torre
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Everything posted by torre
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New self build design, heat and architect
torre replied to Jack757's topic in New House & Self Build Design
@Indy we followed almost exactly the same line of thought, would add that the UFH should give some moderate cooling benefit too, not as much as fan coils but without the visual intrusion. -
Fascia Vent Strips & Overhanging Membrane = Problem?
torre replied to EinTopaz's topic in Roofing, Tiling & Slating
I'd ask for these to be installed while they're doing the work - they're cheap, will support the felt better and won't degrade in the sunlight. -
Plinth/Skirting - How should this get finished ?
torre replied to Spinny's topic in Kitchen Units & Worktops
2 and then hopefully find an end panel offcut to fill down to the floor, definitely wouldn't have skirting in front of the end panel -
It's hard to name anyone that's done more to promote cutting energy use than Passivhaus Trust, but @Mike you have to take their 1% figure with a gigantic pinch of salt. Taking their own data, in the last 15 years, a total of around 2250 PH homes have been built - now they're projecting that 2000 or more will be built every year!? Their own graph shows only linear growth... extrapolating that then they'll be closer to 300 per year... more like 0.1 - 0.2%
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I'd also be reluctant to do anything drastic and expensive, hopefully the whole floor will float but stay flat and you'll get used to the creaks. One possible explanation might be a lack of expansion gaps around the edges of the room, so if you do ever need to investigate further I'd start by taking all the skirting off before doing anything to the floor itself
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Ours needed to be stuck down with Rapid Bond, a polystyrene safe spray. I'd be very surprised if any polystyrene boards could be dry laid, they're really weak, just a few mm, where they're routed out. Can you ask the board manufacturer? I'm guessing you only have a few mm of leveling compound over?
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Plug in solar is here (well in a couple of weeks)
torre replied to JohnMo's topic in Photovoltaics (PV)
Easy to find 930W for £499 on eBay. No link as I've no idea if they're UK approved. I'm sure there'll be plenty of questionable offerings at low prices soon enough -
Small wall at top of staircase
torre replied to crispy_wafer's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
I could've been clearer, I was actually thinking in the context of @Gus Potter's suggestion... If one end is fixed to the exisitng wall and the other end is built around a post slotted between the two steels, you'll avoid any wobble. I don't think a solid baluster wall will look bad at all by the way! -
Small wall at top of staircase
torre replied to crispy_wafer's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
What's the material infilling between the two steels? Could this be removed so you could slot/wedge timber between to effectively add a newel post? -
UPVC window formers Vs on site made timber profiles
torre replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
Yeah ours came welded from subframes, but Eurocell can also supply slot in corners if you make them up yourself, shown here https://www.eurocell.co.uk/library/download/link/id/23506/ -
Having owned property of similar age and condition I don't see anything that would greatly concern me. The house probably has minimal foundations, brick corbel plus maybe 100mm concrete if you're lucky, but has lasted over a century including a mix of exceptionally dry summers and very wet winters with what look like minor cracks. I think it's worth getting an SE to look at your specific concerns (the left E pic most notably) but I'd be careful not to get pulled into a lot of expensive remedial work for limited benefit by the first less than scrupulous builder you speak to.
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Yeah we had to submit a NMA for this, no problem getting it approved but an annoying hoop to jump through plus the cost of application
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UPVC window formers Vs on site made timber profiles
torre replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
Ours were EPS filled. Worth mentioning you can buy all the bits from Eurocell and make them up to size yourself, which may save a bit although I don't think they were too badly priced ready made. -
UPVC window formers Vs on site made timber profiles
torre replied to flanagaj's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
We used these for 'normal' sized openings (say up to 1500x1500) and they worked really well. Ours were from subframes, made from (cavalok big blok I think) 150mm closers. They were very substantial and came braced at top and corners to stay square, worked well as formers for brick and block. They have slide in ties for brickwork so feel very built in. Totally different from the floppy bits of plastic and polystyrene of a basic closer. -
Hot water return in Hep2O? is this really a problem?
torre replied to Great_scot_selfbuild's topic in General Plumbing
I'm a fan of Hep2O but that advice is direct from the manufacturer, so probably best heeded, Presumably doesn't like to be hot/expanded for too long -
Simple detail to prevent water ingress above door?
torre replied to Tony K's topic in Doors & Door Frames
(You could probably do the same from a single piece of lead, working it around the outside edges if you're careful) -
Simple detail to prevent water ingress above door?
torre replied to Tony K's topic in Doors & Door Frames
I'd think in terms of building the world's smallest flat roof and I'd build it on the ground then drop it into place, bonded to the bricks with a decent adhesive. Get a piece of OSB that will overhang 50-75 on three sides, put something like your arris rail around the underside edges to create a drip, then dress the whole thing with your roofing membrane, making sure to leave an extra strip that you can lap up the wall once it's in place, normally you'd have a cover flashing over but your main roof membrane may over lap to do that job -
Did they also deburr it for you?
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I'm cautious/sceptical because the site doesn't provide any ownership or business details, and so wouldn't want to give my credit card or personal details or suggest anyone else does. You still haven't said how you found psiclops, considering it's pretty invisible on Google for example, and from the level of detail and content in your posts, one might infer you may have some connection with the site.
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Apologies to you @retnuhnibor if I'm mistaken but yeah, it feels a bit off when a new user starts posting and referencing a specialist site that they've 'found' - especially one that was only created a few weeks ago... ``` Domain Name: psiclops.io Registry Domain ID: REDACTED Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.namecheap.com Registrar URL: https://www.namecheap.com/ Updated Date: 2026-06-23T06:32:03Z Creation Date: 2026-06-18T06:31:27Z ```
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How much can you pack standard staircase dimensions?
torre replied to Lears's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
You or the BCO won't need to measure anything, 25mm is a lot, the momentary heart attack stepping off the bottom step will alert them something's off!- 12 replies
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But if there's a key in the lock inside, you're locked out aren't you? That's how ours works and sooner or later I think we're bound to fall foul of it.
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I'm surprised how much use my oscillating tool gets, but I bought cheap and don't like the vibration or noise level (wear protection!) so it would be interesting to know how much better those aspects are in an expensive model.
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Part B fire safety second floor protected route design
torre replied to PSC88's topic in Building Regulations
I'm surprised honestly as the games room still looks very separate, you've essentially just taken the door off. Other BC officers might have viewed that differently I think as the escape path is quite long and via another furnished space, potentially tricky when filled with smoke. The plans don't show smoke detectors either but you'll definitely need them -
Any solicitors on the forum?
torre replied to Post and beam's topic in General Self Build & DIY Discussion
I guess you mean lost freeholder? I wonder if it's a case of first time there was a lot of risk priced in and since then, they get a referral and kept the price the same? Can you wait and see how your neighbour gets on with the cheaper option?
