Dreadnaught

Welcome Edward! Looking like you've good progress. I will be building soon-ish, as soon as the restrictions are lifted, in central Cambridge.

That looks really good! Congratulations on a job well done.

We have a storm drain nearby but still had to opt for a green roof to comply with our SUDS requirements. The requirements limited discharge in a bad storm to 2.8 l/s and prevented the first 5mm of any rain event entering the storm drain. I had to hire an engineer to do the discharge calculations to make the planners happy. Unlikely but could adding a green roof be part of a solution for you?

(Great use of photographs (from a drone, I assume) and diagrams in your post!)

Any pipes or cables coming back out from of the house, such as for approach lighting, outside tap, garden power point? In general, things attached to the house will probably come through the wall but things further beyond will often be in a duct.

Many thanks @Tony K, I've sent you a PM.

By the way, @Tony K this is what @LA3222 managed to achieve … Very impressive!

Why do you think that? Does the example of people like @LA3222 and @Triassic, among others, not inspire you? I have had quotes for the screw piles. And I have a quote for the raft from a timer-frame company that does a combined solution of raft and frame. My engineer is currently finalising my raft design (or at least will be when the frame design is finished) and I will then explore the best approach to building it. If I can find someone, I would much prefer to partner with someone who is more experienced than me with such things and build the raft with them as a team. And then hire a specialist team only for the concrete pour and power float.

I am on a similar journey, @Tony K. I too will be taking the advice of some of those on this site who have done it before us.

What is it that you can only get from BPC and not the other supplier? Can't the other supplier supply everything you need? What's the advantage of not splitting an order? I'd personally go for 160mm if you have the chance and the runs will fit. All else being equal, bigger ducting will perform better.

Oh that's interesting. If it is in a bedroom then that would be a supply vent. Do you not have any silencers at all on your install therefore? I am aware of the debate about having a second silencer on the return-side, but yours would be the first install I have come across without any silencers at all.

Welcome to BuildHub @Jeremy! I note that the Shropshire Hills and the north Cotswolds are both within 50 miles of U. of Birmingham. I for one would love to live in either of those locations.

I'm going for fibre-optic FTTP*, using a local fibre-only ISP and a Government Gigabit voucher. * fibre-to-the- premises/home.

I would expect them them to contain a larger compressors than a small under-counter larder fridge (which is what I have in mind). And as noise increases non-linearly with work, all else being equal I would assume that they would be noisier. Happy to be provided with enlightenment. Are there American-style fridges that are inaudible now? My experience of them in general, and the one in my present home, is that they are unpleasantly noisy. Perhaps I am out of date and they are being fitted with quieter compressors, upgraded insulation, and inverter drives these days; although perhaps these are costly additions.

Because the temperature difference it is required to achieve is much the greater.

Others I believe have contradicted the thought, but my view is that it is problematic to have freezer within a living space because of the noise of the compressor. My preferred arrangement is a larder fridge in the kitchen, much quieter, and for a full-size freezer to be relegated to a utility room.

Anyone see Building The Dream S9E05 in Devon, the revisit to Siddy Langley and her glass-blowing studio cum house? She mentioned getting volunteer labour in exchange for bed-and-board using a website. Does anyone know which website?

And here is an example of an applicant writing to the his local council with a deemed discharge notice in 2019: http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/MediaTemp/1154319-869034.pdf

I am following this with interest. My request for discharge was submitted on 20 April. After a month, I haven't even received a notice of validation of my submission. And I was given information suggesting that validation alone may take another month.

Welcome aboard,Terry/ @Hilldes. I am using screwpiles in my forthcoming build for the same reasons that you are considering them. Mine is timber frame (not SIP). I intend to follow the same project management approach as you. My build is in Cambridge.

I agree with ProDave. I wonder out of general interest, does your plant room have underfloor heating pipes embedded in the floor? Does it have an MVHR extract (I can see the MVHR unit itself)?

I have a similar planning condition (Cambridge England): No construction work or demolition work shall be carried out or plant operated other than between the following hours: 0800 hours and 1800 hours on Monday to Friday, 0800 hours and 1300 hours on Saturday and at no time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays. Reason: To protect the amenity of the adjoining properties.

Thanks @arg. Fingers crossed. And in your case, if they let the decision deadline pass without you agreeing to extend, you might be able to reclaim your application fee. I did.

Hi folks, a question for those of you who have a timber I-beam dwelling. Where an internal stud wall abuts an external I-beam wall sheathed with 12.5mm smartply, does the external wall require reinforcement with a noggin of some sort to take the fixings from the stud wall? Or is the smartply sufficient on its own to take the fixings? (The I-beams in the external wall are at 600 centres.)

I'm going for the Protect TF200 but without the foil layer for my upcoming build. Its what MBC use on their double-stud builds. I am avoiding the foil as I have a concern it will block mobile and wifi signals inside the house unnecessarily and doesn't contribute much if anything to the U-value. Not sure if my concern is warranted.