Live self-Builds - mod warning in post no. 1

Do-more

brickee wrote: »

Not sure if this is right place - anybody got advice on insuring your home is covered for the future and what they must install at the start of the build like cabling would love to have the sound and vision in majority of rooms and help and advice appreciated.

Regarding the smart homes preparation, if you do a search on this forum you should find a number of threads discussing it.

Lots of things can run satisfactorily on wireless, but video and computer gaming really benefit from being wired so FWIW what I will do myself is to install two cores of Cat5e to the kitchen and each bedroom and 5 or 6 cores to the main TV all from a point under the stairs, I'll wire about 4 cores of Sat antenna cable from there up to the roof. I'll also wire the living room for 7.1 surround sound speakers in the walls and ceiling and wire the kitchen for a few ceiling speakers. Hopefully that should give me flexibility for the future to distribute sound and vision around the house.

Beyond that it's only a question of where you want to stop, heating controls, video surveillance, alarm systems can all be wired if you want.

brickee

fclauson wrote: »

Unfortunatly I am finding the Price vs meeting regs is weighted on the regs side (this pushing up the price)

To meet the current Part L means you have to spend money - sometimes more than you think is fare.

I have a challenge to meet regs I am going to have to go some Solar plus HP - as just one or the other will not do - or I have to go lots of Solar plus large thermal store - again which is epensive.

I am balancing to meet regs and not balancing to meet the heating demand of my property.

Remember you have to do you DEAP calcs to show Part L - and the more you insulate the harder it is. My build is currently using just 4% heat demand agains the referece build in DEAP - but unless I can convience my local building compliance officer that I meet part L but not as shown in DEAP then I have to spend money on delivering renewables I will probably not actually use - which defeats the whole object :mad:

Looks like I have alot of reading to do much more than I thought :mad:

fclauson

brickee wrote: »

Looks like I have alot of reading to do much more than I thought :mad:

never a truer word spoken :eek:

brickee

Ok with plenty of patience I think I have a very rough estimate as to what my u values might end up being. I am not really to sure how accurate these will be because I am not an expert but can calculate area squared and cubed quiet accurate i hope;)

I Received a 1.88 average U Value on one of the on-line calculators. Is this achievable. I will still be getting a BER accessor to go over it.

fclauson

You urgently need an expert - the max permitted U-value is 0.21 for a wall

check the Part L regs for minimum elemental values

sydthebeat

brickee wrote: »

Ok with plenty of patience I think I have a very rough estimate as to what my u values might end up being. I am not really to sure how accurate these will be because I am not an expert but can calculate area squared and cubed quiet accurate i hope;)

I Received a 1.88 average U Value on one of the on-line calculators. Is this achievable. I will still be getting a BER accessor to go over it.

looking at elemental u values is completely futile.

the house needs to be assessed holistically.

DEAP, and a good experienced BER assessor will save you hours of torment.

BryanF

fclauson wrote: »

You urgently need an expert - the max permitted U-value

: depends on the house:)

Do-more

Just got word this evening that our planning has been granted without the need for any alterations. Huge relief!

Here are some impressions of the house, very similar to an Irish dormer bungalow but with a 45 deg pitch on the roof and very small overhangs in keeping with the vernacular in the area.



Front of house.



Rear of house.

Here is a Google street view of our site, one of the last green field sites in the area within a stones throw of the beach, the site is 1050sqm and goes as far as the red bush, it's a divestment from the existing house you see in the background, so we are not frontline but only a 75m walk to a sandy beach.

just do it

Do-more wrote: »

Just got word this evening that our planning has been granted without the need for any alterations. Huge relief!

Here is a Google street view of our site, one of the last green field sites in the area within a stones throw of the beach, the site is 1050sqm and goes as far as the red bush, it's a divestment from the existing house you see in the background, so we are not frontline but only a 75m walk to a sandy beach.

Congrats Do-more. Looking forward to following the build. I'd say race you but it will be an easy one for you to win!

On the initial look on street view it looks like it could be in Ireland! Zooming out then you realise you're the same latitude as Derry! I'm sure you've described it before, but what is the climate like there?

