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I have a passive class house which make things a lot simpler. Once a day my CH system calculates the heating required using a couple of 1st order linear functions: one heat required as a function of forecast external temp, and a feedback adjustment on the delta between the average internal temperature over the last 24 hrs and a target set point. This comes up with a total amount of heating energy required. This if the external temp is below a threshold, this is split 80:20 between the slab UFH and an oil-filled rad on the 1st floor landing. Because I use Octopus Agile, it then allocates the heating to the cheapest half-hour slots, so if I need 6 hrs of slab heating, say, then the scheduling will pick the cheapest 12 half-hour slots. These are usually (but not always) sometime between 11PM and 6AM UTC. This is all easy because my heaters have a known heat O/P and my house has such a high thermal mass that it only makes a tiny difference to the heat ripple throughout the day. Doing this would be a lot harder when using an ASHP where the actual heat output is hard to predict or measure and also in a more traditional house where the heating time constant is measured hours rather than days.

You do . But you need to listen to me ( caveat that doesn’t mean I’m right ) . A decade of experience though counts for something/ nothing .

Hardboard or shim, plenty of foaming glue then replace nails with something like a Tie connector screw (not a run of mill wood screw)

You can use screws, look for connector screws as these are made for the job, or you can use connector nails (these are very good in shear and have a twist in them, very tough nails) no problem packing the side gaps but it won’t make much difference to noise or deflection. Adding noggins will help if the joists are twisting. Replacing floor with 22mm boards fully glued and screwed will make a big difference

No issue with auto balancing actuators with heat pump. But does look like the UFH pipes have very little insulation below. UFH is very slow by nature, mine can run for a very long time to make any difference. I would dump the zones and operate as a single zone, run very long (all day) at low temps. Try to switch on and off at low flow temperature just doesn't work. How do you operate?

Just put salt down. Any idea of using electricity to melt the ice when we are trying to reduce our fuel usage is just completely bonkers.

Well it’s worked all night with no issues. Thanks guys for the help.

Your as sinister as me.

I did what my sparky said and my BCO said "it's the electrician who signs it off so it's up to him" so I'm happy with what my electrician has said. only thing BCO said to me was regarding an inner room in the basement that needed a smoke alarm as we hadn't put one there.

Nearly done. The low ceiling balls up by the builder has caused a problem with finishing above the cabinets. It was supposed to be open but because of the narrow gap it now looks unfinished. Options are to fit an LED light (I cabled for this) or frame it with a decor panel to match the doors. We’ll probably go option two and frame it. Really impressed with the kitchen fitter. I couldn’t have fitted this myself. The handleless shadow gap design needed an awful lot of work to get right. He’s been here two days longer than planned which I’ve offered to go 50/50 on.

>>> Or would we be better putting in the new supply first, and setting up some kind of temporary connection to it? FYI some people here have power run into a cabinet ('kiosk') by the DNO right at the beginning and then run their own cabling from that point on at a later date without further DNO involvement. You will eventually need to get official power to your house anyway (which often takes a while) so that may be a consideration. Also there's some discussion here on BH regarding the earthing arrangements needed for a building site 'TT' being different to those needed for the final house 'TN-C-S'. I'm sure a proper sparky will be along soon

English regs say in AD B Volume 1 - Dwellings Section 1: Fire detection and alarm systems General provisions 1.1 All dwellings should have a fire detection and alarm system, minimum Grade D2 Category LD3 (see diagram below as an illustration) standard, in accordance with the relevant recommendations of BS 5839-6. Should however you have the standard Grand Designs house: Large dwellinghouses 1.5 A large dwellinghouse has more than one storey, and at least one storey exceeds 200m2. 1.6 A large dwellinghouse of two storeys (excluding basement storeys) should be fitted with a Grade A Category LD3 fire detection and alarm system, as described in BS 5839-6. 1.7 A large dwellinghouse of three or more storeys (excluding basement storeys) should be fitted with a Grade A Category LD2 fire detection and alarm system as described in BS 5839-6. LD3 Minimum Protection Escape routes only Escape routes only Category LD3: A system incorporating detectors in all circulation areas that form part of the escape routes from the premises. • Hallway • Landing Note: This minimum category now only applies to owner occupied bungalow, flat, single-storey unit or maisonette with no floor level above 4.5m from ground level or owner-occupied two-storey house.

