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| UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#41
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"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. John Borman wrote: Hi people, am just looking to pick peoples brains. After 4 year battle with the local planners we have finally got planning permission for the conversion of a Barn into residential premises. Waiting so long we are eager to get things rolling, and will be seeing the architect in the next week or so. However after doing our first house as a self build there were a number of things we missed and would have liked. We want this one to be perfect not just for us but for families down the line. So what I was looking for was things that people on here would really like to have see in their house. Things we are considering a Network cables to most rooms, Underfloor heating, Reed bed sewage treatment, Heat exchangers. Now this is only a few things if people on here have ideas on these or any others ideas I would be much appreciated. Things I liked about mone were UFH TV.radio distribution amp Every TV works flawlessly Enough cat 5 around to have phones and computers wherever you want without using silly DECT ond WiFi. Doorphones instead of doorbells Sepearrte switched and possibly dimmed circuits for lights, incldng 5A sockets for 'occasional' lighting - standard, desk and table lamps. LV spots if spots are what you want. Never ever use mains halogens. In laws have riopped them all out after months of expensive bulb replacements. Most sheds now do not stick LV downlighters, or reduced stock, all is going over to mains. The cost of lamps is dropping. I hardly have had to replace any LV bulbs at all. three of mine (35mm 20w) have gone in the past week. It is cheaper to buy a whole 3 piece light fitting with Xformer, etc than buy three lamps. Alarm cables laid in to feed sensors, bells etc etc. A couple of wet rooms where we can shower the dog amd clean wellies. Slate floors in the busy areas to take the mud that country living involves. Outside electrical sockets, and hose places for watering the garden, washing mud off wellies, and running the odd power tool and gardeing implements. Designed in patios, walls, steps, car parking, etc etc. Including a way to get vehicles into the back garden for log cutting, and general tractor and digger access. Note that some car toyts are 1/48 scale, and many drawing are done at 1:50. This allows you to practice reversing in your drive without building it. It sounds silly, but it helped us enormously to utilise the space we had for vehicular access. Rainwater runoff vectored into a pond. Mains pressure hot water. With a BIG hot water tank. Water softening. Outside lights at every door. Single glazed lead lights. These are gorgeouus, and we never get condensation, except in the bathroom in the coldets weather, and the fan soon clears, and heavy grade thermally lined curtains make them better than double glazed, when drawn. Aga. A style decision. Working open fires of massive proportions. With underfloor vents to feed air to them. Insulation to teh highest possible standards. Re routing overhead 11KV to underground, an repalcing a patheric pole mounted transfrmner with a huge one in the garden corner. Ugly brute, but no more dimming lights when the microwave comes on. Fully boarded loft space, with storage racking. And lights. makes it easy to use for stirage, and easy to get to teh pipeworlkifnecessary, but al pipes are now enclosed om wooden ducts packed with rockwool. Things I didn't get quite right Lighting. Could use more switches, and more lights. UFH upstairs. It was almost impossible to install there (almost zero floor depth), but I wish I had made the effort However the wet fan blown convectors work very well and are less ugly than radiators. Chimneys. I ended up with smoke hoods. Not my fault but the builder whom I mistakenly trusted. I would have put even MORE insulation under the floor than the regs wanted. I would have paid FAR more ettention to micro draughts had I known how much diference a little gap in a piece of celotex made. Solid wood flooring rather than engineering laminate. I thik it would have been possible with UFH, if it were done with that in mind. We may one day remove the lot and go parquet... Pay to have the telephone feed undergrounded. Even bigger (than 22mm) water pipes everywhere. In a big house even thse lead to some flow reduction on CH and hot and cold water. Likewise a bigger bore than 22mm water softener. Its OK, but not quite as massive a flow as before I fitted it. Circulation systems for 'instant' hot water are a balance beytween how much heat you lose and how much water you swaste. Do the sums. I am unmetered on water. Even MORE detailed plans of layouts etc. Especially of things like utility rooms, and bathrooms and showers. Moving a bog post drainage installation is hugely difficult. Likewise when She wants the bed where the phone point and bedside light points are not, its a bit of a rewire.. A slightly more sophisticated and zoned heating controller. And more stats even than I have. Not hard to retrofit though. If you had installed more insulation and made the place air tight a full heating system would not be required. You have identified those problems. Even more built in storage than exists. Electricity in the garage. And maybe water too, A custom built workshop. A place for garden machinery that is thief proof. Some way to have cat flaps without draughts. Ditto a letter box. |
