zoothorn

@PeterW ok roger that. So how do the thermahoods fit into this equation tho?

Ok one step at a time: at the moment I've got my 100mm foil tape ready to do (over the studs). Is there any tips on how or not/ just whack it on? I'm not finding any clips to help.. or any www info. I read that it can cut you up pretty good.

No. I'm not yet fully prepped on my method both to lift one up.. & what needs doing, if anything, to the pB before its hoisted up, with regard to my downlights. I can't get my head around the lights.. how they're worked into the equation, being in a dividing floor/ how are they even put in -?

Looks perfect for the job- but are these only viable to install after the pB is put up? IE lofts spaces.. unlike my 200mm dividing floor space I obviously can't access top of the pB.

Hi PeterW. Thing I don't quite understand, is many of these how-to pB clips (Jose & Paddy with his timber rails).. no evidence of vcl. Surely if these two pros no have, then amateur-muggins here don't need. Saying that I might well be able to vcl both rooms' walls.. but I'd bet doing the lower ceiling is a stretch too far for me, but if I do walls & find it easy, then I poss could try ceiling (but not upper room one: pB is job done I'm afraid/ I know its far from ideal). @Declan52 cheers for the clip/ only just seen this reply. I notice Paddy here his downlights temp in: how much room would he have created in the PIR above each downlight? my spark wants a considerable area of my Frametherm 35 fluff (yet to buy) cleared around each he says.. urgh I say, surely the bigger the space (5x downlights) the more cold ^ up to my bedroom above via these 'burrows'. appreciated chaps- zoot.

Thanks for this post / info Hastings. I'm back onto this topic as next job to do now. I'll aim for 100mm of Frametherm 35 then. The 1st fix electrics- done. I asked to clip to top tier of posi-joists.. & where possible like for 5x downlights, this is done. I do have a fair bit of cabling midway between joists tho, coming down & across etc from the top room + this lower room together > & out thru old thick wall into main house. What's the situation here: do I put wool nearly up to these cables, or leave a 1 ft gap? I don't know. Also my 1st fix spark wants a good ~10" cleared 'area' around & above each downlight (5w led, fire-rated). Is this warranted? I hadn't accounted for these 'holes'.

@Onoff appreciate the info/ post as always.. Jose seems happy with his creation there, looks like my clothes horse thing: very clever I must say & maybe I could make too, except the handle mech bit seems a bit tricky. mmm.. I think maybe sensible to think on your robot one/ link & sell afterwards. Useful.. never knew of such things before (if I'd known I'd not have got builder to do top room pB + fluff @ £570 +vat.. oh well live n learn). Jose isn't using a vcl I notice: is a vcl more important to timber frame builds then? On the foil tape to seal my studs: is this the stuff to get.. https://www.screwfix.com/p/diall-insulation-board-tape-silver-45m-x-100mm/1634v

Tbh Roundtuit, I couldn't contemplate/ face this prospect of undoing, & especially putting up a sheet it'll be a n'mare job never having done before. I paid the builder to pB & loft-fluff the upper room, & its done now (he only mentioned 'visqueen' with regard to the walls too).. besides its as per the rest of my rooms, & there's no problems here without a vcl. I know its not the perfect job, & falls short of the top bullet-proof quality you guys do.. but it'll have to suffice for me. Matey above on his hop-up & t-things isn't going placcy sheet.. & he's far more pro than muggins here. Thanks, zoot.

Aha ok- I usually miss s'thing & pick up when I go over the replies a 2nd time as I tend to do.. cheers for that. Its a shame I can't make the upper bedroom ceiling airtight (already pB'd, & gaps a plenty): its here especially I need it, as its leaking like a sieve with loft/ new roof above & wind hitting it so hard. Is there anything I can do, or is it just a Q of hoping the plastering job yet to do is good enough to form somesort of sealed 'lid'?

Hi Onoff.. great then that's the plan. Will look up making a t thing. Re. the placcy stuff.. I seem to recall builder saying 'visqueen' or summat? now, is that the pro stuff he'd use & you suggest a cheaper alternative- is that the idea?

Hi @andyscotland big thanks for that info too. Ok my plan is to placcy all the walls ( total, 2 rooms) but perhaps too much for me to plastic the ceiling of lower room, but I will consider it if I can get some direct eg Youtube clips I can follow. I do have a very useful extra pair of hands, my nice electrician who I can pay his std rate/ hr for any other jobs: the pB job I've got him lined up to do the job with me. The upstairs bedroom ceiling is already plasterboarded by builder (not too great tbh) so it'll never be super-sealed with placcy anyway. Re. plasterBoarding the ceiling: two things on my side, are height is only 2M.. & as said it'll be two of us doing the job: does this mean its feasable to do without a board lifter then?

@andyscotland & @Onoff really appreciate the info, & pics there. That robot lifter.. jeepers wish I had one! its not too high tho my 1 ceiling to board @ 2m. Ok, in my upstairs room (bedroom) the ceiling plasterboard & fluff above my builder has done.. thought best as at 2.3m H, I know I'd struggle pB'ing this high onto roof truss whatnots. So this hasn't been placcy sheeted. So is it still advisable to sheet the 3 walls? I think perhaps, as I know I'd struggle doing placcy sheeting on lower room ceiling, I might just do the same: just sheet these 3 walls too. I'm also wondering if its worth sheeting the lower workshop room at all, as its not a bedroom (no excess of human oomschka emitted), just a workshop. What do you think?

