BotusBuild

Nope, saving pounds. Cheapest Hep20 4 port 3/4" I can find is currently £54.88 vs £35.59. I call that a good difference and one worth investigating.

@Nickfromwales, would these be a suitable alternative to the manifolds used in your installation? https://www.screwfix.com/p/reliance-valves-4-port-potable-water-manifold-15mm-x-3-4-/248TY?tc=QT6&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8sauBhB3EiwAruTRJo5BJO5VKVRswgkQADFqoJxyFr2U9b6brJWLiAnkUGBAo8eJxS5YiBoCdckQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds and here https://www.reliancevalves.com/gb/en/products/flow-control/plumbing-strainers-flow-regulators-manifolds/potable-water-manifolds

I was wondering what to make of the 3 cores that I'll end up with 🙂

adding to my confusion what's a little handle drill? never heard of one of those

I have three holes, two of 180mm diameter, and one of approx 100mm diameter (to be confirmed), to be drilled through our 8 inch (203mm) thick concrete walls (and the EPS either side of course). I have an SDS drill and could drill multiple holes and then hammer chisel the holes, but my arms, from shoulders to hands, are really starting to feel the strain of building the house. With these holes all need to be drilled at heights above floor level of about 2m, just the weight of the SDS drill fills me now with dread, although I so have a mobile scaffold that I could sit down on So, I am looking at core drills. Confused.com comes to mind ... Dry vs Wet? As this is inside, I am most likely to go for dry Hand held vs some form of "rig" (similar to this)? Any ideas for how to secure a "rig" at 2m above the ground? Diamond vs Tungsten? Any guidance and pointers where best to hire the right kit please. Pretty please.

Whoops Back to the drawing board for me

Agreed, although at 8mm thickness there won't be much deformation unless you go mad with the torque wrench Simon, they wouldn't need to be welded in place, so not too difficult to do if you can get inside the box section (just a bit fiddly perhaps)

I just had delivery of MVHR from BPC. Had a lot of back and forward on the design layout, which I was expecting to be more detailed than it was. In the end I came up with the layout that best suited the as-built joists and walls. Even so, I have had to make an adjustment this weekend to the layout. I am installing myself. It is not difficult, just sometimes fiddly - I am trying to fit distribution boxes between web joists with 400mm centres!! I also have to core drill two 180mm holes through a 203mm concrete Nudura wall. So, take your time to make sure that the design will work in your property, carefully peruse the parts list from BPC before accepting their version of events, then crack on

Instead of Hollo Bolts, what about some M12 stainless steel threaded rod right through the box section, with a nut on either end?

If you really mean there will be a 25mm (45-20) or 45mm airgap underneath, I think you are asking for trouble. A heavy object falling on that and I think it might crack. If you are seeking to see a "gap" at the edges, I would create a wooden form that is easy to remove after pouring a cement base on which this lovely piece of stone will sit.

Keep the joist layout as shown, and add in noggins between along a centre line that runs from one end to the other. Each board will then be supported at each end and in the centre. You may want to install a piece of wood on top of each side beam to attach the boards to, and so the top of the noggins would also need to be at the same height. "steel columns" or "steel beams"? Does this drawing make sense? The red is the steel beam cross section, the brown rectangles are a wooden "filler" on the left, and the wooden balustrade on the right, the blue lines are coach bolts that hold the wood to the steel - you may need a single (stainless/galvanised) steel plate on the outer side of the balustrade act a "clamp" and stop the heads of the coach bolts disappearing off into the balustrade wood as you tighten up the nuts on the inside of the steel beam. My personal preference would be edging to hide the steel beam, unless you don't mind the industrial look. I hope the above helps

Swap the kitchen over to the plant room - allowing the storage to be split to add in a pantry/larder. Extend the partition between utility and wet room, then split the resulting area as appropriate into utility and plant room.

Hi, First off, rejigging interior walls/partitions during the build is not unheard of, so don't worry too much, unless you are making huge fundamental changes. That lounge/dining area is approx 4m x 6m? Correct? If so, then I would consider that to be ample space (assuming you are an average sized family). The pocket door walls would seem to be a reasonable solution. Another option might be, lose the bottom pocket door, change the upper pocket door to a stud wall and have some sliding glass doors in the remaining space? (with a lock to shut the kids in )

Have him use screws - then you can easily remove them once he's left site

If that is all lead lined, I would consider getting it lifted, and adding the necessary packing to create the correct fall, and then re-install the leading.

The design of the pipe layout is OK. Will it be zoned? I presume with that flow temperature you are going to install a HP. If so, and you are going to be zoned likelihood is you will need a buffer tank

For me, that would have to go, and I don't care what it cost the installers to correct.

Told you an expert would be along soon 🙂

I'm no expert, but using screws instead of nails should be OK, IMHO (waits to be torn a new one by an expert)

Yes, and Yes Quicker - especially if you have or hire a functioning nailgun

Unless you're using the 8" (203mm) cavity version 🙂 (ask me how I know )

Unless that is written into your original contract, and I doubt it will be, they have no obligation to handover the drawings. As far as they will be concerned it is their intellectual property. I had a similar situation and had to pay out a few thousand quid to get them. In hindsight, it would have been quicker to have someone re-draw them, and would have ended up with something that more accurately represented where we were with the build at the time.

On my Nudura build, where there are opening for windows (one of which is 2.5m) 3 rows of rebar (instead of 1) was laid in the Nudura webs that sit above the opening and extending 450mm further each side. BCO accepted this as creating a "lintel" within the concrete that was poured. If a steel beam is required, you can would pour concrete the approximate level of where the steel beam will sit, fit the steel to right level, shimming and bolting in place as necessary, then pour the concrete around the steel after. Don't have the steel sitting on the EPS as in the SE's drawing. Cropped photo , so not focussed, but you should get the idea. We added the extra Nudura forms around the steel, braced it excessively, and then hand poured these pockets to enclose the steel.

Having lost family members during our build and having been made redundant myself and turned 60 last year, I know how you are all feeling. You'll get through it, and the build is a great way of re-focusing. Keep going

My opinion - if it's in the loft, and it MIGHT contain water, then insulate it. Better safe than sorry