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It’s been a long 12 yrs 🤣 I use to frequent ebuild ( I think that’s what it was called ) even before my build commenced . When that disappeared I did worry ! . But found the resurrection in buildhub . I knew I couldn’t do the build on my own . A non standard design with no help . I assumed ( incorrectly ) bco would be on my back with a self build and ‘help’ me … the opposite occurred . Everything in life I do on my own ( no rude jokes ) ; I can learn what I need to get the job done ( this does not make me an expert ! ) . Buildhub has been invaluable - I built a house via the internet . I think that’s (expletive deleted)ing amazing tbh ! So for all the noobs with no experience etc I do have advice ! You are either cash rich and time poor or the opposite. Cash rich you can pay others to accelerate your build . Time rich you do it yourself . As I am self employed and didn’t have the cash ( no (expletive deleted)er is going to give me a self build mortgage ) then time is my friend . Remove stress points . A self build mortgage will put you under massive pressure - to release the next payment . Don’t rent temporarily when you can buy . To partially fund our build we sold our house and bought a shitty flat . This took any rental issues off the table and equity appreciation allowed the crap flat to add to the finance of the build once sold . We then lived on site - a cash saving for sure at the expense of ‘normality ‘ . By not being tied to a loan nor tied to time I (expletive deleted)ed about for a decade and got it done . Stress existed - but it was rare . This is the way ! I still have a hundred bits to fanny around with . Remove pressure , remove stress . Appreciate everyone’s in a different situation . But don’t let the build destroy you . It’s a bitch and you are the master ( bit of bdsm there for my followers ) . Ask for help on the forum always . (expletive deleted) things up - so what ! . Waste 1000’s on a balls up - so what . Haven’t got a clue ? - so what . Plan a strategy!

Don’t t discount that option, it brings many pluses. Not least being that the services will most likely be there. Getting services to a virgin plot can cost bucket loads. We were looking for a plot for decades and that’s finally what we found a bungalow that had reached it’s ‘best before, date. It wasn’t falling down but definitely had had its day and we got it for not much more than a virgin plot with planning permission would likely have cost. Good luck, it’s definitely worth the not inconsiderable effort.

we are the new pocster, no loans, just my income and hubby doing the real work, bit by bit. We are already 3 yrs in, but did faff for the first two of those, even so, doing it on your own is very very very very slow and you do make mistakes, which take time and cost money We know that hubby could have worked and got more help, but he is such a perfectionist that he doesn't trust anyone else to do it, and it keeps him busy 🙂 Well done pocster for getting yours done, I just hope we get there some day so we can enjoy our retirement.

I think the problem is with your commercial background your used to calling the shots. in this self build world your a very small fish, you will only be ordering one set of windows, not a continuous stream. they don’t really need to be that flexible. but also you will be having bespoke windows that only fit your house, nobody is going to make these without full payment. I personally would find good quality windows by doing your own research, don’t go by opinions on here, lots recommended rational, I went to two different rational showrooms and hated them, so down to your opinion on what you like really. with fitting I would employ a couple of fitters, or even better a good carpenter or similar trade, and then discuss what you would like doing and how you want it done. the problem with the fitters from the window company is they are used to chucking them in a certain way and at a certain speed. you want somebody to work to your schedule not theirs.

https://www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph343-a-low-cost-eco-home-on-a-challenging-infill-plot-with-josh-wood/ house planning help website has lots of good ideas for plot finding. I was looking for years, with a couple of plots we tried to get. I even went round local villages and put up cards asking for anyone with a large garden who may sell. I made the point that we were locals, not a builder. About a year later I received a call. Someone was selling part of her garden and she had kept my details. It was only 3 miles from current house. Unfortunately, we'd just bought somewhere for my elderly parents who needed to be closer so didnt have the funds. However, it was nice to know that it can work. Try to think outside the box 😁 Good luck.

