saveasteading

Agreed. Undersized rafters (perhaps the roof load has increased if retiled) and the diagonal struts may have been added as a bodge, but are now bending under the load they were not meant to take. I would not adjust and leave it as is. Either fix new, deeper, timbers against the existing joists but horizontally, (lots of fixings) so that they strengthen them and also provide a level for the ceiling. (sistering, as above) OR prop up the whole roof and replace the joists and the struts with much heavier timbers. OR get an Engineer in. I think if you were just to board over, or fix a new level surface underneath first, that it might continue to deflect. Now looking again at the photos, I see the attic joists are lapped near the middle. Looks like several issues over the years and now is a bit of a mess.

So the doors were very high? Do you mean that you will cut out boards just enough to do the job? This is what most people do, and shouldn't be a problem structurally but just looks messy. theoretically the floor might move more at the cut, but the gravel is preventing that. what floor are you?

That is my point really. Doubling the thickness is deemed to double the performance and I doubt that it does. Not saying it doesn't all help, but will be diminishing returns. The suppliers aren't about to test this theory, so the literature and models assume that the second 100mm is as effective as the first 100mm

Food for life or finished floor level?

You tease! I was there in the late 70's, surveying tenements to decide if they could live or must come down. It was based almost entirely on hanging a plumb down the stairwell and noting the slope of the walls. Every 'stair' had a residents group who got to decide trivial stuff that kept them involved. There was always one woman who was the undisputed leader, and I think she was always called Big Aggie. How long to wait for the next pic?

We discussed this a few weeks ago, and I realised that the rules had changed. It used to be that you HAD to have an open vent pipe at the end of the run, but could have durgos elsewhere. The rules now do not require that end vent, but it is allowed. The advantage of the end vent is that it allows air both directions, so a big burp in the depths of the drains will have somewhere to release, other than through your U bends, or wherever else. So that is smelly and thus needs to be above the roof/ away from windows. You are right to avoid penetrations through the roof if you can.

Any opening. So the bottom standpipe would be up to the sink overflow level, which doesn't gain you anything compared to current, other than tidiness. the under-sink version has 2 diameters on the hose connection, and should be standard.

That works but must be above the sink water or it will pour out. there are sealed connectors for the purpose or separate standpipe as below, but it depend on circumstances.

Glad you know the reasons against this stuff.

If the RHI scheme is like the previous grants for solar panels/ turbines/ green stuff generally then the approval process costs a fortune and the approved installers charge accordingly and take the money. I'm sure there are installers who give best value, but they will be very busy. It was the same with lottery funding to schools and trusts....they had to use an approved architect to propose the scheme, which then generally ended up costing more than it would without the funding.

Good news then. Thanks for the update.

At what thickness do you think it becomes uncommercial? 200 my guess, and that depends on building size and soil conditions too.

Generally good people who would like to make the world better, but constrained by under-resourcing and politics.

EPS on the bottom? The thickness of insulation must provide diminishing returns, but I think the theoretical calculations say that 200 is twice as good as 100. As an extreme example, at 1000 I don't think the last 100mm will be making any difference. Extending that logic, it would be best to put the better insulation on top....I think.

Yes and you have only this one chance to do it, especially if you are having underfloor heating. Someone else here can do the calculation for you, but I am guessing you get the money back in about 5 years, and as fuel prices rise you benefit more (lose less).

I'm not a fan of superfoil or the bubblewrap insulation sheets, but might that not be easy and useful under the rafters?

You are there, so why not get your hand in the pipe and see what the inside is like? These are really for problem solving, not new work, but perhaps your drain was already there.

I seem to recall that even these don't need planning. As to planning and SAP, nobody can make you fit it immediately, and it is reasonable to explain cash flow. The BCO theoretically could say you hadn't yet satisfied the SAP, but unlikely. I have many a project with 'future PV panels' on the planning drawing.

Wardrobe solid to the floor, then carpet built into it. I'm an amateur but have managed to lay carpet into walk-in wardrobe, all in one piece. Easier to cut and put a threshold on though. I can't see any advantage in building on the carpet as it will be trashed under the wardrobe walls.

It is easy enough to find by searching online. Pointing the dish is rather more difficult and there is a meter for that (even in b and q I think. For horizontal direction finding I use google earth...draw a line from the transmitter and then you can see the line of sight you need when up on the roof.

We are talking red squirrels here, and also pine martens. From what I have read the swallows are not programmed to see a box on a tree as an option anyway. Perhaps a big, insulated box constructed on the outside of an outbuilding would do.

There are mountains of the stuff in Spain and Italy, but getting smaller. Pinoso (Alicante. Spain), is the largest marble quarry in the world. The Alicante plane flies over this on approach. Different mountains, different colours.

I can tell you are genuine and can afford it as you haven't asked the cost.

I don't think we do politics here. Or swearing, whether asterisked or not..

Think dismantling rather than demolition. Look at HSE guidance on working with asbestos (which is proportionate and sensible) and Local Authority rules on disposal Or get a company to do it. Then make sure it is done sensibly for your own health and workers and neighbours. OH lines, the rules should be published online (or phone them) , and are mainly to do with proximity. High voltages jump a long way to a metal object such as a crane or hoist (or person on roof) and fusing the neighbourhood doesn't go down well.