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Little off topic but may be of some interest also when I was researching I found very little real experience of others on any of the wayleave/easement stuff. I have property with 1 pole & with 3 wires at the back of my land but in view of the house. 2 other poles on my adjacent land After all the usual stuff on TV & even letters, "you can claim for thousands of £'s for apparatus going across your land" I thought I would investigate. I applied myself, very easy actually but takes a very long time for each stage. 2+ years after first enquiry I finally had an offer for an easement, this is the permanent right that goes on the deeds so has to be taken seriously. In expensive part of surrey so actually offered £30k which covered 2 properties, this is related to a v.rough property value in my case I think close to 2 million. The section of scrub land in between offered £150, actually about the same size and almost as close but a different title so offers are purely on value and not where or what it is. Most legal expenses are also covered by the electricity company. I guess varies depending on company & region a little. I was told by their surveyor that claim amount is purely on house value & how close to house (I think less than 50m) and what equipment. Not how much impact there is or how it effects you as I had read elsewhere myself, so very little room for negotiation. So rather than them wanting you to pay to move you could ask for payment from them & depending on above roughly work out how much. Also because it was a substantial amount they did an appraisal to see if actually cheaper or better value to move the poles etc. Not sure if a delaying tactic but about 6 months later said that that was not an option, the same lines go onto other land so guess very little benefit or point I guess. So they must have been looking at other options at their expense but again I assume only up to what they would have had to pay for easement. Anyway, 3 years on from first payment ready to be made & I got cold feet. The easement contract, whilst seems very considerate to how they would approach any work they might need to do in the future is does give them a lot of rights, of course what they are paying for but gave them control over 4m (easement strip) either side of the lines (no building or tall plants, fair enough perhaps) but also what I read to mean they could do pretty much anything as long as did not need to extend the easement strip more than the 4 meters. Extremely unlikely but as far as I could tell they could put up 10 more poles, double the height and add a transformer to each without needing a wider strip. They would never need to but giving that right was a worry, more so if I ever sold on being on the deeds. So not only have I not got the £30k I have a £500 bill for the solicitor that would have otherwise been covered. I was a little annoyed, partially with myself as I only got an example of the type of contract 2 years in after the offer, If I had thought to ask on day one I do not think I would have wasted 3 years & quite a lot of emails & letters but a little surprised at the extent of power. Sorry not much help for your original problem but I think anything like this might be of interest.

In a bathroom it might be preferable to get some PVC skirting board so its protected from any moisture ingress.

That isn’t proof. Your body temperature is 39°C, the air temperature at 18°C feels “cool” but a radiator at 25°C will also feel “tepid”. In reality, pure thermodynamics means the radiator is warming the air around it, and given enough time and assuming the heat loss from the room is less than the heat input from the radiator, the room will reach equilibrium with the radiator. To give you “proof” it isn’t working, you need to get some data - which is the thermometers.