Look what I got in the email !!! Bco can (expletive deleted) off planning can (expletive deleted) off most of all neighbors can (expletive deleted) right off “To fight is foolish , to win is super mofo “ Pocster 2024

Just swop it out for one with a manual isolation screw. Instead of an always open tube. Something like one of these https://www.monsterplumb.co.uk/auto-bottle-air-vent-1-2-top-vent

That's the valve, below, operates like any 2 port valve, you can see the lever in the Auto position, on the end to the left, when you pull on this you should feel a fairly stiff resistance while pulling it across to the right, when its almost fully over, just push the lever up and let it move back towards the left, the lever will then latch in (up) and keep the valve open, but, as stated above, will not operate the micro switch as its only latched open when draining or refilling the system and you don't want your boiler, that you forgot to switch off!, firing up with no water in it. When energised open the valve will move fully across and engage the micro switch to fire the boiler. If the lever feels loose and floppy without any resistance when pulling across when NOT energised then the actuator is kaput and needs renewing. Another feature of these valves is that if you have it manually latched open say when refilling the system and its then energised, when its deenergised again the valve will close automatically as the lever will have fallen down, out of its latch, when motorised fully across.

Does that mean you are just becoming an irritating teenager?

Have done. Largest privately owned fenestration company in UK turning over 53 million so would hope their claims and testing were robust. What do you think: https://www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PURe®-Casement-Window-System-Technical-Datasheet-28.10.2024.pdf

I dont think the micro switch operates when the manual is moved to MAN, it just opens the valve.

https://www.dualchas.com/our-projects/residential Do some tasty work……in my opinion.

No - even more as I have my extensive experience to share

.. but there is no mould on the treated grade 3 ply. Only the cheap substitute sheets. Which are not to the listed spec. I just find it intensely frustrating when trades substitute specified materials for cheaper alternatives to make a few quid at my expense.

IIRC the minimum reduced with is 2.75m so you are on the edge, and really need to make sure that your hedge is some way back form that. If if is' your hedge, one way is to replace it it with something better than conifers, and set it back further (which may mean make it thinner). If it is someone else's would they let you replace it. On the surface, I don't see why grass car park reinforcement would be a worse idea - it will be absorbed into the grass, and with little traffic would vanish into the earth / grass. Needs a careful reading of your PP wording, a conversation with the Fire Brigade or check of regs, and perhaps an application for a variation of the condition. Present it as something they did not consider? You could point out (or do if they say no) that you could consolidate the surface by legally driving up and down it 19645 times in a borrowed Fire Engine, so it would be better for all if they allowed it to be reinforced in an eco-friendly manner leaving it looking no different and less vulnerable to being turned into a mud-bath in the winter. A further option could be a sprinkler system, which mitigates risk of fires.

Hats off to you! I really wish I could do more (I want an extension and a garden studio) and so I’m committed to learning how, as I don’t want to get another ‘proper’ job to pay for them with loans.

OK running out of time because we are going on holiday for two weeks but I’ll answer what I can Pump speed 1 10-11 W in normal operation Head is 1.8 m flow rate is 0.7 m3/hr on HW and 0.6 m3/hr on CH ( it can get down to 0.3 m3/hr as room TRV’s shut down Boiler flow temp 40 return temp 30 on pump speed 1 Most rads have a 9 to 10 deg drop between flow and return Pump speed 2 15-18 W in Normal operation 3.0 m head Flow rate is 0.8 m3/hr on HW and 0.7 m3/hr on CH (again it can get down to 0.3 m3/hr as rooms TRV’s shut down Boiler flow temp 40 - return temp 34 most rads have a 6 to 7 deg drop between flow and return House has 13 rads 2 ladder towel rails (toilet and utility) 2 med size verticals (Bathrooms) 1 large vertical (kitchen) 4 T22 500 x 1200 (bed rooms) 2 T22 500 x 1400 ( Dining and main hallway) 1 T22 600 x 600 (front hall) 1 T33 700 x 1400 (living room) Re pipe calcs (just saying whilst the height of the vent was as stated the length of the pipework to the vent is probably 7m from where it is below the pump to the outlet above the F&E tank. So there is a fair bit of water in the pipe) Automatic air vents are open all the time but when air is introduced the aerated water tends to stay in the pipes - never hear them expelling air unless it’s a system refill then they hiss away a lot if I shut the bottle vents for a day or so I’ll get a 1 sec hiss when re-opened so I know they work ok - I just think when the circuit gets a slug of air in it they aren’t very effective at getting it out due to flow of water in the circuit I think that’s all of your questions answered Better picture of the pump and pipe configuration below (with all the lagging almost complete it just looks like a sea of grey) I’ve not lagged the bypass leg because I’m still trying to find a good compromise setting that doesn’t allow too much return when all rads call for heat but does allow a little flow when some TRV’s start to close

