How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Yeah going to see if Library of Things in Bromley has one. SELCE (southeast london community energy) were doing surveys and we booked one but they had some issues and cancelled. Would rather have someone interpret results but think we'll have a go ourselves in the meantime.

Did you do one before extension/work? @dbr

Was also looking at just buying one a while back. Might been Flir? Somewhere that sold little gizmos to attach to phone cameras, as well as standalone cameras.

Nah, no point really. We’ve addressed all the major things now though, just good to find drafts or hot air leaks once we’ve got the heating on.

Has anyone ever removed an ugly fireplace surround from a mid 90’s house? We have one in our dining room and one in our living room, and a bit like starting to pick a scab and not being able to stop things escalated quite quickly this afternoon, leaving me with a less ugly hole in the wall and a marble hearth I assume is concreted down.

Firstly, any thoughts on how to lift the hearth without damaging it? Flat pry bar underneath it and big hammer?

Secondly, plan is to smash out the fireback and build up the hole with blocks and plaster over it before panelling the wall. Should I leave the chimney sheep thing in there or remove it? From rummaging around online it sounds like I need to leave it fully open to prevent damp, or else cap it at the top and vent through the bottom?

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You might get that to move fairly easily, our almost identical looking hearth was just laid on some mortar, not really bonded to it in any major way. I'd imagine trying to support it at a couple of points is good practice if you're worried about damaging it.

We capped the chimney flues (eventually) and boarded over + vent at the bottom. I used metal studs and cement board because I was fitting a bioethanol fireplace.

Interesting, will see what a bit of force with a pry bar does this weekend. Only reason for not wanting to damage it is so that it can be sold/given away but if I get no interest it’ll just be scrapped.

The cast iron insert was HEAVY. Not looking forward to trying to extract this one:

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Oh okay - so actually seems the main constraint is how your extension will adjoin theirs. Party wall, gutters, flashing etc. I’m sure your architect is across all that. The gable pitch makes more sense in that case to me as the low point on the party wall will become a valley gutter flashed into their extension flank wall. For a flat roof you would need a parapet to master their roof - and that will all end up too high . Probably . If I understand it right.

I've asked Lewisham building control for advice, and any records they may have. But I think this stuff was done years ago. I've spoken to next door and they're not interested in exploring: "it'll be OK" is their take. I don't see what else I can do, but I'm told I'll be liable if any problems arise during my work, which doesn't sit well with me.

Have you looked into insurance?

Usually the best way to protect against unknown risk.

Could also look visually a little janky with a flat roof

Technical term

Anyone got any tips on where to get nice square white bathroom wall tiles from? Was hoping to find a more reasonably priced & easily available copy of curved edge tiles from DTile but my internet searches are coming up with nothing: https://www.designboom.com/design/peter-van-der-jagt-erik-jan-kwakkel-arnout-visser-dtile/. But if those aren't a thing, possible alternatives in standard square white tile?

We're getting a grey vanity unit and grey toilet seat in our new bathroom.

There isn't a matching grey wall cabinet but we'd like a mirrored wall cabinet of some kind.

Will a black one look neutral enough and not rubbish?

HR Johnson - prismatics is my go to.

Does anyone have pictures of an unobtrusive heat pump install?

Been to see several amazing and beautiful houses with ASHP recently, yet they all just have one of these dumped by the front door in a super clunky fashion.

I know they can't be boxed in completely, but there must be a way to do better....

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I feel it’s only a matter of time before Brighton bike sheds do a hide heat pump shed.

Just making the thing grey to begin with would help.
Looks like you dumped a fridge.
Make a box with feathered cladding that has loads of gaps, as in picture but wooden and a nice classic colour?
The other tips from the article are a bit ugly.
https://www.heatandcool.co.nz/5-ways-to-conceal-your-heat-pump-external-unit/

Maybe the thought that you are internalising ugliness with the things helps? Coal mining never happened in your front garden.

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Unfortunately any kind of covering will restrict airflow and is a bad idea for efficiency. I thought about painting or vinyl wrapping ours but I just got used to it in the end. Up on the extension roof so doesn’t get looked at much, though that might change once we can afford to do the garden next year.

There isnt and covering them will affect the airflow to the unit.

Mine (AC) are currently on the side of the house.

Survey booked in for next Tuesday for a HP replacing boiler so not sure what we’ll do now. Might end up consolidating units etc but we have to apply for planning permission for another unit anyway.

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I'd be tempted to put them on whatever flat roof your gaff has up and out of the way.

Problem then becomes servicing / maintenance / noise transmission.

Maybe @Nahguavkire has some ideas?

Thanks all.

Vinyl wrap is a great idea.
Samsung ones at least are single colour. Mitsubishi 5kw unit which is the peoples choice is annoyingly two-tone.

Putting them on flat roofs is not 100% advised due to vibration and noise. You can get acoustic isolation feet, but that just makes them even higher and more obvious.

Covering them with a box, however permeable, is a big no. Ideally they are well spaced away from the wall at the rear!

I love them (400% efficient, wtf, magic!) just hate the aesthetics of the install.

True, ours is actually wall mounted just above the roof, 300mm off the wall.

Some people put cages around them to slow theft.

That has a brutal charm to it.