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I wish this was a food related post! Nope, actually the less we can cook the better. The minute the gas goes in it turns from a 36 degree caravan to an actual steam room complete with scents of tea tree and lavender from what we have applied to our arms and legs from the critters are attacking us in here through open windows and vents. Meanwhile our dry storage in one of the outbuildings, formerly a shop the previous owner had selling canal associated tat has mice! Discovered when looking for some shorts as it's where we are storing some belongings, I'm now having a panic we have a family of furry friends living in our mattress and clothes. We have 4 traps down and so far have caught 6! Either the peanut butter is attracting them in or we have a huge family. The maize hasn't even been cut down yet so I'm predicting by time we get to emptying things out in Autumn they will likely have chewed through anything of any value! Bungalow wise, the historic evidence of birds, bees and wasps nesting in the old roof has been discovered which was completely knackered and the existing floors are being excavation ready for lots of lovely insulation. That's been a big job for the builders. The joining of the existing appearance of the two bungalows created a few discussions as we were just replacing the flat roof that joins them but not any more! Someone's had a bright idea and I can't pretend to understand what's happening but apparently it will look much better. As long as they stick to the budget they can do what they want - what they didn't mention was it's more steel/calcs which is extra cost but there may be savings elsewhere.

This is where they make their mistake I feel. All these systems should be open and not demand a central server connection. I am happy to share my data but on my terms. Here the RS485 interface is indeed worthwhile but I have a concern that we won't stop this IoT bulldozer. However many industrial users of IoT have exactly the same concerns as us diminutive users so I have a small hope while anybody who thinks you can buy a car that does not tell the manufacturer exactly where you are and what you are doing has got another think coming.

Buy your own materials and do it yourself. What is the reason for wanting this for an extension. My thoughts are that you will create a lot more agro than you need, the difference in materials from the old to the new will be a pain all the time.

Sorry to be lazy. I have tried searching for 'MVHR cert' and 'MVHR commission' but not easy to find. I'm looking for the document/template others have used to self certify/commission their MVHR. From memory @joe90 used it? I do remember commenting on a thread where I am sure the document was uploaded but buggered if I can find it. Scored 1.2 on the Air test today with the fan blower door. Not sure what this equates to in passive ACH terms but it's the best score i've ever hit.

I find this a complete joke. And it is unfortunately pure and simple that the people you are dealing with don't have the confidence and hence comprtence to do the job. Your SE NEEDS to size the beam. I.e. the section of the beam (its called I value or second moment of area) and it sized based on where the loads are applied to it. However prior to them doing that they need a good survey so if you have that I don't see the issue? It is worth noting 'sizing steels' and measuring the size of the where the steels are going are different things. How did you dig the founds if there is no design? I am a mechanical engineer and deal regularly with approval and certifying fabrication drawings for large structures. One bit of advice I'd give is to build in some tolerance undersizing (the lengths not steel sections) as you can always shim it to meet but you can't make it smaller. I do know good surveyor in east Kilbride who may help and provide definitive lengths etc if you are looking for a new surveyor.

Hi guys Im Phil from Ayrshire. I had always dreamed of a self build and eventually started the dream 3 years ago. There have been highs (buying the land and the foundations being dug) and lows (specialist blast loadings and window issues) on the journey so far but we actually started building last August and now at the plastering stage so nearly there or so I keep telling the wife.

Lip service for most I'm afraid ( bloody expensive lip service too ).

I though the range would be too inefficient, but could maybe make do for a winter season, but by that attitude the previous occupants survived 30+ years with what's there so why can't we? But yes, hybrid is looking the best way forward. Offer submitted today so will find out tomorrow maybe. Even if we don't get this one then it's all research and knowledge added. There's the big grand plan of rebuilding a wooden lean to to move the utility into and expand the kitchen into the old space. So anything that's make do may need to take into consideration that.

When you're ready just bump this thread, and we'll go through it until you're sure of what to do and how to attack it.

I haven't seen Jeremy around for a while. Does anyone know if he's okay?

Was it this one? JSHarris MVHR Commissioning Sheet.xls

Aico all the time for me. you won't find another that's better for wiring and neatness. I usually buy them from random ebay sellers for a much better price, but check the "replace by" dates as some are selling old stock near the end of life. I particularly like the fact Aico do a combined heat and CO alarm in one package, perfect for a kitchen with a stove or boiler in it. I just wish they would make a combined CO and smoke alarm as well. What questions do you have that they could not answer?

Thanks, will read into it. Admittedly my brief reading of paragraphs about hybrid systems only brought up gas as the other fuel.

