No.6 is a semi-detached dwelling built originally by the Edmondsham Estate in Cranborne in 1890, located within a Conservation Area.  It has 2.5 bedrooms. Hope to organise new EPC assessment for the Open Weekend.

EXISTING CONSTRUCTION:  The external walls are of stretcher brickwork, possibly one of the earliest local cavity construction, and has bitumen dipped iron wall ties.  It has a full attic floor to the eaves, and Welsh slate roof of 40 degree pitch.  The majority of the ground floor construction was suspended timber floor with vented solum.

THERMAL UPGRADE WORKS & 30YR REFIT UNDERTAKEN IN 2022: 

• Removed timber ground floor & replaced with limecrete eco slab
• Ground floor underfloor heating from air source heat pump
• Reused existing Electric Boiler as winter back-up to ASHP
• Array of 10no. in-roof PV panels on rear garden south roof with battery located in attic
• 300mm hemp batts to attic floor
• Internal insulation:  Ground – Hemp Lime Plaster – nom 20mm
• Internal insulation:  First Floor – Lime Plaster, 40mm Woodwool, Hemp Lime Plaster finish – overall thickness 70mm
• New front door, without integral letter box opening
• Bathroom refit @ 1st floor
• New kitchen
• New ground floor wc & shower off conservatory (for elderly access)
• New replacement conservatory
• Retain original single glazed sash & case windows, new internal shutters
• New robotic floor sweeper for ground floor

WORKS STILL TO DO HOPEFULLY OVER THE NEXT YEAR:

• Arch repairs to front bay window & possible re-point
• Organise regular maintenance to keep cavities clean
• Install additional SS remedial wall ties
• Complete refurbishment of windows
• Form additional window & door in the gable to kitchen / dining area

SELF-CRITICAL VERDICT:

• Ground floor shower is lovely.  WC downstairs so useful.
• First floor internal insulation is wonderful in winter – (it “hugs” you) - but not sure how effective a “heat sink” it is during really hot periods early this summer?
• Have yet to fully assess energy consumption for full year
• Solar installer was different to Heating Engineer to Electrician – so not sure how effective all the “systems” are at balancing each other. 
• (Would recommend entire energy installation undertaken under a single banner & insist on good instruction / time setting up in use – worth paying for, and often problem in BREAM excellent buildings too)!
• Location of wall thermostats – an issue in a small property – no “best locations”.
• Would like an external “dog rug” washing machine under a lean-to.  There is no reason why we could not have more outside utility facilities in smaller properties.