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#42
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"IMM" wrote in message ... "John Borman" wrote in message ... Hi people, am just looking to pick peoples brains. After 4 year battle with the local planners we have finally got planning permission for the conversion of a Barn into residential premises. Waiting so long we are eager to get things rolling, and will be seeing the architect in the next week or so. However after doing our first house as a self build there were a number of things we missed and would have liked. We want this one to be perfect not just for us but for families down the line. So what I was looking for was things that people on here would really like to have see in their house. Things we are considering a Network cables to most rooms, Underfloor heating, Reed bed sewage treatment, Heat exchangers. Now this is only a few things if people on here have ideas on these or any others ideas I would be much appreciated. Yours John - Superinsulated - Air tight - Large solar roof supplying hot water to a thermal store battery - CAT 5 to all rooms, although wireless technolohy is making this redundant. - Rainwater harvesting taking water from roof. - Reedbed - Low flush toilets - low energy appliances (mainly AEG) - low flow spay head aerated taps - Heat recovery and ventilation with a copper coil heater battery in the ductwork to heat the place. (heating needs will be low with superinsulation) - very low temp underfloor heating run from the thermal store battery (only if barn is too big and superinsulation does not quite hack it). - Warmcell blown-in insulation in all stud walls to deaden sound too. - Rockwool bats in floors to deaden sound. - DHW pre-heated, or heated, by thermal store - Heat recovery point of use extractors in kitchen and bathroom. - Large kitchen extraction fed into main heat recovery duct system - quadruple glazing - backup generator to supply essential circuits. (can a portable unit hung on garage wall and plugged in) PVC cells are not worth it yet, neither is a heat pump. To add, electrical cables in conduits with cables running behind skirtings. Then no need to butcher Warmcell filled walls in the futrure when cables need extending around a room. Large porch to act as an air lock and a place to put wet clothes and shoes. |
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#43
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Use rainwater runoff.
We have done that in our present self buld (Which is next door to the next one were doing) but the rainwater only fills the pond when we have rain which leaves the hot summers (Fewer and far between) I figured the reed bed would provide water all year round |
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#44
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UFH
TV.radio distribution amp Every TV works flawlessly Enough cat 5 around to have phones and computers wherever you want without using silly DECT ond WiFi. Doorphones instead of doorbells Sepearrte switched and possibly dimmed circuits for lights, incldng 5A sockets for 'occasional' lighting - standard, desk and table lamps. LV spots if spots are what you want. Never ever use mains halogens. In laws have riopped them all out after months of expensive bulb replacements. I hardly have had to replace any LV bulbs at all. Alarm cables laid in to feed sensors, bells etc etc. A couple of wet rooms where we can shower the dog amd clean wellies. Slate floors in the busy areas to take the mud that country living involves. Outside electrical sockets, and hose places for watering the garden, washing mud off wellies, and running the odd power tool and gardeing implements. Designed in patios, walls, steps, car parking, etc etc. Including a way to get vehicles into the back garden for log cutting, and general tractor and digger access. Note that some car toyts are 1/48 scale, and many drawing are done at 1:50. This allows you to practice reversing in your drive without building it. It sounds silly, but it helped us enormously to utilise the space we had for vehicular access. Rainwater runoff vectored into a pond. Mains pressure hot water. With a BIG hot water tank. Water softening. Outside lights at every door. Single glazed lead lights. These are gorgeouus, and we never get condensation, except in the bathroom in the coldets weather, and the fan soon clears, and heavy grade thermally lined curtains make them better than double glazed, when drawn. Aga. A style decision. Working open fires of massive proportions. With underfloor vents to feed air to them. Insulation to teh highest possible standards. Re routing overhead 11KV to underground, an repalcing a patheric pole mounted transfrmner with a huge one in the garden corner. Ugly brute, but no more dimming lights when the microwave comes on. Fully boarded loft space, with storage racking. And lights. makes it easy to use for stirage, and easy to get to teh pipeworlkifnecessary, but al pipes are now enclosed om wooden ducts packed with rockwool. Things I didn't get quite right Lighting. Could use more switches, and more lights. UFH upstairs. It was almost impossible to install there (almost zero floor depth), but I wish I had made the effort However the wet fan blown convectors work very well and are less ugly than radiators. Chimneys. I ended up with smoke hoods. Not my fault but the builder whom I mistakenly