2023 is much lower, which seems a bit odd, but seems to be right. I noticed that I did not put the error correction in what I first posted up and have changed the average function to only show relevant months. Now looks like this for 2023. This may be easier to read 2021 2022 2023 Month 2021 Mean Price 22.43 p/kWh 2022 Mean Price 34.6 p/kWh 2023 Mean Price 18.82 p/kWh January February March April 16.61 30.52 21.13 May 17.62 23.97 18.46 June 18.11 28.35 18.83 July 20.03 38.82 17.19 August 21.71 54.89 18.64 September 32.07 42.35 18.62 October 30.86 23.28 18.85 November December

We’ve never owned a microwave and don’t have an air fryer or toaster as the ovens can do both of those. The ovens can slow cook too (well any oven can) but we do have a separate slow cooker which will either be in the utility room (most likely as it’s how we’ve always used it) or in a drawer and brought out when needed. We also make bread in an oven rather than bread maker as the ovens can do proving etc. The utility room is relatively big. What’s missing from the pictures is a custom made workbench that’s being made from the leftover wood the dining table is made from. It will go on the back wall. That will have the mixer on it on one end and my coffee machine and stuff on the other.

In case it is relevant. My house has a brick chamber in the garden. When we bought it and applied for change of use, the water company demanded a treatment station was installed. But with a letter from the vendor stating that the brick chamber had been in use for many decades, and where the soakaways were ( in the adjacent field) the matter was dropped. I have contrived to reduce the amount of rainwater connecting to it and it works fine, having been sucked out once in 20 years. After the sucking out I saw that the pipes in and out were badly damaged and at the surface so i sorted them. The reason they were damaged was apparent. There were lumps of old roof (tiles and mortar) chucked in the pit: old builders clearly weren't scrupulous any more than now.

2021 2022 2023

Most trades will be using batteries now It’s worth have a small generator for lights though

Thanks both, been searching for the appropriate screws and somehow never came across those!

And the nails are

It is. It was three but I removed one.

SE located in the SE. The SE is too big an area. I suggest talk to a very local SE. They will know the local soil types. Probably they will want to see one or 2 pits on site, so that only takes a couple of hours. As you suggest, it isn't complex unless the site has history. That is what phase 1 could show. eg you don't want landfill or pollution. You may have done this already. Building Control will accept the SE report. Try phoning one or more for a chat about the ground and subsequent needs. I'm wondering how you have a foundation contractor at this stage,when there isn't a ground report yet. And is the frame design dependent on the ground?

I've been reading the building regs again. The Scottish regs still require a huge and unnecessary percolation area ( but the inspector didn't). The English regs appear to have dropped this requirement. BTW, a treatment tank will mostly work well with the power off. Can't prove it, but it will, unless used to the maximum.

Number of bedrooms prevails. I suspect being too big affects the efficiency a little , but too small is a big problem. It's not usually a big cost difference but the hole size might be.

I believe that is a non-aerated primary tank (i.e. just a settlement/septic tank) connected to a secondary treatment system based on filtration through fibrous media (peat/coconut husk) to bring it up to EN12566-3 (i.e. the same as a stand alone Sewage Treatment Plant). The secondary system is available stand alone: https://www.premiertechaqua.com/en-gb/wastewater-treatment/ecoflo I looked into it when we found we couldn't construct a suitable percolation area for a stand alone STP, but was told that it would still require a drainage field, as @ProDave found. I never found anyone who would clarify whether the purpose of the drainage field after an EN12556-3 compliant system is to provide further cleaning of the output, or whether it is solely to distribute "clean" outflow under ground thereby preventing creating a stream or puddle on the surface.

