puntloos

Just wanted to share that this is possible from a sketchup source: Direct link to video - forum viewer doesn't seem to work? - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rV3LVheWQVGzK_6KjoNGAHELvS1bn-HD/view?usp=sharing puntloos.mp4 - Source: sketchup - free trial - Unreal Engine 5.0 - the new hotness - free - Fully interactive windows binary - try it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jhJw0E69sFoDfZ66MmJjKosV-2kmn7Tk/view?usp=sharing (you need 7zip to unpack) and walk around in my house design - Supports VR - Supports collaboration (have a colleague join, share audio, point at stuff) Crucial thing is I haven't figured out is lighting

That certainly was my original plan.. but I've been talked out of it by my heating guy. ("too long pipes to the device") I guess I can re-attempt. You're right that it's a more elegant solution.

But - reviving this one a little If we have this: Imagine we literally paint over the hatch in the 'landlord supremo' style. The hatch would be nicely invisible I imagine (perhaps with some filler if the gap is too bad). But then oh noes, the FCU needs servicing! How 'bad' would it be to cut open the ceiling, fix the FCU, and then paint it back closed again? Would I need to paint the entire ceiling to achieve an even coat or would the repaint be fairly problem free even to just touch up? I'm thinking: - Since it's a ceiling it won't get any direct sunlight changing the paint colour too much from original? - In a properly maintained house you'll have to repaint ceiling every 10 years anyway? 5? - How much does a partial ceiling repaint cost? And a full ceiling repaint? Basically - I don't really expect FCUs to cause too much trouble and (pending answers here...) I could live with say opening up the ceiling once every 2 years, even if it costs me something 'extra' there? "the landlord supremo"

just a few thoughts - cutlery and plates should be as near to the table as possible. Consider which stuff is needed close to which location(s) Floorplan design is pretty weird - why are room names & functions not marked - what is the line between the dining table and the sitting area? A wall? Curtain? - two doors into a bathroom is weird and cn make for awkward moments (although rare, I suppose). Might even be able to fit two bathrooms next to each other. - The top left room goes through the utility which ... is a compromomise, perhaps unavoidable but I'd try to work on it. - ASHP and plant is 40cm from the head of sleeping people. Avoidable? Make sure it's done properly and even then UFH pumps etc will be non-zero noise level. - Location of the window at the end of the horizontal walkway. Why not have a window at the end, sense of space FLoor2 Uneven windows on top (R4, R5 R6).. why? Window with slats in front? Somewhat curious.. but if you must? Will be very hard to clean.

He's kind of a b*llocks glazier. Which sounds.. painful but artsy.

Yeah, makes sense. I am planning to do 'all the things' - I do have active cooling designed, but also a house design around a central hallway(chimney) with a skylight that can vent, and even in theory I could reverse the UFH ashp to cool a bit in an emergency.. We'll see.. overheating is the #1 problem with passivhaus I've heard on here.. so it feels worth it not to assume it'll be OK...

Great amount of detail, but can I ask a quick dumb question, which is: "is there any reason ever to use PIR then?" Under what circumstances?

Ha, May 2019 is when we bought the 'poor state house, nice plot'. At the time I expected to have the big metal ball hit the house in early 2020. But then someone ate a bat. <sigh> Not that covid was the only thing causing delays. The shocking thing to me was that I've had a bunch of experts that all basically were horriblyhorribly wrong about when we could "really start". Certainly I was also a weak/slow link by having major design influence etc. But so.. many.. things I might create a sooper brief blog but yeah. I still think it is the right choice. But yeah let's keep it up, my brother-from-another-..builder? or something.

Well.. we're going for it. Of course still a few steps like signing contract but we've called everybody and.. it's off to the races. I'm ... debating.. if I should write a blog on this or not..

ugly version but:

Well 'hiding' is the name of the game. You're proposing a (potentially) much uglier solution And don't forget it's primarily for cold air, so the air would "drop from the ceiling" which is ideal.

Yup. Middle of the livingroom and middle of the front room. Yeah, this is a worry of mine too. Well, share your ideas first - pictures! Descriptions! Interpretive dance? At the end of the day, you have to factor in how often you expect to use a given hatch. If it truly is a once in a lifetime emergency then just painting them closed with a few quick hints and docs where it 'used to be'/is is fine. If you need a daily service, then no. I'm hoping a FCU will need servicing about once every 4 years, which would then warrant a ceiling repaint?

