mike2016

Bumpa hoist looks worth looking into. Thanks!

My self build insurance policy doesn't cover plant hire. I need to get a telehandler in a few weeks and could get one with a driver, but that's expensive. The bricklayer has a ticket for one already. I can find a company willing to hire it and they state theirs has a code that if it isn't entered, it can't be driven off. But what about damage/ / fire / public liability etc though? Question: Would you hire for a week and hope nothing happens and get away with it or insist on insurance to cover yourself and get one with a driver? Thanks!

You can buy a sensor to measure humidity and see when it's highest. Vent as much as possible, open windows when cooking etc. Make sure exhaust fans / extractor hoods vent to outside and not just into a cavity. Does a lot of steam build up in that area?

Thanks! I can put the Intello Plus behind all the insulation but it means extending the detailing provided by the timber frame builder and I'm not that confident yet with so many critical junctions in getting them all right. I plan to install 220mm insulation, then the Intello, and test air tightness before adding the extra layers inside this. Not going for the certification as can't afford the Architect any more but wanted to aim high and the fabric is where I'm not holding back cost wise. Thanks for the advice/insight!

It's a case of the only twin stud wall builder won't supply to Dublin anymore, the team I got are excellent but have a preferred approach. As it's my first build I've been trying to get something built rather than getting it perfect first time. 8 year journey so far!! Timing is part of the reason I've ended up where I am today! PHPP dictates U values of 0.1 - I've compromised on the passive floor slab a bit as the pipe run drops were very tight, I hope to hit 0.1 on the walls and roof if possible. Paid a lot for that PHPP design! That's my current aim before I adjust for cost / skills / other reasons. It definitely looks like a second stud wall for fibre insulation or battens on top of more rigid insulation like Gutex to tick the box for me right now. I was out onsite today so planning on Gutex still for the underside of the roof and then either stud or battens for interior walls or a mix of both in different areas - the open plan kitchen / living space has very high walls challenging my stud wall skills a bit! Will chat to the builder and get their take on it. At least I'm 99% certain the Intello Plus layer is going to be at the 220mm Frame interior wall so can take my time to decide the rest of the build up until the first air tightness test is passed. Thanks all.

It would need to be offset from the outside wall wouldn't it? I like the twin stud concept MBC use but my timberframe provider doesn't supply that. It's just the thermal bridging I need to block.....

Sounds more like a Yurt in suitable to me?! Or a metal insulated shed than can be assembled on blocks. Timber is the obvious material but is there a kit form you can get from someone or just stick build it yourself? The only issue with low to the ground is damp, water ingress if it's on a slope etc. Drainage is going to be key. Ideally I'd sit it on a few groundscrews, at least the screws and machine to drill them in are light enough to be carried, build on top of them from there! Best of luck!!

Get a good roofing company / gutter supplier to work out the correct gutter size for the area of roof and run. You need oversized gutters and a downpipe as close as possible each end. I'd put an Acco in front of the garage door so I can put a downspouts right in that corner if there is space and save 2-3 meters of run over the garage door before it's discharged. You might be able to remove the other downspout altogether. Really just a case of too much supply of water and not enough discharge capacity. Standard gutters won't cut it. Now they will look and be a lot bigger so that's a conversation to have as they will hang over the neighbours boundary a bit but it avoids an intermediate downpipe on their side of the wall. Worth a look into anyway!

I'm aiming for a wall U value of 0.1 and have a build up requiring 360mm of Moy Metac (0.034 W/mK). The Timber Frame is 220mm deep so that gets me 2/3 of the way there and I can put Intello Plus at this point - 2/3 rule where 2/3 of my insulation is on the cold side of the Intello. That leaves 120mm left to insulate. I'm not sure how to counter baton that deep with 120mm batons and if it would even hold? There's a service cavity and plasterboard to add to this also. I was thinking of a 50mm counter baton and then revert to vertical 100mm batons onto which the plasterboard will go leaving a 30mm gap and space for back boxes etc. While the horizontal 50mm batons can easily fix to the timberframe structure at 600mm centers, the 100mm vertical batons will be trying to fix at the same point on top of the 50mm batons. Maybe I use some type of rafter tie or other side fixing to ensure this connection is solid? Advice appreciated as always! Thanks.

