Nickfromwales

https://www.ceilingtilesuk.co.uk/product/mf5-furring-channel-top-hat-3600mm-mf-ceilings/?1&ft=true&utm_campaign=PMAXW-Shopping&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21670932886&gbraid=0AAAAADxRNNWI9JmkQ-Qpl9DkshjATYJ-U&gclid=CjwKCAjwl_XBBhAUEiwAWK2hzqSPXOY1GzYYPCyOeSp9yPUlQdr59EVk7yMhPyOjZN4A5M94PsGpzBoCq78QAvD_BwE

The vessel inside the internal unit may just be an expansion vessel (EV). A buffer tank is a stand alone cylinder which is in addition to your EV’s and hot water cylinder. Have a look at the manufacturer’s installation guidelines, it should tell you there what system volume the OEM (factory) EV can cope with, so only add more if the upsized rads increase the water volume in excess of its current capacity.

We’ll get you a Blue Peter badge when it’s done 👌

Why not have the upper deck sloping back to the outside walls and put the ACO drain there where it doesn't dominate the eye-line?

Yup. That's what most do, and its quick and easy vs all that woodwork! That's a whopper of a footing for those brick walls?

If you don’t do a BOQ (fully populated) then how are you going to construct a contract and to what parameters will the builder be bound by in its absence? Im doing a full QS / BOQ for every new build client as it forms the backbone of our arrangement; without it you’re just time and materials unless the ‘builder’ has given you chapter & verse in a fully itemised quotation with a pragmatic variation order agreement for additions and alterations. A MC isn’t duty bound to share costs with you, or go out to tender, they’d just say “it’s £750k to make that house you’ve just asked for” and they’d get the cheapest materials installed as cost-effectively as possible to maximise profit vs budget. I do open book MC / PC so the client sees all costs from 3rd party BFSC’s, and the PM costs are shown in ‘preliminary’s’ in the BOQ. Stage payments have any ambiguity removed via a full (correct) process, as the deliverables are all measured and pre-agreed; if they’ve not done 100% of stage 1 works then they don’t get that sum of money, only the % done. What about a retainer? How do you know what your budget is? And to clarify, your budget is how much it will cost, in absolute total, to build the aforementioned dwelling to the required standard, not what you have in the bank at the time . So many folk go over budget and time, as they’ve jumped in feet first with a blindfold on costs…..just crazy imo.

The foil will do the square root of zero. It will likely cause problems tbh. There is no quick fix, as above, the flooring needs coming out, at least 200mm of insulation, 300mm is plenty, (some say that after 300mm the weight of the top layers of insulation crushes the lowest layer rendering it ineffective), and board over. The most important thing is to leave a gap at the eaves so air can flow over the insulation, and it absolutely must NOT touch the felt / membrane of the roof. This needs particular care and attention, vs some numb-nuts pushing in as much as they can and asking for cash.

You could use Illbruck fm330 (closed cell) foam. That's airtight and won't bridge damp / moisture, plus will help insulate the beam. I think just stopping airflow through there would be suffice, so the foam should be a good option imho.

Did you have the rads and UFH before, or are they new and were installed by the heat pump company?

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Depends on how high the water gets? Oh, and f@ck that for a laugh, I couldn’t think of a worse way to live! Mopping Christ knows what contamination out and living with it…..🤢🤮👎

Needs more questions asked, and some clarity on plumbing arrangements, but I think it simply needs a 2-port zone valve on the return to stop convection heating from the cylinder. It’s defo a buffer as it’s piped up as a 4-port setup. My guess is that heating flows through the buffer by design, when heating mode is selected, as does DHW primary flow. The thing I can’t see is the 3-port diverted valve that sends flow to each discipline individually. Can we have some better pics plz, show plumbing from different angles, all valves etc, insulation removed wherever possible? What temp is the buffer sat at when only DHW is on? Do you turn heating off on the ASHP control as well as on the 3rd party heating controls of the UFH setup?

If it owes you so little, then I guess it would be ideal to rent out as a retirement fund then. Doubt it would make any sense to sell / attempt to sell.

If the pressure hasn't been topped up in a long time (or ever?) by the OP, then it defo doesn't have a leak!! Heating systems have a corrosion happening somewhere, a little over a long time, and this process creates nitrogen (iirc) gas which arrives at the automatic air vents, aka bottle vents, and that gets released as 'air'; there is where a little pressure goes over time. Even with inhibitors / chemical treatments, this happens over time. Other causes can be a tiny leak which happens when the system heats up, and the water just evaporates vs a drip being evident. Again, to be completely expected over the number of joints, system size etc. Relax . Topping this back up to 2 bar is ample....do NOT exceed this is the pressure relief valve(s) will be set to open and evacuate at 3 bar. Normal operating pressure for the majority of heating arrangements is 1.5 bar (filled / checked when the system is cold as heat causes the water to expand and that makes the reading rise / fall slightly). On the braided sliver flexi loop, do you have a black tap both ends or just one at one end? 90o to the pipe direction is fully off, and inline with the pipe is fully open, these are 1/4 turn taps a-la a washing machine tap. If both are closed, as they should be during normal service, then open one fully, then open the other VERY gradually until you hear water flowing. Watch the gauge as the pressure will then start to climb. Get to 1.5-2 bar and then close both taps (make sure you FULLY close them), and check again in 3-6 months. You can move the red needle to where the system pressure was set to, and then you can use that as a reference for how long and by how much the system depressurises. This is not a fault, and is routine maintenance of any sealed and pressurised heating system.

The measures for the new addition, FFL, should be repeated in the original parts. IMO it is crazy to rebuild with the known possible risk attached. Is this a home for life or do you intend selling on eventually?

A few pics may help

CT1 Multi-Solve spray may be less aggressive.

Awesome views. 👌

What's the cost of buying a genny, and servicing and maintaining, and then replacing it (and buying fuel to run it) going to be vs the chunk they want for a solid, reliable, maintenance-free hookup? Lifetime costs (yours) etc etc.

Hello...again! Wow, a huge post and lots to see and discuss. First question obvs is what is the flood risk? 1/100? worse? What caused the flood and when did it flood last? Useful to know before anyone can really comment, plus how high did the water get? You're brave building (re-building) there tbh...

Ask them to lend you £12.67 and see what happens

You have what you have, so let the SE come out and advise you accordingly . Just relax and follow the process.

If you need to borrow a pukka Milwanky router / hinge jig kit for when you go to do the doors and linings just PM me, and all you'll need to cover is just the P&P both ways if so. Router / batteries etc all in the kit too, so plug 'n play

Do you have some pics, as it is possible you are worrying about nothing. We can see if there's defo an issue if we can see it

It appears to be ‘blown’, eg the surrounding render / dash is all likely going to need to be taken back to something solid, as restoring that (without trusting the issue) will just lead to it failing again. Issue is, when rain gets in to the cracks etc and it freezes, further blowing the render. Needs a bit of extra TLC