trusted. I would have put even MORE insulation under the floor than the regs wanted. I would have paid FAR more ettention to micro draughts had I known how much diference a little gap in a piece of celotex made. Solid wood flooring rather than engineering laminate. I thik it would have been possible with UFH, if it were done with that in mind. We may one day remove the lot and go parquet... Pay to have the telephone feed undergrounded. Even bigger (than 22mm) water pipes everywhere. In a big house even thse lead to some flow reduction on CH and hot and cold water. Likewise a bigger bore than 22mm water softener. Its OK, but not quite as massive a flow as before I fitted it. Circulation systems for 'instant' hot water are a balance beytween how much heat you lose and how much water you swaste. Do the sums. I am unmetered on water. Even MORE detailed plans of layouts etc. Especially of things like utility rooms, and bathrooms and showers. Moving a bog post drainage installation is hugely difficult. Likewise when She wants the bed where the phone point and bedside light points are not, its a bit of a rewire.. A slightly more sophisticated and zoned heating controller. And more stats even than I have. Not hard to retrofit though. Even more built in storage than exists. Electricity in the garage. And maybe water too, A custom built workshop. A place for garden machinery that is thief proof. Some way to have cat flaps without draughts. Ditto a letter box. That's given me even more to think about. I'm a bit confused by this Cat 5 cabling, what items can it be used for, surely if its just for computers as I thought then you would only want it in say an office and maybe bedrooms. As someone has mentioned what's the need of running two Cat5 cables to each point? and will there be a central point, say a cabling cupboard where you could have a broadband modem then have the cables running from this point to all the rooms where the cable terminates (Would that require a router) sorry if this is slightly of topic. With something like speaker cable in say lounge, would it be best to install cable and how would you decide on positions.. Also are there terminal wall plates for speaker cable. |
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#45
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"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. John Anderton wrote: On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:40:11 +0100, "tim" wrote: "John Borman" wrote in message ... Underfloor heating, This isn't the most efficient method, why do you think that you should want it Personally I'd want it because: a) There's no radiators around the walls so more scope for arranging furniture b) I like warm floors on a cold winters morning :-) Yup. Its not actually that much more expensive to run if you pay attention to insulation. You don't need this expensive form of heating if you do pay attention to insulation and superinsulate the place. |
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#46
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"John Borman" wrote in message ... UFH TV.radio distribution amp Every TV works flawlessly Enough cat 5 around to have phones and computers wherever you want without using silly DECT ond WiFi. Doorphones instead of doorbells Sepearrte switched and possibly dimmed circuits for lights, incldng 5A sockets for 'occasional' lighting - standard, desk and table lamps. LV spots if spots are what you want. Never ever use mains halogens. In laws have riopped them all out after months of expensive bulb replacements. I hardly have had to replace any LV bulbs at all. Alarm cables laid in to feed sensors, bells etc etc. A couple of wet rooms where we can shower the dog amd clean wellies. Slate floors in the busy areas to take the mud that country living involves. Outside electrical sockets, and hose places for watering the garden, washing mud off wellies, and running the odd power tool and gardeing implements. Designed in patios, walls, steps, car parking, etc etc. Including a way to get vehicles into the back garden for log cutting, and general tractor and digger access. Note that some car toyts are 1/48 scale, and many drawing are done at 1:50. This allows you to practice reversing in your drive without building it. It sounds silly, but it helped us enormously to utilise the space we had for vehicular access. Rainwater runoff vectored into a pond. Mains pressure hot water. With a BIG hot water tank. Water softening. Outside lights at every door. Single glazed lead lights. These are gorgeouus, and we never get condensation, except in the bathroom in the coldets weather, and the fan soon clears, and heavy grade thermally lined curtains make them better than double glazed, when drawn. Aga. A style decision. Working open fires of massive proportions. With underfloor vents to feed air to them. Insulation to teh highest possible standards. Re routing overhead 11KV to underground, an repalcing a patheric pole mounted transfrmner with a huge one in the garden corner. Ugly brute, but no more dimming lights when the microwave comes on. Fully boarded loft space, with storage racking. And lights. makes it easy to use for stirage, and easy to get to teh pipeworlkifnecessary, but al pipes are now enclosed om wooden ducts packed with rockwool. Things I didn't get quite right Lighting. Could use more switches, and more lights. UFH upstairs. It was almost impossible to install there (almost zero floor depth), but