Andeh

Just to update, speaking 'hypothetically' with British Gas (my FiT provider) & OFGEM...there seems to be a relatively 'common sense' approach to this, though always take this with a pinch of salt. If you are removing the system for building work, just let us know....when you reinstall it let us know..if system isn't being changed no issues at all. If you change any aspect of the system let us know & provide justification for it/invoices for replacement parts. Replacing 95% of the system with new components (as I was wondering above) would 'probably' class as a new installation & loss of Fit...but if you are replacing some panels due to breakage, that should be fine. There is a slight vagueness overall, ie not cut & dry...just a contact us with a good reason & you will probably be OK.

Blimey, that looks much better! Thanks for coming back to update.

Thanks very much guys, that makes sense! I remember seeing the serial numbers on the paperwork now that you mention it. I'll just have to accept a lift & refit, annoying as the new roof orientation will put them slightly off pitch. Edit to add: For others in a similar situation, the below will 'help', but I may need too still reach out to them. Removal & refit for roof change, but maintaining existing equipment I hope to maintains our eligibility. It isn't definitively clear in my mind though? https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/consultation-fit-replacement-generating-equipment

Thanks Temp, parking is fine...Bat's were ruled out when we looked at the extension. My main irrational bug bear is the water meter! Fitting one now...to then remove it later....? Playing the system a little bit, but I am offered a 2 year cooling off period? I will look into CiL - thank you. I presume architects will be able to advise on this as well! They are fully managing this end to end.

...its works if you don't get caught! I might just have to wait to hear back from British Gas, but it depends on what they use to authorise the system surely? Do they limit you on Sheer size of system or maximum power output allowed? Could you elaborate please SteamTea?

Thanks nod. Our water company offer a 2 year cooling off period, I wonder if this could help us get around it? Install one now before we do anything, sort out rebuild & then change back if it proves more expensive? With 4 girls in the household, I prefer non metered!

The challenge we have is the capacity is 3.99kwh limit (I think) but the panels are from 2011. Our plans involve a mono pitch roof, which would have the solar panels angled away from the south facing they currently enjoy. Desire is to replace the panels with new ones, and do so such that we can 'over compensate' with quantity/quality, to cancel out the loss from the negative angle.

Thanks will do, MCS wasn't fussed, but wasn't sure who might be. For £2k a year, we want to be sure. I have emailed British Gas to ask them (our FiT provider), and will report back when I know more

We are exploring the prospect of a full knockdown & rebuild instead of a large extension! Touch & go which way it will swing...but just as we factor everything in, are there any more draconian conditions we should factor in? The extension came with several lighter touch ones, but nothing problematic...I imagine a new build is likely to be come with several more? Ie...must have a water meter? Could we get one fitted & change it back out in the 2 year cooling off period? Any others? Many thanks

Thanks Temp - How much of an issue is this? I imagine for those highpoints there would be a reduction in thermal transfer? I would like to have both our UFH manifolds in the same location (bungalow), but one UFH will feed a series of loops a few ft higher then lowest point of the loop...bit like a U with manifold slightly higher then the loops...but a low point between! Many thanks, Andrew

What's stops air bubbles forming in the "high" point of the loop, where the water then dips down... To go back up to the manifold? Does the natural flow of water just force the air back down & around until bled at the manifold?

We are refurbing & extending a bungalow, the previous owners install 21 x PV panels back in 2012 ish when the feed in tariff was at its highest. Everything still works fine, and on the best bet day we can hit approx 3kWh. Mixture of low roof angle, some shade & I'm guessing 10 year old panels mean we will never hit the full 4kWh which I believe ours are paper spec's as. As part of the reroofing, I am debating replacing them all with a lower quantity of newer panels in the hope of achieving some extra output! Has anyone ever gone down this route before? Is it fairly straightforward to replace old with new? Is there a risk this could impact our very good FIT? Thanks

Thanks very much all! More settled over things, but still feeling very very very very sorry for myself! ? To add a bit or perspective, this is a 140sqm of extension AND full 140sqm of 1970s bungalow refurb. 80% re-arranged inside, new roof, rendered & brick cladding, new plumbing & electrics. Full knock down & rebuild is around £550-600k estimated by architect & builders. The extension is coming in around £1900/sqm, and we have thrown everything at it. No shortage of toys (CAT6a everywhere, A/C in 4 rooms, dual sided wood burner, external heaters/lighting, UFH retrofit to bathrooms & throughout extension, 'wow factor' floating corner in kitchen with 10m of over sized sliding doors, aluminium windows....5 external hot taps ? ) - even the garage is fully insulated & heated. This is our forever house - perfect garden, perfect location, perfect surroundings etc so we are factoring every desire & lesson learnt from previous properties. So much of the pricing just seems to be sheer amounts of work & wants....spooky that!! The above combined with 4 children and jobs mean it is fully architect led & the ability to divide & conqueror/DIY much of the project is heavily reduced - hence everything.

