Andeh

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?

Not sure I agree that throwing out a perfectly functioning gas boiler to install a brand new ASHP, whose manufacture & transport probably has several years of carbon emissions locked up inside, is better overall. You'd be better off simply installing more insulation (internal, external, upgraded windows, doors etc?) and tackling climate change that way I think. Replace the gas boiler only when repairing it is no longer viable.

Thanks all! Its true... The lure was laughed off quickly as I came to my sense & the lure of gin & tonic got the better of me! Being houses is still bloody hard work! Only 4(ish) months to go....

I need fortification.... Hit the 50% completed mark last week -on paper, reality feels like 30%. Time, money, stress... gin.... All fluidic. Drove past a Persimmon estate, and thought....."hmmm, now that's tempting.....!" Tell me it's worth it!!!!

I'd leave it as is IMO, unless your forever home & you are passionate for technology & sustainability. I'd re-assess in a few years.

Did it all go smoothly?

With the greatest of respect though -and please correct me if I'm wrong-but I believe you are undertaking some of the work yourself? Thus giving you a greater saving on psqm cost. Most self-builders will be in the same boat as me, not able to do any work Inc project management so will need to assume full builder fees.

Our of curiosity, who paid for the PIR & adjustments due to the bat's feet miss?

Just on the topic, does the blog not allow uploaded images by IMGUR ie [IMG] and [/IMG] etc? i wrote it all up using those, and realised when I create the blog it doesnt display the photo - just the text.

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I think you'd be very lucky there! We are building a mid-high ish spec bungalow, 250sqm and when we got quotes last August we received 5 detailed quotes all for around £2500 - 3000psqm. That's for ASHP, MVHR, lots of big aluminium windows, big posh slidding doors, upgraded insulation etc etc. Turn key build though not inc usual fees & paperwork. We managed to get that down to around £2100 when our favourite builder (but also one of the more expensive ones) had a commercial cancellation that overlapped perfectly with our needs, so got a good deal off him, if we fitted to his time framen (which itself caused plenty of headaches) . Edit: we also assumed around 15-20% extra for single story vs 2 story.

Thanks very much, I'll reach out to them shortly!