Ok thanks, so I understand this is one possibility, in order to create a vapour barrier. But whether I am allowed to do this instead of a vcl, I still do not know. (nor do I understand why I would want everyone to assume there is a noggin behind it.. eh? what's the thinking here? why would I want to hoodwink anybody into thinking Ive got noggins there.. when I don't need them anyway?) My head literally hurts trying to understand one layer of plastic. this building lark continually confounds me.

Yes. indeed so. Tbh this is the one & only thing on the whole journey of pain this build's been.. that I am certain of.

My plan is not 'hazy'. It is the very, very, very opposite of hazy; its as clear & concise as humanly possible. Its a plan. It is not "Full Plans" though. The reason the vcl (& other minutiae detail) is awol, is not because its "hazy". Its because the plan is one designed & stream-lined for use via a 'build notice': one specifically asked by my builder to be redundant of details, only showing the critical placements of critical things (a door, a window, a wall for eg). The fact that he couldn't even build to these simple & clear page1 critical positions, but just did xyz to his way seemingly.. is entirely irrelevant now the bill paid a month ago, & certainly totally irrelevant to the thread. It is NOT, nor ever was, a Full-Plans type of plan.

Hi andyscotland. Understand majority of the post thanks. Ok so if as Peter suggests I can can get some stuff from screwfix, then of course it makes sense to consider doing this additional job. But how its done I have no idea. Your last paragraph above: when you say cold side of the insulation, do you mean the backside (foil-back) of the PIR? or the thick shiny vcl outside of the timber frame, in the cavity? or do you mean the face-side of the PIR? (showing in my photo #1)?

Hi ADLlan, I'm sorry but can you translate this? (is relevant, or in relevant.. is there a typo here: if so "is relevant" means the sentence makes sense, & suggests [but only a suggestion- nothing definitive] that the vcl is needed). As it is "the use of a vcl is shown in relevant.." doesn't make a logical sentence: I wouldn't be surprised if this is worded exactly like so, wherever this is from. Christ why can't this building stuff be comprehensible!?! its absolute insanity.

Hi Nod. Ok thanks.. is there somewhere you've read to know this as fact? Or maybe you have BCO experience-? Tbh if its a vapour layer to prevent moisture (from me emmitting it presumably), getting to the PIR/ timber frame.. erm.. how would it get through a plastered plasterboard anyway-??

I think I need to call the BCO to ask.. but I was putting off calling as he'll likely ask 'whose your electrician?' (I dont want to jeapordise him knowing me & chap doing 1st & 2nd fix.. then a part-p reg'd other chap is jumping on board to check all > give me the doc). Is there no-one on here that knows if a vcl layer over my PIR is compulsory with a timber frame build-?

£15?? ok so the cost is no issue then.. great. But Peter, I can't decide to add it or not.. if I don't know if its needed or not. If its needed > I add it. If its not needed > I don't. (I'll get to the foil tape stuff wtf it is & where it might go once I can establish if a vcl is to be done, or not).

I'm not fretting MJN. Its done/ all timberwork's done no damn way is it changing: the PIR's done & it sure ain't changing either after 4 days of ballache work. Whether or not it provides stability, on a structural basis.. I'll leave to others to discuss: for me though I couldn't give a hoot because I've had no indication from anyone beit my builder, my BCO, other builders, experienced amateur builders.. many who've not once mentioned any additional structural xyz is needed, or an additional idea/ nothing.. not even in passing conversation. I have to draw a line now under the work done > & just please ask only if you could lend help on the work next to do so I can progress. Gratefully- zoot.

Hi Roundtuit. Ok, I understand that it might not be a biggie to 95% of folks on here.. but to me whose never seen a vcl, totally on my own, it is a biggie (& it also might cost +£600.. I've no idea whatsoever). I just need to establish if, in order to pass Building Regs, it is compulsory or not. Once I know the answer to this, I can research A) what it is B) how maybe to do it, & C) why on earth its needed at all.

So are you suggesting I remove all the PIR job Ive just done in order to put these midway timbers in, & redoing all the PIR (at a cost of £700-£800) seriously? I'm just asking help on my PIR job (& if a vcl is needed, I'd call this the finishing layer.. if its needed). I'm not needing to know how you might have done the build differently, or how you might think it better by redoing/ structural alterations: this is not helpful because I just cannot cope with a whole new avenue of information forming. This build has been a massive trial & effort for me to understand the huge no. of stages & info: I need to simplify or I just cannot cope. I'm on a roll here, I just need help to proceed if you could lend some help. The timberwork is done by my builder. I just need help on my PIR job, for now, just this. Thanks alot- zoot.

Hi Declan. I'm not doing any structural alterations or additions, I'm not in any way qualified to do so, nor is it needed. The build has been done/ paid for. The thread is simply my doing interior stuff (not altering anything my builder has done). Ive done the PIR, I just need to try & establish how to proceed.. at the moment I'm stuck/ stalled as I cannot understand the vcl situation IE the finishing bit to the PIR (or not/ is it needed-??)

Hi Nod, but what I need to know, is if its compulsory to add this vpl membrane thing (I've never seen, or have any idea or any info on it.. both Youtube & the www isn't providing any clarity as I'd have thought, on even one good eg) for an extention now to pass B.regs. A definite answer. Your post -suggests- its not compulsory. But there's no point me doing all the stages of interior work with the intention to pass B.Regs, for the officer to ask "is there a vcl/ no/ go back & put one in or doesn't pass then" if I've decided not to if I've established that its perhaps not compulsory.. but in fact it was.