Ferdinand

You can get real creosote with a Google search. Legal depending on how you use it.

As the world's most useless plumber, can a kind soul advise me how to mend this outside tap that has come adrift. Thanks F

Yes. It's the blog header. If you want to read it put the links form here into archive.org.

How did the asbestos get into a 1900 house? This is integrated solar on the right: There is a membrane like the 25 year pond-liner stuff (HDPE ? EDPM ?) under the panels, and no tiles. And some sort of mounting system. F

It sounds as though there is quite a lot related to the extension (big beam across etc), and then some more relating to the loft conversion on what is a big project.

Thanks

I have a lead replacement flashing over a polycarb carport roof. Can anyone recommend a good sealant to use? The flashing does have room to move etc.. Thanks Ferdinand

Valuing of eco-credentials etc *does* happen, but it is only developing slowly. Expect it to change if, eg, the Govt slug Stamp Duty for inefficient houses, or add a band to Council Tax for houses D or below on EPC. Or put VAT properly on heating fuel.

Welcome. My only comment at this point is to think VERY carefully about the things you only get this chance to do, and to do them to the whole thing not just the extension. I mean things like wall insulation to at least newbuild standard, things under the floor, making it all maintainable for the future, and so on. Ferdinand

I thought Code for Sustainable Homes went voluntary 6-7 years ago. How do they make a standard that is no longer maintained (aiui) compulsory?

Concur.

One q that has not been totally clarified. So if it is more than 1m back it does not require a license? On the Heras you could potentially cover it with something eg fake grass to ae it look more attractive, and block he view. What does the extra cover to £10m actually cost? That may be an option in your policy and the cheapest route.

This was my comment: -------------------- Green point 1 is always Fabric First - make insulated, ventilated, airtight, so that your energy requirement is 1/3 or 2/3 less, and you can have a smaller, cheaper whatever-it-is at the start. Nice thing about terraces is that you only have half the walls. Technologies in this situation? (I would build a heat model so I can countercheck whether I need the version they claim - ss here https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/439-fabric-and-ventilation-heat-loss-calculator/) ASHP is probably a good one. You may need bigger radiators for distribution or perhaps look at a thin-layer ufh system which are available down to about 18mm thick. OTOH existing rads may deliver the heat you need if you have fabric-firsted well. Don't forget about the hot water, which is always a bigger instant load than heating. Or that for really well insulated houses, often cooling it down at certain times is the bigger challenge. Something like a Sunamp heat battery may be a decent boost (heat it up on offpeak), or for the water. I am not sure yet whether that is yet up to being a full heating system - again depends on the house. Or as it is London with its 'orrible air quality, something like a forced air heating system which would incorporate filters might be suitable. That could use an Air to Air Heat Pump. ASHP can also feed rads I believe. Just thoughts

If he can do that, then your plots are too cheap. You need to choose a price for your plots such that you get the profit. ?

Yes - agree on an estate-level scheme. I think this one is already owned, and so I have said do the fabric first to a C or a B of course. Think of say a modest terrace in Chiswick. It's somebody who has already done a barn conversion in the Lake, so knows at least a reasonable amount of stuff. We were all debating the piece in the Sun today about fines for people who persist in wanting gas boilers. The story is mainly wrong, but an interesting debate in a political space.

The request was for any ideas. So speculating. Personally I might be tempted to storage heaters plus a boost, if ASHP was not suitable.

Hmmm. So potentially 1 or 2 of these Sunamps, depending on efficiency of the house. 12kWh storage each at £3k per piece. Not quite there except at the margins. https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/buy/sunamp-heat-batteries/sunamp-ehw-ipv-12

I was wondering about a (say) 4" concrete drive. Potentially you could have it either trad plank-textured, or imprinted. I bet they are happy with you weedkilling it several times ?

Are we yet at the stage where a Sunamp can be heated up overnight, and then used to run radiators during the day?

One of the types of trim. Also there's scotia, which is concave, and various others. Your Wicked has them on the end of an alley.

Good thuoght.

I'm getting lots of queries in another place today. What would you fill this gap with? I think it is a newish house drying out. So my comment would be Decorators' Caulk, or perhaps silicon if it is still moving. I have fired off a couple of further questions. Update: Answers "The home is coming up to 3 years' old. I believe it's just a result of the house drying out/settling. The 'crack' hasn't changed much, if at all, in the past year or so.Unfortunately Bellway refused to fix it because the crack wasn't big enough." Cheers Ferdinand

In conversation in another place about heat pumps this has been asked: Thoughts? I would say insulate to approx current newbuild building regs probably with internal Wall Insulation, floor and loft, work out heat demand, and then look around. But I can't see many viable alternative to ASHP, unless something like Sunamp and off-peak electricity is now realistic (ie used as a storage heater).

Talk to your home builings 'insurance company too. Damage to your driveway may be covered by the policy, and in this case the cause is encroachment by an invasive plant. That sounds enough like a neighbour's tree dropping branches on your roof (for which they are liable if aware of the hazard) as to be worth a conversation. As to dealing with it - potentially a helluva job. Weedkiller may be multiple applications of full strength whatever. There's no point relaying a drive if you haven't got rid of it. It will probably come down to weedkilling until it is dead. So I would go for 3 and 50% refund, and try your insurance company. I would want to see if repeated weedkillings (ay 3 times a year) is a management strategy. Ferdinand

i suspect it is an officer by officer thing. We found highways helpful, yet we also had a need to deal with a drainage outflow at the demand of the LA, to where water already drained (but we were concentrating to one place) and the County Officer who had that one (because it was a nature reserve the other side) was a notorious "do it on the last day" merchant who sat on his bottom rather than talking in advance. That made the PP difficult because the District was demanding an agreement before PP. And at second hand there is no SLA that could be insisted on, so he was entitled to sit on his arse scratching his bits until the last minute.. My Planning Consultant handled the conversations. Ferdinand