It’s not ‘exempt’ (in HMRC language), it’s either VAT reclaimable via the DIY Housebuilders’ scheme if you buy supply only or should be zero rated if you arrange for supply and fit. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/goods-and-services-you-can-claim-for-under-the-vat-diy-scheme#V

If you know nowt about ventilation then it's well worth it for that alone, plus your OH will get a fresh perspective including renewables. The courses there are quite comprehensive so time to teach the old dog new tricks

Hi and Welcome to THE forum for self builders and other like minded people! (I say like minded with a bit of a nod to our sanity....)

Middle of the day for us (it will be going on shortly) so it can run from the solar PV power.

as long as it dry it will just stick like shit to a blanket as soon as it leaves the gun it starts expanding no real liquid

Spt is a the test they will perform that will give them the results to calculate the strength of the ground. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_penetration_test

......new thread alert....... "How to drill waste holes in walk on glazing panels".

I have seen closed cell used in stables etc to stop the mositure from heat of horses and corrosive piss fumes on under side of roof and to also glue the old roof together including sticking the slates in place on an "english" style roof -no sarking boards -just batons to nail slates to -first saw it 20 years ago --the old roof is still up and looking as good as it did then but never seen any holes in it from insects boring into to it

7 course high is normal height as that's how high is comfortable to lift a block up to that height. But it won't make no difference to the wall. It's only a small run with the returning walls so the wind wouldn't move it.

You should be alert to stability concerns during high winds. Mortar continues to harden and the adhesive bond strengthens over the first two weeks. My brickie took the ground floor outer facing bricks up to 5ft then laid the inner blocks up to the same height. He kept an eye on the weather and half the time the single skin walls were braced with wood. He did the reverse above the first floor and took the inner block wall upto nose height. Scheduling of scaffold lifts will sometime influence the sequence of work. Fitting cavity lintels are another stage where the wall heights need to be synchronized. My semi retired building advisor later told me he noticed the height of the unsupported blocks wall when he drove past the site and he was concerned until he visited site to advise on chimney corbelling at which point he noticed all the internal temporary bracing said it was ok. Like @LA3222 I have discovered a first time self build is a difficult journey involving watching exert trades do things that fall short of internet forum best practice and deciding to intervene and request rectification.

Mapei or Ultra. Both will do the job

...could have avoided all this agg if you'd have just cast the floor to falls... ?

Mapei Eco will prime most timber I often straighten timber floors with flexible adhesive Then bed 6 mil cement board on top To give a perfectly flat surface Then drive screws in once set

Polarwall will supply XPS...

Resistant Board is fairly inexpensive. Fill the joins and paint with masonry paint.

Rockpanel looks nice, bit expensive but no maintenance. I used on my last place cement sheeting boards that had plastic joining strips, made by James hardy. Its the details like this that this country lets you down, loads of other options available abroad, but over here if you want different it’s going to cost you.

@DevilDamo why thank you kind sir!! Not a bad first week, setting out and levels sorted, drainage amended and foundations poured. Steel frame work going up tomorrow and weather permitting the block work at some stage this week. ?

Depends if you care about global warming/pollution .

Save saying it all twice!

Something I ran across today, relating to Grand Designs S 12 Ep 6 - the conversion of a Recording Studio in W11 (Holland Park). The full programme is embedded below. The project was done in around 2008/9-2011 (ie probably before the recession) by a couple who are a fairly senior City Trader, and an Interior Designer, Jeff and Audrey Lovelock. They bought a ground floor studio flat in Holland Park, which came with a 3000-4000 sqft ish basement, including an .. er .. squash court. They bought the place for under £2 million, and spent at least as much again on conversion. I estimate that it was actually rather more eg the kitchen worktops were made of something called Leathered Granite which was probably getting on for £400-500 per sq metre. Here is the 2015 photoset on Zoopla. This is what happened when they tried to sell it. May 2013 in the Sunday Times: Followed by: Fortunately, City Boys can afford it, if with some cost of pain and loss of reputation. As it was described in the press: There is a fuller account of the renovation here. I have some sympathy, though tinged with a little bemusement. I certainly think they were slightly ambitious (verging on reckless) in trying to develop a "superprime" quality flat in the cheapest-per-square-foot area of Central London, so it was marginal anyway, and did not have parking or security as would be required. But the unpredictable thing that really hurt it was that George Osborne whacked an extra 5% of Stamp Duty on it, plus +3% for anyone for whom it was a second property, plus an Annual "Enveloped Property" tax of £100k+ per annum on rpoperty in certain forms of ownership valued at over over £10m. The economics of that are that ... for a property with a rental yield of perhaps £15k per month (ie 1-2% yield on the perceived price), just the Stamp Duty on this thing would pay to rent it for 6-8 years, and the potential ATED Tax would double that length of time. And so much of the potential market evaporated. And it eventually sold for less than half of the initial asking price. Which brings us to the famous quote "Events, dear boy, events..", said by Sir Harold MacMillan when asked what would be most likely to blow a government off course. Someone should perhaps now be nicknamed "Icarus". Lots of lessons to be learnt for us relative minnows.

