Jenki

@Pocster Good thinking. have you tried to install the tap with the OSB in place? I found with most worktop fitters (assume your having some solid worksurface) wont allow you to mess around installing the tap, they just fit the top and leave you to it after they have left.

If its undermount and the worktop will overhang the sink. i.e. you wont see the top of the sink, then I would be tempted to straighten it, (hammer and or mole grips). How you support will depend on the worktop. you can bond some support and the sink to most worktops, but I prefer some form of cradle to hold it all in place, you can incorporate this cradle into the shelf below, my preferred option. Edit:: Front to back usually 50 - 60mm from worktop front edge but try to even it out.

I think you will need batteries or your winters are going to be 24/7 diesel genny chugging away. Fogstar DIY batteries are a good solution- and on my future shopping list...

Screws through the back panels for me, then you've an easy removal if ever needed. glue some filler pieces in place to stop the back panel bowing when the screws are sent home, just measure the panel (18mm)+ gap and add 15mm (assuming the back panel is 18mm) and select the correct screw length.

It's on its way back, should be there today, no refund yet, assume they want to see it, as it was sat outside for 6 weeks while they tried to help I've gone for the Samsung 5KW. managed to get the control kit new off eBay for half price so helped ease the extra cost, plus they do a coastal version.

To be honest everybody is quite far from me 🤣

That's the solution I used - great minds 😉

I'm waiting delivery of my ASHP, so reading your posts thinking I might be removing the TMV I installed. Also looking at your temp gauges see another Arduino project added to the list. ( I've got a mock up to show flow and return at the cylinder, flow and return outside at the ASHP, and DHW and Buffer temps, might add some more probes for the DHW.) Just need the ASHP delivered and to get it working.

Found this🤔tacky? Or this On the stone front, we wanted some Caithness stone for the exterior door cills, so popped up to the quarry, there was literally 1000's of tonnes of stone sat on pallets everywhere, went in and said I'd cut to size if I could find suitable pieces and they told me all the pallets were for orders(can't believe that) and if I wanted to order the leadtime was around 6 months. Walked away with tail between my legs.

I like a self leveling laser level to cast a line around the top of all the units. You find if you move a standard level around the top of the units it changes. With the Lazer you can average out the errors in the units, and it's so easy to level front to back at the same time .

unfortunately, this is true, but the old adage of you don't know what you don't know means even if they have care, and they try, if they don't have a fundamental understanding it will still be a shi*show. Any one can be a builder..... Self builders have so much more invested in the process I'd be stunned if anyone is 90% happy with the whole process... To qualify we've done all ours so far, and I'm still unhappy with little bits😂

Off topic... Cracking view

Time will tell.... Fingers well and truly crossed.🤞

It is important, but it will depend on the fittings. Some are female so you can use a brass nipple in between the elbow and shower outlet. The nipple( threaded bar with a hole), and be cut to length and filed flat to seal against rubber and fibre washers. Others have a separate fitting that screws in to the elbow and o rings to seal against the outlet. When fitting these I always get the parts on site and make the decision from there BEFORE installing the pipework. Post pictures of what you've got and help will follow.😉

When reading about ICF, I think @FM2015?described check reveals and window cills extending beyond the frame all help with keeping water out. As I fitted the frame from the inside ( to push up against the EWI on the sides and top) my cills finish flush with the side of the frames, so there is a gap which needs sealing. I used airtight foam, and silicon, but on the two windows I had issues with, I must have left a small gap, which the rain and with the assistance of 50mph winds pushed the water in. (I think the problem area was where the frame sits on the cill and has a small gap for face draining) I'm thinking If I'd fitted the cill first with horns, I could have sealed this first with better access, then the frame after. But that would then have meant screwing through the frame into the cill, and I judged this would not be a secure a fixing. I was concerned that the only seal between the frame and cill is silicon and a small upstand of UPVC on the back of the cill. It seems ok now. So I've stopped worrying about that and on to the next concerns🤣

You can also get double sockets that act as WIFI repeaters. I've gone simple with mine, but have added cat6 to the TV and desk area. I'll put a socket repeater at either end of the house. Just in case.

The main reason for skirting boards is to creat a nice finish , board up to ceiling, packed at bottom, then skirt to finish. I'd see the main issue getting a nice finish at both ceiling and floor. I can't comment on if the Fermacell will wick any moisture from the concrete.

Skim? Plastering onto plasterboad with a skim of multi finish as opposed to tape and joint. I'm no plasterer, but there was lots of water, and the messiest part of the build.

@Iceverge Under slinging the PIR helped with the airtightness ( I hope) I increased the wall height to give me room for the PIR and service cavity, still leaving me with 2400 ceiling. Poor sketch ...>>>> I went for triple glazed rehau Sys 70 UPVC. I've not drawn the cladding. The EPS is the ICF, to close the cavity I used 6x2 timber, the frames we're strapped to the timber. I couldn't put horns on the cill, and I wish I could have found a solution, but I had to screws the cill to the frame from the bottom. So could not post the frame from inside with the horns on the cill. This is, I fear a weak point. I did have some driven rain (50mph winds), on 2 windows, come in prior to the cladding, but this is resolved, but came from this area.

Did you get it from the same guy on eBay? Just need to resolve my heat pump woes now.

Update, After some back and forth the fact is this unit is setup for 1 temperature, so ideal for UFH. It doesn't do half the things the manual says it does. It does not have an input for temperature. It does not have any other outputs that can be picked up to use third party controls. It does have an on off option, but not sure what the control panel will actually do. Could I use it at a set temperature e.g. 46 Deg, and heat the DHW and Buffer to this temp, controling with a standard 2 channel programmer.? not sure, but then what efficiencies would this produce. I've still not got confirmation I can return yet, I think I'll have to pay return carriage at least .🥲 So will push for a return and see what unfolds.

