JamesP

Can you be a bit clearer if anything added / improved to the fabric of your home, glass, wall and loft insulation. Even with subsidies what is the financial cost?

Correct, as an ASHP owner in an airtight house, MVHR blah blah it would be financially cheaper to run on mains gas. Our use is at Passive levels but that's due to the fabric and detailing of the build.

As @nod & @Russell griffiths recommend, having fitted porcelain and limestone at home I use a 115mm diamond blade on the angle grinder. Steel straight edge, clamps and PPE.

+1.

The mechanical noise of our ASHP is minimal but the movement of air does create a quite a loud hum and the force of the fan is strong. Personally, I would not position the pump facing neighbours though depends on distance etc. Hopefully @SteamyTea will be along to explain about air particles colliding.

Just want to applaud your approach and effort with the floor and worktops. I did not know some resins would be so vulnerable to heat. I made three concrete worktops, trial worktop was for the utility making a forma added rebar and cut outs for sinks and a hob. A much slower process with lots of wet grinding and polishing to expose the aggregate. Most tricky aspect was moving the worktops from workshop to kitchen due to size and weight. An enjoyable and satisfying process. I would test the microcement first, adherence might be an issue. Have a feeling you might redo them. Keep it up!

They were very thorough with my claim a couple of years ago. They found one invoice out of nearly 500 with only half the vat number visible and asked me to resend a copy. I would mock up an invoice if you could find their business details and VAT number. Hassle them again.

Not a plumber, however I boxed off the areas where the trays would sit before the screed was laid. Fitted the waste in position before screed, I recommend 50mm waste pipe for runs over 2 metres. Then added a concrete pad of correct depth above PIR to allow for flush fitting of tray to final floor level. Does depend on depth of tray, mine was 40mm but will need to sit on a pad to adhere to.

Great advice from @Iceverge and @Tony L. You said what I was thinking but would seem to compliment some of the other surrounding properties!

Morning @Zak S, Thanks for the reply and images, they really help your application in context to existing properties. I think your architect is correct and knows how to proceed and in time the planners will grant permission. My own application took nearly 6 years without any objections, awkward planning officer and in a National Park.

An extension to a bungalow. Mass = Volume. The footprint looks about 50% larger than the original. Your loft space is a second floor. Ridge height relative to neighbouring properties? Your neighbours and planners are correct but carry on, you will get there.

Cedar is closed, I cut a half lap of 10mm on each edge to allow for some shrinkage (local cut boards).

Similar build up,20mm Cedar, batten, counter batten, breather membrane, 40mm wood fibre, 260mm Rockwool, Vapour barrier, 11mm OSB, Batten, Plasterboard. And lots of airtight tape.

@gavztheouch Looks great, very enjoyable part of the build. What is the final wall build up, looks like 80mm (?) T&G Wood fibre over the whole building.

Most self builders on the forum had no issues with their BCO and MVHR. My BCO rejected my first self certifying report as the Anemometer had no proof of being calibrated, (used the Buildhub anemometer) I hired this : https://www.inlec.com/testo-417-vane-anemometer-with-flow-hoods Just looked through past emails and found this reply from the BC. I have checked the ventilation commissioning paperwork and this needs to be undertaken in accordance with the below paragraphs from Approved Document F. Air flow rate testing and commissioning of ventilation systems4.42 The Regulations require:• mechanical ventilation systems to be commissioned (where they can be tested and adjusted) to provide adequate ventilation and a commissioning notice to be given to the BCB;• air flow rates for mechanical ventilation systems in new dwellings to be measured and a notice to be given to the BCB.4.43 For dwellings, the procedures approved by the Secretary of State for measurement of air flow rates and for commissioning of mechanical ventilation systems are in Sections 2 and 3 of the Domestic ventilation compliance guide. Section 5 of the guide contains air flow measurement test and commissioning sheets which should be completed by the person responsible for commissioning.