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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/23/20 in all areas

  1. I will be 100% honest and say I dont know exact answers, although I am a ex heating engineer it was more a case of stick in a gas/oil boiler bigger than needed and the jobs a good one back then.... there is better guys on here to answer that questions. Only reason we went for a TS is it's near impossible (legally) to mix a UVC with a solid fuel system. A 500l UVC heated to 60 degrees will del 500l of water @ 60 degrees then a temp drop pretty quick when hot water is empty while a 500l TS heated to 60 degrees will (roughly) deliver water at low 50 degrees then start slowly dropping instantly until the tank is fully empty. But remember a shower is usually approx 37 degrees so you have a fair bit of HW before water no hot water left.
    2 points
  2. doubt it --speak to a solicitor
    2 points
  3. not as simple as that -maybe they are retired and taking a pension if so then a gain of that amount would put then into the 40% tax bracket stop guessing and get real advice and that can only be valid when you know when this transaction will happen --you cannot guess whats going to happen in ten years time -all sorts of changes could happen and considering the money that the government has spent on corvid --there will be some big tax rises coming for sure --especially oCGT and IHT
    1 point
  4. Funny you say that - I’ve done similar in the past and provided high level details and I was once told that a detailed spec should be in my “cost of sales” as we couldn’t win every job .... and yet that was a potential customer who challenged the spec on every single component of an extension, then went with another builder. Why should any trade invest in your designs that essentially can be used by another supplier unless you pay for them up front ..? Design work is expensive and even more so on bespoke projects where things aren’t cookie cutter / copy paste / specs and yet there is an expectation that you have one off the shelf for a “325sqm split level 5 bed 3 bath dog shower house with eco credentials” and you can just bung it in the post with a first class stamp ...
    1 point
  5. A couple of things jumped out reading that... "paid up front & "I failed to get in both cases". Did you get 3 like for like quotes for the "£55k" job? If you've taken umbrage with one supplier and not gotten others for comparison etc. What does getting separate trades tot up to? Then if there's an issue where does responsibility lie? I'm aware of a number of M&E consultants who provide a draft specification then firm up if and when they get the job. It stops the prospective client touting the detailed spec around in the hope of getting a cheaper price sometimes when they want a brandy job but have only got Babycham money.
    1 point
  6. I use DigDat if I need a full set of utilities but to be honest they are usually a best guess. Water pipes seem the worst - not sure how you mark one of those wrong but it happens !!
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  7. I know a lot of folks here recommend Telford but I'll throw a nod in for World Heat- you're not forced to go through a merchant, fully bespoke as necessary and (essential for me) happy to deliver to NI. Their coils seemed a bit bigger to me than some others I was looking at too.
    1 point
  8. I'm going to take a different view here. Partly because I believe most of it, but also to argue devil's advocate to help you think about your case. (Aside: take some readings with a suitable light meter now - so you at least know what levels should be OK for your daughter). I think that some planning measures apply to *main* windows, which may limit the case you can make to planning. If you consider the current amount of light you get through the side windows to be adequate, then you can probably wholly mitigate the impact of this extension with things under your control ie you may not need to be quite so concerned about the extension. I am making that assumption because there are things currently reducing the light level that you can address but have not done so. That you have not maximised existing potential will make it harder to argue that loss of light from the extension is a material threat. From what we have, I would suggest these are: 1 - That huge hedge which looks to be 9ft high and very long. If that is part yours you can remove it or reduce the height to say 1.5 or 2m. 2 - The glazing bars and surround-frame in those windows take up about 40% of the area. By putting in single panes and mirrors in the reveals and different non-blocking blinds you could probably nearly double the amount of light coming in. 3 - That bike shed is a blockage to some light - albeit minor. 