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I'm going to hire a post hole auger attachment for my digger when I tackle some fencing at scale. Did I mention I'd bought a digger? Doesn't hurt to mention again, you know, just in case anyone missed it. There's so much that suddenly becomes doable with this thing, everyone should own one. And I'm having so much fun operating it that I may need plastic surgery to remove my smile.

I’m a Manchester United fan I don’t think I need to worry about where any of the Euro finals are going to be played next season ⚽️

wow, so many replied so quickly, thank you everyone. @newhome yes aiming for RHI, I know this is an expensive way of getting a result, but some money back over the following years isn’t to be sniffed at. Sorry, when I say “organise professional to do the install”, I should clarify that this will be someone off NuHeats list, so that, as you say, I have continuity of cover / reduced chance of blame game. Yes, VAT is reclaimable. @Ferdinand Good point about the payment structure. I’ll talk to them about possible staging / retainer. Also about using credit card, if only for a portion. I have another entire quote from another company, but their refusal to accept credit cards (along with some other issues) are persuading me away from them. @ProDave Just the 2 tanks, a 300l with a 100l buffer. It’s clear that I need to involve an installer before progressing the order, I’ll get onto that, thank you. @Alexphd1 It suits me to have 2 manifolds, the floor is actually split level (300mm difference), and being long and narrow, one manifold will be sited near the tank, the other will be about 10m away, supplied by a well-insulated feed. As to the number on each. One will be supplying 4 zones. The other 5 zones. I assumed some zones would be having multiple loops, but I’ll check with Nuheat, thanks. @PeterW Yes, MCS install for RHI. I know it’s paying through the nose compared to DIY, but I think there’s a value in that. I’ll quiz NuHeat about the 1 pump running 2 manifolds issue. @JSHarris I’ll be honest, the numbers all go over my head a bit, but I understand the fundamentals of what you’re saying, thank you, and the bottom line being wasted heat and hence higher running costs. As I said, I don’t have full control of the project, so I am where I am to go forward from. @le-cerveau Is there a problem with dial thermostats? I know the components could be sourced cheaper, but I’m after an all-in solution that I don’t have to worry that at the end it doesn’t work well due to my inability to match parts etc. I was also surprised that the tank is only ‘C’, I’ll ask Nuheat about that as it does seem odd to me. @joth Thanks, I have a full time job and trying to partially maintain a busy hobby, while also doing my best on this build, so at times cash has to be spent rather than time. @Redoctober Thank you for your figures, interesting to see. Did you start with a supply company, or start with the installer? @pocster Thank you for the link, it can’t hurt for me to get another quote (except it could aid & abet my decision paralysis!)

Here's a time-lapse video of my timber frame going up this week. Team of 3 from PYC arrived on Monday and did the sole plates. Started erecting the frame on Tuesday, which is when the video starts. Lorry arrived each morning between Tuesday and Thursday with the panels and was unloaded and offsite in less than an hour, so minimum disruption to neighbours. Three and a half days to complete and I now have a fully insulated timber frame, with all internal stud walls and intermediate floors, up all bar a couple of small dormers. They'll be back next week to finish off and install the windows and doors. Very pleased with what PYC have done so far. Apologies for the wavy branch in front of the camera - didn't notice it when I was halfway up a tree setting this up ? Camera was a Brinno TLC200 Pro. PYC Timber Frame.mp4

Of course if you show your missus it's your own fault!

I have used XL Joinery veneered Oak doors. To be on the safe side I contacted the Technical Dept at XL in view of their 'do not use oil' warning.They advised that it was quite acceptable to use the Osmo Door Oil on their doors.

That blue plastic thing. My mate just bought an identical cow/pig feeding thing except it was solid glazed clay, 100+ years old and took 6 to lift it. hes using it for a border/planter

I have only recently discovered Pinterest, but I must say it really is brilliant for inspiration. Everything little project I take on now I spend at least an hour or two looking through Pinterest.

Fancy a trip over to NI later this year? I brew a good IPA...

I used Amvic ICF, as you can DIY their system, me and a pump operator poured 26 m3 of concrete into the basement ICF walls, all done in one pour. Not one leak and we used home made props borrowed of a local builder for beer money.

The front of the house The back of the house

Crikey! The sun must be hot down in Notts today!

I’ve got our foundation done, the frame up, the windows, cladding and external rendering purchased all for £1000/m2. You’ll have to do a lot of the work yourself and negotiate hard to get down to £900/m2. Oh, and I’ve not even started on the inside! Ps. I’ll post a couple of photos later to show you what you get for £1000/m2.

Since it is Friday... 1 - Confiscate water pistol. 2 - Shoot Sooty for leaving deposit. 3 - Use water pistol to remove stains. 4 - Return water pistol to Sweep.

