Temp

Think the 225*225 tile is the corner one for the border. So the border would actually be (5*450)+(2*225) rarther than 6*450.

Or use cut down center tiles to make the "border around the border".. 3000/450=6.666 So 6 full border tiles with a "border around the border" of 0.666*450/2 = 150mm approx. So with luck you can get two from each 450*450 center tile. I think 150mm is wide enough so that any slight variation in width won't be obvious. For example you won't notice if the border one side is 5-10mm narrower. However if it was only 50mm then a 5-10mm variation would be more noticeable. Planning will be key. Make a drawing. I'd start laying tiles from the centre and work out.

I guess ok if dead branches cant fall on anything. I've had two trees die and the main reason for cutting them down was because they shed branches.

Elderly relative is moving into a nursing home and I'll probably have to sort out her bills for her. Have just noticed that the last digit of her electricity meter number is wrong on the bill. Something like bill says WX06430 when it says WX06436 on the meter itself. What are the chances two flats have been paying each others electric bill for 15 years?

I've been working my way through a similar list and in the same order... Wouldn't buy TP-Link, D-Link again. Ok when new but became unreliable too quickly. Strange things like forgetting the WiFi settings for no reason. The Netgear hubs I've got have been ok. But there is a lot less to go wrong with a hub. I have two DrayTek WiFi access points that have been working well for several years and I got them second hand. Would buy again but they are more expensive than I would like new. When we got fibre (FTTC) a few years ago I switched to a Billion modem. That's also been very good. Impressed with the WiFi access point in it especially as it has no visible antenna. Would buy again based on experience to date. Not a very scientific survey but that's where I'm at.

Should also check dining table if not done. The symbols look identical to those our architect used. I reckon they were invented for estate agents to make houses look bigger. Bit like using small kids to make a car look bigger.

I notice that talks a lot about storage so the tanks they have must be thermal stores. They don't look big enough to switch to some sort of night time rate.

Measure temperature of inside face of wall. Single brick wall probably cold enough for condensation.

I also prefer option 1. However.. it's a bit narrow at 3.218m and the sofa at the top might be too far from the TV so I suggest.. Moving the partition between living and kitchen a bit to the right making living wider and kitchen smaller. Move sofa at the top down so you can walk behind it to get ffrom kitchen to BBQ area. Also makes nearer TV and other sofa. Double check the size of furniture on drawings because some architects drawings of three seater sofas are the size of some two seater.

DM says... It seems they had two meters one for the boiler and one for everything else which is making it hard to switch because there aren't many (any?) tarriffs that are set like that. 7p is about same as LPG and a more than Oil according to my favourite comparison site. 16p for heating is crazy money. I notice in the video the people also say they aren't powerfull enough.

+1 to the accountant. So many ways to come unstuck. For example the CIL exemption for self builders only applies under some pretty tight rules. Don't do anything until you are sure you understand them. As some errors cannot be reversed easily or at all leaving you liable to pay it. Even your accountant may not fully understand the CIL exemption do check out what you propose to do on this forum. When did your Dad get planning permission and is there still much time left before it expires? I think there are also different tax and inheritance tax rules for gifts of land rather than other assets. I wouldnt be surprised if someone told me it was better for you to buy the land and for your father to gift you the money straight back (or some other complication).

A QS can do quite a lot but it can get expensive if you hire them to do everything. They can... * Estimate total build cost. * Check and adjust builders quotes so they are based on same assumptions/place holders otherwise they can't be compared. One of our builders allowed too much for steels and accepted QS figures. * Value work done to ensure builder is entitled to a stage payment and perhaps what that payment should be. Ours pointed out we should retain 5% of stage payment until snagging was done. * Check cost of changes you may want is reasonable, agree amended total price. Possibly argue for you if there is a dissagrement with the builder. Overall we found our QS better value than the Architect during the construction phase but now I have done a house I know quite a bit more than I did at the outset.

Welcome to the forum. With so many sections it can be hard to keep track so I think most of us use the "Unread Content" button at the top right quite a lot.

