SimonD

I buy from Rejs Ltd - https://www.rejsltd.co.uk/drawer-runners they sell some heavy duty runners up to 100kg.

I've used heat engineer in one project and won't use again. The calcs were fine but I put in the data for a completely new installation I was quoting for. Left it a week or two while the customer was mulling it all over and when i went back in to update it all, my whole project had dissappeared from my dashboard and couldn't retrieve it anywhere. Plus I had numerous problems using it with Safari so had to install Chrome. I've just created my own calculator now.

Design and install myself including welding up the manifolds. Ironically, I've trained and become Gas Safe registered since doing it! Yes, pressure test. There are some fairly cheap pressure testers you can get off ebay for one off use.

IMHO the best place to start with system design is with the industry manual: Domestic Heating Design Guide - Everything is in there with regards to heat loss calculation (although the BH community tend to use the calculator designed by Jeremy - you'll find a link to it on the forum), pipe sizing and emitter sizing. For manifolds specifically, I've found scant info on the design but made my own using the the above linked design guide to size all the primary and secondary pipework sizing. Works all fine. My manifolds were copper, soldered with full bore level valves on flow and return to each rad. As already mentioned, you'll need 2 zones but that's pretty simple in the grand scheme of things. One thing not covered in the design guide however is priority hot water setup (sometimes referred to as X-plan) with the heating system which is more efficient than your typical S or Y plan. Select your boiler on its ability to support different DHW and CH temp outputs, its modulation and likewise compatible controls that will modulate boiler output.

Often frowned upon by the old school boys, but mightily handy when you're in a tight spot is the good old friend, Macalpine and his flexible waste connectors. Maybe can help in this instance: https://mcalpineplumbing.com/plastic-chrome-fittings/flexible-fittings-non-return-valves/flexcon5c-flexible-fitting-universal-x-plain-spigot

Thanks all, that was my first port of call. Unfortunately I'm finding the same difficulty getting hold of PAR in the dimensions I want. I've build the door openings for 32mm linings, assuming finished nonimal 27-28mm, but nobody locally stocks or supplies any 32 x in widths greater than 138mm so about 132mm finished. One merchant does list 32 x up to 225 but no stock. Other than that, I've got to go to 38mm so 32mm finished which means trimming the doors which have all been supplied pre finished. Oh, actually, I may have just found some with 32 x 150 so possibly okay for most walls. I just wonder whether this will work okay with shadow gap beads. Then need to find something for the walls with 140mm cls.

I wonder whether I've made a bit of a mistake in my planning. In the designs we've gone for metric doors and the bigger ones too. 826 x 2040 and some 926 x 2040. Fine for the doors eventually as I've found availability a problem for a while. Now I'm struggling with door liners - lots available off the shelf with trenched headers for the smaller doors and untrenched for imperial door widths, but few and far between for the metric liners. The other thing I've found is that the liners are often not wide enough to deal with the full width of my stud walls which use double plasterboard each side, so with stud, PB and skim, none of the standard dimensions work out. I'd like to use 32mm thick door liners, so finished size of ca. 27-28mm but unless I pay silly money - e.g. £80 per liner, it doesn't seem practical. My thoughts now are to getting some 25mm MR MDF ripped to size instead. Any other thoughts or suggestions? (other than plan better in the future 😁)

I just thought I'd add to this one as I just came across Robin Clevett's (from Skill Builder and his own Youtube channel) new hinge jig at https://www.robc.co.uk/shop/ Looks very neat as it doesn't use router bushings but a router cutter. No jig for the door lock yet mind you.

Have you done it yourself? I'd be interested to know any experience of the BCO process of this

I know it well, I'm in the trade too nowadays hence my reference to treating customers. You could very well be right on that.

I do wonder about that. My sister said the same thing, but the electrician dissappearing is mostly what's confounding me as I even did him a full day's work trenching as a favour when he was let down by a ground worker he'd employed.

No definitely none of that. I'm mostly running around doing my own stuff and out to work myself. I just leave them to it! Never clock watch just allow the progress to happen as it happens too and trust them to do what needs to be done.

So, after building most of the house entirely myself, I finally succumbed to getting some trades in to help finish things off. Main items were a chippie and electrician. I agreed start dates and scope of work with chippie, ordered all the interior doors and then the day before he was going to start he asked if he could reschedule for the following week. I said okay and then the follwing week he texted in sick and I haven't heard from him since. Next the sparky. He was coming in a day or two per week. Has done 1st fix downstairs ring main, kitchen and a few other things. Now needs to to ring for upstairs and then lighting circuits. I've paid him promptly and just let him get to doing the work. Now I haven'r heard from him in a few weeks and he hasn't returned my calls. I don't treat my customers in this way and am totally bemused. Am I doing something wrong and if so what could that be? I'm now starting to wonder if I need to do the electics myself and pay building control for sign off.....☹️

What often gets overlooked is the alternative and even more maligned approach: proper regulation. If the regulatory framework had been constructed and governed properly this crisis may well have been averted. It's not dissimilar to the financial meltdown and is only the beginning I fear as so many other companies are massively leveraged, many of which are inflation linked too.

