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blocks - left them unlaid after last disaster for exactly that reason. was not going to put anything extra in as it should have been the right amount but still got some low slots so might have to Chuck in the aborted block mortar and extra concrete bits from the footings and some bags of sand I’ve been using as gazebo ballast. the stone didn’t arrive till 2 and the guy had the small wagon so he had to offload on the street not out drive so it was even further away. Still got all 3 bags emptied and whacked by 6 between me and the wife which was not bad going at all. We even had time to paint some fence, paint the shed and transplant a couple of Laurel after finishing digging out the pit. Done about 3 days work in a day but it has been a nice day here.

Hello! I've unfortunately done some of mine the wrong way round: I've seen the builder doing something which doesn't look quite right, and then done the research! I now want a full toolkit for my birthday...

Absolutely not! The real value in what an architect does is the concept stage, outputting planning drawings and warrant drawings is a pretty mechanical process but all the value is created and added at design stage. We are some times asked to do some initial concept work on bigger jobs but we'll always ask for a fee. Working with people to design their home, is all about trying to understand what the client wants, what their style is etc, what an architect has done previously isn't particularly relevant to your specific situation unless you are approaching architects who you want to deliver something with their specific style which you will fit your lifestyle around. Why would I spend hours and hours trying to work through concepts for your project in the hope that we might get paid for churning out drawings? We generally have a first meeting for free to see if it might be a good fit but don't expect anyone to give the ideas away for free, that's the one unique thing every designer has.

If you have legal cover with your house insurance I would initially ask their advice.

Quickish update only because I seem to have run out of hours as now we are building, balancing family life and a full time demanding job. So after the last update, where the stone wasn't really getting solid. I ended up getting it dug out, it was bothering me too much and I was completely worried about it. It was no major issue the boys dug it out in an afternoon, then put dry type 1 back in there and compacted down and built the levels up no hassles. We had a full dry week so it made a massive difference and they were able to get along much much quicker. In between the stone drama I had the surveyor on site and we set up profile boards to set out the corners and main walls internally that I needed to reference off for ducts. I set my boards up so that the string lines lined up with the lower portion of the insulated foundation once I came to the stage of setting that out. Doing it that way worked well. They built the stone up to level, then we cut all the ducts and drains in. The groundworkers took my layout for the drains, then done what they wanted to do in instead, which worked better. They didn't fancy using the rest bends but I insisted in some places. They did prefer to use Tee's which seemed fine. I wasn't too bothered by this point. The ducts ae all mm precision hoefully along with the drains so they all pop up and I spent A LOT of time planning the plant room. Then we screeded with 50mm sand. I used steel pipes for this and we set them up with the laser. It worked well and we had it screeded with 50mm sand in an afternoon. I used concrete sand for this which was wet but worked fine. That's a picture of me in the bucket of the digger doing the bits out in the middle. None of us could deal with leaving a hole in the middle. I got straight on to the DPM after this. My system has the DPM placed under the Kore insulated foundation. I did this all myself and had worked out all the joins on CAD befroe hand. It's easy to lay that way, albeit I hadn't anticipated the PITA it is to not walk on the sand but lay the DPM and then not walk on the DPM is impossible as i want it to stay level. I used OSB boards to move about most of the time. Cutting round drains is a pisser with the DPM, alsowhere you have 4 ducts popping up next to one another in a bunch it is also a complete pain. I did big cuts to get it over and it took forever to patch. I used top hats where possible and taped them in but there was some dodgy joints around where multiple ducts come up in a bunch - Those have been foamed to death now the insulation is down. Things to note - the Visqueen DPM is good, their double sided tape is good. I actually kept it in a cooler with a hot water bottle to keep it malleable as it was pretty cold when I was doing it. Their single sided tape is absolutely shit, do not buy it. Toolstation single sided DPM tape is also shit! However the Screwfix DPM tape is mega, stick like mad no matter what. really impressed with it. here: So once DPM was done I got the insulate foundation down and got started. I took some advice from @LA3222 as albeit straightforward it's not bang on. I was expecting something more highly engineered and don't get me wrong it is of high quality but some bits are a little longer and few mm here and there and some cut slightly off the square which means a good bit of adjustment. But works fine. I set out the corners first, then loosely laid it with my profile board lines. I then ended up taking a middle section out each line to get it to the right lengths and adjusted from there. I checked the lengths and squareness and procrastinated about it, ovethought it and all sorts, I didn't trust my tape as I could stretch it however much i wanted. I then ended up moving it all about and doing all sorts, one thing was apparent was the internal diagonals KORE/tanners can get relied on exactly due to the manufacturing tolerances mentioned above. So you just need to get them square tothe same size and as long as it is ballpark it is fine. I set out again and used the outer lengths, then I bit the bullet and called the surveyor back. He took 250 off me....stayed for 45 mins. Only to confirm I was pretty much bang on. I was 0mm out in some corners (bare in mind i set up with tapes over 20m) and 3-7mm mostly. Two corners I was 20mm off but i knew that as a profile board got knocked. All in all gave me plenty confidence. I then proceeded to pin the edges and then I finished filling in the three internal layers last night. Took me two full days (sat and sun) and then three nights. I used the U pins, I found them good, i started with the PU foam but found it too hard for the edges and thought it woudl take a while. So I pinned it, then filled holes with PU foam.I used PU foam in all internal joints though as that was easier. Cutting through the EPS 300 is a PITA but planned well it's ok. I'd avoid drains in the out sections next time. If i get time I will put more effort at the insulated foundation installation details, but knackered tonight after the last 5 days at it and doing my normal work. I've been writing down things that I would change and I'll list them in each blog post to provide a hint for a step! Lots of pics attached as normal. Lessons learned: 1) It is is wet - buy the type 3 stone 2) Listen to your groundworks guys if you trust them - they wanted me to add big stone down the bottom to help it drain...I didn't want to. We should have. 3) Dont buy the visqueen DPM tape, waste of money. 4) Don't be cheap and by the pro nozzle for the foam gun, It's only 20 quid. I didn't that was a schoolboy error. 5) Don't buy the bahco £19 wavy 'insulation saw' it's crap and near impossible to use with the KORE stuff Ditch it and just a normal saw. It's messy but much much quicker. thanks for reading.

