ToughButterCup

Just a quick post to ask if anyone knows the rough cost of Plate Bearing tests? SPONS doesn't list it. Whats a Plate Bearing test? Why do I need it? The pilers won't come on site without one; and if you are using one of these, you can see why. All 37 tonnes of it....

Weekend.... photos to follow

I was thinking (after a few beers) of pimping it with LED floods.... I strapped a couple of rechargeable LED floods to the boom: boy what a difference!

See? I told you.....

One way of annoying a newbie digger driver is to give her a digger and tell her to dig a hole in Lancashire: more accurately the Fylde coast. This what you get: A bucket full of clay - that won't come out of the bucket. Try as I might -swearing-shovelling-crowbarring- Nadda. Nichts. Rien. It sits there looking at you. And then you ask on BuildHub how to sort this problem out and you buy one of these bad boys (bad people) A Clay Spade Hallelujah! This happens... And then when you've stopped swearing and start grinning, a little while later you get to find water..... Out comes the magnet and its ................. CAST IRON. Phhhheeeeeww. I was told by those locals who 'know' that the pipe is asbestos. The man from the Water Board came out, looked at it, sucked his teeth, tapped it, got his ray gun out, zapped it, sucked his dentures some more and said. "Tha's dun me job fer me maaaate. Aye, 'appen, it's awreet is 'at. Pilin', it'll be nay borra, 'appen" and promptly left. With the back doors of his van open and all his tools cascading out onto the road. I nearly wet myself with a mixture of relief and laughter Well, that's that one sorted. Next: piling mat.

Just get MrsPeterM to whisper in your ear. You know it makes sense!

They're on sale at our local garden centre. Look, here's one.

Hello Lauren, A good way for you to get members of this forum talking to you to is to suggest a design, and then ask 'us' what we think of it. For example, let's say you want to have a new brick-built extension - or renovate a brick-built wall. Search the forum using the search engine. Read the posts and the links that have already been made. Then, ask about those aspects that you find interesting. So, if you ask about bricks, then as sure as eggs are eggs, @Construction Channel will reply giving you too much detail about (say) the reason why Flemish Bond bricklaying is the best (or worst), and @Declan52 will tell you about how much the foundations will cost, @Nickfromwales will tell you about the best way to install a wet room, @ProDave will help with the electrics, and @Peter M will help with the best curtain fabric. Welcome! Ian

Hmmm. The architect. Yep, I know......

@joe90, just in the process of getting our windows priced - once all the errors in the Windows and Doors Schedule are corrected - (trickle vents in a passivhaus, I kid you not). So this thread is perfectly timed. 47.66 square meters worth - so thanks @Mr Punter @Stones, @jamiehamy, and @dimpsy for the guide prices. Ian

Ed, there's nowt to be done. Let it go. Don't let him see that his behaviour gets under your skin. Rise above it. People like that are an excellent exercise in self-control. Ian

Knowing me, I'll remember just that little bit too late.... But thanks for the nudge.

I have heard it argued that site clearance does not constitute a 'start'. I'm in a hurry so I can't quite put my finger on it, but there are some threads on here about what a start really is. I think, some LPAs regard a start as digging the water connection or something similar. I have a strong feeling that clearing off the site is gardening , not development. So, you can get the site cleared at least. Good luck! Ian

Is this a pre-condition? Because if it isn't, you don't have to wait.

Yes, right first shot, Dave I'm now planning to find the nearest upstream stop tap (so I can turn it off pronto) dig out round the pipe (vibration doesn't travel so well in air) and cover the pipe with a road plate. The whole piling exercise is going to take no more than 5 hours They're no worse than some of the mega companies we all use. Got to laugh about it though!

Hello, is that the water board? Yes, I need to talk to someone about our piling: the form I need to fill in asks us to tell you about it in advance by ringing this number. Piling? Never Heard of it Well on Form number (xyz), it says to ring your number and ask for someone to come and do a survey Do you want a new connection? Yes, but that's not what I'm asking about, I need to know if someone will come and survey the water pipe, as is the proper procedure according to your form (xyz) Well if you need a new connection Sir, I'll put you through now (CLICK) Hello? New Connections here, hello Sir Hi! I need to talk to someone about our piling: the form I need to fill in asks us to tell you about it in advance by ringing this number. No, Sir, I'm the new connections person, you need Developer Services (CLICK) Hi! I need to talk to someone about our piling: the form I need to fill in asks us to tell you about it in advance by ringing this number. Oh hello mate, we were only just talking to one another - how are ya? Water Boarding: sounds like a good idea to me. signed FURIOUS OF LANCASTER Tomorrow: let's try again eh?

