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Hi all, Just back from a week visiting the Small Isles off the west coast of Scotland. We visited Canna, Rum and Eigg - Muck we had to cancel due to risk of not being able to get back due to incoming weather. During the trip I was minded of some of our regulars very often - that'll be you guys @Crofterand @Tennentslager. The Isle of Eigg, which was bought by the community just over 20 years ago, is a hotbed of environmentally friendly building practices and designs. From 90% of the islands electrical needs from renewable sourses to the build methods of all new dwellings, it really was inspiring. We stayed in what is probably one of the most luxurious bothies available right now - until @Crofter is finished maybe?! Sweeney's Bothy was simply out of this world - timber double glazed windows, fully insulated, photo voltaic panels and solar water heating, composting toilet, outdoor shower with warm water from solar and wood burning stove - it's probably as self sufficient as you can get. The interior was beautifully kitted out and inside there is a small library - 'The Walking Library' with books gifted from likeminded hutters at - Carbeth (near Glasgow), of @Tennentslagerfame! Anyway, it has had quite an impact on Craig and I - small can be beautiful and absolutely modern. I think until we stayed their, the idea of a bothie or hut was never really on our radar, despite being aware of what others on here are doing and have achieved, but it is now. I think longer term, we'd both like our own wee weekend hut/bothie somewhere within an hours or so drive from Dunoon - and along the lines of Sweeney's bothie. The idea of a compost toilet is less unappealing than it was before - it really was pretty civil! I now need to dig into the archives and find out more about how we can avoid building control, build methods and if we can prefabricate and take it out on a truck (in the spirit of being movable!). Even assuming we can find land, get permission, afford it etc etc but the longer in the planning....! Anyway, just sharing because I thought so many times of people on here and often said to Craig 'So-and-so on the forum is doing that' or 'That's just like so-and so's project'. The Island of Eigg is at the cutting edge of things which has been known for a while but a visit really brought that into focus but this forum is also there too. Well done everyone! I've attached some pics of the bothie to show what they have done . They speak for themselves I think!

Barstewards the lot of you! Don't jest, I'm new at this. I'll blindly do as I'm told like @recoveringacademic!

Lucky he doesn't have @curlewhouse 's BCO - instant fail

Can't imagine there's anything untoward. I'm sure too that English is Mr Jayasinghe Arachchige Isuru Bhagya De Silva's first language. https://suite.endole.co.uk/insight/company/08489835-shelter-4-green-deal-limited?page=overview

If you've got an alternative shower room etc you can gut the bathroom completely and take YEARS doing it really nicely....

You may cover it later but I would add that Procrastination is a terrible form of 'being'. Procrastinating can lead to far more stress than the problem at hand. I know this from experience - you procrastinate over something difficult, put it off, find other things to do that's all good and productive, but at the back of the mind is the knowledge that you have something to do you perceive as difficult. The reality has always been that procrastination makes the task appear much much worse. When you know you are procrastinating, you have started fighting the battle. When you actually start the delayed task, you soon realise it's not that bad at all and a cloud lifts. LIke my recent tiling mosaics - I was dreading it, the task got worse and worse, I imagined all the ways I could balls it up. I eventually realised what I was doing. I knew I wanted some head spaces and decided that I would start on X-date - and once I restarted, it was no bother at all. Procrastinate away, but if you know when you are doing it, it will help control worry and dread. It's when you procrastinate but don't know you a re doing it you can create stress. So, if anyone here has a task they are dreading, consider that you have already been procrastinating long enough and now start planing for it - the sooner you start doing it, the sooner a load will lift from your mind.

I half remember that an over flow is a building regs requirement? ort perhaps it's a water regs thing? Either way our BCO didn't object to a basin without one. There are some fancy waste outlets that have a hidden overflow built into the waste. It involves an inverted syphon/loop of pipe hidden in the wall or base unit.

