ProDave

Yes tread carefully. They will argue the existing one is derelict and likely refuse. That's why I say do whatever it takes to get the existing one habitable and move in, then get a certificate of lawful development. That certificate basically acknowledges that the existing use has been ongoing for so long that the council cannot enforce any change. Applying for that certificate once the caravan is habitable and occupied, should be your first contact with the council. Only when you have that, should you start discussing a permanent dwelling or replacing it with a new caravan. You can self build a caravan compliant well insulated building as pointed out already done on Grand Designs. To be a "caravan" it has to be within certain size limits which is just a little over 100 square metres if you go to the maximum size, and single storey. And it must be moveable. But it does not need to be on wheels, built in sections which can be separated and then lifted by a crane onto a low loader is sufficient to comply. You can get lots more advice on the details if that is how you proceed. But keep quiet and get that existing van patched up and occupied.

Yes, the belief that "modular homes" will solve the housing crisis. Just as the people that talk about converted containers etc. The reality is the bottleneck is land and planning permission. Only then can you build a house and only then can you decide conventional build or modular. Modular is unlikely to be cheaper, but has some advantages like quicker on site time and better precision.

Planning is the crux here. Others may know the local policies in this area. But I would quietly patch up the existing static caravan so it is habitable, if not very pretty or desirable, and make it look lived in, even move in for a period over the summer? then apply for a certificate of lawful development. That gives you a fallback to rebuild anything that complies with the legal definition of a "caravan" which can in fact be a very well insulated bungalow of about 100 square metres. With that secured as a fallback you can then investigate planning for something different.

I read that link, was dismayed, and even got as far as trying to respond but was even more dismayed. This is all about more red tape, more rules, more paperwork for installers etc. This will do NOTHING to speed up the rate of heat pump installs. Typical government mentality, regulate everything, even though we have a PM who says he is in favour of the opposite. I gave up the will after the first few questions trying to respond, it is only looking for answers to approve their plans or make minor alterations to them. What I wanted to say is the whole plan is a crock of steaming excrement, it just burdens the market with yet more paperwork and expenses and ensures is is just the big companies who are set up to milk the system and collect the grant money that will operate in this type of market. What is needed is less and simpler regulation and to encourage the small plumbing end electrical businesses, even sole traders, to be involved in heat pump installation. That is the only way you will get the thousands of electricians and plumbers we already have on board and installing heat pumps.

Started at 7PM, I am recording it to watch later, watch it on 5+1 or catchup. It will be interesting to see if it's a well reasoned assesment of their usefulness or not. Also explores if heat pumps are worth it.

I had to do a job at the local Chinese takeaway. It appeared at least half the baffles are missing from the hoods with the innards of the hood and extract pipe clearly visible, so I bet they get a lot more fat up their chimney? I can well believe the massive heat loss / waste, there was quite a long line of cookers all with the hoods and extraction above them.

Yes it does seem to be an industrial scale mvhr recovering heat from the kitchen ventilation system. I guess the biggest challenge and why this is "new" with it's new design of heat exchanger, is the high grease content of the exhaust air it is recovering heat from. One can imagine a condensate drain that is collecting cooking fat?

Did the people specifying the size of the ASHP have ALL the details of the build, individual wall U values etc? Jeremy's spreadsheet proved very accurate and real as built heat loss closely follows what that predicted in my case, far more accurate than anything else including the SAP calculations. My only comment is who specified an UFH system with a flow temperature of 50 degrees? You should be running at a lot lower than that. It is a big house but if the calculations are saying 8627W for delta t 30 that is pretty good for such a large house. and it won't often be -10 in the SE and not for long (unlike here when -10 for a week is common in winter)

You need a good lawn. My neighbour has one and his "lawn" is not flat enough and has too many humps and dips and it frequently gets stuck. He also has to prepare the lawn at the start of the season with the ride on mower. The robot would not cope with the long wet winter growth.

So why can't the DNO say go ahead export as much as you like, but your inverter may trip on over voltage. That is after all what that function is there for. It would allow people like me who have no intention to export anything to fit more PV for self use, and if things go wrong and too much accidentally tries to export the inverter voltage limit would stop it overloading the network.

