Simplysimon

@joe90 , if the i beams are both cut with the plumb cut and well cut to ensure full contact, there should be no requirement for a beam. there would probably be a need for a ply/osb solid brace cut and fitted into the web on both sides probably 500/600mm long to tie them both together. again once the roof cladding is fixed there should be no movement but isuppose belt and braces. simon

again, no. the hips will transmit a small amount of load but not much, it would need to be a point load at the junction of the crown, hip and first pair of commons. again a ridge is not required, however, the main part of the roof would need to be sheeted to avoid the roof falling like pack of cards when the crown and hip rafters were placed. the best trad roof is a pole plate which cannot spread under any circumstance. simon

a word with touchwood homes might be an idea as they build with jji's, i've been looking at them as an alternative to twin stud. simon

i'd still look at ridge vents, there will still be some air circulation due to the holes as well as the space heating up, appreciate not much these months! as @Sensus says, roofing felt, was the correct one used, i'm presuming a type was specified. and i hope the holes have been covered with something to prevent birds getting in. simon

as we have long haired cats, one of the things i've worried about is ouze and fluff in pipes, and had thought to put filters above extract point to enable cleaning and not worrying about pipes simon

do you have an overhanging eaves? if so i would recommend ventilating there and ridge ventilation. if that has already been done, has the insulation been placed over it simon

well, as your min. width of stairs is 600mm, i'd go with 600mm as specified as a cupboard. don't know if you've seen these - http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Builders/ProductsandServices/BuildingControl/documents/filedownload,52832,en.pdf http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Builders/ProductsandServices/TechZone/nhbcstandards/ simon

the proof of competency is....... simon

+1, as they've been updated the earlier versions are now a lot cheaper, buy generic gas and nails. probably a good idea to have them serviced before use. at the same time ask for training and be shown how to clean them. simon

there is a road to the side of plot 3 and a perfect area to shave 3m to keep access

hi Stones, the layout has been a bit of a compromise as the house worked open plan, the livingroom and sunroom was all one and we thought it too big. the depth of the house is too narrow for two rooms but really too much for one. if there was to be a wall across corridor then that would be a logical place to subdivide to enable two, two bed houses, with the livingroom becoming a kitchen. i like the idea of the stais in the middle but there is someone who wants a utility next to the kitchen and would complicate if a split was ever required.

i do indeed, i would like to build on the other plot first, see how the house works for us, make any changes, build the other sell the first and relax. swmbo doesn't want neighbours there, just keeping access to the ground at the back, though i'm working on it. simon

fair shout over the dormer, it would have been central prior to the inclusion of dressing room and the moving of the en-suite which was where the dressing room is now and has not been noticed. i agree about the landing, originally no bed 2 upstairs as double height sun room and even more wasted space but more of what some people want - the wow factor , i don't see why there should be a problem with gable windows but it would have been a good place for wardrobes. we would have liked dormers but i don't know if planning would allow though there are dormers across the road, planning was very difficult to come by, 20yrs on and off though not by us, and yes, we have the blue bit. simon

Dave, plans are a couple of versions back, show position of shed, as with any new build, trying to figure where to put everything so it works and flows, damned difficult! as well as a different build system and trying to do it as cost effectively as possibly simon Redesign application.pdf

comments gladly welcome, it's taken a few iterations to get to where we are now 9m x 17m shed for stables and garaging inc in plans, got to keep the classic warm and dry may end up narrower it started out smaller as a link to garage, enlarged as we can always fill space, hot water tank may be positioned there, not a plumber so i'm hazy on where to put things. looking at ashp with 300l tank and ufh, don't know whether i'll need it but would rather have it and not need it than not have it and need it. for what? back door will be usual day to day door due to parking house is being built just out of symington, just east of troon, prices eased slightly during recession but are now back to where they were. downstairs bedroom with ensuite has already been given thought for dotage. planning was given for four houses on 10 acre plot on roadside location to look like trad cottages. i have given thought to splitting into two in future. two daughters still living at home. if daughters do eventually leave, b&b has been considered. simon

hi peter, by design, may not stay that way though . originally 1 bed upstairs to the front with double height ceiling to sunroom and kitchen and other three downstairs, seemed a waste of space. master suite logical option.

when we purchased the plot, planning had been granted, so we stuck with the shape, though changed the int. layout as we didn't want open plan. it's gone through phpp and works, though not the best shape for passive. the only change was to move velux from north facing to south v7.pdf Drawing 2 -Scaled Elevations of amended House Type v2.pdf

hi Crofter, i'm building a bit south of you, though i suppose most are that!, i'm in Ayrshire so closer than some.

Hi all, as the title says, i'm going to be building a passive house in the new year. we are old house people, however, having looked at countless houses, a couple which had iwi already, and was really suspicious about bringing the dewpoint inside and not finding a suitable propertry to ewi, we've bought a plot. As we only wanted a warm, relatively draught free house, the more i researched insulation, airtightness, cold bridging and ventilation, i realised the only way to do it properly is to go passive. i'll probably be asking loads of questions as never having built a house from scratch and doing it in a manner which is totally different to anything i've done before, my head hurts from all the research. have a merry christmas