Leaderboard

Now that I have finally bought a plot, to get the new planning application through and start the build (and a BuildHub blog with it).

Ok, so maybe I got a bit ahead of myself again... The second wagon that they filled with spoil didn't fare as well. Matter of fact, it managed to beach itself on every axle: The muck-away company had to send a 2nd wagon, fully loaded with 6F2 and a big-arsed chain. Then it dragged the beached wagon out across the street using the chain. The (now-freed) wagon drove off with our load of spoil. Since there was a load of crusher run on the rescue bus, we had it tipped on the front of the plot, to stabilise the ground and prevent a recurrence. So, excavation continued apace for the next few days. Apart from a few more land drains excavated (including an abandoned rat nest), things went well. Here's a few more pics for your delectation: We decided on a stepped bank initially, to try and prevent bank collapse: But as this photo shows, we were still fighting the effects of the bad weather - some small cave-ins, and we started adding acrows to shore up parts of the banks: Now, when we started investigating the options for basement excavation, we had previously considered sheet piling the excavation. However the 2 quotes we received both sad that the steel sheets would need to be left in the ground ("sacrificial" was the word used) because the sheets wouldn't be able to be extracted. And with quotes coming in at over £60k for the sheet-piled excavation, it was well over our budget. So when the groundworkers told me that the excavator was starting to fall into the excavation, and we needed to sheet-pile the front of the hole, I was more than a little concerned. Still, it appeared to work: So the hole was finished - only 74 wagons of spoil taken away... Concrete blinding was laid oversite to stabilise the clay underfoot, and the shuttering for the slab constructed. Then the mesh and starter bars were set into place, and we were ready for the slab to be poured: And lo, our first concrete pour arrived - the first of many! And before I knew what was happening, the slab was done (notice the increase in the number of props / acrows): Time for some ICF...

Basements rule. End of. ?

SWMBO just got all excited seeing the basin, pedestal and wc gone from the study. She came out from the bathroom... "I thought they were in!" "They are dear, in the cupboard!"

