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I need to fit a door stop in a bathroom to prevent the bathroom door whacking into the toilet pan. The bathroom will be tiled with 10mm thick porcelain tiles. Under that is the tile adhesive and under that is a 20mm cellecta xflo board that contains the UFH pipe. Is a door stop mounted onto the floor (like this: https://www.diy.com/search?term=floor+mounted+door+stop) going to be compatible with that floor build-up or is there a risk that when screwed into the floor it will puncture the UFH? Even if it won't, I wonder if there is a more elegant solution that doesn't involve having something protruding out the floor? Does anyone have experience with: a concealed restrictor attached to the door itself, like this: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/concealed-door-closer-limiting-stay-stop-upvctimber-satin-stainless-steel-947297 or something more sophisticated that works within the hinge?

Exactly!

So I had decided on the 620mm projection Duravit Durastyle wall hung rimless toilet having finally managed to make my way to the showroom and try it out for size. Very comfy and as reported earlier in the thread, no dangling issues (as measured by my finger!) The only issue is that now that the build is progressing I'm wondering if I have space for it. Duravit also make the same toilet in a shorter 540mm projection. The two toilet diagrams are shown below. Having not tried the 540mm model (they didn't have it in the show room) I'm now wondering whether it will be feel that much smaller. The 80mm difference is partly accounted for by the 45mm difference between the hingepoint of the seat and the rim of the seat, but that doesn't seem so meaningful. Or is it? What projection toilets have you installed in your builds?

Any drawings package that an average SE prepares for an average conversion does not specify lengths of beams. That is a market practice and reflects the fact that even with the most detailed measured survey of a property, until it is gutted and its structure is exposed the exact dimensions of the required beams would not be capable of being ascertained. I've done several conversions (with different SEs) and that's just how it is. Assumptions one makes about one house just don't apply to another house. It may well be different with a new build, because with a new build there is nothing much to measure on site at the outset because you just have a plot of land and so everything can be drawn exactly and built exactly to that drawing. But with a conversion, as has already been pointed out on this thread, there are a bunch of unknowns which until the house is gutted cannot be established. E.g. how thick 60 year plaster is, how much space there is under the subfloor before one hits the ground; how deep that is before one exposes the corbels etc. This is why the architect (who is also effectively project managing and coordinating things and who hired the SE) offered the builder to check his measurements BEFORE the builder ordered the beams. The builder's exact words were "it is not his job to check my measurements" and told the architect and me to mind our own business. In those circumstances, I fail to see how it is anyone but the builder's fault. But I've learned from that experience, and the architect and I are checking things more thoroughly now. Anyway, I first posted this over 6 weeks ago. Since then things have improved tremendously and I'm generally quite happy with the builder.

Not sure what planet you self build on @Dave Jones, but on this planet it is standard practice for SEs to specify the type of steels and the connection details for domestic projects but NOT the actual dimensions. Actual dimensions need to be taken on site. When I challenged the builder on this, he eventually admitted that he had misread a floorplan.

Why can’t you just pack the spaces with dense mineral wool?

Researching this further, I’ve discovered Grohe do an “optional flow manager” which they describe as follows: “• Rimless ready • Fully adjustable • No demounting necessary • Adjustable via revision opening” Haven’t yet managed to work out which Grohe models come with this option yet and whether Geberit also offer this.

Well I’m definitely having second thoughts, but I do wonder if Hetas is just extra red tape. Ultimately what matters is whether the installation complies with building regs and whether the stove is 2022 Eco Design ready, which it is.

I found the installation manual for the Dik Guerts Bora. Slightly worryingly things it states: "Prevent placing the outside air supply in an underpressure area on the outside of the house. If possible, place a supply pipe with T piece to 2 sides of the house" - does this mean i actually need my direct air supply to go in two opposite directions from the stove, so there is a current of air constantly travelling through this pipe with my Stove connected off that with a T junction? That changes things quite considerably. Has anybody done this, or is overkill? I was also initially worried by this: "Please note that HETAS product approval remains valid for the appliance only when installed with its air supply taken from the room of installation and the room is ventilated permanently to outside air as necessary in accordance with the guidelines given in Approved Document J. HETAS product approval is not valid for appliances fitted with an external air supply ducted directly to the appliance." But having googled it, I now understand that HETAS is not a mandatory standard and that less and less modern stoves are on HETAS's approved list these days. Odd.

Hi @joe90do you remember who you spoke to at Stovesonline? I've not had the same luck you have had. We've settled on the Dik Guerts Bora as it meets our requirements and seems be quite efficient. Though I've not yet managed to find an independent review of it yet. I asked the stove supplier to tell me what limitations there were in respect of the direct air supply and unfortunately they were pretty vague. They sent me the manual, but that was vague too. Impossible to adhere to the following guidance from HETAS with such a vague manual: It is imperative at this stage for the installer to follow manufacturer specifications for the design of the air supply duct to the outside atmosphere, paying particular attention to the following areas: Minimum diameter or cross sectional area of the external air duct Maximum total length of the duct Maximum number of bends permitted Specification of the air inlet terminal As the direct air supply for the Dik Guerts Bora comes in from underneath it, the only option we really have is to have a 45 degree bend down and outwards, almost immediately after the pipe exists the stove, then about 75cm later have a 90 degree bend, followed by 7m of horizontal pipe under the floor and then another 45 degree bend and a rise of about 75cm upwards to bring the pipe above ground level just before it exits the house. So that's a total run of about 8.5m but with one 90 degree bend and two 45 degree bends. The vertical exhaust flue will have about 9.5m and no significant bends other than a dog leg to get around an RSJ. Even if I make the air supply 150cm in diameter, which I think I can just about do, the length and bendiness of it seems far from optimal in that surely the air supply should be significantly shorter than the exhaust, after adjusting for bends etc. If @Trw144 or anyone else has any experience of the Dik Guerts Bora made by Drugasar, particularly on a direct air connection, please share.

