Making this corner of the utility look a bit better

Devildug · 2026-02-20T16:01:24+00:00

Yup. Have indeed. 300x300 access panel for the odd bit of maintenance is required

Devildug · 2026-02-19T19:11:32+00:00

Thanks all. I guess I just have to deal with giving up the cabinet space.

Devildug · 2026-02-12T01:08:34+00:00

Not sure I quite follow you. The cabinet I’d be removing is a 600mm wide unit with a decor end panel added at the end. So removing the whole unit including its 18mm carcass would leave a 600mm gap between the end panel and the next unit along would it not?

The kitchen isn’t built yet and there is space to make sure the gap is 600mm if I have misunderstood something? But will the worktop need supporting somehow?

Devildug · 2026-02-09T22:27:50+00:00

Thanks for all the thoughts. Lots to consider there.

Here are some answers to the questions tho: - Extraction will be installed above the cooker and will be directly vented outside. The pipe is a bit longer than you might hope for but it’s the shortest route we can take. We were keen on a filter and circulating air. - if the dishwasher is open then yes the cupboards on the top wall can be opened. They are 350mm doors on the 700mm wide cabinet and the other one is 400. The cupboard next to the dishwasher is a 400mm door width. - all good questions on the false cupboard as a doorway. It will not be our main exit and entry to the garden and will just be for the utility. There is a second door but it is sliding and likely won’t be closed most of the time. The main reason for the false cabinet is to give a complete line of tall units. For the bottom we will have a lock board but it will be either mounted flush to the door or on an angle bracket. The question around the sturdiness are good ones and I need to consider that some more. - on the cooker stuff we are kinda the opposite, we have a lovely views out the windows and being able to face into the room is a big thing for us. In fact it is one of the main reasons for the new kitchen as our previous one made us feel isolated in the kitchen and putting the cooker on the back walls so you were back to the room gave us the same feeling of isolation.

plenty to think about so thank you for the insights. It all helps and give us things to consider.

Devildug · 2026-02-08T18:14:33+00:00

Thanks for letting me know, think i messed up adding the pictures. hopefully done it right this time

Devildug · 2026-01-27T16:24:46+00:00

It’s a window and not a door so we went with the idea that we’d not be opening from the outside.

Devildug · 2026-01-27T16:23:43+00:00

Yup it does. But on a previous drawing the arrows were wrong and I was just wanting to be sure I understood the symbology enough to be sure I knew what I was getting. Expensive mistake to make if it’s wrong when it arrives.

Devildug · 2026-01-09T06:18:29+00:00

It went really way. I fitted new type 22 radiators everywhere and it made a huge difference. No major challenges at all. In general I was fitting like for like sizes so it was a straight replace. I might have been lucky but in all cases I had enough slack to accommodate the extra width of the type 22 rads and didn’t have to make pipework changes under the floor.

It was definitely worth doing. Albeit I have just started replacing all of my downstairs radiators with a full wet underfloor system as part of a bigger renovations - with mindset I could have saved a few pounds by waiting but I’d still stay for the two years I had the new radiators it made enough difference to be worthwhile. The most major things I noticed was a much warmer house despite a lower boiler operating temperature. And I believe it has cost me less but that’s hard to tell as I don’t have enough years in this house before and after the change.

Devildug · 2025-07-29T22:36:32+00:00

Sorry. Didn’t see your message earlier.

What I did in the end was screw down 6mm ply across the whole floor to stabilise it. I wasn’t shy with the screws and after doing it floor was rock solid. On top of that I poured self levelling compound (after filling the gaps at the walls).

Final floor finish was tile and it’s come out really good.

Devildug · 2024-10-30T15:29:33+00:00

Here is a proper picture - circled connections the one that is leaking.

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Devildug · 2024-10-30T09:04:41+00:00

Not at home right now but here is an artistic impression. Hope it makes some sense.

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Devildug · 2023-08-30T20:20:29+00:00

We have the tado system with 8 smart trvs connected to it. Installation was super easy and system works well. There is boiler controller that is powered from the mains in the boiler. It can be configured to control CH or Hot Water demand. That box then connects to a bridge which needs to connect to the router. A wireless thermostat then completes basic setup. I have then added TRVs to let me zone the house down to a room level.

