PeterW

Just checked and it's a Tuff Torque gearbox on the Stiga. I know Westfield and a few others use these but the filter is £45 in the U.K..!

Yes - it depends if the service is incidental to the build or part of it. D&B contracts include all services so you are isolated from the VAT issue. The self build VAT guidance note covers where standard rate should be charged and where it can be zero rated.

On mine if you look at the drive unit from the back there is a socket bolt on the right near the bottom. If you undo the plug you can take the filter out. Will see if I can find a link.

Hi and welcome Your PM was wrong on both counts ..! The only way you wouldn't pay VAT on the PM fees would have been if you had used a D&B contractor and they had employed the PM. At that point it's all wrapped up as a delivery cost of the build. If you've got a separate PM who isn't via the main contractor then you're liable for VAT on the invoices and that can't be reclaimed ... sorry ..!

Is it the Toro Hydro drive ..? Same unit as in a Stiga, and I buy the oil filters for the unit from the US as even with shipping they are half the U.K. price.

... or the posh smart meter box that Eon wanted me to have... "I don't want a smart meter, it's 27m from the meter to the house and your display box won't work" "That's not possible, we only install in external meter boxes in the house itself" "Mine is in the back of my gate wall...." "Who installed the meter, that's not something we would do..." "Eon did ......" Guess who's got a standard meter ..!

That's odd as that was reported back in July. http://www.kbbdaily.com/m/article.php?id=6585 Insolvency in Germany is very different to in the U.K. - it's about keeping the company going similar to Chapter 11 in the US. Are you buying via Alno UK..?

I just did ....... and the full kitchens for sale with granite and appliances for £500..!

Cheers it's all whirlpool stuff from Ikea. I have considered using their kitchen and like you going with a decent worktop. Where did you get 2nd hand granite out if interest..?

Polarwall, Nudura and Beco are pretty much the only ones I've seen with decent technical credentials for basements although Beco seem to be fallout by the wayside. The others can have variable core widths to allow for structural support to be correctly calculated.

Yes ... if you also do the @ before the name it notifies them.

I agree - some can be pretty rough ..!

There are lots of different seconds grades - I used their 120mm which had "rippled foil" so was a cosmetic second. At half the price of new I can't see why you wouldn't use it

How are you filling the loops ..?? The correct way is to put the hose onto the filler connection, close all the loop valves and the drain valve and then turn the hose on. That will show you any leaks in the manifold. Open the manifold drain half way and then open the first loop full bore. and let the water run - it will spit and bubble but let it run until it's pretty clear of air. Close the valve and move to the next one, again running to a hose and letting it run clear. It can take 2-3 minutes per loop to get the air out of each loop. Once you've got each loop clear then open them all half a turn and run it for another 2-3 minutes before closing the drain - you will watch the pressure rise in the manifold, take it to 3-4 bar then close the hose connection. And now wait ...... At 3 bar any leak in a pipe will be easy to see. You may find the pressure valve connection on the manifold leaks slightly (mine did) so just watch for a weep there. Mines been sat at 1 bar for 4 months now and tbh it's never moved. Next time it gets the pressure released will be for the pump and buffer to be fitted so I'm not going to get too worried about the water in it not having antifreeze or inhibitor in it - I've calculated the buffer and loop capacity and will just make the concentration up based on that and wait for it to naturally mix which will only take a few days.

@Lesgrandepotato who's dishwashers have you gone with ..? I've been seriously impressed with Amica recently - they seem well made and at a decent price point that if it comes to it in 3-4 years time they will get replaced quite easily with something slightly more expensive. I like ikea as they can be easily customised however I don't like their new sizing as nothing else matches. I've been struggling too to get a 900mm Belfast unit by anyone as it seems Villeroy & Boch have made a sink that no-one can fit ...

That's the sort of numbers I was expecting - £6.50sqm I don't think is too bad. Quote I've had so far was nearer £9.50...

I've got an MKM account and I use them for most things - price wise I can't fault them and the service is great. We also get MKM rewards which is equating to about 6% cash back overall and I've just had £75 from Velux as I bought the windows in July when they had a trade promo on. TP just want to make me scream - had to go in there last week for some roof tiles and I think my "trade discount" was 6p per tile .... or about 4%..!

We have similar - council have a duty to maintain it as it's a byway but we have right of access as it's also a private road. They had some money left over last year so resurfaced it with about 75mm of 10 to dust and it's lasted about 4 months before the holes have reappeared. The bit they did over the planings we put down is still solid ..!

I had Eon install a meter then swapped to Ebico no standing charge. The final bill (which was also the first) was wildly out and I had to go back to them to tell them it was wrong - it was £60 not £14..! Eon told me that SSE gave them the opening read, and SSE said they got it from Eon .... luckily I used to work in the business so I said I was raising a complaint which means the bill goes on hold. I re-read the meter and gave both the reading over 3 weeks later and it was still less than 1/3rd of what Eon wanted. In the end they settled on just 50% of the original value and I got bored chasing for the £10 difference... They are all useless ...!

Sounds a bit steep - how many rooms ..?? Panels are about £350, sensor and howler should be £50 ish per room. So in a six bed HMO you should be in for £8-900 for materials and £11-1300 for an installation assuming it's surface mounted and nothing too onerous. No requirement for call points ..?

+1 to what @Nickfromwales said - I'd use the angle to create the first "wedge" of concrete then remove and use the two edges as the former

Right so your issue is there - heat curves will be rubbish and the temperature for rads is just too high for standard sized ones. The Grant oil boiler will tick all the boxes however you may want to be careful as they prefer a long burn so the tank controls may need to be tweaked. If you keep the rads then it will mean living with lower heat pump performance or going with oil - I would probably go with the latter.

Got a 9" version of that on a 110v Makita grinder and it's scary how quick it takes the floor down to flat - it's heading towards being polished ..! Not that easy to control but fine for small areas. Big thing is dust extraction - you need some serious kit otherwise you will choke in minutes..!

Welcome .... Questions : - what are you using as heating ..? UFH or rads..? - who programmed the ASHP ...? - how handy are you..?? if you can answer those it's probably a bit easier to advise on replacement.

Terminate the pipe about 35mm below the slab FFL. Wrap it in DPM, and duct tape that on. The get some 25mm EPS and stick it to the top and sides of the DPM - it may look ugly..... Wrap this in either plastic or cling film. Mark the datums carefully.... When you pour, the EPS will support the concrete enough to allow you to powerfloat over the top. When its gone green, remark the pipe centres from the previous datums and then go for a pint... When its gone off more, a sharp tap with a hammer will crack the concrete over the EPS. Clear the concrete off carefully, then break out the EPS from around the pipe. When you've put your connectors on and sorted the soil stacks, fill the gaps around the pipes with concrete. Job done..