I hope to have a good picture of my space by Sunday. DIY lighting is currently very work in progress and the temporary solution looks rather boring.
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Well I look forward to seeing it, hope it goes well 
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Probably not interesting, but I’m putting in surface water drainage control. Because needs must 
Dug for soakaway, then stuck crates in wrapped in landscaping fabric (stops dirt getting in, but lets water in/out)
Then I’m wrapping perforated pipe around the perimeter, will be surrounded by peashingle and directed via the white pipes to the soakaway
I’ve now got plans for ‘emergency drainage’ of the soakaway, because we’ve been having some pretty weird weather lately (UK), heavy downpours.
Next, I’ve got to install the gutter, downpipe and connect it with the same system in a slightly jank way!
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Nearly finished the drainage surrounding the building, have finally got into the situation where I can start throwing gravel over perforated pipe.
Also thought I’d make a proper sump that I can throw a pump in, if it gets really bad. Just got a 16 inch tall plastic bucket, drilled some holes in it, then wrapped it in landscape fabric so it doesn’t fill with mud. Then surrounded the top with blocks and finished with a patio tile to keep the dirt out of it.
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Network update!
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to have the main TELEPHONE socket in the new office after all, so I switched things around a little. I’ve done a little plan, I might upload to here for verification eh!?
Oh, ultimately my office currently has a temporary 10Mb connection to the house… this is unpleasant! I think it’s because the reused cat cable I’m using is only cat 5e, I’m guessing the distance or cheapness of cable is the reason for the speed.
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I was a bit curious about the speed, I’m sure this is the stuff I bought…but it was very cheap when I bought it in Aug 2020 (£36 / $50).
I’ve got a cable tester, so I might check it out. It’s no the end of the world as I didn’t plan on using the cable again (it’s sort of not rated for outdoor use!).
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Only a little update, but I put the fascia on, and guttering. I was an annoyingly 3 foot out, so I have to buy another 15 foot length It’s not so bad though, only £40 / $55 extra.
Next on the list is to attach the below DPC insulation, then I can back fill over this peashingle
After that will be the external wall insulation and then house wrap to make it completely watertight.
I had one issue, which was a real pain - where the membrane sags between the joists, I wrongly pushed on it, checking for water or just a void…it was water which spilled on my desk just a few inches from my monitors. I cut it, drained and stuck membrane tape over the hole. I suspect the water got there when I was putting the roof on (it rained, it’s England), otherwise it could have been pushed in when I had a lack of fascia to protect against sideways rain.
Anyway, the fun continues. I’m looking forward to digging up the garden to put the water supply, electric, phone line and cat / fibre connection in…hmm!
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Just a few infrared pics if of interest.
Here’s an example of the concrete lintel and how cold it is as it’s not thermally broken from outside (yet!)
Here’s an example of how the sun coming through the window, heats up materials stored inside
Here’s the result of heating a building with no insulation installed (yet!)
Here’s a set of strange ones, It looks like the heating inside is warming up the slab at the beginning of the day, then at the end of the day it’s actually the blockwork that starts absorbing the internal heating. Note below DPC installation has been applied
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I forgot, were you planning on exterior insulation as well, or just some “rendering” (I’m thinking 5-10cm of some styrene XPS or eps based product on the outside or some polyiso based thing even better, probably won’t hurt).
(I know you have underfloor heating, but you shouldn’t have to use it most of the year - imo heating in UK/IE should be a strictly Jan/Feb kind of thing).
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Ah, well only external wall insulation, I’ve already got a stack of 10cm insulation, along with battens to fix through it, as well as vapour and breather membranes. XPS was used below DPC though 
No underfloor heating actually, we’re very early on in the internals, funds and all that. I’ve just thrown some 10cm insulation on the floor, over DPM then got some discount slightly damaged caber flooring to protect the insulation.
Heating can be needed well before and after Jan/Feb in the South East, but it does vary hugely.
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Oh I agree it does vary a ton indeed, … I’m in Dublin myself - some 100m away from the water (or beach depending on tides).
I can tell first hand that in addition to once in a while cold spell - it’s insane how much winds ends up affecting heating
Essentially, for me the difference in how much gas i use per day currently, can be as low as ~10kWh for a mid summer day - basically for shower and other hot water. … and some days in the winter it can be 70kWh. (about 200w /C difference indoor/outdoor goes into heating).
The house I live in is … old… very old… but renovated in 2013/2014… but not to a super high standard (happened before I bought it), and now that I own it I’m very much thinking whoever was deciding e.g. on leaving a fully ventilated attic must have been on crack.