so that's us hit all three, north, east and i'm in south! welcome

FFS it's a link to YOUR thread where you asked about removing beads etc! ?

Hi John I’m just outside of Beith. Small place with lots of local gossip so you may well know the build location ?

I can only echo what you say about Ecohouse Internorm but increase all the times to 16 Weeks . They damaged 4 of ours in May and replacements are due in September. We rang Austria and the Director responsible for UK said not his problem . he said uk based director would phone us but no call. Its caused us so much delay - cant render - cant plasterboard - cant get rid of scaffold which we need to to get services in . Fitters were similar - had a genie lift but did not use it - used the scaff tower when we said dont use until we brace it in the correct position for you . I could go on and on - I want the windows to arrive but do wonder about the stress of installation will bring. Also 2 large pallets of damaged windows on the drive really reduces our storage area . Before we bought we told them about what we had heard about installation and they assured us they had improved their fitting and were aware of their reputation!! If this is improved what was it like before ?

Put his back out quite badly from what I gather, so is laid up.

We used 4 pairs of glass suckers to lift up £5000 worth of glass, how long are you planning to keep it in the air?? is this bathroom going to take as long as @Onoff are you planning to keep it suspended in the air for a couple of years. If not stick the suckers on it and pick it up, c,mon it’s not rocket science. ???

We like to run the dishwasher quick and early so the kids can put the dishes away before they go to bed ?

I’ll quickly unlike joe’s post !!

With mine I put spacers under the corners so it could not drop too much.

We went with Ecohaus internorm and I would warn people to steer well clear of them. Its been nothing but a shambles since placing the order. Below is a small samples of the issues I have found. Once they have your money they don't care. Constant lies about delivery dates (They couldn't even tell me if the windows were in the country). Two doors didn't fit the correct position they were meant to be installed but "accidentally" installed were they would fit (back and side doors wrong way round). Offered to change the doors at my cost but after pointing out it was there error received a partial refund but now been waiting over 6 weeks for replacement parts with no final installation date. One frame was a different width from all of the others. Been waiting an additional 6 weeks now with no final installation date. Two windows broken during installation. Been waiting 6 weeks now with no final installation date. One window didn't fit so cill carrier removed without being asked if this was ok. I have told Ecohaus Im not happy and want this fixed but have been ignored.This window now sites lower than the rest of the windows. When the guys arrived to install they informed me they required scaffolding (at my cost) after the pre-installation visit a week prior when no such thing was mentioned. This led to arguments on site before Ecohaus did provide it. Argumentative directors who don't understand whats happening on site.The fitters do not pass any issues to management and when you call to discuss issues they have no idea what your talking about. On site team have to be reminded daily to remove waste from the packaging from site. Argumentative site installers. Unsafe working practices. Installation team should have used a genie lift to move the windows onto first floor but instead build a frame (using my materials without asking) and pushed 135kg panes by hand. See attached death trap. Unsafe working practices. 2 / 3 men expected to lift 135kg windows into place when standard maximum lift weight is 25kg. This was questioned but told they always use three men. Poor installation in general. We were never asked to do a walk round and we sent a snagging list of around 50 points they had to come back and amend. I have noticed another few areas around the windows that you can still see daylight through since then. The windows themselves are aluminium clad and do look good (still haven't removed the protective films) but for £40k I would have hoped for a stress free installation.

Fu all, I'm going for a shower!

He's screwed....lets just delete the thread and pretend he never asked

Back in 2016 we bought a load of Skovby oak furniture direct from a Copenhagen showroom vs a uk supplier as even after the transport and exchange rate (just after Brexit) was still 30% cheaper. MrsB insisted on communicating with them in Dutch via google translate and was confirming the order and discussing 'shipping fees' to UK. This went back and forth unsuccessfully until she finally called them (they spoke impeccable English). They were helpful but were quite concerned that the furniture would not be suitable for a ship and would be better in a normal house.