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I'm not sure to be honest - it's an MBC frame so I suppose I get what I'm given!

Yes, I had noticed that the 'traditional' way wasn't particularly good! I came across a few postings back on ebuild where the windows had been installed flush with the outer OSB of the frame - I think Jeremy's is like this and I've also seen a schematic from MBC done the same way. But, I also read comments where people preferred a wider external reveal than this would give. All of the first floor windows in our build will either have render or timber cladding around them. On the ground floor they will have stone slips cladding around them - with the slips affixed to blockwork. The only caveat to this is that one GF window will have render around it and 2 windows and the front door have stone to one side and render the other! (it looks better than it sounds). I think it would look better if the 'rendered' windows had a deep reveal, so putting the window in the middle of the frame would be good. However, I have a bit of a detailing issue with a stone reveal, as by the time I've fitted 25mm battens, 12mm cement board, 5mm adhesive and 40mm stone slip I'd be covering the entire width of the window frame. I know I could always fit an additional 40mm trim to the window, effectively making the frame wider but it feels like I'm fudging it! If the windows are fitted flush with the outer face of the timber frame, the stone problem goes away as I can complete any small reveal detail with an aluminium trim profile. The downside is that the rendered reveals are much smaller - this may or may not be an issue. Thinking about it (typing this is helping actually), what would be good to see is images of rendered walls where the windows are fitted flush to the outer face of the timber frame, as I think getting the detailing right with windows in the middle of the frame could be a right pain!

When fitting the windows into a timber frame, does the window normally sit in the middle of the insulation or flush with the external face of the structure? I'm trying to work out the detailing for my stone cladding and the location of the window is going to affect what I do

That's good to know as I've selected an Integra window in our MBC build

I'm liking the shed idea!

Cheers guys. What did the MBC guys do with their gear whilst on site, for example while doing the slab?

Thanks Jeremy. The best quote I've had so far is with Protek and I'll probably set it up for 12 months so it should be enough to cover me without needed to extend. Did you get cover for hired plant at all? I assume this could include scaffold and toilet but I am assuming!

Fingers crossed we'll be breaking ground next month so I'm planning what I'll need on site. Electric and water supplies have been ordered and the groundworker is waiting for the nod, but what about site hut and/or storage? What is normally expected and what must I supply? We don't live on site and as it's an MBC timber frame I'm expecting it to go up very quickly, but I realise that at the moment I've not made provision for the guys to store anything nor make a brew. Thanks in advance www

What have you guys covered yourselves for under site insurance? Below is a list of the items I need to consider, but I'm not really sure whether I need cover, nor at what level, for things like hired plant. The property will be an MBC timber frame with groundworks done by an external company and we don't live on site. I'm intending doing as little of the work myself as possible! Owned Plant - £0.00 Hired Plant - £0.00 Caravans & Site Huts - £0.00 Contents of Caravans & Site Huts - £0.00 Personal Possessions – Up to £5,000.00 Personal Accident - Up to £20,000.00 Bone Fracture – Up to £400.00 Employers Liability – Up to £10m Public Liability - £5,000,000.00 Products Liability - £5,000,000.00

At £1800 for an architect, you aren't going to get much "architecting" done. Leaving aside what has been offered, what is it that you want? Everyone has a different view about what they need and the value that an architect (or architectural technologist) brings to the party. At the most basic level you could sketch something up that you like the look of and then just get someone to draw it up - that doesn't need an architect and if it works for you then it shouldn't cost much at all. However, at the other end of the scale if you want significant design input with the aim of creating something with more "wow" then don't underestimate the value of a good architect - and don't underestimate how much will cost either. With our architectural technologist he charges a fixed fee up to planning permission submission - that includes iterative concept designs and detailed designs. You could stop there (many do), but if you want more detailed design done (including building regs drawings) then there is another fixed fee for that too. There are also other elements that he can help with, for a cost. Only you can decide if the money is worth it. For us it is - there is no way I would have come up with anything anywhere near as good as what he did. His not-insignificant costs though are more than outweighed (5-10 fold) by the expected increase in value once it's finished.