I love you Big Jimbo. You see the sense in my complete (expletive deleted)ing inept madness. People on here are just worthless (expletive deleted) and want to put me down now Zoot the Hoot is dead. They need their next fix of negativity, I like screwing that's all I can say...

if pocster screwed the plasterboad onto his osb in line with the guidlines that have been pointed out to him further up this post, there would be a very, very, very, very, small chance that the plasterboard would fall off the wall at some point in the future. Because he has used atleast twice that many screws, he has reduced the chances of that now happening to just Very, very.... Well done pocster, Although everybody else on here might well be Miserable (expletive Deleted)'s, i'm awarding you a gold star. Wear it with pride fella.⭐

Hello JTB. Yes I had the same issue. My flat roof make up is: EPDM rubber glued to 18mm thk OSB3 glued onto the top of two staggered layers of 100mm PIR (thus 200mm thick) on vapour membrane. Vapour membrane is on 18mm thick OSB3 resting on 195 x 45mm joists with 12.5mm plasterboard on inside. I plumped for this as I was doing it single handed. The glue for the insulation / OSB3 interface is a poly urathane (PU adhesive), I used Insu stix, the can is in the photos. Very effective. I did the membrane in two halves as it was too heavy and bulky to handle on my own. The blocks are to weight down the insulation while the glue cures. And yes the pipes in the garden etc can do with a tidy up. Roof lantern in progress. I also opted for this solution as the weather is a bit unpredictable here. As there are no fixings then no potential thermal bridges, problems installing a fixing through 200mm plus insulation and hitting a joist etc. Hope this helps flesh out your ideas. Only issue is you have a pretty thick roof so I'll maybe use some careful shaddow gaps etc to try and reduce the tunnel effect at the lantern. It looks promising at this point.. nearly ready to start messing with the plastering here.

I'd do some research on the experiences of some members with Sunamp before putting it too categorically in the "yes" section.

screws? i thought they were BB gun pellets

First of 3 bags down and a couple of whacked runs up down them left right

The PWA has things to say about action after the event, he is on thin ice and in a loosing position. I have arbitrated in these kind of situations by talking to the neighbour, explaining what has happened and that the flying lease will cause problems for all. every time the offence was taken down/away. i would employ a surveyor and send him the bill. Then small claims court ‘“Thou shalt not move thy neighbours boundary mark” basic to UK law

Don’t know what you would be paying for them from eBay but you would get a set from jewson or some of the other bms for around £120 and they would deliver.

cutting through the vine about 12inches above the ground and treating the freshly cut vine with glyphosate weed-killer, this will kill the ivy,

Kill the Ivy

Thank you for the replies on here, that's really useful as I probably would have wimped out on this otherwise. ?

