Roger440

This^^^. I think, especially on here, this is lost. ANYTHING that isnt a case of selecting the desired temp, is going to get a bad reputation. Im a pretty practical kind of guy, and pretty much do everything myself. But i read stuff on here regarding heat pumps and related stuff like solar and batteries, and to be honest, struggle to make sense of it. And im WAY more advanced that the average person, who just wants a heating system. Aside from my cynicism about targets, likely cut off dates and all the other guff, the sheer complexity of any "new" system, in particular getting it specified and set up, simply steers me to keep my oil boiler long term, even though i will be doing a fairly major amount of work on a rather old house including ignificant reconfiguration of heating. The idea of paying, the frankly bonkers numbers to have a HP system installed rules that out. And they will still be more expensive to run than oil. Granted of course that may change a bit.

Because it works, and to all intents, lasts a lifetime. I wouldnt entertain anything else.

All that will happen is the installers will do a worse job. Because if it costs a fortune to run, who cares? No comeback. All paid for by someone else (us) Harvest the subsidy and run for the hills. I dont think your idea is grounded in reality. The wheels will come off heat pump installation as soon as the first blackouts occur. Surely, only a matter of time?

It's not even cheap compared to where I was in bucks. Cheaper, yes, but not enough if a difference to be relevant. Hence gave up and went to Wales. Just wondered what had changed planning policy as pre COVID it was something they were encouraging.

Do you know why. When I was looking for something with a big shed I saw quite a few. It's a nonsense really. Surely working and living in the same place is the most environmentally sound approach? No need to travel. But just more evidence it's about the money, not the environment.

Late to this, but at that age, it definitely shouldnt have solid walls. There must be a cavity?

Worcester have already announced had they plan to spread that 3k accross everything they sell. I think smeone posted there press release on here. The jist was, there insufficent demand for heat pumps to make a credible business. Sounds like a another bunch of reasons that will stop anything other than a full priced (overpriced) tax payer funded bodge job. Ie, no DIY. Because it cant be "verified" as a qualifying installation. Indeed, i suspect, and logically it must, lead to heat pumps only being available to professionals who can produce the necessary paperwork to back it up. Maybe im too cynical???? Looks like another oil boiler for me......................................... Edited to add, they are not going to break the price link. Way to much money being made.

Agree.

Sadly, thats not been installed with any thought to insulating. Many are too clodse together. If you are expecting the plumber to do it, i fear you will be disappointed. Id be very surprised if there werent gaps all over the place. Rather defeating the point. Bit like builders do with insulation...............................

Not in the south east they dont. Bugger all chance of that. That concept seems limited to the rather less economically well off areas, like cornwall. Where, it seems to be a thing.

Correct. I built a 70sqm garage without planning. Dont even think about planning for extraction. Dont give the council a sniff of your plans. Wont happen in a domestic setting. For my paining i put a filter on the outlet so there is zero overspray. If you need to eliminate the smell, add a charcol filter to the output. Not cheap, but, trust me, much better than what will happen if you go down the planning route. Tell nobody anything.

30sqm has nothing to do with it. The 50% of garden does. You are confusing two entirely seperate subjects. You can build right up to the boundary if you want, though that does invoke a 2.5m height limit as opposed to 4. Its all in the link posted earlier. The reason most stuff is under 30sqm is to avoid the need to get tangled up in buiding control and the large increase in costs that invariably follow. I say again. planning and building control are disctinctly seperate things.

You apppear to be fixated on 30sqm. This has NOTHING to do with planning. This is for building regilations approval. Planning is entirely seperate. Providing you stay within the permitted development rules (someone else posted the link), no planning is required at all. But building regs is aplicable over 30sqm. Undersaand the 2 are not related in any way.

Jeeeez, what is all that for!!!!?!!

My apprenticeship was bloody fantastic. Simply nothing like it available to someone leaving schiool today.

Thats an issue too. But being skilled doesnt necessarily mean you take pride in your work. Its clear many dont. In some respects thats worse. Ie, you know how to do it properly, but you just cant be bothered, as opposed to being so ignorant of the task, you dont know you are doing it wrong.

No qualifications are required to work on motor vehicles. Literally, anyone can have a go. And do. Motor trade is just as bad as building. I should know!

The level of "tech" involved in modern building methods left most builders behind a long time ago Espically the concept of insulation. That appears to be a complete mystery.

Its why, for almost everything, i just do it myself now. Its easier and less stessfull Cant even be worrying about building control anymore. That hopeless too. I can do it right and have no cert, or i can have it done wrong, but get a cert. Lots to do at the new place. Will continue on a DIY basis on almost everything. The lack of pride in your work is the real issue. No one cares anymore. A sad state of affairs.

Where does it say they do? Nowhere is the answer. They can, and do, sign off stuff without seeing it. If they werent, that makes it even worse, ie they have inspected a non compliant job, and STILL signed it off. (my garage foundation prep was done by photos. No inspection took place) Indeed, under the new system, alledgedly to stop developrs only having the first house inspected, they now have to submit photos to the BCO. Why do you think that would be. Either way, lots of new build and additions to existing houses gets signed off when its blatently non compliant. (see OP's house (and thousands of others) So, you would agree, they either didnt look at it, or they signed it off knowing it to be non compliant. And there nothing the homeowner can do about it.

For what?

They dont need to carry out ANY inspections if they dont want to. They can (and obviously in some cases do) sign it all off from the comfort of their armchair. As the OP is finding out, out in the real world, there is no recourse against BCO failings, be it private or LA. Which as i said before, renders it completely pointless. So the summary is, no recourse through bco, and most builders just dont care. If they did, they wouldnt do acrap job in the first place. Someone else will buy the house. No need to worry about your reputation when its already in the gutter.

More independant, probably. But equally useless. See my previous posts.

Stick with what you have. Aside from oil, its the cheapest option in your situation.

It will never happen, because it physically impossible to do. There are not enough BCO's. Given the woeful standard of the people building said estates, you would need as many BCO's as people doing actual work. It cant happen, and wont happen. As long as there are private BCO's it definitely cant happen. And there is zero possibility of the council taking up the slack. Mind you, they are just as bad. They signed off the extension and associated works on my last place. 2 increased size houses plus rainwater were all feeding a pre exsisting cesspit. Which had a hole punched in the side to let the water out. All signed off by the council BCO. Fortunately we picked this up on the suevey, negotiated accordingly and replaced with compliant treatment plant. Mind you, the same guy turned up to sign that off. Tried to give me a lecture on the discharge pipe not having concrete round it at the end. I pointed out it was lot better than the last installation he signed off. He was gone sharpish, sign off came in the post a few days later. As before, system is broken and pointless.