The alternative is square edge boards then the bead goes on, then when you fit your skirting you find the wall kicks out for the last few inches to the corner.

No, though some inverters you can adjust the voltage at which they trip or cut out. But that just hides the problem not cures it. But if you really are self using and not exporting much it is a non issue and like my situation, becomes a load of theoretical nonsense.

What they are saying is the cable or transformer is inadequate and needs upgraded. Personally I am forming the opinion if I do add extra solar I just won't tell anybody. I export almost nothing from what I have and the same would be true of any addition (with batteries)

Dolet us know their responde. A lot of us are waiting to pounce on the DNO for higher export limit.

Links to pictures don't work. Why not add them directly in the post?

Clearly a poor DIY job, wrong fitting used to go round the external corner for instance, and leaking joints suggests torn seals at the joints as they did not know whet they were doing. But not your problem?

If it's an 11KV cable there, then you will need a transformer, and the size of that will dictate the amount of power available.

What you need to know is the power rating of the supply, usually expressed in KVA Which is thousand Volts times Amps which for all practical purposes the same a kW (thousand Watts) Ask them.

Do you have a plumbing diagram? What motorised valves(s) are there on the heating side? Post some photos of the pre plumbed tank and UFH manifolds. It sounds like the heating 2 port valve (assuming there is one) is not working. Mine is an older version of the therma V and the heat pump controls the motorised valves. If the more recent ones are the same you need to determine if the heat pump is trying to turn the valves on? If it is this recent, what does the installer say?

I am waiting to hear of applicants post April to see how it works in practice. If indeed it appears the customer no longer has to pay for perceived network upgrades then I might be tempted to apply for more PV. they made it pretty clear last time that if I went 1W over 3.68kW there would be a network upgrade charge. I would like a second PV system with batteries so in theory it would not export anything but I don't even think they allow you to say "but it won't export anything" i still believe they think it might export up to the inverters limit.

You really want to aim for an air tight layer behind the final plasterboard, with enough of a gap for a service void for cables. With a room in roof, it is unlikely you want sockets or lights on the sloping bit of ceiling so no need for a service void there, just put the plasterboard straight on the air tight membrane. With a room in roof it is far easier to run the insulation and air tight layer following the roof line from eaves to ridge and back down again. This means any eaves storage space is warm and inside the air tight layer and you usually vet a very small "loft" space at the top of the room in roof. This means you can fit light fittings in that, and any part of the downstairs ceiling without worrying about the air tightness anywhere. Not only will this make it a better building for just the cost of the air tight membrane and tape, it is also a lot easier to do that trying to make the insulation and air tight layer follow the habitable space. You won't need an air test for a temporary habitation.

Turn the water off, empty the cistern so it is not heavy, then cut the sealant and lift the cistern off. Probably wise just to buy a new fill valve assembly and replace the whole thing.

First of all, that blue float in the bottom picture. If you pull up on it, does the water stop flowing? If so just adjust the little white nut on the connecting rod between the valve and the float. There are not normally screws at the bottom of the cistern, you would not be able to access them with a back to wall pan. The cistern normally just sits on a big rubber "donut" that makes the seal to the pan and is fixed in place with screws at the top into the wall, only your installer chose a tube of sealant instead.

Take the lid off the cistern and post a picture, you should be able to see where it is leaking. Some the lid will just lift off, others you may have to spring the buttons out to reveal a screw hidden by where the buttons were. It might just need an adjustment. It should be possible to unscrew and lift the cistern off the pan. Any larger access hole you need for alterations could be cut behind the cistern where it won't show.

There you have hit another issue. 1.4m retrofits would be hailed as a green success. Lets not let real figures get in the way of a "green" agenda. If real figures mattered then we would not be in the ludicrous situation of cutting down trees on an industrial scale, shipping them half way round the world by sea to feed DRAX and claiming it is carbon neutral. You can see this is all being designed by lawyers in a "it's not my fault" aris covering way so when (not if) we fail to hit our CO2 targets out will come all the "it's not my fault" statements.