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Showing content with the highest reputation on 12/13/24 in all areas
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Sorry to install a heat pump and cylinder to an existing UFH system - £13k - they are taking the p#ss Panasonic heat pump £2500, cylinder around £1k. Sundries £1k Or contact Cool Energy, they do a self install scheme to get the grant. They design, you install, they commission. Allows you or you plumber and electrician to install. They have a new 6kW heat pump also.3 points
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I know some will say i,m making a bigger job than required youdo not need 150mm space behind studs 50mm +is fine and yes studs look very small you could replace them with larger ones and reduce space behind then fill with what ever your choice of insulation me i would go PIR jam them in the studs and fill any gaps with foam then your vapour barier on inside of insulation and if space and money allow insulated plaster board -- - foil backed pir will not absorb any moisture and will reflect cold back to the outer wall the most of the moisture will come from you living in there so thats why i say put it on inside of insulation and if done right there should be no cold spots to cause condensation attention around window reaveals is important - behind the uprights and under the lower internal widow ledge sealing it all this stage is the key so no cold spots to cause condensation you only spend once on insulation --and it pays back forever2 points
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Possibly a bit thin, as shown in your pics. Thinner than I'd do, but then I trowel on, not brush, so can get it a bit thicker in one pass. Don't assume that just because you have a VCL you don't need a condensation risk analysis. VCL works well with assumptions that all moisture in a wall comes from the room, and also assumptions that the VCL is perfect. Neither case necessarily applies. EDIT: Was typing that while @Iceverge posted. We are in agreement re VCL. (Perhaps less so re WUFI, which has done well for me).1 point
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Stand the studs off the wall a little. If you're feeling really picky you can jamb a little fluf behind them, but the batts will fill the gap, espically if you space the studs close enough as they're a little hairy at the edges. The batts will just stay there all by themselves if you get the spacing right. Here's one my mate is doing at the moment. These batts are only 50mm too. Even where they're 2 batts in one bay they stay there fine. Use a slightly thicker batt than the depth of your cavity and it'll take out the imperfections. Wufi and other programs are only as good as the data they get and renovations of old houses are full of incalculable variables. Beware manufacturers will typically spec a buildup that achieves two things. 1. An "on paper" safe buildup that, 2. Uses lots of their product. For example try any of the PIR manufacturers and they'll oblige but I hope my lengthy video might have explained why I think it's a bad idea. The fundamental points are that it needs to be able to not get WET. Think airtighess, and it needs to be able to DRY. Drying onwards is no issue so long as you manage the ventilation, an imperfect VCL is worse than no VCL. Your plan is sound. Keep the course.1 point
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Unless your wall is wet, my recommendation would be to either use flexible wood fibre (SteicoFlex or similar), or a similar product made from hemp (IndiBreathe Flex or similar). As mentioned in my post on the previous page, many natural insulations handle moisture vapour in a superior way compared to others. I'd use metal studwork and position this so that the insulation is gently squeezed behind the studs against the wall, to hold it in place in contact with your parge coat. It may be possible to fill the space between the studs with another layer of insulation; it's safest to ask the insulation manufacturer to advise on the thickness, but potentially that may be two 45mm layers, giving you 85mm thick overall (including 5mm compression on that 1st layer) from the wall to the face of the studwork. The manufacturer may also be able to advise on whether or not a vapour barrier is recommended over the top of this; making the structure airtight + installing MVHR (which will help control winter humidity) + the extent of potential rain penetration through the wall are also factors that affect this. If the insulation manufacturer can't give advice, you may need to commission someone to carry out a WUFI analysis. If you do need a vapour barrier, then you'd want to add a service cavity to the face of the studwork to run pipes and cables in. FWIW, this is more-or-less what I've done on my current project in France.1 point
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-20% but still, sounds like my quote a year ago. Keep rolling the dice on the random number generators...1 point
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EWI-grade Rockwool, yes. The adhesive is usually cement-based (I used EWI Pro). It allegedly has 'some breathability' but I have no figures. Given that I would not trust the adhesive alone, for EWI and for 'straight-to-the-wall IWI' you use hammer-fixings (Ejot or similar), so no reason why you could not use them here too. I have not read back through the whole thread, but why do you even need studwork? Is it already there? Is the wall 'wibbly'? Edit: Looked at the pic: No, the wall is not 'wibbly', therefore more than ever I feel you do not need the studwork. I have no experience of IWI with rigid Rockwool, but others may. Subject to a condensation risk analysis I do not see why you could not use it like WF. Can't remember the density but go to one of the EWI suppliers' sites - it'll be on there. Your parge coat at the thickness shown may perhaps crack and thus not be airtight, but as long as it is airtight I would just 'butter' the back of the WF boards with lime plaster with a 10mm toothed trowel and push it on', followed by the mechanical fixings described.1 point
