joe90

Well, I don't really know!!! I have not done a PHPP, originally I was going with 300mm of EPS but because of ground conditions, my reluctance to pay over the odds for a structural engineer to design a passive slab and being impressed with the Golcar passive house foundation design I decided to do it this way. I confess to being a bit of a Luddite, I know I am building in a very mild part of the country ( if a bit damp) . There are many on this forum who are whizzes at maths and will know exactly what their U value will be but I firmly believe that micro climate can affect what actual temps you get more than all the maths can evaluate. Jeremy,s build is a good example, because of his very sheltered location it turned out that cooling was a bigger issue than heating. Some will say I am mad but whatever, all I know is my heating will cost far less than A.N.Other house.

I am having 200 mm PIR and 65mm sand and cement with UFH pipes.

Our temp connection was a standard built in box screwed to two fence posts, I put it close to where it was eventually being built onto the rear of the garage wall and had enough underground cable to reach this position. We paid nothing but this was because they cocked up removing redundant overhead cables and frankly I told them they could sue me for the costs ( bluff) and it worked. When the garage was built I dug up the cable, swung the cable and box into a hole left in the garage wall and connected it up. Job done. I must admit in my location everyone seems lax with regulations. because of an earlier similar thread, when the meter was fitted into the temp box I asked if they could fit an isolation switch ( can't remember the proper name) so I didn't have to involve the meter seal fairy ??

I have a similar saw to the Makita above and it is more stable than it looks, I like the fact it has a larger table, I extended mine sideways and can cut up to 600mm using the guide.

This forum has given me soooo much important information to allow me to plan my build exactly as I want it and to the best standards available.

That makes it similar to the golcar passive house I linked to earlier.

It might be worth asking if they would allow you to arrange your own courier, they might have to weigh it and wrap it in something but I have bought stuff this way on Ebay before.

Funnily enough I was thinking of planning window fitting for my build today so this thread is very timely. Compriband was mentioned above, is this "the one to use" or are there others that people would recommend?. My windows are being fitted to check reveals ( fitted behind the brick skin) so I can compress the tape as I screw the brackets to the back of the brickwork.

Just looked and there are quite a few on EBay in various locations ( more than there were when I was looking ?

Due to difficult ground conditions we have gone with a different foundation, copying the Golcar foundation design. http://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/golcar-passivhaus-ground-floor-foundations/. But we have had a 100mm oversite concrete slab with steel mesh then the 200 poly insulation then the UFH in a 60 mm screed ( this was done partially because of illness timing on my part). All topped with either engineered timber or tile floors.

Ooh errr, didn't know about having metal pipe all the way, this will be a problem ( expensive) for me as horizontal distance is nearer 8 meters.

It appears I misunderstood my Gas Board mate ? I called him for clarification . He confirmed that for a blockage or old system with flow problems then a power flush is the best way forward ( with a caveat that weaknesses might turn into leaks) but in his personal opinion ( 35 years with the Gas board) systems such as mine that are a few years old and not suffering from flow problems then installing a magna clean and turning the pump up and forcing the flow through each radiator in turn and cleaning the magna clean after each radiator is sufficient. But he is instructed by his employer to actively sell power flushes..

Just to add my thoughts, I find an induction motor quieter and user friendly and I have this table saw and it's great for ripping down. As someone else said not mm perfect for cabinet making but it is a site saw not a precision cabinet making cast iron saw that would cost much much more. http://www.screwfix.com/p/scheppach-hs120-0-315mm-table-saw-240v/85501

?

Well I had to call out my tame British Gas engineer ( a mate) for a fault and he said standard British Gas policy is to recommend a power flush on systems more than a few years old, however, he finds that fitting a magnaclean and switching of all radiators but one ( at a time) and running the heating on full chat for an hour per radiator and cleaning the magnaclean after every radiator does just as well without the cost and potential mess from a power flush.

Well spotted Jeremy BUT for those of us that started before Oct 2015 we still have to abide by the 2004 edition ( with amendments).

With regard chamfering the soil pipe I just tried zirconium flap discs( screwfix) in a 115mm angle grinder and found them great, also if you can't lift the existing soil pipe go for a male top spigot and use a joiner and cut out the stop and it acts like a slip ring.

I wonder if height will help?, I have a 30ft telegraph pole spare and might put it up and see if a mobile at that height is any better, if it does then I could put a mobile up there in a water tight box, solar panel to charge it and use it as a hot spot!!!

I have connected quite a few gas hobs or cookers whilst fitting kitchens for customers but I did have a tame gas man who would pop in and test it all for me and log the test for the price of a couple of pints.

The only place around me that has a decent signal and free wifi is the pub ?

In my kitchen I plan to use a re circulating hood ( not vented to outside but has carbon and grease filters) and an MVHR terminal a Little further away from the cooker.

To cover my ass on this one I got my plans to say " slate type roofing" just in case I wanted plastic like Jeremy.

Tee hee, I actually won something ?. Sorry back to the thread, I put a USB socket in the garage to charge my mobile when out there.

Well, as we appear to be playing " top trumps" I have had a total colonectomy ( all my large bowel removed) some 20 years ago, had a bag for 3months to enable healing and apart from adhesions in my gut ( scar tissue) no problems since although I do have to careful what I eat. I found out only during the last year that I am intolerant to a long list of foods ( mostly what I like e.g. Dairy, grains, yeasts) and leaving out these foods makes me feel better. I won't go on about my other health problems as I am too busy planning my build. p.s. As stress has been a major factor in my health issues some people believe that doing a self build is the wrong thing to do, however the nutritionalist that found out about my intolerances believes that the enjoyment gained through my achievement will aid my health as long as I can manage any stress related to the build. I have a wonderful builder, I will not require a mortgage or bank loan, i have been involved in the building trade to know that things do go wrong and the trick is to shrug your shoulders and say " shit happens" and get over it.

So, we now know lightning is lots of volts, what can we do to protect ourselves properly ( I have had two houses I own hit by lightning in the past).