Kevin McCloud webchat - Monday 20th June - 1 - 2 pm

[RachelMumsnet]

He's been at the top of our webchat wish list for too long, so we're v excited to announce that we'll be joined next Monday (20th June) by Kevin McCloud who'll be answering your questions between 1 and 2 pm.

Designer, property developer, writer, eco-campaigner and television presenter, Kevin is best known for the Channel 4 series, Grand Designs. Kevin has a strong interest in sustainable building and his company Hab Housing's core aim is to construct beautiful, environmentally friendly housing. He's joining us in his role as ambassador for the Great British Refurb Campaign, which is committed to rallying the Government and business to help make every home in Britain as energy efficient as possible. The campaign is supported by Knauf Insulation, which has provided all the insulation products used in the campaign's eco-refurbishments to date.

Kevin is happy to answer questions on how you can green-up your home and eco-home design as well as chatting about his life as a campaigner, designer and broadcaster. So whilst we try to spruce up MNHQ, you put the date in your diaries to join us on the 20th. If you're not around at 1pm, please send your questions to Kevin in advance to this thread.

[HarrietJones]

question from dh(well DawnTigga did it )

Do you feel that more empty properties should be compulsory purchased and renovated/sold for renovation? We're watching a few local empty (listed) buildings fall to bits.

[GeorgeEliot]

Kevin - I would like to ask you how green is your own house? In particular how do you heat it, and do you have solar pv or any other form of microgeneration?

We try to live low-carbon, live in a 400-year old stone farmhouse and although it's not listed, I'm really unsure about spoiling the look of it with solar panels. Have original flagstone floors too so underfloor heating not an option. WWYD?

[MapofTassie]

Kevin - DH has a man-crush wonders if you will ever come to Australia? We live in country Tasmania and our architect/builder is going to be on the Aussie Grand Designs, so DH's dream is to have you and Matty (our builder) in the same room to chew the fat/shoot the breeze etc.
He also asks: does North Face send you free jackets as you seem to prefer the brand?

[missmartha]

Is it greener to use a so called 'green' insulation product such as sheep's wool, hemp, insulating fibre board etc.in smaller quantities where space is limited or is it better to use a modern high grade insulation product?

I'm thinking here of a product such as Celotex that gives you a much higher insulation value for a given thickness.

People seem to shy a way from products like Celotex because they seem less eco-friendly, but they are much more efficient insulators.

Are you better off saving more energy or saving less and using a more environmentally friendly product to do it?

Cheers

[OOAOML]

Do you ever look at the vast expanses of glass and steel built by couples with small children and shudder at the thought of endlessly wiping off fingerprints?

[Bundlesmum]

Hi Kevin
I inherited my mother's house :) and have rented it out to some tenants. They complained over the winter that it?s cold and expensive to heat :( They are threatening to move out before next winter and they are good tenants. The house is draughty and it?s really difficult to keep warm. What can I do that?s not too pricey that will keep the place warm with the costs of heating lower than they are now?

[Sophie31]

Hello Kevin,
I live in a large Victorian property, but it costs a fortune to heat. I'd like to get solid wall insulation installed but I don't want to risk destroying all of the beautiful internal features.
Is there anything I can do so that they remain in-tact?

[Sophie31]

Hi Kevin.
Another question for you. I love watching Grand Designs, it really inspires me to carry out improvements to my own home but I don't have a Grand Designs budget! Is there any financial help available to help me make affordable eco home improvements?

[noddyholder]

Hello Kevin I love Grand Designs! I renovate houses and when we are at the demolition site stage I love to put on the hard hat and pretend to be you! I can do the voice and everything. What I especially like is that you seem unimpressed with high tech gizmos and people with lots of cash and are more excited by authenticity and just lovely people The guy in the woods and the couple in Lot spring to mind.