This is all a long winded way of saying you should take care of your insulation well, otherwise you’ll regret it 
.
Personally, I’m planning major renovation ove the next free years with the goal of being carbon free as well as not having to pay for electricity - and I didn’t grow up around these parts… so I’m following what you’re doing with great interest. Those FLIR pics are awesome - they’re very informative.
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BTW Ireland is on my list of ‘visit before I’m too old’ places 
Interesting stuff about your gas usage, I think we have less than that in summer, though the reduction is cancelled out by an electric oven.
I’m in an old house too, and oddly also not been well renovated (battened out walls, no insulation).
Yep, definitely looking after the insulation, makes a big difference, not just to heat efficiency but space enjoyment too. We’re on the same page.
More than happy to hear your comments in a separate thread about proposed renovations. Getting off grid is certainly do’able and I have been toying with the idea with my office (solar + battery storage), however right now I need to do whatever takes the least amount of time.
May entertain to know that my current heating arrangement is 2 x oil filled radiators. One is on a ‘night only’ setting via a smart plug (rated for 13A). The other is on a plug in ELECTRO-THERMOSTAT for the day shift, reason being is as you probably know, the built-in stat of a electric rad is next to useless.
The FLIR is really quite good, helps me identify lots of issues with many different aspects of construction. There are two types though and THIS ONE IS THE CHEAPER ONE THAT I’VE GOT.
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Well, work has persistently stopped me from doing further, but this weekend I was able to:
use sealant and foam to plug gaps in insulation/blockwork/timber
remove next doors fence so I’ve got more access (great neighbours!)
Wrapped it in vapour membrane.
adjusted the electric supply a bit, so I could put the membrane on.
had a cup of tea
The view from the neighbours garden…less fence!
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Well, first panel on, after a bit of thought. I did start thinking, perhaps I should have gone cavity wall, but that was never an option (edit) as the foundations would have to be deeper to counteract the additional weight. It is a bit fiddly though, I’m starting the bottom because there’s going to be another width on the top part to completely cover the wall with a weatherproof membrane, which needs to lap over the bottom one.
I used air wedges (the black things at the bottom, normally used for fitting doors!) to make sure it was wedged up to the top/eaves. While I was at it, I also used foil tape on the joints…I’m going this far after all!
One wall done…3rd shortest…glad I didn’t start with the longest wall, as that’s around 6.4m/21ft long!
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Ahh, today was nice, got all but one insulation boards out now…I’ve been looking at this for 1-2 months
But now, I have an additional 10 x 6 ft area
I do have to take up the flooring and re-do it…and I need to buy a few other bits, but we’re getting there.
Just need to do the upper half with a weatherproof membrane, then I’m done for a bit until I save up the money for the wood effect cladding. Here’s a pic from the neighbours side, so kind of them to let me take the fence down.
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Another little update. All weathertight now, just need to secure a few bits and then it’s good until I can afford the cladding. I do still need to tap a few battens on, but it’s nearly something I can leave for a while.
I’ve now properly cleared a space inside (finally), to put more floor insulation in, then a membrane, then more temporary flooring. I’ve also got a 150ft reel of armoured cable, the current power is a little sketchy and existing before I came along.
I was thinking that I had a few positions that I could use for a desk, so once this is done, I’m moving it from it’s present place, to instead look directly out the window. I won’t be looking at much, mainly a fence and a tree, but it’ll stop the sun being in my eyes! This is the very basic view that I’m going for.
There’s going to be a cupboard within 6-8ft and once I’m happy with the final location, I’m half tempted to put the computer in there and feed all cables under the floor, up and inside the table leg…for fun!
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The other insulation for the floor arrived a few minutes ago…ah, I liked the space when it was there! Won’t be long though, and I’ll have it down on the floor…family permitted! I think I’ve got it for around £40-50 ($53-66) per 4x8’ 4" board (6 nos). When I bought the bulk amount it was around 20-30% cheaper
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Well, a little update again…it’ll be nice to come back to this thread in years to come, when I need to know how I did something…and know what I’m about to drill through! 
The outside insulation is pretty much done, just need to go around the bottom, where there’s no insulation. I just needs a 4-6inch strip, but it’s fiddly and annoying, so I’m going to do it when I feel tolerant
Meanwhile inside, I’ve shifted things around so I can start laying the permanent floor build up (insulation/membrane
Next, will be interesting, I’ve had to cram everything up one end, time for moving it to the new floor space…this will be fun.
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