Ralph

In my experience if you are an unsecured creditor in a liquidation you are getting nothing. We could not even get things like tiles left over as spares. In fact I had to resort to threats to get spare house keys back. I also tried to get information on warranties that were put in place by the contractor and got zero response. They only time I got any real communication from the liquidator was when they came after us for money.

We used RIAS Scottish Conditions of Appointment of an Architect - Small Project Version ASP/2018 you'll find a copy online the English version will probably be the same. We went through the Schedule of Services and took a pick and mix approach to what was on on offer from the stages below. Although it was classed as a full service approach I would have said the architect took the lead for Stages 1 and 2 then it was over to the Architectural technician for the rest. There is a load of Additional Services that can be added to the below if required. We then agreed a fixed fee and off we went. This all really paid for itself when the builder went in breach of contract then tits up. Preparing the Design Work Stage 1.0 – Preparation of the Brief 1.1 Ascertain Client Requirements 1.2 Obtain Site information from Client 1.3 Advise Client of his/her duties under CDM regulations 1.4 Visit Site and carry out preliminary appraisal 1.5 Identify Project and Construction Budgets 1.6 Develop outline brief 1.7 Agree Preliminary timetable Work Stage 2.0 – Initial Design 2.1 Prepare initial design proposal 2.2 Provide indicative guidance on cost and timetable Work Stage 3.0 – To Planning Consent Application 3.1 Consult with Local Authorities and Utilities as required 3.2 Progress Stage 2.1 design 3.3 Prepare application for Planning Permission 3.4 Submit application for Planning permission 3.5 Advise on procurement methods 3.6 Report on timetable, agree revisions Work Stage 4.0 – To Building Warrant Application 4.1 Progress Stage 3.2 design 4.2 Co-ordinate work of other consultants 4.3 Report on timetable, agree revisions 4.4 Prepare Warrant Application 4.5 Submit Warrant Application Preparing the build Work Stage 5.0 – Construction Documentation 5.1 Advise on and agree form of Building Contract, including Contract Administrator 5.2 Prepare drawings, schedules and specifications sufficient for tender 5.3 Co-ordinate information from other consultants, specialist designers and contractors 5.4 Prepare Description of Work Work Stage 6.0 – Tender Administration 6.1 Compile list of Contractors, if applicable 6.2 Assemble tender documentation including Bills of Quantity or Schedules of Rates etc. prepared by others 6.3 Issue tenders to contractors for pricing 6.4 Take delivery of, and report on tenders 6.5 Advise on appointment of contractor 6.6 Agree frequency and scope of site inspections Progressing the build Work Stage 7.0 – Contract Administration 7.1 Administer the Contract 7.2 Attend Progress Meetings on site 7.3 Inspect the works as necessary to administer the Contract, review progress and quality in terms of the building contract 7.4 Issue instructions to the contractor for variations to the contract when approved by the client 7.5 Report on Stages 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 7.6 Advise client of when works are practically complete for handover Work Stage 8.0 – Post Completion Work 8.1 Advise Contractor of any defects 8.2 Administer the contract to final account

Yup, pretty much the same thing happened to me a few years ago. They only actually got back in touch when they were trying to get money out of me.

We're going to be hit with high wind and rain this week so mine will be staying on for a while yet. We get a good bit of solar gain. It looks like the heating has not come on for just over 24 hours and the main area is sitting at 23.8°C

I think that is basically how most houses are built in Scotland these days. Like everything else there are advantages and disadvantages but the big difference is the reduced upfront cost.

I'm really sorry to hear about this. I hope you manage to get something from the liquidator. Being afraid of this happening is one of the reasons we went for Scotframe, their payments were also in 4 or 5 stages.

We are about 152m2 detached. We have quite an open plan house with vaulted ceilings and a lot of glass. We have been down to - 12°C this year. What seems to make a real difference is the wind. A brisk NNW coming off the Cairngorms really finds all those gaps. We also run the house quite warm, it never comes below 20°C and is quite often at 23°C.

That does not seem bad. I'm about 10 kWh/day for everything else including DHW. I work from home so I'm not too bothered by it.

Is that just for your heating? Still a bit too cold this far north to turn it off but we were down to 6 kWh/day last week on the heating as apposed to 14 kWh/day in January

It's was definitely a journey and we still have stuff to do but it has been worth it. This forum has been a massive help and not just as a technical resource. No matter what's happened someone on here will have been through it. I know St Cyrus well, it's a cracking part of the world

It will get there eventually along with 3d printed meat and body parts.

Interesting stuff, hopefully it allows for some interesting and individual homes. Unfortunately the pessimist in me sees Persimmon shitting out 1,000s of grey cornflakes box houses across the land with armies of guys with silicone and expanding foam, filling in massive gaps and gluing already crumbling concrete.

Burghead and Lossie high school boy here.

Ours is not big but it's pretty much built to the same spec as the house, insulated, standing seam roof etc. If I was being 100% honest I might include all the money we spent on fees for the first design and plans we had but it's too depressing😀

We broke ground just before first lockdown and moved in 10 months ago. We also had a Scotframe kit. Our builder went bust before we finished, not a great experience so no one I can recommend really. A pal is using Aaron Robertson from Brechin who seems good. We used Cerretti from Gourdon for electrics, good guys.

@pocster That is a deep auld hole. If you did that on my site you would drown. 3 years ago today

Hello, as the crow flies you're about 10 miles from us. It sounds like you may be using a Scotframe kit or similar. I worked out recently that we did our house and garage for £1,800 per m2 all in. So that includes the kit, the build costs and fees but not the plot.

it was hammering down rain and hail yesterday I could just hear it on the velux. Our insulation sounds similar to you. Only sound I hear is from the standing seam that's cladding the first floor, it give of little pops when it heats up in the sun.

It was laid with primer etc so I just can't see me getting it away from the mortar without damaging it. Maybe best just left.

I recently had someone quote me, in person, £1,800 for a job that I eventually had done for £40. I said nothing, turned around, walked back into the house and closed the door. No point in doing anything else.

You can use coaxial cables for LAN but you will need MoCA Adapters. You need to find the start and end point of each run of cables and plug in a MoCA at each end which you can then use to extend your wifi or plug in a device You can buy a coax continuity tester for about £20. It comes in two parts one with a little speaker, put one in each end of the coax if they are both on the same run you hear a tone from the speaker. I looked at it for our last house when we started working from home but in the end just went for a TP Mesh system.

We have a single large porcelain slab at the back door, laid on a full bed of motor on top of a compacted sub base. There's clearly not enough of a fall as water sits on it. Do you think I need to lift the whole slab up and re lay it or can I dig out some of the sub base along the front to increase the fall? I'm really trying not to damage it as we don't have any spare and I'm pretty sure they have been discontinued.

Reminds me of damp student flats with portable gas fires in winter.

From what I understand the water vapour given off is minimal, it's not like it is enough to condense or anything.

We are all electric as well which is one reason we were looking at a WBS. However the stove idea is becoming more and more complicated with the standing seam, cedral cladding, external flue etc. I've been thinking about an electric fire downstairs within a media wall and a bioethanol in the upstairs living room. Mainly just to supplement the ASHP and have a bit of a focal point. My concern about the electric is that it might look naff and the concern about the bioethanol is that it won't give out much heat and is expensive.