saveasteading

And that is with prearranged units being tested, so some quality control. I can't remember the detail unfortunately but a bco once told me that a big volume can have falsely good air pressure tests. That was because we were testing a warehouse of some 100,000m3 with a very big fan and the result was far better than required. Subsequently kit has got smaller and they want to close off sections where possible. Operators have asked me 'what figure are we hoping for'. Also i have observed some constructions with interest and been dubious about the published pressure results and epc. No further comment. Re the arched house (which I have driven past after a wrong turning) (the turf had slid a bit at that time) : the external area will be relatively small which helps A/V. And it is covered in turf which won't insulate so well when sodden or frozen as when dry. It would be interesting to see the real life energy figures.

Yes it is laid out in the regs. We have been looking at cooker extractors. The extraction volume is much more than the recirculation for the same machine. Is your priority to get rid of the smell and oils, or to avoid discarding the warm air when cooking? Our view is that it uis there to catch and dispose of the fumes.. and anything else is secondary.

I believe it is still available in some ceiling panels, in little capsules or grains. The size doesn't matter and doesn't change significantly. It is a solid changing to a liquid by absorbing energy in daytime then returning it to the space by turning solid again. Rather like ice changing to water and water to steam, but using resins, large amounts of energy can be stored in small volumes. More realistically it will be useful as large stores of heat....I think I saw it proposed as 100mm dia tubes of resin stored under house floors. 5 years ago it was coming soon.... I am not commenting on the product mentioned....more study required to get up to date.

Some background to your situation is useful, but keep in mind that all our discussions on BH are public and come up on search engines. Hedge roots will probably help hold the ground in place while excavated, but further growth could be a problem. It is well known that you can cut back any growth overhanging your land, but I have no idea the legal position if your side of the hedge was damaged by, for example severe cutting or accidental weedkiller damage. The fact that the fill has been there for several years msy not help much...it takes literally 'ages' for ground to become dense and stable.

It sounds as if you have all the strength you need, and the tarmac is only for tidiness and smoothness. So the tarmac can be much thinner. 100m x 3?= 300m2 × 150mm = 45m3 X 2tonnes x £100(?) £9,000 for the material. You should at least half that and also save on sundries and labour.

In theory yes, as the sun and energy has entered the room. In practice it can help a lot if it fills or covers the window opening. I haven't seen it discussed, but I think simply containing the heat allows a proportion to conduct back through the glass. Plus, a light colour will reflect some light back outside...if you can see it from outside, that is reflected energy.

I'm a CE, and there is a very sensible 'retired' option for about 1/3 annual fee. I have to declare that my annual income is under a certain, quite low, amount. So it keeps me chartered and in touch, in case of a return to action. Very civilised I think. Engineer, and Civil Engineer are not protected terms unfortunately hence anyone with a van and a shovel..... I suspect Architects are paying more for the committees that protect the name.

As opposed to aluminium?

And isn't looking for fame and awards.

Except that 0.27 is better than the minimum 0.3. But a long way off 0.18 so there will neeed to be an awful lot in the roof. I wonder who is supervising.

Replacing corrugated with corrugated is pointless. Previous comments apply. (Apologies for the multiple typos.) Cheap inner box, risks apply, but no-one will die.

You are of course, unless they can tell you where the offset is. They can offset a shortfall in the wall as long as it reaches minimum standard, with extra elsewhere.....but they probably use the same argument for the floor and roof and windows. The build quality is more my worry., having seen affordable housing with complete gaps. Ask them about airtightness? Actually my main concern is builders who just ignore the drawings, through ignorance and sometimes arrogance.

Do you have any spare headroom at the doors, so you could build on top without bumping your head? probably not. Any extra insulation, even 10mm will make a difference. My hunch is that the previous custodian has poured a simple concrete slab over the previous brick, including a dpm. How to find out? you could cut or bore a hole and see what you find. Infill with sand /cement back to level, but paint the inside and base of the hole with bitumen to maintain a dampness barrier. If you do, you it would be worth going through the underlayer until you hit earth, to see what is there, and how deep.

