Rossek9

Ok thanks. The price did say that it did not include vat................although that doesn't mean they don't intend to charge it I am still awaiting a few other companies to price as well so will see how they come back.

Just an update on this. Ive just received my first quote back for an in-roof 3kw system for £4.2k. This is for a mcs system registered for fit so doesn't seem too bad. This price didn't include vat..........should this be zero rated?

What is the detail above windows and door for the above? I really would like to get away from a block outer leaf but the traditionalists keep giving me the fear about resale value and also mortgage availability

No our plot is not one of the ones at Newton. Not far away however. Yes I've read our servitude and unfortunately there really isn't anything we can do to be able to build on the part of the land served by the servitude, unless we were to offer a cash incentive to get them removed.......which I'm not willing to do. What companies have you discussed the foundations with? I'm trying to get quotes together for ours but as you have discovered most builders are reluctant to take on foundations at the depths specified.

The servitude is to allow the running of services through a part of our plot if required under emergency use. This caused us to rethink our house designbut have managed to come up with something that still meets our requirements. It's a good job I'm interested in cars are our driveway is going to be able to fit around 8/10 on it!!!! The plot is actually not very complicated as all services are either on site apart from water although this is very close. The only issues we are having is that it's made up ground and thus the extra depth to the foundations.....which in turn costs us ££££. It may well have been our plot you looked at as we just completed around a month ago on it.....after 1 year of planning. Did the plot you were looking at have another house being built next door at the time you looked at it?

@AliMcLeod we appear to be learning the same lessons are yourself Our structural engineer is suggesting trench foundations at varying depths up to 3m on our plot not far from Linlthgow. Costings for this have come at a bit of a shock!! We have also been blighted by the dreaded Deed of Servitude which has caused some headaches.

Looking forward to seeing the frame going up. Good progress already though. I'm not sure I've thought enough about ducting through the slab enough on our project reading this thread

Good luck with the build, will be watching this for updates.

This is what we are planning as well. We are doing air to air heat pump as well so made sense to have space available for all these things.

£5.3k for a 4kw in roof system doesn't seem too bad. Works out at £1350 per kw. Would be interested to hear company as well at these prices. This is an mcs system registered for fit?

My guess would be you could but couldn't claim the fit payment. Someone else more in the know than me might correct me if I'm wrong through.

We could potentially use a good amount during the day as I work shifts but could look at setting timers for things like washing machines, tumble dryers ect. Also I was looking at the Sunamp as my intention was to just to use an unvented hot water cylinder.

The figures do indeed look worth while. We do not intend to sell anytime soon but i'd like to see the payback around 10 years (a little more would be acceptable) If we can get a MCS 3kw in roof system for around £4k that wouldn't be too far off the mark. I still need to speak to the energy saving trust to see if there is any grants available as this would help with the initial outlay.

Ok being entirely honest, I haven't really looked into the figures much until now. Anyway, it has always been my intention to install a 3kw DIY PV system and forget about the fit payments due to it being so low now. I should add that this will be all south facing with little shading and on a 45 degree pitch. However after completing the details into the solar energy calculator (energy saving trust website) our expected annual fuel bill savings came to £70. The initial outlay for the 3kw in-roof system comes in at £3k. Does this seem correct? As an outlay of £3k to save £70 a year on fuel doesn't seem worthwhile.

Hi Martin, Welcome. We are in Scotland as well........just outside Edinburgh (or will be when we are finished). Hoping to start in the next few months. Where are you in the Western Isles? Are you planning to start soon?

We are looking to do something similar. Worth a look at 'stones' blog. We are hoping to replicate.............if we have any money left over after the house build.

I did wonder as their application fee is £300 I have found them very good to deal with so hopefully all goes smoothly. We are due to complete on the plot in the next week.......after 1 year of planning!!!

Thanks for the information Barney. Ecology we are speaking to at the moment and trying to get our costings together. How come they came to £92 per square meter? Is the frame and foundations from MBC by any chance? Have you got quotes for the block, render ect?

Some good points above folks. The last house price crash actually worked in our favor as we weren't selling (decided to keep as an investment and rent out) so manged to get £40k off the house we were buying.

I guess we are at a different stage in life than most self builders so it does make sense to think ahead. We have moved from flats, to houses and now the'plan is to build a big enough house so we can start a family and not have to move for a long time. Trying to do DIY with cats is hard enough without having kids to worry about!!

Yes this will be our home for a long time (I suspect) although we are yet to have children so things may change in the future. I wouldn't like to be in a position where we were to sell and not get the money back we had spent...............not to mention all the hard work. All these folk that think that building your own home saves you thousands are kidding them self's

Always the way going over budget!!! Our issue is that if we go over around £1350m2 all in (including landscaping) then I suspect we will have spent more than the value of the finished build.

What timber frame company is this?

Many thanks for the detailed response. It's also great to see you posting again. We have had a couple of timber frame quotes back and I was a bit surprise/concerned. One came back at £550m2 (this included foundations) and the other came back around £455m2 (although this didn't include foundations). Both were passive house builders so I expected them to be a little high but not that price!! Would certainly like to use the first company but I cant see us getting to first fix for £620m2 using them. Doing our number crunching I think we really need to be coming in at £1200m2 (not including landscaping). Looking at your figures your frame, foundations ect were around 1/3rd of your total spend, so £550m2 isn't going to work for us it would seem. I am awaiting on another couple of 'standard' timber frame companies coming back with prices so may well have to go down this route.

We are in the process trying to get prices together for our build. I have a rough idea of how much the internal fit out will cost based on previous houses/flats we have renovated but have no experience of a full build. How much do folk think is a reasonable price per m2 to pay to get a project to first fix? So basically a completed 'shell' by a builder with us left to complete the internal fit out ourselves. If it helps the spec is - Ali clad triple glazing Timber fame (0.17 U value for walls and 0.15 U value for roof, although these may become better if budget allows) Block outer leaf with render Slate roof Aluminium rain water goods inc fascia/sofits (hopefully )