Russdl

That would seem to be a bit of a shocker from MBC and difficult to understand how it could have happened. Is that section just not vertical and leaning into the house, or is it not as thick as it should be? Have you approached MBC about it? Is there anything they can do to make good the error?

@JSHarris well that answered that question pretty comprehensively!

@Nickfromwales & @JSHarris thanks for both of your input on this, and the contrary positions makes for interesting debate. We plan to have the boiling water tap, one of which we have seen combines everything including filtered drinking water (which seems a bit, er, wet as good old tap water has seen me through this far) but as a supplementary question, would the water filter remove the sodium from the softener?

+1 for SketchUp. Tricky to start with but plenty of online tutorials to help you over that first hurdle.

Does the softener act as a restrictor in some way? Would that be why @Nickfromwales suggests the accumulator is downstream from it?

@Nickfromwales thanks. I was hoping the words would be something along the lines of ‘quite simple’.

I was 'drifting' the 'Temporary Outside Tap' thread too much with my questions about accumulators so I though I'd start a new one (but I don't know how to link to that existing thread - soz). The flow from my 3/8th" main is 15lts/min at 4bar which wise counsel advises me is a bit puny and the advice was 1 or 2 accumulators situated outside of the house to give me the boost I need. I've agonised over where to put the accumulator/s and am now thinking of going ahead without using an accumulator initially and then retro-fitting one when it becomes obvious it's required. After the house is built we will apply for planning for a garage (we've been advised to wait that long) which would be a suitable location for the accumulator/s so the question is, how would I go about having the plumbing done with the ability to add an accumulator with ease at a later date that will be situated in a garage that as yet doesn't exist - mind you, neither does the house yet1

Nor down here on a day like today!

Belatedly, I should update how things went for me. I trenched under the footpath iaw the DNO guidelines apart from where they specify that the marker tape must state 'SSE' on it, I just used a generic maker tape, rebel that I am. I took photos of the trench and the various stages of refilling it to the guidelines. The duct terminated in a hockey stick and then into my (overly large) lockable meter box. Whilst I was away the DNO turned up at the appointed time and moved the cutout under the careful supervision of SWMBO. they weren't interested in the photos and seemed a little surprised that I'd actually gone to so much effort. British Gas arrived later the same day to move the meter, they actually took the old meter away and fitted a new, much smaller one (about the size of a domestic hot water/central heating controller) and were equally surprised by my posh new meter box for my TBS. My electrician turned up a week later to wire up an old CU that was in the old bungalow to the meter and then 4 outdoor double sockets. It all went smoothly, apart from the DNO and BG taking liberties with the amount of space inside the meter box and consequently spreading their stuff all over it, limiting the available space inside and consequently the 4 double sockets are all mounted directly below the box, which in hindsight would have been a good 'plan A' as that means the lockable meter box door is less likely to get broken with constant opening and closing. Photo attached, but go easy on my poor planning that has resulted in a huge, largely empty meter box!

@Onoff Now why couldn't I find something like that! That looks like a good starting point, thanks.

For my DIY demolition I need to provide the council with a 'method statement' prior to commencement, can anyone point me to a simple generic method statement that I can plagiarise?

Another interesting blog Vivien. Was it a Norrsken crew that fitted the windows?

Bloody love it!

Jeeze!

I think the dropped false panel over the island is a good idea. We visited a new build recently that had a similar open plan kitchen/dining/lounge as yours and the three areas had been defined in exactly that way, i.e. sections of suspended ceiling with specific lighting that designated the individual areas whilst the whole remained open plan I guess from your floor plan that the dining area is by the large window to take in the view whilst you dine? If it was me I think I'd turn the dining table through 90° and move it closer to the island, then spread the living room furniture out a bit and define each area with the lighting - minimising downlighter where possible. We had an extension done many years ago that gave us a large open plan kitchen/dining room and the electrician at the time cautioned us on too many downlighter's, especially if they are aligned, as it can start to look like a runway on your ceiling. I think he made a good point. Love the bog, even without the pier behind it!