Quickfire Opinions Wanted - Plastering, Plumbing, Patios - Help!

[diy42354]

Not going into the reasons why, but I have to make a quick final decisions on our extension project. As usual I have disappeared down a rabbit hole with my research, so would appreciate a second opinion (or two) to minimise the chances of regrets:

1. Plastering: We are replastering a dining room ceiling that sits beneath our daughter's bedroom. The plan is to use some acoustic plasterboard, plus there will be carpet and underlay upstairs. Should we still put some acoustic roll/rockwool in-between the joists anyway while we have the chance? (or will it not make much difference?)

2. Plumbing: Between the builder and plumber there's debate over whether to use a macerator in the family bathroom (due to the builder's bad planning early in the project). On the one hand we can use a waste pipe but it would have a poor fall and blockages would be hard to clear. On the other hand I fear hearing a macerator will drive me crazy. Should they be avoided at all costs or are they not that bad in practice?

3. Patio: We have a large area of patio to cover and I'm tending toward just going for a regular Indian stone (and can't see me going for porcelain). Does anyone want to talk me out of going that route?

I appreciate much is to do with the specific context and 'taste' but any tips so I can avoid regrets would be very helpful.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[DAZB]

1) any acoustic rockwool in between the joists will help, that's what it is designed to do.
2) hard to say without seing the job but Saniflo macerators are very good although not silent. Try avoid getting a cheaper foreign model as they will probably only last for 12 to 18 months in my experience. Could you box the Sanilfo in to soundproof it a little ?
3) totally your choice on that one as you are paying for it and living with it. Choose what you like best and can afford.

 

[diy42354]

1) any acoustic rockwool in between the joists will help, that's what it is designed to do.
2) hard to say without seing the job but Saniflo macerators are very good although not silent. Try avoid getting a cheaper foreign model as they will probably only last for 12 to 18 months in my experience. Could you box the Sanilfo in to soundproof it a little ?
3) totally your choice on that one as you are paying for it and living with it. Choose what you like best and can afford.

Thanks @DAZB - that's reassuring. I'll definitely do the rockwool then.

It sounds like using a macerator isn't the end of the world - my only experience of them has been in AirBnB and cheap B&Bs where they have been really noisy.

The patio I will just have to make a call. It's not going to be high-end, but I just wanted to avoid anything slippy or that will discolour after a season or two (even with sealing, cleaning and maintenance). I was hoping for a safe bet option.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Whats the fall on your poorly- planned loo? If its inside the numbers in the Approved Docs it'll be fine (surprisingly shallow fall needed for toilets).
And what other parts of the scheme are not going to work because of the way the shell has been built? Best find out now rather than after you start boarding out.

 

[securespark]

I would use insulation.

Do the extra required for a soil pipe and ditch the Saniflo.

As for the patio, I'd have the stone, but it's personal choice.

 

[Bod ...]

Plumbing: Between the builder and plumber there's debate over whether to use a macerator in the family bathroom (due to the builder's bad planning early in the project). On the one hand we can use a waste pipe but it would have a poor fall and blockages would be hard to clear. On the other hand I fear hearing a macerator will drive me crazy. Should they be avoided at all costs or are they not that bad in practice?

Yes avoid unless it's unavoidable.

If you choose the conventional way how far is the vertical fall and what sort of fall will you get.

 

[Bod ...]

It sounds like using a macerator isn't the end of the world - my only experience of them has been in AirBnB and cheap B&Bs where they have been really noisy.

If you go this way then as advised go Saniflo. And be sure that it installed to the manufacturers instructions. Swept or 45 bends in overflow pipe until you get to a point that a gravity fall will do the rest.

 

[diy42354]

@Bod ... @securespark @oldbutnotdead - thank you for your kind and helpful replies. Forgive the delayed response - I spent an extremely hot couple of hours putting the acoustic rockwool into the ceiling!

On the plumbing side, the issue was the wraparound extension meant that we have a new fall pipe that's internal. However, it falls into a void that is just outside the existing external wall but will be blocked up at the back of an en-suite shower. The temporary waste from the family bathroom runs under a bath and into the fall, but the pipe sticks out off the wall and has got blocked a couple of times.

The alternative is to drop the waste through the family bathroom floor into the utility room and run it out through the corner and into the fall pipe. In theory we can have whatever fall we need subject to boxing-in, but our plumber seems to be set on a macerator. I'm therefore seeking second opinions as the plasters are here over the next three days so a decision is urgent.

To raise another quickfire question: our screed (over wet loop UFH) is 10mm lower on the extension compared to the existing house which has all been knocked through into one area (an 'L' shape with 10m x4m in both axis). Our builder is suggesting using plywood sheets to make up the difference but I'm concerned about the effect on the UFH performance (the plan above is for engineered wood on underlay). I really welcome any thoughts on whether ply is appropriate.

I really appreciate your kind assistance.

 

[securespark]

I'm surprised that the floor underneath the UFH wasn't brought up to the correct height before laying the UFH.

But as to how best to rectify it, I'm not sure.
Sorry.

 

[diy42354]

Thanks @securespark it's one of the many cock-ups by the builder not thinking or being organised. He assumed the existing screed was to the level of the top of the damp proof course, despite me asking him to check it on several occasions. Now we have a large/expensive area to cover if it's levelling compound. What a mess.