@Simplysimon, Sid, our long-haired feline killing machine, is also laid back and long haired, (Tune In Turn On Drop Out, man). And when he molts well, the local birds nests are full of his fur: we know, we've found it lining their nests. He'll be out on his ear if he fouls up the MVHR......

Hugh, (@Bitpipe) thanks for all that. Fouls, hadn't thought of it because I'm still in the individual sub-systems loop: Your nudge is especially welcome because it's long past time for me to start stitching the whole thing together in my head Condensation: sorted (direct to foul) Balancing: I'll DIY or get an expert @VIPMan ( he doesn't know it yet) Just on with the sparky's spreadsheet and diagram, so especially welcome to be reminded - lots of threads elsewhere making that point. @NSS, I'll double check, thanks! @reddal Ducting: Yes, it is; a good deal of thought has gone into that aspect The Unit is in our Piggery so no fear of noise, from that. But ducts are ducts, in fact ducts will be ducts; and they are annoying things, so we'll be watching the internal smoothness and also how to clean the damn things. I'd clean forgotten about that. What do you use? A massive loofa ? Baggywrinkle? The cat? Keep newts in there and get them to munch any dirt?

Thanks very much @IanR. It's little gems like the foam needing to be 60mm thick that we need, and indeed which product you used. There are so many out there. Ian

The process of designing an MVHR system for our build has been very long one. All the way from 'MVHR whassat'? to buying a design. What was involved? Knowing that a passiv haus needs an MVHR system, and why Finding an architect who is sympathetic to passiv standard builds Reading about and visiting many passiv standard houses and one passiv haus conversion ( @VIPMan of this parish) Spending hours on the Internet reading posts, blogs, and taking advice Talking to several producers Working through PHPP and out the other end of it and buying a design We haven't bought the system yet. So before we do (or don't), I ask for your critical appraisal. Here are the facts. PHPP shows us needing 18.06 kWh per meter square per annum and a total requirement for 2090. kWh per annum This post , takes us into more detail than PHPP, and bits of it were helpfully explained by @Alphonsox. The bottom line is that I know how much heat (and power) I'll need, and where I'm going to lose it. I also know how much 'spare' heat capacity I have. I asked one company to design us the pipework, and specify the 'box'; Here's the plan: Supply is red, exhaust is blue That makes more sense if you look at it in isometric projection; Because of planning we had to squeeze the POSIs down to 202s. We have (effectively) no roof space. So supply and extract has to be effected through the under-floor space. To do that, we needed to double the pipe work (100s instead of 160s). That means that we are more likely to have a better 'mix' because we now have twice as many inlets and outlets than the original design which used the bigger diameter pipes. We have decided to have electricity as our underfloor heating system. Downstairs and the upstairs in the shower room only. The balance of the heat required is to be supplied by MVHR and insolation. Cooling (and pre-heat) is to be supplied by the MVHR. And that means a GENVEX Premium system with a micro heat pump (for pre and post heating and cooling). PHPP reports that we have a 10% likelihood of overheating. For all of that plus the installation and insulation of all the piping and commissioning £11K There's a big bit of me which thinks that the installation of the pipes is DIY (MVHR piping has first call on the between the floors space). So reduce that price by £2500. No hot water to be piped anywhere in the house. No hot water tank. Each sink (and bath) has a local water heater (SunAmp for the bath) No standing losses. Easy DIY. Thoughts? Ian

The reason behind the question was my thoughtless following of our architects notes to the BREGs drawings. There's no substitute for a sharp mind. You've knocked a few scales off my eyes. (More scales to go, I fear) Cheque's in the post.

@warby, thank you very much indeed. Lots to go on here. Ian

@MrsRA loves gardening. And that's why we chose a design which incorporated a Winter Garden inside the house. It is an unheated area on south west corner. The Winter Garden extends from floor level to the roof and so it needs steels to hold it in place. Those steels need to be insulated. A quick look at how we could get that insulation done threw up many types of insulation, and many methods of incorporating the insulation on the steel I bet someone here has done this before, and can offer advice. Please! Ian

Hi, you are both very welcome. You will feel at home here... there are many ebuilders whose usernames you will recognise Ian

Exactly. It was the change in the understanding of the term 'sustainable' that caused my neighbour's application to be refused. The Planning Office drew attention to the change of understanding, and cited Appeals decision evidence. Interestingly he didn't cite which Appeals cases. Sustainable. Annoying word - that means too many things. Depends who's saying it, what the context is, and who's listening