Currently not that many cars can accept a 22kw home ac charge. Tesla model Y for eg is 11 kW max. Don't buy a Tesla by the way :-)

I had similar site inspectors including one half way up the roof looking in the velux rooflights!! Very cheeky of them! Scaffolding is down so they have to content themselves with outside inspections from now on...!! Much colder these days, best of luck with your build too!!

Yes this might happen the first time but that's why it's called "adaptive" - the idea being to leave it for however long it takes (a few days, a week maybe) in a steady state at your chosen room temperature setting, so it can "learn" from the micro-incremental temperature changes how your room temperature reacts to your flow temperature, with reference to your target room temp. If, the first time, the flow temp climbs too fast, the next time it will choose a more gradual increase in the flow temp, and repeat this "learning" until the flow temp behaviour achieves a steady state vs. your room temp target. Then if the sun is shining through your window it will reduce the flow temp further according to the higher rate of room temp increase.

Also guide to cable sizes here: https://www.cse-distributors.co.uk/cable/power-cable/swa-armoured-power-cable.html That also has the nominal current rating, which is a ball park for short lengths in open air, and the resistance for calculating voltage drop. (Should come up with the same results as the TLC calculator - but that doesn’t seem to be working for me atm.) You really want to check the actual conductor sizes with some calipers though. In all cases you’ll fuse/mcb the house end to lower than the calculated rated current.

Those wooden inserts were something like 100mm dia. Run through the thicknesser to get the depth, so as to be flush. I just filled around the edge as you can see below then sanded and glossed the lot. I put 3 or 4 screws in from the other side and plenty of wood glue. As Dad was prone to falls the idea was he could maybe grab the rail and haul himself up. It was a rush job near "the end". We'd been on at him for years to have an accessible bathroom done let alone re-wire, decorate, etc.

The first are designed for plasterboard and would not be effective in such a thin skinned door. The second ones from B&q are designed to be used in a hollow door. Use those.

I thought I'd share my approach to wire mesh with board on board cladding. I couldn't find any real detail about this is trada publications or internet. Mesh is held behind the counterbattens or under a batten at the sill level, then folded over the first boards with a couple of staples to hold it in place. Where the mesh would show it's cut away and then the top board holds everything in place. Fairly quick, simple and relatively inexpensive for a roll of stainless mesh.

That's insane, why do you have another boiler i'm sure your system boiler alone would of been more than capable of running all the rads and the UFH!