Stairs going in

This thread was originally posted in the other place, and is a team effort to collect together as many acronyms and abbreviations used in the building trade as we could. If you know of any abbreviations missing, or think there should be a correction to the list, then post them as a reply to this topic and one of the moderators can edit the original list to keep it all up together. AAV = Air Admittance Valve. (Sometimes referred to as a Durgo Valve.) AAV (alternative) = Automatic Air Vent. ACH = Air Change [per] Hour AIUI = "As I understand It". AONB = Area [of] Outstanding Natural Beauty Article 4 Direction = Removes Permitted Development (PD) rights. (See: http://www.brighton-...cle-4-direction ) ASHP = Air Source Heat Pump (And see also: http://www.planningp...ects/heatpumps/ ) BC / BCO / BI = Building Control / Building Control Officer / Building Inspector (Often prefixed with LA = Local Authority, as in LABCO.) BR = Building Regulations (Regs) CIL = Community Infrastructure Levy (= a charge levied by a LA based on the sq.m of a property. Note: self-builds are exempt.) CO = Conservation Officer. (Now often designated: Heritage Officers. Specialized - although often not particularly qualified - planning officers working in a local authority Conservation/Heritage department. Have the power to over-rule BC where the Regs are concerned if a proposal is considered likely to impact on the "historic character" of a building, whether Listed or not, or in a Conservation Area.) {Listed Building, see: http://www.planningp...ing_consent.pdf } {Conservation Area, see: http://www.planningp...ns/conservation } CU = Consumer Unit CCU = Cooker Connection Unit CWS = Cold Water Storage [tank]. (Large plastic tank often in attic.) CYL Stat = hot water cylinder thermostat for control of DHW temperature. DeltaT = ΔT (Greek symbol Δ =delta in Greek alphabet) Temperature difference. (In the building context usually referring to the difference in temperature across a wall when discussing the effectiveness of insulation.) DG = Double Glazing (Sometimes referred to in shorthand as 2g = double glazed; 3g = triple glazed. Also expressed as 'd/g') DCW = Domestic Cold Water DHW = Domestic Hot Water DNO = Distribution Network Operator (electricity supply) DPC = Damp Proof Course DPM = Damp Proof Membrane EA = Environment Agency EDPM = Roofing membrane. (EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene monomer (M-class) rubber), a type of synthetic rubber,) EPC = Energy Performance Certificate (See: https://www.gov.uk/b...ce-certificates ) EPS = Expanded Polystyrene Insulation EV - Expansion Vessel EWI = External Wall Insulation F&E = Feed and Expansion tank. (Small plastic tank often found in attic alongside CWS.) FCU = Fused Connection Unit FWIW = "for what its worth". (As in: "That's my opinion FWIW.") FYI = For Your Information. (Now often seen in formal letters since they took the form of emails, and especially in the header of an email forwarded to keep someone "in the loop".) GCN = Great Crested Newt GSHP - Ground Source Heat Pump HC or VHC = heat capacity/volumetric heat capacity ICF= Insulated Concrete Formwork IGU = Insulated Glazed Unit (industry term for double or triple glazing) IMHO = "in my honest opinion." (Alternative: "in my humble opinion.") IIRC = "If I remember correctly." IWI = Internal Wall Insulation KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid. (Usually expressed as: "Stick to the KISS principle.") LA = Local Authority LBC = Listed Building Consent. (Needed to carry out work on any Listed building, whether domestic or commercial, privately or publicly owned, which is protected by law because of its historic significance, whether by age or architectural importance attested to by English Heritage.) (See also: Listed Building, above.) LPA = Local Planning Authority LPG = Liquefied Petroleum Gas M&E = Mechanical and Electrical MCB = Miniature Circuit Breaker MDPE = Medium-density polyethylene also referred to as Alkathene. Pipe used to carry mains water and gas, usually buried underground. MI = Manufacturers Instructions MVHR = Mechanical Ventilation [with] Heat Recovery. NPPF = National Planning Policy Framework OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer OLIVE = Compressible copper ring accompanying threaded plumbing fittings that compresses around the pipe when the fitting is tightened to form a watertight seal. Often reinforced with PTFE tape [see below]. OSB = Orientated strand board Party wall = An internal wall common to two properties. (Not always a contentious issue, but see: http://www.planningp...on/partywallact ) PDR = Permitted Development Rights. (Sometimes just 'PD'. See: http://www.planningp...ssion/permitted ) PGM room stat = Programmable room thermostat: selects both operating times and temperatures. PI = Professional Indemnity (Insurance) PINS = Planning Inspectorate PME = Protective multiple earthing PIR = Rigid Polyisocyanurate Insulation PoE (or POE) = Power over Ethernet. Enables power to be provided to the device (phone or a network camera) using the same cable as that used for network connection. PRV = Pressure Relief Valve PRedV - Pressure Reducing Valve PHE - Plate Heat Exchanger PTFE (tape) = (polytetrafluoroethylene) Tape used to seal threads and joints (e.g. around olives in compressions fittings) in plumbing. Also known as Teflon tape outside the UK PUR = Rigid Polyurethane Insulation PV = Photovoltaics e.g. Roof Solar panels R-value = Thermal resistance [insulation] (the higher the better) RCD = Residual Current Device RCBO = Residual Current circuit Breaker with Overcurrent protection RDF = Refuse Derived Fuel RTFM = Read The Flipping Manual. (The polite version; the less inhibited version is usually expressed with the 'F' meaning what you think it means.) SAP = Standard Assessment Procedure (See: https://www.gov.uk/s...sment-procedure ) (See also: https://www.bre.co.u...P-2012_9-92.pdf ) ( https://www.gov.uk/g...t_file_2012.pdf ) SAPV - SunAmpPV SE = Structural Engineer SEPA = Scottish Environmental Protection Agency SFCU = Switched Fused Connection Unit SHC = Specific Heat Capacity (heat is another word for energy, don't confuse with temperature) SIPs = Structural Insulated Panels SSSI = Site of Special Scientific Interest Stat = Thermostat. (Room stat = wall mounted thermostat/central heating control.) SUDs = SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE [system] SVP = soil vent pipe. SWA = Steel Wire Armoured (cable) SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed (Attributed to "Rumpole of The [Old] Bailey", who used the phrase when referring to his wife, but actually from Rider Haggard's "She": https://www.youtube....h?v=bS5YmETSVCI ) TAF = Temporary Amphibian Fence TBH = "to be honest" (As in: "TBH I don't know.") TBF= "to be fair" (As in: "TBF to the builder, he hadn't a clue.) T&E = Twin and Earth (cable) TF = Timber Frame (form of house construction) T&G = Tongue and groove. (Often given in lower-case: t&g.) T&PV = Temperature & Pressure [relief] Valve TS = Thermal Store UFH = Under Floor Heating. (Also expressed as 'Underfloor Heating' but usually still given as UFH.) U-value = Rate of transfer of heat [insulation] (get it as low as possible, below 0.15 if you can) UVC = Unvented Cylinder VCL = Vapour Control Layer WUFI = "Wärme und Feuchte instationär" - Heat and Moisture transfer analysis XPS = Extruded Polystyrene Insulation ZV = Zone valve, motorised or other. (Directs heating medium to wherever needed according to programmed requirements.) UNITS OF MEASUREMENT L x W x H = Length times width times height. (But note that when giving dimensions for windows and doors ALWAYS follow the convention of width first, following by the height.) J = joule (not Joule) W = watt h = hour s= second k = kilo (thousand) kW = kilowatt kWh = kilowatt hour kWp = kilowatt peak (Solar installations - literally peak output.) m = metre (not meter) m2 = square metre (not metre squared) t = time T = temperature °C = Celsius or Centigrade K = kelvin (not °K or degrees Kelvin) k or k often means conductivity R = resistivity U = 1/R g = gram kg = kilogram (the odd SI unit, use it) J/(kg.K) = J/(kg.K) = J.kg-1.K-1 W/(m2.K) = W/m2.K = W.m-2.K-1 f(x) = function of x. (Common usage in thermal and stress calculations as well as statistics.) e = Exponent (1+1/1!+1/2!+1/3!+1/4!...) how things heat up and cool down, how fast things grow, π = pi ratio of a circles diameter to its circumference

