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Yes to moisture resistant board for the reveals. Remember to undercoat/paint the underside and edges of your window boards to stop them absorbing the inevitable deluge or moisture after plastering.

Put up a sheet of OSB and see what he says. That's literally what we did. Still not done the balcony 9months later.

Busy few days. Shuttering off the garage floor. Final finish could have been a little better but I’m covering it anyway. Drainage and ducting mostly complete, retaining wall built but we are going to go 200mm higher. Starting to get final MOT down. Site has dried up really quickly after all the pissing rain.

I love the US for this. The capacity to just give something a go, and the willingness and capacity of investors to throw cash at moonshot ideas. Can you imagine how here in the old world we would react. Years of head shaking, tutting, twitching curtains and murmuring about how it'll never work. Infact a majority actively hoping for failure. The planners would take a year of inquires, letters and statements to conclude civilised society would collapse without a glue on fiberglass brick effect chimney.

It was reading your blog post on this that convinced me to get a proper percolation test and soakaway design done as part of our due diligence before we bought the land. Obviously I could easily enough have dug my own hole and filled it up with water and timed it etc but I just felt more comfortable having it done professionally and getting a report at the end of it.

Called hanger bolts, wood to metal dowels etc. Then you'll want a penny washer and wing nut of the appropriate size

Unfortunately these companies either have their own staff or contracts with specific local "preferred trades". My guess is the regular heating enginer isnt on their list. It might be worth pretending you don't know how to isolate the boiler and water is still leaking. I'd email the landlords office, not to complain but to let them know you are worried about the water leak damaging their house/kitchen etc Mention you called the new maintenance company yesterday but they still haven't sent anyone yet. At least then you have something in writing.

If a door has a U-Value of 1W/m2.K, the mean temperature difference over the heating season, of 5 months is 14 K, then: 1 [W.m-2.K-1] x 14 [ΔT] x 5 [months] x 31 [days in month] x 24 [hours in day] = 52,080 Wh.m-2 or 52 kWh.m-2. That is about the same as 5 litres of diesel, which if you by it at the highly taxed gas station will cost about £8. Double it for a 2 m2 door. The U-Value of a door is not the problem.

A door is ~ 2m2 in area and you only have a few of them, so a U-value of 0.65 vs 1.0 or whatever is small beer in terms of the contribution to total heat loss. What is more important IMO is how airtight it is. If it doesn't seal properly then you will lose far more heat through draft cold air exchange, especially if you are using MVHR.

Just fix something inside across the door to prevent someone opening it and falling out. Bit of 4x2 wrapped in warning tape? Tell him the balcony is on back order.

Either.. Dig out and paint the inside with a liquid tanking medium as used for basements right to the bottom. Then eventually the wall should dry out enough to allow paint to survive. Or.. Build another wall around it with a cavity between. Bottom course in engineering bricks with empty perps for drainage and a DPC on top. Put paving slabs or similar on top of the wall to cover the cavity?

The unconnected cables are likely to be the only safety issue youve got and I cant see NICEIC being particularly interested in the other issues including 2 (presumibly) qualified sparks arguing over whether an RCD is needed. Suggest you send NICEIC the photos of the live unconnected cables

Presume it's a safety thing? Can you offer some other mitigation instead?

No they can’t They can just withhold your completion cert till it’s done

You use the one that gets sent with the bent one, that you'll get as part of the original frame + gubbings Just bin ( or eBay the rest )

I had a property I rented out, the letting agent wanted me to have fully managed service, so the tenant would call one number and everything would be sorted out. Asked who they used for plumbing and electrical work, and they were located nearly a 3 hour drive away. Not only would I be paying premium rates, I would be saddled with 6 hours travel time. The tenant would get a rubbish service, I declined their offer. Managed service are a get rich quick scheme, by letting agents, the owner gets saddled with big bills and a bad reputation, the tenant gets a rubbish service.

Another edge of your seat update..... I pushed back even further... Thanks so much for your message and for discussing the matter internally - I really appreciate the flexible approach. I'd like to push back a little on the proposed methodology since it does have a material impact on the cost. Below is the boundary of the groundworks area shown in red (previously submitted as DLL_works.kml, attached) showing a 250m zone centred on the south-eastern corner. This zone excludes the two ponds to the west, and includes only the six ponds detailed in KB Ecology's report. I believe in this rural instance it is appropriate to consider only the 'works area', since the broader 'site area' is to be untouched. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. ...and received this reply After further discussion we have decided that in this instance we are happy to use the groundworks under the understanding that the wider site area will be untouched. It’s important to highlight that a GCN licence under DLL will only cover works within the groundworks area and any works outside of this will be at your own risk and not covered by the licence. I shall draft a new IACPC & issue it formally shortly, this will include a reference to the above along with an updated Output map for the groundworks area. That reduces the Compensation Payment from £3,305.28 to £908.98 I'll call it a day at that.

