Roundtuit

Yes, unfortunately - bullet bitten and thermabate delivered... The frame erectors battened around the outside of the windows onto the frame as a closer/fire break, but I took them all off before the brick skin went up, as I want a better solution from a cold-bridge point of view. I did consider a combination of using the 'fire stop sausage' that Terry describes, combined with PIR insulation or timber or something, but decided that by the time I'd messed about with that and created something which may or may not be compliant, I might as well get the Thermabate (ended up a £3.75/m delivered if anyone wants a benchmark).

I moved email from four Outlook (express) accounts on an old pc, including folders and sub-folders, to Thuderbird on a new pc earlier this year with no problems. As per JSH, I can't quite remember what I had to do, but I can tell you it was all done by following instructions found online, with no prior knowledge and certainly no aptitude! You'll be fine...

Hi. I'm about to start fitting fire-rated cavity closers (Kingspan Thermabate) around window and door openings - 50'ish mm cavity between timber frame and brick outer skin. They have a flange which will nail to the frame to hold them in place, and I was planning to foam them in with Soudafoam to seal the gaps. The question is, is a B2 fire rated foam OK for this job, or does it need to be B1? cheers

Hmm. Following my request for BC to confirm in writing that taking an air feed from the void is OK, I've just had a call from someone different now recommending that the air feed is ducted in from an external wall after all. I can run a duct in the insulation layer on top of the block and beam OK, but this will bring the vent out in a lower position than the air bricks (telescopic vents) for the floor void. Any suggestions please?

Yep, I did that, but more for convenience than cost saving. When I lost confidence and the error became apparent, I 'dismissed' the conveyancer and got a proper local solicitor. The transaction was put back on track OK, but I reckon I'd be in a better position if I'd done that in the first place...

I think I'm about to have exactly the same issue. The installer says the air feed has to be from an external vent, but I checked with Building Control today and they're happy with taking air from the ventilated void under the block and beam floor as per my original plan. I'll get it writing from BC, and then have another chat with the installer and see where we get to...

Ah, thanks. Yes, battens will run vertically. I didn't realise it was acceptable to run wiring horizontally, but it is being done by a proper sparky so I'll check with them.

Thanks guys. Dave - not sure I understand the pre-drilled studs tip; is that for if the studs are fixed horizontally rather than vertically?

I'm about to start fitting an additional 40mm celotex layer on the inside of our timber frame. The current plan is to fix with 25mm battens over the top into the frame studs, then to board onto the battens to leave a service cavity. I'm guessing that if the professionals did this, it would be a nail gun job, but as I don't have one, any problems with fixing with 100mm screws? Also, this will mean screwing through the airtightness membrane; I'm assuming the compression will avoid leakiness?

As a Beverley lad, born and bred, I've enjoyed many a night out in Hull (and Scunthorpe)! Wouldn't go there sober mind...?

Just stood the site portaloo back on it's feet. It had been blown forwards with its weight on the door, so it would have proper spoilt someone's day if they'd been dropping the kids off at the pool at the time. Thankfully it was dark, so I'm spared the 'fall-out' 'til the morning...

In the end, I went for a supply and fix job with a roofing contractor tied in with my pv installation so I lost visibility of the slate price. I expect they can buy better than me doing a one-off job though. I specified the slate however, after seeing about a dozen different samples from builders merchants and independent slate suppliers, so I reckon they were around the £1 mark for 500x250mm (top end of) average blue/black Spanish slate.

Yes - mcs registered, from Manor Solar based near Peterborough. As the roof is being done by their sister company, it may be that there has been some off-setting of costs that isn't fully visible, but the total cost of the job isn't a million miles out. To be honest, it hasn't all been plain sailing (pm if you want details), but I can't fault the quality of the roof installation ( and I've crawled all over it!)

I can't get rainwater harvesting to stack up either. Unless I'm mistaken, 3 IBC's worth of Anglian Waters finest costs £4.61 (plus sewerage rates if you're on mains sewerage, but I'm not). Even at PeterW's diy cost of £350, that's 75 full re-fills to break even. I haven't got into the detail of weather patterns, but I suspect that frequently when it's when it's 'wet season', you don't benefit so much as the tank is already partially full, and when it's summer, you have to supplement with mains water anyway. Maybe greener to buy the water, and in doing so, contribute to the running costs of your water suppliers industrial-scale rainwater harvesting system?

Hi. For what it's worth, I've just had an integrated 4kw Viridian Clearline Fusion system put in for £5.3k, all in. I reckon I could have done it cheaper, but the installers are linked to the roofing company, so it took some of the hassle and risk out of it for me. It also saved 32 sq m of slating to off-set the cost. Probably also worth mentioning that the local conservation officer has taken a particular interest in this site, so aesthetics were quite high up the priority list...

Ahh. Looks like you've fallen in lust, not love. Get down to Wickes for your kitchen, and spend the difference on proper romance!

I've just been slate shopping. Slate quality and the degree of thickness grading seems to vary widely. The conclusion I came to is to stick with an A1 S1 T1 quality grade, and pay a premium for slates that are tightly thickness graded, and/or ensure your roofers do a proper grading job to get them to lay flat. Pyrites inclusions are normal and shouldn't rust on a T1 grade. £1.55 ea seems high; it might be a great slate, but you can get good slates <£1

I can't argue with your view, and if I'd heard it earlier this year I may have made a different decision. However, perhaps, that as the risk for the 'professional' is significantly greater, maybe they'll take more care to ensure that your house is built right? Surely that's the primary aim, rather than the ease of making a claim if it all goes to rat$h!t!

I'm just about to bite the bullet and order a 3.9m set of Solarlux sl97 bifolds. I accept they may not be the best solution from an airtightness point of view, but they're going in anyway (like the wood burner!). The seal details are on the website - triple rubber gaskets - so I can't see them causing too much of a problem, and let's face it, they'll probably get opened and closed more in the first 10 days than the next 10 years...

Pleased to see levels are spot on. Nothing worse than a false indication of how much beer's left in the bottle! ?

We are (or maybe were...) planning wet ufh in first floor bathrooms for our timber frame (not mbc) and I had a mind to lift the decking chipboard at a later date to do the job. Having seen the decking go down yesterday and today, I reckon fitting from underneath is the easier option. The boards interlock, are glued and nailed, and the first floor walls sit on top of them so fitting loose wasn't an easy option either. I have no clue how to attempt fitting it from below though...

Phew! Thought it was Angela Merkel for a minute. Bagsy next with mind bleach...

Site insurance. You really need some sort of cover in place when work starts (if not earlier) to mitigate your liability should something go wrong. BC inspections will be required at key stages, starting with foundations. Warranty may be optional, depending on your lender if you have one, and/or your plans to sell in the future.

I think I'd paint first. Don't fancy trying to paint over oil stains if you accidentally get some on the pine, and the occasional errant paint marks on the oak should scrape off with a Stanley knife blade when dry.

Thanks all. I've looked at the iBoost, but it doesn't seem to lend itself to a leccy meter in a boundary box. I do like the look of this though (and the price).. http://solarimmersion.co.uk