My Mum's driveway is bordered by a 0.5m wide gravel section on one side - it's on a slight slope towards the driveway. The gravel migrates onto the driveway. We had looked at installing a grid system under the gravel but it still needs 3cm of gravel on top of it. I'm not confident it will address the issue. We could use larger stone sizes maybe above 10mm towards 20mm but without a verge I can't see this issue completely being solved. My Mum doesn't like a brick verge as she things she'll trip over it when she gets out of the car. Just thought I'd ask for advice, we could remove the gravel and concrete it in but it would look rough. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Filters in my MVHR are recommended to be changed every 6 months and the heat exchanger cleaned/hoovered yearly. Sounds like you should consider replacing more frequently - also email the manufacturer with pictures and see what their technical team recommend above and beyond normal cleaning.

This week the roof was cut in. Can see the spaces for the Velux rooflights and get a different picture of the inside - the vaulted ceilings in the rear living area in particular. The builder recommended a ceiling in the upstairs bedrooms at around the 3 meter / 9 foot mark which is high enough even if you're bouncing on the bed! Still leave a bit of space for storage so may leave a small hatch and floor this area after setting it up. It's a warm roof so this is all conditioned space. Next week they'll add OSB and Solitex WA, then baton and counter baton and that's them finished! The roofer is due in after Easter to install the tiles and the Velux will go in sometime then also. There is also an AEV for venting the soil pipe to install. There's a ventilated ridge, and other details that will be interesting to see installed. Should stop ice dams forming! Big decision point is around the rear picture window - it's to be metal clad. There is the option of adding additional insulation on the outside and then stud work for the ventilation behind the steel cladding or just insulate internally only. Also the roof of this feature needs to be worked out. Some drain to the back of the house but that needs a gutter. Most drain towards the house which I didn't realise and the water channels to either side. This junction has to be perfect or it ensures rain ingress. There's a good local team recommended by the builder so I've left word and hope they'll get in touch next week so they can build out the 7 degree backward slope needed for the roof of this area. There is a lot of metal posts in the house which worry me but I had a few hours onsite today to take my time and see if it's something to worry about or not. The contact area with the foundation or wall are very small so there may be cold spots but I feel for a first attempt, the detailing is sufficient. I just didn't realize how decisions about moving walls etc impacted structural changes until I saw them onsite. Decisions made years ago haunting me a bit, but I can live it! It's still a wonderful house. The next two will be better!! The air tightness will be a challenge but I got some samples of Tapes, Gutex and Phonotherm I plan to use by driving to the company I'm buying them off and seeing their warehouse up front. I hope to entice one of their technical guys onsite for an hour to get their advice on a few things. I expect a detailed post at a future date to address this. Lots to think about. I plan on using Moy Metac in the timber frame wall - 220mm worth. The frames are mostly at 600mm centers. I'd calculated I'd need 43 rolls off the plans but now looking like 53 when I did a quic calc onsite. They do a roll that is exactly 220mm deep and 1200mm wide so plan to cut in 1/2 and it should press fit in the space nicely. I could do this before the windows and doors arrive, just need to find a good price! And hope it isn't swiped! Windows to be measured either next week or 2 weeks later due to builders holidays. Delivery 9-10 weeks after that. Bricklayer, still chasing quotes! Hope to get that done Late April / Early May. Waiting on council to approve brick style as the plain red in the estate isn't to my taste, I've gone for a blend of brown, red and beige. As a project there's a LOT to think about, decisions to be made and money to be managed! Spending is SO easy, tracking it and keeping in budget not so much!!

Groundscrews are perfect for this. Watch Robin Clevetts garden room series on YouTube. No concrete!

Electric for the one you can't reach above stairs but the battery will need replacing in a few years if solar fed, or is it mains powered? Extra sparks bill too. I would go manual for other two if a ladder can reach for cleaning. With mvhr won't need to open except for that. Stairwell one useful for purging excess heat in summer evenings....

A local company called TimberTech up the road from me in Ireland - run by two brothers. You know its good when all the trades know them and can't recommend them enough! Did want MBC back in 2016 but just didn't get my act together fast enough! They moved to the UK! Don't have twin wall stud and cellulose but did get Kore passive raft and have decent Architects drawings for insulation and other details to get the performance I'm after. Just picked up today some Gutex woodfibre board I'm thinking of using and Bosig Phonotherm for around the inside of the window openings. Waiting on a date for window measuring, a quote for the brick/blockwork, brise soleil bracket details to send onto my structural engineer and dozens of other details I've to talk to TimberTech about tomorrow as they finish in a week! Roof is on and felt/batons next week, tiles after Easter. The Velux rooflights arrived too and are big and heavy. Another Blog post coming soon I think! If anyone is in Ireland and wants to check them out they are here: http://www.timbertechhomes.ie