Paint it black.

There was a Grand Design episode where a young team of builders had put together a process for constructing SIP panels on-site.

Only Bristolians will get that!!! 👯‍♀️

Sent it to you. Ask on here if you get stuck.

And this is what Raquel Welch looked like, even though it was only 1966. “Sexual intercourse began in nineteen sixty-three (Which was rather late for me) between the end of the Chatterley ban and the Beatles' first LP.”

Think about it all the time.

Do yourself in?

I wonder how long it takes to cura concrete house...

Sorry to hear you’re having trouble with NICEIC I thought since MCS escalated it to them there was a specific notifiable problem e.g. your dangerous wires and that you had MCS helping you. It’s probably a bit late now but if you still have unsafe work another registered NICEIC could give you an installation certificate and if they state it’s still ‘unsatisfactory’ then that should be enough proof for NICEIC to get involved more.

In attempt to prevent someone else suffering what we have had to put up with for the last 8 years, this post summarises key aspects of this case and itemises our lessons learned. Here's the background to a long and determined attempt to squat on open farmland. The saga started 8 years ago, and will end on the 27th of December this year. And here's the Inspector's uncomfortably-well written Decision . I found myself clutching my withers at her uncompromising written style, attention to detail, diplomacy and mastery of detail. Summary We were awarded Planning Permission in 2015 25 yards away - crucially separated by a farm track - the new landowner moved in to a caravan sited on the field next door A cesspit was dug - open to air within a meter from a fence by the track He made Planning Applications . All were refused. Then he builds a dwelling house INSIDE the caravan. Swing a mouse? No chance. Subsequent Appeals were also refused. Enforcement Notices (EN) were issued HM Inspectors visited The first EN was quashed. Because the owner had built a dwellinghouse inside the caravan. Yes, you read that correctly. A further EN was issued Inspectors visted again and a Public Meeting (of interested parties only) was held. Despite an invitation, I stayed away from the meeting. The Refusal was published yesterday (Enforcement Notice Upheld with amendments) Lessons Learned Cesspits need Planning Permission and Building Control Sign off. Here's the point: The moment you see an open cesspit in use, write to your LPA with evidence. Heres the point: Stick to the knitting: the lack of Planning Permission: the LPA tried to fob us off with Environmental Health Heres the Point : If the LPA does not address the issue within 8 weeks or so, make a formal complaint. The Environmental Agency is a chocolate fireguard I didn't take a log of the number of times I rang them or wrote to them: but each time I was fobbed off. One unusually candid Officer told me directly that unless there was a major spillage of effluent they were not interested : a two person cesspit was almost irrelevant he said. Here's the point: save time, forget about the EA Caravans are not always caravans If a caravan has block-work poking out of its underskirts and the block work is connected to a foundation pad, its a Dwelling House If a caravan is hidden behind a high wall, densly planted Leylandii and guarded by a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog: smell the rat Here's the Point: be as persistent in your pushback as the applicant is in deceit. Do not bother to contact your MP Here's the point: ours thought of herself as a referral unit. No action was taken as a result of her involvement. Why have I bothered to make this post..... ? Had I taken effective , determined action promptly - the following would not be the case The high walls that disfigure the lane will stay : why ? 4 Year Rule The cesspit will stay will stay : why ? 4 Year Rule The Caravan will stay: why ? 4 Year Rule The Leylandii (30) continue to grow in a hedgerow full of natural species. And all because the LPA simply did not do their job in a timely fashion. And when they stirred their stumps they did a sloppy job. If you have a point to make in terms of Planning Enforcement and - on the basis of evidence , you are sure of your case . Go in hard, determined and armed with every scrap of relevant evidence clearly itemised and described. The only excuse I can muster in self-defence is that I had a house of my own to build. The Head Of Planning has resigned recently. I pity the organisation that recruited him.

Bad workmanship. If the people doing it don't know what they are doing, it will not be very good. That tends to be true of everything though. I think EDPM can too easily give the impression that it is as easy to fit as a newly ironed bedsheet. I would do the same checks on both trades.

Send her a photo of the dangling cables, tell her they are connected to live solar panels and will likely have 100's of DC volts on them. AFAIK theres no absolute requirement for an RCD and whether you need one depends on the type of cable from the inverter and how its been installed. NIEIC will be able to advise if the regs required an RCD to be fitted

We've 70mm metal studs, standard boards and 50mm isover accoustic roll inbetween... Can't hear a thing through them. Keep it simple, keep it standard.

I worked, as a manufacturer, in the health and leisure industry 30 years ago. A few suppliers set up an organisation called the Fitness Industry Association. This was on the face of it to ensure high quality, but in reality it was to hamper some people in the industry from selling. Was totally crooked.