After a slightly odd but pleasant summer on our narrow boat we returned to site at the beginning of the month to resume work. We started with a simple job, putting our doors. We had done one last spring and had four more to do. It’s a simple and rewarding job, the Horman doors have a very solid feel to them. Next on our work list was completing the window reveals, a task we had started back in May and had completed two windows. While we were still fresh we had decided we would tackle the reveal on the staircase window, a job we have been dreading. This is a BIG window with the top over 8m from the floor and a frame height of 5.3m combined with awkward access. After a bit of head scratching and a lot of measuring we decided to make the frame in a single piece on the first floor and manoeuvrer it into place through the stair void. To further complicate the frame the reveal was a taper on both verticals due to an error when bracing the ICF wall which meant one wall was 100mm out of line at roof level. The ply reveals are an exacting job and would not look good it they don’t make very good fit with the window. After some experimentation cutting the long tapered sections we bought a track saw, a couple of hundred, but worth every penny. Without it a difficult job would have been a nightmare. With the frame cut and assembled it was time to move it into place. Fortunately the measurements were OK and the window just cleared the purlin allow it to be rotated into place. With a bit of huffing/puffing and knee tremors due to the working height, the window reveal positioned and screwed into place. With the most difficult window done we started work on the remaining nine window reveals. They are now done and it’s transformed the look of the windows. Not all went smoothly, some of the other windows were also out of line, again due to bracing errors during the pours. This meant the reveal boards needed to be cut with fine tapers, more work for the track saw. One point it bought home is that errors early in the build add significant work. If we were going to do another build we would definitely get the builder to allow more preparation time for the pours. Recovering from poor preparation has cost us several of weeks remedial work. The floor was next to allow us to get on with some of the ‘clean’ tasks. Again this transformed the look of the rooms…..it does look like we’ll be pretty much finished by February next year. Before we stopped work we had ordered most of the bathroom furniture and fixtures but not the kitchen. The design had been sorted out regarding appliance placing etc but not the cabinet style or colour. This is not an area of comfort for me and I’m only to happy to leave it to the boss. However kitchens are an area where pricing discussions tend to open with what’s your budget. It does not take much research to find out that kitchen prices can be plain bonkers. Our working method is get three quotes and if they are within 20% of each other that’s what it costs. With kitchens its multipliers rather than percentage, yes, they are different qualities but all essentially the same materials. We ended up getting quotes from a local bespoke kitchen supplier (high end), one from Howdens (mid range) and finally from Discount Kitchens. DIY kitchens have come in for quite a lot of praise in the Buildhub but we had to discount them. Our design used contrast between the carcase and doors, our carcases are a light wood finish, not an option provided by DIY kitchens. In all probability any of the three options would have worked for us. In the end we opted for Howdens, their design was the best and they could deliver before Christmas. More pricey than Discount Kitchens but within our budget at 8k. More on the kitchen next month.

As the tank is heating, the water gets stirred around by convection, so it will heat the whole tank to the required temperature. The problem is as you draw water off, the water remains stratified and all that happens is the hot water moves up and cold comes in at the bottom to replace it. It is not until the hot / cold transition reaches the thermostat that it calls for heat. fitting the lower thermostat pocket at say 1/5 up the tank might be better?

The times we have ran out of water is when both the ladies have showers in quick succession without re heat time between and when they are both hair wash showers that's when it can run out. I measured the shower flow at >15L per minute on full flow so that's about half an hour to empty the tank. Now I cannot personally imagine what one could do for 15 minutes in a shower, that's obviously a lady thing (with long hair) I think if you add in the temperature probe in my tank is about 1/3 the way up the tank, so the tank could be only just over 2/3 full and it would not be calling for heat so you might only have 200L of hot water sitting there. Perhaps a lesson from this is specify the thermostat pocket lower down? As regards flow rate, no problems. If I could do one thing differently, I would NOT have fitted full bore isolator valves on the showers, I would have fitted normal ones to slow the shower flow slightly.

trailer less than £2800 brand new https://www.batesontrailers.com/shop/platform-tipping-trailers/2050-platform-tipping-trailers/ and 16' instead of 14', will it cost £6k to build it again?

Debatable ..! It was “only” £10/m but by the time it’s done and finished I’m pretty sure it would have been cheaper to buy new ..!!

well he's a proper big miss

Sounds like pre worded copy n paste response to hope you go away . F that . I hate the piss being taken . Email or written letter best ( send signed for also send another copy with proof of posting ) . They can ignore email . In court proof of posting is sufficient as signed for could be signed by anyone . But in court the more ammo you have the better . I’m in fighting mode ! ??

@MJNewton just remembered, the 0.8 thing was " heat curve" iirc that is. So it was upped ( apparantly default setting is 0.6, that is how its set from factory) from 0.8, which installers set i think their default setting, but a figure usually associated with under floor heating.. to 1.2 a figure being associated with wall rads. Sorry my heads such a fug with all this, plus lack of sleep due to it, & i forgot this is what was discussed, and altered today during call to vaillant. many thanks for your input chaps, zh

Front doors traditionally open inwards. Rather better for inviting guests in. Also means if a delivery is left in front of the door it can still be opened. Security should be the same whichever. I could not get into my house without a key.

That’s crap.

