ToughButterCup

Hmmm, good to know that our feline friends have not been forgotten. My favourite bit of that exchange was the technical discussion of how to make sure the feline's entry or exit did not 'waste' (Oh God, I have to be careful now) erm... heat. And since a cat is worth about 10 Watts........

This post appeared on ebuild, and since it is the work of many people, I reproduce it here. It's a shadow of its former self because I can no longer make the links to the comments to which the bullet points refer. Some you win , others you lose. So, because the text without the link is useless, I have deleted some references to the authors. I have not deleted the names of the original authors who registered with us in the hope that they can provide us with a link to relevant material The checklist is not definitive. Over time I will link this checklist to comments on (buildhub and elsewhere) which substantiate the point made. Your comment on this list is particularly valuable because any work done here improves the validity of the list. And so is likely to save you time and, hopefully, money. Heating Checklist Background reading and considerations Fundamentals Get a feel for what you already use Consider applying PHPP to the design to derive a heating requirement Use J S Harris spreadsheet{J, got a link to that for us?, Ian} Play with PeterW's FingerInTheAir MVHR Checker (PeterW#5) { Peter, got a link to that for us?} Heat Calculations Passiv? Do you need heating at all? Look for Thermal Bridges in your design How are you going to manage cooling? Consider Phase Change Material Storage. Stitching ASHP and UFH together On mains gas? No brainer - it's cheapest Cost benefit analysis. KISS Separate out DHW. Use instant water heaters Selling your house on? Higher temperatures needed? We are all getting older Higher lower occupancy rates in the future? Which thermostats to fit? Smart? Analogue? Radiator? It's not easy. But KISS - off the shelf. (jsharris Blog whole entry and discussion ) Underfloor Heating (UFH) DIY or not? End of lay (Nickfromwales#7) Plot the loops out on graph paper (TerryE#12) Best layout (NickfromWales#15) Useful summary (Alphonsox#17, and Nickfromwales commentary on that #27) ) How to deal with the pipes to the manifold before second fix Testing for leaks (declan52 #25) Avoid piping under toilet and sink traps (nickfromwales#29) MVHR By definition, MVHR = air tightness Forget a traditional fireplace, therefore. MVHR wishlist Where to put the vents? (jsharris#10 et seq) Keep pipe runs to a minimum (PeterStark #10) Minimise 90degree bends (PeterStark #1) Insulate all SUPPLY ducting (PeterStark #10) External Vents at least 2m apart (PeterStark #10) External vents slope downward (PeterStark #10) Fitting metal joists? Fit rigid ducting first (PeterStark #10) Supply to living and bedrooms (PeterStark #10) Extract from wet(ish) rooms (PeterStark #10) Mind yer bonfires ( jsharris#3) Location of MVHR unit Noise concerns: fit attenuation boxes (jsharris#11, jsharris#2) Type of ducting Radial design explained (jsharris#6, whole thread worth a read) While you are at it, try this (jsharris#6) Think through the cooling issue (jsharrisblog 38, 03:48, 1andR whole thread, jsharriswhole thread, TerryE, whole thread, hazymat, whole thread ) Bio Mass / Wood burners A cautionary tale (Steamy#1) The British Medical Journal on the subject (Steamy #1) Heat Pumps (ASHP GSHP) What's your heat load going to be? (Steamy#2, DeeJunFan#3) Are they worth it? (jsharris #4) Caution (jsharris as above) ASHP and DWH (jsharris #7) No need for DHW feeds to all rooms (jsharris#13) jsharris blog post(s) (jsharris) but see recent entries (part 41 and elsewhere) in relation to DWH Controls, how? (jsharris blog 38) Run slab from room stat? (jsharrisblog 38, 03:48) How to cool the house? (jsharrisblog 38, 03:48) Solar: Thermal or PV? FIT considerations RHI considerations Which Solar or PV? (Declan52 #1) PV for Hot water (recommended by jsharris, Ed Davies Blog, accessed Jan 2016) *But* consider separating out DHW. Use instant water heaters (jsharris#5) It's (PV) a no-brainer (Nickfromwales#6, jsharris#8)

I needed to do a bit of research about my local area and bumped into this site. My motivation was to research the relationship between GCN (Great Crested Newt) distribution and temperature. The reason the site is useful is because it refers to other data sets, and either draws on them for 'its' own use or hyperlinks to other useful sets (like this one)

Terry, I can't wait for the bit about levels: and particularly the bit about establishing a reference level. In relation to the traffic survey. I used to do the '...rat run...' into Oxford every morning (round the back through the lanes via Woodeaton). The local residents were so incensed by the volume of traffic that they decided to do survey to make their case to the LPA. So between 07:00 and 9:30 Monday to Friday they ran a video camera on a tripod, abstracted the stats from that, and presented them to the authorities (all written up in the local rag). Illegal? No, they filmed in a public place. Idea?

