Dreadnaught

A BBC Radio programme on modular, factory-built houses. Quite interesting. "Does the house building industry need to change? Manuela Saragosa meets the disruptors, the companies trying to transform how the vast majority of residential property is built. Across the country new factories are springing up - in a bid to manufacture our homes in much the same way as we do our cars. The risks are huge." "Significant investment is required to get things moving and demand for these new homes has yet to be tested. But the disruptors claim that the house building industry must modernise or die. Productivity is falling and traditional skills are in short supply - something that is likely to get worse as immigration reduces. Other countries, too, already build huge numbers of homes off-site, claiming that this results in quicker and cheaper construction. So, just how many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that we need to build might end up being factory produced?" http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06w8yvf

After the Christmas hiatus, I am finally getting around to placing the newspaper ad. To my pleasant surprise, the cost has dropped by a third since before Christmas. Unexpected but welcome.

Now that I have finally bought a plot, to get the new planning application through and start the build (and a BuildHub blog with it).

I was thinking the same for my build. My concern about pocket doors is that I think the pocket compromises sound insulation for that section of the wall. I would therefore only put them in locations where compromised sound insulation isn't going to cause a problem.

Interesting article. Choice quote (my emphasis): "The government is understood to be preparing to announce a market-based replacement to the export tariff early in the new year, which would write the rules for how energy suppliers could buy the excess power, though they would not be mandated to do so."

Yes, good point. I think that I heard a figure of 80-years mentioned as the expected longevity of a house built today. I think it was from this podcast: https://www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph233-how-to-choose-a-construction-system-for-a-house-build-with-mike-hardwick/

Welcome Tamara! Where about's is your build?

With a 5A circuit, do the sockets use round pins? Does one need to replace the plugs on side lamps accordingly?

@Nickfromwales forgot his mince pie! Unlike him I would imagine.

The 44dB is quite surprising too. Does the new model have any pumps within?

Sorry to change the subject slightly, but I wonder why anyone has not considered using blown cellulose in interior walls. I visited a lovely Touchwood build in Suffolk recently that will do exactly that. Is it a matter of cost I wonder? Or perhaps the concern of the circular holes required? Any thoughts?

Its fascinating how there really is no one-size-that-fits all. It depends so much on the individual circumstances. Its surprisingly subtle. Its why pros like @Nickfromwales take such care to look at all the parameters before recommending a complete solution.

Yes I found that too. E10 (and to a lesser extent even E7) is not supported by even most electricity suppliers it seems. Some do, so if it interest you then you can find a company that will if you persevere. Having an E10 electricity meter installed can also take a bit of research too.

Just to note for others that there is an option with UniFi for it to update firmware itself without intervention. But if I recall correctly that's not turned on by default (might be wrong).

Sounds like BT have limited the options, probably to simplify their online support calls. The option you were looking for was to disable the WiFI network. The only disadvantage of having your BT modem transmitting an alternative WiFi network is that those that attache to it wont "roam" to the other APs. Some Wifi routers allow you to make the SSID "invisible", so people won't see it as an option. Look for that setting. Or alternatively name the Wifi network transmitted by your BT modem as "Do Not Use" or similar. Or simply just don't give them a password for it. So long as this other BT Wifi Network is set to to automatically choose its frequency it should not interfere with your Unifi WiFi network.

In your case you're Mac is the "controller". An iPhone will do just as well. Either is only needed for setup to configuration changes. Nothing else. You don't need a CloudKey for setup. Its for remotely monitoring your network (optional).

On E10: https://economy10.com/overview/. I think its a bit out-of-date now but might still be useful.

A colleague recently set one up using the Unifi iPhone app and a YouTube video. I suggest looking on YouTube. (CloudKey is optional and most basic users won't need it.)

Perhaps go for simplicity. A PCM58 SunAmp charged by E10 electricity. Much less capital cost. Probably only slightly higher running costs. Fewer things to go wrong. Simpler all around. Less hassle. Small and compact too. You could ask @Nickfromwales to specify the system. He knows a lot.

A SunAmp with PCM58 outputs water at 58ºC, ideal for showers, baths and space heating. But it needs an input water temperature of about 65º or so to charge it. ASHPs struggle to generate water at 65ºC*. If they do so they become much less efficient and have to work hard, which causes them wear out, and to freeze-and-defrost cycle when its cold, especially when the outside temperature is around the freezing point for reasons to do with humidity. Not good. Not recommended. There is a SunAmp being developed with PCM34 (one person on here already has one). This outputs water at 34ºC and needs an input of perhaps 45ºC, which is easily generated by an ASHP. Water at 34ºC is OK for space heating but not warm enough for a shower but it can be used as a pre-heat for input to a boiler or heated tank (or indeed a SunAmp with PCM58). Does that help? PCM = phase-change material ASHP = air-source heat pump * there are special multi-stage ASHPs that can generate higher temperatures, but they are mechanically more complex and more expensive.

@joe90, very helpful. Thank you. I didn't realise how the buffer tank for the UFH worked, with the coil within. Your diagram was instructive.

This article (posted earlier by @daiking) might be a useful contribution to the debate: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/brexit-scare-stories-ashoka-mody-imf-bank-of-england-mervyn-king-economics-trade-a8670416.html

On the subject of cylinder temperature, while the ASHP could only heat to 55 or 55ºC in practice, I assume there is no reason why the immersion heater powered by PV could not, if plentiful sunshine allowed, heat the water to a higher temperature. A TMV would blend the temperature down as required for output. That would also do for any sneaky legionella bacteria too if the chlorine in the mains water hadn't done so already. I wonder, is there any upper limit for the temperature of the cylinder water heated by PV? Would the immersion heater have a cut off?

I know that this has been covered before, but is there a legionella risk? I think the consensus from last time this was discussed was that the risk was overblown. I thought it worth mentioning for new people who may not have read the old threads.

Haha, it sounds like an old Windows PC .