curlewhouse

Is it not possible just to block the venting anyway?

Yes, I haven't seen the price yet, but my architect did warn me it was expensive but that we'll only need one layer thank goodness. Product details link HERE

We initially had an objection from a parish councillor that our house would spoil the view of a pele tower (Northumbrian fortified house). We looked at it and discovered that to get the pele tower AND our proposed house in the same line of view, to find the only point where you could do this you had to go and stand in my parents chicken run! I politely pointed out that I had asked them and the chickens had offered no objection..... heard no more about it.

On the old eBuild forum a very good point was raised about the fact that with SIPs your sole plate will be sitting on your foundation wall, so that will be where any moisture in the air condenses... and your wooden sole plate will be sat in the wet, with potential problems. After a few conversations with my architect about this (and if you stop to think about it, it is a very good point) we are looking at something called Foamglass which is strong enough to build on. It will be interesting to see what our SIPs supplier's engineers and BC say as it could be an elegant solution, plus actually increase our insulation.

With the sad demise of that truly amazing resource eBuild I've been suffering withdrawal symptoms. I have to say that all along the way I've learned more from the eBuild forum than from the various books I've been reading on our self build journey! Hopefully this forum will build to similar. Anyway, we are building in Northumberland National Park (if you think you have difficulty with planning in "normal" areas under local authority control... those of us building in National Parks envy you! - I've told the stories on eBuild so won't repeat here, but if I say that the planning decision time limits are just completely ignored and a £200 charge for the "right" to pass on your home to your child when you die without them having to go to court at that time to fight the planning conditions preventing it, are just some of the exciting features, you might get just part of the flavour ). So, we are building in SIPs with a real stone outer, and aiming at passiv levels, though not going for the certification. We also need for financial reasons to do a significant amount of the work ourselves. so far we are a year behind schedule with not so much as a turf turned over on the plot! - Again down to conditions from our National park planners, meaning I can't even put a track in without a bloody archaeologist present (even though an actual proper archaeolgical dig on the site a few years ago showed there is absolutely nothing on the site - but hey, so what, it's other peoples money they get to waste after all) and the Park allowing themselves up to 3 months (90 days) just to reply to say if they agree to you using a named archeologist! But I am expecting the final plans for BC in the next 2 days so at least we can be doing something again. So I'd sum up by saying it's a fascinating process (the actual building planning etc), but the exercise/abuse of power for it's own sake in some of the people you have to deal with is truly frustrating.