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Our insurers were not at all bothered - I ticked a box that noted we had solar panels, but they didn't ask about MCS. Haven't sold it, so I can't comment on any problems related to that. But there is no legal requirement to have an MCS install and there are a lot of people without such certification, so it's difficult to believe it could ever stop a house sale.

Success ! ( at least with the supplied pre sliced benchy )

just an update for those who replied, Ended up going with a company called GSI , based in Whitstable Kent. Came in with the best quote by a few hundred pounds for me, but still around 50% higher than last year(most quotes were double last year) . final premium was approx £1000. I do have some jewelry coverered, but last year the premium was around £700 for equivalent cover. Thanks again to all those who responded. Always a great help

On another tread, I typed up a bit about Portland Cement. Now I am not a chemist at all, in fact I am rather dismissive of them. Having said that, 5 Chemists that I have chatted to informally have been very good at explaining what happens without relying on using memory test in Latin. One Chemist, a recent PhD graduate was working in sales and explained long chain polymers to me, they are really quite simple, repeating 'units' that attach to each other. Another one, again a PhD in chemicals, explained the electron orbits and how they are NOT 2D as drawn on paper, this is what governs, to a certain extent, the shape of molecules. Another, PhD again, sat me down in a lecture theatre and explained the polarity of molecules and why that causes CO2 to vibrate at certain frequencies and causes a disproportional amount of movement. This principle of polarity is why a small amount of some molecules can cause a large amount of heating. Then there was my old line manager, who also had a PhD in Chemistry who once said "when you design, or change a chemical formula to get the properties you want, you get what you are after, and something else". It is that something else that is important. Then there was our own @Jeremy Harris, who initially studied Chemistry then moved onto Physics. He was brilliant as he was a practical man and understood the limitation of the 'something else'. Now the above is just a way of asking if we have a decent chemist on here who can help out with a lot of the products used in the building trade, there must be at least one. So getting back to the title, I had a look at Portland Cement and then Lime because of a question that @saveasteading asked about releasing and absorbing CO2. After a bit of googling I found a long, but easy to read article explaining how Portland Cement is made and then used. http://matse1.matse.illinois.edu/concrete/prin.html Basically, from what I understand, is that during the roasting, free water is evaporated and then elevated temperature drives out CO2 that is attached to the calcium. When water is mixed back in, a reaction takes place that causes a rise in temperature, and the hydrogen and oxygen are split up and combine with the Di and Tri Calcium silicates and aluminate, with some Tetracalcium aluminoferrite and Gypsum thrown in. Di, Tri and Tetra I understand, the Ates and the Ites I don't, they need to be memorised. I was going to show the changes in formula when Limestone, Clay and Ferric Oxides are roasted, but I can't find a decent explanation (why we need a Chemist). The reverse hydration i.e. when water is added, is shown. Tricalcium silicate + Water--->Calcium silicate hydrate+Calcium hydroxide + heat 2 Ca3SiO5 + 7 H2O ---> 3 CaO.2SiO2.4H2O + 3 Ca(OH)2 + 173.6kJ And Dicalcium silicate + Water--->Calcium silicate hydrate + Calcium hydroxide +heat 2 Ca2SiO4 + 5 H2O---> 3 CaO.2SiO2.4H2O + Ca(OH)2 + 58.6 kJ If I understand the chemistry correctly, because the CaO is already attached to something the SiO2.4H2O chain and the Ca(OH2) there is nothing for the carbon in CO2 to attach to. So then I had a look at Lime, wanted to know what happened as way too many people seem to think that it is the bee's knees and will cure all ills in a building. I have been very dubious of those claims and can never find decent evidence to support it. So Lime is made in a similar way to Portland Cement. Get the right rocks, crush and heat them to change them: CaCO3 to CaO + CO2. Then the difference from Portland Cement happens, water is added, in the right proportion. CaO + H2O to Ca(OH2). Calcium Hydroxide. This forms a dry powder called Slaking. Also known as Hydrated Lime, add a bit more water and you get Lime Putty. Now, and this is where it is really different from Portland Cement, it absorbs both H2O and CO2 from the atmosphere as it wants to convert back to limestone CaCO3 (calcium carbonate). So come on Chemists, put me right and explain it better, maybe with a bit of basic theory as a grounding.

You can move your export to outgoing fixed at 15p/kWh. Not quite symmetric to the cosy import but I just fully charge for simplicity.

Bear in mind that, AFAIK, both those bi directional chargers are grid tied so should shut down when the grid goes down and wouldn't work in an off grid set up, if that's what you're after.

