NandM

Yep - looks like it. If I can get away with a 500mm gap with the neighbour wall, then that makes it easier to work with. I can push the utility into the garage area, squeeze in ground WC using some of the under stair area and a into the garage. I'll have a play around over the next couple of days.

I've had the drawings from the SE and @ETC was right, there is a lot of steel going in. My builder thinks it's way over the top and I'll discuss with the SE in the new year, but what do you think?

I've been using the one from DIY Kitchen to plan ours: https://planner.diy-kitchens.com

We need to leave approx 1m between the first floor extension and the neighbouring property and I wanted to maximise the floor space for the kitchen. I'll have a play about and see what redusing the kitchen width by 1m would to do our layout, but I don't like the idea of having 'dead' space.....although we could use this as means to connect the garage to the garden, without going through the kitchen.

Hello, After a couple of self-inflicted planning resubmissions and getting a final approval, I've now received my first drawings back from our architect. The property is a 3-bed 1950's detached that has already had some work done to it - namely modernized and small box room removed to increase size of bedroom at front....so currently only two beds! What isn't clear from the drawings is that we're having a completley new roof structure, going from hipped to standard gable. The reasoning beind this was to get more headroom in the loft space, with the added benefit of being able to get more solar. I've aleady submitted some changes to be made, but thought it'd be great to get your thoughts. I've attached the drawings and some of the changes I've asked for: Ground floor stairs to not have the second turn at the bottom and finish facing the snug room wall. Lounge to have large window as specified and not doors to garden. Pocket door between lounge and kitchen to be replaced with standard door. Kitchen sink at specified location New rear bedroom reduce to 3.3m No ensuite for new bedroom Move rear bedroom window to centre of wall Remove ensuite remnant from existing rear bedroom Increase storage room size on first floor to 600m as MVHR is to be sited here. New window for loft landing Relocate bathroom window to accomodate wall change Relocate second window in office Internal walls to have sand-cement render with skim finish. Increase size of porch to include portal window. 21CO-BR01B Proposed Drawings(1).pdf

@deuce22- what route did you end up going? I'm planning for some work in the summer and am also considering cellulose for the rafters, over more manual options.

I've received a plan back from BCP and the big concern I have is that the manifold is in the cold loft and so all pipes will need to penetrate the airtightness layer which is planned to be at the bedroom ceiling. As I'm currently back to brick and without said celings, could I get away with a mixture of ceiling voids and boxing in...or would it be an eye sore? The other option is to convert the cold loft into a warm one and move the airtightness layer. I need to properly investigate the loft - it was used as an office/hobby room and has a boarded ceiling/roof BPC-1902818358 - Atif Rafiq_Rev02-A3.pdf

I've removed the screed from the ground floor and have a relatively good slab...except for the transition into one of the rooms. By transition, I mean there are a course of bricks separating one room from the other There seems to be height mismatch of upto 1.5cm at some points and I'm unsure what to do about it. Couple some self leveling screed or a light cement mixture be used to help ease this? I could start/stop the insulation boards at the transition point and then maybe use some 12mm OSB to level the floor. I plan to have a floating wood floor finish.

I just gave cylinder 2 go a call to double check and I was told it's the right one.

I've found an installer who can start the first fix this week - but I'd like to double check the boiler and cylinder. We're a family of four with a 7 and 4 yr old. We have 11 rads and two bathrooms - we'll have a bath but it will be used only occasionally. I'll be getting Solar PV in the near future and once this boiler dies, will be moving to a heat pump. Do you think a 24kw boiler would be enough? I like the look of the Intergas HRE SB - well priced, good warranty without needing an approved installer and OpenTherm. For the cylinder, 250L would probably be enough but as it's going int he garage and I have the space then I'll most likely get a Telford Tempest 300 Litre Twin Coil Solar Indirect Unvented Cylinder. Would I need to upgrade this for when I do eventually get a heat pump?

I won't be screeding above the insulation as there isn't the space. I'm planning to float an engineered wood floor. I didn't think about double sole plate i.e. one on top of the other?

I have my insulation arriving next week. The plan is to lay some on the concrete slab first, after DPM. Then to build out the walls by sticking some insulation directly to them and then build a partition and filling it. The friction fit from this will also help further secure the wall insulation. My plan is not to fix the partition through the wall insulation but to fix down and up into the ceiling joists. Fixing down will mean screws through the floor insulation into the slab - would this be problematic? I want to avoid fixing through the wall insulation if possible.