thank you for responses - any more recommendstions welcome please. will be trying to find time to make some calls tomorrow. ref payment terms on supply and installed nothing like buying sausages! More comparable perhaps with a meal in a restaurant - you woudn't accept or pay for it if dished up on a mouldy plate or it was raw chicken with grass sprinkles for veg! Yes a ridiculous analogy I know - but would you pay in advance for say some decorating work - the answer has to be no! I work in the construction industry (mainly commercial) for a specialist sub-contractor and agent for a number of manufacturers - it's completely normal not to pay in full until work complete and to a satisfactory standard and handed over snag free, then generally retention (often at 5%) for defect period. usual scenario is 50% released at project PC, 50% at 12 months! terms usually agreed on credit checks / risk - so yes occasionaly in full in advance with stage payments. Vesting certificate generally then required. The window company mentioned didnt even know what that was! So yes I'm finding it a bit of a culture shock how suppliers and manufacturers treat self builders and it seems quite a number of them assume we'll all do exactly as we are told! Yes of course payment terms will be less generous as companies need to protect themselves to an extent against individuals not paying, but paying for everything in advance is not reasonable if supply and install! Which I see as a de-risking exercise (as long as payment terms leave something on the table!). Supply only yes a different conversation, but then if a third party used for install and it goes wrong they will be blaming each other. And yes everything will be throughly checked for correct install and procurement undertaken with very careful due diligence! Timber frame terms renegotiated - everyone happy. Another timber frame company nearly secured the order until they insisted on a ridiculous contract being signed (putting all risk on me and making a mockery of a so called fixed cost) and unreasonable payment demands............ The customer should be issuing the contract! BE CAREFUL OUT THERE 😀

Hah, thanks for the highlight @SteamyTea. @Selina there are at least a couple of straw bale builds on the Isle of Skye, which I would recommend you look up and try to chat to the owners about. They'll have plenty to say about how to do it in Scottish islands conditions, what works, what won't, etc. There was this little bothy in 2017 - https://strawworks.co.uk/projects/commercial/skye-strawbale-bothy/ - and I know a straw bale house got a lime render coat over there this summer. I wasn't involved but maybe it's "Vinca Petersen" ? Worth chatting with both projects if you haven't already. Site conditions matter a lot - wind-blown rain is definitely the enemy, but if you have a sheltered site it can be mitigate significantly. You also want a roof structure that will protect the walls (big overhang, generally) without being vulnerable to being ripped off by the wind (so maybe a full hip sort of thing). Lime render might or might not be suitable - I wouldn't rule it out *just* because you're on Islay. St Astier do NHLs and have some recommendations based on site conditions that you could look at. You can also harl a straw bale lime rendered wall, which might be more practical than the stone facing? Or a full timber / brick / block / stone / anything facade, which will definitely stand up to the rain. Just be sure to coat the straw with a coat of lime render to discourage rodents. I have one straw bale wall I built against a pre-existing brick wall which goes: brick : ~50mm air gap : vapour-permeable membrane : lime render : straw It's only been a year, but I've had no indications of issues with water, condensation, rodents, etc, so far. On structural straw bales vs. non-structural, honestly, having done the former, I would absolutely have a timber frame and then just infill with the straw, if I were to go again. You end up using so much wood anyway, for the roofplate and baseplate and window and door posts, etc, that some more uprights just aren't a big deal, while making everything else easier - it'd let you get the roof on before bringing any straw onsite, which will help to keep it dry during construction, and should keep things from getting wonky as you build. Straw SIPs are also fine. It's basically a technology / labour tradeoff, with structural straw bales being lowest technology but highest labour. So much labour. It *works*, but the technology to get the same result with less labour also exists, and it's fine to make use of it.

Once plannings approved sort out any pre commencement conditions if you have any - another 10 weeks for us! Depending on your planning this will usually involve getting a drainage design done, construction management plan (ask chatgpt to write one) etc. Depends on your conditions obviously. Whilst this is happening get full building regs compliant drawings done by architect along with any drawings by structural engineer. As part of this you might end up getting a design done for any engineered floors / roof. I would recommend Pasquill for this, they’ve always been good. YMMV. Make sure you get your CIL self build exemption and issue any commencement notices for when ready to start. Next get your SAP and Part l over heating work done. You need to ensure your build is compliant. You’ll need to start thinking about windows, doors etc so you know the u values and thermal bridging details. You’ll need to try and achieve these so your as designed sap aligns with your as built sap. Utilities next. Sort out how you’ll get gigabit internet to property as required for building regs. Easiest is to submit application to openreach. Worst case use starlink. Get quotes for water and electric connections as required. Next step is to organise any self build warranty and site insurance. Then appoint your building control and get your architect to act as principal designer for building regs and submit everything on your behalf. At this stage I think you’d be ready to start although I might have missed something. Obviously you’ve got the appointment of a contractor or if you’re self managing your subbies. Think that’s it!