If the total height of the raised patio and decking exceed 30cm (when measured at the highest ground level next to the structure), you will require Planning.

Are you making a special surprise for her?

The car batteries aren't meant to be fully charged and discharged regularly (daily) although slow charging will help longevity. Home Batteries use LFP which is designed for this usage / profile. Only recently we've seen these enter the EV market. The key hinge point is that your car has to be in situ for the house to use it. You can buy ex leaf batteries separately to get the cheaper capacity or purchase an Ecoflow battery that accepts dual fuel, Solar PV or Propane which will help in Winter. Your space heating loads will be much lower in a passive house than your hot water requirement, that's going to be the biggest energy load. Then you can look at off peak charging / loading of the battery / sunamp or Tepeo ZEB boiler to time shift your usage to the cheapest period.

Hello, It's a great idea. I've put a few discussion points/options below but happy to discuss further. 1. Not all Nissan Leaf's are suitable. Only though with Chademo 1.0, those with Chademo 0.9 are not V2G capable. The fastest way to tell is the interior color. If you have a grey dash and grey carpets then it's a Japanese-built 24kHhr model with Chademo 0.9. If it's a black dash, black carpet then it's a UK-built 24kWHr with Chademo 1.0. 2. You'll need either a Wallbox Quasar or Indra V2G. Many of the UK trials are ending at the moment so look on eBay and Facebook for used versions. Expect to pay £1,500 for it (excluding fitting). Quasar is the better option if you can get it, just make sure you get proof of "ownership" from the trial it was on (normally Ovo Energy or Octopus). 3. If you use the above option then you'll need a way to auto disconnect and also provide a neutral base which the Quasar can't do (sometimes called "islanding mode"). 4. The best option, if you don't use the car, is to remove the battery from the car and connect directly to a DC-coupled inverter with islanding support. There is a GitHub by a person called Dala-EV that goes into detail if needed. This also enables you to have a higher power output if needed (Quasar is limited to 7kW, Dala method can go up to 22kW 3 phase quite easily). I'm in the middle of a similar development. I'm going with option 1+2 using a Gen 2 40kWhr Nissan Leaf + a Quasar but I'm on-grid and don't have the neutral/islanding issues. I'm also planning on adding 2 other batteries to our system using method 4 within a 10ft container. But that's mainly because I have access to cheap used vehicle batteries and want a scalable solution. Thanks

'Skeiling' = sloping part of ceiling. Otherwise known as combs or sloping soffits.

In terms of ducting, if the fan is being mounted on the sloped ceiling, something like https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-round-to-rectangular-connector-elbow-90-bend-adaptor-white-100mm/96549 but you will probably need to cut the existing bit down with a multi tool. You need a 4" fan with a timer, plus 3 core and earth wiring which is normally taken from the light. The skeilings need insulating before they are plasterboarded.

But that passes cash handling and risk to the erector. They will decline your suggestion, or charge a fair amount for this onus. What woild they charge? 20%? Wait for the VAT say I.

The 'mobility' is inherent to the structure and not its location. You can have a suitable structure located in a courtyard or under power lines etc where no crane could ever reach it- or down the end of a narrow winding track which is cannot physically fit through. The reasoning behind this is that you could have craned it on to the site and then in the intervening years trees can grow, buildings can be added, which box in the mobile unit. It remains legally a portable building though. So on site fabrication is fine. But you do have to have a plausible way of showing that it could be lifted/moved. That means a monolithic structure, not reliant on continuous support from a concrete raft or masonry underbuilding. No dwarf walls- your joists will need to span the full width. Not a problem on a shepherd's hut. In my own case, I built a rectangular 'chassis' from heavy timber. The walls are fixed on top of it, the joists are hung within it, like the rungs of a ladder. The chassis is supported at eight locations but that's pretty arbitrary. In theory you could put slings under it, or jack it up and back a trailer underneath. Total weight of the ~10x5m building is about 10t. If you look at my early blog entries you'll see how it went together.

This is how the Highland Council define a "caravan" https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/1346/bst_018_caravans_and_mobile_homes It would be worth searching your own planning authority to see if they have a similar definition.

There's a similar thread in the PV section about sizing off grid systems so have a read. I don't believe your Leaf supports exporting from the car to external load so you'd likely be looking at modding the car to get access to the battery. I think it's the 40kwh version from 2017/2018 that support export???

In case anyone has a similar problem. I bought this stuff and wiped it around the inside of the frame and the underside of the cladding and it seems to have worked.

