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I went with one of these easy enough to fit once you have the correct opening https://www.jupiterblue.co.uk/loft-hatches-c2/standard-range-c9/airtight-loft-hatch-560-x-640mm-hinged-patented-design-p221

@Kelvin it's early days. Believe me I've been there. To see a project you've poured your heart and soul and all your money into being tarnished is gutwrenching. However something will give if you don't change tack. The budget , the quality, the schedule, or your health. A little bit of the last three for me. The schedule and the budget are definitely the best places to compromise. Too many of us have poor quality houses or have been driven to mental breakdowns or ambulances.

I’m doing another one at the moment where I’m putting the master suite upstairs with a roof garden. I’ll upload the drawings as soon as I can.

Photographs and more photographs of the trench, in detail and in context. Not for here but to prove it was started.

So 2 minutes at 17 litres is 34 litres or 1/3 of a day's recommended amount. A good shower head should use far less water to good effect. Therefore I would say to try the lower setting first. Water costs about 3p / litre I think, allowing for supply and disposal.

@Sparrowhawk, BCO becomes interested in U values when you are 'renovating' (adding or replacing a layer to) more than 50% of a thermal element, and that's not 50% of, say, all the walls in the house, it's the external wall(s) *in the room you're stood in*. For example if you rip off the plaster from the one external wall in your inner terraced front room, you arguably have an obligation to insulate to meet the requirements of Part L. I have found that if I am using (thin) PIR, BCO wants to see 0.3W/m2K, but if I am using wood-fibre with an insulation value only just over half as good, BCO accepts arguments re trad building and 'safety' re interstitial condensation risk.

You don't even need drawings... Scotland = check reveals... Simple...

Good point. But they don't think that way, either being properly professionalì, or just using them til they run out. And there was a very precise construction manual and also easy to check. A screw every 330mm except at laps and ends when it is 110mm etc. They had enough spare for any misdrillings. Not normal perhaps but I went on the training course and got a certificate! Also. Assemble bolts, washers and nut sets in advance and keep them in a b & q orange bucket. No sodden cardboard boxes leaking washers.

It's been a wide spreading project, I'm sure our BCO loves us. - Replaced rotten suspended timber floor with a new slab - Covered over cellar with block and beam floor - Windows/Insulation/MVHR (did these all through BC as I couldn't find a window fitter to supply windows without vents until we had MVHR and didn't want to rip the house up once to fit MVHR to do it again after windows had been fitted for insulation/airtightness etc, so a bit of chicken and egg situation) We're also doing an extension on the same Building Notice, so we're locked into regs as they were in '21, which gives us some nice wiggle room.

I set our kitchen at 30lps on boost. It's a big, open area though and I think that helps dilute any smells.

Think you answered your own question. Run it though a voltage drop calculator and see what comes out.

I hate this attitude. I deal with it on a weekly basis professionally and often enough when I dare let someone do work for one of my projects which is rare because even the "good ones" are never that good and usually fall foul of my high, but reasonable standards at some point, I think my plasterer might be the only one I think scores a high 90%, oh and my brickie 98%. When contractors are tendering projects they often hit us with TQ's/RFI's to help them with their laziness (often because they don't read notes, look at details or schedules or read the spec) and I have become so used to reading, "Normally..." or "The way we do it..." - I quite often respond with, just because it has been done that way in the past doesn't make it right. The "normal" or "usual" way for them is always the cheapest or easiest route, it's all driven through being lazy and cheap. They often just see something that looks like it will cost a bit more than usual and try and remove it, what they don't take into account is all the time and effort that goes into designing things, I have come to the conclusion that they are all ignorant or lazy/cheap. So back to your insulation, maybe 100mm is the norm, but your situation is not normal, you are a owner/builder who wants your house better than what you can buy off the shelf, hence the more onerous standards, why they treat these improvements with contempt is the bit that really grinds my gears. Most contractors would think most of us are mad they way we do some of the detailing and additional steps in our builds.

Too may ifs for me. I am increasing my wild area.

