G and J

I made a small L shaped kitchen with an oak worktop and it looked fabulous. However we took advise and oiled the worktop, and even for a weekend home it was just so easy to mark. Not practical at all, much as I like wood I’d never do that again. Our current worktop is shiny granite and I’m forever needing to polish it, so this time round I want something semi matte. I've fitted melamine worktops using a jig for the joins and with care you can get that spot on, but for any other worktop it’s supply and fit.

My experience is the opposite. They were very helpful, patiently guiding me over the phone, and when the building control company erroneously filed the wrong start date (masses in ahead of the real date and potentially contravening the CIL process) they calmly and quickly sorted it. I agree with Russell, it’s a simple process so just get it done.

Maybe I’ve got the wrong end of this one, but I’m thinking… Any property could work out with an ASHP with the right heat emitters, be that large rads or UFH. The most common heating system is gas with rads designed first high flow temperatures. Replace a gas boiler with an electric heat source providing a high flow temp will increase bills (be it resistive or heat pump based). Expecting peeps to replace working rads just to enable them to spend yet more capital to save the planet a little bit is rather hopeful. So…. hoping for wholesale voluntary transfer to electrical based heating is not going to work. How about we think about banning new houses having gas boilers and we accept slow change…. Oh, they tried that one then worried about re-election. Sigh.

Methinks the majority of those seeking to rent a property have other things on their minds. We’re not building anywhere near enough, perhaps if we were and supply was closer to demand then tenants would have the opportunity to be more discerning.

So (19% + 17% + 22% + 31% + 50% + 74% + 15% + 17% + 2% ) = 278% of homes aren’t suitable for a heat pump. Crumbs. I’m no mathematician, but that seems a lot. 😉 I think we need to demolish more buildings or accept slow progress towards net zero.

Actually I think you’ll find there are some clever ones that connect into smart home systems now. And for significant take up in replacing gas or electric resistance it needs to be financially attractive to social housing providers. The ones who’ve been burnt by the first rather ill advised attempts that have helped give heat pumps a bad name.

Having visited a few modest dwellings, which are the ones most likely to have storage rads or the like, my view is that even the houses often simply don’t have the outside space for an ASHP without giving up a good lump of tiny garden. Maybe developing loft based heat pumps would help with high density housing. However storage rads my be technically 100% in terms of energy in to energy out but they do have a financial benefit in terms of ToU tariff.

Too easy. We are self builders. We never do things the easy way lol

Even better. I’ll be Billy the Fish!

Good plan. I’ll be in a fetching little bright yellow patent plastic number!

Oh we are very talented at diversions and deviations on here lol

And be afraid, I can still sing the theme song!

OMG The Banana Splits! Can I be Fleegle?

The Crown at Stowupland, 19:00, 6/2/25 is in my diary. You’ll recognise me by the worried look underneath my shiny, bald head. Or perhaps we should all wear hi vis lol

We’re at a similar-ish stage on a very similar journey. Exciting! (If you’ve CIL in your area make sure you sort the paperwork!)

Isn’t it simply that the new walls need to have a 60 minutes fire rating in both directions which can be achieved with timber cladding plus the right bits underneath?

Congratulations

You may wish to say this anyway, but our local authority said something along these lines about our neighbours property as a response to our pre app, which our architect then reflected back in our application. Did absolutely nothing to endear us to our new neighbours (to say the least) and took a goodly amount of unpicking relationship wise.

Goodness it’s a pub crawl! There’s only so much Guinness zero one can down in an evening lol

An instant death is much more humane. And once you’ve handled enough of the buggers you get quite immune to it.

That’s what we are doing, with an automatic air valve. Presumably that’s another thing I need to tape up for my air test?

Good idea. We live in IP6 but our plot is the wrong side of the tracks in IP12. :-0

Do you or any of your joint owners now, or have you at any time during your ownership of the plot, owned any other property?

Anyone want to offer an opinion as to whether is a good idea to take combustion air from under a ventilated floor?

Then your chimney is downwind of westerly winds, and I think the vast majority of the UK enjoys westerlies as their prevailing wind. Assuming your MVHR unit is loft mounted you could also perhaps fit an additional carbon filtery thing in case of easterlies and other peeps bonfires. How airtight is your house and are you looking at direct air?