Is this acceptable?

[Jeremy Harris]

The annoying thing about poor workmanship like this is that it devalues the insulation - you could have used maybe half to two thirds of the thickness of insulation, installed properly, to get the same real world performance.

[ryder72]

JSHarris - that is a very good point.

 

For me the most disappointing aspect has been feeling very let down by someone who I felt could be trusted to deliver a quality job. My feeling is that they have taken on a style of house (and it isnt the Sydney Opera house or the Eden project) they were lacking the competence and ability to execute and its gone from one bodge to another. 

Edited March 15, 2017 by ryder72

[PeterW]

Time to sit them down and explain ...

 

I have a very traditional brickie (55 years old, 39 on the tools) who's had to learn some new stuff - air tightness,in slab UFH, self compacting flowing concrete and insulation below ground in founds amongst other things. 

 

I've taken the time to explain the reasoning and he's got it - in fact he's picking stuff up to reuse in the future as he sees the benefits. 

 

Its probably cost me a day or two of day rate to get him up to speed but the benefits are self evident - sometimes it's human nature to not ask questions, especially as your contractor may think you don't trust them if they have to ask about basic details which to you may be self evident. 

 

Taking a break and explaining the reasons as to how the build is designed end to end  may help everyone understand the big picture and get you a quality delivery. 

[Stones]

20 hours ago, CC45 said:

I put all our pir in, every piece was measured and carefully cut to fit tight. Then spent hours with expanding foam.  Now the vcl in on Im very surprised how much it billows out when we have a breeze. Clearly air gets in somehow.  Got a plan for that.  It does take time but hopefully we will have a warm house.

 

20 hours ago, Crofter said:

 

Ah good, glad it's not just me! I was fitting the VCL to one gable yesterday; the wind was howling outside and clearly air was getting in somewhere because the whole thing blew up like a balloon. At least the VCL seems pretty airtight, I could not press it back against the wall at all. This morning the wind had changed direction and it was flat as a pancake.

Expanding foam just isn't airtight, not 100% anyway- that's my conclusion.

 

What's your plan, by the way?

 

I noticed this very phenomenon when I was decorating our house.  To save me have to clean paint spray from the roller off our windows I masked them all up with lightweight polythene.  When wind speed was over a certain m/s you could see the polythene billow into the room gradually until it was taught, and the polythene on the leeward side billowing out until it hit the glass.  Shows how big an impact the pressure differential makes.  Air will always find a way in under these circumstances

[Simplysimon]

i looked up nhbc standards as well as building standards for timber trades, unfortunately nothing in them regarding slab insulation fitting

[CC45]

On Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 23:32, Crofter said:

 

Ah good, glad it's not just me! I was fitting the VCL to one gable yesterday; the wind was howling outside and clearly air was getting in somewhere because the whole thing blew up like a balloon. At least the VCL seems pretty airtight, I could not press it back against the wall at all. This morning the wind had changed direction and it was flat as a pancake.

Expanding foam just isn't airtight, not 100% anyway- that's my conclusion.

 

What's your plan, by the way?

Im going to use some foam tubes (arrived today - cant remember the proper name) behind the battens - so smaller compartments. Then some pir between the battens - pushed tight against the frame.  Hopefully it will work!