I've had another quote back where they've included parts and labour - with a rather oversized Vaillant EcoFit Pure 630. The total quote came in at £7218 - but what cuaght my eye was the apparent cost of have two circuits: X2 circuits for heating upstairs and downstairs separate - £1,362.28 Which brings me to question the best way to set up the heating system for a two-floor three bedroom house, where one bedroom will be my home office for around 10 years. I had thought two different circuits would be the way forward - but I wonder if going the smart valve+thermostat route would be as effective and cheaper. My wife is a homemaker the downstairs needs to be on most of the day. I should also add, I like the ides of low temp heating and am planning for oversized radiators.

I'm based in Brum. That's reassuring and shows how out of touch I am with my guestimates! I had another engineer around today - but had a better feeling with the first.

I've just had my first quote of £3K labour only back for a new heating system. This is much higher than I thought it would be - but I liked the engineer and we had a good talk about the installation. I've also had one crazy quote for £9K for the whole system by an engineer that spent barley 5 mins in the property. Remove all old system and associated pipe work including boilers, cylinder and tanks Fit new boiler and unvented cylinder in the garage 1st and 2nd fix pipe work for 8 radiators in all rooms which will include pipe work to be hidden behind plasterwork Heating system is to be designed as to control upstairs and downstairs independently on separate thermostats Reconnect hot and cold supplies for bathroom and kitchen to existing pipework where possible Reconnect gas for existing kitchen where possible

I saw that when I was looking for rads. It's an interesting idea - but that whole wall now can't have anything hung on to it.

Hmmm - not done the cals. I'll have a play about with this tonight: https://builddesk.co.uk/software/builddesk-u/condensation-risk/

Hi Mike...I thought I'd give life to this thread again and see which route you took. I've just messaged Eurocell to start a quoite for their Modus profile.

Upstairs will be bedrooms plus family family bathroom...and ideally a office - but I may have to stick that in the garden. Hadn't thought about run some rooms coolers - would that mean having an actuator for each outlet on the manifold for that floor?

I've been thinking about heating requirements for our refurb. I'll be going for a new system boiler + UVC and had an engineer around yesterday. As I'll be laying down 70-80mm on PIR for a floating engineered wood floor, he suggested using copper pipes embedded within the insualtion. I like the idea of embedding as it means no pipes down the wall...but don't like the idea of joints that could leak. This lead me to the use of manifolds and a radial system - still embedded but with no joints. I was thinking about having two manifolds, one for the upstairs circuit and one of downstairs and to use one thermostat in the hallway on each on floor to act as the control for that floor...I don't plan on using TVRs on the rads. Does this sounds like a recipe for disaster? (I'm looking at a Vailant Pure 625) I'll also be oversizing the radiators to use them at low temperatures and the house will be insulated above regs (125-150mm IWI + 50mm CWI) and made as airtight as is practical. Is the use of a manifold setup for radiators something of a specilaist thing, or should more engineers be able to install it?

I'm also thinking about the same with only 70-80mm insulation to play with. @farm boy - how did you make such a neat cut out?

Thought so...at least its easier than removing wallpaper!

I took the plaster off one part of the wall and found it easy to fall off and almost sand like. I'm guessing the plaster throughout the house may be like this. I'll drill some pilot holes and see how it behaves, but if it is that crumbly, does it make sense to take it all off? The main reason is that it could cause some headaches when fixing into the walls.

I'm in Brum - so recommendations would be great. It looks like the cavities (50mm) at the front and rear have been filled as I can see the mortar for the holes - but I need to check the side again as it looks like it wasn't done. Also - I don't have details on what was done in the filled cavities or when. It's an empty house but I'd like to get this (and some more) done in the next 4-5 months so we can move in. Yes, air tightness is on my list, but wanted to get the walls out of the way first....or does it make more sense to do air tightness first?? Windows and doors will be upgraded once in two phases as I'm planning on some fairly extensive work in the summer. The 1950's floor is concrete with a screed, wooden blocks, timber boards and more fancy timber strip on top. I have around 80mm to current floor height, so will be getting 70mm insulation down and laying a floating engineered floor (18ish mm) on top. The attic also needs insulating above what's currently there - but it's boarded so hard to tell. I'd probably leave this until last as doing the others first would mean we can move in.

Thanks Jay. It's a cavity wall (brick - cavity - brick) which isn't currently filled. I may get it filled depending on what quotes I get. There's only a around 1CM of plaster on the wall - so not alot of of space to gain. Going back to brick would be easier than stripping the paper....but only if needs to be stripped. ** Edit ** - looks like the paper needs to come off...so might aswell remove the plaster. https://www.kingspan.com/gb/en-gb/products/insulation-boards/insulation-technical-hub/articles-and-advice/can-you-fix-insulated-plasterboard-to-existing-pla