Conor

ahh, not us then. We're in a conservation area and part of the criteria was enhancing biodiversity, with no specific measures. I probably gave it more consideration than was needed!

We're on economy 7, and our usage is about 70/30 low Vs high rate, and our solar consumption about 65% of what we generate. So easy for us to calculate. Payback close to 20 years for me. Start by taking a simplistic approach, how much do you pay currently, how much do you use, how much can you move to off-peak by timing usage? And how much do you get paid for solar export? Out solar rate is basically the same as our off-peak import rate. We charge our car, run out dishwasher, washing machine and run our heatpump on the low rate only. This works fine for us, so a battery wouldn't do much.

I'd foam any gaps, trim off, and paint on a liquid vapour barrier /airtight paint.

I'd just adhere to the policy. It* was easy for us, replacing non-native trees with native, and a hedge instead of a fence. No ecologist, just a landscaping plan and a paragraph in the design statement. *I'm not actually sure we had to comply, so don't know if the LPA actually cared or not, we didn't get comments either way.

show us some photos. I've installed two DIY GRP roofs and I've never had an issue. Might be able to sand it down and put another layer on.

I built a timber box topped with 18mm ply. It says on insulation and fixed to the adjacent block walls. Cut out hole and notch for waste. Best way. I fitted mine pretty much flush with the finished floor. Why are you raising yours?

You need a proper spec done by your designer. What's been specced by the builder is basic and you need to looks tour overall heat loss and heat gain on detail. It'll be a struggle to get a comfortable house that amount of glazing, especially if it's min.spex double glazing.

Do you have cost estimates for this work and have you compared these to a new build? What stage are you at?

Whatever you do, it's imperative that the system fixes in to the structure of the building, i.e. steel or concrete. The ideal way of doing would be to have a parapet wall made of reinforced concrete, tied in to the block work / steel below. Your flat roof then abuts this with an upstand and flashing up and over the wall. This is how I did mine. My SE specced a 200x400mm RC ring beam for the balustrade channels, the rest were fixed in to steel beams. The balustrade company supplied 100mm M14 stainless steel anchors. My system can definitely be laid on a fall, as the glass panels sit in adjustable carriers.

My instinct would be to agree with the above, not part of the original plans, therefore not valid. However..... We made a big change to our design mid way through the build and submitted a new application. When submitting the claim, we included the original PP and drawings, as required, but also included the second application and drawings. No issues. I'm not sure this will fly with a separate structure tho? Might all depend on how you approach the planning... A brand new application, separate to the original, or an amendment /resubmission of the original application?

It's down to the water company, it's their pipe. It's definitely a non -standard scenario, and hard to know until you engage with them and present your chosen solution. I've a feeling any kind of sewer in a habitable space will be a no. As above, a diversion is by far the best solution.

Our guys just used a single board to span our steel heads entirely. Nothing done apart from some wool insulation.

You want tulip wood then. Try McGregor James on Sydenham road. They do mouldings, stair components etc but are also hardwood merchants. They'll cut and plane tulip wood to spec if needed.

Bigger holes and 25mm conduit. Anything smaller and it's a pain pulling the pipe through. Did it in several places.

Depends on who is doing the work and how you are pricing / managing it. If DIY, then plastic is a no-brainer. A plumber may prefer to use copper.

Hah. I spent weeks shopping around for multi policy discounts (3 cars and house insurance). No joy. The discounts are tiny, better off just going with the cheapest individual quotes from your typical comparison site.

Objections mean nothing unless they substantially relate to planning policies. "I don't like it" type objections will be ignored by the planners.

It'll do the job then. If any doubts, you could lay a layer of concrete on top with reinforcing mesh in it, tied in to the existing slab with dowels. Would be slightly higher but you'd have no doubts.

What a nightmare. I've looked at that systems photos and see what you mean. How are going to plasterboard the inside if you can't find webs easily?

I wouldn't use a cheap alloy tower for that work. Mine is a 2m platform hight and reasonably sturdy... If you don't lean over the sides! I think that's a cherry picker for a dayas your challenge there will be working over the lower roof.

Install the kitchen now, directly on to the slab. Forget about the flooring. Leave the kickboards off and the tilers can tile up to and around the unit legs. Leave a gap under any gable ends. This is what we have done. If your tiler complains, get another one.

Be prepared for the entire length of clay pipe to shatter, both directions, all the way back to the footings on either side. They tend to do that. What's your plan then? What you need to do is make two cuts, remove the middle section, replace with a PVC Tee with flexible couplers to the clay pipe. So in that instance you only need to clean off 50mm or so of concrete from either pipe to get the couplers on. Good luck.

Yes, been covered here before. You're directly heating the ground, essentially. Applies only to ground floor of course.

Yep, click fit stuff.

Can't be timber if <1m from a boundary.