4 - You seem to have about 15% of the windows blocked with a solid blind - surely these should be above the opening for max benefit? If your N argues from the current position, the impact of the extension will be reduced because these blockages exist now. That smaller impact is in your neighbour's favour, and I would argue from his side that it is obvious that D does not need more light in the room because you have had the capability to provide it for X years and have voluntarily chosen not to do so. I would then say that since no one knows what the benefit of those mitigations would be but it is probably far more than any conceivable impact of my extension, it is absurd to restrict my extension since you have not done the maximum under your control. I would say that has an 70-80% chance of winning the argument with the planners. If I was being sharp-clawed, I would add that the priority in your design of your windows was obviously not to maximise light coming in (glazing bars etc rather than a single clear pane), so why the sudden fuss now? I would put the cost of changing the inner frames of those windows to be a single pane design to be about £300-400 the pair, which is eg less than a report will cost. I think for you you need to decide whether you actually need his extension restricted if you do the changes under your control, or whether you are better to eg modify the windows and trim the hedge, and have a dialogue about minor adjustments they can make which will give you a push to get more light. I would be looking at things like asking him to make sure that any side windows he has do not look into yours so that you can have clear glass (ie make sure they are not lined up), to make sure that any fence is not ginormous, and maybe encouraging it to be rendered white or cream so that it reflects more light. You could request these as PP conditions (don't think you will get that). If you are going down the "stop it" route, then I think you need to consider maximising the potential benefit to your D under your control *now* to spike his argument. Not trying to tell you what to do - but there may be other ways to skin this cat that are easier to do and involve less potential of conflict, and you may even get a warmer, fluffier relationship with N. Ferdinand
    1 point
  9. Telford will fit what you want tbh - they will add additional Inmersions or extra tappings if you ask. A pair of 400 UVCs in tandem with a pair of top up immersions in the top 3rd would work. You could also get them to boost to say 75c just before E7 ends to give you additional “capacity” in the tanks. When there are only 2 of you there you would just run the one tank, pretty simple to time this as multiple channels on one timer. Flow wise you would run through T1 then T2, T2 being the hotter of the pair and the one that is your “always on” tank. You could W-Plan the ASHP to feed this one first and then only heat the second when a larger capacity is required. If there are only 2 of you, or DHW needs are low, then the one tank works fine and the other is essentially a buffer store.
    1 point
  10. Look on the bright side, by that time we can get there on the bus for free!!
    1 point
  11. lol.. Don't be daft and put a small UVC in now. It would cost a hell of a lot more to retrofit another cylinder, and to jump up a few sizes now is cheap enough. Be a cheapskate all you want, but don't be stupid Give Trevor @ cylinders2go a shout and mention the forum. He'll look after you. Lots on here have bought from him.
    1 point
  12. You can just about see some of the piles of concrete blocks supporting mine in this picture.
    1 point
  13. Ask each utility in turn for a quote for connection and they usually supply a map with all their assets on it.
    1 point
  14. I am still unsure if this is a static or large touring caravan. A static should not be left on it's wheels. Start by jacking up and supporting under the axle. Mine is supported on pillars of concrete blocks laid flat then various bits of wood of varying thickness for final levelling, As someone else noted there is often marked flat points on the chassis to support it under. Including the 2 under the axle, I have a total of 12 pillars of concrete blocks supporting all the marked load points. and then I drive stakes into the ground at the corners and strapped it down with thick fence wire and turnbucles.
    1 point
  15. GET PROFESSIONAL ADVICE!!!! ?
    1 point
  16. Ha yes, I know the ratio from math/nature/mandelbrot, I just.. with my topic at least - kind of meant to imply (or at least question) that there's a different GR for room dimensions. Also not quite sure how the simplest form, in 3D, works. My livingroom currently is 7.5 x 4.9 (doh, close, GR would be 7.5 x 4.6) but then.. how high would the ceiling be?
    1 point
  17. The chassis under my caravan had 12 labelled support points. After progressive jacking up with a 12 ton jack I raised the van up about 5 inches, now the rubber tyres are just clear of the ground. The 4 puny crank down struts at the ends do not contribute much to long term stability. How firm is the ground under your van? I ask because axle stands may work with a concrete slab at an official caravan park but would keep sinking on a typical building plot. Mine is propped up on flat heavy 19kg building blocks. Even these blocks were prone to cracking under a few tons of load until I bedded them on a fine 10mm gravel over the 50mm harcore base. You will needs loads of different sized wood shims for fine tuning the final level. Have you calculated the gradient for your caravan sewerage connection? Allow the best part of a day to prop the van up and then another few hours a few weeks later for adjustment at the whole setup settles. Safety Note. During the first few lifting attempts I nearly let the caravan roll forward off the jack.