[sveganss]

Hello Kevin
I live in a lovely old characterful house and would like to stay put, but am having to seriously consider moving (if funds allowed my dream would be to build a traditional style mud and stud or straw bale house, but cannot imagine even affording a plot!). After the last harsh winter I am dreading the next winter - we have oil ch (no gas nearby), solid walls and only 1/5th of the windows double glazed. Oil is too expensive to keep the house warm but no spare money to improve insulation. Even if oil were cheaper or my pockets deeper, to keep the house warm would be producing tonnes of CO2 emissions. From my research into heat pump systems (again unaffordable!) it seems that the building needs to be fully insulated for them to work efficiently. There must be SO many households in the same position - especially the elderly. Any advice would be hugely welcome!!

[outnumbered2to1]

I absolutely love Grand Designs and in fact was enjoying a discussion about the best ones today at a family birthday party. (Ben's house in the woods was voted the best with the tyre house in france a close second and the castle in Italy third). I have to ask though which is your favourite of all the builds?



(oh dear god - i am now public banning myself OFF my laptop on Monday as it is certain i will make an arse of myself by declaring undying love and the desire to have his babies)

[expatinscotland]

I read this title first as Kevin McKidd. I got all excited. Sorry. :o

[poppyandsneeze]

Hi Kevin,

I enjoy watching your programme 'Grand Designs' where you often help out families who are struggling with their house build. I wonder if you can offer some advice to us:

We spent a fortune on placing a new septic tank and water treatment in the garden this year.

We have just found out that the Water board are now looking into whether or not it would be possible to dig up our garden to lay a water mains down the back garden. (to save them having to dig up all the country roads).

This pipe would obviously cause problems with the pipe laid for our septic tank and own drainage pipes for our run off. We also have an oil tank at the side of the house - so this would cause problems with putting in their mains pipe.

What can we do it object about their possible plans ? We just don't know what to do. We understand that if the Water board decide, then they can just do it, and we won't have any choice. Our dream house that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives in,is turning out to be a nightmare!!

Thank you for looking at my question, and I hope you can give me some ideas.

[BoffinMum]

Hello Kevin,

In a throwaway remark on a TV trailer a while back you said that the last time you were happy was when you were in Italy, a long time ago.

Now that is a very sad state of affairs, Kevin, and we hope to cheer you up on here. In the meantime, could you share with us any salacious or other details about what made you so happy, as we are all gagging for the rest of the story now.

Ta muchly,
Boff x

[oricella]

Hello Kevin, I fully support the refurb campaign, but outgrowing our small terrace we've opted to build a new super-insulated home. An important thought behind our new house is for it to be just the right size to fit us all comfortably, to feel spacious, but to avoid being too big for the sake of design (and cost I admit!). I really shudder at so called ecohouses that have 200+ square meters of space and are stuffed with gadgets and houses just 2 people.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on our ever increasing need for space; should there be a limit (at least morally) to the amount of house a person could occupy both for the sake of the environment and a society where housing is often in short supply? How much house is enough? And have your experiences in Dharavi made a difference in some way you view some of the issues raised above?

many thanks

[timetomoveon]

Dear Kevin

You are lovely.

That is all. (I just wish I could have thought of an intelligent question)

[jimswifein1964]

Kevin, do you have a foolproof way of making everything fit/look swish in a teeny tiny bathroom? We would love a shower, but it just wont fit, unless it covers half the window

[Eaglebird]

Hi Kevin.

I believe you have a biomass boiler. Can I ask what type (log / pellet / woodchip) and whether you're happy with it please?
I'm about to have a pellet boiler system installed (Solarfocus Pellet Top) and am quite excited about it.
Hopefully I'll be even more excited when the government finalises the details of the RHI payments :)
I'd love to see more publicity about biomass systems in the popular media.

Regards.
Eaglebird

[RTKangaMummy]

Hello Kevin

GD is DEFFO BRILL



Have you got a recomendation for a starter book on extending your house please?

Or a website?