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This there's gone a bit quiet. Any progress?

@Adam2 @tanneja Here’s a couple of quick vids of the blinds. We made a space for the blinds by recessing the timber frame above the window heads and then standing the cladding off the face of the timber frame by 100mm, that gave us the void we needed to instal the blinds and hide them in the cladding (they are fully accessible for maintenance - but it’s not a 5 min job!) Of course they are not particularly cheap, our worked out to circa £850/linear meter. The width/drop doesn’t affect the cost much, it’s the motor that costs and they all have the same one. EDB9A4ED-A943-4670-9827-9953FED1C6F9.MOV FE27F836-3388-4208-AE8F-51C83D01A543.MOV

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

So the house has had some issues with subsidence and geobear came in to do some remedial work to improve the ground conditions. The left table is how many blows it took before they started work and then the right after. You can see it's had an improvement, The higher the number the better. The test involves driving a metal probe into the ground and counting the blows it takes to move it 100mm. So more blows means harder ground. Are you having issues with cracks etc??

Hang on a sec. We’re in the middle of a national emergency / pandemic and the HMRC redeployed their people to administer the priorities of the numerous emergency tax schemes - Furlough, emergency business loans, etc etc etc. I’m sure they assessed that the Self Build VAT Reclaim Scheme might not be a priority over the small matter of saving the economy, jobs, businesses and ensuring millions of people who couldn’t work could feed their families and pay their mortgages/ rent. Or are we suggesting that those of us who are privileged enough to have built our own homes and awaiting some money back should have been the priority ? And so due to there being an inevitable backlog they’ve decided to change their rules to release 70% of claim ASAP, while they clear the backlog and can fully check the claims. What exactly should they have done? ”Dear Mr Smith, please find enclosed your VAT refund. Because we have prioritised the VAT refunds for self builders over other emergency Covid 19 schemes, I’m sorry to say the economy has now completely crashed and your lovely new home is now worth about the same as your VAT refund. Yours, HMRC”

@Ferdinand No, the framework pergola doesn't defray sunlight much.The two struts at the far end are however much further apart and will at some stage be used to support a retractable canopy over the picture window which will give some shade outside in the summer and help to minimise any temperature gain inside. It can also be retracted or removed in window to maximise passive solar gain. Pitch on main roof is 34 degrees. Dorma is finished with EPDM (folded not cut).

You can have an access point for rodding at the base of the stack. All the internal stuff will have a water trap to stop sewer smells.

all you need to do is have a clause to allow for service connections later

Ta. Literally just had my PM messaging me that they’re going to take care of anything. Good company.

Thanks everyone for your comments and taking the time to offer input and advice. There is some content that we have already thought about / addressed, some has been missed in the business of life. The ideas about mirrored returns are really good, hedge trimming, moving the blinds, all really good for us to consider. We have tried enhanced electric light and daylight bulbs, but they haven’t worked so well. This has been a really useful exercise , for sure . Thanks Adam

£25 is all the postal test costs ... it’s a JFDI in my book whenever I come up against it.

You don’t need this, I have twice split a title and have never been asked for water connection point

I've never encountered having to put water connection on a deed plan for TP1... The Land Registry should go off the date used on the TP1 as the transfer date so as long as you have already completed, signed and dated the TP1 you should be fine regarding CGT pre planning. But as mentioned previously take professional advice...

@tanneja - hello. If you lay your ductwork within the earthwool layers (as per the 1st image) then you shouldn't have any problems - this is how ours is laid. If you have to clamber over multiple ducts to get to your unit, then I would suggest you think urgently about relocating your unit so it's easy to get to from / beside your loft hatch/access. If you can't do that, I would suggest a boarded walk / crawl way to get to the unit so you don't have to disturb the insulation / risk damaging a duct. The foil backed fibre insulation supplied is indeed intended to wrap the main intake and exhaust ducts. We initially had our unit in the cold loft, just next to loft access hatch. I housed the unit in a PIR shed to keep it 'warm', the front being removable to allow access for servicing. The condensate drain was connected. This still proved a bit of a hassle and earlier this year I relocated the unit into a cupboard within the heated envelope. This had been the original intended location so all my ductwork was geared to doing this in any case. Much easier now.

To see this progress I'd like to step in and offer with help on the materials if you want to have a crack at that vertical conveyor idea. Just shout when your're ready and you can have this half can of blue paint and and an old brush I've got sitting here.

Just imagining when @pocster is 6 feet underground. It'll have a bloody glass top and you'll be able to go and stand on it, and look down at the skeleton and the balloon. The epitaph will be "Here lies @pocster Silence is golden" * with a scrawl across the bottom in a ghostly script "PS Does anyone want to buy ..." (Sales agent: Doris Stokes) Ferdinand * - Full stops left out of epitaph to avoid emotionally traumatising any millennials or Generation Zs reading the site.

https://octopus.energy/blog/outgoing/ - the wholesale price is multiplied by the M_tariff figure, plus the B_tariff fixed rate all the time and the C_tariff number between 4 and 7pm. Back calculating from the tariff graph above to work out the wholesale rates, exports after 4pm yesterday would have been paid about 12p/kWh. Before then it would have been about 4-5p/kWh: a bit lower than the import rate, but virtually identical to the overnight cheap rate. Essentially that means there is no benefit to using PV when produced as opposed to exporting it outside the 4-7pm window and using overnight cheap rate electricity. Within the 4-7pm window, there is a positive incentive to export as much as you can. Values are based on the South Eastern region where I am - the logic is probably quite a bit different in Scotland for instance.