Yes!

Just on the garage you need to ensure it has its own controls and is isolated from the system in the house as otherwise you’ll need to insulate the walls and potentially the door too.

Yes - every single member of this forum with a passive slab and UFH. He’s worrying about nothing. If he thinks UFH pipe is this delicate, ask him how many installs he has done as I think you may find it’s “not many”

Welcome, I am in west devon. Insulation insulation insulation, you only buy it once and it works forever, fuel (whatever it is) always goes up in price and payable forever ?. Yes do lots of research, I changed my mind many times about how I wanted my build. Don’t be afraid of asking questions , loads of knowledge here (and practical stuff, not salesmen!!!). Some said I was OCD about my build but it’s exactly how I wanted it. Best of luck?

Brilliant, thank you. I think it might be the case that I spooked him a little by saying my architect had asked me to ask the question. Your reply is appreciated and helpful as I will just go back and say I'm going for this as originally hoped. thanks again. Just further to this, I don't want to cost me a fortune to run. I'm happy to heat it just so it can't fall below 7 degrees and top up with a fan heater while I'm in there. Would you zone it or just run it as a slave part of the main system just taking whatever as a result of the main house say maintaining 22 degrees?

How many nails in his heart will it take to hold it in place?

I found them to be similar price to Nudura (which we went with). Initially liked the idea or steel webs but decided against it in the end. If you go with them think about the placement of horizontal rebar - if you have a lot and have difficult wall shapes (bends/kinks etc) this could be a bit challenging. With plastic webs you can remove bits fairly easily - not the whole web but bits that get in the way.

Osb, insulation, insulation, osb, and epdm. My kinda flat roof. Looks great.

Normal???

We make our own entertainment here. Every Sunday we have a mock trial in Market Jew Street and then the punishment.

No point in getting a Wacker for that. Just walk over it constantly digging your heels in. Aim for 10mm more than you need then tramp it in, level it off and add to any low bits until it's smooth and level.

Where possible hide the stuff in the ceilings in more utility like areas (cloakrooms, utility rooms, back corridors etc) and use oversized light fittings in those areas https://www.ledkia.com/uk/buy-placas-downlight-led/400-round-24w-ultraslim-led-panel.html https://www.wholesaleledlights.co.uk/600x600-40w-led-panel-light.html If you need to access the stuff in the ceilings there, you can pull the light out and get good access. I've already found the ones in our utility room useful for this on a number of occasions. As a variation, I've nominally thought to retrofit panels like that, or basic access panels, in any locations we do have to do future maintenance in, rather than re-plasterboard the entire ceiling. Warning: those cheap panel LED lights are not safe to connection/disconnection while powered up (at least, mine weren't). I had a pack of 10 of them, and my contractor blew up 7 before realising the issue. (The constant current drivers were over capable, and whack out a really high voltage when disconnected that fries the panel on contact) In fancier areas, I reckon something can be done with dropped coffer/pelmets concealing some access, but we didn't manage to work that in. Ceiling and wall speakers can also provide improvised access hatches. (Nominally my stud wall installed subwoofer doubles as access to the main bathroom soil stack, but I'd have to bust through the back box of the speaker to do that so reluctant to, but would in a pinch. It was only a cheap sub, so it'd double up as an upgrade opportunity)

Charged up front as it is a material unless you hire a pump company to place it for you and they contract the concrete supply as part of the service. If your builder provides it as part of the build package then he should zero rate it as part of his invoices to you.

Or a little drawing with measurements!

Just put sharp sand down on top of the concrete and level it using a straight edge and your laser level. Then just continue on with how you had it planned out. Don't forget edge insulation.

When I laid our floor boards upstairs, I left a strip at each end that should be easy to lift, tongues cut off etc and screwed down. So in theory i can thread a new cable along from one end of the room to another, so if I wanted a new light fitting I should be able to pull a cable through to it etc. What more access do you want?

It thinks it's a dumpy level

You'll achieve the same cheaper with straightforward electric heating. A couple of towel rads in the bathrooms maybe. In general asking anything to do something that's not its primary function is always more expensive and less satisfactory.

Thanks guys. p.s. Could the post edit time window be extended or longterm mebers be placed a privileged list who can edit posts for 48 hours? It is a real pain not being able to correct manifest typos and grammar errors.