Hi everyone, I've used this forum a few times for bits and bobs of info and thought I'd better join and contribute something back! We're building our home in Northern Ireland...bit by bit! I'm a total greenhorn and we are currently hiring sub contractors for all the work. Started last April (2017) and its looking like it will hopefully be August or September this year before we get in. Slow moving and hugely stressful but as the rest of you say, we have to just get on with it and it will be worth it in the end! I've attached some pics

Image stolen fair and square from the Guardian and Blaby Council. Here are the words

A quick review of BH (and other self-build sites) shows a close correlation between any part of the self-build process and the onset of what we - and many others - would call stress. And not just minor, ignorable levels of stress either. We can easily list the triggers, and we can describe the symptoms. And to an extent we can all do something about them. But reading between the lines in many posts, I see uncomfortable levels of irritation and annoyance. Most of us don't describe it in the posts as stress, but that's what it is. So I thought I would offer links to a set of publicly available resources which might help us. Truth to be told, they have helped and are helping me: I'm just sharing them. Where possible and when time allows, I'll write a quick synopsis to help you decide whether you want to spend the time listening to it. Treat my synopsis with respectful criticism, please. My notes on what he says will be as selective as any. This post will be one of a series. This is a video of Jordan Peterson talking about risk taking. Stress is normal (1:00) Observe courage in yourself ( Catch yourself being good, effective) (1:30) Attempting something difficult is generally good for you - but perhaps not always Lift your aim up, attempting difficult stuff is a good way of encouraging mastery Proving yourself to be useful is a very positive thing - among those who recognise your efforts as helpful (2:50) If not, the opposite is the case Inform yourself about the challenge ahead, and then grasp it (3:36) Small, manageable challenges successfully faced make you braver, not less afraid. (4:20) The unknown is adventure - and might be habit forming (5:15) Jordan Peterson is a practising clinical psychologist and an academic at the University of Toronto: I refer to him because his remarks are evidence-based. It would also be fair to say that he is seen by many as controversial.

Looks interesting. I want back to wall and preferably floating toilet. Plus my builder is new to UFH so I think I will point him this way too. Still keep reading this as Thunderfloor at least it makes it memorable

Not a problem (as far as I understand) if it's fully tanked - people were using it untanked, thinking that it was waterproof - not an unreasonable assumption, given the name...

@jamiehamy don’t look too close - he’s not even making all the crosses in the heads in line with each other....

150 centres will hold any board Just be careful not to sink your screws in to far Exspecially on ceiling They will pop when wet 1 mil into the paper is fine

Today I ave been learning about our two huge 1860/70 fireplaces and I am in SO MUCH LOVE...... One is Italian white statuary Marble the other is Irish Black Killkenny Fossil marble and one has Minton / Moyr Smith Shakespeare painted tiles in it and I am in love... oops did I already say that.. Tomorrow I am going to spend Valentines with my new loves....

No that’s the centres for ordinary boards - you’re using MR board and it’s 87.5mm centres unless you use screws longer than 40mm where you can go to 112.5mm....

LoL sounds all about right....considered leaving the Mrs already and we haven't done anything yet! Thanks very much all. Lots to think about!

I'll try and do better on the bit underneath! 41mm..'coz they were CHEAP in Lidl. Got boxes of 'em.

Lay off the G&T's and you won't forget to turn the taps off

Too much money on here! Down in the cheap seats...Parkside...doesn't miss a beat! Don't go mad & lubricate with this; Co-op cheapest:

I'll get your coat ?

I can't work in a mess so either I clear up as I go along(what I usually do), at the end of the day or the beginning of the next day. The BCO always says he has never been to such a tidy site. Even when I'm painting I don't get any on me and my mate can't understand how it's possible. We're all different and what works for one, doesn't for another.

Proper BS STD ply is water and boil proof and will stand a lot of moisture before it delaminates. For something that’s going to be there for decades I’d suggest you go for a decent and stamped / approved board from a reputable supplier.

Nice post @jamiehamy Living in the hut isn't unlike how our parents lived in the Glasgow of the 1950's... It can be very comfortable and feels better as you are aware you have made it all happen, teaching kids to set a fire is a good thing? Also, nowadays with Bluetooth speakers and Tesco selling ice for a quid a bag, luxury parties are easy to host in the hut???

