NSS

Actually, it's more like £ Actually, it's more like £400 (roughly 96 cubic metres more that I'd have expected against historical usage).

Bugger! Had a plumber round today and it turns out to be the stopcock itself is leaking. Only the handle is visible through the back of the sink cupboard and the leak has been running down into the 4" sleeve coming up from beneath the floor (yes, turns out it is routed under the floor) so no evidence of the leak internally. I estimate the leak has cost over £600 in additional water usage in the last 12 months. Expensive lesson leaned! ?

There is, but it's on the outside wall of the kitchen and not leaking. I only hope that SW are half as understanding if it turns out to be a meter fault!

Probably have room to install a meter after the stopcock so may have to try that. Circa £25 for a meter is small beer compared to the £436 they've just been billed for the last 6 months!

Have any of our plumbing experts come across such a situation before?

Thing is the issue seems to be getting progressively worse, suggesting (if it is the meter) that it's not merely calibration but increasing inaccuracy.

Here's the issue. My daughter and her fella currently live in the house we lived in while we built the new one. It's 3-bed townhouse with concrete floors on all levels. Over the last 18 months (three water bills) average daily usage has increased from circa 330 litres per day (bill this time last year) to 460 litres per day (last August) and now 640 litres per day. The rise last August was unexpected so I investigated and replaced the flush valves in the toilets and the seals between the cisterns and bowls as they were leaking. I also checked all taps, etc and there was no sign of any other leakage. The latest rise was therefore completely unexpected so I've taken another look. With the stopcock turned off the meter stops, so it's apparently not a leak between the meter (at the front of the house) and the stopcock (under the sink at the rear of the property. However, due to the concrete floors, all pipework appears to run up into the ceiling void between ground and first floor (and on upwards from there). We reckon actual usage is probably circa 300 litres per day less than the meter shows, and 300 litres per day would have flooded the house never mind shown a damp patch somewhere (there is none). So, I spoke to Southern Water and suggested I'm suspicious that the meter is faulty. However, they say (because the meter stops when the stopcock is closed) that it can only be a leak in the property and, unless I can prove otherwise they will not check the operation of the meter. Any suggestions as to how I can check it myself would be much appreciated, cheers!

Thanks for that. Looks interesting but, as you say, may be a little OTT for my purpose. I'll bear it mind though ?

Bit of an update, I've been in touch with Efergy and they tell me they hope to have just such a product in the near future (possibly within a few weeks). I understand it will be similar to their E2 model but able to report on PV export. Will post again when/if I hear more.

We used Sadolin Superdec Satin. Extensive range of colours but can also be ordered in any RAL colour. Painted our fascia/soffits in 7016 ordered from Buypaintsonline.co.uk and found them to be very reasonable on price and quick delivery. We painted ours close to 3 years ago now and still looks perfect.

What sort of colour are you wanting Russell?

As I've said before, our build spec was driven by the need to create the most appropriate environment (air quality primarily) for my wife's conditions, and most importantly to be able to maintain that environment year round (or at least to avoid large swings). We seem to have got it about right. Relatively low energy input needed to maintain a comfortable temperature inside when the outside temperature is low, yet little need for active cooling on all but the most sultry of summer evenings, without having to sacrifice the views out to combat solar gain.

Yep, have seen those but reviews are very mixed with many complaining about poor accuracy and annual or biannual fee to access data.

As the title suggests, I'd like to be able to monitor/record energy usage (including PV export) but without having an energy company supplied smart meter. Can anyone suggest/recommend a suitable device, please?

And SageGlass

Got to admit I admire all you caravan dwellers. Wasn't an option for us due to wife's health so we were fortunate to be in a position to buy a house to live in whilst we built the new one.

I once watched a Ukrainian tap dancer break his leg. He fell into the sink.

Heard an interview on Radio 5 last week, talking to a woman who makes a living from taking on 'eating challenges' and posting videos thereof on her YouTube channel. The world has gone mad!

Blimey, we only managed 4.7 kWh today. Granted it wasn't sunny all day, and at this time of year we do get a bit of shading in the morning, but that still seems a lot to have generated at this time of year. The last time we generated 12 kWh (pro rata 2/3 of what you did today as we only have 4k on the roof) was 9th October.

So, my projected energy usage proved to be pretty accurate, with total import of 4680kWh at a cost of £784 for the full year (I'd estimated £790) in our 165m2 chalet bungalow. Net cost after FiT and RHI payments was £60. Happy with that ?

We used Madley Eternit to Cedral Click ordered via Jewsons. Great system which is easy to self install (I managed to so it must be!) But you need to use a specialist diamond-tipped chop saw blade to cut it. Also, be aware that it's generally only sold in full pallets so you need to work out how much you need (we actually slightly reduced the areas clad in it from original plan and increased that covered by the thermowood) as you don't want to have to buy an additional pallet if you only need a few planks from it.

Well, according to Lewis Hamilton, that's Stevenage for the bulldozers then ?

Completely agree with that last sentence, but the problem is that inefficient old housing stock is (largely) lived in by those with the least chance of improving them (I'm not talking about the Victorian mansions and 'chocolate box' cottages). Perhaps a way forward would be to allow certain energy efficiency improvements to be made by owners with a quid pro quo reduction in council tax payments (whatever is spent on, for example, improving insulation is deducted from your CT bill for that year).

One of the points that this discussion begs a question on is longevity of residential builds. How many of the homes we're building (people on this forum, not the mass builders) today 'need' to stand for more than 50 years or so? Surely, in 2068, a home built today will likely be as out of date in terms of its relation to a home built in 50 years time as one built in the 1800's is to your average passive house of today.

Sure, but ICF, passive slabs.... ?