joe90

Ours was designed with all pipes in doorways and I asked on here why I could not run pipes through walls to save hot spots, reaction was why not. It saved mtrs of pipe runs, I ran pipes in insulation through the walls and it made it easier to install.

Thats not strictly true, I have installed a Vortex and that can discharge to a ditch that is dry part of the year, it was passed by the environment agency. I got a good price from https://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/vortex_sewage_treatment_plant.html. Only stipulation on the part dry ditch is the installation of a rumble drain (the pipe from plant to ditch is full of holes and is bedded in drainage stone). We are also on clay (hence no drainage field) and have a high water table. The tank needed full concrete backfill because of the water table.

Jeez, that’s expensive, surely not that difficult to knock one up. I would be tempted to make up a long straight edge with 30mm recesses on the ends so it can sit on the wall and tamp the concrete flat, then hire a power float to give a good finish , unfortunately I left my garage floor too long before power floating so I did not get the surface I wanted but my previous garage had a lovely “polished” finish by using a power float.

When I first looked into this I was very keen to build my own solar thermal system but the more i looked into it the more there appeared to be issues with solar thermal that PV did not have. The only thing I thought of regarding the using of the excess heat from a solar thermal system was dumping heat into a hot tub in the summer ?.

As above, I store at 48’ with an UVC so have concluded the risk is very minimal. On one of these threads I am sure someone wrote that there has never been a domestic case of legionella causing a problem.

Is it true that “theoretical” safe practice assessment does not work. Real life, set fire to it and see how it reacts would be better surely.

Building regs regarding fire protection needs a root and branch reform IMO.

Yup +1, been there.

@Patrick others may be interested in who your installer is as some of us failed to find an installer unless they supplied the material as well.

However a few of us have used tempest pre insulated unvented cylinders and not found the losses very high, my DHW is set to about 48’ like @ProDave and my wife mentioned the airing cupboard is not warm enough. In fact I just opened the door and I cannot tell the difference in temp inside. I did measure the temp in the cupboard fir a while and it was a Couple of degrees warmer than the house.

I’m with @ProDave as we have very similar setups and mine works perfectly. I have an in-line heater ready to instal if required but it’s not so far. I have a 4Kw ASHP and that does underfloor heating and DHW with a COP of about 4.( a 280 sq m house). When my system settles down (not long been completed) I am also considering E7 (I have no P.V..) to bring my bills down even further.

My building inspector said I needed a soakaway for my build and I said you mean a swimming pool!!, I explained that we are on solid yellow clay and any hole dug will be permanently full of water, he then asked me what I wanted to do and I showed him the ditch outside that carries all the rain to a stream then the river Tamar. He had no argument.

Shame they closed the “factory shop” near me, £2 a pair (and that’s where I got my socks and pants ?).

Wot, no heras fencing?

With our planning application we were on application number 4, I went to see a planning consultant who was local and knew the planners well. I explained I had wasted over a year so far and was desperate to start so he suggested I made a planning application that the council would accept (room in roof with veluxes) but with the ground floor exactly what we wanted and if that passed then work could start and continue up to first floor level, in the meantime appeal application number 1 (exactly what we originally wanted) which he thought had a very good chance of winning (in fact the planner told me if I went to appeal I would probably win? ). So application number 4 passed, we started work and by the time the brick and blockwork started we won our appeal hands down and built the second floor as a proper cottage. ?

Oh yes, I too fancied that then I went onto straw bail build, which I helped on two projects as a volunteer .

+1 on egger board glued, my builder used it and through the winter there was standing water on it for weeks whilst the upper walls were built and roof put on. I was nervous about this but after plastering the protective covering was removed and not a single damp water mark ?. He also used no nails or screws (just on the first boards to stop them moving) and we have a solid no squeak floor.

I am not a fan of wet rooms per se, but my builder who has just had a stroke has had one fitted to make life easier fir him. I have two shower enclosures, shallow trays, glass panel and slipper (no door) and I love them. Saves water going all over the toilet etc.

Well done you, makes me feel tired just thinking about it ?

Are they not all rubbish? I am yet to hear of a good one!!!! Perhaps it’s just underfunding that leads to long lead times? “Just in time” or just “late”. YES.

My builder did the drains but i extended them and installed the treatment plant. They are chilled down here?

We were not asked about a drain test at all, when the B.I. Visited fir the final visit he just listed the docs he wanted and he would sign the build off.

I agree, when we wanted to self build I simply phoned the planners and asked if they thought I could re build the derelict bungalow into a cottage, they said either expand the footprint by 50% as a bungalow or go up a floor on existing footprint. It turned out to be wrong advice and when I quoted them they denied they said it, took four applications and an appeal (which we won by the way). Pre app would have given better advise. The planner said to me after the fourth application “you would probably win if you went to appeal”. Go figure ?

Whenever I get asked “who do I use” I always say go with reputation, ask for references from previous clients and do t be afraid to ask for multiple references.

I can in this instant because he admitted it to me, in fact he subbed some work to me on occasions ? So you didn’t use the expensive S.E.? When I employed an S.E. Years ago I got one with a good reputation among other local builders but affordable (with insurance!).