Yes this is not fair, and you have to doubt the principles throughout the business. I would always prefer the supplier who gives a fair price straight off. Let me give you an extreme example. A very big order of fibreglass quilt(2,000m2) SIG: let me look on the screen, yes we can give you a price of £x/m2......long, long pause, and 30% discount. Me: I was looking for much more than that SIG: what other prices do you have, as we will match it. Me: I am not telling you that, and will only go back to the best supplier, so what is your best price? SIG: Ahhh, it isn't really how we work but I can offer 60% Me: look at your records and see that you sold to us at 70% 3 months ago. SIG: ahhh but that was in Oxfordshire , we don't give that discount in Kent. Me: but it is a lorry load straight from the factory and you don't handle it. SIG: no it is just policy. so I got a better price eventually but bought it at similar elsewhere, where the quote was not a try-on.

Bars I can't help with, except agree the advice above to get help from a bat expert, not enthusiast. For GCN I can help. I've done maybe 6 or 7 planning apps where newts were likely. In no cases did we do a survey at great expense, or relocate newts (at great expense). Who does the survey, makes the recommendations and then does the work? Yes, so don't go there. We always just accepted that there were newts, which we loved and respected, so no point in catching them. Any expert knows that newts are all in the water at a certain period, so that is when you strip the ground. Sorted. Except some 'experts' may forget to mention that option.

Up to you of course. £50 won't go far with 3 coats required for the one i just looked up. The glossy website says lots of vague things. Under 'testing' it says that the company's profucts have been tested. Nog which products anc for what. Eg ig could be quality control only, confirming that the pajnt is paint. No performance statements or certificates. So this is very dubious, but probably harmless.

If it looks darkish grey and weatherbeaten then it is likely to bd asbestos fibres in it. Not dangerous in the slightest unless you make dust from it. The likeliest problem would confensatikn or other damp getting onto or into your new inner ceiling. As a ptoper job, get the sheeting removed and build a suitable new roof, with insulation. As a justifiable bodge, build an understructure, but separate it from the roof with polythene covering, on a slope. It may fail but at 1/4 the cost of the proper job.

I haven't seen anything credible. It is exactly what my house needs, so please show me it is real. I asked a distributor for proof and he just showed me his leaflet again.

Outdoors, wih a long brush. Mask if you wish. Safe i would say. Once applied it will be safe.

It is like used engine oil. I used it on raised bed timbers and it seems to work as a preservative, but I think might look poor on a shed.

Draughts first, yes agreed. pull the furniture away from the walls and get down close where you can feel the cold air coming in. (you won't feel warmer air going out, which might still be happening). I have never use smoke sticks but that seems worthwhile. Floors lose most heat near to outside walls, when built solid on the ground, as the earth has quite a bit of thermal resistance. In your house though, probably most of the floor is within 3m of the outside. Insulating the floor is the most efficient, as you get the immediate benefit of warmer feet. That house probably had a loose brick floor, if anything, originally. It may still be there, built over, in which case removal might not be too bad. BUT beware that digging out internally will expose the foundations, which are likely very shallow....but can be overcome with care.

Do they know that you are looking for weaknesses? ie that they aren't just testing , but going round with a smoke stick looking for gaps? If they were to do the test, then pack up and leave without you knowing where the problems were, it wouldn't be much help. Remember to close trickle vents and blank off all extract fans in advance.

I just saw this, flagged up by the system. I don't think so. There will be an OG curve. Generally projects get cheaper £/m2 as they get bigger, but then it flattens off. Of course bigger projects tend to be flasher, but that won't be a sudden step, and it will be a similar curve but higher up the £ scale. Also big projects need bigger companies, to handle the cashflow but again, there is no threshold.

Thanks, that is helpful and we can concentrate on what is possible. Would you like to summarise any outstanding questions, and any fundamental constraints from your own aspirations.?

I didn't know how useful a mitre saw was until I got one, by chance. It is a battery powered one, so not what a professional would want, but for diy it is superb. I can't cut straight, so this was just the business esp for mouldings.