ToughButterCup

Hello @Jules : 10% + , cheaper elsewhere : common story. I'd love to import some German stuff ; but https://www.avalara.com/vatlive/en/vat-news/brexit-import-goods-into-gb-from-eu--customs---vat.html

Quite. And many of us are wincing with you at the memory of our own battles . You are in very good company. In relation to the contract: Talk. Face to face State the problem clearly, and briefly Be clear about your end in mind Document the arguments put, and outcome (or lack of) achieved Follow up on deliverables Document everything and start a time-line (for future reference) In relation to the kitchen Ours is de-mountable (IKEA's finest) A decent chippy will be able to repurpose almost anything thats already in situ. In relation to getting some sleep Exercise Post on BH for support. Here, you are in very good company indeed. Ian

Welcome. Thank you very much for doing some of your own research. You'll know by now how often we get asked exactly the same questions, its just that the words are in a different order. Have you discovered the search system that we have on this board? Its quite powerful. Just in case you haven't, here's an example relating to your post above. https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/search/?q=32mm&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_in=titles

and or do what happened to us: take someone else's survey (available online f.o.c) and then copy and paste the (suitably edited) results - present them as your own survey results. (references supplied on request). Saves a good deal of money that .... This is the key thing Choose your ecologist carefully.

Neither. A builder who builds using your choice of ICF all the time.

Yes. Visit a couple of sites of each type and watch the installs. Then decide. We used Durisol. The only reason I'd use the same again is because I know what to look for, what to avoid and how to fix it when [....] happens. All the other types mentioned are perfectly adequate for anyone's needs: they would not have survived in the market if they'd been wanting in any way.

This is how we have solved the problem, @MrH Exactly the same specification as you have given above.....

18%

But this surprised me .... Both documents available here (Downloaded 20th Feb 2022) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-national-electricity-and-gas-consumption-summary-report-2020 Apologies for asking on BH rather than doing my own legwork first.?

I was wondering whether anyone had done some generalised number crunching on additional domestic electricity consumption.

Has anyone seen generalised data about how much more electricity the average household has consumed since the onset of COVID? I realise that not everyone has been able to work from home, and that others have - against their will - been required to do so. If you have seen some numbers online, could you link to that data source please?

Typically this issue is ignored: people put in what they've seen other people do. And mostly what they've installed is wrong. There are several good books, of which this is the best, I found I worked hard on our build to get the right lighting level because SWMBO is partly photophobic: the wrong (excessive) lighting levels actually hurt her. Too little light and I struggle because my eyes aren't what they once were. This online resource will help you decide ; I installed double the recommended lumen levels in work areas, but made sure I could switch half of them off. I also made sure that the GU10s we used were installed in recessed holders so the bright sparkle of the light from the surface of the lens (as opposed to the beam) was shielded.

Thanks for posting: my post does not answer yours above - but I doubt you have anything to worry about. Could I ask you please what the brand of fixings are for the fireboard fitted between the joist flanges?

The answer is really simple. After doing your Due Diligence, employ a Structural Engineer. We can advise, but we are merely interested onlookers. We'll do our best to help your thinking, but with something as important as this, you need proper professional help.

Yes. Tell the builder straight away. Like Monday morning sharpish. Talk to your immediate neighbours: see if your problem is common to the gardens all round you. (What's the point of you shunting your problem into someone else's garden? ) When you know the answer to that question make (or get the builders to make ) a French drain to somewhere sensible. Be prepared for a long paperwork fight. Look at the drainage plan submitted by the builders in their planning application : I bet you they've submitted any old plan and then forgotten about it because Building Control simply aren't interested or were paid not to be. Cynical? Me? Naaaah

We have a Solis 1P3K - 4G fitted to a MyEnergi Diverter which shunts power via an EDDI to our a SunAmp (13Kw) Both Solis and MyEnergi say they have apps which document how much PV is being created and where its going to. And both the apps are installed on my phone. Both apps are a complete waste of disk space. They either don't work (SOLIS) or were designed by drunk first year undergraduate coders to whom the notion of usability has yet to be introduced (EDDI) But a comment by @MikeGrahamT21 gives me hope - well a bit of hope I would love access to that data if possible. We are connected to the inverter via WiFi I've been all over the Internet, YT, discussion groups (MyEnergi's discussion group is like a desert with wind in it) tried to make the apps work. And now, more in hope than expectation, I'm asking if someone here can point me to an authoritative online resource. All I would like to know is exactly, for any given period, how much solar PV energy we produce and how much of that total is being consumed by our SunAmp? I don't need bells, I don't need whistles, sexy graphics are often distracting waste of time: just simple numbers or maybe even a graph or two would be lovely.

Building on yesterday's success, and @ProDave's comment about electricity meter door design, have a look at this. Is there a way to fix it? I have a strong feeling I'll just need to make a new door somehow.

Super @ProDave strikes again (see his post immediately above) Oh, the simplicity, the elegance ..... I never thought a self tapping screw could bring so much joy........

Have a guess what's happened to my electricity meter box door Dave? 1 guess, can't phone a friend. Correct

The answer in West Cork is to throw a net over the roof and tie that down with massive boulders. Not for you? Thought not.

Welcome. You are at the planning phase: full of hope, and more questions than Bamber Gascoin and Jezza Paxman put together. The question you ask is similar to BMW, or Skoda, VW or Citroen? I think the answer is '... each to their own...' The key issue is: how good are the fitters? Do they pay attention to detail? Are they tidy? Do they smell rank? (Yes, its happened to us) Do they stick to one job, or do they job-hop? Do they finish the job? Have they got everything in their van or does it take three hours to fetch some lost-head screws from Screweez. Network to find out. And if it takes 6 months to get an excellent fitter , wait. The DEVIL is in the detail.

Well, I never................ I dropped the stylus that goes with my phone (on which I took the photos above). Retracing my steps to find the stylus (the phone warns you that the stylus isn't in its holder), I go back to the meter box where I'd used the phone last. There on the floor was the stylus. And the hinges .... They'd been yanked out of their sockets by the force of the wind I feel some Araldite mixing coming on . Maybe even some wire securing the hinge to the unit by threading it through hole in both - they appear to me to line up. Sometimes you just get lucky eh? Thanks for your suggestions. Ian

Its been a bit windy recently. And the door to my water me ter (see what I did there?) has bust. I think it was ajar, and the wind just slammed it against the wall breaking the hinges. Or rather breaking the hinge holders. Look at this; the hooks which used to hold the stainless steel hinge have broken off. This is how I'm bodging it ... The meter 'box' - the unit that held the hinge hooks - is embedded in the wall. The box is designed to expand or contract to suit the depth of the wall. The door is a separate unit that simply slots into the hooks which were on the box. Replacing the meter box is too much of a job to contemplate. I've looked and looked on YT to try and find others who have this problem .... but .... Anyone able to help?

I had your problem @Moonshine, in spades. maximum error, in places, somewhat over 20mm laterally, and a few mm vertically. I talked to the joist manufacturers , Cheshire Roof Trusses, Cullens and our SE: sent them all the gory photographic detail. BH advice was also a great help. Cullens sent me back detailed drawings of what I could do, talked to me on the phone : very reassuring indeed. No charge. Have a laugh about our joists on me (FOC)

I could speculate, but that won't help. Now's the time for evidence gathering. Take loads of photos and post them here, and ask us concise questions. We will do our best to help. We're not experts . Just hard-bitten , (mostly) kind people. Good luck Ian