Dreadnaught

Thanks @Temp. Fascinating link. I note it says "anything deeper than 1000mm requires a brick-built or concrete section manhole". I assume that applies to both my connections, foul and surface. I see on my drain survey that for each drain there is a manhole only a few metres away. I guess that it is easier to run to the existing manhole(s) rather than intercept the drains at a point closer and make new ones.

The level difference between the ground level of my site and the drains looks to me quite large. In the case of the foul drain, it looks to be 1½ m. In the case of the surface water drain, 2½ m. Is that a concern? A 1:40 slope would not do it, of course, the run is only about 20 m. I assume a drop needs to be achieved. How are these usually done, some form of chamber? I am also slightly concerned about working with such deep excavations.

I just added above the FFL recommended by the EA. They recommend a FFL of 6.13 m ODN for a 1:100 risk level of 5.83 m ODN, a difference in our case of just 300mm, rather less than your 1.5m. In our case I spoke to people who had lived locally for 20 years or more. They said that flood water has never even reached the access road (which is at about 5.9m ODN), let alone my building which will be at 6.42 or above with my no-dig and passive-raft foundation. However, with global warming, perhaps the future will not be like the past. The annoyance for me is that I may need to put an evacuation door in the rear of my property (I have no garden). The EA considers the access road to be flood prone and so assumes I may need to high-tail-it across my neighbours' back gardens in the event of a flood. Rather ridiculous I think. Perhaps they are envisioning a Krakatoa-style flood with mere moments to respond. I would have thought a sedate egress in wellies would be more than sufficient!

I found my proscribed FFL from the Environment Agency for 1:100 flood risk. The original planning permission for the old house design (not a passive house) had an internal FFL of 6.42 m ODN The plot is on average 6.29 m ODN The EA FFL is a minimum of 6.13 m ODN The EA 1:100 flood risk is 5.83 m ODN The storm drain in the road adjacent to my plot: cover level 5.9 m ODN invert level 3.8 m ODN The storm drain discharges into the river at invert level 3.41 m ODN It occurs to me that fall from the plot to the drain is some 2½ metres. That strikes me as quite a lot.

Yes. It was done for the original planning permission in 2015. You are right, I must dig out the FFLs from that.

Not quite, Russell. Not directly, but almost so. There is both a small access road and the boat houses between my plot and the river. However, in the access road directly in front of my plot there is a storm drain that discharges straight into the river just 40m away. It is to this that I plan to connect. So effectively I am discharging straight into the river.

Oh, that's concerning. Very concerning. It makes me wonder if: (i) there is best practice when blowing-in cellulose insulation to minimise voids; and (ii) there can be any post-installation checks to spot them.

I fully sympathise. I barely trust my own taste to pick out a single item sensibly let alone a number that form a harmonious whole (whatever that means). I can look at something and think it looks nice but I have no conception as to why.

@ultramods it is unlikely that this is relevant for you but for interior design I am planning to attend an interior-design course. Its £150 for 6x short classes with a private interior-design company close to my plot. In a similar vein, I know of one other person on BH who is going on a (different) course. I have no knowledge of, skill in, or aptitude for interior design whatsoever. The idea is to hopefully pick-up some basic principles but perhaps even better to spend time in the company of others from whom I can beg-borrow-and-steal ideas and without spending too much money doing so.

I am I suspect an unworthy interloper into boffins' corner. I have been following many of these discussions with a keen interest. Currently, each of your posts requires me to look up many things online. My history of programming started as a youngster but was curtailed quite early by a career change. I am keen to learn more, to monitor things and to automate things. I am learning by watching. Anything here that help someone like me is welcome. I use the Apple ecosystem so Apple Homekit is of particular interest although I don't think I have seen it mentioned here. I am also interested in the new Bluetooth mesh protocol for lighting control. I wonder if it will disrupt the lighting-design industry.

I visited Grand Designs Live in London this year, my second ever visit. In my case one day was plenty, even a long half day was enough. Of course, it depends slightly on what you're after but generally I found it to be focused on window companies, under-floor heating companies, and then the usual range of water-softener salesmen, novelty picture and candle sellers, and kitchen gadgets. Overall I found it rather disappointing. For me at my stage of my build, it paled besides a visit to the NSBRC in Swindon on one of their periodic exhibition days. Just my tuppence worth.

I have an old one but need a new updated topo survey. That's next on my to do list. Have a quote for one. I have asked the surveyor to include some other things, such as the access road (which is narrow). The thinking was that I could provide the dimensions to suppliers to help them plan their access but I am now thinking that pushes up the price of the survey for no good reason and besides when I mentioned the restricted access to one of the timber frame companies they simply popped by when they were in the area (and pronounced the problem to be manageable). The survey quote I have is for £1,350 plus VAT, and includes: 1. survey of any buildings - their external footprint, plus any external steps and ramps 2. survey of external building services such as down-pipes, gullies, etc. 3. survey of all walls, fences and hedges to show type and height 4. survey of all changes of surface material - tarmac, concrete, paving, grass, etc. 5. survey of all manholes and service covers, plus pipe sizes and invert levels where possible 6. survey of all other features and furniture, plus any overhead poles and cables 7. survey of major trees to show position, girth, spread and height only 8. survey of levels across the area at a maximum spacing of 10 metres, plus all changes of height and slope 9. the survey will include the access road and details of the public highway kerbs, etc. 10. we will include height details of neighbouring buildings if possible. Is this OK? By the way, does finished floor height include the floor make up & floor coverings? I am still working on the foundations system. And have not decided on floor coverings yet. On the foundation system, I had feared I would need a suspended floor with a sacrificial void for clay heave but I have just spoken to a local SE (the same SE as above) and, with a little urging from me, they have suggested it will be possible to design a insulated reinforced concrete raft/slab, MBC-style. The raft would be connected to piles. I have since gone back to MBC to ask them to ask their friendly SE to confirm this and am expecting a reply shortly. Back to drains. Having skip read the building regs for draining, drainage does not look terribly complicated.