I wish I had made the effort However the wet fan blown convectors work very well and are less ugly than radiators. Chimneys. I ended up with smoke hoods. Not my fault but the builder whom I mistakenly trusted. I would have put even MORE insulation under the floor than the regs wanted. I would have paid FAR more ettention to micro draughts had I known how much diference a little gap in a piece of celotex made. Solid wood flooring rather than engineering laminate. I thik it would have been possible with UFH, if it were done with that in mind. We may one day remove the lot and go parquet... Pay to have the telephone feed undergrounded. Even bigger (than 22mm) water pipes everywhere. In a big house even thse lead to some flow reduction on CH and hot and cold water. Likewise a bigger bore than 22mm water softener. Its OK, but not quite as massive a flow as before I fitted it. Circulation systems for 'instant' hot water are a balance beytween how much heat you lose and how much water you swaste. Do the sums. I am unmetered on water. Even MORE detailed plans of layouts etc. Especially of things like utility rooms, and bathrooms and showers. Moving a bog post drainage installation is hugely difficult. Likewise when She wants the bed where the phone point and bedside light points are not, its a bit of a rewire.. A slightly more sophisticated and zoned heating controller. And more stats even than I have. Not hard to retrofit though. Even more built in storage than exists. Electricity in the garage. And maybe water too, A custom built workshop. A place for garden machinery that is thief proof. Some way to have cat flaps without draughts. Ditto a letter box. That's given me even more to think about. I'm a bit confused by this Cat 5 cabling, what items can it be used for, surely if its just for computers as I thought then you would only want it in say an office and maybe bedrooms. As someone has mentioned what's the need of running two Cat5 cables to each point? and will there be a central point, say a cabling cupboard where you could have a broadband modem then have the cables running from this point to all the rooms where the cable terminates (Would that require a router) sorry if this is slightly of topic. With something like speaker cable in say lounge, would it be best to install cable and how would you decide on positions.. Also are there terminal wall plates for speaker cable. The in-law has wireless speakers on his setup. Impressed. You could install speaker sockets in the obvious places that speakers would go, but they do go there in the end. |
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#47
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#48
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"Rob Morley" wrote in message t... In article , "John Borman" says... snip That's given me even more to think about. I'm a bit confused by this Cat 5 cabling, what items can it be used for, surely if its just for computers as I thought then you would only want it in say an office and maybe bedrooms. You can use it for telephone, home automation and anything else that uses low-voltage low-current. As someone has mentioned what's the need of running two Cat5 cables to each point? and will there be a central point, say a cabling cupboard where you could have a broadband modem then have the cables running from this point to all the rooms where the cable terminates (Would that require a router) Yes. Doubling up on cables gives you a spare in case there are problems with one of them (it's much easier to run extra cables in a new build than it is to replace them later, and the extra cost is negligible compared to the hassle) and it gives you the opportunity to use the spare as above. Back to main topic. Don't get hung up on toys. Concentrate on the main aspects that cannot be changed once installed: superinsulation, air-tightness, elimination of cold bridges, etc. Also dig around the foundations, and install insulation against the buildings walls underground. This prevents heat loss to the side of the building floor slab to the surrounding cold earth. This can be done retro in any house that has a concrete slab. Easy and cheap to do, all you do is dig down in stages and then backfill. Keeps you fit. |
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#49
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"John Borman" wrote
| However after doing our first house as a self build there were a number of | things we missed and would have liked. We want this one to be perfect not | just for us but for families down the line. So what I was looking for was | things that people on here would really like to have see in their house. 1. Fire sprinkler system. Especially in a barn conversion which the planners usually prefer to be substantially open plan, sprinklers may get you significant exemptions from more cumbersome fire prevention/containment requirements. 2. All plumbing must be silent. That is, ALL plumbing MUST be SILENT. 3. Soundproofing between rooms. German regs have the same soundproofing between rooms that we have between flats in a building. 4. Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, separate WC, and dressing room / walk-in wardrobe. Guest bedroom with en-suite. Upstairs laundry room (bedrooms are where the dirty clothes are removed, and where the clean clothes are stored, so why cart everything down to a food preparation area? Inconvenient and unhygienic.) or a dunbwaiter/service lift from the dressing room down to the utility room. 5. Provision for older or disabled people. Have a room on the ground floor that can be used as a bedroom / granny suite, and a cloakroom that can convert into an accessible shower room. 6. Provision for working from home. Preferably with its own external access as well as internal communication. (May be combined with 5.) 7. Ramped drive-in doors to the main living area. Especially for a barn conversion with high ceilings, the ability to wheel in a towable cherry-picker platform will ease construction and future maintenance. 8. Cellar. 9. Clock tower on the stable block. Ramparts for a bagpiper. Gatling gun to deter trespassers. Owain |
