curlewhouse

Restarting work I'm seriously reconsidering my plans for MVHR. We have a SIPS build and I fanatically filled and sealed every joint or gap real and imagined (mostly imagined) during the build. For various reasons (without too much detail, a divorce in middle of it all and a serious back injury) everything came to a halt and I ended up been living in basically an unfinished house and have restarted work only really last week after 2 years. Less than 1/4 of the house is plasterboarded and is all green recycled polythene vapour barrier inside. So all during that time there have been daily showers, cooking etc etc ... for 2 people now, and yet I have zero condensation. I keep wondering where the heck it goes, but its nowhere to be found. Now the house volume is I suppose big for just two people, and the main living areas are a constant 21c except for when it gets a little warmer in sunny weather ( I am really pleased with how the SIPs and my underfloor insulation panned out) from solar gain. So whether the moisture in the air just gets so spread out (not very scientific an explanation, I know, but it doesn't even really condense on the loo cistern which must be the coldest surface in the house when full of fresh freezing cold country water). Air filtration is a bit of a non issue pollutants wise - we have rare lichens growing here which experts tell us are extremely sensitive to any pollution, and its never ever stuffy (I have no way of scientifically measuring Co2 levels like some of the posters on here I'm afraid) even when there have been 4 people staying pre covid. So now although it was considered an absolute in my plans, I'm really wondering if MVHR is necessary for me after all. I was relying on it moving heat around a bit as we don't have upstairs heating so in winter the rooms can be a little cool (though if you leave the doors open during the day, the heat does rise up and they are warm, but if the doors are shut this doesn't happen, so I'm toying with small panel heaters on stats for the very odd winter night they might be needed as a cheaper option if we have anyone staying who feels cold in bed at around 17c). It means I'll need to add bathroom extractors, for regs reasons, but with the money I'd save I'll look at heat recovery ones - not brilliant but better than just pumping heat out. I'm really surprised, as with having to move in whilst working I expected vapour to be an issue with showers etc. yet not a sign. I understand that once plasterboarded theres even more "natural" absorbtion and gradual release of water vapour in a building - and I don't even have that advantage yet.

As regards the day rate/fixed price discussion, a refurb build not far from me was paying day rate and luckily was informed by his neighbours that his day rate builders were clearing off shortly after lunchtime each day! It had gone on for weeks and the poor guy had no idea. It was only when talking to his neighbour about how it was taking much longer than he expected and mentioning the increasing cost that it all came to light.

Just seen this as for various personal reasons ( relationship breakup and a severe back injury) our build came to a complete halt for almost 3 years and I've been off Buildhub for all of that time. I used Aedis for both regs and warranty. The warranty was a nightmare - nit-picking doesn't even begin to describe it. We also lost all our money paid for the warranty of course. They were expensive too but at the time it seemed logical to use them for both and our architect had used them and had a good relationship with their local inspector. I came to bitterly regret it. Their regs guy was indeed sensible enough, but the guy who did the warranty inspections seemed inexperienced, but he was very nice, so much so that I felt bad about complaining - but they literally brought us to a halt more than once with really silly demands. No way would they treat commercial customers the same or they'd have never got a second contract. As an example they wanted me to write to the makers of packing strips to confirm they were suitable for ......packing. Wanted me to get the SIPs manufacturer (Kingspan) to confirm they were "approved". Each section had BBA stickers on it! Yes, really, Kingspan! The guy had not done a SIPs job before and basically they were getting me to complete his education. Honestly, they added so much stress to us it was unreal.

Yes, they also said the same about North Sea gas! Roll on fusion I say! ?

Well yes you will end up with a nice simple roof with no trusses etc taking up space and it will be well insulated. But you know you can have a full SIPs house and still have a masonry outer - that's what we have. So its traditional stone on the outside, but concealing a full warm SIPs house on the inside.

Well house is built mostly and so far not a single trip to the tip or a skip hired! Lots of fires (when wind blowing away from village - I actually caused a cow to start coughing the other day ?) and judicious use of the bottom of the bin and friendly neighbours bins - a little at a time. Plasterboard offcuts a little troublesome but not impossible to resolve. I *hate* fly tippers with a vengeance - one travelled 20 odd miles to tip near our village and I discovered it - fortunately he was dumb enough to leave stuff with his address amongst it ?

