Andeh

So all these products are to seal the gaps between window & masonry? Is there a reason gripfil or silicone is not used to plug these gaps up? They could surely achieve a similar result & are much more readily available?

Several weeks ago, it's a large new build & what our builder would knock off if we stepped down from an ASHP. He has been reliable with other cost adjustments so I have no reason not to trust this figure within reason! ?

I'm not sure I agree with any of that! For our new build, £14k for a full plumbing + ASHP installation vs £11k for Gas boiler from our builder. Have mains gas as an option but both builder & architect strongly encouraging ASHP, hoping with the £5k grant to smooth the transition. My research suggests they are entirely appropriate for certain properties, entirely inappropriate for others - our new build being an ideal case for ASHP. Whilst no expert in heating systems, I am a Mechanical Engineer with a career in Energy Sustainability - long term Electricity is the answer -vs- Fossil fuels, from a political point of view (Russia & OPEC) from a sustainability point of view (cheap Renewables & self generation). Throw in storage & Nuclear and 'green government taxing fossil fuel' vote winning its a no brainer over the next several years. Hydrogen is a laughably hopeless cause for anything other then large industrial equipment.

Thanks all, would that reduce the SAP calculations as a result? Does sap equate for total sqm or only a sqm? Could explain why the 3 story semi we are in now is massively better on paper.

We loved our slide & hide, with built in self cleaning. We will be using them again in for sure!

Interesting! Thanks for that, something is wrong there then, as drawings state jetfloor with infill insulation & 150mm rigid insul to achieve! I'll need to investigate

Thanks very much all, some great feedback there! Am also concerned ASHP (architect & builder are grinding me down into accepting one over a gas boiler ? ) will reduce that score as well, but am led to believe ASHP will be 'for the greater good' then a Gas boiler even if the SAP score takes a nose dive. Yes, this was only the first pass so will be looking to enhance floor & roof, the walls will be tricky as we are fitting in a lot of rooms into the footprint, so internal space is actually tight (4 kids to cater for). The ceilings on the other hand are very high throughout, so less worried about build up here. The architect has stipulated a minimum of 5 for air tightness, but have read enough stories on here to know this is an area ill need to work with the builder on (and probably seek further advice here) on how to reduce this further. Jetfloor is block & beam, but using EPS insulation instead of the concrete blocks. Builder said he would use the kind that 'wrap around' the beams, but this hasn't been written down anywhere so one i am monitoring. Rest of the place is twin block wall, render outside (and some Z stone feature cladding). edit: we have some PV, but some massive trees in the garden which cast some shade, so this has been down played on the EPCs.

Just looking for general advice! We are at the foundation excavation stage of a 240sqm bungalow, after a last minute refurb --> rebuild change of plans (one of the builders had a cancellation & said he'd do a full rebuild for the price of our refurb if we fitted into his cancelled slot. He was our favoured builder by a decent chunk, so we were/are utterly delighted...but it has meant the architects & builder have had to work overtime in getting all the documentation sorted - hence adjusting insulation details after construction started) As a result, we only recently received our draft SAP calculation of 81 - which I couldn't believe. This was with 125mm full fill cavities. 250mm Jetfloor + 150mm PIR below UFH and 125mm PIR in roof space, MVHR etc - not exactly bare minimum in my mind (though I acknowledge behind BuildHub norms of Passive House standards!!), but I was still very surprised to 'only' get 81. Scores are: Ext Walls 0.22, Floor 0.17, Roof 0.18 Architects have gone away to try and get me a 10% improvement to bring it up to 88/89 (Ecology mortgage as a benchmark, though not using them). However - I looked up the 2019, 3 story, semi-detached naff Persimmon new build we are renting for the duration of the project & was horrified to see it at a 86 EPC rating. I don't quite understand how we are ''only'' at 81 in a £500k bespoke new build with (in my mind) good levels of insulation...yet a mass produced cheapie (£240k for 4 bed...) property in the same locality achieves 86. Does the fact we are building a bungalow impact EPC? Are EPC & SAP the same to compared? How does 250mm jet floor + 150 PIR only get us 0.17!? Hoping to be educated!

Following with interest, be grateful for the advice as we start our project!

What 'sound' is it you are blocking? Vibratings, fan noise, air turbulence?

Monitor where walls meet floors, a lot of noise actually comes from a 'silent floor' with a bit of flex in it...but stud walls sitting on them & skirting boards etc rubbing against the floor creating the noise. I cant suggest a fix (I only ever drove screws in between floor:wall flex after we moved into mass produced new builds) - but one to explore/think about as well.

You could do something very impressive with 2 lots of sliding doors & a floating corner!

We've got an architect's bill approaching the cost of a posh car, however - what they have brought to our house from a design, flare, eye for detail, suggestions & then builder recommendations has made their value for money a total no brainer!

Hi All, We are lookin for a crisp, contrasting look, to our white render + black alum windows...and I am struggling between both Z Stone & Norstone with both supplying a similar black effect product. Has anyone researched similar, who could suggest their views? Cost of fitment, supply, longevity etc? Thanks in advance!

Thanks very much all, just what I was after!

Kill with kindness!

Looks like a neat job & much better....the fact its solid concrete behind means there is not lateral forces acting on those blocks, I'm no structural engineer though.

We'll miss it by about 2 months, disappointing... But maintaining perspective vs rest of the project! Still hoping & tracking the £5k replacement & what hoops will need to be jumped through to make a go for it!

As has been said, what are the tenders sitting at? Might give us a chance to suggest high or lower.

Sorry for an old bump, but did you ever get to the bottom of this?

Yep, assume £2k psqm and I think that is a "reasonable" starting point for a good spec house.

Knock down & rebuild will probably be cheaper! £2k psqm (+VAT) for a refurb seems punchy in current market! I'd also suggest £2.5k+.

Doh! Was worth a try ?

We are carrying out a knock down & rebuild. We are trying to work out if we inform the council now, to halt the 6 months of council tax payment but then get it revalued when we move in...... Or if we don't inform them proactively, pay the lower band council tax for 6 months & hope they don't revalue the property on completion.... Which will bump us up a few bands! Any suggestions on how best too approach this? Legal obligations are obviously the priority! Thanks,

In all due seriousness guys, some of us were using this thread as an information source for ''Heat Pump latest government offers'' - something more useful than arguing about Global Warming. If you want to argue against the overwhelming consensus of planetary warming - please find another thread?