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The self-builders guide to the construction phase. Thought I'd start a thread where we can comment on any books we have found of use. Kicking it off, I've just finished The Self-builder's guide to the construction phase by Vince Holden. I found it a good read and it has addressed to a degree something I've struggled to find elsewhere - namely a detailed breakdown of the order to do things on site - like scaffold lifts and avoiding unnecessary changes (and thus cost), who does what after who and so on. Certainly for someone of my knowledge level this is helpful and for some reason seems to be skirted around in other self build books I've read, who allude to it, but are short on the detail, which always stuck me as odd given how important it is if you do not know. This book definitely gives you a handle on that issue. It also deals nicely with some of what the various trades will want from you and from each other and who you need to have a 3 way conversation with if managing the build yourself. I've really enjoyed the read, and also available by Holden is his guide to project management, although I have not read that. The one down I have is that this paperback book is 294 pages, can be read in a day, but costs £24.95 at the time of writing. You can look at this one of two ways - either he's split what should be one book (600 pages would not be unreasonable at that price for a specialist subject) into two, meaning just short of £50 for both, or since you will save far more than £24.95 from even utilising one bit of the advice he gives, then it's good value.

Slightly old news as I finished it about 2 weeks ago, but only just got around to writing it up on the blog. The house roof was finished some time ago, but it's the garage roof that has been waiting while I do more important things like cladding, rendering and drainage. So just to show the finished thing here are a couple of pics. There is more on my blog at http://ardross.altervista.org/Wilowburn/roofing-finally-finished/ After fitting something like 1800 tiles to this house, I have 34 tiles left over. I would say the roofing supplier that specified the quantities from the plans, got it about righrt.

I am sure most of you will think I am bonkers landscaping the plot of a house that's not yet completed outside, and barely started inside. In the last few weeks all the ground around the house has been leveled and final garden levels established. I have even started to grow some grass. It was completed today, here's one view of how it now looks: (the nice green lawn in the foreground is my neighbours front garden) There is more on my blog here http://ardross.altervista.org/Wilowburn/landscaping-part-1/ The motivation for doing this at this stage, is that is was something very cheap that I was able to do, and this now completes most of the jobs that require the digger, so just one more little job and that will be for sale.

I've run literally thousands of M's of Cat 5 in my time and never really had the time, or encouragement from my employer, to worry about keeping X distance from bunches and bunches of mains cables. Everything still worked fine ( last solicitors office I did we fitted 40 odd PC network points and around 60 phones ) and I shudder to think what was behind some of the false ceilings that we blindly pulled the runs through ( with 10M long glass-fibre rods ). All I can tell you, without exaggeration, is that it all worked 100% perfectly and is still working there today. Im not saying do a bad job, and in not saying be lazy, but don't exceed the requirements beyond a practicable point as that's just wasted time and effort and it can be better spent elsewhere where it would be recouped measurably. Are you having to chase out for these cable drops?

I doubt it will be a problem for the functionality of the CAT6 cable (assuming you aren't going to use them for anything really sensitive like long runs of 10Gb). In theory power cables can introduce interference but I'd be surprised if it caused a problem unless you twisted long runs together or something like that. Using shielded cables would make this even less likely... However its probably just good practice not to run high voltage and low voltage cables together? Someone with more expertise than me will probably be able to comment on that...

Yes each bit has been seeded as I have done it, which is why some parts are more green than others. The bit I finished today will be seeded when I get some more seed next week. Infinitely cheaper than turf and a lot easier. I am not after a perfectly manicured lawn just now, I just want the grass to get established before the weeds do. I hope it wil all get some growth before the winter sets in rather than spending the winter as bare earth.