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#50
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Lobster wrote:
James Hart wrote: Mike wrote: Plus worries on what ramblers might end up walking in. Always thought a rambler up to his neck in ****e was an improvement myself :-) Do you really want Janet Street Porter shreiking out you from the bottom of your garden though? Up to her neck in do-do? Surely the spectacle would be well worthwhile... You say up to her neck, couldn't it be arranged that she was inverted before being dunked, that wouldn't add much to the spectacle but it would cut down on the noise levels. -- James... www.jameshart.co.uk |
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#51
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Dont do this until you know the foundation details; with some houses it
could cause major problems, even collapse. NT |
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#52
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What strikes me about this thread is that build time is usually a time
of needing to cut costs, not to splurge on everything you dont need. I would therefore take a 2 phase approach. Work out what you ideally want, but only put in the things that need to go in, plus the things that will enable the rest to be put in some other day. BTW you only need 2" of height for isolated ceilings, the 2x3 or 2x4 for the ceiling can go between the floor joists. Fibreglass or similar on the ceiling will damp resonance and improve sound deadening significantly too. NT |
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#53
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wrote in message oups.com... What strikes me about this thread is that build time is usually a time of needing to cut costs, not to splurge on everything you dont need. I would therefore take a 2 phase approach. Work out what you ideally want, but only put in the things that need to go in, plus the things that will enable the rest to be put in some other day. BTW you only need 2" of height for isolated ceilings, the 2x3 or 2x4 for the ceiling can go between the floor joists. Fibreglass or similar on the ceiling will damp resonance and improve sound deadening significantly too. 1"x2" counter batons under the ceiling joists to reduce contact with upper floor. Then rockwool pads between ceiling boards and joists. Fibreglass is useless between floors, use high density rigid Rockwool. |
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#54
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wrote in message ups.com... Dont do this until you know the foundation details; with some houses it could cause major problems, even collapse. Not so. You do it in phases. You don't dig a trench all around the building. You dig out 1.5 meters, install insulation and backfill, and work your way around the house. |
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#55
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Nick Atty wrote:
Decoupled floor and ceilings (better noise insulation between floors) That will make an enormous difference if you can afford the height. It does not even need to take much height. I ended up with said arrangement as a part of my loft conversion, simply by having new floor joists slotted between the old floor/ceiling joists (but spaced above their level by an inch). It in effect used one inch more depth of floor than it would have otherwise. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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#56
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"Owain" wrote in message ... 2. All plumbing must be silent. That is, ALL plumbing MUST be SILENT. Please don't shout ... hands over ears 4. Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, separate WC, and dressing room / walk-in wardrobe. Guest bedroom with en-suite. Upstairs laundry room (bedrooms are where the dirty clothes are removed, and where the clean clothes are stored, so why cart everything down to a food preparation area? What if the bedrooms/dressing rooms are on the ground floor? Inconvenient and unhygienic.) or a dunbwaiter/service lift from the dressing room down to the utility room. 5. Provision for older or disabled people. Have a room on the ground floor that can be used as a bedroom / granny suite, er - and have to cart laundry (could be a lot) upstairs to the laundry room? 8. Cellar. YES! sorry for shouting 9. Clock tower on the stable block. Ramparts for a bagpiper. Gatling gun to deter trespassers. No, a garrison for bowmen, they can use the ramparts. Mantraps to catch the trespassers. Mary Owain |
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#57
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A lightning conductor alone does not provide protection.
