Temp

It depends on the type of insulation, the porosity of the bricks and exposure to wind driven rain. I think the concensus on this forum is that the grey coated bead systems are less prone to issues than loose fibre fill types. But I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Is the outside brick or render? If its render in good condition then that can virtually eliminate the risk of damp because the render stops water getting into the outer leaf of bricks. ASHP work best on very well insulated houses. The flow temperature is lower than for a fa's or oil boiler so you either need UFH or bigger than normal rads. You wouldn't normally "change" the insulation when fitting ASHP, but you might add to it instead. Mineral wool vs PIR... if you just compare the raw material PIR is a better insulator for a given thickness. But it can be harder to install between joists or rafters because it has to be cut exactly to size or gaps foamed to seal them. Mineral wool can be compressed a bit to fit uneven gaps. You might consider putting mineral wool between the floor joists AND then PIR under the joists where sheets can be butted together without having to cut them. Butt joints can be tapped to improve airtightness. If you want UFH then that works best with tile or stone flooring. Carpets and Engineered wood can be used but a bit more care is needed. If you have the headroom an UFH system that goes on top of the existing worp floor might be worth a look. You would still put most of the insulation below the floorboards though. .

I wouldn't worry too much about this difference. Many houses are built with blockwork cavity walls so have blockwork on the inside. Others have a timber frame with just plasterboard on the inside of the insulation. EWI: Some people like the stabilising effect that the increased thermal mass on the inside brings. IWI: Others prefer the faster response that this has. Much more important is the practicalities of installing either option. Can you fit EWI under the eaves without it looking daft? Lots of rainwater and down pipes to move or? Nice brickwork or render currently?

Many councils have a separation of dwellings policy. Can have various names eg "Seperation Distances and Amenity SPD". This specifies things like the minimum distance between the back of one house and another to reduce overlooking. (Eg between two facing bedroom window's or similar). See if you can get a copy from your planning office. If they meet this its unlikely the planners will consider it a problem. Here is one for East Saffs... ttps://www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/planning/planningpolicy/spd/Separation%20Distances%20and%20Amenity%20SPD_Final_Jun19.pdf The distance is less where one building doesn't have habitable windows so important the planners realise yours aren't shown.

I make my own. You can get thin bleach from Amazon if you can't find it in supermarkets. Dilute at least 50/50 with water. You can spray it with a garden watering sprayer (eg Pump type Hoselock) but it will damage the sprayer over time if you leave it in the sprayer and don't rinse it out. Think I would spray and then roller it with a paint roller to get even cover and dry off any runs. Plenty of ventilation to let it dry out.

I think I would apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the existing building on the grounds that it's been there more than 4 years. That would allow you to replace it with something similar. Then submit a Planning Application for something better looking. Do not take it down or allow it to fall down before you have planning permission for what you want.

I would hire a Planning Consultant to review your file and advise if its worth appealing or go straight to a new/revised design.

Compact everything well then mark the high areas with marker paint and compact them a bit more.

+1 If fitting UFH must insulate properly. We have 80mm PIR and would probably fit double if building again. You also want to think about what's going on top of the UFH... UFH also works best with tile or stone on top rather than underlay and carpet. If you want carpet it should have a low TOG value. Special underlay and carpet exist. Don't be miss-sold by reps that claim "all our carpet is suitable for UFH", they mean UFH won't damage the carpet, not the carpet will let the heat through well. Hessian backed carpet is better than foam backed but sometimes the T&C on the order form allows them to supply either version. Engineered Wood works but a suspended wood floor must normally be >18mm thick (think it's a building regs thing). With care you can use 21mm Engineered wood on joists. Some people buy 14mm Engineered wood and then discover they need to put 18mm chipboard under it, giving 18+14=32mm. The UFH might still work but that 50% more wood the heat has to get through.

So have I..

If the floor is tiled or vinyl you will probably want to mop it so water will probably get under the units. Paving slabs might be a good option. BnQ are 35mm thick. Wickes have 32,35, 38mm

Would any packing be visible or covered by a kick board?

Sorry I missed your post above. Makes sense.

Just been out to test it and I'm wrong. It appears to work by keeping the handbrake engaged for a few seconds. So the sequence is.. Put foot on foot brake. Engage gear Release hand brake. You then have several seconds to move your foot from the foot brake to the accelerator during which the car doesn't roll.

No it's just an anti roll back. If you are in forward gear it doesn't let you roll back. I think if you are in reverse it doesn't let you roll forward but I cant recall testing that. Basically you just put it in gear drop the hand brake and drive away.

Perhaps get her a newer one. Our 2018 manual has hill start assist and a manual handbrake so you can still do them yourself if you want to.

Have you found a supplier that make uPVC patio doors that are accessible?

I agree. Don't like the idea of having a coupling in the screed.

Might be worth investigating how he did that. Didn't he have to provide any evidence the neighbour agreed?

All I can think is asking them how much they would want to give up the ROW permanently? If they are willing then best do this formally so it gets removed from the deeds once and for all. A surveyor might be able to estimate what the right value is eg what it increases your house by and how much it reduces theirs by.

How big is the duct? If big enough could you push another duct through it for the water or electric just to give a bit more protection/separation.

What car is your wife driving? Even a three year old Fiesta has hill start assist these days. Is it turned off?

You may also be hit with a planning condition requiring an Archealogical survey. These can be rather open ended.

Just looked at Part M again. I think you need to get a copy of the planning grant for your house as many sections of Part M are now only mandatory if there is a planning condition requiring compliance. Depending on what the planning conditions say you might need "accessible thresholds" on "other external doors" in addition to the front door/principal entrance. See the intro to section 3 then section 3.23 which refers to back to parts of 3.22. But even if this must be a wheelchair accessible entrance it looks like the sill design wasn't intended for that. This looks like a normal upvc patio door that has been installed lower to try and make it comply with something it wasn't designed for. It looks like a bodge, perhaps because their door/window supplier doesn't make one with a sill that is intended to be wheelchair accessible? I suspect the strip of concrete/screed along by the door might even be a crude attempt to make a ramp, perhaps to make it comply with the 15mm high threshold rule)?

Our system is pipe in foiled insulation with spreader plates. We have 80mm of PIR insulation under the UFH system so I guess equivalent to 85mm? That's over a beam and block floor. Pipe spacing around 150mm. We turned the flow temperature up because the first winter was very cold and the heating couldn't quite keep those rooms to the set temperature. Not helped by no curtains in those rooms. Our engineered wood floor has coped with the highish temperatures ok.