She was on her knees rubbing grout off the bathroom tiles belting out "Turn around......." More interesting were the stories from the team about their various 'activities'. Bunch of lunatics

Another voice - put them in. You tehn have the option to use it simply as a regulating mechanism - pumping water around to keep house at stable temp, or adding heat. This could be done simply and cheaply (in terms of capital outlay) using an inline immersion heater like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/201418279478?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=28306099746&rlsatarget=pla-184492182546&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=9046984&device=c&campaignid=628859225&crdt=0

Phone any of the scaffold companies and see if they have any old ones for sale. They will still be in good nick. I got 30 at £4 each of a scaffolder in lurgan. As for what you do with them when your done. Garden planter, retaining wall, gate have even seen a bed made out of them loads of uses for them. Or cut them up for a stove that's what I done with all my damaged ones.

Last off-topic, I promise (well, for this thread!) While my musical tastes mostly lean to the heavier side of alternative and electronic music, I make an exception for Total Eclipse of the Heart. In my opinion, it's one of the finest pop songs in history. Always gets put on at our house later in the evening when people's voiceboxes have been suitably lubricated. Never fails to get a rowdy singalong going!!!

If the garden room is a separate building then you are right. See para 17 on page 8 of the reclaim form... https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487894/VAT431NB_form_and_notes.pdf If the garden room is attached to the house then it might depend on how each room is labeled on the plans. Labelling it as an annex might be a mistake. Likewise rooms that aren't normally included in a house (such as a workshop) might be refused. If you employ a builder to build the house and garden room then it's very likely the builder will just zero rate the lot. I'm not clear if he should/shouldn't but try VAT notice 708.

As it happens I have just moved to a hotel at the corner of Wentworth Ave and Liverpool Street, and I was down on Crown Street today to register with Medicare, as one of Etihad's Brazil Nuts removed a filling from my front tooth. I have done my usual thing in a new city and started with random architectural walks (loving the clapboard houses with corrugated roofs - reminds me of the feel of London mews in semi-industrial areas such as Fitzrovia), And loving the sushi on the underground as a grab and run hand snack. But I baulked at the sea anenomes complete with tentacles to be eaten raw and alive from the Fish Market. Will start a thread in the off topic area as there are plenty of relevant ideas for the forum. Ferdinand

So, work has finally started! After initially thinking I had purchased a fully excavated site, 2 days and 700 tonnes later, I understand why everybody says ground works are the worst part! That is of course except for the opportunity for me to spend 2 days having a great time driving a 9 tonne dumper. ? Slightly hairy moment when I bumped a tree, showered myself in apples, lost the use of the brakes... Spotted an apple had wedged itself under the brake pedal as I was rolling downhill! One of the labourers has been assigned duties of chief Goose Wrangler... The Neighbours Geese and various other wildlife are very used to having my plot as their afternoon grazing ground and they aren't best pleased with my arrival. Funny they have their schedule though, 1pm every day they come wandering over in single file for a snack! Still, 4 days work and I am now the proud owner of something that more closely resembles a building site, with completed footings.

Stand by your beds boyos, @Onoff is going to whip out his big tool

This is the other angles of the house, from the rear the lower white portion will be underground with rear patio doors opening on to the ledge level.

Correct, just seeing anything happen is really exciting! Retaining wall is going in first, then back filled up to the level of the ledge, semi basement/garage as you say, with basically a dormer bungalow sat on top. Hopefully a good chunk of the spoil will go back in behind both retaining walls. The levelling of the the site was an additional cost. £300 a day for digger and driver, dumped hire and diesal for both, I drove the dumper so save a couple days wages. All in should hopefully only come to £1000 of extra costs which if correct I'm more than happy with at groundworks stage. All the spoil is currrntly piled up at the back of the site in "Shellet Mountain" - Neighbour also took a good couple hundred tonne to adjust some levels in his garden. Im hoping to use all the spoil on site over the course of the build and not have to pay for anything to be removed.

