Barnboy

What do people get charged on average for an air test ? I've just been quoted £450 without a certificate ? Also I've got these https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/trimvent-xs16-upvctimber-window-vent-surface-312-x-16mm-white-931161 Trickle vents, I've been searching about and can't find a humidity version that would be a direct replacement, does anyone else know of any hidden somewhere please ? Thanks

Changing the AC/H to 0.2 now gives me a total heat loss of 2536 .

Yes, we thought the architect was good, we'd been given good reviews of him and he was high up in the architects association. His price was simple to understand, as opposed to the other architects who's prices needed a lawyer to understand. He didn't like it when I said that I would be doing as much as I can as that was the only way we could afford to do the build, he told me that I could probably do the plasterboarding ! He even wanted to leave the original 1st floor joists that were rotting in the walls. I will look I to MVHR but we're working on a earn it to pay for it basis at the moment, Covid price increases have wiped us out. I've just had the 1st floor plastered so whether it's even possible to fit now, I don't know.

I haven't been given any target to hit for airtightness, the architects details just state "Thermal bridging and air leakage Building fabric to be constructed using accredited construction details for limiting thermal bridging and air leakage" I didn't know ow anything about airtightness until I'd started. I've fitted Tyvek Airguard Smart from top to bottom and all around, it's taped to all the windows, any penetrations are taped with their flexi bitumen tape and any corners also have a good dollop of sealer to do the best I can. The only area that hasn't got membrane is on the top of the 1st floor heads of the studwork as that was already up when I discovered I needed to fit a membrane. Here I have the membrane taped up to each side of the heads so any air can only pass through the actual timber if that's possible. I've not got MVHR, I never knew about this back then either. We visited the Self build and renovation centre but there were no exhibitors there, only stands to read which I couldn't absorb, that's like reading a book to me, by the time I get to the bottom of the page I've forgotten what was at the top. Ventilation is from trickle vents on the windows and shuttered extractor fans in the bathrooms and kitchen.

These are my inputs, I need to measure the walls and windows etc accurately and just went from memory last night, but I don't think that I'm far out with those. I can't find anything relating to air changes in any of the architects paperwork ( He pretty much abandoned me when I said I was going to self build) everything is taped and sealed as best as I can do it so I'm pretty sure it's well done, a sparky mate who's on sites everyday keeps telling me that I've gone ott with my membranes and taping.

I still haven't managed to get to the stage of ordering anything UFH wise yet but have been going over and over this in my head. I've got 140mm of Insulation below my already laid 65mm screed, this gives me a u value of 0.18W/m²k. Using Jeremy's heat loss calculator and some off the top of my head figures I get a total heat loss of 3268W with a floor area of 90m². If I understand this correctly and have filled everything in correctly I work it to equate to about 36w/m² of ufh being required??? If I was to opt for the Variotherm gypsum panel, this in my thoughts would basically act as part of the screed but with the pipes 65mm upwards of the insulation and about 45/63mm below my ffl. Would the insulation u value and depth compared to the pipework allow this system to work to a decent standard or would there (A) not be enough insulation (B) the height of the pipes in the build up not allow the slab to work as a thermal mass well enough ? I've read on here of people having their pipework midway up there slab and also having 100 -120mm of slab with ufh. Any inputs to help my understanding before I loose anymore sleep and hair over this. Thanks

I got our local electricity company who supply and fit ashp to come and have a look. They told me one wouldn't be suitable as they're only good for old drafty houses ! At a push I might be able to come in through an adjoining building and through the 1st floor posi joists and back down into my utility which is in the centre of the house.

I've searched about and have seen people saying, 28mm, 32mm pipes and 66mm insulation etc, which I know won't fir, I'm just hoping someone may have another option/solution.

I didn't allow any ducting for an Air source pump into the house as I was advised when we were planning by the architect, electrician and electricity supplier that they wouldn't be suitable and I'd need an oil or electric boiler. A few years down the line now and still doing the conversion I'm thinking after reading everything on here that maybe I should be going down the ASHP route. I've got a 100mm and a 50mm duct that I could use if I only use my rainwater harvesting for the garden and not for the w/c and washing machine. The run to where I could site the unit would be around about 12 to 14 metres with 2 swept 90⁰ bends including the one up through the slab. Can anyone tell me if I could use these or am I dreaming and would need bigger ? Thanks

Thanks, I was just searching for pro-lite filler. The plaster is fairly polished, I'll add a photo tomorrow, I'm planning on spraying everything except the bathroom ceilings.

