BUS voucher and gas line

[Iceverge]

What a shambles. Good luck with your project

[JamesPa]

10 hours ago, Nick Thomas said:

 

This is fine - there's no requirement to remove the gas completely. It's the boiler upgrade scheme, not the cooker upgrade scheme

 

I second the induction hob recommendation though - my installer was able to remove the gas meter on request, and that saves the gas standing charge, which comes to ~£10/month. If that's not music to a yorkshireman's ears, I don't know what could be.

 

Makes sense that you are not required to remove the gas line.  The carbon footprint of a gas hob is about the same as that of an electric (induction) hob at present.  Some gas retailers appear to charge for disconnection, others not.  It would be worth checking before throwing out the gas hob.  You might want to switch retailers and then disconnect! 

[Dave Jones]

16 minutes ago, JamesPa said:

The elected Councillor in charge of planning appears to support them.  She told me, when I spoke with her, that she 'wouldn't want her gardening disturbed by my noisy ASHP'.  She is Green party BTW, just saying.

 

get half a dozen cockerels.

[Nick Thomas]

39 minutes ago, JamesPa said:

Some gas retailers appear to charge for disconnection, others not.

 

Ah, yes, good shout. Octopus did the paperwork on this for me and didn't charge, but others might. The BUS grant munching installers did the actual physical removal of the meter - or at least capped it off, I don't remember exactly - and didn't charge either.

 

Apparently the network owners - Northern Gas Networks? - are meant to come along at some point and remove the line between the gas main and the property, where the meter used to be, for safety reasons. They sent me a questionnaire after about a year asking about any new meter, but I've not heard from them other than that.

Edited September 25 by Nick Thomas

[allthatpebbledash]

On 24/09/2024 at 14:28, Iceverge said:

Out of interest why an ASHP?

 

Gas is reliable cheap and not too environmentally damaging. 

 

You may be better off just keeping the gas, investing on more insulation and solar PV. 

Because we have the option to I suppose. The house is currently a shell, masonry and timbers, it needs all the services (everything really) putting back in. Was close to being a demolition and rebuild job but we’ve “saved the environment a little” and working with it now. So, all the floors are being replaced, new insulation into the void below ground with a ground bearing slab at the minute unless engineer changes his mind, and a new roof structure entirely that will be well insulated, and triple glazed windows. 
 

The current cavity filled mineral insulation will be assessed and if deemed cost effective we may hoover it out entirely and refill with graphite EPS beads. Currently it’s still in place and looks to be in good condition. We’ve ruled out EWI for various reasons at the moment.

 

Along with this, there will be a MVHR system, PV with battery storage, and UFH across all floors. We’ll be upgrading to 3 phase also. The PV array as of now has a working projection of 15kW if both the south facing roofs are used. If just the one, it’ll be an array of 10-11kW. So we’re definitely investing into the building.

 

But we love to cook with gas. Woks and Karahi require it for the true chefs and authentic recipes. Not to mention to make a good chai.

 

As it stands, there is no gas boiler on site either. So it would be a new more efficient one if we opted for this route and get a water cylinder or two which we can dump the PV generation into or dumped from the battery if stored from the day before.

 

As the property has been vacant 2 plus years, we’ll be paying either 0% or 5% VAT for nearly the entire retrofit so rebuild makes little sense.

 

On 24/09/2024 at 15:29, Iceverge said:

 

Sorry if I've touched a nerve. 

 

Perhaps a more nuanced post would help. 

 

@allthatpebbledash could you maybe explain the lightly occupation patterns of your house and the details of the deep retrofit please. 

 

@JamesPa  is there ever a case for retaining an existing heating system and diverting money into the building fabric and renewables/EV or is it not an argument worth considering? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See above. As for occupancy, 2 adults and 3 kids under 10. We plan on staying a while so it’s not a ROI type of thought process, more a case of how can we make this the best we can now (budget in mind) and make it more comfortable and financially sustainable for the future. Low energy bills at the outset is the idea.
 

20 hours ago, Nick Thomas said:

 

This is fine - there's no requirement to remove the gas completely. It's the boiler upgrade scheme, not the cooker upgrade scheme

 

I second the induction hob recommendation though - my installer was able to remove the gas meter on request, and that saves the gas standing charge, which comes to ~£10/month. If that's not music to a yorkshireman's ears, I don't know what could be.

 

 

Thanks 😂, and thanks to everyone else also for answering the initial question. Definitely sounds like mambo number 5 that, but them authentic Indian pans won’t work on one. So sadly can’t do nowt and cough up moolah.