That might make sense if you look at fuel costs only, but if you factor in the additional running and captial cost of having BOTH technologies does it still stack up. Very simplified example. 100% gas: boiler cost £600, installation £1,000 annual fuel cost £600 annual service £50 20 year total £14,600 100% ASHP: pump £2,000, installation £2,000 (includes hard-standing and piping for external unit) annual fuel cost £550 annual service £50 20 year total £16,000 Both gas and ASHP: capital cost £5,600 annual fuel cost £575 annual service £100 20 year total £19,100 Above is very simplified and does not factor in inflation, nor the extra running costs or extra capital costs in integrating the gas and ASHP (e.g. larger TS, more controls, more pumps). Costs I use are for illustrative purposes, you need to plug your own scenario in. I would suggest you go with gas only, put in a largish TS (e.g. 500l based on your concurrent bath / showers scenario), put in a gas boiler based on DHW recovery times you are willing to put up with (12kWh boiler to 500l TS is approx 2hrs recovery from cold), and use a standard S-plan configuration to run UFH direct from the boiler (no separate buffer). In 20 years time, if gas becomes prohibitively expensive, then revisit the solution based on latest technology. (In reality, our electricity base is derived by burinng gas so increase in gas price also impact electricity price).

Today was day 4 of our planned 4 day install. Even with extra installers onsite for days 3 and 4 we're not quite finished. One more window to do tomorrow, a Solarlux bi-fold. The Internorm windows and doors are all in. I reserve the right to adjust my opinion once the dust settles, but at this point I can't praise the ecoHaus installers highly enough, who have gone "above and beyond" to do a top quality job. Fit and finish is near perfect. Mechanisms are adjusted such that all opening sashes have the same precise feel and weight. Nothing rubs or sticks. Gaps are parallel, adjacent units flush. The air tightness detailing has been done better than if I had done it myself. We have some (mostly) minor areas of damage and the magicman will need to be booked in. With regards to the Internorm product itself, we have the Studio HF310, (except in the utility where we have the UPVC version) and I think it's absolutely superb. Making windows by the million obviously allows them to highly develop their product and their manufacturing processes. I personally feel the window and door package as it is now installed was exceptional value. My fingers are crossed for the bi-fold install tomorrow!

I know of a local site where the archeologist was marched off site after he refused to wear high vis and PPE - site manager eventually got the local HSE guy to come over as he was concerned the guy was putting his team at risk ..! Apparently at one point he jumped into a trench with a 13T excavator boom a foot away from his head ... And I thought dealing with bats was hard enough ..!

Perhaps you could remind them what happened to George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon .

its quite a read but this should cover it, http://www.traditionalroofing.com/TR5_diminished_course.html

The Green Building Bible - currently in it's 4th edition. It's not a how-to build book, but rather an excellent overview of options, explaining them all in sufficient detail for the non expert. I wish I'd found this 3 years ago when we first started researching options as it covers concisely what I've been researching for all that time and would be great for informing the decision making process on your build, power and insulation direction. This one read would have settled it all! It also has sections on green gardens, water saving and harvesting and so on. It is in 2 volumes, with volume 1 (482 ages) starting with the reasons we all need to think green now in our building and then step by step taking you through the learning process of fabric first, CSH and the path towards Passiv (which so many of us self builders are clearly using as an aspiration at least) in a logical order, through power and heating options, the varying build methods from ethically sourced timber frame right through to yoghurt knitting straw bale construction - but it also covers the dangers of falling for Greenwash and is in fact very practical - it is about green building and living, but certainly is not pie in the sky Swampy stuff. It's definitely the most comprehensive overview all in one book that I've seen. Volume 2 (295 pages) goes into the more technical details of form and function, energy ratings, the technicalities of materials thermal performance, ventilation, the realities of renewables and geography, lighting, heating & cooling, energy monitoring and so on. normally I find such stuff dry as dust and an unfortunate necessity but I'm actually enjoying reading this! I would say the articles are "bite size", but that would imply they don't give enough information, which is not the case at all. Rather I think, it is like a collection of articles (maybe it is?), which is actually a good way to learn I think. Both volumes (they come together) also have a few adverts in and suppliers lists, but these do not detract and perhaps have helped subsidise an extremely useful pair of books!

