Selfbuildsarah

Building control have just said fit an in-line roof tile vent. Opinions please!

Just spoken to Brendan from MBC on site and he’s reassured us all taping including soil pipe will be done by MBC so we will stick with the one plus AAVs 👍

Thanks Branco. We did think about this. We will have a further chat with builder this morning. Presumably we will have to get the OK with building control first if we choose to do that?

Our timber frame is nearly up and we have a roofer and builder lined up for external work. I don’t think our roofer is familiar with airtight, timber frame or our builder 😬 We have been advised to use ProClima Roflex gasket and Tescon Vana tape to seal soil stack. Apologies if this is a silly question (mine usually are) but is this for penetration through the roof tiles or lower or both? Should we also be using a special flashing? Our roofing will be Danum TLE system. We are going to have to explain this clearly to roofer and builder this morning!

My husband is a bit of a technophobe and not computer literate. He is struggling with the Obi portal to upload required documents. Asked me to take a look. I am usually fairly confident with tech and if I don’t know how to use a system I will find out how to. Well I can’t make head nor tail of it. There is clearly going to be a lot of info to upload and we are clueless. Any suggestions for support in this process?

Advice please re fire rated mineral wool cavity closure. We will be having part timber clad and part render on our MBC timber frame airtight house. Do we need different types of cavity closure according to surface. What about ventilation? A possible builder is asking what we want!

Having trouble finding any first fix plumbers in Cambridgeshire or surrounding areas. Where are they hiding? Any suggestions or recommendations gratefully received. We are running short of time.

Apologies if this is in the wrong place - wasn’t quite sure where it ought to be! Does anyone know where I can find the spindles in this photo? They are not the same as most round/tubular versions. These are more of a flat, ribbon shape. Thank you

Someone has just raised something I haven’t come across so far - do we need antifreeze in our ufh?

This is way harder than we imagined. We are (at the moment) working on the assumption that the external work will be carried out by individual trades, rendering, timber cladding, brick plinth and roof. Looking for a builder/contractor for internal work. Good ones seem to be thin on the ground in Huntingdonshire/Cambridgeshire and those we’ve approached either don’t respond to calls/emails or say no, too busy, can’t do it until August/Sept or not interested. We are currently preparing the site for MBC to start at the end of April and here we are unable to look forward ………

Thank you Alan

All 16 pages? 😳

Can anyone recommend somewhere for personalised site signage please? Our plot is at the bottom of a partly completed development and so we want to position appropriate signage along the route rather than just rely on what three words. Thanks!

I’ve finally got around to looking at the heat loss figures and roughly calculated that the suggested size of heat pump by our installers is too large. They have told us 12kw but my calculations said 7kw. I will do a room by room calculation to double-check but I wondered if some kind soul has the time to check for me if I send my SAP report. I simply can’t get on with the online checkers. Would be so grateful.

We thought we had settled on Weberpral monocouche render but have the opportunity to change it last minute. We would like one suitable for timber frame, so presumably a silicone. Not a glaring white (we had chosen chalk white) and something that looks good for a long time. I have seen some that are spoiled by algae quite quickly. I would prefer as smooth a finish as possible - not thick and lumpy like the old snow cem! Any advice re compatible renderboard which works well with TF. Thanks all

Thanks for your thoughts SimonD. They also have very good reviews. I will contact RHH as you suggest. Thanks very much! Appreciated.

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Anyone know a good installer in Cambridgeshire? I actually felt comfortable with them and felt they would install correctly but their calculations for heat pump size were coming from some computer calculation module thingy. Didn’t ask for any input from us. Open plan, no zoning. “We calculate on the number of bedrooms” 🙁 I can’t believe how difficult it is to find someone suitable. Having the same trouble finding a contractor 🙁 They also didn’t think the cylinder etc would fit under the stairs. First time anyone’s said that. Whose idea was it to build a house???

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Anyone know a good installer in Cambridgeshire?

Seeing them this morning. I just wanted to prep. We can’t find any installers in our area (see previous post). We have full SAP report (all 16 pages) which means nothing to me. Heat loss comes up a handful of times relating to different things, all different figures. I see other people quoting a single number … 4, 5 heat loss or such like so was expecting something similar to be on the report. This is worse than windows 😂

We have received a predicted energy assessment and a BREL compliance report today. Will I find the numbers I need in there to help size a heat pump? I can’t see anything re heat loss amongst the headings. We are meeting with an installer tomorrow. Over heating stuff is to follow.

Looks fabulous. Kitchen and doors look particularly fab! Well done to Mrs P on the doors 😊 Hope you absolutely love living there.

The ones illustrated at the beginning of this thread are the ones on our order.

As shown at the beginning of this thread in the line drawings. Outward opening patio & French doors.

Thanks for this. We have just ordered. We are hoping we’ve got everything right with the window sill choices. I will check using your advice! I just have an issue with not seeing the door sills. Norrsken seem thorough re end caps,widths etc for windows depending on finishes. We have render with some walls. Cladding on others. I feel comfortable with that. I just would love to see a photo of a slide under sill on a door. I think it may look ugly or flimsy 😏

That’s good of you Craig, thank you, but it’s just gone into the order pipeline. I thought I could relax but I’m still twittering about the sills.