Improving our existing housing stock

[openspaceman]

I would like builders and subcontractors to follow approved standards, regulations etc and stop trying to build too quickly which in turn cuts corners.
I think councils need to get back to visiting sites, employing clerk of works and inspecting at various stages of builds.

Also insisting on witnessing door blower tests for every property.

Having tried to supervise builders to meet insulation specs I appreciate the problem.

How is one of these door blowing tests done?

[openspaceman]

If a structure was essentially well made to start with and/or has a lot of character/architectural merit then that may justify the extra expense or upgrading.

I think this house fits for character, I was a bit concerned about the solar panels but went ahead as the concrete tiles will not be original. I won't externally clad the two colour brickwork and particularly like the original 1862 lime mortar and am put off internal insulation because everything breathes as it is.

I can stick some celotex on the inside of the coombed ceiling but want to do it without changing the split lath and plaster on that side of the roof that did not burn.

House is 9" solid walls, 60cm foundation and floor was badly changed from suspended wood to solid with parquet somewhen between 1959 and 1969. No insulation and probably no damp proof membrane. I would dearly like to excavate the ground floor, one room at a time, to get decent insulation in and take the opportunity to have underfloor pipes as this would give thermal inertia to allow off peak heat pump heating.

Being totally wood fired for space heating it is a toss up whether I would live long enough to benefit after I give up chopping logs.

Has anyone any costings for laying a floor with a well designed underfloor pipe?

[tony]

I would be thinking DraughtProofing, insulation, elimination of in house winter cooling systems (dot and dab, soil pipe boxes, party wall cavities, insufficient loft insulation, un insulated thermal bridging from gable walls and chimneys, uninsulated floors etc)

Doing things on a task by task basis essentially going down the road doing each house, worst problems first using seperate specialist for each task.

[spread-tee]

Agreed, mostly.

We need to concentrate on existing housing stock, it's going to be around a long time given our glacial new build pace. I would give generous grants payable direct to whoever installed it, DIYer, jobbing builder, specialist only after a proper inspection by LABC. There is loads of low hanging fruit on existing housing which could rapidly create lots of good jobs. Everyone wins......I think?

Desp