It's part of the definition of the Passivhaus standard - the 10W/m2 comes directly from the amount of heating that can be provided by the MVHR system without the supply temperature exceeding 50°C, which is associated with burning dust smells. It makes some sense if you're only using resistance heat, but if you are then it absolutely needs to be a full-fat Passivhaus to ensure the heating actually works rather than an approximation using rules of thumb. https://www.paulheatrecovery.co.uk/heat-recovery-explained/feasibility-heating-via-air/ has a good explanation. On a maximum cold day with no solar gain it'll be on continuously at max power (i.e. 10W/m2: not very much), and will probably modulate by switching on and off as required when the heating load drops. Because you're heating the air directly you're unlikely to be able to make much use of something like Economy 7 however.

An MVHR can only move about 1.5kw of heat through it, unless you have massive flow rates. I'm incorporating a water heater matrix in my MVHR for the first floor as we've no heating up there. It's more to help cope with those rare very cold periods. We're building a passive House and the peak heat load is only 2.5kw, so this air heating should help in our case. Same for summer cooling. It'll take the edge off. The short answer is no, don't rely on an MVHR for significant heating, but look at your overall heat losses and peak heating loads. A well insualted air tight house (near passive) should need minimal heating and ground floor UFH once a day should keep you happy.

Plenty of connectors that push on to the correct diameter cable so no need for a crimping tool if you aren’t doing loads

How to fit F connectors: Do use silicone/dielectric grease. It protects the connections and by dipping the cable ends in, stops moisture getting wicked up inside the cut ends. http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/fplugs.htm Get yourself a tube of this stuff: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Permatex-22058-Dielectric-Tune-Up-Grease/dp/B000AL8VD2

Except it isn't and never was a party wall. The wall is entirely on his land. Yet the neighbour appears to have put his roof joists on top of it,

And most people install a quad LNB so you want 4 cable runs. Typically 2 to each Freesat box. Thats because some channels are vertically polarised and others horizontally. Having 2 allows you to watch one and record another of different polarity.

You can't reclaim VAT on new build property which is rented out, so probably not the best idea

But it is still YOUR wall. If you want to extend you can still join to your side of it. If you want to extend 2 storeys you can build on top of it (if the foundations can take it) I still don't see you are in a bad position? But the lesson to anyone reading, as soon as you see your neighbours planning permission, THAT is the time to bring up the PWA with the neighbour. and if they have not engaged with you, bring it up with building control if they start work without agreement from you.

Not coax. Sat cable. It’s a better cable and less ‘lossy’ from a signal point of view I.e CT100

Would again: - Architect - designed an ideal layout - Timber Frame - quick to erect and easy to adjust on site - Passive insulation - can't feel the outside at all - triple glazed windows - great at noise reduction - MVHR - air always fresh - Sunamps - no gas, compact - ground floor UFH only - all you need - recessed skirting - easy and never have to dust - IKEA kitchen - DIYable Would do better: - acoustic insulation - more, everywhere. - double up joists - reduce floor bounce - Battery - capture solar power for self use - Fixed price - no hourly paid jobs - Completion payment - never pay in full until 100% satisfied Doubtful: - Project management - definitely going main contractor next time - Fermacell - cheaper and easier to double up on standard PB or back with ply - Graven Hill - worse than you can ever imagine (the developer, not the community) - Larch cladding - high maintenance, would go composite

Only in Cornwall I think ...

I'm doing bits and bobs of various things at the minute one of which is to run all the pipes in the next couple of days. I'm doing manifold in plant room, one set for cold, one set for hot, one set for hot return. Using 15mm Hep for the big hots/colds like shower bath sink, 10mm for all other hots/cold. I'm insulating everything, hot and cold. Bought a load of armaflex in 35m coils. I'll just have to slip it over the pipes as I go - won't be the worst job I've done. 22mm copper to the manifolds, plastic out. Just running pipes for now so sparky can then first fix. I've got a floor deck to lay over my first floor ufh then I'll be on the plumbing again. 300l UVC and ASHP should be here by end of April at latest.

Take a quick walk around and see what nearby houses have. Aerials on tall poles on the chimneys mean you have a poor signal and will need something similar. Lots of little aerials on the eaves and you have a reasonable signal and you "hidden" type aerial may work. No aerials on any house and you have a really good signal and they are all in lofts.

Typically this would save about 1.7kWh/m2 /yr in Central England Here is a similar wall below, U=0.20. If Protect TF200 Thermo, a low emissivity layer is added to the unventilated cavity the U value will improve to 0.17

I had a bit of paint on a wall that kept bubbling up. sanded.re-painted, and back it came several times. Eventually dig it out. It was a six inch bit of bacon rind in the plaster !