JimG

Wow, thanks for such detailed replies @najem-icf, @jack, @JSHarris! Also @jamiehamy. Getting back to attaching things to EPS ICF blocks, I understand the theory of finding a web by measuring; what I'm not so confident about is finding one when I want to put up a shelf in 10 years' time. Measuring from a corner is fine if you know exactly how much offset to allow for plasterboard (or whatever) and if it's the same in every room. If I have to keep maps of every wall I can see it going wrong at some point. The other thing is that assuming I do this, locate a web and screw a fixing to it, how do I know how far from the centre of the web I am? Have I just caught the edge of it, giving enough resistance to feel good but not enough to be strong? Do I worry too much? ;-) Jim

It looks like I only joined a few hours before you but what the heck - welcome! Jim

Hi, Coming from a position of theoretical knowledge, my wife and I are planning a new build and our current favourite for construction is Durisol (I've read @recoveringacademic's experiences, which seem to be related to the human element, not the product). I like the idea of ICF, but I'm not so keen on the idea of EPS mainly because of securing stuff to it (shelves, bannisters, whatever). Is that really a concern? I've talked to reps about one or two systems and they talk about either drilling right through into the concrete or into the connecting webs, but how can you locate them once the wall is finished? I've also wondered about the heavy-duty plasterboard I've seen somewhere (probably the NSBRC) and wondered if that would be the answer. So I'm open to personal and more practical experiences! My main concern with Durisol, which has been mentioned by recoveringacademic, is getting the right consistency of concrete. Durisol specify the slump, but how do I know what's actually been delivered and whether it's been poured correctly? Then there's Velox, made with similar material to Durisol but in sheets rather than blocks. In theory that should reduce the problem of getting the right consistency of concrete, but in practise it seems to be used even less than Durisol in this country which means that there may be a problem with getting people to use it correctly. Apart from that Velox "isn't from round these parts" (I think it's from Austria) and it doesn't have BBA approval - it does have European approval which the importers say must be accepted as equivalent, but our architect is concerned that it might be an uphill struggle to get Building Control to agree. Over to you! Jim

And you'd be right. Even though the Planning Officer covered that point in his report. And of course having made their decision, the committee then turned for help in wording their objection to... their planning department, who recommended approval in the first place! Jim

@IanR. Yes, we knew it might be controversial but were hopeful when the Planning Officer recommended approval. Then it went to a planning meeting and the committee didn't like the external appearance :-( Fingers crossed that the Planning Inspector is a bit more forward thinking! Jim

Hi @recoveringacademic, thank you. I've started reading your posts about Durisol, I may have questions later ;-) I'm going to try to use the right forum for that. Jim

Hi @ianr, thank you. Just south of Epping, so not that far in the great scheme of things :-) Jim

Hi @jack, and thanks to you, @PeterStarck, @IanR@recoveringacademic and everyone else for the warm welcome! It's a fairly sheltered site, although it didn't feel like it on Tuesday night! The appeal has only just been submitted, so I'm going to be on the fingernail diet for a while Jim

Hi, I'm Jim and I'm researching for a new build in Essex. The rough plan is a four bedroom house, aiming for Passivhaus levels of insulation and air tightness but without the certificate. We've had our planning application refused but we're appealing and carrying on with research, which is where you lot come in It's all a paper exercise so far, so the details are up for debate. The current favourite for the structure is Durisol, but we started off thinking of timber frame and could still end up using block and brick! Anyhow, brace yourselves for a barrage of questions in the fora! Jim