Temp

An electrician should be able to fit a capacitor that makes the light go out. It doesn't actually stop the power being consumed but that's normally tiny.

Could switch to mains pressure and just disconnect the tank leaving it in place. Main consideration would be the condition of the pipes. Good enough for mains pressure?

+1 Hybrid roof has risks because it moves the structural wood towards the cold side. Ideally you would need a condensation risk analysis done. I have heard recommendations that no more than 1/3rd of the total insulation should be below.

The normal rule is no building within 3m of a pipe but that rule that does get broken by build overs and sometimes they allow closer (1.5m for example). You won't really know until you ask about a build over. I think a diversion might be possible but as the pipe is in concrete that's not an easy task. They also tent to want manhole access where there is a change of direction so might need two of those as well.

Quite nicely popped. The ones I've had fail on other kit usually just bulge up a bit.

We got completion in England with.. No kitchen fitted Two bathrooms without 2nd fix (no bath, shower, loo or basin). Lots of missing wall lights (just a chocbox wrapped in tape). One wood burner not installed. This is what I remember our BCO wanted to do on our final inspection: Checked outstanding issues from previous visits had been done. Checked the electrics were signed off. Witnessed our builder pressure testing the drains (required me to cap off some pipes waste pipes with plastic bags and tape). Inspected all glass that needed to be toughened (eg infill panels on stairs, low height windows etc). The BCO said he was looking for the "kite mark". He couldn't find it on some because they were faint. I had to find them for him while he carried on. if there is ever a next time I would find out where the marks are in advance. Tested all coated glass in windows with a resistance tester? That showed we had some panes the wrong way around but it didn't bother the BCO. Checked the height of all window sills and the clear opening width. Failures allowed: He noticed lack of air brick in the room where the wood burner was going. I pointed to a MVHR vent in the ceiling and said we had an air vent system. He thought about it for a moment or too and moved on. He discovered two upstairs window sills were too low by 1-2cm but signed us off on the understanding I would fit window restrictors to prevent people falling out. This was in 2007 so they may want more stuff now? Air tightness tests?

You have at least one blown capacitor on your PCB.

New vs used?

Get a copy of the title plan off the land registry web site. Beware scammers who add a mark up and get it from the same site. Last i looked the real website only charged £5-£10. I suspect your boundary is the red line on the drawing you posted. I think you might be able to divert the pipe along your side of the boundary around the proposed extension. If they wont allow a build over I would work out what separation a diversion would give and get a plan drawn up for their approval.

Don't worry too much. Your plumber is probably just miffed you got someone else to do the pipes. Perhaps apologise with a crate of beer and ask him to fit the isolation valves the other guys forgot. 🙂

Yes just add a vcl below the rafters and before plasterboarding. Perhaps seal any gaps between roof and walls before fitting the VCL.

+1 Couch bed, bathroom and kitchen. Pretty sure the planners would consider that capable of separate occupation. It's called a bedsit !

The legs look a bit short on the stove... @GrantMcscott Is the stove designed so it cannot "cause the temperature of the upper surface of the hearth to exceed 100°C" ? If the hearth can get hotter then 100C then Approved Doc J requires a thick concrete "Constructional Hearth" - Diagram 27b or c. If the hearth wont get hotter than 100C then you want Diagram 27a. So that would be a minimum of 300mm in front and 150mm either side of the opening. It should be 12mm taller than the FFL. We made a template and took it to a local monumental stone mason who had some offcuts of black granite work top in the yard. He honed off the gloss finish and it looks great.

I'd paint the ceiling with one of the Zinsser primers. Either the Bulls Eye 123, Bulls Eye 123 Plus or B-I-N. Think the BIN is possibly their best but that ones not water based. They also have "Allclean - Scrubable Interior Matt" top coat but I've not used it yet. They have several others worth a look. I was recommended Zinsser paint a few years ago when I had issues with paint peeling off a ceiling over a steamy shower. Its worked brilliantly for that despite frequently having water droplets hanging from it.

That's not exactly wrong but I think assumes what you are building is capable of separate occupation. If there was a bedroom in there then adding a kitchen might/would be sufficient to make it capable of being occupied separate to the main house.

I think most 100mm SS screws are going to be around 5-6 mm diameter which should be fine. Experiment with some scrap to see what pilot hole you need in oak.

The rules for planning permission are different to those for Building Regulations Approval. There is a detailed tech guide here which spells out what you can build without planning permission.... https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance There isn't a 30sqm limit for planning permission but check the complicated height limits if near boundary. All buildings should comply with the Building Regulations but that doesn't mean you must always make a Building Control Application. My understanding is you wont need BCA under 30sqm and no bedrooms. Not all of the regulations apply to all buildings. BCA is required for the drains and electrics although your electrician should do that for you.

Not about house building but about making other things.... Cutting Edge Engineering (big lathes, milling machines, welding etc) https://youtu.be/KswiJrYhEbY?si=Dg8VU9tH1f4LCS8K Blondihacks (makes steam engines etc) https://youtu.be/yiAWsopdr0A?si=YFpUSzTGx2cLMeGC Tally Ho (4 years into rebuilding a famous racing yacht. Amazing museum quality workmanship/woodwork. Nearly finished now). Starts here.. https://youtu.be/4FhTu3aGM60?si=qlTHrnyRadox3Gqy

Stainless steel screws around 100mm. Recess heads about 15mm. So 35mm in the horizontal and 65mm in the vertical. Might get away with slightly shorter. Quite a generous pilot hole as stainless steel screws not as strong and can shear if too much torque needed.

Starting with a simple rectangular opening (as you would for a door) you just add a rectangular frame/bead, then the glass then another bead. One side the bead can be glued and pinned in place. The other side just pinned in case you need to replace the glass. You can run a sealant around before fitting the glass to stop daughts and rattles. The shape of the bead can be a simple square/rectangle or a moulding to match elsewhere. Ideally mitre the corners but not essential. If it's going to be a double glazed unit the vertical thickness of the bead needs to be sufficient to hide the seal and some extra to allow for the fact the glass needs to be cut slightly underside and then packed to centre it in the opening. Both panes should be supported by any packing. Beware fire regulations. For example if this new wall is separating stairs from habitable rooms in a 3 storey house (inc 2 story with loft conversation). Might need to limit size of glass, and change how it's fitted. Possibly even wired glass? Think it also needs to be toughened glass as below ?? mm from floor level. Same for door.

What do grey bars mean? There are some grey and some orange the same size. Does grey mean no data received or similar error?

My guess is a dodgy connection... Does that 24.48kwh come after a time slot with apparently zero usage ? My guess is the meter wasn't able to update the system for awhile even though the boiler was running. So when it was able to send an update the system incorrectly assumed the calculated change in consumption all occured in the previous time slot instead of say averaging it over the time slots that were missed. I guess the same might happen for longer outages?

Some interesting info at this page. Particularly the notes about using different thicknesses of glass. Sadly no figures for the combination of double and secondary. Perhaps ask them? https://www.kjmgroup.co.uk/products/windows/soundproofing#:~:text=The best sound reducing gap,or external) is not important.

The ruling in this case effectively puts most of their gain into the period after the house was occupied and therefore exempt. But what about the gains made before the house was finished? For example the planning gain when PP was granted? I wonder if the ruling means HMRC will argue that gain is taxable because the ruling says your ownership of it as a PPR only begins when you move in?

This court case changes the rules regarding CGT relief on self builds. It appears that in the past you wernt entitled to Principle Private Residence Relief until you move in. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/capital-gains/hmrc-capital-gains-rules-wrongly-58-years-homeowners-refund/