richo106

Has anyone used the Sonos ceiling speakers? Thanks again

Thanks for the recommendations What system would I use with these speakers? would I need an individual system with each room? sorry for the novice questions, despite being an electrician I have never done any home stereo etc Many Thanks

Hi we are planning a renovation project and would like to install a ceiling speaker in each room (2 in one of them) is there systems out there to do this? Could anyone any ceiling speakers to do this? Many Thanks

OK I am awaiting info regarding the U-Value on that so I will definitely mention that Yes that is with thermolite blocks, I will mention to the builder regarding Thermaclass...I spoke to saint-gobain technical advice so they specified their products. I will look into rockwool or similar Would you batten all the walls including where I would use 50mmPIR plasterboard?

Hi All We are in the planning stages of our renovation and I am writing the spec for our builder/BC The house will be heated using an ASHP so wanted to achieve a good level of insulation, what are peoples opinions on the current insulation level I have opted for? Are the U-values low enough for a low temperature ASHP to be suitable? downstairs is UFH and upstairs planning to use heat pump convectors We don't want external wall insulation so have opted for IWI Just wanted some other opinions before I sent it So far these are my insulation levels and U values for the different areas of our house: Pitched Roof (General Loft): U-Value = 0.13 · 150mm Isover Spacesaver between joists · 200mm Isover Spacesaver over joists Pitched Roof (Bedroom Vaulted Ceiling): U-Value = 0.14 · 120mm Celotex XR4000 between rafters (400 centres) · 50mm PIR Backed Plasterboard (PL4050) screwed to rafters Downstairs Walls (Existing Bungalow): U-Value = 0.20 · Brickwork 103mm · Cavity 80mm with 80mm blown insulation · Brickwork 103mm · 50mm PIR Backed Plasterboard (PL4050) dot and dabbed New Upstairs Walls (above existing bungalow): U-Value = 0.18 · Brickwork 103mm · Cavity 80mm with 75mm Isover CWS32 · Blockwork 100mm · 50mm PIR Backed Plasterboard (PL4050) dot and dabbed New Double Extension: U-Value = 0.18 · Brickwork 103mm · Cavity 100mm with 90mm Celotex Thermaclass cavity wall · Blockwork 100mm · 12.5mm Wallboard dot and dabbed Ground Floor Slab · 150mm MOT · 100mm Concrete Slab · 200mm PIR Insulation – Celotex XR4200 · 75mm Screed All help and advice greatly appreciated

I will try to avoid installing sockets in the external walls where I will installing the PIR backed board, but in some cases this can't be avoided. What's the best way to install sockets/switches when using 50mm backed boards? I will also be installing kitchen units on a external wall, what would be the best way for this? I was thinking of installing osb behind the PB but what would be the best way to do this now? Sorry for all the questions, as you can tell its my first time using these products Thanks again

Thanks Nick, another speedy and very useful response Many Thanks

I've been looking into PIR backed plasterboard, seems very expensive. Suppose would save on labour costs I was looking to do stud walls/partitions/battens myself just I wouldn't fancy dotting and dabbing on that large of scales Downstairs I will be insulating over existing plaster...is it best to take all this off? before I insulate internally Many Thanks

Thank you, I will look into them What about the warm wall method? 50mm PIR, then 25mm studs with a fixing through the battens and PIR? What fixings would be best to fix through them both? Would I then install cables and pipe work the warm/room side? In the 25mm void? Thanks again

I can definitely mention the 200mm PIR instead of the 150mm originally the building said 100mm but I upped him to 150. good idea regarding the additional PIR in the vaulted ceiling bedrooms I will be definitely be doing that. Regarding the insulated backed plasterboard, do you think this will give better performance than say a stud wall infront of the walls with an 10mm air gap and 50mm rock wool insulation? thanks again

Thanks for the reply Regarding insulation, there will be 150mm under the UFH in our new ground floor slab, the existing building has 70-80mm cavity with insulation in and I will be insulating internally using either 50mm PIR or rock wool depending on what system we install (recommendations welcome!) also in the bedrooms with vaulted ceilings will be 100mm PIR between the joists. windows are residence 7 You mentioned air tightness, what are the best ways to achieve this? we want a couple of log burners in kitchen/diner and lounge…are these Ok for air tightness? Many Thanks