I am not sure. What i do know is that there is a condition on my EPS Licence which states that the hibernacular must remain in place for 6 years. And as that means no gardening in that particular area, what's there to worry about?

Oh, the Gold-Plate Status Quo has just started to pop (in relation to newts). I have never not paid a bill promptly in my life: this will be the first time I have been on the receiving end of unprofessional conduct, and possibly unethical conduct - where I have had to pay for those services: I am taking advice on when and how much I should pay, and indeed if I should pay. By the time the LPA gets round to discharging the condition we could be into August. For an agreement to apply for the licence before November 2015 - so it could be approved during GCN dormancy, and not to do so despite numerous prompts from me until April 2016 is at the very least unprofessional. He even had the gall the other day to remind me that I should order the TAF fencing and get ready to dig the TAF trench This organisation is one that our ecologist says he belongs. Well, he needs to do more than pay his subs. The gold plated status quo is startling to die. I still really like newts. But I loathe and despise professional people whose personal and professional standards make them unable to face the result of their own behaviour - but then The market knows best.......... Not always.

Hesitantly, I offer this checklist because the subject matter is often deeply sensitive: there's so much at stake during the meeting and the build up to it may well have been fraught. Indeed, this blog entry is a pen-portrait of a recent Planning Committee Meeting in my area All the more need for a rational, carefully structured checklist, therefore. This list appeared originally on the ill-fated ebuild site. Each comment was referenced to multiple threads, thus adding greatly to its validity. This list is offered as a help to those who are considering going to Committee to make their case. I am almost sure that -since many of the ebuilders are now here at buildhub- that any questions you may have about this checklist will be answered promptly. List the facts, assemble the evidence. (Basic procedure for problem solving) Councillors may ask for applications to be called The process in a nutshell Scottish Regulations differ to those in England Dig out the NPPF read it, which paragraphs refer to your case? The value of an accurate drawing Conservation Area? Other local decisions Scale model Size matters, (footprint) but you need evidence Micro-politics: architects - planners - county councillors - parish councillors - neighbours; strategy for dealing with each Is needing to Appeal so bad? Going to Committe or Going to Appeal Manage your Planning Consultant Check the fees situation in relation withdrawn applications What is a withdrawal? You may withdraw DURING a meeting Manage your emotions: don't show people how upset you are What to say and how to say it If you're worried about that, employ a professional to present for you. Going to Appeal needn't be as bad as it may sound

Dads all over the world do this job.

Erm, I wonder how Nora Batty feels about your comment Nick?

I am so tempted to abuse my rights as an admin.

Thanks for this topic Hugh (again) . I'm foaming at the mouth about our EPS licence delay - almost everything else has been sorted out . But the LPA has still to give us their decision on a few things - and I'd forgotten about default discharge. We must be well over the time limit now. Thanks again. Made my day! Ian

Welcome. It's good to see you back! Progress, as long as you can see it, all's well. Nothing depresses me more than coming on to our site and seeing exactly what I saw last week. That's when I've had my head in a spreadsheet for too long.

Thanks Crofter. This is exactly the sort of information which we need to collate and keep as a central resource. As the Americans say " Good jaaaab man" Ian

Exactly what I need to think through next Hugh: I have some steels which need to go between the two containers. Thanks for the prompt. Ian

Oh God. Oh God There's an object lesson in why openness is a bad thing.

The chant "Yer wanna get a digger mate!" started in 2014, and I finally got one two years later. The chanters were right. But what I didn't hear was what they were chanting (sniggering) under their breath. "You're gonna get covered in grease". Let's start at the beginning. How much does a digger cost to hire? £70 per day. How much does it cost to transport it to and from your house / plot? £25. All plus VAT. Bang goes £300 / £350 per week. And it rains, or there's a delay, and it sits there leering at you like some hideous demented mechanical giraffe whispering softly in your ear Use Me Use Me If You dare. But you can't because it's hissing down. And suddenly it's Friday, a couple of hundred pounds has flown out of the window, and two of the jobs you had planned haven't been done. And soon you're driving around noting every single digger sitting there idle in a field or on the roadside and NOBODY'S USING IT. It shouldn't be allowed. Diggers are expensive; they should not be left idle. Or rather those ones that are idle should be loaned to you the second the owner decides to have a day off. It's OK, you'll come and fetch it and bring it back when the owner needs it. Anything but let a digger be idle when you haven't got one. And then you do a bit of maths: how many jobs around the site do we need a digger for? And the list gets longer by the week. The children start muttering about dad being on about a digger for Christmas and birthday present all wrapped into one. And then you start noticing things like zero-swing diggers, and that's a 22 tonner, and is that a 2.6 tonne or 2.5 tonne digger? Soon, you know how to tell. The next thing is: JCB or Kubota? Or maybe Volvo? Hmmm. Well Kubota have reliable engines (other companies fit Kubota engines) JCB - well, a bit sloppy round the edges. Looking on Tinternet for prices and maybe the odd trip out -just to look, no more you understand. A budget number bubbles up in your spreadsheet against the Heading Plant and Equipment. Suddenly there's 10K more than planned. But, you can re-sell it at the end of the build. So nett off the cost against the hire cost (minus VAT) and you're in profit (Ha!). The digger duly arrives. And suddenly a whole world opens up. Move that Cherry tree, no problem (that wasn't on the list), shove those steels through your son's windows (after he takes them out) no problem; move two tonnes of stone quickly from one place to then other - well not quite no problem, but you aren't sweating. See a problem, turn the key. Dig your SuDS drainage in less time than you thought. Move that newt hibernacular three meters to the right: done. The dozer blade is awesome (I hate that word: but here it's the right word). And then there's the maintenance schedule. A Kubota has more nipples than a prize sow. And God can they suck grease. And I'm not the best at changing grease cartridges - when I'd finished I knew what the phrase Grease Monkey meant. I will not want to sell it. How on earth am I going to get that past Debbie?

