Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/18/21 in all areas

  1. Look up the R-Values and calculate. You can always build a timber frame place inside it, that will stop the noise getting out. (Your noise issues are build quality/design, not an inherent problem with timber frame. Most of your floors are going to be timber, unless you are going for poured concrete.
    2 points
  2. There used to be Council mortgages. IMO we need to start with removing market distortions.
    2 points
  3. Outside looks straightforward if you just bring the paving level up adjacent to the door and have an ACO type channel level with the top of the cill.
    1 point
  4. 1 point
  5. There are standard aluminium sections that create the final slope up to the threshold, and you can use slabs/tiles up to that point. i don't think this needs much thinking ahead really. construct your floor, then locally make the necessary ramp. ditto outside. In the worst scenario if standard sections don't quite work you can get a local ramp made precisely out of chequer plate. 2 pics below
    1 point
  6. +1 If it can't be sold as a separate dwelling it won't qualify for zero rating by a builder There was even a case where someone was granted pp for an annex but there was a condition that said it couldn't be sold seperately. Half way through construction they got the planing condition removed. HMRC said that only materials purchased after the condition was removed could be reclaimed.
    1 point
  7. Stem inject it, don’t spray. Large syringe.
    1 point
  8. If you can only have the UFH on when the rads are on, it would help massively. If not, you’ll need a buffer tank for sure.
    1 point
  9. Yes some will but more are asking for proof of planning or a certificate these days to cover themselves. What you are building is covered here however so it’s clear that your ‘annex’ doesn’t meet the criteria for zero rating as I suspect that you cannot sell the additional building as a separate residence. You will however have to pay council tax on it if the council find out about it. https://www.gov.uk/vat-builders/new-homes
    1 point
  10. Home assistant is a good option. It is software that allows you to control multiple different types of home automation equipment from many different vendors from a single interface. It's very flexible, but this makes it a little more hoop jumpy than an offering from say a company that specialises in just the lighting or just the heating. If you're doing a new build then you could consider a hard wired home automation platform (e.g. https://www.loxone.com/enen/ - someone posted a couple of months back with details of their incredibly nice looking setup), but if not then z wave/zigbee/wifi is the way to go. (Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8-VNIQQiQE&ab_channel=TheHookUp for a good overview)
    1 point
  11. Unfortunately HMRC not replying to my queries. Had thought that about workshop also (could be a garage). In the absence of anything from HMRC think I may just shell out for the new supply and have a "garage"
    1 point
  12. The best person to ask is your planning officer. They need to confirm to you that the building is exempt of VAT and issue a certificate. Any building being exempt of VAT must be classed as 'qualifying' under the rules. The best person to determine this in relation to the rules is the planning officer. At least if you have their seal of approval anyone questioning you in the future can be referred directly to them if they have an issue.
    1 point
  13. Much easier knowing where you want to end up than trying to find materials that get you there.
    1 point
  14. well that depends on your cavity size, windows and doors etc, not just that’s it’s B@B. I don’t know what my U value is but I built ours this way with 200mm cavity with rockwall batts . We have a small 5kW ASHP and the heating is rarely on. The only thing I would have done differently due to noise is ceiling sound insulation, I don’t have noisy kids but I am disappointed with noise transmission between floors, I wish I had used doubled boards and sound bars.
    1 point
  15. We’ve built in Block and Block x render and intend to do the same again Partly cost and as you say TF are quite noisy Im not sure what our u values are as we upgraded the insulation and fixed insulated plasterboard to all exterior wall But I can say it’s the warmest house I’ve ever lived in and cheaper to heat than our previous mass produced home That was just over half the size
    1 point
  16. I used to make display panels for Shell, the painter came to me one day with a sample. It looked the same as the other speckled panels he had been painting for a year or so. Then he ran a large bastard file over it. No damage. I should have noted down what the two pack paint was called. Also, I used a resin with diamond powder in it, that was tough.
    1 point
  17. As an update, I managed to get a new 32mm supply pipe installed for £1800 in the end and we're now getting ~25 ltr/min.
    1 point
  18. The amount of mud on your concrete is trivial. I was commenting on muck deliberately mixed through from a separate pile. Likewise the odd bit of plastic and steel is to be expected, but not branches., toilet seats and areas of steel mesh. Yes you send away good stuff, and unfortunately sometimes buy back a lesser mix. If in any doubt, ask the supplier if you can observe the crushing process. It will help the price a lot if they can use the lorries both ways, ie delivery and collection, but that depends on having enough space.
    1 point
  19. Plus 1 Ours has an anti scratch surface At least that’s what the fast talking salesman told us The hob looked pristine for about a week ?
    1 point
  20. Only the legacy ones. Most new kitchens are now all electric. Works out cheaper, cleaner, cooler and easier. So yet again you are showing just how backward thinking is still happening.
