Conor

Sounds like an expansive build up. Why not just 40mm insualted plasterboard straight on to the blocks? 15mm PIR, 6mm magly, 10mm dot and dab, 12.5mm PB = 43.5mm minimum.

I'd get the parkside from Lidl or the Aldi equivalent. Competent and adequate tools.

They do outward opening casement windows as well.

You should be looking at about 10% (of construction cost + VAT) total professional and finance fees for a typical build.

You're four months consumption is greater than my entire year, also an A rated house of similar size (but new). Think we need to know more about the ASHP setup and how it's being operated. How much insualtion under the ground floor? I'm assuming the heatloss is higher than the EPC says (they are far from accurate). Was there any other analysis done? Off the bat you can look in to off-peak tariffs, we run our ASHP 90% of the time on low rate, a third cheaper than peak (10p vs 30p). Check the flow temp you ave for heating. Other main question, is the house warm enough and what do you have the room stats set at?

We have one, but it's basically just a full height tilt and turn window that's used as a door (internorm.)

A 5l can will keep you going a brave while.

Another option is to make the hole a bit bigger than needed (e.g. if a 12mm bolt, then a 14mm hole), partially fill with anchor resin, then insert bolts and get them perfectly aligned before the resin goes off. I'd say that's the easiest and fastest way. It'll only cost you a tenner for a tube of resin. I'd also consider cutting away a block of the EPS that's slightly bgger than the patch area. I'm assuming you'll be doing this as I doubt the balcony is fixed agains the face of the EPS?

I've one of these and it's excellent. Very little play or wobble. Used it to drill precise holes in a stair stinger for metal pole ballusters. There are cheaper versions available. https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-technology-drill-guide-with-10mm-chuck-106072

Try internorm

I got a guy in with a proper drill rig to do a few holes, worked out at £30 a hole. He did in half a day what would have taken me at least two days of very hard work. The rig was bolted to the wall and drove itself in. Did all the hard work itself. Totally different job from a hand held core driller.

Metal all the way

Yes, foamed, airtight paint on the inside and tanking tape on the outside. Nothing getting through.

@Mr Blobby reason for a single hole was because ours is through the basement tanked wall, fewer potential points of failure. And drinking through 200mm of RC isn't easy

I set our kitchen at 30lps on boost. It's a big, open area though and I think that helps dilute any smells.

Reminds me of the time we told an estate agent we were going with another agency as their fee was lower. The reply was as if we'd murdered their children.

It's not a major issue as a recirculating hood/hob does the job fine at removing particulates and odours. the MVHR will mop up any excess odours and moisture anyway. I came from a house where I installed my own designed externally mounted 900m3hr system, to a house with recirculating hob and MVHR. The latter is superior.

We cored a 100mm hole in our wall and ran the pipes plus power / data cable through it in individual ducts, foamed it up after. Then they all go through the outer insulation layer of the wall, finally rendered over. Only bit of insualtion actually needed we're for the flexy hoses coming out from the wall to the unit.

Just a reminder to those new viewers to this thread that some UK lenders may not require a warranty or such like. Virgin loaned to us on basis that the build was architect designed and supervised - but did not ask for documentation. Only thing requested was evidence that roof system was guaranteed as it was non standard. Ifc build with basement. Home insurance via LV, again, no issues there. Don't take that as advice, just an example of how it can be done if just getting a mortgage is your sole aim. Different issue if we aim to sell...

Unfortunately you're at the mercy of economies of scale. Even though you are building relatively small footprint, you still have the same service, foundation, drainage, landscaping, roof, etc costs of a two story build on the same footprint. You'd be better off building a two story on a 65m² footprint. We came in at £1300m² on a 115m² footprint, but over three stories. I took time off work and we did a lot ourselves.

Chrlorine test will tell you if it's a watermains leak or natural spring. My money is on a spring as it all looks too clean to be mains water 🤣. And you'd likely hear the leak if it was coming out of a pipe. Either way it would want to be managed.

You could adapt that one. Put a bung in the existing outlet, use a hole saw to cut a new outlet and use a 2" tank connector. Or as suggested, flip it 180⁰, use two 90⁰ bends to bring it back round.

Nice cantilever.

Ditto to what Dave says. My 5.5pkW array cost £4300 for materials only, so £2k for all the install work is reasonable.

It's not a vcl, it's just a polythene sheet that's put down to separate the insualtion from the screed. Purpose is to prevent chemical reaction between the aluminium coating and the cement. Standard ground floor build up is concrete slab - dpm - insulation - polythene - UFH pipes - screed. Many variants on the above of course, e.g. Insualted raft.