Do-more

Cheers, looking forward to getting stuck in.

just do it wrote: »

what is the climate like there?

Well my parents in North Longford have had more snow this winter than us so far!

Generally more stable weather than in Ireland, much less rain all year round and considerably better summers most years but not absolutely guaranteed. It's about 4 good summers out of five here rather than the opposite in Ireland.

The high last summer was around 30 deg C and the low last winter was around -17 deg C.

Hoping that the weather will be kind to us, so that we can break ground in February but it could be the end of March.

Looking at having the frame up early May if possible with a target of moving in by the end of August. But having been there before I know that that is probably being rather optimistic, especially as I intend to do quite a lot of the internal work myself.

brickee

https://picasaweb.google.com/105803179334036785007/23112011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIS_1bSt7qbGHQ#5678103851041477650

First time trying hope it works

brickee

Just so you know what I'm trying to do and where I am in this build thanks.

https://picasaweb.google.com/105803179334036785007/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmnkOKJ24HblAE#5683452697433206578

[IMG][/img]https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/seWMKLfyc6eN4q6HluW1j6bqpswTRXxZqWQtNTCXbYU?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/105803179334036785007/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmnkOKJ24HblAE&pli=1#5683452691029355026

https://picasaweb.google.com/105803179334036785007/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmnkOKJ24HblAE&pli=1#5683452683702335074

https://picasaweb.google.com/105803179334036785007/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmnkOKJ24HblAE&pli=1#5665320156683961794

BryanF

1. why have you got sun room with windows facing north?
2. have you carried out a provisional BER, what is your expected kwhr/m2/y
3. how much insulation have you in the slab?
4. and what is your heat source?
5. have you or your architect taken the 2008 part L regulations and all the other Bregs for that matter into consideration
6. have you dealt with any of your thermal bridges?
7. are you aware of how poorly dormer bungalows can be as regards air-tightness. I would recommend you do a brief course. especially before you get to the first floor slab...
8. I cant see any pop-ups for heat water or waste?
9. your drawings need a F load of detail on them, for instance 100mm walls??
10. and you could really make a few alterations to improve the layout - start with the GF WC, consider the GF flow a bit more and think out the light + improve solar gain provisions at GF & FF around front lobby..

brickee

Hi ByranF

1. Thats what the other half wants am thinking of blocking thru the north facing windows on the sunroom.
2. I will be contacting a BER this week or next depends on when they are free to get upto speed.
3. No insulation in the Slap will be putting insulation on concrete floor then screed, let us know what you think.
4. Will be installing a Boiler Stove in the main Kitchen Dining area which is one room now.
5. Will be installing a Boiler Stove in the Sitting room aswell one of those flush face ones built into chimney breast.
6. I kept standard stainless steel wall ties and kept a decent size cavity 180mm.
7. Got rid of the Dormers and we are installing Velux or Similar windows also because of cost and we have see views at front of house and think Dormer views are more limited.
8. Waste and water can be hidden in subfloor and boreing holes out of the walls were needed because we knew we would be making changes to existing plan to make more use of space.
9/10. Agree with your views on detail in that plan have 5 others with more detail that we have changed and changed again. We have already changed the walls regarding GF WC for instance got rid of hall by moving BED1 wall to meet stair wall got rid of closet and left entrance to bathroom that side.


Hope that makes things better for me will keep posting thanks.

BryanF

3. I think you should be considering 200mm of insulation, can this amount be provided?
4. renewable requirements? solar? thermal store? have a read of fclauson's posts recently on his proposed house and Part L issues..
5. back boiler? rads? central heating?
6. wall ties is not what i meant by thermal bridges, think floor and wall junction, around opes, first floor slab level, how the flat roof extension connects, internal rising walls etc.
7. air-tightness in dormer structures is a major problem, are you for instance going to wrap the FF slab with a membrane and seal to the FF internal Vapour barrier? on this point are you having wall vents or MVHR?
8. each too their own.. i presume you've a sump installed?
10. you are aware of the new part M 2010?

