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I have to say I really love this one. Neo-Georgian is very much up my street and was one of the things we had asked for in the initial brief, but the way the design developed - I think its one of those things that got put to one side and never really revisited. I am reading all the comments in the thread with great interest and its hard to ignore the logic. I shall go back to the architect and see what we can do, even though it may mean a month's delay and added cost to their initial quote! Tempted to only change the facade and then leave the internal layout unchanged as a compromise though once the tinkering starts, will be hard to stop...

@Indy Right it's taken about 40 iterations ( no exaggeration) to alter the face but I'm reasonably happy with this effort. It will fit in with your exiting plans. I have no idea if the style is to your taste (mock neo Georgian) or importantly the planners and the feel of your location (let us know). However it is symmetrical, relatively straightforward to build, shouldn't suffer from much overheating, fits within the 9.35m width and 7.8m ridge height, and shouldn't make people grimace when they learn you have spent £1m on it. It's got a fairly broad appeal to potential buyers too. The chimneys are optional but always add balance. You can always use them for MVHR or soil stacks to justify them. BEFORE AFTER.

@IndyI really can’t believe that anyone spending over £1m on a home wouldn’t hire the best architect he/she could find to design a dream house. If I had that amount of money to spend on a build I’d be looking to appoint the best architects out there rather than try and get the cheapest plans drawn by the local plan drawerer. if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

I really found it ugly so thought I'd at least try something to make it look better.

Speak for yourself, grandad... Well done on getting the project rolling. Though not quite my style, I'm afraid. ? IMO you really need to do more than a SAP for heat modelling. PHPP has been mentioned. Also try this available via Buildhub. And remember that insulation etc is spend once save every day.

Warmstar https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-underfloor-heating-mat-kit-150W-m2-All-Sizes-in-this-Listing-PRO-TRADE-/324704384942

I put one of these in the corner of the kitchen. It's very handy. Think if you want to defrost a freezer, extra safety in replacing a filter in a cooker hood, do a deep clean on the fridge, etc.

That’s could well be short cycling. Unless you sit and watch it and time it, then the boiler “running constantly” could well be the pump overrun or similar that happens with a lot of condensing boilers. The stat will cut the burners and the pump continues, the burner then restarts and it cycles all over again. Without being spanner’s on to this it is difficult to diagnose but for me the buffer needs to be whole circuit, the tank stat needs to control the boiler (as per @Temp) and the nest needs to control the UFH pump and it all needs to be blended.

No probs I.e no cracked tiles ? I always think … mat 3mm , notch 6mm . So 10 ish - but when compressed etc . more like 6mm.

No problem. An mvhr input vent at the dining end of the room, and am mvhr extract vent at the cooking end. Recirculating cooker hood with carbon filters will take care of most of the smells.

I have an old friend who is a pest controller. He told me a choc button is the best bait.

Last night the Mouse set off my see-saw trap without getting in. Time for a new design:

https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/b/Festool?wblb=5_Festool

this is how ours have been designed to fit. the timber frame company created the window openings wider and taller to accommodate the additional timber above and to the sides and I fitted that after the TF was erected and before the windows were installed.

Thanks. The slat angle automation is an out-of-the-box feature of the Loxone system I have used for my whole house automation. Hunter Douglas do offer a standalone automated control, but I can't remember if it goes any further than remote operation and pulling the blinds up if it gets too windy. HD give out very precise detail of their head box sizes etc. There's no need for them to get involved with how their blinds are incorporated on a particular house, that's down to you or your house designer. There's also no direct integration with the widow package, so again, no involvement from the widow installer. My install was helped by the planning restrictions that meant I had to fall in line with the position of the outside surfaces of the original shed I was converting. This naturally gave an overhang at the top of the windows, where there was originally profile cladding on the walls from the eaves, dropping down around 500mm and overlapping the original walls. I replaced the original steel cladding and wall finishes with horizontal cladding above the window level, sitting proud of vertical cladding below that level. It allowed me to create a recess for the head boxes, without sculpting in to the wall structure. It can still be done without such an overhang, but needs a more detailed integration with the structure over window openings, to ensure you get enough insulation to avoid cold bridges. The below is a vertical section, highlighting the void for the blind head box And a horizontal section showing the relation to the window frames There's no need to have such a big gap between the blind slats and the window. Mine is like this as I had the space due to the original building geometry, plus where I have blinds over a bi-fold, it leaves space for the handle. Mine were fitted after the cladding was complete and windows in.

it's not finished yet! a balustrade will eventually be installed but I'm not even at first fix yet so things like that can wait. ? yes, the really old bungalow just at the end of the flat roof is the current house that will be demolished and become our garden. so view out over the neighbours house and woodlands beyond after that. plus ancient woodlands to the left of the roof. South facing as well so just setup perfectly for a bevvie or two on a summer's evening.

A professional letting agency would declare a lack of heating at this time of year to be a critical situation that must be resolved within a few days. In view of your other thread just the declare the rental property to be uninhabitable and move back into your nearly rebuilt house. Is the deposit held with a 3rd party?

