Andeh

So I've fallen in love with cheap smart switches. They're cheap, smart and effective! The only issue is they need 20mm extra depth then existing backboxes have. The current backboxes are well plastered in, and the cables are tightly routed in. Any recommendations on how to best cut through the metal backbox, and then chisel out the block behind it in a reasonable fashion? Thanks

Yeah, we found similar! Just hope it's sustainable for them, their latest financial statements were/are late per previous post....

Our gates weren't on the PP, and we had them half installed and full invoiced a month before our VAT reclaim timed out. We paid the installers VAT, and added it to our receipts to claim back with their invoice. It wasn't one they asked for invoice copies etc, and they approved the claim. That being said electric blinds and garage doors which they did ask for invoice copies etc they bounced and said we shouldn't have paid the VAT, recover it from the supplier.

Your house is, on paper, noticeably better Insulated then ours, and not being a bungalow likely a more efficient design... Albeit it UFH at 35 degrees give us bigger heat emitters so more warmth at better efficiency (in theory). Could just be under sized radiators?? I'm sure I've heard Tower rads are generally a lot less effective then normal twin or triple fin ones.

Something not right. We're 250sqm ish bungalow, with 3.5 to 4.5m ceilings, lots of glazing (albeit it 45 sqm kitchen floor have around 25sqm of glazing.... Which is a lot in its own right) and our 12kw Samsung ASHP has no real issues keeping us around 21 degrees with around 12 hours run time even on the coldest of sub zero days. Ufh throughout though and we upgraded all our insulation. Can you post up your Sap report? What insulation is detailed?

Insulation looks pretty good all considering. Even some thermal bridging is fairly average. Could just be the fact it's 30sqm space with high ceilings and lots of glass! We have a room(s) similar and whilst it doesn't actually loose heat that fast, it does feel chilly due to significantly above average glazing and high ceilings. Check for strong drafts with a candle... And see if Windows need adjusting. If its connected to the rest of the house, could the warmth be drifting through the rest of the house? All else fails fit bigger radiators, adjust the heating schedule, and accept big glazed rooms feel colder then small windowless spaces! The price for extra heating... £25 more a month vs the cost of that extension.... For the couple months a year when it's properly cold.... Ya can't win everything!

Love it! Good effort.

We had a monster 9kw dual sided one installed, and other then a screen grab of the hetas engineer and an eye ball if it, never hesitated signing it off.

And/or wrap them in some form of insulation, that acts as a slip membrane between them and something else!

Just in the middle of this, blind supplier are saying because they're motorised their trade body has told them they class as electric appliances so are not VAT exempt!! They're waiting on a letter from HMRC!

Had mine pretty much all paid, other then three which I had paid the VAT when I should not have. Had to reclaim the VAT from the supplier, 2 were quick to, 3rd being slow/unsure because they've been informed by their trade body electric blinds are not vat free because they are classed as electrical appliances!? They're waiting on HMRC to confirm. However, what a well though out process. Easy to submit, system was straightforwards and full payment within about 7 weeks over Christmas period. Very impressed.

Builders wipes! They've been good to us over the years.

Rip up more of the floor, sister all the joists thoroughly, few noggin for good measure. Hardie floor down, with decent amount of gorilla glue then tank properly, and tile?

Def run one, and just insulate very thick and meticulously. Was a lifesaver for us as the kitchen ended up about 25 seconds to draw hot water from the cylinder, reduced to about 4 seconds with the hot loop. Bathroom towers are even quicker.

Ah bugger.... They've been so cheap!

Ah I'm sorry, that is a shitter! Houses can be a really pain in the ass when it comes to this sort of thing.

I am really interested, but those prices seem too good to be??

We're on tomato with solar pv and a heatpump, never really checked much more beyond the 5p bit!.. I recon it's 20% cheaper then Octopus Cosy based off the last three months with them vs last year!

Brick and block, high end bungalow £2400 main contractor for it all, except original property, including demolition job. Ticked every bloody options box along the way as well..... Pleased it's over. Assume around £2100 for a main contractor, hands off, good sized good quality well featured home would be my estimate! Add more depending on how far above average you're going. Add lots more if you're into silly kitchens, home automation, architectual features.... Take off if you're able to put your job and life on hold and properly shoulder it. Not for the average Joe. My Gin bill would have paid for a swimming pool. Edit.... also to add... The price you start off with and what you end up with are different price points. Be very careful.

Yeah our sparky, great guy, £75 for first 30mins! Adds up fast, but the guys brilliant. £200 for that work is a bit much, but there are much more expensive ways to learn that lesson. Some can find it be £1000s and £1000s!

Any pics of the work he did? What was the actual work? was it up a ladder, silicone along the joint and down the ladder? For a couple £hundred.. Travel, working at height, mid stormy season.... Hour or two of work? I've heard worse....

We had to have one for storm attenuation, got Ducting and power... Albeit I intend to use for summer watering! As now water meter means it's not cost effective to invest anything else!

Do they provide a bigger surface area then a radiator in a typical room?

Our expanded even more when wet! When in the cavity didn't seem an issue, but if outside it made it impossible to fit between the blocks. Caught the brickies tearing it in half as they got to the top, to save climbing down for more, so ended up daily inspecting to ensure they didn't! As I didn't trust the sods.

I'd have said closer to £2500 for primary! £2k seems very reasonable, but then we've been out of it for 18 months now. I would recommend a main contractor, especially if you've got a business to run. PMing is a full time role, highly stressful and if you've never delt with the building world before you'll have headaches at ever corner. It is really not for the faint hearted, and a false economy when it starts to go wrong