G and J

Hi folks. Talking to a joiner today who may well be assembling our timber frame. I mentioned Tony Trays and tried to describe them but I didn't do a good job- so I am looking for something that describes them in a timber frame setting. I've found an article based on blockwork: http://tonyshouse.readinguk.org/tonytray.pdf I'll use this if I can't find anything else, but does anyone know of a description/illustration which conveys the essentials in a timber frame?

So I need a really, really, really powerful water pistol then….

Good point. I guess my naive thinking subconsciously assumed access to the jump cables so that checking voltages should be relatively easy. Optimisers it is then. Do any of them allow remote interrogation to easily determine which element is faulty?

I’m thinking of optimisers to extend working beyond single panel failure, not to mitigate the effect of shading. But if the panels are that reliable and that easy to pop off and replace, and given that the optimisers are a significant proportion of the cost of a panel, maybe I should consider omitting the optimisers (at this stage) and accepting the potential future cost of professional panel replacement (I’m not as young as I used to be, even though I still happily dangle from ropes when I get the chance).

I’ve asked many, many dozens of daft questions on here and as a result learnt tons. I believe our build will be massively better as a result. You'll likely find googling to search in here is very effective, and many of my questions I’ve found answers to that way, as there’s a huge wealth of info in previous threads. But if you don’t find the answer ask, and others may learn from the ensuing debate too. Welcome, and good luck with the purchase.

Were the optimises accessible without taking the panels off?

Oh dear. We are both long retired, but for us I think that means more time to apply to the build. But to each their own. I feel strongly that to benefit from it the end result of building or renovating has to be something you want to live in. To do either for profit rarely works for most peeps, the uncertain uplift in value comes at a price of a lot of stress, as a minimum.

We’ve successfully employed a very professional local estate agent, (more of a land agent type than a bunch of lairy suited 20somethings) on a fee basis for comparative valuations. If you’ve one in your area.

Erm, assuming the door linings have finished shrinking… Wouldn't running some sandpaper down the proud plaster simply do the job? Feathering it in sort of thing? The turn on the architrave might show depending on the profile, but if not I’d have thought it rather easier than machining so far across the architrave.

Context is so helpful in these things. On the face of it simply ignoring the lath and plaster, which I imagine will be vapour permeable, and carrying on with your planned build up would seem a viable plan. However, if you give an overview of your plans then it would be easier for peeps to comment. For example, if you are going to be at or near passive house standard with whole house heating by a single chunky candle it’s a very different prospect from you planning to retain the single glazed sash windows and have a 25kW gas combi running. If you are a renovation presumably you don’t have minimum insulation requirements? So go on, share. There’s phenomenal knowledge on here and most of us don’t bite lol

Good point. Presumably that would cover panel only, as opposed to any peripherals like optimisers.

Big time. I switched off our digibox three years ago. 18 months ago I disconnected the aerial. So we rely solely on streaming now, and will do so in the new pad. I think there are solutions to watching a recorders output in other rooms, but it might be worth taking a step back and looking seriously at whether you need a digibox at all nowadays.

We're hoping to start our timber frame build in the next couple of months, also combination of render/timber cladding. We started by thinking we would not use block work, however on investigation some lenders (standard and lifetime) have specific guidelines as to what they will or will not lend on. It's not our intention to sell, and we are not looking to borrow, but it's a case of never say never, so we have decided to block under the render and cement board under the cladding, which was also reduced. The sweet spot on current "rules" appeared to be min 50% masonry and max 50% timber cladding (even if on blockwork). There are no doubt specialist lenders, but if the worst happened we'd rather things be as straight forward as possible. For same reason we will take a build warranty, even if the liklihood a ever successfully making a claim is slim. It turns out that there is not much additional m2 cost and in the end we probably will have slightly better acoustic performance, albeit with a thicker wall, which for us is a factor as we have a very narrow site.

In fairness dude that is inspired. Why didn’t I think of that?

It depends if you are a bargain hound. I’m sad enough to get a buzz out of finding a bargain on gumtree, or at a pinch eBay (I’ve not graduated to buying on Facebook marketplace yet). If you add up the time I spend browsing I’m probably working for £1 an hour but I got an Aldi platform for £20 which works nicely to 5’ platform level and a tower for £100 that goes to 16’. But then, I’m a tight wotsit.

Thanks For info

Nod, am I right in recalling that you used protek? Realise that none of them are likely to pay out, but more concerned with "ease of use" along the way and no surprises

Yes take a warranty, however running and hiding maybe the better option! Thanks for confirming, our choice is Self Build Zone (build zone under another name?!) or Protek. Latter more expensive up front, but cheaper in long run?......hard to tell

Just out of interest, as we are about to take cover, which warranty company are you with?

I don't have to worry about that, I have a chauffeur for such things..... 🙂 I'll see you all there.

Heat shrink labels for cables? You just gotta post a link! I can never read my own indelible pen scrawl on the sheathing!

Part of me is the later Luddite. And it’s a bit like having a funeral plan. No bloody use to me in my lifetime apart from the comfort that it reduces stress for J a little bit at a crap time. But as you say, to each their own.

Not sure how helpful this is but here goes..... When we met our architect on first beauty parade we gave a budget, basically it was what we thought the house would be worth, minus what we paid for the plot (in our case an overpriced bungalow that is to be demolished (shortly🤞)....not scientific. In fairness, contrary it seems to your experience, he said right at the outset it would be work to achieve the m2 we were aiming for, but the "budget" was repeatedly referred to by both us and them while we were in the design phase e.g. we have a small first floor corner unsupported, it would have been cheaper to have a pillar, which they offered. We are likely to bust our budget, (always thought we would) but it will be our choice and largely driven by the standard of finishes/landscaping etc, rather than by the form or method of the build, which whilst pretty standard is aiming for a high quality, low energy, airtight house (not passive standard). So I suppose in your position (and we're guessing your a lot younger than us) we'd be thinking ....has there been design creep? What is driving the increase in costs, fabric or finishes? Can we / are we willing to phase the project ? What are the things that you really really want? It may help you find an acceptable way forward. None of the above is to say we wouldn't be feeling peeved if we were in your position now.

I think I’m capable of putting that kind of system together, and I know I’d enjoy the challenge, but I’m going the other way and installing nothing that isn’t fixable by normally available tradespeople. Maybe bend that rule a little and use a Shelley relay/dimmer, but that’s it. What’s your motivation for going this route?

Or is it the Mask of Zorro? Yes, yes, I know, a miss-spent youth in another century. Sigh.