Its that time of year when hope takes the foreground - at least for a bit. I hope to at least move into Salamander Cottage, it'll be messy, but we'll be in.... be more relaxed about the inevitable knocks enjoy the achievements more be kinder to @Nickfromwales (at least in public)

Hopefully finish the house enough to move in before winter sets in again

Best of British with that lol.

We call it a Toby up here.

No pressure there then that it actually works then @newhome..!!!

MR plasterboard would be my choice as it’s a lot harder than normal stuff and takes paint easily. If you used a standard square edge cladding fascia board at the bottom it would protect the bottom of the wall and let you stop the board a couple of inches up from the floor.

I love the WTF Happened feel of picture 5. I have seen that look on many students waking up in the bathroom of a different house!

then you could do it the spider tie way ,if you like . whole house is a nuclear bunker,then wrap it in insulation

Be about 15 usable litres above it - can’t see the point tbh. It’s purely as a buffer to stop the boiler firing every time it needs a bowl of water or someone washes their hands. When the showers kick in, you’ve probably got about 3-4 mins before the boiler kicks in and takes over providing heat to the PHE. I’d mount the stat about 6” above the bottom inlet directly opposite the outlet. It will probably be mid point of the coils for the UFH at that point too. Top inlet I would use a tee upright, boiler into the top, tee to the tank and bottom to the PHE. Bottom I would use tee horizontal with left to boiler return, top to PHE and right to tank. Pump below the PHE pumping downwards, maximize any convection through it.

Door closers are no longer required for 3 storeys. Did you end up with internal drained cavity membrane, or was there a simpler solution? That was a big hole you dug, especially as the site looks fairly flat. A friend had a house with a deep basement, part of which was a swimming pool. The neighbouring house made theirs into a squash court!

I am hoping to buy a plot in 2019. Obviously I will then be moving into the completed house before Christmas.

Yes you need pump valves either end. I would use Pegler ones. I also think this PHE and pump need to go across the tank input and output, not across the vent pipe and output. Reason being, the PHE and DHW need priority and tbh the tank won’t stratify as it’s too small - if you use the vent pipe, there is a chance that the PHE pump will just pull the tank content rather than take the full heat of the boiler which may result in lukewarm water.

Can’t beat these Wilo Pico pumps for performance - virtually silent too. Best price seems to be Screwfix too

Wilo seem to be slightly quieter than Grundfos, based on our experience, although both are pretty quiet. We have a Grundfos pump on the UFH manifold and a Wilo on the DHW preheat PHE circuit and the Wilo is definitely quieter, so much so that I've had to fit a light to show that the flow switch has turned the pump on, as I can't hear it running.

Wilo and Grundfoss are both recommended as they are reliable and quiet. My UFH manifolds came with IBO pumps. Horrible noisy things. I have changed one for a Wilo already and still have to get around to changing the other one. The last thing you want with a heating system is a horrible droning whine all the time.

