JamieM

i don't know the answer to your question but i know that for our wooden joists, building control stated we had to have double joists under where the bath was going.

noted, ballykelly. we're still unsure about the glass thing too for the same reason you outlined above, but I've got quotes from the others to include glass, so I'll ask for that in the quote so i get a like for like quote and then when i decide which company to go with, i can see us going with something similar to yourself. might put glass at the top with spindles on the stairs themselves though i don't know how that would look.

Cheers I've rang a few companies for quotes and think I'll give ballycastle joinery a call later today. I'll give you a shout if i need the numbers you offered. thanks. Stairs look well Declan. we were thinking some glass instead of spindles - will have to see if they do that as i cant see any examples of it on their website. But I'm sure they will be able to. thanks

No it doesn't have to be - sometimes i just find it easier to meet up with and talk to people in person and generally i do find things a bit cheaper over here compared to mainland. but would be happy to buy off mainland if the price was right just ran the online tool and price came back at just over £5k. will have to play around what it and see what i can do to reduce it cheers would appreciate that good idea - would like to get a quote pre the show as i imagine they may get loads of requests for quotes at the show so may take a while for them to get back to me.

Would anyone be able to recommend a joinery company in NI to make stairs for us. For a modern/contemporary open tread oak staircase maybe with some glass I can find a few with a Google search but thought I’d see if anyone could recommend any? Thanks

ok, thats crazy money. in that case I'd just go for the baskil door at a grand. cheers

I thought the baskil door i linked to above wasn't too bad as far as u-vlaues go for doors? From memory, I don't think my internorm doors are much better. @le-cerveau i really like the idea of the fire curtain as i already have an internorm door i bought for between the garage and house before realizing it needed to be FD30 rated (one my my dearer mistakes). you mentioned they are not the cheapest solution - did you get a price for them you could share (or PM if you dont want to put the price online). will have to see if i can find a youtube video of it operating. i presume when it detects fire it automatically lowers.

Good luck with the build. Newcastles a nice part of the world (lived there for nearly 20 years). Hopefully you can add some views of the mountains into the house design.

I'm still trying to decide on a door to use between my attached garage and house which needs to be 30 minutes fire rated (fd30) and struggling to find many options that offer descent enough thermal and air tightness results. Below are the current 2 options that I've been able to find. Option 1 from a local precision joinery company -54mm solidcore door leaf factory primed -94x57 hardwood door frame complete with 15 x 4 fire and smoke seals -Ballrace grade 13 hinges -Din Sash lock -Eurospec SS lever handle -Europrofile cylinder key outside thumb release inside £395 + vat does not include installation (would have to get my joiner to install and would also have to paint) Optional extra which I would go for Is8001 drop threshold factory fitted to the bottom of door leaf £38 Option 2 from Baskil Windows -56mm thick engineered door leaf Comprises of interleaved layers of cork to give a thermally excellent core – U-value of 1.1W/m²K -Sub surface aluminium layers to ensure stability -Surface sheeting to Hazard Class 3 -Available as an FD30 fire rated door -Range of nine sheeted designs with varied glazing features -Frame in hardwood or laminated pine -Multi-point locking for a strong secure door -Hardwearing aluminium cill at threshold level -Available in a range of RAL colours http://www.baskilwindowsystems.co.uk/productdetails?p=175&n=250&pc=0&gc=20&c=1&ci=3&i=41 £1000 (phoned up and forgot to ask if this included vat but did include measuring up and installation) Option 1 is cheaper but the guy was unable to tell me any official u values other than it being good (worried me a little) but I wonder would it be much different than the Baskil one which is nearly double the price). Anyone any thoughts or opinions they can share? Thanks Jamie

Yes, it's a timer so click it and it stays on for a set amount of time (say 15mins) Boost is too get rid of nasty smells. Probably do no harm to turn it on before a shower too as it may take a few minutes for the automatic humidistat to come on)

Our electrician has hesitations about putting a boost switch for the MHRV in bathrooms and suggested using a pull cord. I mentioned to our MHRV supplier and got told that a boost switch with 240v or 10v could be installed within the bathroom as long as its retractable. I’m going to mention to my electrician but could anyone explain what this means to me (in layman’s terms as I’m an idiot sometimes). Thanks Jamie

Can a skim on plaster board be used as an air tight seal? I assume the membrane that declan used would be a better approach. But just thought I'd ask if people used just plaster board and skim finish for ceilings? (And whether they got a half decent air tightness or not?) Thanks

