tonyshouse

Have a wish list, draw what you want 100 times, ask friends, I set target u values low, no thermal bridging or bypass, have an air tightness target, energy use, (all better than PH) decide on 3g, low maintainence, robust, some high tech features, I also have a list of don't wants/won't tolerate - flat roofs, parapet walls, box gutters, internal drain pipes, tf, SIPs, dormer windows, cemented verges, non fail safe showers or baths, keys on window handles or inside of doors, draughts, woodburners, plastic windows, the list goes on.

Yes, probably by me. In the old days used to standard practice, followed by a cut nail the next day! I like parge or bonding behind chased in boxes on outside walls, generally galvanised boxes don't rot in dry plaster (any more than angle beads do) and this improves air tightness for those with OCD

We always drilled joists 2/3 of the way up and never notched them. And holes only 1/8 joist depth .2 to .4 out. always drill square, we piled the joists on top of each other humps same way round and drilled through the lot before fitting them. http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/Notching_joist.htm

There is a general point to make here and that is "trusses are not the same as joists" different rules apply.

What engineer has said that it is OK is this the one from the truss manufacturer or is it a general engineer (Get the letter fast) this is normal advice http://dwbgroup.co.uk/Limits_for_Cutting_Notching_and_Drilling_Of_Trussed_Rafters.pdf

Trusses are different from joists, much more critical it is good that the holes are relatively near a supporting wall plate. good to talk to the truss manufacturer, are there any in the vertical members?

belated sketch 20190523 balcony rail support.pdf

Not allowed! Trusses are designed on the limit of structural tolerance, electricians and plumbers should learn this at college. rectification work can be expensive, big chunks of timber dog tooth washers bolted all over the hole, designed by an engineer. Best tell the truss company and send photo of damage, they will specify the fix. A plumber once did this on one on my architect supervised jobs, it cost him £400, £100 for engineer and £300 of wood and bolting, he drilled a girder truss two 25mm holes. it ain't good news.

Can you bilid some stainless steel stools to bolt the balcony rail to with these penetrating the roof in a fail safe leak proof way, I would.

Are we allowed to say? Timbamet

Pumped screed finishes up looking polished

You can't afford to expose a truss to the weather, anything except balsa wood will do, I would not use green oak but you already know the downside. You will likely finish up with softwood (when you find out the prices)

Don't exist, I have a wooden draught sealed ladder and above it a well to allow for 450mm loft insulation, 50 mm ventilation gap then 18mm deck, an extra trap over this well sealed all round with 100mm sheet insulation

Livorno data logger, puts results into a spreadsheet that can then draw graphs, I use a bespoke bms, does the Sam with more power, channels and flexibility. Thermocouples from here here

I built in thermocouple probes, lots, data log the results.

Mesh or possibly fibres, consider pumped screed

Spraying is fast and uses less paint but is so nice it is difficult to patch in afterwards, Aires spray is in my fire for commercial new buid only. Very messy, three coats then all second fix, cut inagainafter caulk. Electricians wear surgical gloves and dinters get punched. Plumbers sacked.

I used basalt fibre ones to mitigate thermal bridging, they were expensive and I built them in as work proceeded. spiral metal ones can be retrofitted

Woodworm can't digest wood that is dry, normally in homes all the wood is so dry it does not get atacked sometimes near WCs or the ridge board (that does nothing antyway) can get some. they like glue in some on plywoods too. I see woodworm treatment as an unnecessary, often toxic waste of time.

Can you draw up a plan

It is but compared to the last few years very different, there are companies and people clearing 10% returns and the economics are now a lot more sensible with low single figure returns available. Large south facing roofs roofs are viable too even with the reduced FiTs In five years time we will reach grid parity for solar

My ideal amount of insulation in a wall is 300mm so I think a 325 thick wall is too thin.

A good plan welt the joins and trap them under a batten, be sure to join to floor and ceiling air tight layers and to window/door frames

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140 block, not aerated, 200 eps, high tech tender, wet plaster inside