puntloos

Just some general points, note I am nowhere near an expert Garage rear wall seems too thin for proper insulation Just in general many walls seem somewhat thin - have you thought about heating/cooling and its implications Service shafts, your bathrooms are spread on the top floor, and each one probably needs some way to get rid of waste water. Door to the study more to the side, feels larger when entering Not sure I'd want dining to impinge on living, it feels somewhat cramped (of course things are relative) can the study be made to fit the dining stuff? Guest ensuite toilet very close to your bed. Not sure you'd like the noises. Open to below is somewhat strange feeling, feels forced? Cloak-wc-shower feels a bit limiting, cloak seems too small to store actual cloaks?

One question, my roof buildup currently is a combo of what we all said here: GRP Fibreglass OSB 18mm 200mm PIR insulation A Vapor Layer OSB 18mm Joists I beam (TBC, opinions welcome?) 15mm Plasterboard. But that adds up to 18+200+18+15 = 251mm (or am I ignoring e.g. the joists somehow..). Isn't that super thin? For comparison, my main external walls are 435mm. Or is really the insulation sufficient (that's about the same) since the roof obviously has to carry very little load?

Agreed, as amateurs and architects (no SE involved just yet... ha you're our first... ) we already were thinking about that one. Note that the updated version of the house looks more like this: My own design, but in particular note that the external wall is much thicker: 435mm: skim 5mm sandcement plaster 15mm medium block 100mm EPS blown beads (with stainless steel wall ties perhaps) 200mm medium block 100mm sand cement render 15mm But perhaps more importantly, split the large glass pane into two much more modest windows. Would your suggestion of the 'portal frames' still hold? My pier design and location is somewhat more central to the main area. Something I will certainly flag with the SE.. How much do you think going from "bog standard" to "fancyacousticsomg" willl cost per square meter, purely materials wise? I imagine I'm living in an area where the labour and just 'location' costs more than raw materials, for most intents and purposes We've already assumed block and beam flooring so multideck doesn't even have to be *that* much more expensive. Of course money is important but I'm more concerned about my house 'sandwich' will grow above what I have planning permission for. Currently my ceiling height is 2.7m (ground) and 2.4 (1st) and 2.3(loft) It is, so that should be okay.. and indeed the metal deck might be the way to go.. But, as it stands I was planning: soundbloc plasterboard (15mm) block(75mm) vertical battens w/ rockwool (25mm) block(75mm) soundbloc (15mm) (but not really 'solid' design yet - the main point is noise insulation again, but especially I imagine that central wall to carry the entire house, so to speak, so perhaps it needs to be thicker, which would be fine, eg: soundbloc plasterboard (15mm) block(100mm) vertical battens w/ rockwool (25mm) block(100mm) soundbloc (15mm)

Thanks Simon, I'm not 100% clear though on my internal walls. In particular I have a "central wall" on the ground floor that I assume will have to take "most of the house weight" Current buildup plan is as mentioned - about 215mm masonry-based: soundbloc plasterboard (15mm) block(75mm) vertical battens w/ rockwool (25mm) block(75mm) soundbloc (15mm) Am I understaning correclty that the "battens w/ rockwool" section needs to be 75 at least? The design I listed should surely suffice to block meaningful sound?

Very good point, and not something I explored a lot. Clearly not enough. My assumption was that any problematic loads can be handled with steel beams? In particular: (ignore the weird kitchen wall layout, that's been resolved) Largest span is 8m x 5m or 13m x 5m depending on if you include the kitchen. (there's no load above the dining room) Currently I have 465mm for "the ceiling" To be clear of course an expert will need to validate all this, I'm just picking the 'preferred' layer buildups purely on acoustical and heat performance, the expert will need to see how to "reconcile" this into something that won't collapse if an overweight family member carries my kid into the bathroom Just trying for the optimal solution!

Thanks @Moonshine - so to confirm: 10mm Rubber crumb mat (Will this be OK for UFH?) 20mm Screedboard https://www.cellecta.co.uk/product/screedboard-201/ perhaps? 20mm levelling screed + UFH embedded in this 150mm Dense Block & Beam (acoustic hangers) 150mm void 100 mm Mineral wool 12.5mm Soundboard not sure where you intend to use the 'two layer of 15mm soundbloc' in this? fwiw in my current design I have 462.5mm to play with (so the above works..). Else I'd have to raise my roof. Not easy How so, @Gus Potter? How would you make it.. less odd? Of course I'm sure punching through various layers is harder than through a single layer, but the added price shouldn't be end-of-the-world? True, or just maybe wrap the sound insulating material around the kid rather than in the floor?

Both is ideal, but below to up is much more important

Well, the subject really says it all, how would you build a B&B floor? Goal: airborne sound primarily. Not intending to make 'dead' rooms (no recording studio/cinema), just trying to separate different people and their stereos jackhammers etc from each other ? Here's one suggestion I found; 10mm Rubber crumb mat 20mm levelling screed 150mm Block & Beam (acoustic hangers) 150mm MF Suspended ceiling 50mm Mineral wool 12.5mm Soundboard = 400mm or so. [source] Thoughts? Would this make a good ceiling regardless of insulation? Note that the underside also needs to fit some services, electrics etc.

Still mulling over whether to build or not (we are progressing as normal, tendering comes next). One question came up: (with obv. just simple calculation values..) If a plot's planning permission and full detail would create a 150m2 detached house that would be worth about 1M pounds in current market, how much would a builder be willing to pay for that plot (incl stamp duty etc) + design? Normally, a builder tends to charge an end user say 2000/sqm in this area- so build cost would be 300,000, which means that presumably the builder would 'break even' at 700,000 for the plot+design.. but of course there's various risks involved that I might not be thinking through, size of the job, how busy you are etc.. So if you were a builder, what's your best offer for my theoretical house, and what things to you factor into that choice?