I see that Faye's doing the back-breaking stuff, like mixing......... typical

I've been on the lager, Must go to a Well Known Glasses Place. (Others are available)

Hello Mark. Welcome...............Have a look at this If you meant how do you make the roof material out of wood, rather than the make the timbers out of wood (and then slate it) , then I hope this will help. You'll see that our plan is to make the roof out of wood: the south face (the one you can see) has a tray of solar PV, (about 10 panels) and some glass over an internal garden area. I am making all the shakes for the roof myself, mainly because we can't afford to buy them (or have decided to afford other things instead, take your pick). Oak shakes from Vincent Timber are about £100 per square meter. We are using shakes, not shingles. I can buy oak locally very cheaply indeed (The local timber merchants turn oak into firewood - I am not joking). Here's what it all costs There are two main issues Roof pitch Roof material The pitch is about 25 degrees. A bit low for shakes. The water needs to run off quickly. So, we've decided to make the roof cosmetic, and to make the roof entirely water and wind-tight using some other materials. Not sure which yet. I hope to have dried enough oak ready (or have bought enough dried oak) to make our own oak beams. But I fear that the U value of oak is a good argument not to do that. Pity, because it looks really nice. With wooden roofs the material has to be one which has a high tannin content - tannin preserves it. So it needs to be made of Western Red Cedar, or Oak, or Larch or Sweet Chestnut. I think your friend is correct. Most hard woods will do for the timbers. But they must be dry (below 17% I think). Good luck with the build. Ian

I'll be following this like a hawk. Ian

My dad used to call that Synchro Smash Gears......

Yes, Declan, I've got there with the half-way revs on my own. The little thing is so powerful, and if I'm really gentle I can move it a few centimeters at a time. It's the best fun I had in ages

I'm sometimes accused of overthinking stuff. And I'm a little weary of it. Here's why. Expert status in many areas is thought to develop after about 50,000 hours of practice. And one of the common characteristics of expert status is the reduced need to think about the hard-learned craft or subject. It (irrespective of subject matter) becomes hard wired. Take my digger. Just bought it a few weeks ago and while using it in the first couple of hours I was like a cat on a hot tin roof. My shoulders ached, my jaw was locked, my concentration fierce. And then I remembered my flying lessons. 'Think it, and it'll happen, lad' growled the instructor. And when the fear had dropped a bit, I allowed myself to relax and reduce the control inputs. Suddenly I wasn't dancing all over the sky like the proverbial in a pot. On the digger, I reduced the control input and slowly the swing was not so large, not so jerky. Then Ed (Construction Channel) said it would take about 4 hours to get a basic understanding. He was right. That was a fortnight or so ago. Now, I couldn't tell you what I do to hook a self-hitch bucket, Now I get annoyed at myself for 'clangy' bucket movements. Slowly I have stopped thinking about it. I just feel it. The next step is over-confidence (pilots call it the Death Zone -about 200 hours into their training). Now, I don't think I'm going to die while using a digger, but I'm going to be extra vigilant in a month or two. After many hours of practice, experts (it's a well-documented phenomenon) simply don't remember that they had to learn stuff. And sometimes are just a little puzzled by someone who asks apparently naive questions. And then -with kindness and reassurance at the root of their response- reply that the questioner is over-thinking it. No, all the questioner is doing is sharing their worry, their lack of expertise, their lack of practice.

Welcome indeed. That was quick, I approved your account just a few minutes ago. Yer keen! Good! I'm in chat for the next few minutes.... Ian

PMSL