Our architect is really good to be fair. We also have planning conditions to discharge such as landscaping, materials etc. The drawings submitted to planning dont have detailed measurements and naturally we need these for accurate quotations. That is what our architect is producing along with building regs, along with some internal changes. Pretty much all of the TF companies we spoke to said that they could produce construction drawings via their own architects, however as you say these will be to their own bespoke system. We'd rather have the flexibility to put (fairly) generic steel and timber frame construction drawings out to tender to several companies to then identify/choose which system to go for.

I really like balconies. I hate heights but I like to see distances (if that makes sense). It makes a room feel bigger without the ugly flat Juliet balcony and few people have them - if you have a view you need a balcony. @Thorfun I really think that’s an awesome balcony, doesn’t look like it has enough balustrade but I love it. It looks so secret and classy. is the existing house the one at the end there? So you get a view after?

Thanks Nick, glad to see so many people in the self build community! Good point on the integrated design removing cost from the roof covereing - I'd discounted getting PV when our materials cost jumped up a big chunk last year. Worth looking into again and putting back on the table, thanks for the idea

we have one too from our bedroom overlooking the flat wildflower roof. I love it already and can't wait to be sitting on it, drinking a beer and watching our existing house be demolished! may not get much use after that but who cares. looks great.

Haven't engaged a QS yet although we're in the midst of looking at self build mortgage and they are talking about requiring one. I have put it through Jewson Build Aviator as I have a self build account with them. They came back at £430k.

I am another coffee lover and for years I had a Delonghi caffe corso but left it with my partner when we went our separate ways, it’s still working and now is 8 years old. I moved into a small space and went with a compact BEKO but would not recommend this…. I will be upgrading to a Delonghi magnifica but have yet to decide which model so will be following this thread ! - just to add I am also a black coffee drinker and would prioritise the quality of the coffee and the crema it produces over a fancy milk frother.

That , Ian, is too cool, too cool. Apart from that you can even keep your 16tonne digger in a spare bedroom, it would seem. Hmmmm... Too cool.

ours haven't been installed yet but we have made a pocket above the windows/sliders and they will fit recessed in there and the cladding will come down in front of them. should look very similar to @IanR's. We're getting Warema blinds

You'll not go far wrong with a Delonghi IMHO. We've a Perfecta for a number of years now and it does everything we need. The previous Magnifica was good but ended up having an appetite for elements. Something to watch out for is that the spout adjust enough in height for whatever cups you're using...

Balconies - Absolute waste of time. Never used in this climate.

@IndyI’m afraid I haven’t had time to read all the posts but I have had a very quick look at your drawings. I really think your architect (if he/she really is an architect) could have done so much more with the plan form and the elevations which I think are contrived and over-bearing. The massing of the dwelling is quite over-powering - especially the side elevations and the creation of the gables to the front for aesthetic reasons appear contrived. I’m afraid I’m not convinced by the porch - it really looks out of scale and will be a nightmare to clean and heat or cool. I’m afraid it reminds me of post-modernist commercial architecture. I think you’ll end up with quite dark areas in some of the rooms and if your boundaries are close you may find that you will have to limit the amount of glazing to the side elevations - especially the Snug and ground floor living room. I am by no means advocating the use of any of the ideas that I proposed but I think your need to create a symmetrical front elevation is severely restricting what you can do with your plot and creating a house which will be appear over-powering, cramped and dark. Sorry - I’m not a fan. ETC.

Good prices and good kit the last time I used these people; https://www.heatershop.co.uk/electric-underfloor-heating-uk

I used Gaulhofer bought through @craig - they did very neat integrated blinds (Roma) which sit in an invisible pocket built into the frame. I just sent MBC planning drawings as architect was not adding value after planning - given each vendor has their own bespoke system, interested to know how the architect is doing construction drawings to cover all your options?

If it was my wall.. which of course it's not I would hack off the render and give the stone a wire brush. Then leave it for a year. Provided it's not holding back something that could, if it moves, pose a safety risk or fall on someone. During that time see where water seeps out, if it does. When you have time, investigate behind the wall to see if there is some drainage too. Then once you have worked out what is going on behind the wall you can then decide whether to point or render and where you maybe need to install weep holes. The render at the moment is probably doing more harm than good. Re rendering with mesh or not, lime based mix or cement.. is just kicking the can down the road.. and could be a waste of time and money. Take the render off and let the wall breath and relax!

As Jack said, if you can hear low volume conversations then it will be airborne, If you can hear them, they they will be able to hear you. You need to get some measurement done across the whole spectrum, from their house to yours and vice versa. Part E of Building Regs - The minimum level of airborne sound resistance for dividing walls or floors between homes is 45dB (decibels) in new builds and 43dB in conversion projects. For impact sound such as footsteps, jumping and dropped objects, including furniture being moved a maximum impact sound transmittance level of 62dB is set for floors and stairs in new builds. A maximum of 64dB is set for conversion projects

Are you sure you are not building a shed or summer house?