I know a bit of background to thes schemes as I have had several in the last year or two in tenanted properties. In my experience loft insulation is still available for free in many places IF you currently have less than 100mm in your roof (i.e. 50mm) AND it is a simple roof. I have had these where they have refused to go into difficult to access sections such as roofs over rear extensions even at 1st floor level. (*) I haven't met the dormer OK room in roof NOT OK distinction before, but I think it is likely to be because they are targeted on the basis of how many they insulate and how much greenhouse gases they save, and hard to insulate would fall outside that. Therefore the low hanging fruit is targeted. Now that does not help in this query. This next might. Local Councils have a responsibility to help adapt homes to make them suitable for disabled people to live in; this covers things like bathrooms ramps and stair lifts; I am not sure whether this covers insulation etc, but they may know where to go. These are now called Disabled Facilities Grants I think, and the Disabled Rights UK website has information: https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/housing-grants The remit covers improved heating systems, which may or may not be arguable as improved insulation. THere is also reference to making homes safe to live in, which might engage Decent Homes standards or HHSRS (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-health-and-safety-rating-system-guidance-for-landlords-and-property-related-professionals), which are (very) comprehensive. The other contact point is your local Homes Improvement Agency, who are targeted iirc at keeping vulnerable people in their own homes rather than putting pressure on the NHS. THis website has more info and can help you find your local HIA: http://www.findmyhia.org.uk/ I do not know much about HIAs. There may also be local charities or organisations with the ability to make grants or gifts if other routes fail and it is reasonably modest. That is what I know off the top of my head, but I am afraid there is homework to be done - as ever. Ferdinand * The solution to point one is to remove what is there already first if you are close to 100mm, and put it back afterwards or use it elsewhere.

I wholeheartedly agree with @jamiehamy, although in my case the procrastination ALWAYS involves clearing up! I ended up with so much crap lying around that I just can't really get on with anything, and then put off having a major clear up session. I spent much of yesterday clearing up and putting stuff away to make room to finish off my study, and feel a great deal better for it. I really wish I could get into the habit of clearing up at the end of each day, but I can't, I just want to get a bit more done, and that then leaves no time for a clear up................

The background plotting and scheming continues as I tick items off a never-ending list of stuff whilst I wait for the bat licence to be granted and start demolition of the bungalow. Much of this has involved shopping around for various services that we have to have, such as a soil survey (MBC requirement) and SAP calculations. Other items are for big ticket expenditure such as glazing and cladding. I live in Bournemouth but the new build is at the other end of the county, in north Dorset. Aside from the obvious differences in scenery and population density I've noticed a very big difference in prices, meaning that the closer you get to the coast, the more expensive they become. This has been apparent on pretty much everything from SAP calculation fees to cladding, with the latter coming in at £58/m2 from a supplier just to the east of Christchurch, but just over £47/m2 from Sydenhams nearest the new place, in Gillingham. I understand that Sydenhams may command more buying power and, thus, better discounts than smaller outfits but a price difference like that equates to over £1000 on the amount that I will need to spend. That's the lion's share of our rainwater storage tanks that are now going on the shopping list thanks to BH finding yet another competitive supplier. It's disappointing that my natural cynisism about the Christchurch/Bournemouth/Poole conurbation is being fed by experiences like this, but I'm sure it's got worse since AFC Bournemouth got promoted into the Premiership.

Move to Wales, the sun never goes in ??

To be fair @Nickfromwales, a lot of the weather in NI is predominantly water based.

Watertight ? Most would be happy with weathertight ! Ignore me, I'm the class idiot Welcome aboard ! How are you heating it ? Having solar PV ?

Hi @Vision Of Heaven Thanks very much. Yes we are incredibly lucky @recoveringacademic, tough going but knowing we are one of the few with the chance makes all the difference doesn't it? @epsilonGreedy In hindsight I wish I had engaged with a builder for the blockwork stage and let them handle it all! The footing wasn't too bad but the super slow progress of the structure was rough. Cue me sorting out tressles and scaffolding, loading blocks onto the tressles and scaffolding and being a laborer after work everyday and at the weekends...exhausting! The views are really something, can't put a price on those lol. When I was 4 lifts high erecting scaffolding and shaking like a leaf they helped haha. Hi @vfrdave Yes the roof in this weather is a disaster lol. Sure theres a quare stretch in the evenings these days lol! Can't wait for the longer evenings for the light. Site lights don't cut it really. Hello @dpmiller we're outside Newry! Just up the road sure @divorcingjack You're doing well. I'll be happy when it's water tight. The slaters are starting next week, weather permitting. Can't wait to get to first fix lol Thanks very much for the welcome everyone

I'll just mention we had a bath tap fail and turn itself on full flow in the middle of the night. How would that have ended if the plug was in, there was no overflow, and you were not there?

