LA3222

I had a load of muckaway removed last year, couple of hundred ton with no issues. The hole now has to be deepened for the stone sub base, same company now tells me they need soil testing done due to new rules imposed by the Enviroment Agency. Is this legit or am I being spun a yarn?

This is labour only quotes! I expect the first two are probably there or there abouts for a labour only price. The third one made my eyes boggle when I read it!

Just had a quote come back: Approx 3000 dense blocks and 3000 bricks. The majority of the blocks form a plinth at the bottom of the house with a bit of dentil/corbel detailing at the top. The blocks just go everywhere else ready for a render finish. Quotes so far: 1. Block £17m2, Brick £600 per thou. 2. Block £16m2, Brick £650 per thou & detailing £13.50m. 3. All in - £21,500. Two of the prices are similar - the third?

I cant but help think that the obvious is being missed here. The entire build is highly variable so you simply cannot use the per m2 costing and compare them. Build cost variables: Labour cost How much work done yourself Standard of finish That is just three variables which can have a massive impact on the per m2 cost. It is a bit false for people to strip out the parts which skew the all up cost, such as land etc and go 'ta da' my per m2 cost is ....... Every single element of expense associated with self building is highly variable - even getting TF etc from big companies the prices variations are wild! It is simply impossible to compare apples with apples in this arena, unless someone is doing exactly the same house and finish as yourself. Now, the per m2 analysis is a useful exercise and does have value in helping potential self builders to get a flavour of what costings need to be accounted for and ballpark figures of whey they may expect them to be, therefore helping to establish initial budgets etc. Just my opinion?‍♂️

My view is that any spend that has arisen directly due to the fact you are building a house should be included. If you buy a house you budget for stamp duty. Why do self builders cherry pick what costs are included - my suspicion is people have a tendency to want to convince themselves they spent less (usually when Joe public may enquire as to 'so how much did it cost to build'). A bit like people who having bought something on offer say 'it's worth £100'....but you bought it for £50....ergo....its worth £50! I include everything but it's a personal choice. I'm under no illusions - I may 'just' break even all this build when all costs are considered but I'm ok with that. I think the main problem with this topic is the question. If you ask 'how much does it cost per m2 to build' that is the a answer you will generally get - the price of materials/labour to 'build' it. If you are starting out and trying to work out how much it will cost 'all in', then the list of 'extras' to this m2 cost can be endless. Start with how much you have, subtract the plot price and there's ya budget, the m2 cost can vary widely and a lot depends on the choices you make I.ie standard of finish etc. This is a minefield - all I can suggest is trawl the forum and it help to gain a better understanding of costs.

Daft question before I knock it on the head for the night! I need to put down a big pile of stone for my sub base - about 600mm. Is it easier to lay the duct in at the bottom, running it to where it needs to poke up through the slab and then build up the layers after or get everything wacked flat and then dig it back up to run the ducting to where it needs to be? On the one hand digging it back up after doesn't feel right - trashing the flattened stone to reflatten it again. But laying the duct at the bottom to where it needs to be seems to have its problems...namely being accuracy and then having to build the layers up around a load of pipe poking up. My gut says just dig it out after and then re-lay the stone. I have seen loads of pics which show this is how the foul runs are done, but that's not such an issue as those pipes are towards the top of the stone. Some feedback from those whom have done/seen this carried out would be appreciated. Ta

I have two steel beams sat on top of steel posts on my insulated slabs.

Or just open it in word to convert it to a word document, edit it, then save it again to a pdf format?

Yarp what @Oz07 says. The blinding layer is sandwiched between the aggregate and the EPS. The DPM is in between EPS layers so no danger of that being punctured by coarse sand. My query really relates to what @JFDIY mentions. If the sand is fine will it clump and inhibit the drainage layer under the EPS, therefore a coarser grade is more suitable? Many on here have insulated slabs - just what normally gets used?‍♂️

Yarp..probably a ridiculopolus question but here goes..... The sand blinding layer below my EPS raft - any particular type of sand required here? I am thinking along the lines of grit sand, bit coarser so better draining but sufficiently fine to level out easy enough?? I would rather ask than make a rookie mistake ?