However, Section 121 of the Building Act 1984 says: 121Meaning of “building”. (1)The word “building”, for the purposes of— (a)Part I of this Act, and (b)any other enactment (whether or not contained in this Act) that relates to building regulations, or that mentions “buildings” or “a building” in a context from which it appears that those expressions are there intended to have the same meaning as in Part I of this Act, means any permanent or temporary building, and, unless the context otherwise requires, it includes any other structure or erection of whatever kind or nature (whether permanent or temporary). (2)In subsection (1) above, “structure or erection” includes a vehicle, vessel, hovercraft, aircraft or other movable object of any kind in such circumstances as may be prescribed (being circumstances that in the opinion of the [F1appropriate national authority] justify treating it for those purposes as a building). (3)For the purposes mentioned in subsection (1) above, unless the context otherwise requires— (a)a reference to a building includes a reference to part of a building and (b)a reference to the provision of services, fittings and equipment in or in connection with buildings, or to services, fittings and equipment so provided, includes a reference to the affixing of things to buildings or, as the case may be, to things so affixed.

It does not have to be on wheels. The usual method is make a number of concrete pads either cast concrete or concrete blocks and build a timber frame of joists that literally just sit on your concrete pads. Then you can justifiably say the whole building can be lifted by a crane onto a low loader truck and be moved that way. Several on here have build substantial buildings like that without problem and they have been classed as a "caravan"

OK. Somebody said similar above, or elsewhere, but I can't find it again. It was basically a question of understanding the supplier's risk position, and finding a compromise. Firstly, their accounts were reasonably solid compared to most in their business. They were pushing through a couple of units a day for a big housing contractor so were used to slow payment OR a special agreement. Their payment structure was very front loaded, with little left for site works. Total about £200k. So we just talked about a balance of risk. Yes we would pay for design when it was done. Yes to a deposit, but just in time for materials purchase, not with order. Delivery in 3 stages, a week apart, so 3 payments, made same day by transfer. Erection in 4 weeks. Paid at 2 weeks, without any delay. Ditto at 4 and 6 weeks. A small retention. Thus they were being paid very promptly and at very small risk. We were exposed to a smallish risk at any one time Our client was paying fortnightly and after 7 days, so again reduced exposure. Everyone was happy as the exposure was shared and minimised. But presumably they had checked us out too. Plus we were very hands on at design, working together on innovation, so perhaps some bond formed. Mostly they knew we only wanted reduced exposure, and would pay quickly. Would this work for a one-off self build? It will be down to the charm of the self builder. There must be some balance. Paying quickly changes everything.

We used a Fakro triple glazed roof window. Easy to fit, no trickle vents, no problems. Velux at that time only came with trickle vents.

The Velux ones can be fitted at 2 levels of upstand so you can make them more flush but you need to get the flashing kit to suit.

Start by getting accurate measurements of what you currently use and when you use it. Most off grid people have a generator tucked away.

Also have a look at Keylite windows, easy to fit, have a built in expanding thermal collar, the quality looks on par with Velux

This may help. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance#class-d-porches Height: references to height (for example, the heights of the eaves on a house extension) is the height measured from ground level. (Note, ground level is the surface of the ground immediately adjacent to the building in question, and would not include any addition laid on top of the ground such as decking. Where ground level is not uniform (for example if the ground is sloping), then the ground level is the highest part of the surface of the ground next to the building.)

You can have it ready to go the day you start you just tell the insurer your commencement date. I did mine from the day before.

Probably but don't publicise it or you might need a quarry licence.

Couple of things worth noting Panel angle, near horizontal great summer production and rubbish winter, near vertical lower summer production (but you will have loads anyway), but pretty good winter. Several small arrays spanning east to west will give more production than a single large array pointing in one direction.

@Redbeard this is the best pic I have. Trusses up and metal studs in but not plasterboard yet - that's going in this week. Sounds like fitting membrane round the studs with lots of tape will be the way forward - was just wondering if there was an easier or better way What's the passive purple stuff? Airtight paint? Presumably you're suggesting just around the studs where we've cut the membrane and used tape, rather than painting the whole membrane?

Maybe your neighbour has tapped into your leccy for their weed farm..... 😉

Finally time to say goodbye to Flux and jump ship to Cosy for the winter. Haven't paid a penny for energy whilst on Flux (including gas and both standing orders) and remaining credit should last to the end of the month so 7.5 months of free energy, can't ask for more really!