Thedreamer

Most of the folks on here have a good skills, able to wire up panels or install heats pumps etc. I wish I could do this, but I have a lot to learn. But I reckon most of the population can't do the installation, the technology or maintain the unit. As I am getting the older the more I realise that technology like heat pumps/underfloor heating are great but are more complicated then a gas boiler. Why not? Does it come down to just the cutting, splitting logs etc? I spend a hour splitting logs on Saturday and that's my heating sort the week. I enjoy having that control.

I burn a small trug of logs from about 6pm to 10pm. Once the temperature gets to 23c in the house I stop and then it usually 21c in the morning, it might drop to 20c before we start the cycle again. That then heats the house. The stove in the morning is cold but the blocks around the stove are still warm. The beauty with the stove is that it's uncomplicated technology. One sweep a year and it's sorted. As I mentioned before I do have a small heat pump for the hot water doing a family four. The total electricity is currently still 10kw a day.

But what would be the all in average installation cost for a unit installed by a plumber/engineer?

As well as the financial efficiency. I am also not sold on how they perform. Even now, in the recent current topics here, two topics are concerning problems relating to pumps.

I am interested in the financial efficiency? Is that £250 for just heating and not including any contribution from your panels? That's still £40 a month for the six months. My build is not to the levels of most on here, but the temperature has not gone below 18, usually around 20. If I had installed a external air source heat pump I would not being using it now in November.

I would be interest to know how efficient air source heat pumps are in well insulated new builds. Over the course of year how many months of the year are they used for providing heating?

I'll need to check my spreadsheet but building timber frame panels is cheap and quick. Again location is critical, nobody builds with brick in the Hebrides. If block and block or single block on a timber frame you would usually have a cement render. Haulage of materials is another consideration and weather.

138m2. Can't remember the price of the top of my head. But will be posting a blog entry about my project costs and finance shortly. Timber frames are more expensive when you buy from the kit manufacturer. You are paying for all the overheads, profit margin etc. Much better when you can manage the supply of your own timber and get experienced joiners to stick build on site. It's also dependent where in the UK you are and having access to the right trades.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8908815/Chelsea-mansion-collapses-building-work-create-mega-basement-6m-property.html

Our groundworks team removed the stumps with an attachment like this.

I agree with @SimonD I purchased the book and provide a good starting point. What approach are you adopting, doing a lot of work yourself, single contractor, individual subcontractors??? And welcome ?

I paid £115 + VAT for each panel. They are https://www.multipanel.co.uk/products/bathroom-wall-panels/heritage-collection/ That was through a plumber merchants, I think @ProDave also got panels in the Spring/Summer.

How come you want to put glass wool in the cavity? Your set-up seems pretty traditional, therefore it would be unusual to have glass wool after the membrane. Usually the cavity for a timber frame is kept clear, unlike a block & block build. Why not just go for a upper glass wool product such as Frametherm 32, I used a mixture of 32 and 35. 32 is much more superior. Frametherm is a lot easier and nicer to work with than PIR. I used both. If I could go back I would use even more glass wool. We stick built our house, I have a blog here that might be of some interest. https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/blogs/blog/28-druim-nan-darach/ The spec was done by our house designer and a structural engineer. I deconstructed both plans into a bill of quantities and ordered pretty much all the materials myself. Recommendations on manuals, books etc Home Builder's Bible covers a lot and gives a broad overview of self building.

We design our stove to be bang in the middle of the house. I didn't want a flue pipe visible so we surrounded the stove in dense concrete blocks. The plan was to go all the way up to the ceiling but we stop halfway and boxed in the remaining part with a stud. The blocks hold the heat for the night and the next morning the house is still warm

The risk of insurance being invalid, to me would be main reason most will install.

As expected this has now been delayed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54621068 What a waste of paper, time and costs for the leaflets issued. I suppose at least now people know about the change.

On the environmental impact from the production of the batteries is that not the same for anybody who has an electric vehicle?

Not really looked into it because we have just finished our self build. Whether they are mains or interlinked, it's still going to be a job that the average person is going to get a sparky to do.

Yes nice and clear at the moment. I don't know what it is putting out in terms of Kws but it heats the entire house for a crazy amount of time.

My colleague mentioned to me that all homes in Scotland have to install mains connected smoke alarms by February 21? Perhaps this will be pushed back because of COVID, but if not and you didn't would your insurance be invalid? £200/£300 is a bit of money for an installation around Christmas time when people are hard up.

I went with a Charnwood C-4, really pleased with how it is performing.

This gate came from agricultural distributor called Harbro. Not sure who makes them. The gate and fencing were partly covered by an agricultural grant.

Another here that is surprised with GSHP. Expensive, but could be cheaper if you have land for coils and access to a digger. The equipment if in the house seems to take up a bit of room. They seem to be a lot less common here compared to five years ago.

Hi Bozza, Thanks We bought these and then added a lick curprinol willow in the summer. I can get my car through just one of the gates which is handy.

I used Cupa heavies. Got them from Jewsons.