Hi All We are planning our renovation project for this year, our village doesn't have mains gas We think we have decided to go for ASHP (16.5kw Daikin Altherma) to supply our heating/DHW..so solely electric rather than LPG or Oil The way our house faces, with very small section south facing and blocked by tree so I don't think it will be very suitable for solar panels (see picture) Would people still look into solar panel and maybe have a company come round before ruling it out? Is there any other options to help reduce energy costs? I'm guessing only battery storage is useful when having some solar panels (or another form of generation) All advice and information appreciated Many Thanks

So fixed 50mm pir directly to the wall? Tape them together? how would I attach the plasterboards? Sorry for the daft questions

Thanks, this was my original thought with 50mm studs. How does rock wool compare to PIR in terms of insulation? Im guess rock wool a lot easier to use/install?

Hi all With our build in its planning stage just trying to sort some finer details. Our existing bungalow only has a 70-80mm cavity (blown insulation in it I believe) we are going to insulate internally what would people use to insulate inside? 50mm celotex or 50mm rock wool? what is the best method to install it? New metal stud inside? Battens? All advice greatly welcomed as I am struggling for the best way to do this at the minute Many Thanks

Thank you very much for the comments I will definitely be recycling them now, I can use them as oversite before the builders create our new concrete slab Currently the bungalow has 700-1000mm void under the floorboards and the plan is to have a new slab throughout with insulation, UFH pips etc Would you recommend hiring a crusher for a few days or would breaking them up with a sledgehammer be ok? I'm guessing the crusher will save a lot of time!

I had it in my head that you couldn't use hardcore recycled from your site for a concrete slab base (for the house) as it would be classed as ungraded I might be completely wrong though

Hi Early next year we are planning to be removing a couple of garden walls and also some internal walls of our bungalow ready for our extension We will have quite a few tonnes of brick waste Are we ok to fill a skip with the waste? Or I don't mind doing trips to a tip over a few months? One other option would be to hire a crusher but we are not keen on using 'recycled' hardcore as part of our new concrete slab Just wondered how people managed to dispose of their waste bricks/concrete Many Thanks

Hi Kernow I am also looking installing R7 windows in our project Did you go with them in the end? Has anybody else got any feedback/reviews on them? Many Thanks

Unfortunately it is not a great plot for PV. The back is NW facing and the left had side of the plot is tree lined I will be installing an ASHP so its shame its not the best to install PV

Hi All We have just had the nod from planning so we are now getting the structural engineer involved and he has raised an with the roof with I didn't realise (naively) Basically he is saying if we built it to the drawings currently it would have a flat roof section I have attached a marked up section of the roof he has done and also 3D renders to show what we are hoping to achieve. We are still undecided on the vaulted ceilings in the bedrooms and landing so could do away with Velux windows He said I have 4 options: 1. to have a 3rd gable over the porch with 2 ‘captive’ gutters running between the 3 gables but no flat bit. 2. Smaller flat roof in the centre of the roof (not accessible and leak problems) 3. Raise the ridge so it sits centrally from side to side but this will create a high ridge that the planners may not like and will make the whole property much taller and ‘imposing’. No flat sections. 4. Large flat area that is accessible and can be drained (as my sketch). Option 4 says large flat area to be accessible? How would people do this and drain it? Has any body came across and sorted this issue before? Any ideas/opinions at all? We have a month or so to make any alterations to design so would like to get this bottomed out Thanks again SE Roof Mark-up.pdf

Hi Our plans are almost decided, one of the final things that have came up is bay window roof types. The architect has put flat ones on Has anyone got any experience with flat roofs on bay windows, can you get one piece composite roofs? rather than it being made up of strips of roof material? Or do we go with the traditional pitched roofs? Thanks in advance

Yes basically radiators with a fan, my concern is are they noisy? Been having a look but can't see much on them regarding reviews etc

We are having UFH throughout the ground floor, then upstairs in both the bathrooms Due to having 22mm T&G flooring and carpets upstairs we wasn't sure how effective UFH would be and the additional cost of insulating underneath so we thought UFH downstairs and then rads upstairs could be a good option. Then the guy recommended having HPC's instead of traditional radiators

I'm guessing what they mean by 'cooling' is being able to use the fan element of the convector to blow cooler air into the room