A report on progress of the build as it happens
Spray paint decorating I decided to spray paint the walls and ceiling as I knew it would be much quicker and also a great way of getting a good finish. I had been advised to paint the top coat with a fine roller as otherwise it would be impossible to touch up in the [...]
Ground floor flush skirting and architrave I had decided to have a flush skirting and architrave on the ground floor and then a simpler to install surface mounted skirting and architrave on the first floor, with a detail to mimic the shadow gap. It is always tricky to have a good quality shadow gap [...]
What to put on the floor in a passive house? I decided to tile all of the ground floor except for the separate living room 'snug' and then use large rugs in areas that I wanted to soften. Large format tiles look great in open plan spaces and also transmit heat really well so [...]
Wet plaster or dry lining? For me the choice between wither dry lining and just joint filling the gaps and a full wet plaster was very easy to make. Developers often dry line purely because it is cheaper and does not introduce a wet trade inside the build. However good the dry liners are [...]
What plasterboard to use in a Passive build? I wanted to achieve an excellent level of sound insulation between rooms and between floors where possible and also wanted a large mass of plasterboard in the build as it is proven to help stabilise temperature fluctuation in lightweight builds. I decided to double slab all [...]
What is first fix Carpentry First Fix involves the structural work roof struts, wall studding, framing and joists and this was all covered in the MBC package. Items that are also included in first fix that were not completed by MBC were stud work to create shower enclosures, staircase, door linings, window boards, noggins, [...]
What cladding for a Passive house? The Ash Thermowood cladding was supplied by Vastern Timber who went on to use my house as a case study for their product. Details can be found here. Fixing external battens Cladding fixing [...]
Plumbing First fix Hot water Cylinder & Under Floor Heating System testing
What is an Airtightness test? An airtightness test (also known as a door blower test) is a way of measuring the leakage in a building and is a great way of checking the quality of design, detailing and site work. Tests are mandatory in all new builds as part of the building regulations although [...]
