Square Feet

Hi - I wanted to have a go at this but need to go shopping first. Can you give me an idiots breakdown of exactly what I would need as I hate starting a project only to find that I am missing a vital lead or something. Cheers ETA - could you also post a link to where you got a Pi zero for a fiver please as I can't find one that cheap anywhere. Cheers

It does seem a rather high bar that they have set, but I do think it is worth considering all the other impacts of what we build. I can't wrap my head around using lots of polystyrene and concrete in order to build passive for example - that doesn't seem green at all and I guess this standard would highlight that. Or at least get people thinking about it. Or something.

Ok, thanks for that. It's mostly eps from the first series that are missing as that was some time ago now, but a few here and there from S2 and 3 as well. It's frustrating as it is acutally some thing I would be prepared to pay money for, but I can't find it anywhere. The dodgy sites do my head in a bit as they force-feed you ads every ten minutes.

Thanks yeah, I have seen all those and streamed them as you say, but it's not comprehensive sadly. So perhaps I should have asked - does anyone know anywhere that I can view these shows that isn't youtube or some other dodgy place (Dailymotion for example has a few)?

There is some good nerdy reading about passive slabs towards the end....

Thanks, yes that's what I meant. It's not on iplayer as far as I can see - I think it's too old. Yes, I have watched the ones on youtube but that's not all of them and for quite a few you have to put up with scratchy sound and weird distortions designed to get round the censor. So I was wondering if it is possible to view them properly somewhere. Cheers

Hi, does anyone know where I can watch back issues of 100k house? It doesn't seem to be on Netfix and I don't know much about the other offerings like Now TV and so on. Anyone know? Cheers

Rather you fit the membrane and tapes underneath than me.... Best of luck with it all - it's a really interesting concept.

I have long been interested in the Segal method and also passive house and off-grid houses so it was very interesting to read some of your blog and see your progress. I shall be particularly interested to see how you go about insulating the floor as that seems to be the biggest issue with a Segal type foundation system. I came to the conclusion that Segal and passive were mutually-exclusive, but I would be happy to be proved wrong on that!

In reply to your Velux question - I just fitted a similar roof window in 8 hours and that included recutting the slates to fit around the window (by far the longest job). It was the first time I had fitted one so I was taking it slowly to learn what I was doing. If you have planned for the Velux from the start and fitting it doesn't involve cutting and re-bracing rafters, then it should just be a matter of cutting the membrane and sarking board and dropping it into place, then fixing to the framing you have accurately (you hope!) provided. This is a job for an hour at most I would think - you could easily do it yourself if you are physically able to lift the window into position and there is scaffolding there to work off. It is helpful but not essential to have someone else on the inside of the house during the cutting and fitting. I think from the time I started to when I had the window itself fitted was only around two hours for me and I had to remove the slates and old window first. As I said, refitting and reshaping the slates afterwards was by far the most time-consuming job, but presumably the roofing will be done later on your job. Edited to add: there will be a skirt of some sort at the bottom of the window which goes over the roofing material - this will be flexible so you can leave it folded back over the glass until the roofing slates or whatever have been fitted. The slates go over the top and sides of the window obviously to keep it watertight.

Will do. Postage is on me - just glad it's not going to waste.

I bought a set of those recently for an attic conversion I am working on. They are very good - suprisingly strong and stable (ahem) and a lot easier to use than paddle stairs. I only paid £118 for mine though .... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Madrid-Wooden-Space-Saver-Staircase-Kit-Loft-Stair-Ladder/161243883154?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

That a no then? Still up for grabs if anyone wants it.....

I thought cladding went vertically in Scotland and horizontally in England....or have I got that the wrong way round....? Looks nice though!

For some reason Passive House Plus have outdone themselves this month and sent me two copies. If anyone would like my spare copy for free then send me a message with your address and I will post it over.

I recently received a bunch of messages from them saying that if I wanted to continue to receive it for free I had to 'opt in' it was related to the raft of similar messages about email subscriptions and the like that happened recently. If you didn't receive that message or didn't respond then that would be why they stopped sending it I guess.

I paid £25 for a one-year subscription three years ago and they keep sending it to me! They recently confirmed that this is what they do - I guess sales revenue is less important than ad revenue and circulation or something. No complaints from me either - I love it, just which it was more frequent than every two months.

40 m is an estimate on my part - the land falls away towards the main road and it is there that the drain would need connected. This involves running through the seller's property, which he has agreed to. The architect didn't think it was a problem when he came out for a site visit, hopefully he is right. I would of course make sure of this before paying for the plot.

Hi Newhome, I have been reading some of your posts - be interested to hear where you are sometime. The plot is very cheap so I won't be able to swing that one, unfortunately. The seller has said though that I can run service trenches through his land as part of the deal which will make a big difference I think.

I should have said that the seller has agreed to an offer subject to planning. We haven't hammered out a price yet, but once we do I will be able to sort out things like service quotes etc as well as the planning to make sure there are no nasty surprises awaiting me. So the final plunge won't be taken until I am absolutely sure about everything. Thanks for the links though - I had read Christine's tale of woe already, but not the other one, which I will do now.

Thanks, I hadn't come across that - will have a read.

Thanks Ultramods. ICF doesn't appeal to me I must admit - as far as I understand it, it consists of two of the things I really don't like - concrete and polystyrene. Would much rather build a timber house if at all possible. I haven't got quotes in for service connections yet, but I have established that all are very close to the site. ie water 10m, electricity 10m, drainage 40m, phone 5m. No mortgage here - cash all the way. It is both a blessing and a curse.

Thanks Peter, that is good to hear. I think that because of access restrictions, it would need to be a stick built structure so hopefully that would lend itself to a DIY approach.

Thanks. I have to admit that I am not quite sure what is meant by 'existing drawings' in Stage 1. Do you have any ideas? I wasn't quite sure how Stage 1 and 2 were seperate.... can you enlighten me? Sorry - edited this because I think I have answered my own question from the architect's contract: Work Stage 1.0 – Preparation of the Brief 1.1 Ascertain Client Requirements 1.2 Obtain Site information from Client 1.3 Advise Client of his/her duties under CDM regulations 1.4 Visit Site and carry out preliminary appraisal 1.5 Identify Project and Construction Budgets 1.6 Develop outline brief 1.7 Agree Preliminary timetable Work Stage 2.0 – Initial Design 2.1 Prepare initial design proposal 2.2 Provide indicative guidance on cost and timetable Work Stage 3.0 – To Planning Consent Application 3.1 Consult with Local Authorities and Utilities as required 3.2 Progress Stage 2.1 design 3.3 Prepare application for Planning Permission 3.4 Submit application for Planning permission 3.5 Advise on procurement methods 3.6 Report on timetable, agree revisions The architect's headed paper says 'Building Standards Approved Certifier' at the bottom - anyone know what this means and would it be worth keeping them on for the BW stage in that case? Cheers

Hi Ultramods, thanks for your reply. The flat is owned outright and will be sold to fund the new build. It is 20 miles away from the plot and I think I would prefer to live on site for convenience, security and also because we would prefer to live in the town where the plot is. The plan is that the old building would be rented out to airbnb guests once we had finished the new build, which would provide a much-needed source of income. Architect is RIAS, not RIBA. I was planning on doing the timber frame myself, to save on costs.