I'm now also at a finished skim coat stage and wanting to start to put some paint on the walls and ceilings, I've tried searching for the pro-lite filler @nod recommends but my search only comes up with a car body filler, can you point me to the product you use please ? I'm more used to the automotive industry where anything resembling a shine gets sanded before painting, should I be giving my multifinish a fine sand before misting, or as plaster is porous does it not need it ? I've read both to sand and not to. Thanks

The guy at Jackoboard told me to use SBR, he didn't say anything about diluting it, but I also didn't ask, and I'm not at the point of plastering yet so il jabe to.look firther. Give the their technical helpline a call, they were quite easy to talk to. If I remember correctly the plasterer said he'd just use multifinish over it, the same as the rest if the walls.

I was using countersunk screws just to hold it in place, the tip of the countersink was only just touching the board when I walked away, cane back later abd it had buldged. All good now with the staples and ply.

I tried just foam adhesive on the first head with some screws to hold it in place, this worked OK but buldged about 3mm between the screws. I've now done the rest of my 1st floor reveals using foam, then stapling the board in place before wedging some ply in-between until the adhesive has gone off. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome .

I'm not too worried about liability insurance as I'm doing everything myself, I'm more worried about if there was a fire, or with all this bad weather, if roof was to be blown off.

@GrantMcscott have you managed to get anywhere with your insurance ? My selfbuild policy with Aviva is up at the begining of January and on the last renewal they said that they wouldn't renew again as I'd had the policy for 4yrs now, even though I've paid the premium.s up front and never made a claim. They're now saying that they'll give me a final 3 month extension at a cost of nearly 2k but this would 100% be their final extension. My local broker who has been sorting this for me has said that as long as I can "live" even as a make do hobo in the property then I can go over to normal house insurance, she then passed me over to their private broker department who I cannot get any reply from. I've tried Intelligent insurance and Gsi, who have also put me through to various telephone search engines with no luck, the last one I spoke to was meant to call me back but hasn't and because I'd gone through this telesales engine system I have no contact for them. I can get my place to a make do livable position early next year but there's no chance of it being fully signed off until the end of 2024 but can't seem to find anyone to insure me.

I'm planning on plastering onto Jackoboard, I called their technical guy who told me to prime with sbr and then plaster away .

Can anyone recommend the best quality make of bits for collated and impact drivers please ?

Both bits have only put up about 20 sheets and not been brilliant from the start, but... they're both bits that came with screws or screw guns so probably cheap quality.

I've just realised that although I had a PR2 bit in the impact driver the collated gun had a PH2 in it. I've just put a new PH2 in both and the impact driver is definitely better, collated gun is maybe better but not amazing. I think I'll invest in some better quality bits.

I'm using a PR2 bit that came witht the standard screws. Admittedly it's not as snug as in the standard screws but it's the best fitting bit that I can find. Standard on the right in the photos, performance plus on the left.

Has anybody used the performance plus screws ? I'm boarding with Soundshield board, the spec sheet says to use performance plus screws which I've purchased for the job. They seem an absolute nightmare to get in. I've got a milwaukee collated screw gun but you've got to be perfectly square and have most of your body weight behind the gun to stop the bit spinning out of the screw head. I've taken some screws out of the plastic strip and put them in with my impact driver but as soon as the reverse thread below the screw head hits the board they go tight and require backing in and out a couple of times. I've put a few std plasterboard screws in and they're fine, it's just these specified screws with the reverse thread. Should I just give up and swap to standard screws, what's the purpose of the reverse thread ? , to force any board that the screw has pushed out the back, back into the board ? Thanks

I did a small piece as a trial last night with some everbuild construction pro foam adhesive, seems solid as anything to me, the only thing is, I put a couple of screws in to stop the board sliding about, this has held it in place but it seems to have bowed slightly away from the screws where the foam has expanded. I called Jackoboards technical guy, he recommended using a flexible tile adhesive, plastering over is not a problem, just prime with SBR and go for it. I think I might try another piece with foam but leave the screws slightly loose until the foam has gone off.

I take it that hasn't fallen off then @Russell Griffiths? My reveals are about 500/600mm deep so a few screws to give me piece of mind and hold them in place whilst the foam goes off.