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My total area is 192m² Original flow rate was set per building regs, then after sign off reduced to closer passivhaus flow rates. Best guide I came across attached below. 1. Above bath, as far from door as possible and opposite side of room to shower. 2. Ceiling - about 2.5m 3. 125mm 4. Big standard adjustable extract terminal 5 Titan HRV - two times units due to layout.1 point
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Think there are just a lot of people with a little more money, than sense. Thinking because the tax payer is stumping up £7500 they are getting a bargain. Not done it, but have seen similar schemes for other heat pumps, and others on here have done it.1 point
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A quick referral @AppleDown - Tanners (referred to above) may be in Eire, but they answered every question for us promptly. More to the point, they made just one sensible suggestion about piles which (together with colleagues on BH) saved us many thousands of pounds.1 point
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It’s the inflated installation charges that I have issue with and now, from your quote, it looks like misc sundries are inflated too. It’s the BUS grant that is at fault IMO, is this meant to be all profit?1 point
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As @Beau mentions above, we used 25mm X 50mm batten fixed to the wall using similar fixings, very solid with the woodfibre board.1 point
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I've battened out over old wobbly stone walls a few times. I use 25mmx50mm battens fixed back to the wall with adjustable screws like this. Even though the battens are thin I've had no problems with movement. https://www.efixings.com/adjustable-screws-tx-flat-countersunk-zinc/ You can quickly create a fair wall without any complicated packing out. I will leave advise on insulation and vapour barriers to others1 point
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The vapour barrier goes on the back of the stud and holds it all in place. We went for 50mm pir because 100 is difficult to push in precisely and leaves gaps. But squirty foam is banned by me. The gaps should be tiny closed pockets and mot too much heat loss. Don't be tempted to cut the pir well short for ease and foam it all....I've read this is the norm by some builders for their convenience. 50mm fits pir well enough with small air gaps. The 50mm rockwool squeezes in over the pir and covers the gaps. Half as good insulation but a decent compromise. Re the wall profile, that's as I predicted above, based on ours. You don't have to make it all the same thickness eg if one smsll area of stone is sticking out, it's ok to bridge past it in smaller stud, to keep more room area.1 point
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You arguably need both - foil edging tape does not insulate, so if you get convection currents within the gap that can bleed hear away. If your foam bulges like Lord Bufton-Tufton's eyebrows, you can just trim it back.1 point
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That is common for old stone houses here, and you will note from the pictures the studwork is pegged to the stone wall in several places.1 point
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No, the insulated "slab" can't extend under and take the external wall loads (making it a raft) while sitting on PIR and without a suitable build up under the raft (see AFT examples at link I provided) What's missing in the AT's sketch is the pile capping/beam that joins the top of the piles for the dwarf wall to sit on. Giving the AT the benefit of the doubt, the rectangle they've drawn is intended to cover the piles and beams. What have you asked for with regards the floor/foundation. There appears an attempt to go above building regs regards insulation, but there are better ways of doing it.1 point
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Worrying really. That drawing is pointless, as a proper expert needs to take over. You can see the issue so why can't your technician? The note should say " do not use this drawing". They dabble with mentioning eccentricity of the load. Who even says it needs piling? The choice of pile could change that whole design. Does the floor sit on ground, not piled? If you have a ground report can we see it?1 point
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That's not a raft foundation. Is the technician calling it a raft, or is that an assumption you have made. Yes, to be a raft, what is shown currently as a concrete slab needs to extend under the load bearing walls. If you are after an insulated raft and require it to be supported with piles due to ground conditions, that's quite niche. You'll need someone with proven experience. I'd recommend having a chat with Advanced Foundation Technology: https://www.advancedfoundationtechnologylimited.co.uk/our-products/timber-steel-icf-framed-building-foundation/1 point
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The actual design will need to be done by a Structural Engineer Im not sure why the Architects would get involved with foundation design Not really there bag1 point
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I didn't get as far as getting them out for survey but sent my local heat geek elite the spec and the ballpark cost was £7k after the grant. Instead I made use of some Octopus promotional discounts and locked in a price of £2k. When I got a quote from Octopus a year ago it was £5.5k. Heat geek website has told me anywhere between £4k and £12k(!) after grant over time, it's essentially a random number generator. Worth checking Octopus with their current 20% off before the end of the month, comes out similar to what I ended up signing up to. Like you I wanted the perfect system but it would never make back that £5k.1 point