Well, at least he's engaged with the issue of fitting windows: rather than couldn't give a hoot. Put another way, he is on a learning curve about both the MVHR fitting process and diplomacy.

If you keep a rotary blade nice and sharp it will give a relatively clean cut, the thing to look for is brown tips once you cut the grass, a clean cut will recover quickly and leave less/no unsightly brown tips, golf courses use cylinders for pristine lawns that recover quicker, so grow stronger, and look greener, but they mow fairways and greens daily in the summer, the time it takes grass to recover helps us with reduced mowing frequency in the summer. My lawn needs cut about every 5 days at the moment. Next time you mow your lawn check the tips of the grass about a day after you have cut them, it there is a lot of ragged brown tips, then think about sharpening your blade. For a domestic lawn, even a well kept smart domestic lawn, a rotary will be fine if in good condition. You can even leave stripes if you have rear rollers.

Whereas these builders have the blessing of ignorance, thinking they are skilled and knowledgable, and that Engineers and Architects overdesign. You are a mere client. There isn't much hope other than insist it is as drawing. They probably fear the bco, and withholding payment of course. Remember that their instinctive reaction to any criticism is to invent an excuse, any excuse. It works often enough as most clients don't want a fuss and fear losing the builder. Stay strong.

This thread here might be useful. The forum creates some challenges because it is difficult to know sometimes where a topic might fit. Discussion about insulated twin pipe, not many opinions on this at the time. This discussion also covers pipe sizing.

Quick update - structural engineer checkout out my garage and basically said the best route is to build a pillar on the inside and run a steel to the end of the garage which will support the first floor. The existing garage wall and structure looks ok to stay as is. Good news - other than will need to dig a 800x800mm hole inside the garage for the pilar. He also suggested I contact the house builders as I purchased from new 25 years ago and they may all be able to give me a copy of the structural documents so will give that a go as well.

That may be so, but still looks a bodge.

Just had to get rid of some of the skew.

Common around my area for capping to be fixed back with cable clips, it’s a masonry nail and the plastic clip helps with a larger surface area. clout nails also common

True. Going back to the subject of the gap, i'm guessing the insulation in the photo is a continuous run under the roof joists and that there's more above inbetween the joists. Hopefully the upper layer extends over the top of the inner leaf and makes a continuous thermal envelope with the cavity wall insulation? This would reduce the demand on insulating the gap but how effectively it prevents a cold bridge depends on how well the hidden joins are linked together. Filling the gap would still be an easy win (if it wasn't for the wiring).

There is also a "safe zone" (now called prescribed zone) horizontally along the top 15cm of wall where it meets the ceiling. Although arguably if the cable is above the line of the ceiling it is not in the zone. Agree that supporting the cable on screws is not good if that's what's happening. I'd be concerned over time and with a bit of movement/expansion/contraction the screw threads cut into the sheath & insulation.

I can see a few issues that look like they need addressing first. The screws going through the insulation will not support much for long, they all need washers to give some surface area. They also need to be taped over. The gap between the wall and insulation needs to be filled that would be with foam or glass wool. Wires supported on screws just looks wrong. The white cover over what I assume are cables is held in place with cable clips, that's a bodge.

I think I can see a couple of problems: So the void above the Xtratherm insulation is ventilated to the outside? If so, then so is the gap between the insulation and blockwork. You're right to want to extend the VCL to the wall but without continuous insulation through this gap, this junction will be a cold bridge. Also, in that gap, all I can see is T&E cable that looks to be supported on screws?! AFAIK, If there are no wall mounted switches or other visible electrical fittings at this height then this horizontal cable run is not in a 'safe zone' unless it's 50mm above the finished ceiling level.

Without a doubt double pole is safer. Why are you looking at sockets with an RCD built in? Your RCD protection should be at the consumer unit, having more than one RCD is not safer, but it becomes pot luck which one trips. So assuming you don't need an RCD because your wiring is already protected by an RCD in the CU and you want DP switching the choice becomes: https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-ip66-13a-2-gang-dp-weatherproof-outdoor-switched-socket/67928 £8.99 https://www.screwfix.com/p/knightsbridge-op9n-ip66-13a-2-gang-dp-weatherproof-outdoor-switched-socket/841vf £17.99 https://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-ip66-13a-2-gang-dp-weatherproof-outdoor-switched-socket/98279 £29.99 for me it's the BG. You would have to break that 3 times more often than the MK for the MK to become better value.

