JohnnyB

We didn't have SAP calculations done at planning stage, or before we started to build. so wasn't aware of the need for heating controls until now.

We are in the middle of our self build and I have just been told that I can't just have a wood burning stove in our annexe as the heat source. The sap guy has said the heat needs to be controllable otherwise the software will show a fail It is a separate building so is being assessed separately to the main house. It is a 130sq mtr 2 storey building that we are insulating to a good leave and as it isn't intended to be our main residence we thought a wood burner would be a cheap and simple way to heat it when it is being used. If the building wasn't already up with the blockwork in place that creates the space for the stove we would probably say forget the wood burner and fit an ASHP but we seem to have gone slightly too far for that. Does anyone understand what the SAP calculations need, or even better have ideas of ways around fitting a full heating system at this stage. In the future we may want central heating but at this stage it isn't really need as well as the having a wood burner.

It's a very late reply but I had this on a stove I installed myself many years ago. After much investigation and trying different ways to seal the joint, I put it down to condensation as once the chimney was really warm it stopped dripping. There definitely wasn't rain getting in. We had a 12" clay liner and I fitted the flue from the top of the stove straight into that, and I think that was the issue. If I'd fitted a metal liner and back filled so it was insulated then I don't think there would have been a problem but that would have stopped the chimney heating our bedroom. As we ran the stove nearly all the time it wasn't an issue to us and I found that leaving the door open while the chimney warmed up stopped it dripping. Not a great solution but it might shed some light if yours is a similar situation and you haven't sorted it yet

I built a brick one for ours. My electrician wanted enough space for a board inside the box as well and it was getting large and ugly. It wasn't the easy option as there's quite a lot of spec that should be followed but it was still cheaper than buying a box

We coment just recently that we wouldn't want to do it if the kids were small, but that is self build in general not just the static! We have two still living with us but they are 18 and 22. We re pushing hard at the moment to get into a building before it gets too cold again. Stories of people in statics with frozen pipes and heaters on timers to try to take the chill off in the morning isn't really for us. We had water and electric on site and the sewage treatment plant plumbed in before we moved to site. The footings weren't in but that wasn't really a consideration for us and could have been either way. Make sure you have a bit of time to set it up, it took longer than I expected to get it to the right position, level and the plumbing sorted. The pros are being on site all the time and being easy to get on and work whenever there's a free moment. If we weren't living on site I would rarely see the family. It's also much cheaper than renting and it's a big incentive to get on with the build and move out quickly. At the moment the downsides are few, there's less space and the temprature follows outside quite quickly, but my wife loves camping and being outdoors so as long as the weather is good then all is OK. We have additional space in a shed for washing, drying, fridge etc. Make sure there is hard standing or a good path between any buildings. It gets very mucky when it rains and that easily carries inside. Personally we wouldn't do it with young kids or over winter, but were getting a bit older and not so hardy as we were 20 years ago when we first looked at selfbuilding. For us it is working well at the moment and we are quite happy most of the time.

I don't want to block out the outside. We have moved to the countryside and love the sound of the wildlife around. Living in a static caravan on site helps us to hear what is going on around us!

Have you used them? I hadn't seen them before. Do they sell in England, looks like they are based in Ireland? Looking at their website it doesn't look like the type of thing we would go for and I would expect hardwood windows to be expensive. I can make contact and see what they offer.

Thanks, I will. I filled in their online form this afternoon.

I would need to do a lot of research to even start to think about designing a system for myself, and this is last minute so not a lot of time to sort it out. If there are people who design systems then I buy the parts and install that would be an option.

Thanks guys, what would you recommend that doesn't cost a fortune? This is for our annexe and I'm trying to keep the price down. We've had quite high prices for the main house, about £7k, and thought we wouldn't put one in the annexe but now it is coming to it we are thinking we should put something in, even if it is a fairly basic. I'm intending to install it myself but the steel beams come ths week and I'll need holes drilled through those to get the ducting through. Rega and using 125mm ducting so a large hole to be drilled through

Hi @bob the builder 2 did you go for the Rega Vent units? I've had a design and price for them that fits in well with our budget for our annexe, but some experience of how they actually perform would be great.

It's probably too late to reply to this and help the OP but the hinges Temp has linked to are a heavier duty hinge. The last company I worked for used them a lot on heavy doors. They are a different hole pattern to Blum hinges so won't fix directly into these doors without making changes to the holes. If the OP is still having an issue I would look at Grass hinges as I believe they do a slightly heavier duty hinge than Blum. They also have different back plate thicknesses and fitting a thinner backplate should help the door look better when shut. It's say that any joinery company that leaves a door that out of square doesn't deserve to get their final payment.

Thanks for that @SimonD it didn't sound like they are making it easy. Are you using their appointed BCO? I'm using LABC as they were very helpful early on, and still are. They're not as picky as it sounds like Protec are being. I know he takes photos at every visit but if I'm starting from structural stage and they want details of earlier inspections that's going to get complicated. I'm definitely going to have to ask a lot more questions before I sign up, and I'll try build store again and see if they will offer cover starting at structural stage fit a reasonable price.

