four_candles

Thank you all, some good advice to ground back in airtightness and insulation. A question: it has double glazing, and a fairly chunky square looking frame and deeper gap between glass panes, only one blown unit. That said, they creak, need some adjusting to sit in frames and generally look old. Is it diminishing returns time to look at replacing them? I am tempted as two are floor to ceiling, 3m wide units - so the heat loss is relatively large from them as they make up most of one wall in a couple of rooms.

It looks like I have the ideal candidate for a proper refurb - a 100m2, 4 bed, 1970's semi in the brutalist style(!), major renovation was last done in 1990's and seems well maintained but nothing since then apart from cavities filled in 2010... It really is the classic project building. I know enough to look closely at the building envelope first (currently 25mm of loft insulation and relatively new cavity wall insulation, old DG, no floor insulation). Main gable end is north facing and no windows, south is a link-detached garage and bedroom above. East (rear) and West (front) have large glazed areas, roof pitched due east and west. It has old system boiler, dodgy electrics, a garage under a bedroom we will convert, bathroom from 30 years ago, kitchen from similar time ago...No extension planned. Although an 'ugly duckling' a fetching shade of Scottish grey harling, non-symmetrical window lines etc, but it is dry, solid, flat plot, plenty of plot space around it. I am thinking of bringing in an architect - both to advise on thermal insulations and any renewables, and perhaps advising on making it look nicer from the outside...It may even keep cost down to have someone on board who can advise like this. Any advice or places to start making plans welcome!

LG F12U1TCN4 This is our second LG machine in 20 years - both of which have been superb and quiet. I think the Direct Drive is a key element of it - you only then hear things on spin occasionally trhough a closed door if the machine isn't balanced, at which point the machine stops and rebalances itself....

As well as the door, how about sound absorbing materials in the room? I have seen some that looked like flat felt, rather than the studio foam 3D blocks. I would go as far as putting them on the side of the machine. Add in lino rather than tiles or wood floor. Pop the machine inside a cupboard, lined with aforementioned sound absorbing. Or, buy an LG. Ours is all but silent, the flowing water being the noisiest, and the 'silent' setting is amazing.