Thanks Hugh. Great advice and much appreciated

Some really useful info there guys - really, really appreciated I'm probably guilty of trying to think of too much, too soon and should probably hold back a little but I find getting little bits of information here and there is really helping me plan the various elements. Given what you know now (and based on the fact we're getting MBC in), would you suggest we wait until the frame is up and the roof slated before getting the facias/soffits measured or just order off the plans so that we can get it done as quickly as possible? I don't really want to be paying for the scaffolding any longer than I need to but happy to keep it up if that's the better/safer way!

Cheers Hugh. This is the one area that has me in cold sweats! The soffits and facias I'm ok with, it's all the coping and flashing detail. The architect has suggested that I need additional detail drawings (££££) but I feel he just has to think about it and explain it a bit better. I may well just get the top work done first while the scaffold is up and then tackle the rest later.

Cheers Terry. My plan is to use that system based on what I think you'd posted on the other site

For those of you that have used some architectural aluminium details on your house, did you get quotes and place your order based on your plans or did you get them out to measure once the house was up? So far I'm looking at Dales Eaves and Guttercrest - can anyone recommend any other suppliers or installers?

I met them on a stand at the NEC show recently and when they asked if there was anything they could help with I just told them I wanted a Premium 2 and that I could get it from Denmark or Czech Republic for £xxxx and that if they wanted a sale they should call/email me the following week with their best price. I got an email a few days later. I haven't followed it up yet though as I'm not sure whether to go that route or normal MVHR with and arrange cooling in another way. Out of interest, what cooling do you get from the Sommerbox?

To be fair, I got a UK price for the Genvex Premium 2 of £5,550 delivered - about £500 more than from Denmark from memory. Ignore list prices - there's always a deal

How long did it take you?

Is this the right link to start the process off (Openreach), or do you initiate it through BT first? https://www.formwize.com/run/survey3.cfm?idx=505d04010e0f00

I so wish there was another option...

Mods - please move this thread if it's in the wrong area Thinking ahead a little, we will need a new BT connection. There is a pole directly across the road which has overhead lines running to the neighbours' houses so I'm assuming that I too would also have to have an overhead line. I don't really want this if I can avoid it as I want to bring the line into our ground floor plant room via a duct through the slab and I don't want to drop a cable down the face of the house to be able to do that. There isn't any decent information out there that I've found so does anyone know of any general principles or maybe give a view as to what is likely to be possible (or not)? Given that the pole is on the other side of the road, I'm guessing my options might need ££££...

Perfect, many thanks

Thanks Peter - useful advice. When you say 'duct cooler', I've consulted Mr Google and no products jump out at me - I just seem to get inline fans. Do you have a link to something that would work to provide as a starting point for research in that area please?

Actually, the cooling load with 25% shading provided by internal blinds (we'll have more than that) isn't actually that high (1.2kW) but I know there will be times that I just want to chill the place right down. I'm like that, you see Obviously, now is the time to understand what is and what isn't available/possible I know that I can put a roof light in which will help through stack ventilation and the Genvex Premium 2 gives about 1.6kW of cooling, so in theory it's all taken care of. But, for example, putting in an air-con unit will give that bit extra (and then I could replace the Genvex with a cheaper option) and Jeremy has posted some very interesting observations about cooling the slab. If I can work out what I need to provide a little bit of air con and also cool the slab then I think I'm all set. Didn't I make that all sound very easy? The window films are also something I've looked at but I'd need to see them in place before going for them - much like Jeremy is doing now in fact, so I watch with interest. During conversation with the PHPP chap he said the best place for the air con outlet, assuming there was only one, would not actually be in the warmest part of the house near the front gable as this would likely give rise to large local differences in temperature which would lead to convection currents (drafts). The better option, he felt, was to put it in the kitchen area. The extracted cool air could also be used to help cool the incoming air. Going back to the ASHP for a moment, if all I wanted was to chill the water for the UFH and to provide some air con, what 'bits' would I need? Assume an air-to-water heat pump (monobloc?), manifold and pump for the UFH coil (same ones as for heating or additional ones?) - not sure on how it does the air con though as all the ones I've seen so far are air-to-air heat pumps. I'm at that stage where I have a lot of unknown unknowns!!!

Having researched the air-to-air units purely for air con it seemed all pretty straight forward, but with the air-to-water it seems a lot more complex and I'm struggling to separate the wheat from the chaff! Given that all I want is cooling for the UFH and air con, could you possibly point me at the type of product I should be looking at? Most of the stuff I see also needs a cylinder, although maybe it's my lack of understanding getting in the way