the hot out of the top of the cylinder. So the cold in the cws runs out then there's nothing to force the hot out of the cylinder. It's complicated as the cold runs from the cws tank, horizontally across the top of dormer and drops down to the ground floor bath the other end of the house. The hot runs from the top of the cylinder UP the side of the dormer first THEN horizontally across the top of dormer and drops down to the ground floor bath the other end of the house. This is where Nick jumps in and suggests a uvc/ts for the umpteenth time!

Yep the knob regulates the flow. It’s not blindingly obvious unless you put your hand in tbh. First pic light jets, second pic full flow. It possibly doesn’t show up much but the light is more intense on full flow. Must be the way the light reflects / refracts or summit.

How do you run out of cold? ? My controls look like that. Am filling the bath up (with cold) to see how mine works and will report back. I’ve only ever used that bath twice and have no recollection of twiddling any knobs ?. Do you really have instructions for it? Mine must be long gone. It was bought in 2010 too. I used it for the first time in about 2014 lol and only once since then.

We've stayed the odd night there, cooked there, used the shower and toilets there, so the house has been pretty much lived in over the past year or so. I'm usually there all day weekdays, as I've set up my main "office" over there, although do suffer a bit from the slow broadband. Showering pushes the bathroom temperature up, much as it does at the old house, but it cools a lot faster. Same goes for cooking. Using the hob isn't too bad, it's having the oven on for a fair time that tends to warm the kitchen up. However, the extract rate from the kitchen is way higher than the regs stipulate (that was done mainly to try and help stop cooking smells get into the rest of the house) so cool air tends to flow in quickly through the kitchen door to bring the temperature back down. I have (so far) always remembered to put the MVHR on boost when cooking - I do need to knock up a better way to do this. I'm thinking along the lines of a simple remote control, so a portable remote can be used anywhere to switch on a timed boost.

Thank you @Ian page 1 item 4 in the notes - if your window is triple glazed please avoid fitting window film.

Makes no difference whatsoever! Appears in good nick too. One pipe in one pipe out, spiral valve with an o-ring that appears in good nick and well greased (silicon grease?). I might pop into Homebase and have a word, I mean I only bought it in 2010 and haven't used it!

£650 is about the price for an emergent bat survey. Be warned though - if your planning says desk survey followed by emergent survey, you will need it done between May and September only !

Indeedy-doody. I was thinking precisely of you. Lettuce proceed. I do not have the hirsuteness to grow a hipster, which is probably required. My beard limit is bumfluff. 8-{o>

In any construction trade it’s all down to the individual tradesman what standard you get. Block built or timber frame both have their merits but if your bricklayer/joiner’s a numptie your on a hiding to nothing! I'm a bricklayer myself and I’ve built around some dodgy kits, 50 mm off the plumb from floor to eaves but I’m sure there are some bricklaying horrors to match

Pillocks! I had two bottles of Cobra after some barbecue chicken!

UPDATE....another BH triumph. All sorted. Plumber came yesterday. He changed waste(I muttered McAlpine at him LOL), I now have McAlpine waste and electrician is coming next week to relocate socket. Thank you superstars!