    1 point
  18. Hikvision do a fairly decent one for £300, it is modular and you add the components you wish.
    1 point
  19. Nearest you'll get to a ladder is one in your tights!
    1 point
  20. No it’s all down to final use Absolute nightmare
    1 point
  21. I have made a schoolboy error with my living room. It’s 5m x 5.1m, but with floor to ceiling window reveal maybes 20cm wider on two walls. Plus into the doorway opening. Result being that I can’t put carpet in it unless unless I get a carpet seamed or a bespoke carpet which will be an obscene price. For carpeted room as mentioned before remember carpets are 4m as mentioned, or 5m. Also think about if you have a room 4.1m x 4.1m . Means you’ll need to use a 5m carpet. Obviously off cuts can be used elsewhere cupboards etc but just something to consider with room sizes. For super efficiency I suppose you could design room sizes based upon carpet sizes but that would probably not be your main priority !
    1 point
  22. If you were to lift a tile or two you may find the underlying roofing felt that should direct into the gutter has perished/split/sunk. Eaves protectors might help. Even a blocked downpipe/gutter can contribute to something like this.
    1 point
  23. If you really can’t get them to yield and charge 5% VAT then you could include the 20% invoice with your VAT reclaim. It should be refused by HMRC but it will give you something official from HMRC stating that 5% should have been charged allowing you to give it another go. An example of the letter HMRC sends is in this post (reason code 1). This is for a new build so you will get something slightly different for a conversion. https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/6851-a-guide-to-the-vat-reclaim-process/?do=findComment&comment=115967
    1 point
  24. Certainly is. Some sections like 3.3.4 "Work closely connected to the construction of the building" can cover quite a lot of things that aren't actually part of the building.
    1 point
  25. That can happen if work starts before planning permission has been granted. I'm sure there are other reasons but it shouldn't normally be the case.
    1 point
  26. I had same with AW some 13 years ago. They eventually said my water main diversion could be zero rated because my house was being connected to the diverted main. I believe thats nonsense because the diversion was necessary to allow the house to be constructed (see vat 708 3.3.4a "..allows the construction of the building to take place") so it should be zero rated even if I was digging my own bore hole.
    1 point
  27. I've decided to use Nudura. The blocks are 2.4m long and 450mm high. There is no cost difference between a 150mm fill block and a 300mm fill block. The insulation thickness is around 65mm and I've been told that anything over this has minimal benefits. I'm not sure what the U value is, but I'll check with the distributor. He seemed more interested in the thermal mass and air tightness, when I discussed it with him last. I've recently finished building my garage with it and also finished a 200mm fill retaining wall. I am going to start building the house in a few weeks when the blocks arrive. The back and one side of the house will be a retaining wall, so I will use a 200mm fill block. I will then transition off the corners to a 150mm block and use 150mm blocks for the rest of the house.
    1 point
  28. If only it was that simple ..!! I’ve just done a conversion of an old double garage that had not been used for storing a car for over 10 years. It had contained boxes of antiques and other rubbish that was not used for the house but used for storage for an antiques business. That would meet the HMRC guidance that it would trigger a VAT exemption, which seemed to be a good start .... The issue was.... HMRC wanted a signed letter from the previous owner that it had not been used as “ancillary to the dwelling house” for a period of 10 years previously, but then went on to say that if it hadn’t, and had been used for “business purposes” then they may need to apply for retrospective planning permission for change of use, which would then create further issues for the previous owners ...! HMRC also said that they only “may accept” the letter, and may request “further evidence” but didn’t list what that was ... As my old accountant once said, 50 Shades of Grey isn’t a novel, it’s the HMRC VAT guidance documentation ..!!!