+1 Perhaps put meter box on right of main entrance (eg around corner) with CU in the entrance hall or study upstairs? We had space for a built in cupboard in my study/office and put in it.. Consumer unit BT master socket Broadband Modem Router Network patch panel (not needed?) DECT phone base station (not needed?) Burglar alarm panel (wireless fobs used to arm it so no need to access the key pad on it) TV distribution amplifier Several mains sockets to power that lot. With this set up the phone line is only inches long (master socket to Modem and DECT base) so maximising the chances of getting good broadband speeds. It also makes it easy to add an extra network connections via powerline adaptors. These work best if the transmitter is near the CU. Any plans for a CCTV system? Might want a server for that in there as well?

Haven't looked at your garage dimensions but we ran into problems. Architect just drew what he considered to be a standard garage. When we got around to thinking about it I realised we could get the car in but wouldn't be able to get out of the car (even a Ford Focus which was smaller back then). After doing some experiments involving parking near walls and pushing a tape under the car we decided we had to add 1m to the width! Fortunately the planners accepted it as a minor amendment.

Looks like the regs changed since I built my place. Notthat we would change anything as we love our level access now. We basically ramped the driveway so you can drive up to the front door level. Handy when any appliances or similar need delivering on a sack trolley.

* Will need a drainage plan at some point. Position of stacks and spec (open vented or AAV). Inspection chambers, route to main sewer. * Ditto for surface water and soakaways. * Cross section through roof/wall junction showing any hidden drainage and tie downs for ceiling joists. * Cross section of garage wall showing any tanking, DPC, french drains if below ground level. Height difference between garage floor and entrance hall or fall on garage floor.

Only had a quick look and I'm on my tablet so may have missed something you have already included. Some are things I missed.. * I don't think resilient bars would be essential for the plasterboard ceiling on top floor but if you want them why not. * Part M requires a WC on the "entry level". Usually that's the front door but if not you may have to justify an alternative door. I would mark on the drawings the "Part M compliant entry" and "Part M compliant WC". In our case (also split level) the BCO wanted to understand the whole route from parking space to WC on entry level and for that to be wheel chair friendly - so show any external paving and/or ramps and the gradient along that route. * You have notes describing the floor and ceiling joists. I would also work out what the max span is for each and add that somewhere. Eg Max span of floor joists is X meters in bedroom Y. Also add floor and joist spacing is not already done. * Specify all glass below X meters above floor to be toughened glass. Think some glass also has to be laminated these days but I'm out of date. * Being a three storey house you may need to check fire regs. Things like fire rating of doors and walls of the stair well are different for three storey vs two. Show location of interlinked battery backed smoke alarms? * Outside will the ground be sloped or stepped around the house? If steps are over certain height you may be expected to add railings to prevent falls. Ours were close. * Check height of window sills above floors. There is a minimum to stop people calling out.

I have a friend with pine trees in his garden. Personally i'd just leave the areas under the trees to develop a natural forrest floor look (eg poor grass and pine needles!) on that side of the garden. Could consider planting narrow borders at the bottom of the gabions to break them up a bit. That might also avoid the need to use a strimmer where the grass meets the gabion (avoids strimmer line breaking).

Our system is an oil boiler feeding a thermal store which in turn feeds UFH and DHW. That works for us but I don't think it's an optimal set up when it comes to ASHP. In a well insulated house I think it's better to connect ASHP direct to UFH. That's because DHW needs higher temperatures than UFH and higher temperatures reduce ASHP performance. Eg you don't want you ASHP producing high temperatures all the time, only when it's heating DHW.

My guess is that valve is only meant to open when the UFH calls for heat. You might find it works fine left open but it may heat the UFH manifold and pipework unnecessarily when the rads are calling for heat.

Remember to claim the self build exemption you need to live in the house for three years after completion.

Could you keep the oil boiler until you can afford ASHP? Electricity is 2-3 times the cost of oil at the moment. 15-20p vs about 6-8p per kWH I think.

Those look good @Declan52 I think your photos show off the blocks better than some of theirs.

I note that a period of 0.25 seconds is 4Hz so that's probably where the error comes from.