fclauson

BryanF wrote: »

.... Part M issues....

slip of a letter - he means Part L

brickee

3. Can't provide 200mm cavity 180mm is my max have 2000 blocks built so won't be changing and the wall ties that I used imho would not be suitable for anything bigger.
4. Will think about Solar or wind renewable energy when they give grants are pay a decent rate for electricity not used until then I am not aware of anyone policing this so not bothered.
5. Boiler Stove using my own supply of willow timber turf and logs to heat rads.
6. Will be making sure to the best of my ability and wallet that the house is as good as I can make it for thermal bridging are lack of thermal bridging.
7. Talked to a BER lad today recommended a foam insulation that breaths and can have it between the rafters?
8. Yes sump installed and another point on pre installed waste pipes if they leak for what ever reason the smell can be a problem and major issue and it does happen.
10. Read the Part L regs but still a bit lost but getting there.

BryanF

3. you asked me for my opinion on your floor
4. i was referring to you renewable requirements under the BER

muffler

Guys, please quote the post that you are replying to otherwise the responses just look like s***

Thanks.

brickee

BryanF wrote: »

3. you asked me for my opinion on your floor
4. i was referring to you renewable requirements under the BER

BryanF

Thanks for your opinion and anybody else's for that matter cause I'm learning a bit more every day and is invaluable when lookin for info on the different stages of the build.

I just think the BER requirements leave more questions than answers when you start and there is no real problem if you can follow the highest standard and that standard is going in the right direction towards the general area.:cool:

sydthebeat

brickee wrote: »

I just think the BER requirements leave more questions than answers when you start .......

brickee wrote: »

.................. if you can follow the highest standard and that standard is going in the right direction towards the general area.

im not sure how you can marry those two statements.

if the BER is throwing up questions as to what you need to do to comply with "minimum standards"....... and you dont know the answer to these questions, then theres no way of knowing what the "highest standards" are.

In all due respect to tradesmen, do not expect them to versed in the 'highest standards'. There has to be a root and branch change from the 'cheap as chips' house construction which wa sdone during the boom... and many tradesmen have picked up some very bad habits because of this.

Tifosi

fclauson wrote: »

Unfortunatly I am finding the Price vs meeting regs is weighted on the regs side (this pushing up the price)


I have a challenge to meet regs I am going to have to go some Solar plus HP - as just one or the other will not do - or I have to go lots of Solar plus large thermal store - again which is epensive.

I am balancing to meet regs and not balancing to meet the heating demand of my property.

Remember you have to do you DEAP calcs to show Part L - and the more you insulate the harder it is. :mad:

I am having the same issue's in trying to meet this Part L requirement, how do you intend to deal with this in the end?

fclauson

My current approch will be
Solar
Thermal Stove
backed up by Gas LPG boiler (want clean heat source inside build)

Tifosi

fclauson wrote: »

My current approch will be
Solar
Thermal Stove
backed up by Gas LPG boiler (want clean heat source inside build)

Thanks, I seriously need to rethink my approach in this regard, I was kind of hoping that I could achieve this with just solar.

BarneyMc

fclauson wrote: »

My current approch will be
Solar
Thermal Stove
backed up by Gas LPG boiler (want clean heat source inside build)

What's a thermal stove?

fclauson

BarneyMc wrote: »

What's a thermal stove?

whoops - Thermal store not stove

toolittletime

where can i learn more about Part L requirements

beyondpassive

toolittletime wrote: »

where can i learn more about Part L requirements

Here's some info to start with, looking at Part L 2011

toolittletime

beyondpassive wrote: »

Here's some info to start with, looking at Part L 2011

Tks for this

BarneyMc

beyondpassive wrote: »

Here's some info to start with, looking at Part L 2011

Thanks beyondpassive. It's interesting to see the following as the optimal wall construct for a large, cavity wall, block built house:

Walls - U Value of 0.14

2x100mm block cavity wall with 275mm graphite infused bonded blown polystyrene bead.

Is 0.14 achieved using standard or special wall ties?