Dreadnaught

"Build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything". Had to look it up myself.

@new eco home, Touchwood Homes is local to you: https://www.touchwoodhomes.co.uk. MBC (http://mbctimberframe.co.uk) and PYC (https://pycconstruction.co.uk) are two others I have considered for my build. Another is Eden (http://edeninsulation.co.uk) but I have not spoken with them directly.

Oh you might have an exhaust-air heat pump in your MVHR! This one https://www.earthsaveproducts.com/products/mvhr-including-built-in-heat-pump/ecocent-air-mvhr. There is a link to the manual on the web page. Unfortunately, the manual does not seem to mention the word "boost". If that is your model, you might be interested to know that both @Mikey_1980 and @dogman have the same one.

A new (easier?) way of detecting Great Crested Newts in a pond on a building site. Podcast. Costing the Earth: The e-DNA Revolution … "A modern technique is revolutionising how we monitor our living world. Jheni Osman asks how 'environmental DNA' works and discovers the sheer breadth of what it's revealing." Listen to the relevant section here → https://overcast.fm/+IPRWK3mfg/9:04 The BBC site for the podcast → https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0008wpt

How about the full shifty …

Oh interesting. How do you compare using the wood to metal? Which do you prefer using?

Just out of general interest, I wonder did you ever consider using metal studwork, @nod-style? I am tempted.

It is a comprehensive list (from which I stole a few ideas, thank you). One thing I thought was missing was a sense for how long you intend to live in it, which dictates the balance between a design highly tailored for yourselves and one designed for a generalised buyer. I also felt that because of its level of detail, a sense of prioritisation was somewhat lost. Optional or even whimsical ideas were blended amongst requirements. Love the idea of the pipe organ!

One adjacent thought: on the couple of examples of a slab pour with UFH which I have seen, the area where the tails emerged was boxed and filled with sand rather than concreted from the start. I think that this makes it easier to manipulate the tails later on. Others may be able to add more detail. Is that relevant for you?

In my current ongoing experience of my planning application, neighbours wait until the end or even beyond the end of the consultation period. And comments received by the LPA after the deadline are still considered in the normal way. Its not a hard cut off.

Perhaps this one, https://cvcdirect.myshopify.com/products/conus-airvalve-125mm-1, from Jeremy here:

I bet the on-shore Naval radar on the hill north of Portsmouth (Sampson?) does a good job for its section of coast. What's the range of something like that?

Way off topic: can't the Ikea Tradfri items connect to the Philips Hue hub?

Previous discussions (I take notes): https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/5187-shower-heat-recovery/ https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/10061-working-out-a-scheme-for-dhw/?do=findComment&comment=171407 https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/11509-recirculating-shower-system/?do=findComment&comment=193785

Price example … €440 from Austria inc. VAT. Haven't found a UK supplier. https://www.rabmer.at/en/shop/produkt/zypho-izi-the-innovative-recovery-of-shower-heat/

I wonder why none of those trenching guides show drain pipes (either waste or storm water) in the shared trench. Can they go in the same trench?

Beginners question as I prepare for my build, if I may: what are the uses of water during the phases of the build? Which trades really need it? I assume that usage for tea/coffee is only a tiny part. In my case, I have a water supply under the road outside the plot but I haven't thought about when to connect it or whether to have a stand pipe.

To add to the avalanche of (well-meaning) concerns about overheating, I read somewhere (was it the Passive House handbook?) that the lower part of a floor-to-ceiling window contributes very little in terms of view-out or light-levels inside… but adds greatly in terms of heat ingress and overheating in general. For my forthcoming build I decided that my large windows would be from waist-height upwards. The design aesthetic still works (I think) with contrasting exterior cladding for the section beneath the windows that would have been glass if I had stuck with floor--to-ceiling glazing. My other concerns about floor-to-ceiling glazing is that: (i) it puts on-show the clutter of daily living; and (ii) prohibits furniture under the window.

Good idea for full-sized one. In a previous flat, I had a mini counter-top dishwasher on the draining board next to the sink. Worked really well. Talking of which, how about a counter-top dishwasher for pans instead of two full-sized dishwashwers? Perhaps located in a utility room or built-in somewhere? (By the way, I picked up that counter-top dishwasher for peanuts on eBay.)

The circumstances where I saw this was in a large household with a maid. The maid would be the only person to run the dishwashers and having two prevented crockery piling-up on the surfaces or in the sink, especially at weekends. I imagine one would need copious crockery.

It is an interesting point to raise. My personal view is that the caveats usually emerge from other contributors in a thread on this forum. The diversity of viewpoints, and the general willingness to let diverse opinions stand, is one of the strengths of BH. Moreover few people would be led by any single individual, even someone as accomplished as Jeremy. Moreover, supporting @Bitpipe's point, even giving-a-go to something complicated like a SAP calculation, even if that effort is then aborted, would, in my opinion, lead to some valuable learning. And, in my view as a forthcoming first-time self builder myself, the most valuable commodity is learning.

Very nice job. Out of interest … How do the hinges on the lefthand side work such that door does not collide with the wall? Or does it hinge upwards? What type of joints did you use for the side panels?

Welcome @Richard T. The mention of Passivhaus grabs my interest. I look forward to hearing more as your project progresses. Good luck with it!

Original poster here. Thanks everyone. Very helpful indeed. I will await the final planning decision and only then consider action. Much appreciated as always!

Oh, is it possible to claim it back afterwards, I didn't know that.