Mr Blobby

Is there a curing time for KORE insulated slab before laying masonry blocks on it? How long, roughly, should I insert into the plan for this curing time?

My QS wants the demolition of the existing dwelling on my site to form part of the tender going out to the main contractor. I want to be buildng this summer so would like to save time by getting a demo firm in directly before the tender responses come back. Any main contractor is only going to go to the same demo firm to get the same job done (I know because demo firms have come to site to quote MCs) so why wait for the same job to be done and probably pay a slice to the main contractor for appointing the demo firm? I can't see any down side in getting the site cleared in June and take the demo outside of the main contract. My QS is strongly advising against. Why? What's the downside of clearing the site now? AM I missing something?

.. I meant of course zone of influence 🙃 ... and how wet does the cement slurry need to be?

So can I put more than 1 rod through the bottom of the "kiosk" or do I need to worry about the 'sphere of influence' and space then out?

After panicking for a day my brain finally engaged I did just that and put a conduit to come out under the slab to install another rod under a seperate pit if needed. It's obvious now of course. Yes, this is my understanding, and just as well given my state of preparedness. Hopefully I can get the barby built by thursday. That's when NIE are scheduled to pull the cable through, and when hopefully I can breathe a sigh of relief. .. and thanks for the pics inside your 'kiosk'. NIE rules are harsh for commando sockets and brick barbies.

I didn't really think this through 🤔 My temp installation is on rocky ground and no way can I get an earth rod in. The whole site is pretty rocky so relocating the enclosure is not really an option. Short of getting the digger back in to break the ground up, is there another solution here to get an earth rod into stony ground?

I assume you chased yours into the wall? My meter is on "hidden" side of the house so looks not too important

Can I do any of this? Can I embed the hatch into concrete and the spark put the earth rod in later? Or not?

Ah, so I shoudn't put the rod in the ground then? But I can place the hatch in postion so that I can pour the slab. And get the spark round later. As I understand it, the earth is "my side" of the NIE temp enclosure: ... so the sparky-earth rod job does not need to be done before NIE pull the cable through? I can just put the hatch in the footing and get the sparky out later?

I get the feeling I'm not allowed to do this then. Can I install the hatch into the slab and pour my concrete and then get the sparky to put the rod in?

I know, it seems bonkers. My M and E people have specified the supply cable to run up inside the cavity into a recessed box. Here's the NIE directions: NIE allow for a surface mounted meter box where it is not possible to run the cable inside the cavity. Should I push for a surface mounted box with external cable run up the walls inside the protective conduit?

I need to build an earth inspection hatch into the concrete base of my temporary supply. What is it? Which one should I buy? How do I install it?

House construction is block cavity on KORE insulated slab. Like this: NIE insist on a Permali box. Convention here is to have a hockey stick in the cavity. Which just seems wrong. Is it wrong to have hockey sticks in the cavity? Would the alternative, external cables from permali box into the ground, be problematic because of the external ring beam below the permali box? Or is this not a problem?

So did you put a permali box inside the "barbecue" or just a board at the back. And doors on the front I take it? I'm jumping through the NIE brick-enclosure-only hoop this week. NIE are such a nightmare compared to GB DNO's 😕

We will have a motorised velux at the highest point (my architect is mad keen on velux for purge cooling) External blinds are already designed in. Except for one small bedroom window which I see as a potential issue for overheating.... ... so a coating for the problem window. I have asked my various advisers about solar coatings but they just look at me like I'm from planet zog. Any links to threads / products? Interesting. That's it decided then, the comfopost stays in the upstairs duct with mixed circuits.

Would a masonry construction with additinal mass in the walls (and hollowcore floor) help to balance the heat distribution between floors and provide some decrement delay? If so then perhaps I need not worry too much about the comfopost for upstairs temps.

Thanks very much @Dan F for replying. Your setup is pretty much the configuration I am looking to install, split the manifolds with a comfopost upstairs. Do you have the enthalpy heat exchanger? That would add some humidity into the air to carry the heat, but I guess you know that already. I'd be really interested to hear any updates on performance before I commit to this, it's not a cheap option!

To revisit this old thread, our primary cooling strategy is also automated blinds so we will rely on the comfopost to do no more than balance out the first floor temperature by just a degree or two. The question is, @Dan F, if you are heating/cooling just the first floor MVHR supply air, then how did you split the MVHR supply to first floor only? Do you have two MVHR units, one for each floor ? Or do you have a single MVHR unit with a y-peice in the supply ducting to create two supply branches with a single comfopost on one (the first floor) branch? If the latter, with a split supply from a single MVHR unit, then does the comfopost on one branch create any issues in balancing the ventilation system?

https://www.asbestosspecialist.co.uk/ I also used G and L to remove asbestos sheets from garage roof. Probably not the cheapest option but very professional. I would use them again.

NIE have told me that the temporary connection is disconnected after 12 months. It is possible to request an extension if the build is not complete but NIE will at some point disconnect the temporary supply and insist on a meter cabinet on the wall. Which is crap because as I see it there would be three conduits running down the wall from the meter box to the ground, (i) supply in, (ii) conduit running under house to internal CU, and (iii) conduit out to EV charger at front of house (near to where the kiosk would otherwise have been) I've asked NIE on twitter messaging to explain why they prohibit meter kiosks that are allowed in GB. It will be interesting to see if they come back with a reason.

I had hoped to do the same. Three phase supply into big kiosk aout 15 metres from house. From kiosk run 3 phases to EV charger close to kiosk and another 3 phases into house. Well that's what I had hoped to do until talking to NIE today. NIE have told me that they only connect temporary supplies to a kiosk. They do not allow a permanent supply to a kiosk, only to a metre box on the wall of the house. Which means running more cable from the house back out the route of the suply to the EV charger. What a pile of crap that is. Has anyone in Northern Ireland got round this restriction and installed a permanent meter in a kiosk away from the house? I assume not.

Tesla and Renault Zoe have 3-phase chargers on board. Modern Tesla's are 16 amp 3-phase so 11kW. Nearly all public AC charge-points here in Northern Ireland (by ESB) are 3-phase. I'm assuming the OP drives a Tesla 🤔 We're planning a similar setup with a 3-phase charge-point near to a 3-phase meter kiosk, so this thread most informative!

This Anyone who has been down the Wye Valley recently will have noticed the normally clean waters turn bright green over the last couple of years. Its disgusting and all because of chicken farms' run-off into the river. And no action is taken against the big chicken famers that supply our free range barn raised eggs. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/05/river-pollution-leads-to-welsh-demand-for-halt-to-intensive-poultry-units

Thanks for the link. The external pipe will be against the kitchen wall that is at the boundary to next door, so not visible anywhere, and to bring it inside would mean boxing it throught the kitchen which would be awful. Why M and E think running it internally and venting it through a hole in the roof is a good idea is beyond me!

I think we overlapped.... ... back to my original question, @PeterW, as an M and E guy, should I avoid using AAVs and vent outside on all three soil pipes?