Big Jimbo

@saveasteading obviously you want the best airtest result you can achieve for your epc. But in the real world, those vents are not going to be taped up when the house is in use are they ? So in effect you are getting a false air test result. It was only a simple case of the twat saying "it's a bit to airtight, i'll take a strip of masking tape off one of your extractors. That will get you a pass" The twat was just looking for a re-visit and an extra fee.

And don't pay you airtest person. They should not be taping anything up. Twats.

That's a joke. You tape everything up in order to get the best air test result you can. When you are living in the house they wont be taped up will they ? So in the bloody real world untape your bathroom extractor vents etc, and tell the twat to test the house like that.

What is the problem ? Are they saying that you need MVHR or something because your house is too airtight ? You could do a 100mm core drill to outside, with an open vent on both the inside, and outside.

How far are you from the public sewer, and will you be able to make a connection to it without entering anybody else's property ? If you can get a connection to the mains it would be your best option. You might find it runs just outside your plot.

Cheers for that @Gone West. Well, everyday is a school day, and happy to admit i was wrong. My foggy brain must not be in gear yet today. Still think that that is shite IMO. My cables always run either straight up, straight down, or left or right.

Link not working. I'm well out of date with my 16th edition, and part P. However, within 100mm from a corner never has and never will be a safe zone.

Where did that picture of "safe zones" come from ? Within 100mm of a corner is exactly the opposite of a safe zone !

The op needs to find out if it is a ring, or a radial. Not good to be messing with electrics when you dont even know that. I bet there is a kitchen sink under that window. Lots of nice water..... The whole house could just be a hodge podge of messy previous work. I have seen some horrors in the past.

mmmmmmmmm. I have never used MLCP. I used only copper on my daughters with soldered joints (but i would like to have a go on one of those electric things.) In my other daughters, i used Hep, with no joints under the floors, ceiling, or walls. Plastic is so easy, so to answer your question, Perhaps MLCP with a bit of copper.

Whats it's being used on ? That looks like mineral felt.

Fantastic picture. Stunning.

Yeah , but thank heavens for that @joe90 There are some many things within the building regulations that conflict with each other, great to have them onboard and trying to work out solutions with you. I have had some great debates with BCO's over the years.

@ProDave It is.

As far as i know, you don't need an escape window in a bathroom in England, because it is not a habitable room.

Any chance of putting a second outlet through the wall to keep them both independent ? Either that of 1 exit hole lower down to give you a bit of scope for sloping down to it better. Neither idea any good if the pipe going through the wall goes straight into a soil stack ?

You sound like me. I'm more than able to run pipes, connect up etc. However when fitting anything other than a basic system i think there is a lot you can get wrong. I'm going to try and at least get somebody to design a system for me. Whether i end up fitting any of it myself, we shall wait and see.

The garage is detached, so i'm going to have to cross the patio to get to the house.

I'm considering fitting ASHP on my new build. Thinking of putting the unit behind the detached garage. That means the pipes would have to travel about 6meters to get into the house, under a side patio. Any idea how this is usually done ? If i can bury the pipes underground and insulate them, would i be ok to carry them on underneath the block and beam floor. I could insulate them well under there. If i am better to bring them up into the floor of the house, i'm planning on having 200mm of pir before the screed. Would it be better to run the pipes in between the Two layers of pir. I am planning on having the hot water tank, and ground floor underfloor heating manifold under the stairs. Any pointers kind ladies and gents.

I think a lot of people do a lot of the management themselves. If you hand it over you are going to be paying top dollar for what you get. ie: Plumber want £25k to supply and fit out your plumbing and heating. The actual cost to him will be say £18750, but he wants a margin. vans, office, pension, holiday, sick, office costs, accountancy, etc etc. I have no problem with any of the above. However, the main contractor now gets the plumbers price and puts his margin onto the top, say 25%.. Your plumbers price is now £31250. For me cost + is a bit of a no no. No incentive for the main contractor to get the best prices from the subbies he uses for your job. I have known plenty of small main contractors who have said in the past. "That new boiler round my mums. Stick the cost of it on here". Just not for me, but i'm sure others have been happy to do it that way.

So you basically need £300k to build ? Keeping the £50k in you pocket for overspends ? Where are you getting the 3 to 5 months timescale to knock and build? Regardless of where you get the money from, say you end up spending the £350k for the knock and build. You come to sell your house and find out that you can only get £200k for it instead of the anticipated £250k. After paying your old mortgage off, you will need a new mortgage of £190k. Will you have the income to borrow this ? Lots to consider.

1260mm is the height, from your photo, that i think i would be considering when looking at a fire escape. IMO i think that the top of the glass would need to be 1100mm from the top of the step, as i would consider that to be the floor level. Can anybody see a reason why that would not be right ?

Thats what i am intending. @Dave Jones I was doing my own Part O calcs. I couldn't find a way to make it work. All my windows open to meet ventilation. On my upstairs windows, i intend fitting them at about 900mm from the floor, and guarding them to exactly 1100mm. Once passed out, i will remove the guarding.

Zoot the Hoot. Having read some of the posts here are my thoughts. You are going to have to accept some stuff. You don't understand a lot of the technical stuff. Neither do i. You talk too much, and in riddles. I talk too much. My thoughts are that you have Three options. 1. Accept what you are being told by valliant. 2. Tell them to bugger off. 3. This is what i would do..... When the bloke comes around to do all your heat loss calcs, rad sizing, equipment requirements etc. Ask him if he could spare you 15 mins. Make him a cuppa, and press £20 into his hand. Forget all the crap that has gone on before, nobody will be interested in hearing that. I usually start with. "I'm as thick as shit when it comes to ASHP. Can you talk me through what you are going to do, and try to explain it to me as if i was a 10 year old. Then shut the f up and let him have his 15mins. At the end you are permitted to ask him to clarify a couple of things if necessary. These questions should relate to how to operate the system, to get the best out of it. Not questioning why he is fitting that, or not fitting this. He is the designer, not you. You have to have some trust in people who know better than you. (i stuggle with that, but thats life. Then let them get on with it. Remember, It ain't gonna be any worse than what you have already. Best of luck bud.

@AliG So basically, nice large oversized rads upstairs, and loops at say 100mm apart downstairs ? The more surface area you have to let the heat out, the better ?