Heatmiser Thermostats and a Realiance Wiring Centre. Acutators are 230V so wired. But yes they do work. There was an update last year to resolve the Heatmiser issuse I understand. FLY

I have seen a 450x450 brick pillar snap clean off at ground level when the gate swung in a gust of wind, I think you need to re think this and look at gate type and location steel post in the centre of the pillars concreted into the foundation at least 600 into the ground, and if ground is loose through excavation for services then a lot further.

My roofer (30 years in the trade and nearing retirement) wants me to use a breather membrane plus the eggcrate breather roll at the eaves. He says the actual performance of "breather" membranes does not match expectations. Think I will follow his advice in the absence of a ventilated ridge.

I'm guessing here, but I suspect it could be a weather compensation parameter. I am imagining there being different curves that it follows to determine how much heat to generate depending on outside temperature, room temperature and response rate. The 0.8 vs 1.2 might be choosing a different one and, most importantly, one that is a bit more generous with how much heat it decides is required. I didn't want to muddy the waters but I was going to suggest perhaps you (/us) working out if your weather compensation could be disabled, not only to rule it out of the equation as being potential cause of issues but also to make it operate a bit more simply / less 'too clever for its own good' / less stingy with what it gives out etc.

I've done the same, but converted an existing building, so Ecology issues, Bat surveys, licences etc have cost £6K alone. I also used a Planning Consultant, (about £2K) altho in the end, the architect got a really good relationship with the assigned planning officer, and this was key. If preplan was favourable, you will likely make the most 'profit' on that (see other thread). They will want to see designs, something of 'exceptional architectural merit' can occasionally be build in the middle of a field. You'll have to get your head around the costs and the implications of getting it wrong eg CGT, VAT. That said, you are in a very favourable position, most self builders have a headache finding a site.

NHBC don’t set the rules - they are in the Building Regulations so unless you are having an NHBC warranty they are the last people I would check with. If you have water on your breather membrane then you have bigger issues with a roof. That is the last line of defence.

If you can beat 11degC then you win.

I really wish I hadn't changed architects for the Building Control drawings, it caused no end of problems and was a false economy.They weren't invested in the original design and planning constraints.

+1 wot @PeterW said ?

That's ideal. Our house will not be passivehaus but low energy and if we can reduce consumption anywhere near that, I'd be very happy indeed, but with boys who just seem to leave the doors open all the time, I don't think any system is going to sort that out ?. I think I am going to stick with gas for the moment.

Having eventually found our plot in episode one, and worked out where the plans had the house to be built we found that a walnut tree had to make way. A second tree, a horse chestnut was also badly diseases with a split trunk and as we didn't want that falling on the newly built house in the Autumn of 2019 (or Fall for our American cousins as I am writing this on Thanksgiving Day 2020) I headed off with equipment in hand to so some tree felling. First some photos of entrance to site (now wider!) and then some of the felling and of course the obligatory fire, and a beautiful sunset as my reward at the end of the first day

Skirting in a bathroom ...? Preference would be a tiled skirting to match the floor tiles, or if you use “ordinary” skirting then use solid wood not MDF. Make sure they prime it all round with a decent primer, eggshell is better and make sure you get 2 coats on all cut sides including the one joining the floor. Then bed it on decent sealant to stop any water getting under it and blowing the wood.

Whatever comes first! If they are “forever “ units, put them in first then skirting up to them (easiest). If you may change them in the future skirting first and scribe the units round them.

If this is of any help we have one of these in several of our rooms. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383680821544

No, not irrelevant. If the temperature in the rooms measured is less than the set temperature on the controller then there is a fault with the system, and that needs to be resolved ASAP..!!! Do that, get the factual data and then move forward ..!!!!

you don’t need to, it does not work properly, end of, stop trying to understand and complain through trading standards on no it’s fecking not, it’s a heating system and your cold!, what’s not to understand? wrong on every level, it’s cold NOW, get proof (thermometers).

Your founds want to be as deep as possible and it doesn’t look like on the right side over the services you will have that opportunity. Other option is to frame the opening either with steel as per @Oz07 suggestion or create a solid “U” from rebar and framed concrete that runs up the inside of the pillar. 2 bricks is about the minimum you can make a pillar - that being 2 on each side - 2 1/2 or 3 is better and also would allow you more reinforcing. Don’t underestimate the weight of gates pulling downward and twisting a post !