Well done mate, we might take the pi$$ now and again but we hold our hands up to you and what you have achieved.

can't believe you beat me. I thought you'd be still at it for another 10 years! congratulations. I'm only a couple of weeks behind you.

How many cores? How is it installed? This is a useful calculator: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html

It’s not cad but it would do for detailed drawings.

I use Concept App for everything I have done on this forum. Plus Apple Pencil 1 and 2.

Probably best not to do that. Many heat pumps (it is said) want to be exactly horizontal to balance the fan bearings. I certainly wouldn't tilt the pump without asking the manufacturer if its OK.

He travelled to Dublin for my Kore raft foundation sign-off.

Thanks very much @Ferdinand . Yer a proper good-ideas generator......

I agree, just making the point about Straw being a by product..

and should be used as animal bedding ,not to build houses in a very wet and windy part of the world there is a reason why they built crofters cottages from stone when they did not have the mechanical means of moving heavy objects easily 2-300 years ago and it is why alot of them are still standing us it to build an insulating inner wall by all means but not as an outer weather shield

Straw bales are fine for a fun project in the right climate and you don't care about it as a long term venture. Try to make a durable house from straw bales and it quickly becomes apparent that they're only useful as an insulation and even then they're full of compromises. Something like blown in cellulose or even chopped straw will be miles better.

Won't go wrong with Hilliard and his team.

Lots of the countryside doesn’t have 5G or sometimes any mobile signal at all (Cornwall, last time I was there).

There are different views about Planning Consultants, and whether they should be used. This is a short example of a Planning Consultant offering superb advice, that most of us self-builders would perhaps not think about. The Problem I have just received a Planning Permission, after 3 months of engagement with the Council. It is a commercial Change of Use but the lesson applies to self-builder permssions. We received our permission, but on the last morning the Planning Department applied an unacceptable Planning Condition which threatened the whole project. The Planning Condition clearly violates several of the basic tests. This condition had not been mentioned in the previous months of consultation, and I did not see it until it appeared on the Decision Notice. At this point the Planning Application has been "determined" (ie decided and frozen), so the Condition cannot be modified without a further Planning Application or an Appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. The problem is that a Full Appeal gives the Inspector the opportunity to reopen the basic Planning Application, and modify it - which I do not want. The Solution The recommendation from our Planning Consultant was: 1 - To apply for a Variation of the unacceptable condition, which might be accepted, then... 2 - To Appeal the Refusal of the application for the Variation if we need. The advantage is that we then if needed we can get a Determination by the Planning Inspectorate on the narrow point, while keeping all the other acceptable aspects of our Planning Permission out of their scope. The Learning Point As self-builders, we think about discharging Planning Conditions at the end of the build process. The same process can be used to vary them before we start building. It takes extra time and a fee, which is smaller than a Full Planning Application fee for a new dwelling, but does not run the risk of reopening the entire Permission to change. More information The appropriate form on the Planning Portal. Explanation of Planning Condition Variations on the Government Website.

Lordy. What have I done?

That’s very dangerous to ask @Pocster

We’ll done, Ummmm, is it polite to ask what it is that you’ve created? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours…. (but bear in mind you’ll be waiting a long time to see mine!)

Does that mean you won't be coming on here any more?

The main system boiler is not feeding any UFH. Its serving around 16 radiators and a new hot water cylinder. The small combi boiler is serving the new UFH section of the house. Thanks