That is a beautiful looking home you built yourself. Well done 😀

Before you start the build or you will incur significant loading on the premium as it makes insurers nervous not having inspected the build all the way through. The best advice I got was from speaking to two independent brokers. I spoke to Build Secure who got me 4 prices for a warranty and one for a PCC which is what I went for on my last project based on cost but have used ICW and BZ, I also spoke to L and B who were vey good as well but they use the same providers so was doubling up on what I already had. CMLC tried to sell me a 10 year PCC as a Structural Warranty which I was less than happy about. No RIBA stage 2 needed just plans and an application form that they went through it was all relatively painless and informative, even given my background in reinsurance

Started stripping the topsoil for re-use in the raised beds. The plan is to create a perimeter using 125mm deep deck boards to define the plane and serve as screed rails to level the sharp sand fill. Then after a bit of a whackering, dry lay my reclaimed 450mm concrete slabs leaving two cutouts under the beds.

Agreed - the model that works in my head is that the EPS is just replacing the sub-base so you still need to allow for sub-soil settlement. Even though the EPS has considerable mechanical strength itself, unless it is laid in a proper manner (interlocking blocks and suitable bearing locations) you're fundamentally still relying on the concrete to provide structural support.

Welcome to the forum. I don't know why there are not more self builders on BuildHub using oak frames - because there are maybe a dozen oak frame companies - and they're clearly building houses for someone. If oak frame is a possibility and will provide the main structural element, then one logical questions is 'what does it get clad with'? Well you clearly need some insulation and 'something to contain it', some air-tightness, some vapour barrier, some 'rain screen' (that is, the outside layer that sheds most of the rain off), and maybe something to help control racking. Larsen trusses and, say, cellulose fibre could be a part of that. I can see SIPs being a possibility also as they would provide some of the functions above. With sandstone rock and sandy soil (and therefore reasonably firm) and the frame distributing the load mostly around the floor plate / edge of the foundation by then you can probably use any of the foundation methods you have suggested. Maybe @Gus Potter (an SE) and @GaryChaplin (an oak frame guy) will have time to comment.

If you are NOT doing it yourself and paying for someone to do it, you really need to choose a contractor that is comfortable doing the build method you want, or choose a build method your local workforce are comfortable doing. Mix and match is usually disaster. I did lots of our build either myself or was there every day and all day if I had contractors on site. Insulated raft or do you mean passive slab? We have a combination of traditional footings, but bigger and the front wide ones are all reinforced (see attached) with an upstand of concrete blocks, insulation and aircrete blocks , this then infilled with a steel reinforced slab, insulation, UFH, then more concrete to form the floor. Horses for courses. Just have a good plan of what you want to achieve, then move forward based on the first paragraph.

That's a good point, I hear oak moves a lot, but I hadn't thought about how that could impact the sip encasement. I will have a look at advanced foundation tec thanks for the recommendation. Maybe oak isn't the best route 🤔 I do like the idea of an insulated raft buy also in two minds because of the cost, ease of finding someone to do it and the ground conditions are pretty good. Thanks for the pointers on comparison, it is hard to compare like with like. Trying to find the sweet spot between performance, cost and ease.

1. Insulated raft. 2. Nope, but wouldn't personally use SIP, especially with a light-weight rain screen. Green Oak structure? Looks lovely, but will continue to move for the next 10 years and kill any airtightness you achieve. 3. Not something that can be ball-parked, very much site and design specific. Insulated raft will likely reduce the dig and concrete. When comparing costs, include the slab/block & beam, insulation and screed costs, so that you are comparing apples with apples, and make sure you are comparing equal performance. ie. no point in comparing an Insulated raft with a 0.10 U value and zero cold bridging with a building regs strip foundation with Block & Beam. An insulated raft is pretty easy to install, but does need to have calcs to get it through Building Control. I went with Advanced Foundation Technology Ltd. and am happy to recommend.