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I'm going to be controversial - but if you're doing x2 units - why do you need the same ducting requirement ? Could you reposition one of the units - and reduce your ducting run length ? Perhaps it's marginal - but asking the question1 point
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I notice that your stud is only 45mm deep. that isn't strong enough for normal stiffness (it will bend if shouldered, and cracks could appear or pictures fall off. So either add to it or replace. 100mm stud will do but more will allow more insulation but lose floor space. I have no issue with having 100mm or more insulation. if you leave a gap from stud to stone it will look after itself. There is only so much you can do with an old stone wall. Also, the roof has planked sarking boards. These have gaps between them so there is loads of ventilation. 3 skin stone walls have decent inbuilt properties for losing the dampness. Yours is presumably granite which is waterproof, but needs good pointing. So I suggest you have the following 600mm stone wall gap, 25mm minimum, but it will be very variable. vapour barrier on stud 100mm stud, containing 50mm pir board and 50mm knauf mineral wool (100mm pi is difficult to fit accurately) polyethene layer 30mm battens plasterboard. This is likely to be how your stone walls are built, with the middle having lots of mortar.1 point
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What’s the road situation? Highways may have a lot to say re driving in and out in a ‘forward’ gear. Your plot shape brings to mind that amazing triangular house featured on Grand Designs a few years ago that was built on a very tricky plot.1 point
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Are putting any heat loss calculation into this design? What is your W/m² output target? Are you investing in suitable insulation below the pipes, i.e. 150mm+ of PIR or 50% more in EPS? Is screed or something else going above the pipes? A quick look at 100mm centres and a realistic heat pump flow temp of no more than 40 degs, you are looking at 62W/m². 50mm centres closer to 70W/m² 150mm centres is about 57W/m².1 point
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BBC reporting new targets compared to old: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c878ppdexl3o1 point
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Hmmm, I'm not as optimistic as you re the move to give planning officers more power. There's loads of blatant 'decision based on single person's opinion alone' there already and this will empower the planning officer's even more in that regard rather than having a check and balance.1 point
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This is slightly different. I thought from your first post that you'd paid for them and were going to re-use them. It's probably still fine to do what you've done. It's hard for a company that isn't trading any more to sue you for copyright infringement!1 point
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I think you would do better to regularise it into either a standard U shape or an L shape. Also consider going up into the attic space to fit additional bedrooms so that you don’t have to compromise your plot space. I reckon three stories in a simple L shape would yield more space and less cost.1 point
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So we managed to buy quite a bit of amtico from auctions through ibidder and it's arrived and looks good. OK still have to get it laid but got a lot off. First experience of using an auction but apart from the note to self - picking up from Sheffield is the pits because access was so bad, overall a good experience.1 point
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I know there is a lot of love in here for Ecology, and it seems like they are back doing self build mortgages, however I wanted to raise awareness of my scenario which painfully affected my build. As with many providers, Ecology support a valuation based system where a 3rd party valuer inspects your build and approximates it worth as the build progresses. Simple. Well, not always. In my case, after completing my foundations (which were pretty extensive - insulated slab @200m2, 22KL water harvesting tank, gas membrane etc etc), Ecology's valuer suggested "irrespective of the cost of the work done, if we were to sell the site on the open market, a builder might rip out all works done to date". This position basically stunted the size of my next drawdown to being effectively useless, as they would not recognise the vast majority of the 6 figure sum to do the works as having had any material value on the site 😲 Why is this important? because it is compounded when you have a kit type build (like SIPS in my case). Which they also cannot recognise value from util the kit is fully erected, yet requires you to pay heavy upfront payments during its manufacture and then also costs to install. The nett effect of all of this is, Ecology only lent funds based on the original value of my plot, and then nothing until my founds were complete and SIPS kit fully erected. Now clearly, depending on the size and scale of your build, and the value of your plot, this funding gap may be easy to close yourself. However, I would hazard for most builds this is running easily into tens of thousands of pounds and more likely into hundreds of thousands of pounds. I certainly know, this was not the volume of cash flow I had anticipated I would have needed based on the Ecology story, and is still having ramifications as I try to fund Window deposits whilst having largely self funded all the way to getting my kit up. So, just something to factor in as you try to figure out your cashflow, and when Ecology might allow you to draw down.0 points