There is...I have this very same fitting on the foul pipe I put in for the static caravan. The lid unscrews and then there is a plastic insert underneath which just pulls out.

I'm interested in this too. Sent my application at the start of December, sent all the requested paperwork, references have been supplied not sure where things stand at the minute. With the xmas period I expected things to pause. Wife had a phone call today on behalf of a surveyor asking when can get access to property in order to value it ?‍♂️ After several 'it is just a plot of land' replies after the person kept repeating the same question it seems the penny dropped - doesn't bode well, I can only assume it was a confused receptionist arranging a visit on behalf of the surveyor?‍♂️ I will ring on Monday to find out what the crack is. As to how long it will all take ?‍♂️

Looks good bud, what cladding you used there, cedar? The end bit of my build will look very similar to your overall look so hopefully it will look as good as what you have done. My formers will be similar but the roof on them takes up at an angle towards the ridge rather than being completely flat. My roof will be pan tiles too, I see you have mortar bedded the verge etc. Looks a lot nicer I think than dry systems. Who are your windows and doors from? Is that a grey/green colour you have?

Similar to my own situation...ecology ongoing at the min...on site in static since June, 4 of us plus 2 cats. Just waiting to pull the trigger..foundations delayed till jan now, weather has pushed my ground workers back and the everywhere shuts for xmas next friday..hey ho, but it will all work out eventually. Good luck with your build.

The rain sucks. I ain't getting my foundations in till end of Jan at best now if I'm lucky. God knows what the weather will throw up then...probably snow?‍♂️ Hopefully you'll get a few dry days?

Are you ELDC Jonathan? I put a static on site without asking and when I submitted amendments to planning my architect asked the officer if needed to include it and the answer was 'nah'. I started on site and put services in, a big old driveway and dug out a shed load of soil where the house was sat and didn't send a commencement notice - one of the comments on my app by the officer is 'work has already commenced' so I take that as my PP locked in. I pay council tax at Band A - voluntarily applied for it, I could probably have got away with not paying but it's not much and I needed some bins?‍♂️ I haven't seen hide nor tail of anyone from the council - I expect that I could have a finished house and it will be me chasing them to let them know. All that being said, they have been pragmatic and a pleasure to deal with so far. From what i have seen though there are some real PITA's out there so it seems to be the luck of the draw!

That's good to hear - my main concern was whether prolonged rain would balls everything up. Think I will probably buy a sump pump to keep the water level low and crack on with it!

The point about concrete being less dense than the concrete is a good one! I'm not sure how to create a low spot....in theory the insulation should be completely flat so it will be the thickened perimeter strips which fill up - may have to look into sump pumps that go all the way down to a couple of mm of water. All food for thought gents and no glaring reasons why not to do it - ta for the feedback, always appreciated.

The potential for a swimming pool is what concerns me. I guess there are two options, delay or buy a pump and take a chance that it will be ok!

I am trying to get my founds in before Christmas but it looks like weather and time is conspiring against me. I may be able to get all the sub layers done before xmas but everywhere shuts down from 20th till 6 Jan. If I get the insulation laid and all the steelwork and UFH heating pipes laid before Christmas will this be ok to leave exposed to the weather until I can get the concrete poured at the start of Jan? Not sure if leaving it all exposed will be ok or Not? Cheers J

How thick was the render you used? I'm looking at the silicone KRend and the docs say it's about 6-8mm thick in total so I'm a bit puzzled as to what size bead to use.

@Triassic did you solve the bead issue? Where did you get it from in the end?

Cool, so the consensus seems to be that frame goes up, roof goes on and then the rest of the externals can be done. Ta ?

Random question, thought I knew the answer it as the time draws near to start making decisions I am questioning everything again. My build is a TF inner skin with block outer. What is the sequence r.e. roof and block work? I thought the roof goes on first then the block work goes up? Sure I read something somewhere about 'loading' the frame down with the weight of the roof before throwing the block work up? Ta

I have the same concern re. remortgaging so I took the decision to suck it up and pay £2500 for a warranty and BC. Its easier to do now rather than realise you should have taken one out later on down the line?