ProDave

There is a BIG difference between the burn temperature and the body temperature of a stove. If you want to measure the burn temperature the normal place for a thermometer is on the section of single wall flue immediately above the outlet. Even that will be lower than the actual burn temperature. Our stove is a convection stove so the sides don't get particularly hot at all. It has an extra "plate" fixed to each side and the back that encourages more heat to leave the stove by convection up the gap. It also means it has some increadably low "distance to combustible materials" figures compared to most. It is that distance to combustibles you need to note for your chosen stove to make sure you can comply with it's requirements.

Re smoke alarms. If your lighting is wired "loop at light" then you can get a power feed from each light fitting and use RF linked alarms which in a retro fit with no access above would be how I would do it. Kitchen will need a Heat alarm and a CO alarm. Aico (my prefered choice anyway) make a combined heat and CO alarm in one package.

I find this thread a bit sad, and feel some "expectation management" is needed. What you have is a 1930's building with little or more likely no insulation in any of the walls or the inaccessible flat roof structure. You have single glazed windows and haphazard ventilation. The walls are cold due to lack of insulation and you are getting condensation and damp because of this. This building epitomises much of the UK's dire housing stock, I have been there, done that, lived with damp and mould and high heating bills. Never again thank you. What to do? Well the new windows will help. At least you will be less likely to get condensation on the windows. What is really needed is a complete re model of the building, ideally with external wall insulation and the roof re done with proper levels of insulation, but I doubt that is happening any time soon. But that is what's needed and governments keep talking about grant schemes to help it happen so perhaps one day it might? I doubt mvhr will really help in this case. All you can do is make sure you properly heat the property and properly ventilate it. A dehumidifier may help reduce the moisture levels and cut down on the condensation. But if you can't get it warm you need bigger radiators etc so you can. Seriously have a look at the new home insulation grants that keep getting talked about and see if anything offers the possibility of getting your building upgraded.

These big induction hobs really should be on their own circuit and to be sure I would use 10mm cable (that is what feeds our island in case we ever change the gas hob for induction)

I suspect with Covid restrictions it could take longer than you hope. It took me 3 months recently just to get a temporary habitation certificate.

How they deal with this is very variable between council areas. I have had several visits and each time they have decided it is not complete enough to value. You will have to let them visit and see what they say. Telling them to do one is not an option.

I can't help with up to date figures but I too am about to seek some prices for Rationel for our sun room windows. Last time, when we bought the windows for the main part of the house, Rationel won on price hands down compared to any of the other quality window suppliers that bothered to quote.

That is going to be a complicated extension, incorporating support for bedroom 5 that sits on the existing side wall of the garage. The planners may not like it extending further forward. If it's a recent development you may need covenant permission that might not be forthcoming. You will need to join it to the neighbours wall with their permission, or alternatively build your own wall very close to theirs with all the complications that entails.

Makes sense now. I would reduce the width to match the garage, but 12M is not a lot to turn in. I would instead make a hammerhead turning space going alongside the left side of the house straight in front of where the driveway comes up, so to exit you reverse from in front of the garage into the turning space alongside the left of the house, then drive out forwards.

I think perhaps a better drawing is needed as I am still trying to figure out how you get a car into the garage as your tarmac appears to approach the side of it?

Hi and welcome. Before you decide on construction methods, research "decrement delay" There is more to insulation than just the U values and the performance of the "same" walls with PIR / PUR insulation (like you get in most SIP panels) and the "same" wall in say a timber frame using mineral wool or wood fibre insulation. Take a look at this thread recently Here he posted an analysis of 2 roof constructions that both had the same U value, but look how much quicker heat passes through the PUR one compared to the mineral wool / wood fibre one.

Yes the long thermal lag is a big benefit of this type of insulation, it is not all about the U value. I can confirm my house neither heats up or cools down quickly, as the prediction forecasts (I had exactly the same analysis done at the design stage)

You need to reduce the moisture in the air. Either by changing your lifestyle or buy a dehumidifier. In both cases it is finding a cold surface to condense on. What is the age and type of property? It ideally needs better insulation, but certainly better heating and ventilation.

In Scotland it is clearer, any part of the tank must be 5M from a building.

in an HMO that would just guarantee a lot of "the shower is broken" phone calls.

I would second that, as long as inside the black line meets the BR distance from the building.

Yes that's the PME earth terminal but don't use it until you connect to the house.

No I would not put two electric showers in an HMO where you don't know or have control of the other users, unless you have 3 phase, then I would be happy with 3 showers. Our sailing club gets away with 5 showers in use at the same time as well as the kettles etc from a 3 phase supply.

So no different to the load on my walls that are fine with the posi joist ends in compression. As a say, many ways to skin a cat.

It is, JUST as long as you have a 21kVA / 100A supply. And you are careful what else you are using at the time. Oh and the showers are not too large, say 8kW, perhaps 9. We officially here only have a 12kVA supply so it would not be possible.

There is still nothing stopping you having the tank under agricultural land, and if that ever gets sold separately it would be sold with a wayleave to allow access to maintain, repair or replace the tank.

It would be interesting to know just what is above that beam.

Mine is built to 2013 Scottish regs and 0.14 passes, I have not looked up any recent changes.

There are multiple ways of designing a structure to do the same thing. Our posi joists are made with a solid timber section between the top and bottom chords at the end to they do sit on top of the wall and do take a compressive load on the end. but I think we have established in this instance the glulam is in compression, not being used as a beam as such, so subject to confirming with the engineer just for comfort there should be no issue drilling it.

You don't have to have the tank under "curtailage" there is nothing wrong with having the tank and the soakaway under agricultural land.