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Part 2 - Getting ready to move on...........

Redoctober

Entry posted by Redoctober

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So, its been nearly a year since my last post and this is what we have achieved thus far.

We attended the NEC show in Feb to confirm in our own mind the products / suppliers we hope to use – namely roof tiles, flooring, rainwater goods & windows and doors. Despite our best efforts to remain focused we had our heads turned by a range of wooden windows – Accoya wood – we made some enquiries and after a few weeks we received their costings - £37k for 10 windows, two French doors and 2 external doors in triple glazing. The fact that this was so over our budget, helped dismiss them from our thinking.

We also made day trips to various showrooms up and down the country to cement in our own mind the type of kitchen units we would be looking to use, oak joinery and floor tiles.

Five local builders were identified, all within a 20 miles radius of the plot. One was already booked up, well beyond this time next year, leaving me with just 4. All expressed an interest so they were sent the plans and associated documents in the hope that they would be able to provide a meaningful price.

Three responded and personal visits were arranged in early July to discuss the details. The 4th failed to get in touch so we didn’t bother chasing.

During our visit up North, in early July, the intention was to meet with the builders and discuss the finer details prior to making a decision which regards to which one we would be going with.

One builder had done everything we had asked of him and presented a price within our estimates so all good so far. Unfortunately the other two had failed to anything with the papers I had sent them some months ago – “We’ll get it done in the next couple of weeks” – Yeah right! We’ll see – the problem is their failure to deal with what was a reasonable request in a reasonable time frame has left a cloud which is difficult to shift. After all, they said they would be interested in the first place.

However, our visit wasn’t all in vain - It allowed us to visit two non-wooden window manufactures, one of whom we will be using –  We have chosen to go with a Heritage Range from Evolution – similar to the range offered by Residence 9. Both very similar in design but the Evolution range, in particular, the Flush range, really does have the appearance of wood, which is lacking in the R9 range we believe. Both quotes came out within £100 of each other so the costings were not part of the decision making process.

We also visited two quarries / stone merchants to discuss the external wall requirements. An expensive part of the project and important we choose the correct looking stone. A further meeting will be held in October.  We are working to a budget of around £22k and this should be achievable – Lime mortar is a given and the beds will be 150mm, tied into the TF across a suitable cavity. We are told there will be no need for an additional rain screen such as SURECAV.

We also met with a local company who will undertake the underfloor heating / DHW requirements and an independent Kitchen manufacturer who will supply and fit.

There was an opportunity to visit our neighbours. An issue over previously agreed access to their septic tank needed to be ironed out. Up until we had purchased the plot of land, they were granted access by the farmer to allow the Septic Tank lorry to access their tank, across what is now our land.

Through talking with neighbours we discovered a new build being developed very nearby – it just so happens that the TF Company they are using is the same as ours. We took a look and identified a new builder who I have since furnished with the appropriate details – watch this space.

This was an unwritten agreement which clearly needed to end. It has been resolved because in recent times the truck has been parking on the roadside verge and the suction hose carried across the land to the tank. This practice will continue so all is good on that front.

The building warrant has been issued just recently and was dealt with by the TF manufacturer. I believe I could have perhaps saved some money in this area but like most things, never having done this before or having had people around me who have, I felt I needed the comfort of having it done for me. Of course, such peace of mind comes at a price.

I estimate the total cost of the following to be just South of £10K

Planning plans drawn up

Soil survey -

Planning application –

Solicitors fees -

Building plans for submission to SBE –

Structural Engineers report –

Building warrant –

So hopefully with a builder in place soon, costings and products such as the roof tiles, windows and doors, joinery, floor tiles, heating and DHW all agreed, it seems we are in a good place.

Ground works will start in  early 2018 ahead of the TF which is due to arrive in April 2018.

I will spend the months in between contacting the Utility companies and ensuring that they are all on board with our build schedule and finalising / confirming the builder.

Next update due in 6 months………………..

Paul.

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curlewhouse

Interestingly, your experience thus far mirrors our own to an amazing  degree - going to the shows, seeing window companies... then getting telephone number sized quotes from them :D . Our non-build costs to keep the shiny trouser bottomed folks in BMWs also were circa £10k too - I think that bit gets little or no mention in the magazines and TV programmes.  Then also the experience of builders saying how interested they are in the job, asking you for full sets of plans (you then paying for them all to be printed of course) then not bothering to get back to you or possibly even look at the plans, and repeated promises the quote will be with you mañana. 

Good that you got stone merchants to talk to you though - I made enquiries with about 3 who just never got back to us - one a quarry barely 6 miles away, and even their agents never replied. In the end we've gone with recycled stone, which actually looks much nicer as it turns out (and is half the price). Believe it or not, if our experience so far is anything to go by, the hardest part is behind you, and certainly if you've found good tradesmen. Keep us all updated.

 

 

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Redoctober

Thanks @curlewhouse for your comments - I'm interested to hear about the recycled stone, not really considered that - perhaps you could PM me some details or pointers please -

Believe it or not we did actually pay for all plans to be printed in a large scale, and then send them off, despite sending them electronically to a particular builder !

I will keep the blog updated as I hope it does prove to be useful to some members. We are approaching our project slightly differently, in as much as we are using contractors rather than doing any of it myself and as a consequence, others looking at taking that route might it of benefit.

 

PW.

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