Andeh

Would very much welcome thoughts from all, thank you for your insights!

Thanks all, yes the walls are 125mm Knauf dritherm 37, will always be a regret we couldn't upgrade them to 150 cavities but by the time I realised it was too late. Though one option I am debating it the savings going from ASHP to Gas used to request insulated PB for the external facing walls - though due to 3.5m - 4.5m ceilings everywhere it wouldn't be cheap. Floor & ceiling is 150mm Kingspan PIR. I have done the Excel spread sheet as best I can, it is a real abnormal bungalow, in the sense it is ''H shaped'' with the middle bit being the flat roof entrance hallway and two 'wings' being large 10 degree monopitches coming down to the middle flat roof entrance. As a result we have the 'perfect storm' of big floor areas (230sqm ish + garage), big roof areas (250sqm flat roof) AND high walls everywhere (3.2 low side, 4.5m high side)...with over sized windows/glass everywhere.... 3180_s4_100J_Floor Plan.pdf Heat loss calculator - Master (1).xlsx

Original FiT...we have lifted old system, swift replacement of the bungalow below (!) then reinstalling original system like for like to maintain the 'original' FiT.

Final U values of 0.13 floor, 0.15 ceiling, 0.22 for walls. SAP scores are looking to be high 80s, following an 83 score before we increased the depth of floor and ceiling insulation by 25mm (PIR). 150mm pipe spacing. I am going to ask the architect to refresh the SAP calculations to help with this decision, as current one are out of date (due to insulation uplifts) - for both Gas & ASHP.

Thanks Joe, we have 3.99kw of PV, but cant install any more without risk of losing the FiT. Fitting a solar diverter + slightly over sized tank (300L) is on the cards to try and support the DHW.

Just to say 'Hello' to the OP, I am in the exact situation you are . Probably 53% leaning towards gas and 47% towards ASHP. Having mains gas & 250sqm property, SAP of 87 (so less then yours), 3kW PV (due to original FiT limiting expansion).... originally expected ASHP, but with very high ceilings everywhere, builder is walking back on his original ASHP recommendation and is now swinging to recommending Gas. I am still working my way through it all...

We are half way through our new build, a large bungalow with smaller then average rooms (due to 4 kids & guest bedroom needs, but on a budget) but with significantly higher then average ceilings. 4.5m at high side of building, 3.2m at other side of the mono pitch. All brick internal walls. Builder originally recommended we go with ASHP, and proactively included it in his tender price, same with MVHR. At the last site meeting though, he has recommended we drop the ceilings heights to something more normal, as he is uneasy about the warmth of the place with the warm air rising & leaving the bottom half of the rooms feeling chillier. We declined reducing room heights, so he then suggested using a combination of a gas boiler & ASHP to ensure no risk of UFH struggling to maintain decent warmth during a cold winter. My view is this is too expensive & complicated, so its either ASHP or Gas. We are on mains gas... Builder has been 100% faultless to date, and I do trust him/have a good working relationship with him. Going for a gas boiler in a modern home (SAP of around 87) feels 'wrong', but I always felt Gas would be the cheaper option installation & heating wise...just mains gas being so cheaper vs electric. Just keen to understand anyone else's experience of high ceilings & UFH, and whether there is a risk ASHP could struggle on cold days? I am really 50/50, but starting to lean towards Gas just for the £ savings & reliability of turning up the output. Welcome all views, thanks

Risk of Air Con is you turn it on during the day and cool the rooms down, but the MVHR system naturally pumps that cool air out the house and brings back in warm external air? We have very high ceilings everywhere, so I suppose there will be a benefit of the warmer air rising to the top (vents) and being extracted, whilst the cooler air sinks lower? I think i will work on the assumption that on the hottest of days, I will turn the MVHR down/off and turn AC on everywhere. Then when I turn the AC off in the evening, turn the MVHR back on. For those handful of days a year when we hit record temps, ill just add it to my routine of closing curtains to block out the sun, and isolate the air inside the house manually. Not sure what others do in these situations?