    1 point
  29. We thought that also and the HMRC confirmed it was down to end usage Whike some are apartments Others parts are being used as workplaces We also have this when doing student accommodation new builds some are zero Some are reduced rate If the University is retaining its zero If it’s being past onto investors It’s chargeable Ive no idea of this when invoicing So charge on all The list goes on
    1 point
  30. 1.618. I thought you were starting from that from the title ?. We did it in O Level Maths iirc. It is the ratio of a rectangle with sides where the leftover bit has the same proportions as the original if you cut off a square. Draw it up and you see that that relationship lets you construct a decreasing series of rectangles where there long side of the next smaller one is the same length as the shorter side of the previous one, and that allows interesting progressions of shapes based around eg spirals. Have a play with some graph paper and cutting up rectangles in that proportion - should give a better feel. Mathematically you start with 1.618 by 1. Cut off 1 and you get 1 by 0.618. And 1 divided by 0.618 is 1.618. Geometrically if you draw a rectangle like that, you can visually see a pair of simultaneous equations that let you calculate it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio F
    1 point
  31. Flat, not shiny. I’d have said mirror otherwise ? Big walls will always have some kind of undulation, but for every 2.5m run @ 2.4m high you should be expecting a very good finish over the given area. Beware the spreads that don’t lay opposites on and let them go hard before then laying adjoining, eg spreads who put a whole room on ‘wet on wet, and then there is very little they can do to get all the internal angles and lines crisp and straight. Yes, they do make internal corner trowels, I own one, but not many people can use one without doing more harm than good. 3 sets a day is good going, just depends how old your spread is ?
    1 point
  32. Back on thread then. Reckon I know what not to do ref sliding gates and @Big Jimbo and others on here will add.
    1 point
  33. It’s often difficult to get these companies to reduce or even Zero rate They don’t always understand the vat I had trouble getting the gas Conections to zero rate They did eventually Same problem with electric Conections Told then Gas have They OK no problem As I say because the previous 50 customers have paid full It doesn’t mean you have to
    1 point
  34. I believe it should be reduced rated if it is clearly for the house. The fact that its initially being installed for use by the static van first might be an issue. Consider getting them to install it and connected to the house, then hook it to the van yourself. Ask them to requote at 5% VAT because its for a conversion. Quote your planning reference number and VAT Notice 708. To be reduced rated the work must be "closely connected" with the construction of a new dwelling. See 3.3.4 to 3.3.6 for examples .. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buildings-and-construction-vat-notice-708#para3-3-4
    1 point
  35. Possibly. If it's just ancillary to an existing house (eg a guest bedroom, games room etc) then no. If it's going to be a new dwelling that can be "separately occupied" and sold off as a separate dwelling then yes. What does your planning permission say? Edit: If it's a conversion they should charge 5% VAT and you can reclaim that from HMRC.
    1 point
  36. I'd be interested to k ow how much you saved and where? Suggesting an alternate route is an obvious point that everyone getting a connection should check. I moved my connection point 30m closer to the boundary to save a few quid. Duct and draw cord - this sounds pretty standard? 40m of duct and drawcord was laid by my DNO for my connection. Grant - unique to SSE? So not many can benefit from that. Using your own contractor is a hit and miss tactic. If road openings are involved you won't save much if anything and a lot of the work can only be done by the DNO. For my connection, the amount of work I could subcontract out was so small that no one was interested in taking it on. It was only worth me doing 30m that went over my land/shared driveway. From your posts I would suggest your biggest lever over the DNO was the fact that their pole sat on your land. For context, my connection is 3ph and involved laying a new cable down 70m of unadopted Lane for which I had the pleasure of handing over a check for 11% of the total job cost. It is what it is, some you win and some you lose?‍♂️ Note. If you can use your own contractor to lay all your services at once through a road opening then you may make some good savings.