I have received a quote for the design of the drains for my site. I am keen to do this early, well before my project starts, as I can ask for the works in the road done by my boathouse neighbour who is opening-up the road for their own purposes. They may well be willing to do this for me as in return I can give them access to my plot for site storage for the duration of their build. The timing would suit me as I need to go back to planning anyhow so wont be starting until after they finish anyway. I am told that they will be planning their work quite soon so I want to have my drain plan ready so I can hand it to them. At least that is my thinking. Am I going about this the right way? Note that I have already got a detailed survey of the local drains, including cover and invert levels, etc., which was prepared for the boathouse neighbour by this same SE company, and which the boathouse kindly shared with me. Having said that I have all the invert levels, the foul manhole nearest my plot was UTL ("unable to lift") so I do not have that invert level but I have it for the next manhole along upstream. I have been quoted by a local SE firm £1350 + VAT for preparing: (i) a foul drainage drawing showing external drain runs, manhole locations, and levels, etc. And (ii) a drawing showing the below ground surface water drainage for surface water to be discharged in to the adjacent stormwater drain via an attenuation tank. Given that this is the South East, I wonder if there is an SE-premium there? I wonder, does drainage have to be designed by a local firm or can I go to anyone nationally? By the way, must I have an attenuation tank for surface water? My PP does not mention anything about drainage.

Hi & welcome. Which is your native language?

Yes. Here's a fitting guide for the Egger boards which mentions that glue. https://www.egger.com/get_download/17e6c5ab-960a-4e7d-99ee-c46608c62f3a/Flyer_Advanced_Structural_Flooring_System_Fitting_guide_UK_2017.pdf Note that the only nails recommended are for the first row of boards only, and one nail per joist. No screws mentioned.

@Garry, if you're interested in Passive House, I found reading Janet Cottrell's Passivhaus Handbook informative.

Thank you very much @Nickfromwales. That makes sense. Spot on, Nick. I will be working in the coming months on the fate of that tree, be in no doubt. If the tree can be removed then I shall indeed be embracing PV.

@Nickfromwales, would you ever design electric UFH in bathrooms for its higher temperature and responsiveness in comparison to wet UFH?

I did wonder. I suspect yours is even more colourful! ?

@Nickfromwales, wow, thank you for your comprehensive reply. That was very helpful indeed. I am learning fast. Quite a lot of that was known to me but not all. As its in a conservation zone, effectively yes (or at least the slap a TPO on the moment you reach for the saw as your required to give advance notice). Thank you. Two people have now shot down the idea of electric UFH. You plus one on private message too. So I am moving on from that idea. The next idea is to use a MVHR post heater for space heating. And, with a unit like the Zehnder ComfoCool, for cooling too. Airflow rates with MVHR is relatively low so heating (or cooling) capacity is also low In mid winter, if more heating is required then the air flow of the MVHR would also need to be increased, with possible problems of noise (whistling) and low humidity (possible to be remedied with a enthalpy heat-exchanger) I think that using the ducting for heating and cooling will require for all the supply ducts to be insulated Duct heating can also lead to a burnt-dust smell Any thoughts? Ever seen such a solution used, Nick?

@JSHarris, yes. Thank you. I have learnt this from you. Decrement delay: I have rejected EPS beads for this reason and am only targeting frame systems that use blown-cellulose insulation. My design has a very poor form factor, 4.9. Its a bungalow with a flat roof. As I am following a fabric-first approach and passive house, this probably means 450 mm of blown cellulose all around, possibly even in the floor. A benefit of this will hopefully be a desirable decrement delay. Is is in this context that electric mat UFH is appealing to me for space heating.

True. Terry uses off-peak electricity to store heat in his slab at night, via wet UFH. That heat is then released into his house gradually over the subsequent hours. But with a passive house, I am not sure the slab heat-buffer is needed. A passive house needs so little heating that even direct heating at night using electric mat UFH of a few kW might be sufficient to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day/night cycle even in the depths of winter. Of course I would need to do the calculations but this is my hunch.

Thanks @JSHarris & @Construction Channel. That's clear then! It goes in the draw labelled Silly Ideas.

@Nickfromwales, thinking some more, and taking note of what you said about emitters and the wish to maintain a constant ambient temperature across the day/night cycle in the winter, I tried to imagine the simplest solution possible. Assuming a passive house, this is what I came up with: E7 electricity electric mat underfloor heating throughout, which is on at night with E7 Willis heater and Sunamp* for DHW, again charged at night from E7 cooling: install a cheap (sub £1k) air conditioner (otherwise known as an air-to-air heat pump), if needed Strikes me that this hits all the marks. It would not give the SPFH2 gains from a heat pump, nor take advantage of the cheapness of gas. But, my word, it would be relatively cheap to buy and install and low maintenance! Nick, what do you think? * I believe the Willis heater can now be built in to the SunAmp

Thanks @Nickfromwales. Very interesting and good advice. I only wish I could have a slab! The problem is a tricky site with protected tree roots and a risk of clay heave. The solution looks like screw piling with a void beneath the floor. I am still in the design phase and am hoping things might change by talking to the right SE. Listening to you, I am keen that they will. (Oh and I wont have PV either. I have a whopping (if somewhat sick) chestnut tree slap bang due south and inches from the edge of my plot. I am in a conservation zone. Trust me, I shall be having a close look at this tree). Very good point. I raised the question of decrement delay with Beattie recently but did not receive an answer. I even asked if they would substitute blown cellulose insulation for EPS beads but they said they would not.