External render
Draught lobby porches are being constructed and
will be rendered with a brick affect to match the
external cladding on
the rest of the dwelling and the street. The render will be a lighter
colour so prevent the absorption of too much sunlight and therefore heat
as this has potential to damage the insulation.
The external
insulation will be extended down below the DPC and finished with a damp
proof render in order to prevent cold bridging at this junction.
A disabled ramp is also to be retrofitted to the elderly resident’s property whilst building the porch.
Ground Floor
Vacuum
insulated panels to be installed on the ground floor using standard
sizes where possible. Any remaining floor areas around the edges will be
in-filled with high quality insulation. This would have negligible
affect on the overall u-value and could potentially have a positive
affect should bespoke VIPs panels be manufactured and then found to not
fit properly due to inaccuracies in measurements, thus leaving gaps in
the floor where no insulation would lie. This solution will also be much
more cost-effective than having expensive bespoke panels made. It also
seemed a much more practical solution on site as it is easy to cut and
re-use pieces of phenolic insulation. Finally, it was thought a safer
solution should carpet layers attempt to nail through the floor and
potentially burst a VIP in the future. If no VIPs lie at the edges of
the floor, there is no chance that this can happen.
Covered Way
It
was decided that the covered way, which covers the area between the
kitchen and outer shed, where the hot water cylinder will be kept, will
be blocked at each end to prevent additional heat loss. It would, in
effect, act as another draft lobby in addition to that at the front of
the house. On observing the residents’ behaviour, it was decided that
this was important as the kitchen door was constantly being opened,
therefore letting heat out.
Windows
We were advised that
the windows most probably sit on a steel frame due to the year they were
built. Therefore, to minimise cold bridging across the sill, 40mm
insulation across the reveal would be required.
As we move closer to our site commencement date planned for this
Thursday, we visited the site to make contact with the residents to
bring them up to speed with our plans going forward, and to make a start
on the additional survey information that was urgently required. The
areas of interest were the existing PVC window and how they are
fabricated to suit the existing internal steel frame. The existing
external wall mounted services and how we plan to move them, remount
them and at what stage of the retrofit works this would take place. It
was noted in our conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Waters that the new
porch extension would require a wheelchair ramped access with a handrail
for further support. This initially was not on the original scope, but
through contacting Giles at Ashford Borough Council we intent to make
this addition one of our priorities.
All the existing services
were located to enable the site compound and welfare facilities to be
utilised, and the proposed compound area marked out.
Existing Window Surround Survey
To
enable us to perform the intrusive survey, a window surround masonry
brick had to be carefully cut and removed so as not to destroy the
integrity of the brick or cavity insulation.
It
was clear that once the brick was removed we could determine how the
existing window was fixed to the internal steel frame. This will ensure
that the measure and order of the new high efficient triple glazed
window, no problems will arise and also provide a smooth transition with
the installation.
Again
by this photo you can clearly see the existing internal face of the
window is fitted to the external face of the steel frame.
Existing PVC Window Survey
This
survey was conducted to identify any cold bridging areas to the
existing window structure itself. Following this survey we was able to
determine that where the existing window structure meets the existing
internal steel frame, two 50mm x 50mm voids were identified with only 2
nr 2mm thick PVC covers with no insulation seals, this we found was the
only partition construction between the internal heat and the external
cold. We found this to be a very useful exercise, as on fabricating the
new high efficient triple glazed window, measures can be taken to avoid
this cold bridging for the new installation.
External Services
Here
shows a typical example of the existing services to be repositioned,
all service pipe work penetrating the property wall will need a 100mm
section of brick surrounding the pipe broken out to enable the cutting
and extending for the new pipe location. Once made good, this then will
allow the new pipe work to sit on the outside face of the proposed
external insulation and plaster.
Ashford Borough Council are trying to compromise with regard to the
extent of the Retrofit works to be undertaken at the elderly couple's
property. We're hoping this is resolved within the next day or two. All
specialist subcontracts are ready to go forward with placing our orders,
we’re just awaiting confirmation to secure quantities.
Daniel Ready
Project Manager
B Ball Contractors Ltd
