boxrick

A very generic reply from the manufacturer technical team... whoop

My architect seems to think that we should just leave it at this point. I may float the idea of removal to my builder and gauge his reaction. Given its all fresh bricks and currently dry, removal wouldn't be *that* hard. My feelings are, if / when we flood again ( maybe it will never happen ? ). Just cut into the walls then and rip it all out and replace with blown bead. We could even do a moisture test, its going to be no more expensive that it would be to do it right now?

So now the question is what to do. Leave it in or get them to rip it out and then look at replacement with something like blown bead OR if / when we do flood again we do it at that point. I'm guessing to remove it all will mean a brick removed every meter or so and it all pulled out. The cavity has no weep vents anywhere right now.

Can you clarify? Here are a couple of pictures from about a month ago when the cavity was exposed as it was built up. It looks like there was a slope towards to external wall.

Yes thats the DPC

We still have a whole lot of build to finish off. Money is being sent as each bit is completed. My property currently has no roof, so its far from completion. I have been holding back some funds from each payment for 'snagging' on completion

Hey I appreciate the reply! Just to confirm the specification for closed cell insulation below DPC was definitely due to previous flooding, it has been written in the architect notes because we were flooded earlier this year. There is an entire section on flooding. The superwall 32 has been used instead both above and below DPC, despite the instructions. Given this how serious an issue am I facing if I leave it as is? Should I be pushing the builder to put it right even though the extension is finished, this will be a major piece of work? Does anyone have experience of getting this sort of thing rectified? Any advice on the best way to handle it would be much appreciated. For extra context I plan to apply a tanking / heavy waterproofing slurry externally when works are complete.

So in summary... I am renovating my house. My Architect specified that below DPC rigid closed cell insulation to be used. Above DPC we were using full fill and in this case we have specifically used https://www.superglass.co.uk/products/superwall-32-cavity-wall-batt/ For context we were flooded at the start of the year. I was looking at the cavity of my new porch ( this is the last thing to be built ) and its clear its just full fill with the same material above and below. So now I am worried about this and would like some advice about how much you guys believe it matters, should I be insisting this is rectified ( given that my entire extension has now been built.

I'll move it closer to the border. Sadly looks like it's going to be the blue one now

My builder seems to think we can rest on this current external wall ( it will be internal soon ) which will make the span shorter and all this simpler My structural engineer has said 'It will be steel ridge beams with timber valley beams and rafters' I have asked him to do the structural calculations for this I also contacted Mitek who said they can help, but said only through one of their manufacturers, so I reached out to 3 near to me and am awaiting replies. I think the final thing here is my roof insulation construction is going to be completely different now, currently thinking 300-350mm of Knauf Earthwool Rafter Roll 32 or warmcell as mentioned above

So actually, from the sounds of it. Sacking off the companies, designing my own system based on feedback here is probably a better option?

Yea... as seen in other thread. Warm roof.

Ahh ok And any reason warmcell insulation instead of something like Knauf Earthwool Rafter Roll 32?

Heatpump ( getting a heatgeek to design and install UFH / ASHP system for me ) , see blue for likely or red for preferred but unlikely ( depending on land swap with neighbour )

Thanks so much for sharing this, can these red lines I have added in work as a service void for MVHR pipes and roof lights?

My plant room is located right next to shaded trees, surely it would be the best place for it? If my walls are insulated enough I shouldn't really hear it?

Shes pretty good to be fair, but I think I have made so many design changes at this point I am driving her mad. Regardless I have just contacted Mitek asking for help with a design. Thanks for the push in the right direction. Does anyone have some diagrams or similar to help me understand what it may look like in respect of my 'service void'? I would like to approach passivehaus levels of insulation or as close as I can sensibly get.

My ceilings are really shallow anyway so any loft space is none existent. But as you say it just gives me ultimate flexibility. I have contacted my structural engineer asking for help, I appreciate the advice everyone

This was the comment from my architect:

So actually aside from this ridge beam, everything else actually becomes simpler really. And how about this service void?

I am having a complete new roof on my existing house and extension. The design is to have roof lights punching through holes and a raised ceiling. However now I am just contemplating just vaulting my ceiling instead and to stop messing about with something I only half want, my roof is already very shallow and my floor is very high so I want to maximise ceiling space So based on that, what would be a sensible makeup of insulation to get equivalent performance to below? Would I still be able to have a service void for electrics, MVHR on warm side? Any recommendations before I go ahead and try and get this changed?

I see, in my case I was going for a highly insulated / airtight build. I was worried about the cooling within the house, initially I was looking those dual Daikin heating / cooling heatpump systems but not can be funded under the BUS programme. So my thoughts were in the hottest days of summer or perhaps in the middle of the night, being able to drop the general air temp a few degrees would be a whole lot better than no control? I appreciate it isn't really a 'cooling' unit but more an air tempering unit. I am having 9 triple glazed Fakro rooflights with the electrical external covers and electrical which I should be able to open to hopefully get a big heat reduction if it does get too warm.

Don't bother with the cooling battery? Is it not worth it to temper the temperature (probably downwards) a few degrees?

I am completely gutting my house, hopefully getting it quite airtight and installing a warm side ceiling void I have been quoted basically 7.5k + VAT ( design/ supply and commission without install ) and 8.5k+ VAT ( design and supply. No commission or install ) by 21 degrees and Paul Heat Recovery respectively, regarding MHVR install of a Zehnder Q350 + pipes + silencers and cooling battery. My first fix is looking to be around early July, and my final fix around late August. Simply put I am being quoted around 4-6 weeks for the design, when I am guessing I will need all my stuff much sooner than that. So my question is... whats my best option at this point? Do I just pay the deposit to one of these companies and hope for the best? Is a self guided route going to give me the same sort of performance and acoustics one of these companies is likely to specialise in? Any guidance or direction would be appreciated!