If you’ve a two storey building to do you’re going to need so many that it’d be worth hiring a bench saw with the diamond blade & water feed. Your Labourer/bucket carrier/fool will get a lot more done & possibly was born with extra digits so can cope with potential loss of a couple.

Pour me something tall and strong Make it a hurricane before I go insane It's only half past twelve but I don't care It's five o'clock somewhere

and and and and '...Tiredness and stress of the build is increasingly affecting concentration and logical thought...' and then '...I'd snap my right arm off to be able to build my own home, so chin up mate. ...' He's right. Most people , offered the chance, would give up a lot to be able to do what we are. Knowing that doesn't make it less stressful though does it?

Ah, sorry thought it was on my signature. Www.theoldwatertank.blogspot.com

Wait... there's a 'time' for this?

I would also add take a hard headed look at the strength of your family and relationship, and make sure you are all committed and have discussed potential costs and consequences of them saying no. And that you have read our blogs about the time and stress involved. This process ... especially if you lose say 10k or 20k without return in Planning Costs ... can stress or sometimes wreck relationships.

IT depends . When we got PP for our family Land (inside the community boundary and enough for a small housing estate) which had been in the allocations for housing for about 5 years and was then excluded at the last point because of a cocked-up Sustainability Analysis by the Council, we judged it was either 1 Accept what is the likely decision which will leave it out Until the next Local Plan which would be 2028. 2 Apply for PP now before policy exists which is against getting PP because it would be zoned Open Space not Housing. IMplemented Council policy has significant weight in the planning process. We budgeted for an Appeal from day one, and our stake money in the game of Planning Poker was a legacy which we could continue to live quite comfortably without if we lost it in the Planning game. We would have had a field costing perhaps £500 a year to maintain if we lost. Cannot remember whether the appellant gets to choose the forum. There is no Council Fee but our Planning Consultant gave us 3 estimates for his and other costs. As ours was a larger project we hired a very experienced Planning Consultant who regularly appeared at Public Enquiries and Higher Courts etc, and had won a couple of controversial Local appeals with our Council. Your costs may be entirely different, but you need a consultant who can win on the benefits of your development outbalancing the reasons for not doing it, which are stringent in the green belt in England at least. IT would help you to find out if is really in Green Belt or not. There are 3 fora: 1 - Written Representations. A couple of thousand for his time. SOme people do this one themselves. 2 - A Hearing. Informal with the Inspector and the applicant, Council and reps in the room. Up to a few thousand. 3 - A local Public Enquiry. Potentially requiring a barrister for a number of days. UP to £25k to be safe. We won on Appeal with written representations. The Council Case was weak. In the end the Council Local Plan was rejected as inadequate and they were told to start again. Ferdinand

@drb5374 I agree with @Ferdinand that employing a Planning Consultant would be a good idea. Even though I’m an architect I employed one on my own build and we got the PP we were hoping for, even though we had to go to appeal. We definitely wouldn’t have got it without the consultant and he wasn’t expensive.

The appeal itself is free but getting ready for one costs if you’re using a consultant

