scottishjohn

well as usual I look at it another way yes keeping rads looks right one way ,but that still does not stop the heat going down through the concrete floor ,maybe you use rads and still lift floor by adding insulation layer under it next to concrete? all you can say is by its nature rads will throw heat up wards away from floor I retro fitted UFh in a suspended wooden floor with very little under insulation and the result was a 20% drop in heating costs --all i changed was rads to UFH--same lpg boiler -feeding a thermal store which the ufh coil ran through . I routed out the chipboard flooring and lined the slots with foil tape --fitted pipes then screwed down 6mm ply all over floor ,then ceramic tiles -- not a job i would do again - If doing it again-I would lift the floor level or drop the joist height and double them up to put strength back ,but it meant i could do it without destroying the house . everything that has been said about drafts+air leaks is correct -- that was the first thing i noticed after UFH --you could feel a cold from windows as you walked past them --so curtains were essential on these older double glazed units-- curtains seems something which is not done with a lot of new builds--must be all exhibitionists!!. thr other main thing was that the floor heated up all the furniture and anything close to floor --heat rises then before it gets to ceiling it drops again --radiators send heat straight to ceiling FIRST.-try standing on a chair and feel how hot it is at ceiling level in house with rads I would agree that rip out start again would be good ,but I also think the 50mm of phonelic foam as underlay with pipes inserted init ,then ply+ceramic tiles or some sort of hard floor will work just fine that will keep height down --if you can stand more height --all the better --but you gotta kill the drafts as they will be low level taking your heat away from the floor before it gets to you . phonelic foam =0.020 pir foam = 0.023

I agree with some of what he says ,but as i said in the other thread ,If you have space for both solar thermal and PV panels and a large tank then I believe there is a way use and get best from both systems working together with large very TALLthermal store

I know if it was here -in scotland and the planning was for 5 in one development ,then ALL the roads+ services + street lamps for ALL the sites would have to be in and up to council spec before you could move into any of them --so a check with council before buying

local prices for that house and something that would suit would decide which is best way forward. a plan showing size of house with size of plot and location of house on it would help people give better suggestions 2 more bedrooms and another bathroom sounds like half the size of the house you have ,which could be a problem to planning ,depending on other houses around you and plot size etc so as well as checking price of a another bigger house you maybe should approach planning and see if you can do what you want to first before buying

I certainly would be wanting to check the moisture content of all the wood behind this render panel -as soon as there is a hole to get at it just in case it is some other underlying problem .

glad to hear its getting sorted at last and as was predicted its strip back and start again .. all the woes you have had just confirms my thoughts that render on TF is not the way I would go It would be cladding. I don,t suppose they would convert it to that instead ,if you wanted? it does show that the actual render is very good + flexible as it has not fallen off in lumps ,

could also be a positive for older folk having bedrooms downstairs thinking years in front when they won,t like stairs? certainly its in my mind for the new build. If you still going ICF --then you could have a concrete 2nd floor easily --then noise will never be problem

if you design it right you could just jack up the whole roof and fit TF panels or sips second storey walls under it ? you could even live in it while you did it with suitable scafolding

yes - my garage was built with single brick +a couple of butresses--and thats 6.5m x 10m-- built in 1978 --still there no cracks i would have thought if you never going to go higher and not going to be a granny flat ,then single block is plenty for strength if it insulation -- then vcl +batons +foil backed foam pb 37mm-50mm? and your done ,for a garage Or a TF studding fixed to it and boarded--outside of TF is only one brick thick

having done some in the past --larger areas of floor without them - I would always be using tile leveling spacers now the main thing is to really check your floor is level and no dips in it BEFORE you start If there are then self leveling compound ,or you will be using mega amounts of adhesive for tiles to fill in dips to get them right I speak from experience of making really new boy mistake on my biggest floor 6m X 5m--took twice the amount of adhesive ,cos it had dips caused by crappy builder not getting all joists same height but that did not stick out when it had underlay +carpet. you need a long piece of something straight to check it as well a as 4ft level ,then you can use minimum adhesive and it will be good +no worries about full contact remember if you start with 8mm under first tiles --you will be that at least for the rest -- so if its flat and level you could get away with 6mm --thats a third less adhesive !! my other suggestion is do not use light coloured grout ,unless you like to keep sealing it ,as it will show up any discolouration if its light usual one is PEE stains around the bog from us men not hitting the target . dark grout --do not show up the same

is this ground floor or 2nd floor

only difference was mine had chipboard floor ,as it was a retro fit , maybe thats easier way

If tiles --then 6mm ply on biscuit mix +tile onto that ? it s what idid in my own floor 15 years ago with 450x450 tiles --all still there just make sure there is no flex in joists !!

I would do this joist with insulation between up to top of joists ,then plywood then fit all UFH piping then fit battons between pip[ing ,then fill with biscuit mix ,then fix top floor to that this way no load on insulation at all

what you are looking for at this stage is planning permission in principle ? will what you want be possible if you comply with any restrictions they impose ? If so then maybe the £180 is well worth spending -its a nothing in the scale of things , but that will not get you planning permission of any kind , its a conversation ,but if its a definite NO for second house you should get that so go along with a site plan showing boundaries and roughly drawn out plan and views of what you would like--2/3 or 4 beds etc +drive and parking for 2+cars off the street and you will at least get -- a verbal yes or no in principle. have you got full plans of this plot and any underground services that might be crossing it to other properties ? ,you can always get permission to replace an old house and rebuild it with one of the same size footprint at least and within the ground you have.providing its not too close to neighbours etc , so is it if they will accept another house on same plot which is your main worry ? would that not be enough to help you decide to buy plot ,then start the LONG process of getting plans drawn up If the seller is saying lapsed planning --then do they have the planning application no.?

Is there a complete list somewhere of the U values of all the different types of insulation available So you can do a thickness over cost comparison and a simple calulator to get to a target value for the insulation alone at the chosen thickness

that,s absolutely your right and choice . but most decisions are usually a cost versus benefit compromise that's the only reason for my comment

If you changing from block build then 200mmsips panels +50mm exterior+cladding/render then on inside +25mm service cavity+ and 37 or 50mm foam back plaster board. lots of ways to do it --not sure once walls are down to 0.12 there is any real need to go lower

don,t think the energy saving would EVER pay for the extra cost of the extra insulation I had a few discussions with kingspan tech guy on insulation for a water tank and diminishing returns for extra insulation once up to 150mm of pir ,it would never pay to go any thicker assuming no air leaks . which will probably explain why cold store walls made from pir are not any thicker

--they use that to make potting compost so you could possibly mix it in with soil in the garden?

£5k for a range -- again a life style choice not a serious economic choice -- in my mind that is

that does not seem a good deal ,with all the effort involved in making logs to start with

I know to use waste oil heaters in commercial application now you need a license it was favourite way to heat workshops with endless supply of used engine oil .now the cost of a clean burn approved waste oil burner etc makes it not a good choice any more in most cases

but if no other heat source --AND using that as main heat supply --how long . the thought is that in the garage?service are there will be more than enough room for multiple heat sources or changing from one to another in due course I got to cut these trees anyway as they have grown up around the house since it was last occupied in 1960,s

plotting for this new house for various water heating systems It seems I could end up with having to remove about 40+ trees (most about 10-12" dia,some much larger and 30ft+ tall) ,to start with and possibly a lot more in due course my question to those using wood burner for water heating + large tank how long does one tree last ? Is it worth getting a wood burning unit to use them or just try to sell/get rid of them