Sips and stones may break my bones...

Lack of interest and more pointless delays. 

 

So  over a month on and only 2 builders have shown an interest in doing the foundations, outer walls and roof! One is only able to do the foundations and site clearance due to sheer volume of work on, but seems very efficient and knowledgable, and one is willing to do it all, but I worry a little about the quote as it was done so quickly and is not very detailed. But I liked the guy, which is important, so we may talk more I think, and possibly split the work.  

 

Meantime, I've been digging to discover the water main depth because our entry track passes right over it - so looking at protection for it during the build, in particular when the crane comes in to do the SIPs. But, having dug and dug and dug down where it (definitely as we measured when it was laid a few year back and have also detected it) is I gave up when I could hear the faint sounds of a digeridoo coming from the hole! So reckon it's actually so deep that there is unlikely to be an issue - though I'm considering making a slab over there under our track just to be safe.

 

Our plans are now with BC (we chose a private one in the end which both builders I spoke to and our architect said were sensible and practical in their approach... but thier first actions were a bill and an email saying the plans looked perfectly safe and fine but whose opening statement was "Prior to commencement of the works you must provide" - which does not bode well at all when they make so very clear that they see stopping you as their first and main priority. This really annoyed me as I'm fed up with people desperate to stop us doing anything on a power trip whilst they faf around (our planners decided to take 27 weeks to do what they are meant to do in 8 for example), and I had thought we were at last past that sort of thing. I'm not sure why they think stopping me putting a track in or levelling the site in preperation is necessary, and sadly it seems just yet another case of someone using their power because they can. We've lost a year already thanks purely to this sort of thing up to now and if I can't give the builder for the founds a definite booking in the next couple for weeks he thinks we'll have to wait until next year! Hopefully our designated Inspector will prove to be more positive.

 

The plans have also just gone off to the SAPS people - I'm actually quite excited to learn what our SAPs results will be!

 

 

 

  

Edited September 8, 2016 by curlewhouse

Well, got the SAPS results and very disappointed. We got an 82, basically the same mark as the national average - so all those jerry built mass developer houses are supposedly the same as ours with over 200mm of insulation on walls, roof and underfoot, SIPs build, MVHR and airtightness.  This makes no sense of course (have you ever seen the mass builders at work and what "care" actually goes into the detail of those houses...sheesh!) and I enquired. It turns out that as we cannot have solar PV (bad orientation and National Park restrictions), using an ASHP is really bad carbon wise since so much electricity comes from coal or gas fired power stations, plus not being able to generate some electricity on site marks us down. In effect, they tell me yes, it really should be A rated, but the "system doesn't allow for it". This makes sense since a good few years ago when HIPs (home information packs) were just appearing, we looked at selling our then house, which actually featured on the energy saving trusts web site, and featured in an information film made for the EU, it was so good ...... but our SAP result was a D! As they told me at the time, basically these systems assume that every house is a developer built house with a standard heating system and are just not flexible enough for anything else.

So since we are building for US and not to sell the house, I guess it doesn't really matter, and only the actual real life performance matters.

 

It does however raise the question about using an ASHP. That was going to cost me about £6k, whereas an LPG boiler (no mains gas here) will come to just over £1k and score us a better carbon output! .. and that £5k difference buys many, many years of LPG given our insulation levels.  Seems a shame in many ways, but since money for the build is very tight, it seems a no brainer really if it improves our carbon output and lowers our costs. Of course, this means applying to the National Park to change that part of the planning..... 

Edited October 11, 2016 by curlewhouse

With no Pv, I'd try and get away with a Combi. 

If you deffo go LPG, id recommend a heat store Combi like the Vaillant 938 which is as close to an UVC as you can get without having a cylinder. Heating can be via a buffer in the airing cupboard, and that'll allow your low grade heat to feed off the boiler with ease. 

How many bathrooms, and what's your DHW requirement? Couple on your own or 3 teenagers? 

Sap means diddly squat. Just something you have to do to get your house passed by building control. As long it's a pass then that's all that matters. 

The SAP rating is based on energy cost and is relatively insensitive to insulation levels but very sensitive to fuel type & price. Typically if a mains gas powered house has SAP in the low 80s expect same house to be mid 70s (ish) if using bulk LPG or ASHP. But latter 2 will give higher CO2 emission (though off set by high efficiency of electric ASHP).

 

+1 Declan - it's the CO2 emissions and fabric energy efficiency standard the BCO will be looking at.

The view to the West from our site. Sunset here is just gorgeous.  Part 1 of the whole build has been the forced relocation of 3 residents.....  my parents very elderly hen flock (mum and dads hens always die of old age and tend to live for amazingly long periods thanks to a diet of proper hen food supplemented by leftovers from a small café! Usually they are so full they just lie around ) . Here my daughter and I are posing by the first part of the construction I  had to do - a brand new very large hen run.

Edited October 9, 2016 by curlewhouse

3 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

With no Pv, I'd try and get away with a Combi. 

If you deffo go LPG, id recommend a heat store Combi like the Vaillant 938 which is as close to an UVC as you can get without having a cylinder. Heating can be via a buffer in the airing cupboard, and that'll allow your low grade heat to feed off the boiler with ease. 

How many bathrooms, and what's your DHW requirement? Couple on your own or 3 teenagers? 

2 bathrooms and just the two of us and a daughter about to go off to university.  Interesting about a heat store combi as I was just talking to my wife about where would I get unbiased advice as to what to go for; combi, system boiler and heat store or whatever  (figuring a plumber/installer might just advise me what's best for them rather than us). Obviously have to be a modulating boiler, but beyond that with UFH I am a little unsure what to go for.

Edited October 9, 2016 by curlewhouse

Heat store 938 and a small buffer for Ufh would do you proud .

Fill yer boots