NandM

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

So we finally managed to complete on our purchase and get our keys a couple of weeks ago. I plan on IWI but am wodering if it's OK to leave the old wallpaper in place if there's no sign of damp and the plaster sounds OK. I'm planning on using adhesive to fix the first layer of insulation to the wall. These will then have additional support via a stud wall pressed up tightly against it (no screws into wall), and by additional insulation in the frame.

One of the quotes I've had is 1.5-2.4% of the total build...although I've asked for details on that range, the top end for my £250K build would be £6K up to Stage 3. (This architect is the only one to have responded so far, out of around 30 that I've emailed.)

I've stumbled across a service called Design For Me - has anyone used it or got any views on it? Find an Architect, Interior Designer or Garden Designer for your home (designfor-me.com)

I'd like to get started on submitting a planning application for a 4-bed dormer bungalow (block and brick) with basement (ICF) in Birmingham. I don't have any grand designs in mind and value functionality over form. Can you recommend anyone that you have used or know of in the Midlands area?

I'm assuming you only pay interest on the amount you draw down, rather than the full agreed mortgage?

What do the numbers mean? I was look at one yesterday and couldn't work out if that was the distance between the points or something else.

@AliG - the current "utility area" is nothing more than a glorified side passage! I wasn't thinking about extending the utility side beyond the current back of the house, but a 4m extension backwards for the rest gives plenty to play around with. It's not a conservation area but it is intended to be a forever home. I'm leaning towards what ProDave is saying and may have to park this one. There is a nice 6 bed Edwardian just up to the road, with a much bigger footprint and garden - but it may end up being some sort of money pit!

The rear arrangements and WC move were already planned to make more living space, so the additional shit from the garage moving inwards changes it a little. Thanks Ferdinand - does the Google maps link do as a site map? 20 MacKenzie Rd - Google Maps The first floor of the property is fine and only requires the WC and bathroom to be combined. It's the ground floor where I'd like to create more space. I'll more than likely have to use IWI for the lounge wall (unless neighbour agrees to EWI on that side) so that takes the room width down to around around 3.3m, which is a little narrow for me. So I thought about partitioning it into two, and extending the lounge into the garden and the current dining room. I could forgo extending into the dining room and just out, but I like the idea of having good width lounge. A large kitchen diner is also a must, so combining what's left of the dining room with the kitchen and then extending outwards again should give us this. The utility room can go next to the new proposed WC, with a door to the outside.

I was thinking some sort of steel under Bedroom 5 to provide support, but I'm just guessing here. The side wall of the utilty space is right next to the neighbours wall, the utility space is just above 1m. Yes, this would be our forever home so I'd like to get as much of it right as possible...and I can't get having a usable garage out of my head! I had planned to remodel the rear of the house but sacrificing the pantry for garage - another metre inwards shouldn't be too much more of a headache/cost. Good suggestion Ferdinand and I had thought about that. I've remodelled the downstairs to include the changes I had planned anyway re lounge, kitchen and WC. This could work well as I'd have the size garage I want and keep a decent sized hallway. With this model, there won't be any new wall touching the neighbours and should actually be around 0.5m gap. I also don't think it'd add much more to the cost of what I was thinking of originally.

My car, although not quite a tank, is 2.1m wide and the garage is currently 2.7m. A minimum of 1.4m of door opening space seems to be recommended i.e. 80cm for driver + 60cm for passenger side, hence 3.5m as a target. I've attached the layout for the ground and first floor and have added a red box for the most simplest extension. Bedroom five above the garage doesn't go out to the full width - looks about 3/4. It also needs lengthening by 2m. Doing this outward will just bring me to the 45 degree rule for neighbours window, but happy to sacrifice the pantry if needed as I'll be looking to extend and remodel the ground floor. There is also an option of sacrificing the WC by the entrance and extending inwards, but this will be more complicated. I hadn't considered a car port, aside from how it'd look on that road, bedroom five above may be tricky. But it'd certainly remove the need for a brick wall extension and so provide some extra space...interesting idea.

Yes, its the only front to rear access, but the garage can be used for this by still having a door into the rear garden. I'd really like a garage that I can park my car in and for that I need a minimum of 3.5m width. With the house in question, taking the garage up to the neighbours wall would give me a little over 3.5m, when I take into account EWI on the house wall. The house also has a 3m wide entrance hallway, so I could potentially take some space from there also, but that may be more tricky depending on structural requirements.

Thanks...I think you're right and will pass on it

I've seen a property that ticks most boxes...except the integrated garage is too small. There is a 1m space between the garage and boundary, which is also the side wall of the neighbours house. For this to work for me, I'd be wanting to extend the garage out right next to that wall. Do you think this would be possible or would I need to leave a gap and if so, how much?