I run a render business If it’s above 1 and likely to rise to 3 through the day Its ok to render

That is an awful lot of money to avoid running a low power air blower pump. The "no percolation area" claim is probably misleading. That is why we tried for the Puraflow system and exactly the reason building control rejected it, insufficient percolation area.

Is this it? https://www.ukseptictanks.co.uk/ecoflo-nonelectric-sewage-treatment-6

Can you post a link? Google just comes up with portable solar panels for me. I tried getting a Puraflow filtration system as a solution for our plot but building control rejected it. We ended up with a perfectly normal air blower type treatment plant discharging to the burn.

Probably the same business model. Set up to protect the companies, not the end users.

A bit like NHBC 🤷‍♂️

What is the life expectancy of the Ecoflo septic system? 15 years The Ecoflo compact biofilter's all-natural filtering medium is guaranteed for 10 years and its lifespan can extend well beyond 15 years. this does not seem very long?

I trialed Homely a couple of years ago when they were trying to get going, then it was working with the Octopus Agile tariff but simply increased heating during lower price periods. It did use weather forecast and learnt how fast your house heated up but it didn't work well in my average 2006 built house, with different temp requirements upstairs and down. I only tried it as they were giving it away and there was no subscription fees. Now its expensive and there is an additional subscription for the 'smart' features I think its improved since I was using it, as its now adjusting WC but its really a system for people who have no interest in tweaking their WC, fit it and it will work out of the box at a cost, with limitations others have said as really needs a well insulated house that is all one zone. I see a better application for it as an installer tool. You leave it running for a few months over autumn/winter, it determines your WC curve, your installer comes back programs it for you and removes the device.

Walls first. Leave a gap at the bottom a bit wider than the flooring you expect to lay. Skirting board was invented to cover the gap between the bottom of the wall and the floor.

Look at other threads, Most "installed" prices seem to be inflated to harvest the grant for the benefit of the installer. If you just buy an ASHP and then pay an ordinary plumber and electrician to install it you will get it fitted for under £5K

Grants come from the tax payer and just inflate the cost of something.

The house had been empty for a year before we bought it, and the climate is quite humid down here. My theory was that the fabric of the building, which is a mixture of sandstone and dense concrete block, hard plastered, had absorbed moisture. After we moved in it took a long time for the house to feel comfortable and at the time @SteamyTea explained about the large amount of energy required to dry out an old structure. I am confident that that explanation is correct and now the house is warm and comfortable. It's all covered in layers of old plaster. The house has had a chequered history. Started, around 1840, as a pair of farm workers cottages, stone walls on ground floor and cob upper walls. In the 1970s it was knocked into one and the cob walls removed. Unsound stone walls were replaced with concrete block walls and new roof trusses and concrete tiles added.

You know the thickness and surface area as well, so starting with the thermal conductivity, k = W.m-1.K, and resistivity R = L / k (where L is thickness in metres) you can rearrange to make W the subject. Once R is known, U-Value can be calculated U = 1/R, losses then calculated by incorporating the area A. Marks will be deducted for failure to show your workings. (and I did say, as I always do, that I may have made an error)

Hardly, more tears of disappointment, for our education system. Our old mate @DamonHD once told a story about his Father being told, by a youngster, that one of his science programs was a 'bit sciency'. And Stephen Hawking: 'Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales.'