I would also comment that your £900 sqm is an unrealistic price if you are including everyting not just the shell and if itis only you building it --no sub contractors you won,t be done in 9months

I had a professional valuation done on a plot and it was a total waste of time and money as he seemed to put way too much of his own personal opinion into it. It is pretty straightforward really. 1. What will the finished house be worth. Normally you can get a very good idea of local per square foot prices. There may be a premium for a new place in London. So if the house is 1000 square feet and the prevailing price is £800 a square foot then it will be worth £800,000, assuming 1000 square feet. 2. What will it cost to build the house? There are many sources that suggest build prices. Most of these will suggest £120ish a square foot I think. Many people on here are finding that the cost is much more, but a lot depends on the spec. Would you be building it to live in forever, you might spend £170 a square foot, building it to sell you might spend £120. So build cost around £150,000. Don't forget to include any extra services, permissions, architects etc that you might need, this might take you up towards £200,000. You may be able to get an estimate from a builder, but this will almost certainly be wrong/too low. 3. This is where it gets interesting. If you were a property developer you would want to make a 15-20% profit. So a professional valuer would probably value the land at around £500,000. Plus £150,000 build cost plus profit = £800,000. Using my example prices. I think that people find most plots are actually valued closer to end value - build cost. This is due to there being a lot more self builders than available plots, especially in urban areas. I would base it on, what would you pay for a house there less what you think it would cost to build. You can then bid below this if you think you can get away with it and don't mind missingf out on the plot if you think the price is too high.

in other news, water is indeed wet...

Wouldn't ever go to Chelsea but Tatton is on my doorstep. Might go there one year but until the kids grow out of being kids there’s not much point in actually gardening.

I started off on a PET, then a Mac, now Windows and Linux.

Is the Chelsea Clinton?

Have observed Chelsea, I am going to build a canal and lock in my garden.

my experience of valuers is that they don,t do a real valuation anymore, just look at prices houses sell for in same road --and how good you have made yours makes little or no difference . same way as zoopla etc do it -when you look at house prices for a road as @JSHarris said i was told to remove my solar thermal panels as it would lower the value . I could take a wild guess and say the price of the plot you are looking at will have been priced so there will be NO profit in building and selling within at least next 10 years same as you would --if you were the seller I had experience with a commercial valuer when I wanted a valuation on my big building --price they came back with was not right when challenged they said that they do their valuation by looking at what other similar buildings have sold for in last 12months in same area - said there no others like mine around here . "no he says i compared with glasgow" where there are lots of buildings empty and none with parking for 30 cars and a compound the you could build another 30m x24m building on mine is the only one for 30 miles and i already have refused prices better than he said mine is worth. to build a new building not including land or services it would cost nearly twice what this valuer says it is worth !! so bottom line is your guess is probably as good as any valuer and price will always assume a very low internal basic spec there are always 3 prices for anything what you would like what someone will offer the amount you will take to get rid of it fit Hi-spec internals ,but do not expect to get paid for them if you sell any time soon

You can’t apply for exemption before permission. Council will calculate the liability as part of the application approval. You then accept liability, then complete the self build exemption form before starting any work and then when you finish you send off your completion statement and docs within the timeframe.

Cheap screed/grano/self leveller to get it Up to level and about right. Liquid dpm 2 coats. Ardex NA slc to finish

??????? ?

Try Charles Green in Redruth http://www.charlesgreendesign.co.uk/ If I see the one architect I know, I shall have a word and see if he can recommend someone that is close to you.

Hopefully I'll have a wobbly table by then!

Modern inverter controlled heat pumps have zero startup current surge. In fact, our has a lower startup than a vacuum cleaner, by a long way. The DNOs are way, way behind the curve with this, and are still working to really old, pre-inverter technology, heat pumps, that did tend to have a pretty hefty starting current. Best bet is to try and educate them. They tried it on with me and I just sent them a detailed description of the 30 second inverter start sequence, how both the starting demand and power factor was dynamically managed by the heat pump control system and then I heard nothing more from them...

May be worth getting them as soon as Two years back we bought most of ours for about 50p each Immediately after the Brexit They jumped up-to 80 p along with other materials The annoying thing was that the blocks where made in Wales But the strength of the pound against the Euro was blamed I hadn’t realised that Euro was the Welsh currency

@ProDave To you it may well seem expensive. To us it was value for money, given the net cost as you say will be £7600!! I posted these details in an attempt to provide some guidance rather than to generate a debate as to whether or not we paid too much for the system. As @joth said above, there will always be a discussion about price so perhaps it is sometimes better to just provide figures as opposed to judgments. Just a thought that's all.

I am in a similar position will be looking into stairs (quarter turn) soon for a little project, thinking about full Oak or Oak with glass. Have often thought about sourcing materials from abroad, however was not sure if it would be worth it after factoring delivery costs. Be interested to see the actual price difference.

Da Dahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

FFS give me your email address and I’ll send you the £3 for the leftover bag ..!

For ICF construction, I've been quoted £400m2 for a "thermal envelope". That's passive slab, intermediate floors and supporting walls, ICF structure and EPS roof panel system. Adding in windows, render and roofing, I expect this to come up to about £600m/2.

I think Pinterest is the place to look.

In the end, I've managed to get an MCS install but it is expensive. The break even point for me, taking into account self-consumption is just under the 10 year mark. I'm okay with this as the system has a 25 year life span and I can afford to take the longer view. I'm planning to do a blog post over the weekend on the systems I'm putting into my build so I will put more detail in that.