    1 point
  37. I would disagree with this. I went backwards and forwards with our DNO. The first quote came down by thousands when I suggested an alternative routes. In terms of time spend to £s saved this probably added the most value to our self build. I would rather send out three or four emails then lose thousands of pounds.
    1 point
  38. I would suggest that badgering utility suppliers does nothing, an individual householder is small potatoes - this however gives you all the aces and is probably the reason why the DNO decided to play ball. Leverage is king in this situation.
    1 point
  39. I think we were successful in eventually getting the cost reduced because of several factors and also the fact that we just wouldn’t accept their quote. You’re right enough about the electricity act and I quoted this to them along with excerpts taken from their website saying they are constantly upgrading the system to cope with demand and supplying connections to householders at affordable prices. I just kept at them although I think on our side was the fact that there is a piece of land next to us which has planning for 5 houses, although they originally said that we would have to pay the full amount and we POSSIBLY would get a refund if there were other requests for connections within a certain amount of time. The fact that the plots next to us were (and still are) on the market for ridiculous prices made us uneasy about them selling within the allotted time and therefore we would have ended up paying for the work to be done and never getting any refund.We were also fortunate in that the pole in our land had no way leave so we threatened them with requesting it’s removal. I believe these factors swayed it for us , either that or they just got fed up listening to my complaints!
    1 point
  40. Does an outbuilding conversion count as a new build? Thanks Temp, must be 11kv then. We are on our own up a 300m track so there are (I hope!) no plans to build more houses. I have attached their plan, there is a low voltage line to our current house which is 50m from the outbuilding but they've said the volt drop is such that they can't put any more demand on the line, or put another LV line alongside it. Emu_18062020_130131.overlay-Default-000.pdf
    1 point
  41. Do you have the plan WP have given you ..? From what you’ve described, WP are extending the 11Kv section to a new transformer but have they said why they can’t run a standard 3P to you at 440v ..?
    1 point
  42. ?? Pretty sure it's just 11kv not 11kva (11kva is only enough for one electric shower). If they are quoting for a much bigger supply than you need I believe there are ways of reclaiming a share of the infrastructure cost when other houses are connected. See bottom of page 30.. https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/about-us/documents/UKPN-CCCMS-April-2017-v1.0-PXM-2017-04-06.pdf See if your DNO will do same.
    1 point
  43. As for the actual amount... 300m of 11kV cable and a transformer is never going to be cheap. I think 11kv cable in trench is over £60 a meter. That alone accounts for £18,000... https://www2.theiet.org/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=205&threadid=38147 Example costs here from another DNO.. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/44527/8566-edfconchsch.pdf
    1 point
  44. We got ours down by: using ducting and a drawcord own contractor did trench work and back filing applied for a grant (this connection was with SSE) went back and forth for months with SSE with a view to reducing the quote as much as possible was not expecting this but sometime after the connection was done and dusted we received a random cheque from SSE no further information just that we had been overcharged. I checked the quote all was as expected so must of been an internal error that I had never seen. The connection should be zero rated for VAT if for a new build.
    1 point
  45. No, VAT should be 0% to you. You must not pay VAT as you cannot reclaim VAT paid in error. You should ask them to requote specifying VAT at 0% on the grounds this relates to a new house... https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-on-fuel-and-power-notice-70119 "..the first time connection of a new dwelling or relevant residential or relevant charitable building to the gas or electricity mains supply is zero rated under Group 5 of Schedule 8 to the VAT Act 1994 if the connection is made as part of the construction of the building see Notice 708 Buildings and construction for further details" https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buildings-and-construction-vat-notice-708 "First time gas and electricity connections 0% Fuel and power (VAT Notice 701/19)" If they try and argue that only the "connection" should be zero rated refer them to... "3.3.4 Work closely connected to the construction of the building Subject to paragraph 3.3.6, your work is closely connected to the construction of the building when it either: Snip (b) produces works that allow the building to be used, such as works in connection with the: Snip * means of providing water and power to the building (this can extend to the work required to make the connection to the nearest existing supply)"
    1 point
  46. For electricity, my quotation from UKPN was as follows (in mid 2019): For complicated reasons, which I won't bore you with, I got a refund so only ended up paying £4,682.