Having a FCU like this one Embedded in a ceiling, means we need a way to access it, probably, well, through the ceiling. One approach I saw looked somewhat like this: Which I found somewhat jarring. Is there some better way? Or is there some way to cover it up better? One approach I'm thinking of is to literally paint over the grooves with paint? Yes it'll be harder to service (you'd have to cut through the paint and then repaint after) but.. the amount of service actually needed is somewhat low, I think? Thoughts?

The.. climate change prepper in me is thinking I might want to sink 10m3 concrete tank in my foundation while I have the chance. For one, in the netherlands, it is now legally required to have rainwater harvesting. In short, they say renovating or building any house lager than 80m2 you need at least 5000L. Also the expectation is that water is going to be 20% more costly in the coming years, and the full cost schedule is here: https://www.livios.be/nl/bouwinformatie/technieken/sanitair/waterbehandeling/45708/wat-kost-een-regenwaterinstallatie-we-rekenen-het-voor-je-uit/ -> 4650 eur for 10,000L concrete tank including install and all plumbing. Seems cheap? Direct link: https://www.hln.be/woon/regenwaterput-vanaf-2023-verplicht-bij-grondige-verbouwingen-hoeveel-kost-dat-en-wat-als-je-tuin-te-klein-is~aa1b7976/ Google translate below - Rainwater tank mandatory from 2023 for major renovations: how much will that cost? And what if your garden is too small? LIVIOS Rainwater wells were already mandatory for new-build homes, but are now also required for thorough renovation projects. What does that mean for those who have planned a renovation? How are rainwater wells installed in an existing home? And what price tag is attached to that? Construction site Livios will figure it out for you. By Jaron Bogaert, in collaboration with Bouwsite Livios 03-08-22, 10:20 Last update: 03-08-22, 11:46 Source: Livios Our summers are only getting drier and drinking water will become up to 20 percent more expensive in the coming years. With a rainwater well you keep a water buffer on hand and you need to use less drinking water. At the request of Minister of Environment Zuhal Demir, a new Rainwater Ordinance was approved. It was already compulsory to install a rainwater tank of 5,000 liters in new-build homes, but the rules are now being tightened up. Certain renovation projects will also have to follow the new rules. If you are renovating a house with a roof larger than 80 m2, you must add a rainwater tank of at least 7,500 liters from 2023. For roofs larger than 120 m², the volume must be at least 10,000 litres. If the roof is less than 80 m², a 5000 liter rainwater tank is still sufficient. Also read: Larger rainwater wells on the rise: “Go immediately for a 10,000 liter well” In addition to a rainwater well, you must also have a quarter of your garden or driveway permeable from next year. You do not necessarily have to provide grass or greenery, water-permeable paving is also possible. In the past, smaller areas of less than 40 ² received an exception. Not anymore. The new regulations must first go through a consultation round and a public inquiry, after which a final approval will follow. Water-permeable paving offers many advantages. You no longer have to install gutters and burying pipes is also a lot easier. In addition, your garden gains because the rainwater infiltrates into the soil. Water-permeable paving offers many advantages. You no longer have to install gutters and burying pipes is also a lot easier. In addition, your garden gains because the rainwater infiltrates into the soil. © Ebema For which renovations are you obliged to install a rain gutter? If you are working on drainage or expanding an existing building during a renovation and you are carrying out work on the water system, you must install a rainwater tank and possibly expand the infiltration facilities. It therefore only concerns renovations that work on the water system of your home. Are you planning to insulate your roof or install a new facade? Then you are not obliged to also install a rainwater tank. The new rules regarding the larger infiltration surfaces only apply when you re-lay hardening in your garden or driveway and also replace the foundation layer. Smaller maintenance works escape the new Rainwater Regulation. Also read: 5 tips for maintaining a rainwater well And what if I can't install a rainwater tank in my garden? For those who are renovating a terraced house with a compact garden and also do not have a driveway, it is a lot more difficult to hide a rainwater well. If for practical reasons no rainwater tank or infiltration facility can be installed, then you do not have to do that. The new Rainwater Regulation provides for exceptional measures for such homes. How much does it cost to install a rainwater well How much it costs to install a rainwater tank depends, among other things, on the size of the rainwater tank. You can get a concrete rainwater tank of 5000 liters from about 1,000 euros. A rainwater tank of 7,500 liters quickly costs 1,250 euros and for a large rainwater tank of 10,000 liters you put down about 1,500 euros. In addition, VAT and transport costs are added. You can view the full cost schedule here. Thanks to a rainwater tank, you use up to half as much tap water. You will therefore save a lot on your water bill, so that the rain well will eventually pay for itself. Read here how quickly you can earn back a rainwater well. Moreover, most municipalities give a subsidy when you invest in a rainwater installation. Use the premium link to find out exactly which subsidies you can apply for for a rainwater well. Another important thing: when you install a rainwater tank, the water installation must also be (re)inspected. Keep that in mind.