We have our building warrant, FINALLY. I have a new job. The small one has started school. MBC are here. The glorious day of the 29th August arrived, and so did the vans, carrying Brendan's crew. The sun was shining, tonnes of sand were delivered and painstakingly spread out. It's amazing how much time the MBC boys took to make sure everything was exactly level before carrying on, I found the level of care that was taken very reassuring, and of course Sean was on hand with a terrible joke whenever required. Sometimes, also when not required. Our months of waiting for the building warrant were not completely unproductive as we now have a pimped out site office, including a cast-off white leather sofa (practical colour choice for a building site), high speed wifi, a gopro to capture the build, a desk (with executive chair), first aid point, filing cabinet, H&S kit storage, many many many copies of all the plans, and most importantly of all, a tea/coffee point with fully stocked biscuit drawer. "Luxury!", as the MBC boys proclaimed. Drainage channels were hand dug the next day - a nervewracking time with measuring and re-measuring. The brand-new-just-out-of-the-box Bosch laser measurer was ceremonially launched from the top of the rubble pile by the small one, landing with an ominous crunching noise. "That will hardly have affected the accuracy at all", we thought. Still, at least we know who to blame if all the drains are in the wrong place. Over the months/years we have had various thoughts about where the kitchen island should go, but now we come to decision time. The drains and conduit must go in, today, and they are non-changeable. The island will be all our workspace (the rest is floor to ceiling units) so needs an electrical feed and hot/cold water as well as a drain for the sink, waste disposal and dishwasher. So, instead of making a decision that will inevitably be wrong, we decide to put in the two final options. 1: The architect's recommended positioning that we think is too far away from the sunny spot 2: Our preferred option, closer to the large sliding doors We try and position the pop ups in such a way that the unused one will be under a sofa or table and hopefully not too noticeable. It is almost guaranteed that the architect will be right in the end, as he always is, but it's a struggle to commit at such an early stage. The unused one will be cut off, and topped with an official plaque set into the floor, engraved with "always listen to the architect". We're justifying it as a feature. The next day was the delivery of the EPS on a very large lorry. Our site is right in the middle of town and the access is surrounded by garages and illicit parking. This time of year, there are no students around, so although the lorry is a tight fit, there are no hastily abandoned cars in the way. Next month though.... The EPS ring beam is fitted and the footprint of the house becomes rapidly visible. Although pre-warned by our architect that the space would look small with no walls up, we are both thoroughly freaked out and convinced that the rooms are all too small. There is measuring, re-measuring. comparing against plans... but nothing we can do. Thankfully, on our way back to the rented place, we drive past a new build estate that is also just at foundation level. We slowly realise that the footprint for those homes contains a 3-bedroom house AND garage. Ours is generously sized in comparison, to say the least. The next few days are taken up with making steel reinforcing cages, laying UFH pipe and checking the drainage (again). My time is spent at work, obsessively checking the weather forecast. We have, against all sensible and knowledgeable advice, decided to attempt a smooth concrete finished slab. No tiles, carpet, wood, screed, diamond polish … nothing. Trying to explain this concept to the many people involved has not been easy. Reactions have varied between trying to convince us that diamond polishing to a mirror finish is hideously expensive (we don’t want a mirror finish – there are deliberately no shiny surfaces in the whole house, as I am obsessed with matt finish and hate polishing) to “but it’ll look like a B&Q warehouse!” (my dad). MBC are also not keen AT ALL, due to a problem they had with a previous job where the finish didn’t work and all the window/door thresholds had to be redone to allow to an additional screed to go on top. Showing people a photo of a farm shed floor that had been done by a friend by just powerfloating the surface for longer than normal did not help. The conversation went along the lines of the following: “This is the finish we’d ideally like, it’s a farm shed.” “…..? A farm shed? For cows?” “Yes” “But, polished to expose the aggregate? What kind of aggregate do you want?”. “No, no aggregate. Not polished. Just powerfloated.” “But it won’t be shiny, and that needs specialist tools.” “We don’t want it to be shiny. Just smooth. Like the IKEA warehouse. Or B&Q”. “………….really?” “Yes” “hmmmm.” (sucky teeth noises follow..) The process was somewhat wearing, but we rode confidently over everyone’s objections and doubts anyway and carried on. One thing we did know (from our farm shed creating friend) was that rain during or shortly after the pour would be bad. Very bad. It’s September, in Scotland. Could have been worse. Two week ahead forecasts are notoriously inaccurate. Right? Right? I had seven different weather apps on my phone at one point, all saying the same. Thunderstorms. A 14 day forecast went to a 10 day one, then a 7 day one .. rain all week, particularly heavy on the day of the pour. Just to put the cherry on top. The day before we poured the floor, it tipped down all day. Not 5 minutes passed without freezing rain. The next day, I left for work, having deleted all the weather apps and given up all hope of a polished floor. At the site – not a cloud in the sky. Brilliant blue skies, sunshine, tonnes too much concrete. The MBC crew powerfloated the slab for much longer than they normally would, and by the time I saw it at 8pm that night, it was as smooth as we could have wished for, and a beautiful mottled grey. If I wasn’t a rabid atheist, I would have sworn I heard a troop of celestial trumpets playing. So, a perfect end to a brilliant first stage of the build.