Anonymoose

I like the idea of vapour line being internal as it will make it easier to tie into the extension and keep one very well sealed envelope. So that leads me to EPS on the outside. The EPS brick slip system I have seen has 20/50/100mm insulation for £36/65/96 per square metre (incl adhesive) or I can just buy plain EPS and use spacers which would be much cheaper 100mm at £10 per sqm. the EPS brick slip system is euro brick V/X clad, they recommend max slip depth of 25mm.

Thanks both the 50mm xps idea was actually a brick slip tracking system (see https://www.brickslip.co/product/xps-brick-slip-backing-board/). Thats where 50mm comes from. We are replacing the roof and all windows/doors so could go for more if it was sensible. I now appreciate that EPS is a preferred material for permeability. I wonder why those slip panels come as XPS, a quick good for EPS alternatives hasn’t yielded much. Maybe 10mm spacers will do the job albeit slightly slower. Will check out your blog Mike, thanks

You’re right. We have made a feature chalk wall in part of the garden and it puts things in perspective!

Sadly we don’t own the quarry and so muckaway have done well out of us. Lots of chalk removed (which according to some companies is the worst thing in the world).

Hi all I’m looking for some advice/reassurance with respect to my renovation/extension. The property is a c. 1920 cottage of cavity construction (bricks and 75mm cavity) with peddledash render. We have removed an extension that was added in 1970 and are re-building/improving it. The original cottage has been taken back to bare brick. There is a slate dpc which looks to be in good condition. Cavity seems pretty clear where inspectable, and galvanised wallties are in good shape. We will add new neoprene wall ties around new openings, and generally to improve. For the original cottage I would like to install a EWI + brick slip system on the ground floor, and then timber clad the first floor. This will visually match the new extension. The build-up for each will be as follows: Existing GF: 25mm brick slip 50mm EWI (XPS with brick slip guide lines) 50mm original cement based pebbledash render 100mm original brick with lime mortar 75mm cavity (to be filled?) 100mm original brick 25mm PIR, foil taped to form vapour line 25mm Batten for service zone 12.5mm plasterboard 3mm skim Existing FF: 25mm timber cladding tbc 25mm horizontal batten 50mm EWI? 50mm original cement based pebbledash render 100mm original brick with lime mortar 75mm cavity (to be filled?) 100mm original brick 25mm PIR, foil taped to form vapour line 25mm Batten for service zone 12.5mm plasterboard 3mm skim I have three questions: 1. Is it worth continuing the XPS insulation on the timber clad first floor? If so do I need any ventilation between timber and XPS? 2. Should I have any concerns about filling the cavity wall? We are in South Wiltshire, the filled walls will be east, south and west facing. We’re not particularly exposed but on the side of a hill so the wind does whip through on occasion. 3. How low should the XPS and brick slips be installed, all the way down to DPC, or all the way to the ground/underground? (DPC is 150mm above ground level - just thinking about any rising damp concerns - but XPS does not absorb water, right?) 4. Maybe determined by the answers for one and two, but I’ll ask anyway, should the cavity be considered as a completely sealed volume, or does it need to “breathe”? I think sealed, but want to check. Many thanks in advance, sorry for the long post

Yes, see the drawing attached here. There are a few posts too for a wrap-around terrace. Plans here in case you want to take a closer look: https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001BtDD1AAN

Yes, spent a while going around that one. The site is difficult - “Cliff” cottage refers to the 100 year old chalk quarry we’re on the edge of, and we didn’t want to excavate too close to the edge. Besides, I liked the challenge of adapting something and keeping some history more than a blank piece of paper which in all honesty I struggled with!

Hi All long time lurker, first time poster. We are renovating and extending our cottage in South Wilts. We’re about 6 months into the build having got planning in Jan, took us a while to get there due to bats, false start with first architect, and a slow planning process generally. The cottage consisted of an original 2-up-2-down and a couple of poorly constructed extensions (a ground floor lean-to which was then somehow converted to be two storey, maybe in the 70s). We’ve demolished the extensions and rebuilt GF to the same footprint, and FF will be a cantilevered, triple-gabled and vaulted ceiling “box” which we’ll have as a kitchen-living area (an upstairs down house to take advantage of the views we have here). Hoping to be weather-tight by the winter, and then complete by Christmas 2025. I am project managing sub-contractors and have a good friend who is a very skilled labourer/builder looking to gain more experience who is doing lots of the work and providing continuity throughout. We have converted a room above our double garage to live in whilst the work is ongoing, so here on site most of the time and we largely work from home. Thanks for hosting such an invaluable resource here - I look forward to contributing and please forgive the odd awkward question