So I’ve had a look at the website you recommended Declan. As I see it (and happy for anyone to point out if I am wrong) below are the tapes I would require. Windows http://www.cleanenergyireland.ie/air-tightness/products/window-and-door-tapes/winflex-i-interior-window-reveal-tape/ for around services i.e. heat recovery pipes penetrating ceiling etc http://www.cleanenergyireland.ie/air-tightness/products/air-tightness-tape/gerband-586-uni-tape/ Ground floor to wall http://www.cleanenergyireland.ie/air-tightness/products/window-and-door-tapes/win-50-50-split-release/ I had a look at my joists over the weekend (picture attached) and it would not be possible to tape all around the joists – as the floor boards are already in I wouldn’t be able to tape around the top of the joists. Would it be possible instead to use tape on the 1st floor on the floor boards to the wall thus sealing the upstairs rooms ( and downstairs ceiling the ceiling plasterboard to the wall thus sealing downstairs)? @Declan52did you buy off the company direct or do they supply through my local BM? I’m just curious about pricing and (also calculating the amount a I require although that would be pretty much measuring the linear distance and adding 10% or so) thanks

Yes, there will be Rockwool in between the joists. Good point about the joists flexing. Calling down to site later today. Will have a look at the joists properly and look at the amount of tapping that would be required. Does sound like a lot of work.

Cheers guys. I didn't (as I was too late/unorganised) get the chance to put in the tony trays between the joists when they were installed which is a shame as it looks like a great idea. Is there anything I can do now to rectify it (I know there's possibly no perfect way to fix it)? Floorboards are in but the plasterboard isn't on yet. Or would it make any sense to tape the floor boards at all the joins? Currently they are glued. My joists are built in to the inner wall with cement round them. We don't have attic trusses. Thanks for all your comments and thanks @Declan52 for the description of what you did. Going to look at that website and associated videos now.

Hi I’m in the middle of my build (at the watertight stage) and in the middle of having first fix completed. I probably should have been thinking about the air tightness tapes before now but haven’t had the chance. My question is, where should I be using them? (I know the answer is anywhere there might be air leaking). But would anyone have a list (especially if there are any less obvious areas)? Are there lots of different tapes to use depending on what is being taped to. I.e. block vs plasterboard? Also, are there foams that can be used or are these prone to shrinkage over time? Bit of background on the build The windows/doors are descent enough - triple glazed with no trickle vents. The house is going to be externally rendered. There is a Cold roof with MHRV. Downstairs walls are block, upstairs is a mix of block and stud. The block walls will be plastered and the stud walls will be palsterboard and then skimmed. Based in NI and house is going to be long term home thanks

You could have a look at Weber render too. That's what we plan to use although have only done the chimney so far so i can't comment too much. I thought it looked well on houses that I went to see.

Good luck with this. I'm in a similar position having an Internorm door I'm going to have to sell as it's not Fire rated.

I asked them (my internorm installers) to hold off putting 2 of the doors on and they will put them on when they are returning to put the cladding on for the corner windows.

The door is a PVC one but it is alu-clad. I rang them up to ask and they tell me it's definatly not fire rated. Our main door for the house from them is timber but all the other ones are pvc.

I phoned the supplier on the Tuesday morning and he just got back to me. The door came out of production on the 2nd so there is nothing he can do about it. So we're getting and paying for an internorm PVC door. I'll need to check with NI BC that we def do need a FD between our garage and house. (but as the architect put it in there I'm sure we do :-( ) Or think of another use for it. suggestions very welcome!

cheers for PM'ing me his number, much appreciated. @Nickfromwales I may well be in touch with you about this - all the plumbers I'm talking to are recommending UVC. I'm guessing just cause that's what they've always done when it comes to using an oil boiler as a heat source.

I'm going to follow this thread as will be having UF also via a boiler. Is your UF coming form a TS or blended from the boiler? I'm probably using the wrong terms there as I'm an idiot when it comes to thus stuff. cheers

it is PVC alu-clad. I have to phone the supplier in a day or 2 about something else so will mention to him then and afterwards feed back here.

Dave, did you get this sorted? I'm in a similar position myself - needing a fire door (FD30) between the garage and the house. Though (as i didn't realise it needed to be a fire door) I've already ordered (due to be delivered in 2-3 weeks) a standard internorm external door which i was going to put in there but i suspect their standard doors are not fire doors. I'll have to give them a call and see.