Edited September 25 by allthatpebbledash
Spellings

[allthatpebbledash]

On 24/09/2024 at 15:19, JamesPa said:

@allthatpebbledash

 

Original legislation (as most recently amended), which is definitive, is here https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/565/contents

 

I can't find any requirement to disconnect gas.  Nor have I seen this stated elsewhere in any guidance I have read.

 

Suggest you ask whoever advised you to give you the clause number.

Thanks. It didn’t occur to me when I had heard the statement off our architect to go looking at the government websites. So during the same meeting I started searching the forum, and thought can’t see nothing, lemme post a quick question.

 

There’s a wealth of knowledge on here and someone’s bound to know and will reply far quicker than I would be able to find it trawling through legislation. Been a good response too, can’t wait to begin our retrofit and grab more insight into various other aspects of the build from

others on here.

[Nick Thomas]

52 minutes ago, allthatpebbledash said:

But we love to cook with gas. Woks and Karahi require it for the true chefs and authentic recipes. Not to mention to make a good chai.

 

Up to you of course, but just in case you weren't aware, you can get specialised induction hobs for at least woks, e.g:

 

I have a friend who absolutely refuses to switch; I'm beginning to suspect she just likes the gas fumes ^^. No idea about karahi though.

 

Best of luck with the refit! Keep us updated.

[JamesPa]

1 hour ago, allthatpebbledash said:

Because we have the option to I suppose.

(Question was why a heat pump not a fossil burner?)

 

...and hopefully because it's the right thing to do to help combat climate change.  Roughly same running cost and one third of the carbon emissions. 

 

In a new build or extension that requires heating system replacement it's a no brainer for anybody with either a conscience or children that they care about.

Edited September 25 by JamesPa

[Iceverge]

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

Was close to being a demolition and rebuild job but we’ve “saved the environment a little” and working with it now.

 

Is this decision finalised? A new build will often end up cheaper . Carbon emissions often don't obey gut feelings which sadly have been created largely by years of misleading marketing. 

 

A passive standard replacement made from stuff that used to be plants might break even in an emission sense far quicker that you realise and will be better over the long term.

 

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

So, all the floors are being replaced, new insulation into the void below ground with a ground bearing slab at the minute unless engineer changes his mind

 

300mm EPS would be a good start re insulation. 

 

A suspended timber floor with a thin screed like @ProDavewould have minimal emissions. Perhaps with cellulose insulation.

 

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

and a new roof structure entirely that will be well insulated, and triple glazed windows. 

 

Details please. I love this stuff!!

 

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

The current cavity filled mineral insulation will be assessed and if deemed cost effective we may hoover it out entirely and refill with graphite EPS beads. Currently it’s still in place and looks

 

I assume you have a narrow old cavity. Do you have a strategy for additional internal insulation?

 

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

But we love to cook with gas. Woks and Karahi require it for the true chefs and authentic recipes. Not to mention to make a good chai.

 A couple of bottles outside would be fine avoiding the standing charge of mains gas. FWIW a mates who's a professional chef recently threw out his gas hob in favour of induction in his house. 

 

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

it stands, there is no gas boiler on site either

 

Cool, ASHP it is then.

 

11 hours ago, allthatpebbledash said:

See above. As for occupancy, 2 adults and 3 kids under 10. We plan on staying a while so it’s not a ROI type of thought process, more a case of how can we make this the best we can now (budget in mind) and make it more comfortable and financially sustainable for the future. Low energy bills at the outset is the idea.

 

Really maximise your airtightness and thermal envelope in that case. Unlike PV and batteries its almost impossible to do practically later.

[allthatpebbledash]

On 26/09/2024 at 06:28, Iceverge said:

Is this decision finalised? A new build will often end up cheaper . Carbon emissions often don't obey gut feelings which sadly have been created largely by years of misleading marketing. 

 

Yeah this is the chosen route now. The 5% VAT for the renovation makes it nice.

 

On 26/09/2024 at 06:28, Iceverge said:

300mm EPS would be a good start re insulation. 

 

A suspended timber floor with a thin screed like @ProDavewould have minimal emissions. Perhaps with cellulose insulation.

 

It’s all up for discussion but currently we’re looking at a slab, unsure about thickness of insulation. Or even type

to be honest. 

 

On 26/09/2024 at 06:28, Iceverge said:

Details please. I love this stuff!!

 

Once we have a first draft of technical drawings done, I intend to post and gain advice on certain aspects on the forum. At the moment we’re early stages.

Edited October 1 by allthatpebbledash
Spellings