Intro - 50s refurb - energy retrofit - Dorset

[Greeners]

Hello All,

 

We are moving slowly through a part refurb and part energy retrofit of a pretty bog standard 50s detached house. We have benefitted enormously from the wisdom on this forum for many of the design choices we've made and am truly thankful.

 

Our main aims were to improve the look and energy performance of the house while improving the way it flows in everyday use. To that end what looked like a trivial switcheroo of the main door from the side of the house to the front began an interesting education in the art of unintended consequences. Along the lines of...While the place is in a complete state with walls down and steels going up, should we also...rewire?...replumb?...dig up the concrete floors and lay UFH?...refenestrate?...reroof? To which the answer to all was - "yes, of course, dear." 

 

External wall insulation will be the final item to wrap up the works and I hope this will be done in the spring. ("What year?" As my lovely patient wife would ask)

 

So the end is perhaps not too far away, and we have learned a lot about building, refurbing, each others breaking points and the beauty of demolition and a rebuild from scratch!

 

In the meantime, I would appreciate some advice on solar panel placement of the GSE in-roof system - should I go to the gutter to squeeze more panels in, or stick to the MCS "400mm margin"? I'll head over to the PV forum and elaborate there.

 

Thank you all so much for what has become gripping reading over the years.