Scotland - self builder

[riboid]

Hi all,

 

Just to introduce myself.

 

We are just about to finalise our renovation/extension project in the West End of Glasgow.  Detached bungalow which

we have pushed out the back 6m and also added another storey to it.  The last two years, to be quite frank, have

been pretty hellish, not only in terms of financial outlay (budgets - lol, aye ok) but,  personal energy investment.  

 

I don't think we really realised how big an undertaking it was until one day, standing with my brother in law and we

had no roof and it was just basically a shell.  My brother in law looked around and went "fk me" and then it kind

of hit me, square in the face or what we have taken on!  We would have been quicker and cheaper, flattening the house and

doing a fresh build but we weren't allowed to do that (a story for another day).  

 

Anyway, external wall insulation has just been completed and we are about to to start the roughcasting externally.

 

Because we look at the building everyday we don't kind of realise how impressive it is and its totally out of context

with the neighbours single storey 85m2 detached bungalows(we have 18 objection letters from the neighbours and

even neighbours as far as 1.5 miles away, councillors, mp's the lot) as ours rises 6.2m at the back (the neighbour calls

the wall facing him The Berlin Wall!).  

 

I work in the insulation industry but to be honest, I have learned so much more about insulation, insulation u values,

lambda values - the works.  We have made mistakes yes but fixed them.

 

At the end of the day, we have built a house in which we are only temporary custodians but this house will stand

proudly (Berlin Wall-esque) for a long long time and with excellent insulation and air tightness values, solar panel

power generation and we are really proud of what we have achieved.

 

Incidentally - never again!

 

 

[MikeSharp01]

Looks 'imposing', perhaps its the camera angle , welcome to THE forum for our kind of people. Sounds like the planners were on your side as a complaint from an MP usually, well in my experience,  either buggers it up completely or slows it down so much that you give up. That is also a lot of glass! What direction is it facing?

[riboid]

Hi Mike, 

 

Thank you for the reply.

 

Yes, it is imposing at the back to be honest and thank you for the warm welcome. 

 

In terms of planning, it was very protracted and also a lot of the planners and the building control people said 'we have never really experienced a building of this sort".  Now, I am sure they have, but maybe not them personally, so not only was the building an education for ourselves but them too.  Even the building warrant inspector was in awe when he visited (grey haired experienced man) as he hadn't saw ICF's prior to this.

 

Orientation wise, the house is south facing, but with a few degrees going west and yes, as you are thinking now, the solar gain potential upstairs (upstairs is living room area, which is open plan 10m x 12m with a plant room, pantry, store room and toilet) is massive, so the cooling is a constant (we have mvhr) topic of discussion.

 

We have went from a hipped roof to a more or less flat roof with a small run off on it.  I have the solar panels on there now in the large buckets which are ballasted/weighed down with 100kg of sand in bags (heaven for the pigeons until I install chicken wire).

 

Thanks again, Mike.

Edited October 24, 2021 by riboid

[Ferdinand]

37 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Looks 'imposing', perhaps its the camera angle , welcome to THE forum for our kind of people. Sounds like the planners were on your side as a complaint from an MP usually, well in my experience,  either buggers it up completely or slows it down so much that you give up. That is also a lot of glass! What direction is it facing?

 

I admit I have never had an MP complain about me ?.

 

@riboid

 

Welcome.

 

Looks interesting.

 

Do you have your decrement delays about right so that the heat gets not quite through the structure in the day and goes back out again at night? 

 

Can we see a pic of the Berlin Wall? Do you plan to soften it for the neighbours?

 

Ferdinand

 

[riboid]

Hi Ferdinand,

 

We have an MVHR system in place, so that takes care of the cooling, but to to be honest, with 

the 9.5m expanse of glazing we have up the top storey, the MVHR is incapable of cooling it

that much.  We have still to install curtains/blinds on the windows/doors upstairs too but

that will enable us to control what level of solar gain entry upstairs.  We will see how

the house performs over the next couple of years and if need be, then I will erect a shade

over the upstairs windows/doors but we are hoping that the blinds/curtains will suffice.

 

It is all good learning on how your house actually performs and what you have to do to

maximise its potential and increase comfortability.

 

Thanks for replying.

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by riboid

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, riboid said:

MVHR is incapable of cooling it

that much.  We have still to install curtains/blinds on the windows/doors upstairs

 

Really the only way to control this solar gain properly is with shutters or other shades outside.

 

In theory internal blinds and curtains don't work especially well as the sunlight has already entered the room. In practice of course they do work especially if you can use light colour to reflect some light back out, and enclose the space between glass and blind, so that some of the built up heat goes out, or at least stays there.

 

The other solution that avoids air con cooling is simple ventilation. as long as it is cooler outside the temperature will be reduced. Air-con cooling shouldn't be necessary in Glasgow, and perhaps you can reduce the problem, and cost, these other ways.

 

[riboid]

That is a good point actually.  We still have to erect and install a bulkhead along the full length of the doors/windows and we should be able to, as you have advised, to

butt the blinds or curtains directly against the glass.  It is something we are going to have to give more thought to when the time arises.

 

Our weather in Glasgow  strangely enough seems to be improving and we do get prolonged periods of actually very nice weather.  Couple of years ago, it actually

hit 32c which was the first ever!  There are certainly some inclement weather changes taking place.

 

Thanks for the reply.

[saveasteading]

5 hours ago, riboid said:

we do get prolonged periods of actually very nice weather.

 

I know Glasgow. Twice as many wet days as Edinburgh. 

The dear green place.

Well positioned for when rainfall levels fall, and there is a water shortage in the SE.

 

One thing that will not change is the height the sun goes in the sky. In most UK there is possible overheating in August, and a few days when it is as hot outdoors, and ventilation isn't the solution, until night time, when an air  purge is useful. White or metallic blinds work fairly well....if they can be seen in a window, then that is some light being reflected back outside. 30% of 30% or so, but it all helps. as would some ventilation ....an opening window if that is not too old-fashioned.

[riboid]

Sounds sensible.  We will look at blinds as reflective as we can possibly get.

 

Thanks for your input.

[riboid]

"Location of the air intake should ensure the coldest possible air temperature in the summer. Choose north faced and mount it at least 2 m over ground level. Exhaust air discharge has to be at minimum distance 1,5 m from air intake, best on another side of the building. The most popular method to plan ducting in house is the cascade approach."

 

My elder brother has his own HVAC company and its in the Building Regs too.  They should be as far away from each other as possible to prevent contamination.

[saveasteading]

Correct if you can do it. But the north side intake is not going to help the south side heat build-up unless you can vent from that room.

I have used this principle in very big sports halls, and it works by natural ventilation, bit in summer needs fans.