    1 point
  21. Absolutely agree! Reminds me of the story of a lady who had the most beautiful set of expensive lingerie with petticoats, the lot. She kept it in her drawer and just looked at it. Her husband kept asking when she was going to wear it and her reply was that she was saving it for a ‘special occasion’. That occasion never seemed to happen … and then she died suddenly, so never got to enjoy the luxury of her very expensive and very beautiful purchase. He ended up burying her in it. Sad! Wear the lingerie. Use the hob. Don’t save things ‘for best, or special occasions’ as we never know when our time is up! Wanted to hear from anyone who has the Bora and has used it. Does it scratch easily? Either way it’s too late as it’s in and so will we be, just wanted to know really! Thanks for your reply ??
    1 point
  22. Yeah. He was talking about someone putting in an outdoor pool. I said they are crazy as they cost a fortune to heat and would need constant cleaning. He said it’s ok the staff just do it.
    1 point
  23. Even the roof trusses on-site that are precut and only need lining in arnt always in line You often see plastic packers behind the facias I’ve marked and cut loads of joists ends and always have to put the odd packer in You will see how small of an issue it is once you start to get your facia on
    1 point
  24. Get a bag of trouser shims and CT1 them on the ends of the short noggins. You can make up whatever thickness: https://www.screwfix.com/p/broadfix-assorted-plastic-shims-medium-200-pcs/80408
    1 point
  25. However you decide to tackle it Your facias will need to be straight So I would simply pack the facias where needed You can always foam up any gaps Which the roof covering will hide Main thing is that your facias are nice and straight
    1 point
  26. One of the refrigerant pipes should be getting hot tho if it's pumping heat. Water pipes cold yes, but the refrigerant should be carrying the heat. It does indeed suggest that the outside unit isn't switching the whole way over. Perhaps give the valve a gentle tap while energised and see if it drives farther?
    1 point
  27. I certainly give you an overall cost of our completed build was 229k 282 m2 over two floors With a D DG Including 393 in paving and electric gates 165 of perimeter fencing and hedging
    1 point
  28. That's the situation exactly. Indeed. But they seem to have neglected to let the developer know about this. I'll take your comments on board, but you'll understand if I hope you're wrong. Thanks.
    1 point
  29. And here we go... After much head scratching forget about trying to line up roof and wall boards. Unless you designed the openings to site your cladding pitch you're never going to get them to like up and an uneven roof is obvious from a mile away. Make a jig to space say five boards at a time. Fit every 5 the one, checking from a datum every 25th. Go back and fit the others. Fit them roughly in position up/down wise only left right matters. You sort endd when she. Fixing centres 45 and 95 on a board that's 140ish mm wide and has a 30 mm overlap works for undoing cupping and twist. 5*50 mm screws for these boards. Battens are 25*70 mm (reject cladding slit into two) use cordless drill not an impact for setting the screws. And if you've got good shoes (e.g. hiking boots / vibram sole then rough sawn timber is walkable at 9:12 pitch (37deg) which was a surprise.
    1 point
  30. Just a quick update. Due to COVID the guy was not able to get out and service the pool, we would have had an emergency visit if anything was required. The pool went over a year without being serviced and everything continued to work perfectly, meanwhile I just saw an installer online recommending that if you have one of their pools installed it should be serviced every two weeks (every week if the pool is outside)! Admittedly I do have to drop the cleaning robot in every two weeks and then pull it out when it is done, but that is it. If any of the chemicals run out, I can just swap them over in seconds. So I think for the Dryden Aqua DA-GEN system that I have which automates pool disinfection then 6 monthly visits are fine which massively reduces running costs.
    1 point
  31. This for the 357 says same.. https://underfloorheatingsupply.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Single-room-underfloor-heating-control.pdf
    1 point
  32. The pdf here has a graph which suggests the boiler return can indeed be reduced to zero.. https://www.underfloorshop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Reliance-Single-Room-Pump-Pack.pdf Edit: sorry that a 352 not a 357.
    1 point
  33. If it is you who built the garage, turn it into a workshop or a snooker room. And don't be so silly next time.
    1 point
  34. During start up the mixer is most likely wide open as the return will be cold. It will start to close as the floor reaches the set temperature. Its most likely to close if you wait until the floor is hot then turn the mixer temperature down. In that condition the return temperature might be hotter than the set temperature. I don't think they fully close as some manifolds have an over temperature sensor that turns off the loop pump to protect certain types of floor covering and feet.
    1 point
  35. @nickw, @BotusBuild, @WestcountryWonderer i had procrete do mine (50m2), happy with it. They mainly do large commercial work. http://www.procreteuk.co.uk/
    1 point
  36. Ya wot? Have you got written evidence of that? Because if you have I have a strong feeling that such approval could well be considered unprofessional. I think it highly likely that the EA would disapprove. I really hope I'm wrong.
    1 point
  37. Our builder used Amvic. It seemed fine and we only had one partial spill during the pour when one tie failed. Tbh the people putting it together is more important than the system. After looking at several and visiting some builds, they are basically all the same.