    1 point
  47. @Jude1234 Can't really add much more than has been said already, but the main thing is you have identified the issue and at least can do something about it. Conversation with your OH is essential and not to be delayed.
    1 point
  48. Please just get a schedule of works in duplicate and each of you sign them with the agreed amount. It protects both you and the builder and is so simple to refer back to if confusion or disagreement should ever occur. The document simply states for £X your getting XYZ, no more no less. Trust is a beautiful thing, but confusion at the details stage can add a big chunk of time ( £ labour ) so be very aware. As a contractor this method has saved me countless times where Mr Blogs thought he was getting 20 spotlights in the kitchen diner but had only paid for 8 etc. I'd never do it differently. Edit to add : Oh, and of course the very best luck moving forward
    1 point
  49. The spreadsheet I knocked up to emulate the parts of the claim form where you have to fill in every receipt, add up the VAT etc, is here, if you want to copy it: http://www.mayfly.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/VAT Claim Form 431 - Blank.xls It comes without any warranty, etc, but I used it and HMRC accepted it. There's an extra column added at the left to use a serial number - I found it easier to find receipts in the stack and organise them if I pencilled a number at the top right of each one. HMRC don't mind this at all.
    1 point
  50. @JanetE, I have a file of notes taken from EB and BH, so I copy the relevant stuff here (from @JSHarris I think...) First the basics. There are separate HMRC forms for receipts where the VAT is broken out as a separate figure and where VAT is just included in the total price. HMRC will accept spreadsheets that look like these forms, and have told me that they are happy if there is an extra serial number column at the left. I'll post copies of the blank spreadsheet versions we used later, once I've cleared all the data out. HMRC need the receipts to be ordered in the same sequence as they are entered on the form, which is where the additional column is useful, as you can pencil a serial number on the top right of each receipt to more easily keep them in sequence. I found that we had loads of till receipts, rather than A4 printed receipts, and there are two main issues with these. The first is that they are heat and light sensitive, so keep them somewhere cool and dark or else they will fade. The second is that they are a pain to try and keep in order, so staple each one to the centre of a sheet of blank A4 paper. This then allows the serial number to be pencilled in the top right corner, makes them a LOT easier to handle and allows you somewhere to write notes regarding ineligible items and then write the calculated VAT or total price figure down. The latter is important. You need to go through every single receipt and check that there are no tools or other ineligible reclaim items on it, and if there are you need to mark them, recalculate either the VAT (for a receipt where VAT is given separately, or recalculate the total price (for a receipt where VAT is only included in the total price). The receipts need to be in date order and must contain evidence that you are the purchaser (so your name has to be on it, and for a till receipt this may well just be the name on the card used - so take care to use a card with your name on it). The receipts also have to have the sellers name and their VAT number. You cannot reclaim VAT from a non-VAT registered seller, or if the receipt doesn't have the VAT number on it. This latter point is a pain, as I've found several online sellers who fail to put their VAT number on the emailed receipt. In each case I've had to contact them for evidence of their VAT number, but things would have been a lot simpler had every original emailed receipt had the VAT number on it to start with. If I were doing this again, then I'd start by keeping better control of the receipts from the moment I received them. In the case of emailed or web page receipts, printed off, then I'd have checked straight away if they had all the correct information on (my name, suppliers name, VAT number, date, etc) and asked the suppliers to correct any that weren't in order. I'd also have started stapling till receipts to sheets of paper to better be able to file them and keep them from getting faded, torn etc. On some of these I'd have made pencilled notes on the attached paper that better described the items. B&Q, in particular, use a very abbreviated description on their receipts which makes it challenging to work out what the items are. Finally, I bought a lot of stuff via Ebay, at a good price, but virtually none of it has an eligible receipt. Many of the sellers are probably not VAT registered, but even those that are very rarely give a receipt with their proper company name and VAT number on, so unless you are saving more than 20% by buying on Ebay items may well not be the bargain they seem.
    1 point
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