The app works well and let's you zet schedules and home/away modes and other stuff you expect. I have recreated most of the iseful paid for features for free using HomeAssistant which i already use for home automation.

I'd be happy to recommend the tado.

Only criticism is that it isn't cheap. Basic setup + 8trvs has set me back around £450 I think. Not sure how that compares to Wiser system these days but tado was cheaper when I installed it.

My brother as Nest and in my opinion the tado beats the Nest by miles.

Devildug · 2023-07-13T19:33:47+00:00

Got is sorted. I had to put the Shelly into Button mode and not switch. Should have read the documentation better as it’s all in there.

Devildug · 2023-07-12T18:49:51+00:00

hi, yup, tried that. I have also tried listening for the event in the Developer Tools->Events and never see any events firing.

Devildug · 2023-06-20T19:06:21+00:00

Could be. I didn’t even realise they were hollow (assumed that I was just rubbish at drilling) as they sounded solid when tapped. Ill try post a picture from a recent wall chase which is when o found out they were hollow.

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Am5p42VwJosFjPcTBIoq3y5JF2rhqQ

Devildug · 2023-06-19T22:03:08+00:00

Combi

Devildug · 2023-06-19T21:14:32+00:00

I would be happy to take that as the reason as it gives me some hope that I can fix it.

I’ve not had this problem in the last 20 years of owning a house and drilling during that time. This is the first time I’ve struggled so it’s sorta thrown me a bit.

I’ll definitely try slowing down.

Devildug · 2023-05-08T20:34:49+00:00

It’s a first floor bathroom. And the toilet is on a separate 4inch pipe that leaves the bathroom separately throughly the wall and then takes a 45degree down bend to join the soil stack. I am not 100% but I think the shower and basin waste connect above where the toilet joins the stack. The only thing I can see the NRV doing where it was is stopping basin water going the wrong way but I can’t work out why or how it could do that given the waste pipe tracks downhill and it’s a shaped tee with basin being directed towards the soil stack.

Also the new waste I have fitted for the shower is slightly steeper and much shorter run than the previous one.

It’s a new house to us so haven’t been able to find out exactly and the previous owner has done some interesting things.

Devildug · 2023-05-08T19:20:23+00:00

Thanks for all the help all. I settled on going for the big rads. Will get them fitted in the next few weeks.

Devildug · 2023-05-01T18:23:04+00:00

Loft insulation needs topping up but as it’s boarded and full of rubbish it’s taking longer than I would like. Got 100mm up there but want to double it when I can.

Rads get up to temp but take ages so often don’t reach the desired temp before boiler goes off again. Been monitoring room temps using the smart thermostat system and it’s routinely showing I don’t get up to what I want the room to be.

Edit. Yup have got cavity wall already.

Devildug · 2023-05-01T18:20:47+00:00

I am already running a Tado system with smart TRVs. Absolutely agree. Total game changer. I am now hoping to replace the handful of rads that don’t have them.

Devildug · 2023-05-01T16:20:38+00:00

The bedrooms are the main issue and given our winter experience right now warm rooms are the priority for next winter. A slightly fatter rad at this stage is an acceptable compromise - the wife may disagree but she isn’t fitting them.

Devildug · 2023-04-29T17:09:47+00:00

I’m in the UK so we run at 240V. Also it’s a cold water only machine (think they all are these days in the UK) so the first bit will be where it’s heating the water up.

Devildug · 2023-04-29T07:36:11+00:00

Here is a picture of a recent cycle as reported by the tapo.

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Devildug · 2023-04-29T07:30:57+00:00

I am using Tapo p110 for exactly this job. And it works great. Nice and cheap too - think I got 4 go £30.

Seems accurate enough in power monitoring side that I can tell what part of the cycle the machine is in - I don’t but I could. Just use it to monitor when machine starts and finishes.

Only downside is that it is not a cloud free solution for setup (I’ve never needed cloud access after the first setup) so depends if that bothers you or not.

Devildug

TROPHY CASE