Despite being a bit of a nerd, I cant justify full home automation right now. Cost, complexity, other build worries to focus on etc jut mean I don't have the bandwidth to give it full attention. That being said, in future it is the sort of thing I am quite sure I would like to dabble in. Our project is a full build, and the roof is going on as we speak so I need to start making the call now on what we want as final electrical layouts. In my mind, lighting systems & electric blinds are two areas worth trying it for, accepting that video, alarm, climate etc are all systems I am happy to keep as 'dumb' long term (CAT6 to all points gives a degree of options one day potentially). Is there a relatively easy may to future proof lighting & blinds for future home automation? ie tri core cabling between lights & light switches? Are there any ecosystems worth exploring? ie; if for £1000 we could install a degree of centralised lighting controls it is something we would do! Any advice on how to check this? In my mind, the furthest we would go is: 1) PIR in hallways & bathrooms 2) Automatic lowering of blinds at set times 3) Grouping of lights and diming of them Many thanks

Coming together really nicely there! We were due to move in today (!) but roof only 50% done, November now How do you find the black sanitaryware in the bathroom with water deposits/soap scum etc?

Also interested as our build will be finishing in November, with rendering required....

For the OP - we have beam & block flooring, original specification to be BC compliant (u of 0.25) was around 100mm? 125mm? PIR (which gave us around 0.18 I think) for our 240sqm build we paid around £2500 extra (I think) to bring it up to 150mm PIR dropping it to around 0.12. I doubt we'll ever save enough money to actually make that worth while in the next 10 years but couldn't resist. Numbers are from memory, so might be slightly off - but the reality is when you start getting to mid teens the pay back/RoI doesn't make sense (though recognising this forum exists for people looking at more then RoI) but it depends on your priorities for your home. Also remember insulation is a law of diminishing returns, you cant double it up & expect 2x performance....

Thanks very much all, good to have some system names known & good to know single big or two small are both worth exploring! Has anyone utilised a MVHR with Air COn systems, how have you managed them not acting against each other?

Builder is looking at two seperate MVHR systems for our 250sqm bungalow, which is ''H shaped'' - entrance in the middle. I am keen for one to ensure the 6 medium bedrooms/study are properly balanced with the few large open plan 'living areas' in the opposite wing. All ceilings are between 3.2m and 4.4m so a lot of volume. Can anyone recommend any companies that can produce large single MVHRs that are worth speaking to regarding our slightly quirky property? Many thanks,

Take a photo from your phone & upload them? Could be anywhere from £3000 - 3500 + VAT is my wild stab in the dark based on too little info.

Never heard of bioethanol , as we want a two sided stove so can be experienced in both rooms, it does limit our market quite significantly! Also needs to be in-wall and again there was only a few wood ones on the market for what we were after!

Yes, appreciate the controversies of it.....especially as my job is in sustainability! If it's an consolation we have spent so much extra on insulation it will likely be rarely used, but it is am ambiance we want to ensure we have the option of. To help close it out a bit, HETAS have made it look like we are OK to proceed, as have Building control. Just waiting on builder to confirm no blockers from his point of view before we proceed with the Stovax:: Thank you for contacting HETAS. EcoDesign relates to the manufacture and subsequent sale of these appliances from 1st January 2022. The Ecodesign Regulations set new minimum seasonal efficiency and maximum emission requirements for newly manufactured solid fuel burning roomheater stoves, roomheater stoves with boilers and cooker appliances. You can find out more about the new legislation using this link. All appliances, apart from independent solid fuel boilers, that were manufactured before 1st January 2022 are still allowed to be sold/installed after this date, but the installer will need to do their own due diligence if this is the case. The following information is required as a minimum for installations. • Manufacturer’s instructions • Known output • Known efficiency rating (65% minimum) • CE mark (post 2013) • Data plate (post 2013) If you plan to install an appliance that was manufactured before January 2022 and is not Ecodesign compliant, if you’re able to show your Installer (via a receipt or any other method) that this appliance was manufactured before January 2022, they should still be able to install it (provided the above minimum requirements are provided and the Installer is comfortable to do so). Installers are required to install appliances in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and building regulations (Approved Document J, in England and Wales). Another new regulation Ready to Burn, introduced in England in May 2021 has banned the sale of the most polluting fuels; wet wood and house coal. It is now mandatory to use small quantities of wood that’s certified as Ready to Burn. Larger quantities of wood require proper seasoning and checking with a moisture meter to ensure a moisture content of below 20%. This new law has also implemented changes to the sale of manufactured solid fuels, these fuels need to meet certain standards to be listed as Ready to Burn from 1 May 2021 onwards. A “manufactured solid fuel” means a fuel produced from coal, wood, plant-derived materials, waxes or petroleum products with other ingredients. For the purpose of burning in domestic properties in England. You can find out more about these new regulations by clicking here. Refuelling the appliance should be done according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It is important to note that you shouldn’t expect to have smoke or products of combustion coming into your room when refuelling your fire, if you do, it is worth contacting your registered installer or chimney sweep for advice. We recommend you always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your appliance and as a general rule. You can read more on safe refuelling here. We recommend keeping the appliance and chimney clean and well maintained with regular checks from trusted HETAS Approved Chimney Sweep and Servicing Technicians. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