Anyone else recently received quotes back or can relate? In the nightmare situation where tender returns have come back at 25% over original 'hope'- something we can make work by cleaning ourselves out & cutting back multiple areas, but still utter nightmare territory! Had 4 builders return on tender, all similar enough in their pricing - fixed price contract. I just can't understand how I was so far off in hoping for around £375k all in. It is a 140sqm Bungalow extension (40sqm garage built with heating & fully insulated), very thorough renovation of existing Bungalow inc remodel interior & exterior, render, new tiles, new brick cladding etc. Quite a few luxuries in A/C, UFH throughout, aluminium windows & big sliding doors Lot of these prices went up 5-10% when the Architects (full managed service) went through with a fine tooth comb & aligned them all like for like - currently working off a £450k (+ VAT) cost.....Value engineering is next on the list! Asking builders to quote for full knock down & rebuild of existing 1970s bungalow to see if that makes sense vs the £100k tax bill...but for the 140sqm I am doubtful it will be value for money when it would be rebuilt very similar (but in block not timber framed) This post is a little more then a rant/scream at the wind....but anyone else go through this horror realisation!? Any sage words it'll be worth it in the end..... ? ?

We are soon (within days)going out to tender for our build project. It is 150sqm of single story extension (40sqm garage) and full renovation of a 140sqm bungalow. Existing structure rendered, new structure brick cladding. One concern I have is tendering now when the price of timber, plaster, concrete etc is all over the place, but generally significantly more then it 'should' be. It will be an architect led project, budget of approx £300k with a start date hoped for ASAP 2022. I am unsure on the best way of managing the risk of a 20% rise in material prices or indeed a 20% fall in material prices over the next 12 months, without getting a quantity surveyor involved. Is anyone else in a similar boat? How are other managing it?

I'm assuming 500L for 6 bed 3 bathroom! Anything bigger becomes hard work to source I think.

Thanks very much, any continued feedback would be much appreciated as well. Having used EvoHome before and liked the concept, I am keen to explore taking thing a step further.

Talk about asked & answered! ? Thanks very much for the quick & thorough feedback, looks like ill reduce the tank size to 500L and dull down my ideas of mega free energy.

We are extending & renovating a bungalow with 6 bedrooms (4 children & regular visitors). It will have 2 en suites and a family bathroom, bath and at least 2-3 showers every evening, but during the summer we go through a lot of paddling pools & hot water to wash the cars (hot water taps being installed all around the exterior). We also have 4kw of Solar PV on the roof. My idea is to go for the biggest tank I can find, 750L, so that during the summer when we generate 10x the electricity we need it can be diverted into the cylinder. If we have a couple of cloudy days, then the HW has had enough heat put into it, it will be able to 'coast' for a few days without boiler or solar PV input...until the next sunny day when it once again will be brought back up to max temp. Does this logic work? We are on mains gas. Many thanks,

Thanks very much for the comments, the architect got a few more quotes for each but there is little saving to be had (they used the quotes to get another 10% knocked off). Does seem that's the going rate for the area, garden size & market demand!

Thanks for the advice! Due to being a mature plot and there being two mature trees within 10m of where we want to extend to. Combined with punching through a very mature & large hedgerow for a new driveway we do need the tree survey. Likely to need piles just because of the willow tree alone!

Thanks Russell, The garden is on a noticeable slope away from the house, with the new extension needing to be 1-2ft higher then the existing house (provisioning for 2-3 steps in the entrance hall). There are also a few contours within that slope as well. Architect confirmed all would be required for the planning app.

Thanks both, these prices were from the architects. They have said they can get a few more quotes, but broadly speaking they wouldn't expect much price fluctuations.

Just had confirmations on the cost of surveys ahead of kicking off our project, they seem high - but google is always a dangerous tool for this. It is a big, mature, garden of 0.75acres in the midlands, and it is for a 130sqm bungalow extension, with a new driveway. Garden does consist of several mature trees , 2 in close proximity of the extension inc a very mature Willow tree (worryingly so at this stage...) Topographic and Measured building survey - £1250 +VAT Tree Survey - £950 +VAT Ecology Survey - £1200 +VAT Many thanks,

Hi David, How did this go in the end, were you able to find any improvement in price? Thanks,