Conor

We have Sto and we're very happy, 2.5 years later still looks like new.

Recirculating hob / extractor. No need to complicate things with direct extract or ducting in to the MVHR system with complex and expensive filters etc.

I pointed out a couple 11.25/22.5⁰ bends I had inbetween two chambers to BCO, said no additional chamber needed as could be rodded from either direction. Also happy with a 22.5⁰ vertical bend right before a chamber as was within 2m and easily checked.

6x56m is a silly, expensive, and energy inefficient shape for a house. I hope that's a typo? You'd be mad not to split the plot as you already have pp for. The profit from selling the second site will make life far more comfortable. It's a tough job building a house. We had a main contractor do our ICF shell. We then took it over and got all the individual trades in. I'm spending my Easter weekend kerbing and building garden walls. There's no way you can do 90% of the hands on work yourself. Unless you stop your main jobs, and ignore friends and family for four years!!

Old house sink on the island. New house, sink on the wall and hob on the island. Far better for many reasons. Less mess, more sociable when cooking, looks neater etc.

It'll work fine. Just get the ASHP and be done.

Just a couple more points. Nobody from the local authority will be out measuring your building after completion. It will take a complaint by a neighbour / passerby thwt either really doesn't like the building, or knows the policies and can tell it's more than 2.5m from ground level. Finally, if it's few mm higher than the limit, nobody is going to make you rectify it. A metre, yes, 10mm, no.

Cooleneegy invertech 9kW. Couldn't be happier. Yet to miss a beat.

Cheaper. Easier to handle. Easier to cut. 50mm on the slab and then 100mm opposite way eliminates any "rocking" issues. Easy to use or sell on leftovers.

Don't use 150mm sheets, use 50mm and 100mm.

No reason you couldn't do this with GSE in roof trays, they can run from ridge to gutter.

Welcome, I reiterate advice to shop around. B&Q tradepoint card also worthwhile. Generally most expensive place, but now and again they have a few lost leaders and cheaper than most. E.g. they had sheets of 18mm ply a good bit cheaper than anywhere else during the pandemic. And I picked up decking screws last week, £23 for 1000 after tradepoint discount. Next cheapest place was £32. Insualtion deals are good as well. And of course they are open on a Sunday....

Its from the underside of the top roof covering, at the point of where the wall meets, measured from the local ground level. Does not include your trims.

We find slab cooling with ASHP very effective, even if it's only needed once a year or so (in northern Ireland so daytime temps rarely in the high 20s and nighttime usually in low teens)

Give Amvic Ireland a call, they'll provide you with details. We went with aluminium as it's much simpler and no nasty thermal bridge.

Inside doesn't matter so much, it's all about spread of fire on the outside. And the phrase is "predominantly" non combustible. Open to interpretation somewhat, but you do not need pink board. I emailed my plans to the local council who said was ok. Then suggested I apply for certification after completion to assuage any future issues. Mine was block walls, actually forming boundary on one side, timber and GRP roof, door and window. Don't forget you max eaves height of 2.5m.

Yes. Assuming. the walls are all block / brick?

Morning. I've 50m of pin kerbs to lay. We've laid footings as the ground was moved around so not always firm, and a we had a min order of concrete to deal with so we are where we are. A lot of the kerbs and dwarf walls kerbs (415mm tall) will be on slopes. Is there a general rule on how to do this? From my understanding I just string it out so the kerbs are at a consistent height above the local ground. Do you generally start at the top of a hill, or at the bottom? Does it matter? At some points we'll be transitioning from 150mm kerbs up to the 315mm and 415mm dwarf walls. I understand the process of haunching etc. Same question for brick walls . we have stepped footings in place for 15m wall, dropping 1.5m so several steps. Start brickwork at top or bottom?

If he's running a large GSHP, charging batteries, and a car, all at the same time, all on a single phase, then no womder he's having issues. Sounds like three phase needed. I'd love to see his electric bills 😲

We battened out a small area with 3x2 timber, ply on top and brought all the cables etc up behind it, then out through slots for the consumer unit, network switch etc. or you could but a networking cabinet. Water should be away from everything else.

We put oak in but regret not putting in a standard timber staircase and carpeting it. I'd say well end up putting a carpet runner on it this year. FYI with a local company for basic hardwood staircase you are looking at £5k upwards.

Street view image stitching. Two different exposures.

I feel like a plant room is one of the most likely sources of a fire in a house (we have solar inverter, all networking gear, CCTV, MVHR, solar diverter etc) after kitchen and tumble dryer... We had all our walls ply lined, ceiling boarded with fire board and standard board on the walls. Fitted fire door as well and smoke detector. Only piece of exposed wood (consumer unit board) was painted in intumescent paint.

Score deeply in diamond patterns with edge of a scraper.

From a timber upstand and line with compressible perimeter foam. Then trim flat after screed is cured. As above, need to sort that wall out, secure ends of the floor joists (add noggins at the end or a trimmer piece as there's noting to stop the joists twisting), fill voids with insulation/foam.