Yes, that's that issue we have, they don't suit the look we are trying to achieve.

Thanks, that's the kind of experience I was hoping to find. Can you feel the difference between your double and triple glazing if you were sitting beside them, and is it much of a difference? I realise it's the comfort level that 3G helps with, and why I would like to have it fitted. A hate sitting beside a cold window, but at the end of the day the wife and I have to agree on something so we can order windows.

I would like to know if I will feel the difference inside the house with well fitted double glazed windows and doors over triple glazed? If we are sitting beside a window is there really much difference if everything else is well insulated and sealed? Will it feel cold beside the window on a cold day like it did in our last developer built 2008 built house with UPVC double glazing? We are building a traditional lookng house and my wife and I can't agree on the windows. We thought this was sorted a long time ago but when it comes to actually ordering things and checking what we like we found we really don't agree. We had been looking at Greenbuild store, now 21 degrees, for windows and doors but have decided we don't like the details on their windows. The look of the windows is very important to us but the efficience of the windows is much more important to me than the look but my wife is the other way round. Dale Joinery is the prefered look but they don't do triple glazing. Their windows must meet build regs for sign off. Triple glazed UPVC and Aluminum frames we have looked at from local companies vary quite a bit in their specified U values, some of those aren't much better than the 1.4 building regs, 1.0 seems good on a lot of the options we have looked at locally even with triple glazing. Any of the window exparts able to offere advice on how warm the windows feel and if a well made wooden window with double glazing and well fitted would feel cold sitting beside it? This is a decision we will need to make very soon as we will need some of our windows in 2-3 months time.

I would love to visit, you must very close. If you PM some details maybe we could arrange a time I could head over. You are a way ahead of us and speaking to others is alway useful, for me at least as I'm not as sorted as JohnMo

It sounds like you are dealing with them at the moment? Are you nearly finished and trying to tie things up? Are they asking for details and photos from early on in the build? I have a few photos, but not much and I can imagine it being a pain when we get to the end and want it signed off. We are quite early in the process but had a quote to start inspections at the structural stage. The price difference is minimal, £65, and it gives me more time to check the insurance out. If they are going to be asking for details and proof from early on then I may need to reconsider.

I don't have a flat roof so that won't be an issue for me. What other certificates and guarantees are they asking for? Maybe I need to ask them for a list of everything they will be asking me for to check I have ticked all the right boxes on their form. They sound like they are self build friendly and I've told them I'm doing a lot of work myself and mostly using small local companies and trades people but it sounds like I need to check they are covering everything I need. Thanks

It looks like Cutwrights are very similar to Cutlist. There are plenty of others out there too and you might find a local one. What sort of finish were you lookng for when you got the £30K quote? If you want any input on how to put it togther feel free to ask. I've got loads going on as it's now taking off on site so might take a little while to respond but I should be able to help out if you have questions or get stuck. . I would say stick to your original design and find a way to make it work, it looks better balanced. Probox drawers might be a useful company to look at with all those drawers, althought they are quite expensive as mostly solidwood drawers. Daro are another drawer supplier. You could probably get the sheet material supplier to cut the drawer boxes if it is all well planned out, that would help a lot with the cost as drawers can work out expensive to buy good ones but don't have a lot of material in them.

I would use a company like cutlist.co.uk or a local equivalent. I haven't used them personally but I've been told in the past that they are good. If you can design exactly what you want and break it down into a list of parts then you can get exactly what you want. You can have edges lipped, edgebanding, so you get a professional edge. You wouldn't need to use plywood and paint it then, you could use Melamine faced chipboard or a veneer board and lip the edges. I don't know if they are trade only or if they do angles but I assume you must be quite capable to be doing a lot of work yourself and you could cut the top edges of the doors once you have them and cut the top edges of the uprights at an angle with a sharp hand saw if no other tools, and if you have a few skills. I've built a lot of fitted furniture and have a fairly well equipped home workshop but I'm intending to use these people or an equivalent company and buy in ready cut to size materials for all my fitted furniture and kitchen units. If you can find a local CNC panel cutting company you can have any shape you can draw, but not so many of them can do the edgebanding that gives you the finished edge you'll be looking for.

Would you mind elaborating? I'm looking at using Protec as they are the cheapest quote I've had but if I needed to buy additional warranties to top to cover things out won't work out cheap. I'm doing a lot of work myself, including making the timber frame on our annexe, and don't want loads of extra added after I've committed.

@nod, how long ago was that and where are you based? I guess who the inspector is makes a difference. @Moonshine I didn't know an architectural technician could offer a warranty, I'll ask him if it's something he can do. He's very detailed but would be easy to work with if he's interested in doing that.

That's a nice part of the countryside to have a plot.

Where mid Suffolk, just outside Stowmarket. Where are you? @G and J has already messaged to say hi