Thanks, @JSHarris - ordered! Any recommendations on pumps - I see Wilo and Grundfos being used in most places, and wouldn't know how to choose between them. Is one brand longer lasting (ie higher MTBF)? Or quieter, I guess that might be nice? Or failing that, cheaper? ? @PeterW and @Nickfromwales - one of you clearly needs to make the first move here. Be brave - BH is here for you! ??‍❤️‍????

If you get the flow switch I used to circulate water through our PHE, then you can wire it direct to the pump, as it has a built in triac that can switch 3 amps: https://cpc.farnell.com/gentech-international/fs-01/flow-switch-noryl-ac/dp/SN36161

Every bit of info I've had, even from the various manufacturers own tech / sales people has been so unclear and indecisive that I instantly removed myself from a position of quoting for such a system to a client who had expressed interest in one. I was being told of "how good they were in Japan", and thought...…"but I'm asking about the UK you nugget ?!?" I'm all up for tasting new flavours, but this one went sour pretty damn fast. If you don't want to ( simply and relatively cheaply ) boost by electricity then go for the hybrid. PV would swing it to the electricity option afaic.

Just enough time to try all your frocks on Images I cannot un-see

My view is that if you don't have mains gas, and really need high temperature DHW, then the best option may well be a Daikin hybrid ASHP/LPG combi. They have a good reputation for reliability, and use only a modest amount of LPG, as they use the ASHP to preheat to round 45 deg C or so, then boost this up to 55 to 65 deg C with the small LPG combi. I'm not convinced that any of the CO2 ASHPs are a mature enough product to invest in yet.

It is because they are more likely to be damp, flood prone, dark, poor mains drainage for WCs etc, difficult emergency escape and badly ventilated. I don't understand why the valuers were keener on a basement than a 3rd floor unless the third floor was badly compromised with sloping ceilings and rooflights only. My experience is a basement is valued at no more than 80% maximum of upper floors and only then if it has good natural lighting and access.

#1 - find an engineer qualified and with the right kit to service your CO2 ASHP. #2 - ask how much they charge #3 - buy standard ASHP... Not trying to knock this but my experience of owning and living with a Sanyo CO2 unit was painful as the kit is specialized to the point of if you connect a standard pressure tester to a CO2 unit you’ll be picking the bits up a hundred yards away... They are a niche market for high temperature ASHP and have never really caught on. Go with standard, plan accordingly and boost using off peak E7 and then spend the rest on a nice kitchen.

Remember the functions of sealing the pipe and making it watertight, and of clamping it so it does not pull out, are separate functions. As long as you don't tear or otherwise damage the pipe seals, you can re use the fittings. A lot of boundary boxes use a push fit fitting. Don't bank on being able to uncouple that and re make it. Best fit a long enough length out of the boundary box for the final arangement, even if it is too long for the temporary setup.

To store DHW with a thermal store, you need the water in the tank hotter than your hot water temperature. With an unvented cylinder you store water at the required use temperature. I am using an ordinary ASHP providing DHW at 47 degrees and under floor heating at 37 degrees. Any reason you don't want under floor heating? It's very much lower working temperature suits a heat pump a lot better.

I agree on the risk front, although we had boreholes performed across site and a mining desk study performed to assess ground stability. Odd that you think the space created is worth less than above ground... We have had a number of valuations performed, both before and after construction, and it comes out as adding more value than a 3rd floor above ground every time? We wanted a decent sized cinema room, so a basement is perfect for our needs. Light control, and much better sound insulation than we would ever achieve above ground. We have got 9' ceilings though - rather higher than the average cellar!

Damp won't rise up blocks stacked on wet ground to any significant degree, but as @PeterW says, they are best left stacked on their pallets to keep them clean, anyway. The mechanism involved for getting moisture to rise is capillary action, and at most you might get damp to rise up a few mm above ground level. Also, blocks are made using concrete with a pore blocking additive to stop any tendency for water to rise through them when they are sat on a wet surface, not just to stop so called "rising damp" (which is largely mythical, anyway) but primarily to stop them sucking the water out of mortar.

For the footings I’d just get a roll of 450 or 600 DPC and roll it out - can be reused. Blocks need stacking on pallets first then covered with a tarp - stops them getting clagged up.

Actually, basements are normally cheaper per square metre than any other part of a build as they also incorporate the foundations. If you compare the cost of a basement to adding the same as floor area to a normal property, including windows, walls, floors, roof etc, then it’s surprisingly low.

Luckily I think I've found replacement tubes thanks to @Ed Davies.

You don't want to know what @Nickfromwales was doing .... ?? ?

Aw, I bet he looked cute ? with the stilettos ? on ?.