Here is the steam oven I had in the 1970s. Think it is still kicking about somewhere in my Mother's loft. https://www.argos.co.uk/search/prestige-4-litre-aluminium-pressure-cooker/ I find the advertising a bit iffy, they all claim to preserve the nutrients, flavours and moisture. You can always put a Pyrex boil of water in an oven, does the same thing. Food Poncery, I hate it.

As I said, the only bad ones are either designed badly or installed wrong YOURS IS BOTH, IMO. I have no radiators, I only have UFH downstairs (the preferred way to use an ASHP). I admit my programmer is also complicated and took a while to sort out but now it is I never have to touch it, if it’s cold it heats the house, when the house is warmed it switches off (not that it’s come on yet this year!,!). @Jilly make sure you read all reviews before deciding, not just one about a system that is wrongly designed and/or installed.

Get a letter from the LA confirming. 24 years passed since my development theoretically commenced...and I've walked in and taken it on. There was nothing gndone but access and landscaping...but there was letter from the LA saying it had commenced which was from 1996.

joe theres alot different between making your own, meaning you know exactly its workings, and meaning likely you wont have an absurdly complicated digital controller, and able to fix something if you made it, or at the least identify the problem.. than this terrible thing ive got that 5 engineers over 2 months havent the foggiest clue what its even doing let alone how to fix it. Jilly please do. Never in my life have i been so sure of not recommending something as -this- ashp. It is abysmal, ridiculously overcomplicated, infuriating, and cant do the basic pg1 of getting a well insulate new room warm with a huge radiator in. Its been signed off time and time again, probably 6 times now as 'working correctly, all as it should be'. So its nothing to do with the installation, its just total and utter shite hardware. Be very wary.

I’m referring to the manifold actuators. Heatmiser actuators are only thermal - you can replace them with £7 ones if you don’t mind slow valve responses. Heatmiser also uses a mix of voltages too - at one point they were on 24v actuators, industry standard was 12v or 230v. They also don’t have any simple method of exposing the control functions or allowing third party integration which is what I mean by closed, so you can’t get integration to any of the HA systems.

mine is floor mounted just outside the house wall and virtually no noise can be heard indoors, In the cloakroom (where the plant room/cupboard is) you can just hear the pump when it’s running but no where else in the house.

Use outside edge. In that case plum a line up your trusses where outside of plate is and measure that height

@Onoff definitely due the gas check fee’s for all the years they passed it when they should not . Will more than make up the cost of installing a hatch . I’d write to them first . Once they BS you - I’d start a ccj . I like ccj’s and high court enforcement procedure . I imagine they will buckle long before that as they effectively have been passing a gas install they should not . As others have said land lord gas safety check ‘ professionals’ range from slack to pedantically anal . Threat of ccj ! Your tenants were at risk . You were worried sick . Potentially you ‘broke’ the law by renting an unsafe property - ummmmm ! The council are on your back aren’t they ? Didn’t you call them ? . Local paper are interested in your ‘Dodgy gas checker’ story etc. etc. Make them f eckibg pay ! ?

I have fitted a mini pump station in a basement. It is a tank that we semi recessed into the floor and contains a pump with a float switch. The outlet is large enough not to need a macerater. It is quiet when it operates. It was a bit like https://www.drainstore.com/pumping-stations-pumps/mini-micro-small-sewage-pumping-station-for-extensions-and-garden-rooms-190-litre-capacity/

Just finishing off this thread with some figures, since I was playing with the accounts today. The total cost of all the oak that I bought was £456.49 which averages out at £41.49 per door. Before you all say how cheap that was, this is only for the frames and door stop, not the architrave (that's about another £40 per door) and remember the basic carcase of the door frame for the upstairs doors was left over engineered floor planks so they were not costed.

Also options such as hit and miss to give wind permeability. (And it doesn't necessarily have to be a huge construction like @Onoff's - that is to keep him in.)

When is your turn to be the bitch?

If you think this is bad try registering a Lasting Power of attorney at the moment. Taken me 6 months so far. While you wait you may have to find £1500 a week for nursing home bills ?