@saveasteading said: ''The point of sips is that it structural. I don't see the logic of oak plus sips''. My thoughts entirely. Assuming you want to keep the frame 'on show' internally why not spaced-stud out ('Larsen trusses') and fill with flexi wood-fibre, with whatever you want as a finish structure or board on the outside? (and you asked about footings - sorry!!)

Welcome. 1. Traditional trench footings. 2. Not at all unless you want a raft for some reason. 3. Lots more. I'd guess about £20,000. Oak is an expensive option, especially for a big house. Why do you fancy it? The point of sips is that it structural. I don't see the logic of oak plus sips.

I hate this must have a degree thing. - there should be balance. While I'm in a so called professional desk job my late Dad was a Joiner, his Dad and brother bricklayers. He did an apprenticeship back in the day then ran the small family building firm. I always have the utmost respect for those that do - and try to learn what I can from them be it kitchen fitters, sparks or chipys, roof fitters etc. I certainly can't do what they do well enough and quickly enough to earn a living! That should be a thing in society - right to the top. The attitude must not be those that can't degree take up a trade - but absolute equivalence and respect for that path in life. (Sorry triggered my hobby horse there )

I just did underground duct, used 28mm Hep2O pipe, 25mm thick black insulation, which I wrapped in aluminium tape, and inserted each length in 110mm flexible twin wall duct. Made 2 x 4m lengths. Terminated the duct at both as they went in to our out of ground. Used stainless steel mesh spray foamed in place at each end of the duct to stop rodents making their way into to duct. The pipe was taken the through wall about 300mm above ground at both ends, into house and into shed the other end. Exposed pipe will be wrapped UV stable insulation.

Just to re-update this - a few more years down the line! I went with Pylontech US3000 Lithium units, initially 3 of them and then added 2 more. They are absolutely great - zero maintenance, zero hassle. With a 6kw PV bank I'm sorted for the vast majority of the year with a generator being required for a top-up 6 times this winter. I expect that when I get round to moving the PV array to the roof and doubling it's size I won't need the gen at all. I'd have no need for the generator if I hadn't ditched my wind-turbine but I don't miss that howling beast when it's windy (there was no easy way of making it play with lithium/Victron). My time with flooded lead acid batteries was educational but I do not miss it! Less of my clothing has small acid burns and the monthly maintenance schedule has become an occasional glance at the Victron App.

Exactly my thoughts. The Marmox stuff is very expensive.

Get kids and misses to piss in bucket and empty once a day - super water efficient. You still trying to save 25 quid ?

Sigh!

The guy is an idiot, I'm happy for you to say I said so.

4%. Was I the closest in this quiz?

A fully grown man whose avatar is him sitting in his Porsche 911.

What a battle this self-build malarkey is. Load of builders in yesterday. Why are you putting so much insulation under the screed we only ever do 100mm next to nothing is lost to the ground you’re wasting your money. Why did you insulate the steels? Another waste of money. You don’t need insulated plasterboard If you wanted to build a passive house why didn’t you just do that…because it’s not a passive house it’s just a well insulated house. Also twice I’ve had to pull wet insulation out of the walls. Last night I was on-site until 10pm having started 6am re-doing all the upstairs insulation. After explaining I don’t want any large air gaps because they’ve cut it too short and cba filing in the gap. Unfortunately I was so knackered I didn’t handle this conversation with the builders very well. I planned to calmly tell them what was wrong and why instead I ranted at them. I apologised later though. Add some missing steel for upstairs holding the glulam up, a kit fabrication error making the flat roof section 60mm too high where it adjoins the pitch roof, incorrect centre posts for for the rooflights, and several other omissions from the construction pack that’s only obvious to me now the house is up. I am rather (expletive deleted)ed off and tired! 😂

+1. No problems with the BG one I fitted to the wall outside. Saying that I haven't wired it up yet...

Just so long as you keep an old head for the purpose.........