Thanks @ProDave, but what’s the DNO?

A 2850 sliding door would still look good. But if it’s not possible to do that, you could always lower the ceiling just above the door (ie create a doorframe) by 40cm or 50cm.

I’ve found an old lead pipe on my property just to the side of my house that Is possibly the source of a water leak causing damp to my wall. We need to remove it as part of a process of elimination to work out what is causing the ground and the wall to be so wet. No idea what the pipe is. Was going to tell builder to just remove it, but he’s nervous in case it is a gas pipe or removing it cuts off somebody’s water. How does one work out what is in an old external lead pipe without risking a gas leak or electrocution??

Thanks @tanneja looks like a good company. Unfortunately they don’t sell blinds for flat roof rooflights.

Just had a look. Alistair, you have a beautiful home!

Thanks. Would you put me in touch with the maker please?

Thanks @AliG this looks really nice. What wood is that storage unit/cupboard on the bottom picture made from, it's really beautiful.

Can somebody explain the art and science of mixing wood tones to me please? We are cladding a wall with fluted wood as a decorative feature. However, this has made choosing the floor more challenging than i had expected. My other half wanted wood for the floor and I initially objected on the basis that it would be really hard to make the wood on the floor either match the wood on the wall or work well with it. Architect said it was possible to find two different woods that complemented eachother, but has failed to inspire us with any examples thus far. We have 7 days to decide because if we are going to do a poured floor instead, our floor height will be about 12mm lower and we need to finalise this before the sliding door survey happens next week! If anyone has any photos of how they have managed to make a wooden floor work with other wooden items in the room, such as wooden cladding or large pieces of wooden furniture, please share.

@jack I'm going through this as well, as we need one double internal sliding door and one single internal sliding door and we also want steel. Two suggestions to bring the price down: Instead of having that fixed pannel at the top, just have two taller doors. It will be simpler and also look nicer as large high doors emphasise the height of the ceiling. Based on quotes I have had, companies like Fabco might be in the £4k to £7k range, but will include survey and installation, rather than supply only. Here is a quote I had from them for two sets of doors: a large external door and a smaller internal one: Worth speaking to them and understanding what format would be cheapest, but it might be that it's the extra complexity of having to support that top light and having the sliders being hung from that that take it out of their usual manufacturing process and make it dearer.

@markocosic thanks for that, which makes sense as I always thought Veissman was a quality brand. You've really put the cat amongst the pigeons now!

So turns out the 30kw model is 2dB louder than the 37kw model. I wonder if it's a bit like MVHR in that by oversizing one strains the system less. Or maybe it's the additional housing that comes from that extra couple of cm. If i go for the 37kw model, do you know whether i need the 28mm boiler protection kit or the 22mm boiler protection kit which Vaillant insist on to get their 10 year warranty?

Thanks @Nickfromwales. I think the 30kw unit is a bit shallower in terms of how much space it will occupy in our utility room, so if we can make that work that would be a bonus. Controlwise, I was planning on all the thermostats in the house being tado ones. They can be calibrated to 0.1C and I found they worked very well at my last place. I know they rely in part on internet connection, but I think that's less of an issue for me and they mostly have a backup manual override that can be used if ever the internet is down.

Thanks @Nickfromwales The Vaillant Ecotec Plus looks good. 30 or 37kW heating output?

Me. Based on research done here! It's not being installed for another 3 weeks or so, and nothing has been bought yet, so a little bit of time for changes to be made. The current plan is: Veissman Vitodens 200 35kw some other system boiler!?! "appropriately sized low loss header", whatever that means Telford Tempest Horizontal unvented cylinder, 300L with one heating 3kw element (which is how Telford make them - do you think I need a second element as i see some come with two? A secondary loop with a timer running 1 min every 25 or 30 minutes during the day to keep outlets providing hot water instantaneously underfloor heating on ground and first floor (in the ground its inbedded in screed, on first floor it is routed through Cellecta XFLO extruded polysterene boards). A couple of small rads in the two bedrooms on the loft and 1 towel rad in each of the three bathrooms, except the ensuite is big enough to have two. All pipes will be insulated. I have not specified any more detail than that really. I showed it to my builder and asked if his plumber and heating engineer could confirm whether they could supply and install such a system and make sure it worked well, and ... well he's never come back to me! Originally I had designed it so everything was very close to everything pretty much, but then the MVHR design company pointed out that their Flair 400 would need much more space than I had allowed for it because of all the pipes, and so we've had to move the cylinder quite far away... but that is the subject of this other post.

Thanks, that's helpful @PeterW. The website I was finding was this one: https://protecboilers.com/. I note the Alpha E Tec S only gives you a 10 year warranty if you install their "Alpha Premier Pack Extra". Didn't know what that was, but digging around their website I found this: The Alpha Premier Pack Extra is only suitable for use with Alpha boilers originally supplied with threaded type isolation valves. It must be installed in accordance with these instructions and the installation instructions supplied with the boiler. The kit comprises of a wall jig fitted with a magnetic cyclone and pipe clips, wall template, flow and return split tails, bottom tray, screw pack and wall spacers. The wall jig has been designed to be fitted to the wall before the boiler, allowing the pipework to be pre-fitted. The pipework can be installed vertically upwards and downwards using the flow and return connections supplied on the jig. Apart from the magnetic cyclone - which I presume is something equivalent to a magnaclean - how does this prolong the life of the boiler? Also, anyone know why the specs don't reveal the flow rates its capable of? Isn't that important in terms of knowing how quickly it can fill the hot water tank and supply the rads?