ProDave

BUT in Scotland if your air test is better than 3, you MUST fit mvhr. One self builder near me wanted just to use MEV ventilation but was "disappointed" his air test was so good and BC forced him to fit mvhr. It was a pig od a job as much of the plasterboarding was done so he ended up with 2 small mvhr units one upstairs, one downstairs. Far better to plan for good air tightness and mvhr. If you really really don't want it, build in some deliberate leak to give a poor air tightness test, a leak that you can then "correct" after the test has been done.

The only time I have seen a chimney rendered like that (though usually at least smooth!!!!!) is following damage from a chimney fire. Is the foam just a crude attempt at blocking air and possibly smells coming through from stinky neighbours?

We found Sutherlands would transport a static they sold for free, but the distance was less. Completely different matter if you want to buy one privately and just want them to transport it. On our first build when we came to sell the static at the end of the build, the buyer ended up getting someone almost from Aberdeen to transport it as the local people just were not interested. This time I arranged the planning so it does not ever have to leave our site, it remains with PP as a garden outbuilding (not for habitational use) You would not get such a large garden shed for the money.

Normally you would apply for temporary planning for a static 'van with your planning, but I believe crofting law allows 3 caravans on the croft so I doubt you need to bother. GNR Sutherland at Edderton is the local caravan dealer and they always have a selection from posh to basket case. Next time you are passing up / down the A9 turn off at the Dornoch Bridge roundabout for the short detour to take a look.

Hi and welcome. Another Highlander here just north of Inverness. You are in good company. Dare I say if for getting a reputation, but how about selling the house and moving into a static caravan on the croft? WAY better if you can avoid borrowing and the hoops that makes you jump through.

I remember cladding our sun room, a major part of the planning was setting the spacing between boards to work, meaning a different spacing on different walls, a bit like gauging a roof so a whole number of tiles fits the gap. And I wanted to get a common detail around each window so an outer board comes up to the corner. I painted all mine because I don't like the weathered "old wet shed" look. One coat before fitting and one coat after fitting. In this case the windows outer edge was only slightly back from the inner surface of the timber so just a small filler was used around each window and the outer boards overlapping over this filler. Above the windows the bottom edge of the board was cut at an angle to make a natural drip bead at the outer edge.

I assume that central bar is attached to one door and the other door closes against it? So the door it is fixed to just seal the gap with any outside sealant. The door that closes to it, you will have to improvise with some way of extending or giving something for it to close to. Just poor design. What is the fit like from the outside? it is not a case of the frame is too tall?

I am interested in how a roof with a ridge board works without collar ties or a lower level tie? i.e. what stops the roof spreading? Are you sure what you are describing as a ridge board, is not in fact a much heavier ridge beam?

Another for the "feeling brave" When it first turns on and makes it's vibrating noise, while it is making that noise, try spinning the fans NOT with your hand, some form of push rod or stick. If they start running that is a sure sign the start capacitor has failed. (I must get around to changing the cap on my pillar drill that needs a spin.....)

I bet the size you want is missing from all sets. Or blunt.

If you want to be "BBC" about it, they would be "Metal web joists" (Aka Sticky Back Plastic)

I am struggling to relate the 2 pictures. The first is a view presumably looking along the house wall? and then the garden wall, but I can't relate that to the aerial view. In the aerial view, are you left or right house? And what are you trying to do (or stop)? and what is the issue?

+1 to that. I would say All you can do is a galley kitchen units all down the left side and down the right side as far as the door in that side wall. Plinth heaters or move the radiator to the bottom right wall between the 2 doors. Wall space in that small room is too precious to waste with a radiator anywhere else. You will have to choose one corner for a tall unit probably e.g fridge / freezer. The window in the left wall will have to be bridged with units and a worktop, you don't necessarily have to replace the window to do that, a good joiner / kitchen fitter will find a way to marry a worktop to a window that is lower.

With only a segment of drawing, it is not entirely clear which are outside walls? On the face of it, the window is internal between 2 rooms? For such a small room, ditch the radiator. Fit plinth heaters instead. Dimensions might help.

I would be considering filling the cavity while you are at it. Any chance of a DIY pour something into the cavity (genuine question, is is possible, would it work?)

I did a "cost / benefit" analysis on a 2G vs 3G velux and decided the extra cost of 3G was not worth it for the tiny energy saving. That was the wrong thing to be thinking about. That en-suite window is the only window in the house that gets just a little condensation around the edges on a very cold day. I wish I had spent the extra on 3G to lessen the chance of that. Re trickle vents, I objected to the principle of paying extra not to have something fitted, and in the case of velux windows, the vent is built into the handle / opening mechanism, and when shut is a very good seal, so not paying extra to have the vent omitted was the right choice. Centre or top is personal choice. I chose centre, I am uneasy at a dirty great big spring built into the top hung versions to counter the weight of the sash.

If you are a "few miles" from the sea I doubt you will have a problem. but go and look at peoples satellite dishes. My own one here, 3 miles inland is probably 20 years old, and still sound. I can tell you for a fact that houses right by the sea, they would be lucky to last 5 years before they have turned into a wilting mess of rusted metal. If the satellite dishes around you are fine, then so too will be an ASHP.

You can't have a socket in a bathroom, so pass it through the wall, where I would fit a switched fused connection unit to power it.

I don't know this particular unit so this is just some general thoughts. Are you sure the fan(s) are free to rotate, i.e. nothing you have done while changing filters has gone back wrong so they won't spin freely? On my own unit, a Kingspan / mitsubishi, I know on power up it operates the bypass mechanism which goes whir whir whir for a few seconds. If it does not detect the end stop switch operate it registers that as a fault and stops.

If you take it up outside, it will have to be quite tall and with stays. How about up the corner, then following the roof line and out at the ridge, a bit like ours in the bedroom, though in your case as close in to the roof line as you could get it.

Yes that is what you need. But why exit there? Ours goes up inside the room, up through the bedroom above and out through the roof. Don't forget a smaller hole, lower down about 100mm diameter for ducted air intake.

It looked like something similar to our twin and and earth copper, but twisted at each joint then welded. I am unclear if that is a just a joint, presumably sleeved? or if the twisted and welded joint then goes into for instance a socket. Not enough detail.

I believe that video was in Spain. Has this been used in the UK? Is it even allowed in the UK. If it was it would seem to be a build method that is truly within the capability of a self builder without needing the concrete pour stages of ICF.

I stumbled upon this on another forum. It looks like giant polystyrene bricks, a sort of ICF, but without the hollow core and concrete.

For those wanting to join a boating forum in order to read it https://forums.ybw.com/index.php?threads/epc-energy-performance-certs.593805/ The opening post of the thread was