crispy_wafer

One for the plumbers, I've got a 3/4" supply coming onto the land, twas an old supply, but we are wanting to connect the new build to it. I've already ran 25mm pipe into the build. Now because the old pipe might have the odd scratch and difficult to clean up, so I'm thinking a good old brass compression fitting would be best for this job. I'm struggling to locate a 3/4" to 25mm brass stop tap - does such a thing exist? Or even a 3/4 to 25mm brass coupling? Then I could use a standard 25mm top tap later on in the chain.

As others said, insulationhub and seconds and co, also used https://www.cutpriceinsulation.co.uk/ for the last batch of 150mm for my floor, they saved me a couple of quid per sheet over insulation hub on that occasion, quick delivery too.

I've found, or, I've been incredibly lucky that the illbruck foam doesnt knacker the guns up half as much as the everbuild cheap stuff from toolstation, never used a cleaner yet, and it was a cheapo 12 quid gun from amazon. Run a blade over the nozzle on the next use and the gun is good to go again. I managed to find a supplier for the little 1" reducing nozzles on ebay - probably one of the best finds of the build so far for me... Edit, good going on the draught blocking..

I shopped about after getting quote from BPC, mainly because I couldnt work out where I was going to install the unit and run the ducting, and I was buying kit in dribs and drabs using my salary rather than the build capex. Purchased bits from efans, blauberg, and BPC, they all seem to be better priced on some items than others, just got to make sure the small order values are worth any postage charges...

Thanks, So first quote back, £25.50 per m2 for gypsol classic, works out to 357 per m3. Ouch. @jayc89 seems ours are pretty similar in costs, wonder if this is a regional thing...

We are going to about 70mm on a 105m2 area. Provisioning for about 7.5m3 or thereabouts. For those that have screeded recently what sort of costs per cube are you seeing + laitence removal. Waiting with baited breath on some quotes to come back. I've not decided yet on cement based or gypsum based. It'll be going of UFH and the Floor finish - microcement or Resin on top. Ta

I've just pinched this picture so the wording on it is not mine. However the schematic is similar in that the telescopic bit is in the cavity enclosed in insulation everywhere else. Except in this case this door the builder left as a single skin hence the vents being visible and yes they are to the FFL which is the problem I want to resolve, and am looking for a bit of guidance.

🤣🤣 Oh bloomin heck - Something else to chalk up to experience, didnt cross my mind at the time, only later when thinking about the floor buildup. I was left with these two vents right under the front door. Is there anything I can do? Plastic isnt going to withstand years of trampling through the doorway, and wont support the finished floor covering very well. I've got a good number of vents on that side of the build so I could chop em out fill and insert a brick. Or... Any other solutions?

Thanks, I Appreciate the feedback from someone who has been down this rabbit hole before me.

Agree, so I'm trying to get like for like on the Wunda spec. 16mm pipe, staples, actuators, prebuild Wilo or Grundfoss manifold and pump pack. The wunda quote wasn't dear @£1460 for the bits, but I've managed to pretty much save just short of £250 on all items they listed. And that's from one plumbing supplier - psw-trade. Oval pipe though, no 🤣 matter.

Tasks this week include shopping around for bit's and bobs for my downstairs UFH. I've had quotes in from the likes of Wunda but like everything I love to price match to make sure I'm not being taken for a fool. I don't spend much time out of the office so hate trawling round merchants much prefer to be in the build. So with the internet being my friend does anyone have any good online goto suppliers they would share for - 16mm Pipe P.Al.P, actuators, manifolds etc. Many thanks Marek

I love this, quite unique too, something I really want to investigate when the time comes.

Thankyou, that's very nice of you to say so.

Updating this more as a bit of a progress milestone. Windows and doors are starting to be fitted this week. Not as exotic as some, but with a limited budget, and money not going as far these days, we found some windows we could quite happily live with.

Yeah, airtightness is one of those ongoing jobs we are working on as we progress, windows and doors have started going in this week so this will help us hunt out air leakages.

I've been pondering over whether boarding internally with insulated PB is worth doing and paying for on my build, looking for advice from the knowledgeable folk of BH. The build up is Fibolite Block, 90mm PIR, Brick. The guys did a decent job with the install of the PIR from what I could tell but reading the odd tale of woe here and there has made me think on a bit. If I had a time capsule I'd have built with a wider cavity, but he who goes along with drawing and basic regs without knowledge repents! So to improve and build a more comfortable house with lower running costs to live in, is it worth the outlay now. No issue with the capital spend now, I'll just have to suck it up and push the finish date back a month or 3. I'm not clever enough to work out running costs and ROI time against the cost of insulation so I'm sticking my finger in the air and gauging some opinion. I was thinking of 37.5 or 42.5 boards. Any thoughts

Good logical approach, allows us to get the job done and materials into the fabric of the building instead of sitting on the floor getting in the way.

What product did you use @joe90 , We built in slightly angled brick cills (i think like yours?) and was thinking of protecting these as they may have more moisture than normal running onto and off

I like timber, as at least if/when I get it wrong then it's going to keep me warm...

Is there a reason for the polythene being ripped out and presumably not reinstated? I guess we all want to stop rising vapour from getting to the timbers and being trapped, as well as the airtightness aspect. If you wouldn't put a vcl in yours, is that cost saving and just don't see it as necessary or have you seen issues where it's been used in the past. - Genuinely interested in your viewpoint as you've been in the game a long time.

ICF is a good shout and well worth considering, however going back to services have a think about the MVHR placement and ducting runs at this design stage, (if you are planning MVHR that is) - again something I didn't do and has required a bit of extra thinking on my part with regards to location of the unit and the ducting runs. Ours is traditional brick and block with full fill PIR in the cavity. No idea how well this will work in reality, PIR in the cavity really does depend on it being done right and to be honest there aren't many brickies out there thinking about installing it right, as per manufacturers instructions - too much like hard work for them. if/When I do this again then wider cavity will be the order of the day, then get the cavity pumped with beads afterwards. With ASHP all quotes we've had have been based on the SAP, but this is/was all theoretical at that point, and I've no idea how the house will perform yet, in terms of energy efficiency... One supplier quoted me a smallish unit, another quoted me a bigger unit. I think most of the stuff for an ASHP is outside, you'll then have the HW cylinder and the plumbing to UFH manifolds etc indoors. Something else to consider, with the roofspace think about specifying attic trusses, they wont cost you much extra, but they will give you a usable space without needing to be a contortionist to access.

No expert in design, but one oversight I made on mine which then lead to a bit of a redesign when we started building was provisioning for a plant room, somewhere for the UFH heating gubbins, HW cylinder, MVHR, home networking equip etc to be placed. Doesn't need to be a huge space, but maybe something to consider.

Yep, same group

Quick question, regarding placement of a stud wall that joins in line with a block wall. The block walls will be wet plastered, PB on the stud wall. How far back should I set the stud wall from the block wall instinct tells me about the thickness of a piece of plasterboard? I've attached a diagram. I've been told to double the PB on bathroom walls aswell so, is that then double PB on both sides of the wall. Whilst I'm at it, I've beefed up the perpendicular stud wall to 5*2, so I can run some MVHR ducting up/down. Should be no issue running MVHR ducts in studs should there?

Timely thread, thanks for starting @SBMS , I'm waiting to see what they come out with with regard future incentives for Heat pumps, however I'm in a similar boat with a choice to make, I'm bricking it over electrickery prices, and whilst I'm doing my best to insulate, and make airtight, I ultimately don't know how good a job I've done or not until I'm living in it.