For shower screens and trays, usually Amazon or Ebay - or outlets of shops or traders on Ebay. Quality is important but brand not particularly for screens, but yes for trays. The difference is huge between such and retail on shower screens. For shower panels brand first then outlet second. Large variations and quality of install is very important. You can now get good quality with no ply, and can expect a 20-25 year life if done properly. For grab handles etc Croydex are reliable. From Screwfix usually. If they get wet, textured plastic or some sort of grippy-when-wet cover - *never* chrome grab handles in a shower. For showers I go with MIRA for electric, or more generic if gas. Usually deals are around. Always shop around, and savings of 20-50% are common across the same item. For wall storage cabinets I shop around and go for ones made entirely of stainless steel. Another one with huge variation from one shop to the next. My experience with iKea is that the metallised legs on their vanity units develop rust quickly, so I am imagining the one in my bathroom two to be Corten steel, grinning and bearing it for a few more years. I do not have a current handle on taps - I am this week replacing a whb monobloc mixer which I think was a Bristan, bought from Wickes at admittedly half price, but which is leaking around the bottom after just 7 years, so a Trade Rated one from Screwfix will be going in as a replacement to avoid pfaff (rented property). If you are dedicated to a single well-advertised well-known prestige brand, you will probably get your nuts roasted on the flames generated by your bank account being burnt down. Have several quality options, then look for a deal.

What is wrong with a convector heater with a simple heating element, a timer and thermostat built in. I took a major dislike to "posh" electric heaters when the wonderful EU introduced "LOT20" intending to make electric heaters more efficient by enforcing electronic controls. The first one I installed, I removed a week later, as the customer just could not understand the controls, and it kept shutting down with a message "window open detected" What a load of rubbish.

What Ian R said would be my primary concern. Insulating will reduce the temp of the wall. And increase the condensation risk in the wall. Problem is, so many variables and unknowns in an old wall like that. Including how damp, or otherwise it is.

I have been looking at TVs for a few days and decided to go for: Samsung QE65S90C OLED 65inch Against my better judgement we are getting the frame made as tight as we can, i did tell my mrs if the TV breaks we could be in the s**t

It does in my opinion. But this is similar to the bathroom fan isolator switch and I am still waiting for someone to show me where it says it needs one. I learned early on NEVER EVER have a fan isolator switch in a rental property.

IET. Means of isolation should be provided at the origin, for every circuit, for every item of equipment, for every motor, for every supply. all current using equipment requiring control shall be controlled by a switch Me. switched fused spur just makes sense

Hello @Flossy1234 This is a similar tale / approach to our experiences and we ended up going for Fleming Homes - The tipping point for us was their location to us - 8 miles! - They provided a clear understanding of what they provided and didn't and they kept us well informed in the lead up and then throughour the build. Tha's not to say the other TF companies wouldn't have done so. I was also prepared to pay "a premium" for peace of mind / reassurance, which we certainly recieved from FH. Having gone with them, I am more than happy to recommend and albeit our house was built 5 years ago, you may find my blog useful?

I doubt anyone makes a 22kW single phase charger, so that really tips it in favour of 3 phase. But put all the house just on one phase, makes it easier to self use solar PV generation for example.

Do you have any details? Make and model of the heat pump? What water source? borehole or slinky etc? And what are you using for heat delivery to the house? radiators? UFH etc. Have you had a proper heat loss calculation done on the house?

So it looks like the blending valve was indeed blocked!! I’ve just done this myself, removed the bits (which are little bits of stone I think?!) and the water flow gauges are now all working. It’ll take a while to warm up but I really hope that it’s fixed it. thank you so much everyone - I’ll report back later

Hi, I just signed up to build hub today and I can already see someone who I can help!! I am a ventilation engineer who has now solely concentrated on installing, domestic ventilation for the last 7 yrs and had the luck to be involved in many different applications of nearly all the products that are currently on the market. I have had a few issues with itho advance but luckily I had a stock of replacement fan modules. I havn't touched them in 5yrs but I'll dig em out and give them a thorough functionality check. They are unused (as new), so I can help by getting a replacement to you sharpish and get your system back up and happy. I'm based in Anglia but am quite proficient in my explanatory skills to help you solve this issue remotely. Let me know if I can help. Scott 07586 993232

Ask them? You kinda need to do some of the leg work here. I'm sure I've had sample quotes from Scotframe before which had the full spec of what you get, then you can make a spreadsheet and get some other kit companies offerings to compare what is and isn't included - from a little experience I don't think there's much difference in what's included or not, but I have seen a fleming homes kits with loads of wastage on site (not sure if that was a standard kit or a one off)