joe90

When I lived in Shropshire doing up an old cottage I used a local Jewsons and got to know them well, I rubbed it in that I was single, living in a caravan struggling to do and afford the work, they invited me to an open evening when all the reps would be there. I was also told to arrive late with a complete list of my requirements, the reps would be the worse for free wine and booze and guess what I got loads of stuff ordered at cost price or less 👍

Just a little, that’s all I use but find using a long pole hard work and not as good, I am happy to be up a ladder tho.

Very happy to do that.

I presume you are talking about “passiv”, well, although my design and build follows passive principles I did not go for certification, it was built to be good to look at, comfortable and cheap to run (well insulated and airtight with modern heating) I would suggest those with money to burn buy architects “statement houses” rather than those that fit the owners needs.

However people like @ProDave run their ASHP during daylight hours most likely to gain from PV panels providing some contribution (which is what I plan).

As much as I have maligned architects in the past, if that’s what they have proposed (and I used to live in a Georgian house with lintels like that), you accepted it and the builder quoted from the drawings then the builder is at fault. The least the builder should have done is say “I can’t do that”. Or “that will cost more”. I have arched windows tops to my “cottage esk” design and very pleased with them.

Figures I have seen vary from 40% to 50% currently but surely that figure will be coming down. Fir how long?, news this morning says opec cutting sales so prices expected to rise again.

Well the air test proved otherwise.

I hate/won’t use push fit.

Well clear one of your garages and you can do similar and “escape “ the world 🤷‍♂️

That’s a fantastic result, well done mate, just shows you CAN do it, and don’t you feel good ?

10mm runs in plastic gives plenty of pressure fir toilets and hand basins, I did do the others in 15mm, including hot. Another advantage of plastic is the straighter runs which give better flow and can be fed in, in one length gently going around obstacles without more joins and bends. I was called to a customer to instal a pump to a shower to increase flow as it was poor, instead I replaced copper pipe with loads of 90’ bends with a sweeping length of plastic with one 90’ bend and the difference was great and no pump needed.

Mine was much simpler and decided not to have individual stop valves and used hep20 manifold bits.

Well I went brick and block but with loads of insulation and have not regretted it. @nod said somewhere on this forum that brick and block was still cheaper than timber frame. I think you need to design your house then see what build method best suites that design. Don’t let the architect get carried away with what HE wants.

Well I used to be old school (copper everywhere ) but our @Nickfromwales converted me to hep20. Manifold and no joins between ends, been brilliant, no problems, 10mm to basins and toilets.

Welcome, you and @nod will get on. Have you a build or project?

Welcome Tom, no such thing as a silly question, we have all been there on a steep learning curve, silly is not asking. Bring it on.

Welcome, always glad to help and loads of good advise here, we like photos and updates so keep those coming and the questions 👍

I built on solid clay and have similar problems. I was recommended a French drain rather than a land drain (trench filled with stone rather than perforated pipe). The perforated pipe, especially with a membrane wrap tends to get blocked easily with clay particles. We have a French drain around the house piped out to a road ditch and it works well. If yours is the lowest land around you will have to pump it out, just connect the French drains to the pump station. 4” of decent topsoil should be fine fir grass 👍

Last I heard he bought a rat infested bungalow next to a “recycling centre”.

Come on, be fair, he bankrupted himself and just tried to take his frustration out on me.

Hence the reason I used 6” screws with at least 3” into the end grain and two of them (I don’t like brackets showing 🤷‍♂️).

Yes, two per rail (to stop twisting), countersunk into post with timber plugs to cover, 6” screws approx 3” into rail.

This is what I did on my brothers decking recently with 4” posts and using standard handrail, the spindles can be replaced with glass if that’s what you want. (My brother is yet to put tops and acorn finials on)

This is where eaves trays are best, rigid plastic taking water into guttering and felt cut back to tiles/slates.