Trw144

Thanks. Could be doing it myself then!

Can I ask where you ended up on basement cost?

I don't think the design is a million miles out from your moodboard - the windows/metal cladding looks quite dark but this is probably more to do with the lighting on the render. The biggest difference is the stone/bricks - your mood board uses something similar to this product which I have been looking at ... https://www.wienerberger.be/gevel/productzoeker/wasserstrich-special-grijs.html? My view on selecting external materials is to find something I like and copy! Either that or find a design consultant who can help - but for your average self builder it's probably quite hard to find someone who specialises in this (and who doesn't charge a fortune).

If you have been given false information my either the installer or manufacturer then I would be blaming them, not the biomass industry as a whole. As I said, I'm sure there are many ASHP (and even gas boiler) customers in a similar position.

I'm sure there are ASHP owners who say the same! Comes down to the equipment and it being installed correctly.

I know of the Klover product but no direct experience if it. Some general pointers.....Do you plan on installing a buffer tank? Despite what some manufacturers/installers say, I wouldn't install a biomass boiler without one. Heating controls and hydraulics are key to the system working efficiently. Combined with a buffer, this will also stop cycling of the boiler and the associated increase in maintenance.

To be honest I was referring to stoves in general - the Hwam is just the one I know with the automatic controls as an example (I'm sure others are available). Talking specificallly of Hwam, the bi-metallic coil version works very well so I would nt be concerned about not going for the electronic version.

Hi, I can't say I know much about them or have ever used one to be honest so could nt comment either way. As a genera point. I would take most stove efficiencies with a pinch of salt - they are based on test lab conditions with perfect wood, on a perfect flue and most crucially someone who knows how to operate it. This latter reason is why Hwam developed the Automatic systems - it's the people operating the stove that generally cause it to burn incorrectly.

Plus 1 for GSI (timber clad and a flat roof!)

In Loxone the mixing valve with PID control does the trick and solves the issue of overshooting/undershooting - I ve had it in 4 years and whenever I watch it, it keeps a stable temperature with very little movement on the valve. Mine starts off fully closed (no heat going into the circuit) and works it's way up from this position. As a fail safe I have gone old school mechanical (in case of programmer or controller error) so a pipe stat on the flow that the pump is wired through. Admittedly, if the heat pump controller has all this built I would probably leave what I can say within it (I'm on a gas boiler).

Not sure the 3 point bit - appears to be a powered open, powered closed actuator. I have used the Loxone mixing valve control for my heating circuits, using a temperature sensor on the forward flow pipe.

Difficult as you will presumably need someone to sign it off, as opposed to just finding a solutiuon that works. I would certainly advise oversizing the inlet ducting to keep resistance minimal. The issue as Drugasar say is avoiding the inlet acting in reverse (although scheidel seemingly don't see this as an issue)

I thought the roof on the first one looked wider than 500mm seams but could be wrong (I was looking at what appears to be the doors at the front and rear which appear to be similar to the roof width, and guessing these doors are 850mm or so). Other detail I do like is the walls sides have no seam, and the roof is hard to tell but at the very least a low seam. Not so keen on the tiles (slate or zinc) as I find them a bit busy for the walls. Thanks for the help - keep the suggestions coming!

Do you have a sketch of what you are trying to do?

Poujoulait produce one but I believe it is only marketed for pellet stoves. Having used it though I always found the stove struggled more with the air trying to draw down the chimney - my personal view is its a long way to be drawing fresh air downwards. Haven't seen this system operate on a log stove though. PS. I'm a schiedel customer so have asked what the situation is in terms of getting the flue without the stove.

Could be a trick of the camera but to me, there doesn't seem to be much of a seem on that build which is what draws me to liking it (I agree the roof and walls need lining up though). I also like the width on the roof, but appears much wider than what I have been told is possible with zinc (circa 500mm Max). The bottom grand designs image I would need to see in the flesh, it appears clean and contemporary but I'd be concerned it looks too barn like close up for what I am trying to achieve (fine for them as it's on a small holding). Fortunately it's local to me so I might see if I can take a peek. For reference, this is what I am cladding (there is a bit to be worked on still - gable to be recessed and the flat roof part to be tweaked to be more interesting, ground floor won't be white render)....

I'm intrigued from these photos to see what your roof finish is @Russell griffiths?

Looking at heat pumps, and a pair of of Valliant Aerotherm 12kW look like they would be up to the job (and appears to have one of the higher SCOPS)... 12.5kW output at -5 (@45 degree flow), rising to 14.9kW @ 2 degrees, should cope with house and pool heating even in the coldest months. Is there any downsize to oversizing a heat pump if its being installed with a decent size buffer? Will take a look at GSHP next and see if the improved SCOP justifies the additional expense. EDIT... The quick answer appears to be ASHP. Valliant ground source heat pump at 10 degree ground temp/35 degree flow temp is 5.5 vs SCOP of 4.5 for Valliant Aerotherm @ 35 degree flow. Assuming 50,000 kWh needed a year in total (I'm hoping it will be less), then this equates to 9000kWh electric needed on the GSHP vs 11,000 on the ASHP. Assuming 15p/kWh then a saving of £300 a year. Have I missed anything?

Yes, to be honest I wouldn't opt for wood. Will look great in year one but I think could quickly go downhill in the aesthetics department. I have lots of samples of cement board which I like and could be used instead of the wood in your detail a above, but again isn't at all common. Failing that zinc is probably my fall back option, but I m concerned the standing seams could be too busy on a 15m length, double story (plus pitched roof) part of the house.

Nothing to add I'm afraid but following this as it's a look I would like to achieve, but not sure I have the balls to go through with (water ingress does concern me).

Yes it is in the basement (on three sides as it is into a bank) although has since moved position in the basement so will have one, possibly two patio sliding doors. Glad to know their figures are somewhere near accurate.

These are the figures I am working from....

Domestic RHI has another year to run (March 2022)

These panels (4 of them at 4m2 each), have peak power of 2700w each so four gives me 10800 watts, and puts me at 37p/W. I do need to model it further but the technical guy at my solar supplier suggests I should be ok with this (he will model it fully once I have all the data to hand) with a 2,000 litre accumulator.

Hi. I will have 100m2 of flat roof below a parapet so it shouldn't be visible, and I have access to a good solar thermal brand so 16m2 of evacuated tubes plus ancillaries for under £4K which I think gives me a good bang for buck. I will look into it some more, trying and figure out a bit of a cost and how big a loop I will need in the ground. The land gets quite wet as it's on a slope - I don't know if this is beneficial or not when trying to extract heat from the ground. One thing I do remember after my original post is that GSHP's are nt recommended on swimming pools as the ground isn't given chance to recover during the summer - possibly not an issue if the solar thermal and PV take over in these months but needs consideration. I probably will be by the end!