Rod is only as effective as its earth ground. Same earthing system that would also protect those interior network cables from utility transients. You cannot install the best and least expensive earthing (Ufer ground) because the foundation already exists. Next best alternative is a halo ground. This utility demonstrates concepts that cost least during new construction: http://www.cinergy.com/surge/ttip08.htm Neither lightning rod nor surge protectors define effectiveness of transient protection. Quality of that system is defined by the single point earth ground. John Borman wrote: Lightning conductor(s)? Never thought of that |
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#58
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On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 19:53:01 -0000, "John Borman"
wrote: Hi people, am just looking to pick peoples brains. After 4 year battle with the local planners we have finally got planning permission for the conversion of a Barn into residential premises. Waiting so long we are eager to get things rolling, and will be seeing the architect in the next week or so. However after doing our first house as a self build there were a number of things we missed and would have liked. We want this one to be perfect not just for us but for families down the line. So what I was looking for was things that people on here would really like to have see in their house. Things we are considering a Network cables to most rooms, Underfloor heating, Reed bed sewage treatment, Heat exchangers. Now this is only a few things if people on here have ideas on these or any others ideas I would be much appreciated. Yours John UFH, Open Fire, forget the read bed go Packaged Sewage Treatment Unit, more child friendly, imagine your child in the reed bed ....... Good views, distanc from parents to kids at night - but not too much - good kitchen, windows On the architect, get one that can design what you can afford to build!! Rick |
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#59
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On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:14:42 -0000, "IMM" wrote:
"IMM" wrote in message To add, electrical cables in conduits with cables running behind skirtings. Conduits would have to be substantial steel to protect if you wanted to do this with power cables in this position...... Then no need to butcher Warmcell filled walls in the futrure when cables need extending around a room. Large porch to act as an air lock and a place to put wet clothes and shoes. I thought it was a house rather than a space ship..... -- ..andy To email, substitute .nospam with .gl |
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#60
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"Andy Hall" wrote in message ... On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:14:42 -0000, "IMM" wrote: "IMM" wrote in message To add, electrical cables in conduits with cables running behind skirtings. Conduits would have to be substantial steel to protect if you wanted to do this with power cables in this position...... Then no need to butcher Warmcell filled walls in the futrure when cables need extending around a room. Large porch to act as an air lock and a place to put wet clothes and shoes. I thought it was a house rather than a space ship..... Yep it is. It is also keeps in heat very well and air tight too. You don't want any of that heat to run out the door, so you have one with doors at right angles, so it is difficult for both be open at the same time. Porches are also very handy for other things. |
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#61
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Mike wrote:
You'll need to put all your sockets in silly positions and have a silly door stop, then change it all back to sensible once the BCO has signed you off. What was the reference to the door stop all about? (a bit or building regs that I have missed no doubt!) -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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#62
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On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 01:45:16 -0000, "IMM" wrote:
"Andy Hall" wrote in message .. . On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:14:42 -0000, "IMM" wrote: "IMM" wrote in message To add, electrical cables in conduits with cables running behind skirtings. Conduits would have to be substantial steel to protect if you wanted to do this with power cables in this position...... Then no need to butcher Warmcell filled walls in the futrure when cables need extending around a room. Large porch to act as an air lock and a place to put wet clothes and shoes. I thought it was a house rather than a space ship..... Yep it is. It is also keeps in heat very well and air tight too. You don't want any of that heat to run out the door, so you have one with doors at right angles, so it is difficult for both be open at the same time. That's going to be really convenient for getting things in and out, including people in an emergency. Porches are also very handy for other things. Not designed like that they won't be..... Sometimes I despair..... -- ..andy To email, substitute .nospam with .gl |
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#63
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"Andy Hall" wrote in message ... On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 01:45:16 -0000, "IMM" wrote: "Andy Hall" wrote in message .. . On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:14:42 -0000, "IMM" wrote: "IMM" wrote in message To add, electrical cables in conduits with cables running behind skirtings. Conduits would have to be substantial steel to protect if you wanted to do this with power cables in this position...... Then no need to butcher Warmcell filled walls in the futrure when cables need extending around a room. Large porch to act as an air lock and a place to put wet clothes and shoes. I thought it was a house rather than a space ship..... Yep it is. It is also keeps in heat very well and air tight too. You don't want any of that heat to run out the door, so you have one with doors at right angles, so it is difficult for both be open at the same time. That's going to be really convenient for getting things in and out, including people in an emergency. No. You have a big porch. Duh! |
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#64
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Much much better than a/c is underground pipes. Run 4" pipes under the
garden and fan air in through them in summer. Same result as a/c, but uses a tiny fraction the energy. Also a whole house fan that cools the house down in evening and night by drawing air in at bottom and out the top. Put the fan in the attic. Also ceiling fans, one of lifes real bargains. Summer comfort is important in design, neglect it and people will end up resorting to a/c. NT |
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#65
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Dont do this until you know the foundation details; with some houses
it could cause major problems, even collapse. Not so. You do it in phases. You don't dig a trench all around the building. You dig out 1.5 meters, install insulation and backfill, and work your way around the house. You have to take into account all building types when you give this sort of advice. Thre are very old buildings with no foundations at all which would possibly not survive this treatment. There is a cone of compression under the wall, dig half of it out and youer going to cause heavy subsidence at least to such buildings, since a) the replaced soil will not be as compacted b) the wall wasnt supported during underdig. Dont do it if in doubt. NT |
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#66
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8. Cellar.
