CotswoldDoItUpper

This is true, it’s nearly cheeper for us to generate our own leccy from an LPG generator. Will be looking into PV too and none of this will show up on our smart meter!

I don’t mind at all, but it’s woefully inaccurate and just seems like complete guesswork about our appliances and when/how we use them! I don’t have strong feelings either way about smart meters in general, they’re not going to save me money, but they will educate about how much I use without having to do readings/calculations etc.

Even off the 3-pin granny charger?!?

But how do they know I have an EV (actually 2!)?!?

I know that it can report on how much energy im using, but how on earth does it know what I’m using that electricity on?!? Does my car (which I haven’t told them is EV!) take a different type of ‘lecy to my tumble dryer?!?

Yes, it needs a gentle trim to keep it in shape. Or because I think they’re ugly I might get carried away with a chainsaw and give them a v v heavy haircut.

…. Abs today my plug in hedge trimmer packed up. All of my other tools are 18v DeWalt so I have 4 & 5Ah batteries etc already. Do I go for another cheep and cheerfully plug in, a DeWalt (either ’standard’ or extended arm) battery or one of these fancy petrol multi tool things? Got a fair amount that needs trimming off, inc some conifer style (no idea - I’m no gardener!) hedges. thanks all!

Meant to say, bedroom gable faces due south.

Ok so having had a play around, this is one bedroom with an en-suite. Does this confirm to building regs for a space saving staircase? can anyone make any suggestions for the design? it will be a new roof, structure TBC, again any advice suggestions or experience welcome!

We have done this recently. We went for this box shaped buffer which sits in our coat cupboard and means we have warm n dry coats all the time! https://www.advanceappliances.co.uk/product/141-buffer-stores/ Just fitted Hive TRVs to each rad so each room can be controlled for temp and time individually. Also have an s-plan but it’s not set up and not sure I’m going to (both valves open all the time). Boiler timer switches on/off when heating is required.

That’s strangely mesmerising!!

The old bit of our house has solid walls approx 800mm thick and was battened/dry lined on 2in x 4in frame in the 80s with no insulation. My wife is adamant that we aren’t removing the plasterboard or adding anything on top, and I’m trying to find a way to insulate. how (if at all) can we both be satisfied?* * I would request to keep it clean, but from my experience so far think this is unlikely! 😂

Do they do a type that accidentally fall off after a few days/after the pictures have been taken?!?

Not suggesting this, but would a suitably placed tarpaulin covering the panels help to mitigate the risk of them being ‘live’?

Has anyone had experience with a SIPS style roof? Any indication of cost? Replacement joists are about £4000+vat+delivery obv then +instillation+insulation, felt, battens tiles etc. I guess SIPS would be the same additional costs except insulation with lower/quicker (?) instillation costs?

Yes but I fixed it about a month ago at 34p/l +vat. No idea how I got such a good deal!

Am I missing something… I’ve fixed my bulk LPG supply at 35.7p/l inc vat. This is about 5p/kWh. An LPG generator would have to work at an efficiency below 18% efficiency to make it not worth it. what efficiency are lpg gennys? This might be. Better option then PV! think this one would cost 28.5p/kWh running at half load. Obv more cost effective at full load. Anyone want to check my maths? https://www.hampshiregenerators.co.uk/product/generators/lpg-generators/greengear-ge3000uk-3kw-portable-lpg-powered-generator/

thanks @SuperPav it’s a detached house, original 1801 cottage extended by previous owners in 1983. No curtilage or restrictions other then general area regulations. Room below head height is 2280 and 230 above windows so sounds like that’s not worth it. were 3 beds atm, adding a 4th would in all likelihood add a further £100-150k ish to the house value. it’s more of a thing about how much we can afford - certainly not anywhere near that! rooms below where stairs would come out would be a landing/large bathroom so a space saving staircase would definitely fit, if not a circular stair but a ‘full size’ staircase might not fit so well.

Thanks all. I’m glad you’ve all instantly see the problems I’ve taken weeks to think about! Would I be able to double up the timber for the joists to keep them thinner therefore loosing less roof height? Then potentially replace with a sips style warm roof to get rid of all internal structure? then it’s a case of the cost of that to know if it’s viable. @PeterW can the bedroom not have an en-suite? @SuperPav the building (imho) already looks slightly incongruous to our neighbours and when it was built (1983) was objected to on height by the neighbours all of whom still live here! The original 1801 cottage is approx 3m lower ridge height - not sure any additional height would be welcomed! Extension might be the best option, but going to exhaust the roof first! @ToughButterCup hadn’t considered snooping into other planning applications…. Will give that a go now, thanks! @Marvin think we have to have planning anyway? We’re in AONB but not conservation or listed. Thought that AONB was designated land requiring planning for loft conversions. If I’m wrong that’s great news!

For what it’s worth, my (very basic!) sketchup ideas…

I can’t get my head around how to do this or if it’s even possible/feasible. I know I’ll need an SE but thought I’d ask experts on here… so basics: we’d love to add an extra bedroom/bathroom to our loft. It’s 8mx5m with a 2.25m head height to underside of felt from top of joists. Joists are 70mmx35mm with w-trusses. Space saving ‘loft’ stairs will come up off centre so will need some sort of dormer to allow the required head height. we generally dislike the rectangular large dormer thing you see stuck on houses and wanting to try and avoid this if possible, but do like pitched dormers. Can anyone help? I feel a bit lost and confused by the whole design/aesthetic/building regs mishmash.

We have a Samsung chef collection combi thing. Bloody brilliant. We have use it daily to microwave stuff and probably twice a week to cook things that need an accurate and specific temperature that the aga won’t manage. Also means it’s easier to cook in the summer when the aga is off.

What about the hassle of upgrading the local network to take 6kW? Contacting the DNO etc? Better/easier to have 3.6kW (or whatever the limit is)?

If you haven’t ordered your doors, can you just order them 20-50mm (or however much you need!) lower?