Not at all sure this will apply to self builders. Section 144 which imposes new building warranties starts with, "this section applies where a person (the developer) carries out a development in England that results in the creation of one or more dwellings" Paragraph 6 then effectively defines "carries out a development" as construction of a building with a view to "granting of or disposing of relevant interests in one or more dwellings" i.e selling the dwelling on to a purchaser. It appears therefore that if you are not building the dwelling with a view to selling it to a third party then there is no statutory obligation to obtain a warranty. I presume that will not prevent you selliing it on in the future once you have lived in it. How long the gap would have to be will only be tested should a case get to court. I would have thought the secretary of state would be unlikely to pursue an individual in the first place and then only if they could "beyond reasonable doubt" show you had no reasonable excuse to sell on without a warranty. I'd say if you've lived in it a year, hate the area or divorce the partner and decide to sell up the SofS isn't going to come after you!

I'm interested to hear the reason for this. Only because I much prefer the look of GRP but what are the downsides ? I have had similar quotes for EDPM and GRP and was going to go with GRP for the looks.

id be more interested on the design of the warm roof, what VCL and where etc. If its a parapet wall how the capping will be detailed. EDPM every time over GRP for me.

Beware the caravan brigade!

Congratulations and welcome. It'll be good to get some insight on building a useable house for disabled people. Pics and plans always appreciated for us nosey types. Please blank your name and address from any uploads. What does the kit include? An itemised list would give people a good idea of what costs are reasonable

Ask them to give you the floor specification so you can check if it meets the requirements of the building regs and if it has been built to spec. It’s not an enormous job to fix this. You could simply double board it (put another layer or plasterboard on top of the existing board). However, I suspect insulation next to the pipes would be more helpful in reducing the sound of water. If you were going to double board it you could cut holes and push insulation up inside around the pipes as these would be covered up by the new boards. It’s not going to be cheap. Putting boards up isn’t expensive but then they will need taped, filled and painted. Also you would have to refit the lights.

With the build approaching that "closing the holes" stage next year, I would like to ask what U-values for front doors are your suppliers specifying? I'm just trying to gauge whether I am being too demanding, or over-zealous, about what I think should be fitted, and what is a reasonable ask. FYI - we are prepared to spend up to £3,500 on this door Cheers Stuart

Exactly the conclusion I came to.

Just what I was thinking. The fitting of the frame should be easy enough to get airtight. But the door in the hole is a lot harder, and may need adjust every now and again. I fixed my leaky back door last year (ended up a simple fix, the threshold had come loose). Not made a huge difference in the kitchen temperature, or the energy usage, but not having a cold draught on my feet is lovely.

Nordan. No glazing in the door.

Rationel quoted the front door for my house as 0.59 W/m2k too, but I'm not going with Rationel. The company I'm ordering from (Allan Bros) are supplying an Outline front door with the U-value of 0.72 W/m2k.

Renewable energy companies are the new double glazing salesmen...... Lot's of sucking of teeth etc. If it's new build make sure that you get the Boiler Upgrade Scheme £5k - sounds crazy but it does apply to self builds as well as replacing existing boilers. We had our main contractors do the insulated slab and the DHW tank and UFH buffer tank - both with double immersions. Only after that did we install the ASHP and that was basically because it cost us £200 with the BUS grant. So do all the heat loss analysis etc. and only put in what is absolutely necessary. MVHR is, as Conor said completely separate - you should be able to find an MVHR expert in the area and I'll bet they'll be a lot cheaper than your chaps that can do it all. Simon

Green Building Store fully glazed external door U = 0.85. Cost incl VAT and delivery around £2000 supply only.

When I looked at Internorm they were 0.76. I’ve been trying to balance the cost of everything with the performance as we all do. Going lower than 1.0 was almost doubling the cost for us which I’ve diverted to triple glazed upstairs rooflights.

Ours.

If it really is a passive house then 3kW heating for whole house will be plenty. My house is not a passive house but max heating demand when it is +20 inside and -10 outside is just over 2kW On first heating at such low levels of heat input it will take a long time to heat up the structure of the house, so stick with it, leave it on for 24 hours or until the house warms up. Thereafter is will not need much heat input to maintain the temperature.

You want summer by pass off. If it's on the incoming air does not go through the heat exchanger and will just come into the house without being warned by outgoing air. You need both fans on, one is for extract the other for supply air. Hope this helps

We have a water garden for each side of the roof (same area as yours) - each the maximum size of cattle trough (no idea what size that is) , the overflow of which goes into a sand bed filter, and then into a pond. That pond spills over into a bank of trees and a thirsty fence line : Alder, holly, blackthorn, privet, very old oak trees. Anything else trickles away into Great Crested Newt Central. The BCO took one look at it, sucked his teeth, grinned and put a tick in a box.

Bifacial (two sided) panels might be worth investigating, even a North-South fence? https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/04/what-are-bifacial-solar-modules/ just search for 'bifacial panels' for manufacturers