Happy Valley

As someone with a skippers ticket that looks seaworthy and easily capable of being moved - the other one didn't and maybe because it appears to be an attachment to the land rather than a vessel is one reason they were noticed.

It doesn't look like the sort of houseboat that you could easily move or put on another mooring but more of a none moveable structure

As eluded to it is the larger nations such as China and the US that need to step up and show the world how the future should be. The problem we have is an ever growing global population that all require (if they can) a good or better standard of living than their forebears. I watched a re-run of Portillo on a train in Australia last night. He was in Newcastle NSW close to the Queensland border and in one year their port exported more coal from a massive open cast mine than the UK produced in total over 50 years ago. They had 2000 acres of coal sitting in the port waiting to be loaded onto boats to places like Japan. It's stuff like this that makes our contribution insignificant - not that we shouldn't attempt to lead and educate.

Thanks - the two manifolds were recommended by a well know supplier (not Wunda Trade). I thought it a little odd as we are only 160 sq m or about 130 sq m of required area for heating over two floors. Also been recommended 150mm gaps using an 8.5kw ASHP. I can understand this particularly near large sliding doors where it will be slightly cooler. We have fairly good on U values with a 180mm warm roof, ICF and stone/block work and a 250mm raft with 200mm of insulation above.

Looking for recommendations please for better manufacturers/suppliers of manifolds - need two: a 7 zone and a 9 zone Also who is best for MLCP pipework - need about 1300m I may have a go at this myself when the time comes later this year.

We have gone for Sunflex sliders in our kitchen diner at 90 degrees to each other. The 5m and 3.8m widths have 3 pains which when pushed back together are completely flush so looks like you are looking through one window not 3. There are only 20mm sight lines when shut. The compromise we made was going for double over triple glazing. We have great views so sight lines were the main concern. Also it can be quite windy where we are and I don't like the idea of bi-folds being banged or moved in strong conditions.

Looking at the shape it's created I am a fan of your work ?

What a fantastic site. Anyway enough of the construction on a build forum - what cars have you got that need such elaborate garaging? ?

Our polystyrene ICF has a waterproof concrete raft below it with Sika additive. There is a waterbar set into the raft just after pouring where the ICF goes and the first pour of concrete also had a Sika waterproof additive. Part of our ICF is to be backfilled as we are building into a slope. This wall however is being clad in blockwork and slurry tanked prior to the back fill.

This is interesting as we have been quoted £11000 for the supply and install of an Ecodan 8.5kw with 200 litre tank. I have messaged the Cool Energy company to see if they have any installers in my area.

I was going to say it's probably more important that it's imperative there is a right of access or that the owner of the driveway is willing to share it - legal work required to get it onto deeds etc if agreement is reached with no existing right of access. We have a right of access over our neighbours driveway - 3 properties in total onto a cul-de-sac. No issue with planners but the owners of the driveway were not happy at all but they realised eventually that they could nothing about it. Didn't stop legal threats beforehand etc.

Interesting thread. Please keep us updated as to how it performs.

We went through a similar process a few months back. It was calculated that we required a 8.5 or 9kw ASHP for a 160 sq m property with no PV. That's for underfloor heating and a 200 litre hot water cylinder. We are leaning towards an Mitsubishi Ecodan.

Thanks all. He is VAT registered and is talking to his accountant today about the process. Fingers crossed he'll come round.

Thanks and yes I have read that - I ideally was looking for a (simple) guide for him so can get him on board.

We have a preference to use a local sole trader for the supply and fit of our windows in our new build. He is great value and has a good reputation, lives in the small town if anything is not correct. He is a bit of glass half full chap and doesn't want to go down the zero rate route for supply and fit. Is there an easy guide for a trader to understand how best to do this? I presume he can request that the frames and glass that he gets are zero rated to him also?

We are using Polysteels Warmerwall which is a polystyrene based ICF with metal frame in the core and metal running down the inside of the polystyrene to which you can attach things to like uprights and ply. We poured the ground floor concrete in today without issue. It will be while until we do the first floor as there is a first floor raft to sort, blockwork tanking and backfilling to do and some easi-joists to go in before the first floor is erected.

Thanks everyone for your input. We have found a solution that can tap into a foul water drain once we take it through to the garage. That's eleven holes in total that we have to drill through the ICF and sleeve before we pour the concrete next week!

Thanks for the information. I have space in the utility room and the runs up through the floors are easier from here. It does however create an issue with the drain off the unit as we will find it difficult to connect to the current system. How much moisture an average do these things pull out in a 3 bedroom 3 person 160 sq m home? Could we have a smallish drain tank underneath on the floor that we empty once a week or so?

Plan to fit a Vent Axia MHVR and we have the option of fitting the unit either in the attached garage or in the utility/plant room which is immediately next door. Inlet and exhaust pipes will be in the flat roof of the garage. Ducting will run to both ground floor and up to the top floor.

Ditch this - I've read online reviews and between a third and half are negative in a big way - enough to for us to not even go there.

As per the title has anyone used or heard anything about the above company please? Their quotation is extremely competitive being half the price of Rationel but that usually sends alarm bells ringing in my mind. I may go and see them tomorrow as they are just over an hour away from where we live to look at their showroom and discuss further.

We are due to pour concrete into our ICF wall next week and are currently putting pipes in for various services beforehand. Can't get hold of the electrician atm! We will be having a single phase electric installation for our 160sq m home with the meter box on an outside wall. Question is how many tails need to go through the wall and what diameter are each tail? Also can they go through the same hole or are they required to be separate?

Update on this. Had a subsequent conversation with the neighbour stating we do not agree with the survey and that our solicitor is currently looking at. Neighbour said what is acceptable and I offered them a meter only. They backed down somewhat so I pulled the solicitor for the moment. Then wrote to them stating that their survey did not match what is in our title deeds plus that we had exclusively maintained the land for almost 20 years however not wanting to have a dispute offered them a meter only with a timescale for acceptance otherwise we would have the right to withdraw the offer. That timescale has now past and not heard a thing since. Not saying this still hasn't gone away but hopeful that it has.

As you already have planning permission a lot of the professional fees will already have been paid for. However you there will be more especially if the architect has not provided drawings for building control. We are currently building a 160 sq m property (200 including garage) on a slightly complicated site in that it is built into a hill and we are looking at £1875 sq m cost if we are lucky, to a high standard using ICF and lots of insulation. We have builders on site but they are not expensive in comparison to many even here in the North West. Our costs could be lower if we had compromised on build materials but this is our forever home so these details for us are important and worth paying for.