    1 point
  38. I've been watching for sometime the discussions surrounding per m2 costs. I've always felt these comparisons on per m2 are flawed and not a fair reflection (even when comparing per m2 cost with one another and potentially from the same supplier). The quantity of fixed versus openable can be different and the amount of doors for example and type. So I thought I would put a quick excel calculation tool together to get m2 based on the entered info. Which can then be filtered through the relevant options. There is a couple of minor points to make. It's basic but does the job. Due to the sheet being locked (password supplied), it won't expand the table as new data is entered, so I extended the table to accommodate. This presents an issue when calculating subtotals as it includes zeros and in the average cost per m2 field, this presents an incorrect figure for "all items" as they aren't filtered. I have entered a cost per m2 field for all items to combat this. It doesn't take quantities into account, each item needs to be entered individually. When you filter, it will calculate only the visible cells in the "Average cost per m2" cell and displays the correct per m2 cost. So you can filter by style for example (tilt and turn, top hung etc.) and it will always calculate the per m2 cost on the selections made. Discount amount (if any) can be entered and it will advise the percentage of discount supplied and then the cost per m2 cells will adjust to the discounted rate. I have tried to cover all the bases, including uPVC, Timber, Timber Alu Clad, Aluminium, timber type, internal finish, glazing etc. I've also put linear meterage data in plus install costs, which will display install cost per m2/linear meterage as well for a further breakdown. If you find this useful and can use this for comparisons with other suppliers / Buildhub members or if anyone would like to expand on it, feel free to download and amend accordingly. cost_per_m2.xlsx
    1 point
  39. The pool continues to work fantastically well and is a big hit in the recent hot weather and with various guests we have. The automated systems looking after the water continue to tick along with minimum maintenance. I reckon you are talking about £500 a year for a couple of maintenance visits and to top up the chemicals. Heating seems to be running to about £500 a year. I noticed that the two pipes supplying the pool heater are not insulated for the last 5m of their run so will insulate them this week and hopefully that will save a little bit. Last week was the lowest gas consumption I have seen since we moved in at around £2.50 a day which includes the cost of hot water. The surprise cost is electricity. It is hard to separate the cost of the dehumidifier and pump from our other electricity consumption, but I reckon we are talking around £1000 a year. The pool is set up for the filter pump to run 16 hours a day, I believe that we could cut the electricity cost by reducing this, but the water is beautifully clear and clean so I don't want to mess with it. So around £2000 a year in costs which I think is a lot less than you might expect. The humidity of the room is set at 60% which is actually lower than humidity levels outside in the recent weather. The pool has 0.55ppm of chlorine so I am not worried about corrosion issues, you wouldn't know there was a pool in the house. In the winter it is the warmest room in the house, but bizarrely the temperature is more steady so in the summer it has been cooler than other rooms.
    1 point
  40. I found a broken one in my garden.
    0 points
  41. It's not just about ticking a box with 150/200mm insulation in the cavity and you will have a toasty house. Lol You have to adopt a whole house policy. High quality Windows and doors, triple glazed of the budget allows, good depth of insulation in the floor and roof, very good airtightness throughout etc. I've a block house and my kids still move around like hippos and slam doors. After years of in depth research the final conclusion I have reached to stopping them slamming doors is to remove the door.
    0 points
  42. MDF...my FiL thought it'd be a good idea to make a "shed" from an old greenhouse. First he clad it in MDF. Then he tacked on green mineral felt. Did the floor and roof with MDF too. Abject failure. Think wet cardboard.
    0 points
  43. Ahh, old bits of MDF ... just imagine what Val Singleton could have made with your old wardrobe..... and earned a living showing us all the ones she made earlier. Bless.
    0 points
  44. No doubt his pedestrian gate will be wanted the other end! ?
    0 points
  45. My current nightmare, trying to get our facia straight. At the moment it's as straight and level as a propeller. If ours was as straight as yours I'd be happy as Larry, @Omnibuswoman. Your few mm here or there... pah! When I get back from the gym, I'll take a photo that should cheer your Sunday morning up....
    0 points
  46. Staff ! Love it. Self-build Wentworth Woodhouse coming along real soon now !
    0 points
  47. Looks like a lot of the stuff my pool does automatically. Guess you might call it routine maintenance. TBF the guy who put mine in says a lot of owners have staff who look after them as part of looking after their house or garden. https://deependpools.co.uk/pages/service
    0 points
  48. Profile 22 (the frame used by modernupvcwindows for regular 2G windows) is shite. It has all the structural integrity and wind tightness of wet spaghetti. Ok for fixed panes. Never again for openers. Never again for their low profile thresholds either (buy a real threshold and set it lower relative to finished fort level). And never again for their blind man galloping horse measurements (cursing and swearing before realising that the French windows differ by 5mm a side). Fair price for what you get if you're Joe retail and delivered when it says it is. But not worth having. Bought rehau euro 70 profile the second time around; with plenty of reinforcement in the frames and bonded in glass in the openers. Screw having parallelograms again
    0 points
  49. Our entry-level Bosch makes me cross MODS please delete this thread. If SWMBO reads it, we're done for ?
    0 points
×
×
  • Create New...