YES! This is a pretty major deal. If you can install a poured concrete cellar the size of the house, with no electrics/ plaster/ anything else to keep cost down, then in futuer you can convert the cellar into habitable and make your house 50% bigger. Thats no small thing. NT |
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#67
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Owain wrote:
Inconvenient and unhygienic.) or a dunbwaiter/service lift from the dressing room down to the utility room. In our extension we put the utility room below the bathroom, and it is to my eternal regret that we didn't build in some form of simple laundry chute through the floor - would have looked like a very small but bottomless(!) laundry box in the bathroom. Or maybe that would have compromised fire regulations?? David |
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#68
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wrote in message oups.com... Dont do this until you know the foundation details; with some houses it could cause major problems, even collapse. Not so. You do it in phases. You don't dig a trench all around the building. You dig out 1.5 meters, install insulation and backfill, and work your way around the house. You have to take into account all building types when you give this sort of advice. Thre are very old buildings with no foundations at all which would possibly not survive this treatment. This is true. The building in question is a barn, which would have the floor excavated, and a new floor poured with insulation under. A massive cold bridge would be to the side. This method solves that. In most houses with a concrete slab floor it would too. |
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#69
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IMM wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. Most sheds now do not stick LV downlighters, or reduced stock, all is going over to mains. The cost of lamps is dropping. They still blow too quickly, and that is an argument for not using teh sheds. Honestly, who ever would do a building project buying from sheds? I hardly have had to replace any LV bulbs at all. three of mine (35mm 20w) have gone in the past week. It is cheaper to buy a whole 3 piece light fitting with Xformer, etc than buy three lamps. Thats because you shop at teh sheds. I am geting 50W 12v units at 74p each. If you had installed more insulation and made the place air tight a full heating system would not be required. You have identified those problems. I am not allowed to make it air tight. I am arguing with the inspector about how much trickle ventilation it needs. I agree, the current regulations do not go as far in terms of insulation as one could go with reasonable retun on investment over a sensible period. |
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#70
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John Borman wrote:
That's given me even more to think about. I'm a bit confused by this Cat 5 cabling, what items can it be used for, surely if its just for computers as I thought then you would only want it in say an office and maybe bedrooms. I use it for phones as well. It CAN be used for other things like running audio I believe. And how soon before you have a central digital TV recieviever that looks like a networked web server with all TV channels, and your online store of DVD's on hard disk, accessible at teh click of a button? As someone has mentioned what's the need of running two Cat5 cables to each point? and will there be a central point, say a cabling cupboard where you could have a broadband modem then have the cables running from this point to all the rooms where the cable terminates (Would that require a router) sorry if this is slightly of topic. Phone and computer. Or two computers maybe (saves a switch/hub?) Or phone/fac machine..or anything really. I just left teh second cable curled up in teh box after wiring p teh phonbes mostly. My system is (now) broadband into router, and computers to broadband router via cat 5. Prinetsr and fles servres will be networked in due course, but all that sits in here in teh office. However its nice if people turn up with laptops, to be able to let them plug in elsewhere in teh house. With something like speaker cable in say lounge, would it be best to install cable and how would you decide on positions.. Also are there terminal wall plates for speaker cable. Er. Hmm. Yes and no. I have'nt quite finsighed it, but I have laid some T & E between wall paltes. They will probably have large banaplug binding posts on tehm - drilled blank plates etc. IF you are a surround sond fanatic, thats the one thing that is worth doing. I was going to build a sub woofer into teh wall, as well, but She wasn't having it. |
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#71
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IMM wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. John Anderton wrote: On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:40:11 +0100, "tim" wrote: "John Borman" wrote in message ... Underfloor heating, This isn't the most efficient method, why do you think that you should want it Personally I'd want it because: a) There's no radiators around the walls so more scope for arranging furniture b) I like warm floors on a cold winters morning :-) Yup. Its not actually that much more expensive to run if you pay attention to insulation. You don't need this expensive form of heating if you do pay attention to insulation and superinsulate the place. Bull****. Requirements for fresh air mean that you need to have air cahnges. Even with (expensive) heat exchangers, and ugly air ducts, it still needs more. If you want to spend a ton of money on superinsulating and overall energy efficient air ecahnage, and use up yet more precious oil in the manufacture thereof, be my guest. |