Not what you want to hear, but the answer is likely: No. You have worked out that the answer is likely to be based on guess work: I agree. Years of dealing with complaints about student noise (in student houses and their Lancastrian neighbours), and working with both parties to try and resolve the issues raised makes me very sympathetic ideed to your problem. People - on both sides of a dividing wall - often simply don't realise how the noise they make transmits into their neighbours' properties. One thing I did that seemed to help was to get one person from each house / room/ flat / to visit the others' home and listen. Not an easy task to co-ordinate, but it worked - sometimes. Students would realise how noisy they sometimes were, and ordinary folk who happened to live next door would be surprised at the way (for example) a baby's cries were easily picked up in the student abode. In other words noise - if there is any- travels both ways. Its people's reaction to the same noise that differs - greatly. Lancaster has some large hospitals : night shift nurses need their sleep during the day. According to some nurses, students by all accounts being reasonably quiet were not seen as quiet by the nurses. The key thing to do is to keep working together to solve the problem. And that is very a challenging thing to do. Good luck. Ian

Spoke to my heating guy today. We seem to be mostly on the same page. Network and Projector cabinets You're correct, the idea is not to 'push' air into the MVHR - so no active fans added to the mix, but let it do its work normally - the only difference for it would be it would receive very hot air. I pointed out that perhaps 1000W is a bit much and he agreed it might need some more careful planning, will get back to it. Hot water buffer (A2W ASHP -> Buf -> UFH) Indeed, this will now be added, how big is such a buffer? Anyone have a link for the one they are using? (debating putting it above the DHW - since I have a high ceiling) Yes, we're aiming for the 8kW one as well. It's interesting apart from a minor price difference all of the sizes seem to be about the same cost, am I correct the only downside of having an 'oversized' one (say the 11.2 one) is that in low mode the minimum the inverter can run at is about 20% of max, (so 2-ish kW) which especially in the 'just heat a tiny bathroom tile' case it will turn onoffon? (plus you probably need 3-phase power, butI'll likely have that anyway)? A2A cost, value for money In my heating guy's view, it should be "about 2500 per device- supplied and installed" - so indeed the extra-over for my 6 devices (5 FCU, 1 A2A SHP) is 15,000 (and a bit for the planning approval..) - will see for tendering if this estimate holds up but in my mind if the extra cost of A2A is - say - 25,000 I would need to have a think but it still feels somewhat ok given the amount of extra flexibility, reaction speed, precision of heating location and overall redundancy. Fresh Air MVHR everywhere I don't think this is entirely true, in Bed 3 there is a supply, and I think there are often only one supply room and the other rooms are only extract rooms - only bed4 has no extract at all. (and the garage, arguably too..) My current understanding is that you would want to be able to draw a line from the supply through 'most places' and then into an extract, and with the exception of bed4 and garage that's the case? Hot water return We'll go the 'Joth' approach and put it in, but perhaps not open it up (and/or experiment) to see the pros and cons.

If you can hear low volume conversations, that suggests a pretty direct route for sound - think airborne rather than structure-borne, to begin with at least.

You can build a small single storey building under the "caravan" regulations. To legally be a caravan it does not need to be on wheels but needs to me moveable in some way that can include picking it up with a crane and lifting it onto a low loader. Such a building is exempt from building control except for any drainage system that it is connected to. It might still need planning permission, that is separate.

You don't need planning for small buildings (terms & conditions apply) presuming they're for storage, den/man cave/ home office etc but if it has bedroom, kitchenette, etc you will no matter how small it it. Anything that can be used as a self contained unit, granny flat, etc. needs planning. This is the rule where I am but it will depend on your local planning laws. Where are you based?

Only if it is sized I correctly. Put a gas boiler in that is too small and you would have the same problems. It really is time we stopped thinking that say an 8 kW HP is a direct replacement for a 24 kW gas boiler. Are you having PV fitted. That would change the economics of running a heat pump.

Hopefully that might be useful to maintain a pest free space but when I know a mouse is present I'm always going to deploy the humane trap which definitely works. Since I learned that mice like to run along edges and avoid open spaces I can almost guarantee a catch the first night after setting it up next to a gable wall. I'm sure sufficiently high-powered ultrasound would be uncomfortable for mice but it is easily attenuated by the plentiful insulation materials found in a loft. The higher the frequency the more easily it is absorbed. The problem then is that compared to the cold, wet and dangers present outside - once the mouse feels warm, dry and safe then it's probably going to habituate to the noise as soon as it finds a relatively quieter spot. There is some research on the subject but I can't find any I would trust. The majority of online resources that dismiss ultrasound repellents seem to be published by pest control companies that would prefer to sell you a service visit. If I ever get the time I would be interested to experiment on one of my guests to see their reaction. A bit of code running on the camera Pi could generate an Ultrasound sweep while the camera records the response. If there's a particular 'sweet spot' for upsetting a mouse then this might be a good way to find it.

I was playing 'spot the difference' and the only thing I thought I found was that you'd modified the lion on the left so it looked a bit like a dog... I didn't spot the bl00dy great windows for quite some time!!

Would def stand out and if he's stuck for a kerb painter there are plenty round Belfast with nothing to do once they have signed on.

red, white, blue?

Lot of mice on here have the same idea.

Cheeky blighter making it out of easily removable materials so he can get rid of it after sign-off.

Possibly hardcore for a ramp to comply with Part M?