eejaybee88

Thanks - so what would you use if not NHL5, 2x more expensive than what?

Energy efficiency is a problem for everyone - why do you think this place more than any other old building? Surprised ufh particularly unattractive in your book - most places say ufh is ideal solution (if there is such a thing) except you have to rip everything out, & here there's nothing to rip out. There is a gas connection already, & can look at solar as a back up in due course/if allowed. Can you supply some background on your heating preferences? Of course no decision yet, but it's not like there are a billion heating options...

Indeed it is huge, & blessedly plain & square The walls have some cement pointing/patching, some will come off, some am advised to leave unless/until it becomes a problem. Lime plaster should be ideal for walls. Constructing roof/ceilings & floors definitely more complex. Undercroft floor is solid (cement?) so can definitely dig out. Church floor is suspended over earth/rock as far as I can see. Floors are differing heights, hence would have to look at how to do it.

Hi all - just purchased old chapel (1870). Currently a warehouse, previous owner got planning approved to convert in 2015, but just to up the valuation, no work ever undertaken, & left the place unmaintained since then so it's in a fairly derelict state. 2ft-thick walls of solid stone with Scottish slate roof, lathe & plaster under. Skews failing so the East-facing gable ends are leaking & a hole has developed, so first job is to get these areas covered up/new guttering etc & dry the place out. Other than that the fabric is pretty solid, though they did also fill in beside the building with deep concrete to enable easier loading/unloading, so that will all have to come out also as front left basement/undercroft is soaking. They also whacked in an additional floor for the warehouse (original church floor being sloped) using steel girders. Pretty large for a first project, so will have plenty of questions on every aspect - I discovered this great resource before proceeding, so I felt a little more secure in being able to get first-hand insights with no axes to grind wrt recommendations & alternative approaches. Using a heritage specialist surveyor recommended by Scottish Lime Centre, so looking to steer course between modern efficiency & best/sympathetic materials. Planning to add an additional floor, with wet underfloor heating, though each floor will require a different approach. Tbh with all costs sky-rocketing, not sure my budget will stretch to completion, but will at least get past it's most fundamental problems. Meeting with surveyor & architect shortly so any observations or questions I should ask would be useful - looking forward :+}