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#72
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#73
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wrote in message ups.com... 8. Cellar. YES! This is a pretty major deal. If you can install a poured concrete cellar the size of the house, with no electrics/ plaster/ anything else to keep cost down, then in futuer you can convert the cellar into habitable and make your house 50% bigger. Thats no small thing. Well, that's true. But I was thinking of cool storage - I have a small pantry but it's off the kitchen and the temperature is little lower than that of the house. A cool cellar would be fabulous. It's the only thing I regretted leaving when we came here from our one up and down house (with cellar). Mary NT |
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#74
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"Lobster" wrote in message ... Owain wrote: Inconvenient and unhygienic.) or a dunbwaiter/service lift from the dressing room down to the utility room. In our extension we put the utility room below the bathroom, and it is to my eternal regret that we didn't build in some form of simple laundry chute through the floor - would have looked like a very small but bottomless(!) laundry box in the bathroom. Or maybe that would have compromised fire regulations?? But you'd have mixed colours and fabrics, they'd still have to be sorted. Mary David |
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#75
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Rick wrote:
On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 19:53:01 -0000, "John Borman" wrote: Hi people, am just looking to pick peoples brains. After 4 year battle with the local planners we have finally got planning permission for the conversion of a Barn into residential premises. Waiting so long we are eager to get things rolling, and will be seeing the architect in the next week or so. However after doing our first house as a self build there were a number of things we missed and would have liked. We want this one to be perfect not just for us but for families down the line. So what I was looking for was things that people on here would really like to have see in their house. Things we are considering a Network cables to most rooms, Underfloor heating, Reed bed sewage treatment, Heat exchangers. Now this is only a few things if people on here have ideas on these or any others ideas I would be much appreciated. Yours John UFH, Open Fire, forget the read bed go Packaged Sewage Treatment Unit, more child friendly, imagine your child in the reed bed ....... Good views, distanc from parents to kids at night - but not too much - good kitchen, windows A room where He can go to get away from Her and Them is a complete marriage saver. On the architect, get one that can design what you can afford to build!! Rick |
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#76
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#77
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#78
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Mary Fisher wrote:
But you'd have mixed colours and fabrics, they'd still have to be sorted. Erm - why? David (who usually does the washing in our house... :-) |
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#79
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"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. IMM wrote: "The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. John Anderton wrote: On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:40:11 +0100, "tim" wrote: "John Borman" wrote in message ... Underfloor heating, This isn't the most efficient method, why do you think that you should want it Personally I'd want it because: a) There's no radiators around the walls so more scope for arranging furniture b) I like warm floors on a cold winters morning :-) Yup. Its not actually that much more expensive to run if you pay attention to insulation. You don't need this expensive form of heating if you do pay attention to insulation and superinsulate the place. Bull****. Requirements for fresh air mean that you need to have air cahnges. What tripe. An air tight superinsulated house will require some sort of ventilatiion. Heat Recovery ventilation is installed. Have the ducting uprated and an in-line heater battery in the ductwork and no UFH is required whatsoever. I know of no superinsulated house that uses underfloor heating. It is just an expensive overkill. Your house is not superinsulated. Do some research and stop making things up. |
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#80
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"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message ... IMM wrote: "The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message . .. Most sheds now do not stick LV downlighters, or reduced stock, all is going over to mains. The cost of lamps is dropping. They still blow too quickly, I have both and both blow at about the same rate. Buy good quality lamps and no problems. If you had installed more insulation and made the place air tight a full heating system would not be required. You have identified those problems. I am not allowed to make it air tight. I am arguing with the inspector about how much trickle ventilation it needs. Heat recovery systems makes that redundant. I agree, the current regulations do not go as far in terms of insulation as one could go with reasonable retun on investment over a sensible period. House do not require an air tight test. In modern homes most heat loss is via air leakages. |
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