Glassandstainless.com based in Congleton, west midlands They have made me a couple of all glass internal doors and the quality and price was excellent

If they are single i would go double, if double i would go treble panel. If going going single to double (double internal fins) it doubles the surface area so double the heat output.

First question, are the radiators single panel or double?. I have panasonic air rads downstairs and normal steel panel rads upstairs, mine are double panel and quite "big" for the size of room, i would not want air rads running in a bedroom when im trying to sleep, i basically cant hear my ones downstairs but there is other noise, tv, dishwasher, fridge etc. if you think you can program it so that the heating isnt on when your sleeping then air rads are good at what they do but as you said they are expensive

This is exactly what happened to me on my dads farm. I warned him that he should gift it to me before I achieved planning, but was insistent (and his accountant) that we would not be liable for CGT. However the long and short of it (I called HMRC and source professional advise), the plot when gifted after planning is achieved significantly increases the CGT due - which IS due. Sorry to be bearer of bad news. I just went through this last year. I would do everything you can to delay getting planning or get it gifted before

Today there's no way I'm using the speed, but if I'm designing my network closet I figure a bit of give is not a bad idea.

That's really good advice, thank you. I emailed and heard back from the company today (local and dependable - I don't know many companies that will respond on a Sunday!). Owner says he will now honour the 5% rate. Good news! Thank you all for your advice!

@DerbyLad, The flat roof skylight? (Lantern) at 5.06m2 and U=2.7 would have a significant effect if U could be reduced to 1.5, about half the effect of reducing the wall from U=0.25 to 0.15. Also why is door 3 (D3) U=3.0, reducing to same as other doors would be about 1/4 the effect of reducing wall U value. Judicially reducing the design air infiltration rate would also help, but not to 3.0 or less which wood require a ventilation system, but you would have to achieve it come the 'as built' SAP assessment.

I don't like it when the surface is too polished. It doesn't take paint well.

RIGHT! Most companies aren't interested or relatively unhelpful or at best just expensive! Winch has arrived Scaf pole arm yet to arrive Ordered what scaf poles/fittings I *think* I need. Entire lot about £220 - delivery was £60! Still FAR cheaper than all the other options. Now we all must wait for 1) Everything to arrive 2) My attempt to assemble it 3) Form an orderly queue for hospital visits. What could possible go wrong!!!!

They’re not cheap for anything robust, so decide how much you want to part with before mentioning car port or “solar pergola”..... This is what is in the NSBRC if you want to go and see one in the flesh; https://en.irfts.com/pergosolar/ The one there is 2 panels deep ( landscape ) by 3 panels wide, measuring in at 6m x 2.5m give or take. Supply and fit for that is ~£10k including delivery and installation, so a big chunk of change! The aluminium system above is very nice tbh and includes such trinkets as a hidden rainwater runoff system, which has the down pipes in the legs, but after hearing the price most run off in the nearest opposite direction. I’d consider putting an in roof system over an oak frame setup if you want the best bang for your buck. At 4x7 you could get an on-roof setup with 16 panels ( 4x4 landscape ) but for a much nicer look you’ll need 4.5x 7.2 to allow for an in roof setup which will look a LOT nicer. 16 panels @285w pp will give you 4.5kWp gross output, so would not be insignificant, but you could go up to 330w pp and then you’d be looking at over 5.2kWp. Do a survey for shading as that will dictate what you’ll end up with from each solar day, and then start the maths as to what is sensible to invest vs the estimated break even point and RoI over the next 25 years.

Realistically it is not that often that a PV system delivers at full power. It is easy to get carried away with the weather we have been having the last couple of months, but think back to last October, November, December and January.

Even with 3 phase it would need permission, being over 11kW ? I'm in a bizarrely similar situation of wanting to limit export, not just because self-consumption is more £ efficient but because it will push the local voltage over 253V and shutdown the inverter. At times of high PV generation I might literally be better off (financially and in CO2 footprint) by running a pointelss convection heater in the garage or shed than having the inverter shutdown. I SMH at how we've ended up with such contradictory regulations & incentives.

We have our ES coming off the dressing room. So two doors between ES and bed.

So Joe90 is confirming you won’t end up like this guy

Its a 3 bed but after looking online, I'm not sure that it is set up properly, the wheel is still on the ground and I don't think it should be. The whole van moves when anyone turns in bed or walks around - LOL

SWMBO said the same . Oh sorry , you mean that link ....