I think so, waiting for him to confirm. Builder hasn't flagged any concerns with fitting of it & BCO have confirmed they dont see any issues with regards to it being used/installed.

In a nut shell, I am trying to work out whether this legislation prohibits the sale & supply only...and if you own it you can fit it without come back (providing Build Control approves it)...or whether this legislation will prohibit me from fitting it!? and how they would find out/reject it?

Hi all, We spec'd a Stovax dual sided wood burner for our build & builder designed around it. We have now come to buy it, but have found it has been discontinued. The supplier explained that due to the Clean air act 2022, which came into force of 1st jan, the Stovax no longer complies and is banned for sale. One shop has an ex-display we can have for cheap. The alternative clean air compliant stove is £1600 more & is smaller then we would like. Builder/architect have said Building Control dont have an issue with this stove being fitted & providing the Part J complies they are OK. Builder thinks he can get it fitted without issue. However, both have said the risks sits with us -vs- going for the clean air compliant one. Has anyone come across this themselves in the last 6 months? Any thoughts on where the risk/worse case could be on how/if a body would have an issue with us fitting the Stovax? https://www.hetas.co.uk/uk-clean-air-strategies-and-domestic-burning/ https://www.glowing-embers.co.uk/blog/how-will-eco-design-2022-regulations-affect-me/ Many thanks,

Thanks very much guys! Yeah, as it goes up the thought of "I'm sure if I pushed hard enough i could have it over' crossed my mind. I imagine sheer weight & then strapped at the top prevents the 'angle rise' of a block required for it to then go over once built. S. E. has recommended temp bracing in case of winds.

Really grateful Temp, thank you! Have had a look myself and feel better.

We are going for internal bricks walls in our bungalow, and have some very tall ceilings. This means some of the room walls, will be approx 3.5m tall floor to ceiling and will be single 100mm block thick. At worst they are 3m wide before they hit a corner or equiv bracing structure, all dot & dabbed with Plasterboard Struc Eng has stipulated they are all tied into the ceiling every 1.2m with steel braces. He has also recommended they are not left unbraced pre-roof due to wind loads. I am no builder or structural engineer & ignore experts at my peril.....but I cant help but feel thats a tall & narrow wall. Am i over thinking this?!

Just a standard esure policy, i will ring & ask them tomorrow worse case. Just keen for any potential creative solutions. 😛

Hi All, Just seeking a bit of advice. Our home insurance is up for renewal, and we are 50% of the way through the project. When we started the demolition etc, I rang the home insurance people and explained we were demolishing & rebuilding, but the existing single garage would remain & would be used for a large amount of our storage. They agreed to continuing the insurance, with just the garage being left on the policy. However, now that it has come to renewal the policy has gone up to £500, which seems a lot to insure only a single garage (I will ring them next week). Move in date is expected (!!!!) end of July. I dont want the garage uninsured but £500 seems a lot when it isn't filled with a huge amount of value. We could take the risk an leaved it uninsured until we move in, but sods law & all that.... Just curious what others have done in similar situations?