I got my builder to install mine. Cost about £2K but I have a LOT less windows than you. Mine were Rationel. I had done all the negotiating to get the quote from Rationel as cheap as possible. I then got my builder to do "supply and fit" so the builder ordered them, fitted them and invoiced me for the total. That of course meant there was no VAT to pay which helped my cash flow. If I had ordered them, I would have had to pay the VAT and would not be able to re claim it for some time. The fitting was simply charged on an hourly rate

We had a milestone weekend, moving in to the (almost) completed house. Promised kids & wife that we'd be in for the return to school. Still a long list of jobs to do (including commissioning the MVHR, boiler & heating) and all the exterior finishing but interior is more or less complete. As a couple with no prior experience, we've pulled off a 400m2 passive (ish) house with basement and garage with relatively few major issues once we got started. More or less stuck to budget (although what's left is rapidly evaporating!) Couldn't have done it without all the advice and support from this forum and its predecessor - so a huge thanks to everyone who has helped one way or another. Somehow we decided to give up booze for September so will need to wait another few weeks before popping the champagne (or climbing into the bath with a bottle of red ). Currently sitting in a furniture shop just outside Copenhagen overseeing delivery of our new dining room to UK, but that's another story...

Spiders inside have the use of: a - Convincing your girlf that you are a hero. b - Allowing your girlf to convince you she thinks you are a hero as a diversion from something else you won't discover until it is a done deal. Choose A or B. Agreed on wasps, particularly stepping on underground nests. We have far too many flies this year, which we deter using big bunches of mint in water replaced every 2-3 weeks. Do wasps deter bats? Ferdinand

American side by side whirlpool fridge freezer, the worst thing we every bought. It broke down at least once per year. The ice and water dispensers being nothing more than party novelties. Our other regret was the main contractor, looked good and came highly recommended. the highlight was the day the main contractor went bust.

Personally I see nothing wrong with old fashioned ice cube moulds that you put in a tray in a freezer. If you look at the "works" of an automated one, that's all it does, is freeze a tray full at a time them tip them out into a bucket. We rarely use the cold water dispenser (the mains water from a mountain loch is plenty cold enough) but again, what's wrong with a bottle of water in the fridge?

I found the Housebuilder's Bible good as our first introduction to the whole subject I guess, but was disappointed by lack of detail (bear in mind this is simply my own opinion based on what I want from a book that declares itself to the "Bible" of self building) for the actual self builder and again a detailed explanation of the proper order if you are managing the project yourself. It is covered, but not in the way it is in The self-builders guide to the construction phase. Now the Building Construction Handbook and Building Services handbook I really love and these two books really deserve to call themselves the "Bible" of their specific areas (but don't). If you could read and absorb these two from cover to cover you'd truly be an expert. They are aimed both at the trade as reference and as course reference for building trade students. At £27.54 for 966 pages the Building Construction Handbook is just absolutely jam packed with technical drawings and information, and I really mean jam packed without a single word wasted. Because the books are a reference for builders and for students they take you from "this is a house" all the way to cross sections of every part of a building you can think of. Unfortunately Amazon don't have a "look inside" tab on this one so it's hard to get just how comprehensive and well laid out it is. They are not primarily written for self builders and are technical manuals really, but eminently readable in how they are written, even by me who once didn't know a noggin from a stud or a Wide Lady from an Empress ( they are names for slate sizes ) before getting these. I actually cannot recommend these books enough. The Building Services Handbook (£30.19 new) by the same publishers takes you in 756 pages from Water regulations through to things such as calculating drag on long sewer pipe runs, cross sections of how loos, taps and other systems work, water, supply, drains, gas, electricity, earthing, sprinkler systems and fire, wind and solar calculations and so on. Just for working out my sewer line run and inspection points that will satisfy BC this book has paid for itself. Similarly to the Building Construction Handbook it's used as a reference for experts and a course book for students, which sits nicely for us non expert self builders. Even if you are not doing the work yourself, I think having a proper understanding will let you deal with the trades far better and I think being able to drop in some of the technical language and appearing informed may also prevent you being taken for a ride in some cases! Amazon does feature a "look inside" on this one, so it's worth taking a look at the contents page.