It's been a while since my last blog, but we've not stopped, the days are shorter and the weather skipped autumn🍂 and dived into winter with a few storms and loads of rain. Our windows are budget friendly triple glazed UPVC, and composite doors. The external EPS was sealed at the cill with EPDM airtight tape, the tape has reinforcement in it and can be moulded, it does crease but creates a water tight junction and sticks like the proverbial to the EPS. We created a cheek reveal with an additional layer of 50mm EPS and sealed the upvc frames against this, I then ran a bead of sealant against the face and edge of the EPS giving two seals. Then when clad a third seal. I used soudal air tight foam and I thinks it's LMA sealant, soudal's airtight solution. The winds gave good opportunity to test for air leaks when had several days of 35mph winds. This proved a good test with a smoke pen. The internal frame was sealed with soudal sf40 which adheres very well to the upvc and timber blocking, when cured it is like rubber. The cladding is larch boards in 2 widths 150mm for the bottom layer and 100mm for the top. We finished the top of the windows with a custom palistol coated drip The bottom of the EPS footing was finished with reclaimed slate. Inside we are having a cold roof. We needed to add 25mm pir under the truss cord to satisfy the tightened regulations in Scotland. We tapped the foil boards with foil tape, and the perimeter boards were pushed to touch the wall plate. Then used airtight foam between the PIR and internal IFC wall creating a seal. Under the PIR I used plastic membrane that I spray glued to the PIR, and this draped down the perimeter walls. The under ceiling was battened and counter battened, this created a service void for the cables and not penetrating the loft. The plastic was jointed with EPDM airtight tape on joins and walls. Cables were put inside Flexi conduit that was cut into grooves in the ICF. (All water pipes were run under the slab.) This picture shows the detail for the airtightness and the service void. MVHR ducts (7 plenums ) were run in the loft, and under 400mm of loft roll. The manifolds are also under the loft insulation. I made these airtight using the same EPDM tape. I made gaskets out of the plastic with a circle cutter and stretched it over the plenums, then air tight tape to seal everything to the plastic/ PIR. The walls also needed some IWI to meet the tighter regs, so decided to go with 25mm PIR. This also added another seal for the plastic airtight layer and walls. The poly steel ICF has these metal plates at 150mm ctrs that allow the cladding battens to be secured externally and the plasterboard internally, we used self tapping drywall screws and insulation discs to hold the PIR in place before installing the plasterboard. Picture for detail below. At this stage we've got a large airtight box. Now it's a case of installing the stud work. I lined the plant room with pre painted 12mm OSB, and the bathroom with 18mm OSB ( a Scottish building regs requirement needing the ability for future hand rails etc) Electrics are simple, a few Ethernet points and sockets and spotlights. One pendant over the dining( and if I get my way, and budget allows pool table). The only penetrations from the loft are a light, PV cables, TV aerial, and 4g antenna cables. These are in conduit and sealed both ends. All other cables run in the ceiling void or stud work. I've put a few sensors in the studwork for future Arduino projects to accompany the in slab sensors. The plant room is compact, and work in progress. The PV is up and running and to date produced just shy of 300KwH in 5 winter weeks With the first fix complete it was time to plasterboard, we got 80 boards delivered Wednesday midday, just as storm Babet hit, it was too windy to bring them in, I tried, I failed so it had to stay outside 😭, covered in plastic, tarpaulins, scaffold boards and the obligatory ratchet straps. 3 days of constant 35mph gusting 50mph gave opportunities to check for airtightness. I managed to install the flush shower tray during this downtime. Once the storm blew though we got the boards inside and cracked on, the open plan lounge, diner, kitchen was boarded first and as soon as it was complete I skimmed the ceiling, 11 boards was too big for me and my tennis elbow, that coupled with not plastering anything for several years. I split the room in two and used several layers of scrim tape to plaster up to, then remove the scrim tape and skim the 2nd part. It worked well, and it's painted and the join is seamless. The next few days we mixed it up skimming in the morning and boarding in the afternoon for the next day. Today is day 182 of the build, this is basically from the cleared site that was down to rock with the pecking already done. Currently the house is fully skimmed, most of the ceilings have been primed and painted white and we started the kitchen install today. All the bathroom is here waiting to be installed, and some appliances are here most arriving this week. This has been pretty much 7 days a week, with only around 12 to 18 days off to earn some money and pay off some labour debts. We're hoping to move in, in 2 weeks with a working bathroom and kitchen 🤞, the static has now reverted to ice box during the night🥶

Sorry, I missed this. Basically the slab is very good, I did put screed bars / expansion joints into the slab and the only cracks follow these lines. around 90% of the slab is flat and smooth. the worst areas were the edges where I couldn't get the power float, and the sun made finishing with a trowel due to drying quickly impossible. There were a few high spots which we have ground with a diamond disc, unfortunately this exposed more of the plastic fibres, the fibres used in out slab are around 50mm long 1mm thick and 2mm wide, so quite chunky things really, and the result of this is that there wont just wear away, and a blow lamps to burn them off is not satisfactory. So decision made - LVT flooring it is..

@ProDave mentioned pictures for the pcb. so had another look. its difficult to see as its mounted on part of the frame upside down. there is a large heat sink but to me only one PCB and all the wires go to this. I would have to dismantle a lot of the frame to get a better view of the PCB. /////im thinking its time to cut my loses and fight for a return and buy a more mainstream product, @dpmiller, @ProDave thanks for the info, might put a cable to it tomorrow just to see, but going forward, I'm pushing for a return.

It shouldn't be, the controller should control everything.