Let's just say I have two 1000W subwoofers and a 3 year old toddler. (who will be 12 in no time..) I was debating the "horizontal service void" idea people mentioned elsewhere but I think it'll impact the wall too negatively. But of course(?) I'll be inserting a lot of ducting etc pre-emptively. Should be okay? Interesting, no load bearing walls though. How would you build up a good load bearing one? Well, the thing is - I want "good sound isolation", however the room itself should stay "normal". I don't want to create some cinema (dead room) that sounds very unnatural for normal living. I'd like a "as neutral as possible" wall (so not really reflecting a ton) that does What's the reg? Between walls? Or external? What's "chasing"? (sorry hard to google since it's a generic word) Ha, same doc.. but again not "load bearing"

Re-highlighting this for a moment.. I'm still thinking something in the direction of: soundbloc plasterboard (15mm) block(75mm) vertical battens w/ rockwool (25mm) block(75mm) soundbloc (15mm) Sounds... fairly soundproof at 205mm no? Or did I miss something But: - How would you insert the horizontal service void, just cut it out of the soundbloc? Or trying to scrape it into the block? DOesn't have to be massively deep I imagine..

Same situation. I suspect there is some core truth to that "at list price" the german kitchens of well known manufacturers are better than the UK ones, but once you get into the actual prices you can achieve with UK discounts, crappy sales tactics and buy 2 for 1, get somewhat lucky with the actual installer team and etc etc, you will be able to reach a similar, perhaps even better value for money. And German installers don't stray too far from list prices I don't think. German kitchens seem a 'safer bet', but if you know what you want, and the particular 'thing' you want is somewhat straightforward you can save some on going UK. Current gut feel, take it for what you will.

I was surprised that even siematic is using chipboard (by default, I think MDF/solid are optinos). Of course there are different quality levels but still, dip it in water and it'll 'melt'..

Yep. Interesting factoid. OK, I guess I'll stick with inward then. Yeah that was what I was 'suspecting' but having zero actual experience... Sorry you have nonzero actual experience

5065x2945 internal usable surface.

Cool, I'm not a builder so I have no idea if there are any "hidden snags" that I'm not aware of. Does drilling into an 'unprepped' doorframe hurt the insulation, does the door fit so tightly you can never make it work if you try to mirror it.. etc it indeed sounds straightforward but things can turn nasty

The door to my garage currently goes into the kitchen, and given the garage is outside the thermal envelope, I assume the door has to be built 'very well', sealing properly, insulated etc. But.. We don't tend to put a car in the garage anyway, so the garage door "banging into the car" is not a thing yet. It might make more sense to have the door open 'outward'. Q: When the mood strikes and I buy me a car I care about getting stolen (or more likely: a future buyer of the house has one), would it be 'doable' to reverse that garage door? Obv not expecting it to be super straightforward but can a professional do it properly without having to knock out the entire wall or cause other wanton destruction?

Good question and my answer is only half-baked (not checked against 'reality').. I was planning to allow it to open, and I put in electrochromic ('smart glass') in this direction: https://www.iqglassuk.com/products/invisio-thermally-broken-rooflight/s53537/ Do you have any suggestions? ?

Yeah, definitely not doing that. (it also seems moderately stupid to go on a slightly sloped roof with no barrier to stop, well, death. ) I've never had much faith in self cleaning glass but perhaps it would be sufficient.. Regardless, the flat section of the roof probably needs 1-2 skylights anyway so I figured allowing them to open enough to actually allow professionals to climb through might not be a bad idea. But as you said, for the few times that's needed it would be okay to pay the extra cost to get some 'device' to go up there.

No, I definitely did! But to be clear if I were ever to open the roof to 'the public' it would have to be as secure as any other dangerous fall, so with full railings etc. My question elsewhere - Stuff on top of a house pertained to if I would be allowed to put railings that would exceed the allowed ridge height. GIven that that answer was 'no'(without add'l planning permission) I only want a roof access for cleaning purposes and a very secure lock. I doubt I'd even dare go on it myself.

Well, to be clear the only idea 'for now' is to be able to access the roof to e.g. clean the roof light. Would that not be allowed? Clearly it's dangerous to go on any roof by using a ladder from the outside since you could jump off if so inclined. Why would 'inside ladders' be any different?

Interesting detail. Since I probably will have them recessed somewhat into the roof I'll have to see how that works.

For PV I guess it makes sense, if it were to stick out that would 'effectively' increase that height. For e.g. a thin antenna I'd be surprised if people would make a stink. (not that I plan an antenna.)

So, we have planning permission for a house of height "x" (8.5ish m). Does this necessarily include all the "stuff" on top of a house? What about a chimney? Antenna? And on my mind currently: Photovoltaic panels? Are all of those things kinda ignored as long as they aren't insanely huge?

Has anyone ever considered: https://my.dualsun.com/wp-content/uploads/DualSun-EN-Datasheet-Spring-300-310Wp.pdf Here's a calculation they gave out: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ex49pbclIv6vHSOF92YFBzXncKI_pw5S/view?usp=sharing (note a smallish roof size, my roof is somewhat weird (crown roof) - so flat on top, which I'm assuming is unused.) They claim to do both with the same panel. I imagine perhaps they are terrible at both? Can someone who reads photovoltaic or photothermal take a look?