ProDave

I put our static on site before we even had full planning (we did have planning in principle) and got the water and electricity connected to the site. BC are not interested in those. BUT we did not occupy it and we did not have drainage. It was then a long process to agree an acceptable drainage system with BC so would could not even think about installing that before the building warrant in the hope it would comply. Note a static caravan itself is exempt from building control, but the drainage connection to service it, does come under building control and sure enough BC wanted to inspect and pressure test the spur of drain pipe branching off to the static caravan.

Timber frame, as long as the frame is not rotten, is easy to upgrade to add extra insulation. Much more so than many other build types. so there is probably a good argument to keep and update the building you have, and extend it to gain the extra space you want. The problem I would say is the floors. If it is solid concrete floors with no insulation under it, then it really all wants digging up, digging down deeper to add insulation and re lay the floor.

Our static caravan was 28 square metres. 3 of us survived in that for 18 months. BUT the house shell was already up and wind and watertight, so plenty of dry storage, a second loo available in the house, laundry set up in the house and an office with my computer etc.

There do seem to be a lot of cables through the membrane, Why? Obviously mains in, telephone / broadband in, and water in need to penetrate the membrane. Those come up in the utility room in our house, each individually sealed where they come up. A few outside lights. That is a single cable to each, with just a small hole just big enough for the cable and the single cable entering taped to the membrane. All tv aerial etc and some notwork cables all come up through a hocky stick that enters into the AV cupboard under the stairs. With all cables in place, the ends of the hockey stick were foamed to seal the remaining space.

The FIT has not been available for new installations for something like 10 years now. But if you do have solar PV on a FIT contract then it is true you get paid for what you generate regardless of who uses it. Any modern PV system can get paid for exporting surplus, but you only get paid for the amount you actually export.

Not much info there. About all I did glean from that is is is a split unit. No idea of power, price etc.

The design flaw is why to so many cables need to penetrate the air tight layer?

First check the fan is extracting (enough suck to hold a sheet of paper up to the ceiling when on) If not it is usually the poorly installed cheap nasty flexible ducting that is full of condensation and hence blocked.

There is a good argument in Scotland for having vertical or near vertical panels. That will give more generation in winter when you want all you can get.

And it still would not produce any power as it has no grid to synchronise to. You are just limited to the low power UPS output.

I was going to ask the same. In what way does the window to the family room not comply as a means of escape? Make it bigger, wider, opening and correct height so it is a means of escape.

How are you achieving means of escape windows in the bedrooms?

I fitted the UFH manifold in my bathroom into a 100mm space. I had to turn the pump in it's side and remove the knob from the blending valve. You can usually borrow 50mm space behind the kitchen cabinets as well.

You are over thinking it. A grid tied inverter is designed to shut down when it loses it's grid connection.

That looks very awkward for washing up. I am used to space one side for dirty stuff to be washed up and draining rack the other side to put the clean stuff.

It is not always clear cut. Looking at the aerial picture it looks like the house on the other end of your row has extended to the side almost to the boundary. So you may argue that is a precedent? The trees around your plot would kill any argument about an extension restricting visibility. I did briefly consider trying for a new dwelling in the house I previously had, but it would have been a small house and both would have had tiny gardens, and parking would be awkward sharing the same entrance. And there was a covenant issue so I decided just to extend.

Start by posting pictures of exactly what first fix plumbing is in place and people can better advise what is needed to complete second fix. Are you just talking of plumving the loo, bath, basin and shower or heating e.g. radiators or UFH as well?

Anyone who wants it on the left tight against the bulkhead has never actually done any washing up. And don't kid yourself just because you have a dishwasher that you never will do any washing up.

That is very similar to a house I used to own. I first got permission to build a detached garage in the side garden some way from the house, and in front of the building line of the houses to the rear. It only got planning on appeal because the appeal inspector determined that some nearby houses in the village were built right up to the road, and he consluded allowing my garage in front of the building line provided a visual link between the houses set back, and those right up to the road. With garage built, there was then no problem getting permission for a 2 storey side extension between the house and the garage.

Definitely sink in the middle. Don't forget the draining board.

With an outlay of £8000 and you would be unlikely to self use more than £800 worth of electricity in a year it has a payback time of 10 years. The daytime generation from the PV won't help the big storage heater, but it would help any suplimental rea time heating and hot water heating, and og course all electrical appliances used in the daytime.

How similar are the 2 dwellings? Any mileage in living one one for a few years while you finish the second, then sell the first and move into the second?

That looks right. The cable entry detail on the outside ASHP unit is not the best and getting multiple cables in is not easy. It is better if you can get a length of say 12 core control cable and run one length of that from the ASHP unit to the inside wiring centre.

If you want your meter swapped, e.g. for a smart meter, you contact your energy supplier which is separate to the Distribution Network Operator. It is up the the supplier to ensure the meter fits or make alterations to make it fit. Only the DNO or the supplier can make alterations to that equipment. With a bit of tidying up a smart meter will fit where the old one is. But if you are thinking of getting that changed, terminate your SWA into the adaptable box first to "stake your claim" to that space above the CU.

Is that leaking like that all the time? Or just when it rains? Start by making a listening stick and with all taps in the house turned off use the listening stick to see if you can hear water flowing at the main incoming stopcock. You might have a leaking pipe under the floor. If it only leaks like that after rain, it might be rainwater getting into the cavity.