My account holding branch tried to tell me I can only buy from that branch. For various reasons another branch is far more convenient to me so I popped in one day and asked if it was true I can't use my account there - needless to say, it wasn't true and indeed I got the exact same price there.

Yep, had this happen to me. In the field I work in I have had these "leaning on the counter" types offering unasked for advice not realising they've probably read about me too ?. Not saying we know it all of course, but probably more than someone who spends his day leaning on the counter in a shop he doesn't work in ?

Yes, after using the SLR and sterling I was hugely. Impressed with the accuracy and weight difference of the later SA80s - but as a left hander it was a complete pain in the backside to have to learn to shoot wrong handed (for those who don't know,you cannot shoot it left handed) & I was never as fast or quite as accurate (though admittedly could still hit a fig 11 somewhere vital every time,but those milliseconds difference could have cost me dear one day). With owning my own civilian rifles I agree, the military stamped metal and plastic feels very wrong, but it works I suppose.

Stabila for me. Bought a full set of them for the build - stupid shop sent them wrapped in polythene only as "protection" and the 1800 one had been severely bent in transit - I mean visibly bent ! The others were ok and I ended up just buying one from wickes which has also stayed absolutely true (I check them against each other from time to time) despite much use.

I know why this is - when I used to sell car parts online, Royal Mail refused to send brake pads by air saying brake pads are prohibited on aircraft...(making the "special next day delivery" I paid for to one of the Scottish islands then take longer than normal mail would have done ? ) . In reply I asked them what they stop their own planes with, "an anchor thrown out the back?" ... they didn't reply ? . So You must have been on one of the special planes royal mail uses which cannot have brakes ?

I see Wickes is now offering immediate* access to their trade card if you show them your B&Q tradepoint card. Since B&Q now want you to spend x amount the month before to get a discount, I noted their tradepoint Facebook page was full of posts from trade people saying "goodbye B&Q, hello Wickes" (or words to that effect). I have to say that although I've now got the wickes card (*their sign saying "start saving today" is false as they won't sign you up that day. I had an argument in store pointing out that the woman was stood beside the sign saying "start saving today" by showing us your B&Q tradepoint card, but they refused to do it - even when I got their head office to ring them, who told them to do it they still refused and said I must go home and sign up! Anyway, B&Q Tradepoint card is accepted as proof of trade status for wickes to issue their own trade card (10% discount on everything even on top of other discounts) but may be worth doing before you intend to purchase in case you get staff like I did who refuse to sign you up that day. Was considering reporting their ad to ASA actually, as their joining system means you cannot start saving that day, but since I got the card eventually albeit after 3 phone calls chasing it up, I really can't be bothered ?. It makes their deals on for instance cement way better than my usual BMs, but ensure you sign up at least 24 hours before you intend to purchase as you'll have to wait for a temporary code to be sent until your card is despatched.

Yep. My 1984 landrover with different coloured doors probably does the same ?

With unhelpful neighbours take comfort in the knowledge that karma always comes into play. At our last house (semi detached) our neighbours did daily DIY ..... for 4 years! Even when we asked nicely for the odd day of respite when my wife (a nurse) had been working a 12 hour nightshift and needed to sleep they declined and just kept going (he's retired so it wouldn't have been an issue to give us 1 day off) This guy used tools like no one else - to knock a nail in was bang (wait 5 seconds) bang (wait 5 seconds ) and so on - sawing was the same ! The suspense waiting for the next bang or saw action was part of the torture. Anyway, we sold up and don't actually have close neighbours now, and I had to laugh when I heard that the the guy we sold it to has all night parties and even plays loud music during the day such that it can be heard over100 metres away even *outside* - oh the irony ? . As they say ,"karmas a bitch" ?

I've noticed that since starting the self build, pretty much everything aches, and realised that it's a shame that by the time most of us can afford to self build, the 20-30 year old body which would have been ideal for it is well beyond that sell by age and a bit knackered ?.