Beautiful location. Strange as it may seem, take a look at Falu Red - an original paint from the copper mines in Falun Sweden. In several regions, it's the only colour you're allowed to use in rural settings and it strangely blends in very well. It also protect the timber in harsh conditions but lets it breathe. With Falu red you can use softwood. We've used locally grown Cedar for our current house due to planning (it's silvering very nicely) but I would definitely build a timber frame house finished board on board with Falu red one day - reminds me of my second home and upbringing. Here's a gallery: https://falurodfarg.com/inspiration/bildgalleri/

From the sounds of it,the builder isn't particularly interested, so @mjsx could mention to the builder on Monday morning that he has some misgivings, tell/show the builder and in the same breath say he's going to callGas Safe to get some advice on the matter. Then see what happens. Not really, from a Gas Safety regulations perspective it is very definitely the responsibility of the installer. But it is ALSO the responsibility of the builder managing the project. If the flue, for example, is found to be Immediately Dangerous, the builder could also be prosecuted by the HSE. Yup, me too. At the end of the day, the installer simply should not have left the flue, or permitted the flue to be left in that way, then self-certified the installation and permitted the use of the boiler by the customer.

If the op calls and tells them that the installer has installed the flue through an airbrick and left a great big hole round the flue, plus the 2m odd length of flue extension is hanging off a zip tie rather than any flue brackets, it will trigger an inspection at the very least. Gas Safe will get hold of the installer and tell him to meet them at the property where they will go through the installation. They will also, in all likelihood, ask him to go demonstrate the commissioning process step by step whle asking him questions about what he's doing and why. They might then also want to visit a number of his other installations. If the installation shows that products of combustion are coming into the property from the flue then in all likelihood, he will be RIDDOR'd and then he gets into a very stick mess. I know someone who was RIDDOR'd following a customer being admitted into hospital about 8months after a new boiler installation for alleged carbon monoxide poisoning. Investigations were very thorough and he was found not to be at fault - it was the gas hob installation - but he was asked to modify a couple of parts of his installation. You can report questionable gas work online here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/concerns-reporting-illegal-gas-work/report-gas-work-concerns/ or email them,or call them. FFS, actually, a room sealed boiler is one where WHOLE combustion system is sealed from the room. But here's the definition from the Gas Safe (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998: "room-sealed appliance” means an appliance whose combustion system is sealed from the room in which the appliance is located and which obtains air for combustion from a ventilated uninhabited space within the premises or directly from the open air outside the premises and which vents the products of combustion directly to open air outside the premises" Therefore if the flue isn't sealed correctly, including through the wall, it is no longer room sealed. I am gas safe registered btw.....

My view is that you should just get on the phone with Gas Safe and do it now - you have a very legitimate question about your flue which is potentially dangerous and must be investigated. Neither I nor @Nickfromwales are overstating this risk and how it is viewed as a safety issue in the gas regulations. Your lethal or otherwise categorised as Immediately Dangerous situations are where there is risk of products of combustion getting into an enclosed space with a person, or a gas leak. If your installer has been happy to charge you for that standard of work and then self-certify the work, he really shouldn't be continuing in business without further supervision and training, or maybe not at all. Even a Gas Safe trainee will be able to spot the faults with that installation, and they're only the obvious ones in the photo. I dread to think what else might be found lurking around. For your own peace of mind, I wouldn't use the boiler until Gas Safe has seen it. But if you must, make sure you install a carbonmonoxide alarm and install it correctly in the space, which I see is another thing missing. CO alarms should be installed with every new gas boiler installation.

Same here. I've even just renewed with them for another year. What stage are you at? And I wonder, are you in Scotland?

No, it's not. For a temperature and pressure relief valve it needs to be a specific high temperature pump arrangement. Like this: https://theintergasshop.co.uk/hot-water-cylinders/959-pump-house-high-temperature-prv-pump-for-unvented-cylinder-discharge-ph-5l-hw.html And yes, you need a tundish plus there are other issues with the pipework generally complying with requirements. It's supposed to be a room sealed boiler for a reason - what you've got doesn't even come close. Flue should be correctly sealed up. I also doesn't look like the correct bracketing has been installed for the flue extension but a cable tie? See Gas Safe technical bulletin on the topic here: https://registeredgasengineer.co.uk/technical/technical-bulletin-152/ I don't install Viessman boilers but the general requirement is copper 1st meter from boiler. A quick call to Viessman would confirm. Boiler efficiency is determined by the boiler AND installed controls which means that new boilers need to be installed with a range of control. If there is no thermostatic control/weather compensation, then it's unlikely it complies with building regulations. Here's Veissman's article on the subject: https://www.viessmann.co.uk/en/heating-advice/boilers/what-is-boiler-interlock.html Personally, I'd ask the installer to come back and rectify everything, or you can explain that you'll give Gas Safe a call and ask them what they think of it. I'm guessing you've checked his Gas Safe registration?

Are you dealing with a structural warranty provider at all? If you are just wait and see what happens then. I've got structural sign off in an email from bco and the warranty company are telling me that 'all received [outstanding documents] and all ok' is not clear enough that bco is happy with it and so their underwriter wants more info. ffs! My rule is always follow up any conversation with an email and never ever delete any email at all! Take (expletive deleted) load of pictures of everything too and make sure you receive confirmation emails.

I moved in and went from self-build insurance to a home insurance cover using Towergate - I went through where we were at explaining all remaining works etc. with their underwriter. A few hundred quid more a year than normal buildings and contents insurance.

You can never have enough diagonal bracing 😁

I would just use some cls off cuts to make a stand - it's only 100kg.You could use the existing truss supports as one side. Then ideally a marine ply top (most plumbers just use WBP or equivalent mind you). You're not going to benefit massively with head height unless you decide to squeeze it right up at the top of the roof space.

I listened to a solar entrepreneur in an interview the other day. He said that governments are just too slow so as a business they're just getting on with it without them. He's involved in a load of projects around the world including large scale projects in Africa.