I think I'll need to make sure I know what the day rate is!

Since i'm sure this type of thing will come up during our build, could someone walk me through how negotiations go with a fixed price build? I'll give an example: My ceiling design is one way, that was priced into the builder's fixed price quote, but @Adsibob suggested here to effectively lower the ceiling 15mm and insert one extra layer of insulation. Again, just an example, but it feels like a minor change in principle... Let's say we're now mid-build and I go to the builder with the suggestion... can someone talk me through what would happen? Is it as simple as "here's GBP 12345monies and the builder does it", or would there be a whole process where the architect gets flown in and the structural engineer has to recertify everything and... Basically I hear horror stories when people suggest changes to the design mid-way and I'd like to know what to expect, or perhaps what type of contract terms to have to limit the outrageousness of what the builder would ask?

I can live with 15mm less. Good idea, thank you.

Do you know a good default for diameter and spacing? What would you recommend?

hmm, your point about decrement delay is interesting. You are assuming "purging heat" (which by the way is certainly a design element of my house, we have designed effectively a whole-house chimney stack hallway) but I always thought passivhaus was assumed to be airtight all year round? Or is this just more realistic? And you're saying PIR is not great for loft but do you think it's fine everywhere else? Or would you do wood fibre everywhere?

Math dictates no. 3 is 1+2.

Brown

I like the moodlighting for when you really need to be feelin that number 2

You know I was joking, right? Just checking - you've been very insightful and Id be silly to ignore experienced builders here, in fact that's why I'm hanging around in the first place. Indeed, will be around..

No no you're all wrong and I am too genius to take advice! OK OK seriously, as with many things in life I struggle a lot with 'the things I don't know that I don't know'. For example I had to find out at some point that I needed more detailed SE drawings, and for that I needed soil samples taken and for that I needed to .. etc. It's all not "rocket science" but finding this out step by step costs a _huge_ amount of time, which was just the thing I tried to avoid... (fail). But like you said @Gus PotterI actually did pay people for their advice. I've paid 3-5-900 quid one-off consultancy fees to the likes of builders to look over my (then-)current plans, architects and project managers to tell me what stuff I needed to take care of urgently, M&E team to design a good heating system. And at the same time all of them predicting I could start building in 3-max-4 months from now for sure.. (that was early 2021..) And even after this paid-for advice I had those advisors forget to mention things like soil samples, soakaway testing. I might've paid the wrong people, who knows. Not that they were dumb or inept, they might just have were creators, not teachers, or who knows maybe I didn't listen properly, I'm sure I made many mistakes (made wrong assumptions) myself too. And I'm not even sure, after these 3 years of house design, if i could comfortably advise the next person who walks into the door. But at least Ive had a good amount of extra eyes, esp thanks to buildhub, to look at the things I've been doing. And ha, even this late in the game @Adsibob is suggesting a few items I certainly need to take another look at. I'm fairly sure my basic design is solid and buildable, and I have good confidence I found a decent team that's not over-charging.. (one tender just came back at nearly double the quote of my first choice). Phew, and the ride is just starting.

I'm sure there's more than one brand/type but it feels the details are mostly academic True, should spec. Certainly planned to be extendable to living space, I'm somewhat surprised that it's not good by default in your view? The roof has 150mm PIR in there already? Or where would you insulate? Yeah, the skylights need to be blinded, I suppose I implicitly assumed, good to call out Not sure I follow, do you have perhaps a drawing/URL with some info on this? Of course double is better 😃 - but not sure where the extra space would go.. No, that's again left up as an exercise for the reader (a.k.a. something the builder can skimp on. Thanks )