MarkW1979

So I paid for a single phase installation from SPEnergy and put up the appropriate sized meter box for single phase but I have just come back to find that a 3 phase supply has been installed and it occupies quite a lot of the box. My question is whether the meter will now fit in the box and also whether I need to let Octopus know it is 3 phase - who are coming to install the new meter next month? Thanks in advance! Mark

I'm just trying to think about the plan for trades once my timber frame kit is up. I understand that the roof goes on first before the blockwork skin but can anyone tell me if the frame needs to have time to "settle" once the roof is on (and if so how long)? Thanks in advance!

Wow - a 6 minute response (I'm humbled how helpful folk are on here!) - Thanks Kelvin, I will get in touch with Octopus.

I am building in Scotland; SPEnergy are providing a mains cable hopefully soon and they have given me an mpan number. I have approached EDF who say they can't supply a meter until the house is built and Scottish Power have the following on their website: "Once your Distribution Network Operator and Gas Transporter have generated your supply point reference numbers you will need to confirm that the address has been registered with the Royal Mail. In some instances, the Royal Mail may require the Building completion certificate to have this updated" Does anyone know of any providers in Scotland that provide a meter before the house is built (or should I be asking for a temporary supply)? Cheers, Mark

Thanks so much for all your input folks, I was a bit sceptical about the plastic grids. I'm away to research protection mats...

There will be a crane but I’m only using this area for turning (if that’s what you’re getting at)…

I need to create a small track for delivery vehicles to reverse down off an existing tarmac road and then be able to turn in the opposite direction (crude calculation of area maybe 120m2 allowing for large turning circle). It is currently a grass field and will need to be removed afterwards. I'm trying to do it fairly cheaply/ easily (ideally myself). I was thinking of using a 50mm plastic gravel grid filled with MOT type 1. There is one by Ecodeck selling on ebay for less than £10 per m2. I was thinking that once it has served it's purpose I can either re-use for my driveway or maybe sell the used grids on ebay. Does anyone have any thoughts/ experience? Thanks

They are also saying a 2nd survey took place when it didn't! Or at least I never paid for a second survey despite them saying I would have to...

Response received from Openreach - can someone help me out with the abbreviations NRC and NRV please? Mark I got a response back from the Exec complaints team yesterday. I’ve copied the response below. I understand your frustration at these events but it would appear that Openreach have acted in line with our equivalence expectations. I know it’s not what you were hope to hear and I apologise for that “So in terms of this one the following is the basic outline of why this was flipped to NRC from NRV (correctly) The initial quote for the works on the CNS job was sent to the customer on 25/02/22, the customer is informed that the survey has an expiration date of 30 days and that in some circumstances, we can extend this for up to 3 months however by the time he contacted front desk again it had been 7 months with no payment or communication. As such a further survey was required by an RPE and this was explained to the customer in detail by our front desk team - who also rightly then recognised that this had been qualified incorrectly in the first instance as there is a 20 pair ariel cable on site which should automatically have made this complex work as per our own guidance (it was clearly not noticed by the initial agent who qualified the works hence the much cheaper quote.) As this has now been correctly qualified to be NRC work and the new survey has been completed (almost an entire year after their first contact to us) we would maintain that these new costs are correct and that the customer would have in essence been getting a bargain if they’d paid when our mistakes were made however the timescale for making payment had long passed prior to contact being made again and as such front desk did confirm to the Customer that they would have to pay the new price should they wish to proceed.”

Marvin - I know it's incredible. Probably from a guy who would sh1te himself 2 feet up a telegraph pole. The whole "we don't make a profit" and "we're very expensive" pish nearly tipped me over the edge. I can't cancel as I need to move the cable before I start work but I have emailed the disputes contact.

So I got a quote last May to re-route a telecom cable underground (with me digging the trenches) for c£2k in VAT. Cable goes from one telegraph pole to another over a distance of maybe 30m. There are no other services connected to the poles. I wasn't able to do the work until now after which the quote had expired (fair enough) so I asked them to re-quote. Initially they told me that I would have to book and pay for a survey again (last one cost £400) - reason given that they now use different contractors. However today I received and quote/ invoice to undertake the work for £7k. When I phoned to question it the guy I spoke to says it is "more complicated than it looks" and it will take 70 man hours to complete (including his 'design time'). "I've been doing this job for 20 years I know what I'm talking about" and "we don't make a profit on this". He also said that it required 2 different gangs to undertake the work - 1 team that deal with the overhead cables and 1 team that deal with the underground cables. Does anyone have any advice about how I should tackle this nonsense? Many thanks

Ah, makes sense. Thanks

I think I understand better now. So there will be space behind the porch roof trusses to slide the concrete lintel behind and block above? Internally the concrete lintel is concealed by the flat ceiling (no it isn't vaulted). Thanks again Dave.

My timber kit home is going to be similar to the picture shown. The outer skin being blocks and render, the porch being recon stone. I am bit confused as to how the blockwork goes up over the porch - or is the porch installed at a later date after the outer skin is done? Cheers, Mark

Great, thanks guys. Responses appreciated. Hopefully common sense will prevail.

So, the formula is radius = 12 x whatever diameter is at 1.5m so that would make the distance (although I haven't actually measured) roughly 3.6m. It seems that if a fence was at this distance initially (before scaffold) it would prevent heavy machinery and digging and once the foundation were laid the fence could be moved to 1.5m to make way for the scaffold (after which there is no more digging anyway).

I have obtained planning permission to build my 4 bed timber kit house (building warrant applied for but outstanding). One of the conditions is as follows: "Prior to the start of works on site, fencing shall be erected to protect the mature trees at the north of the site from damage in accordance with BS:5837:2012 (trees in relation to design, demolition and construction, to the satisfaction of the planning authority." I thought that this would just be a simple case of putting up some heras fencing next to the trees but my father-in-lay (a forester) tells me that I might have an issue. Basically the proposed placement of the house is already quite close to the trees and by the time a scaffolding goes up any fence that I put up to protect the trees would be quite close to them (maybe 1.5-2 metres to the trunk). He says the fencing is there to protect the roots and it should be placed at 3 to 4m. Obviously placing the fence at that distance would mean that the scaffolding would interfered with. Anyone with any similar situations? Advice appreciated! The pictures might help to understand. In the photo I have placed some wooden posts on the ground to mark where the rear of the house will come to. Many thanks in advance. Mark

Thanks guys. You know when you ask if something is sensible it almost certainly isn’t. Cheers

I’m hoping to break ground for our 4 bed timber kit build this year. I have (hopefully not too silly a question) regarding a temporary electrical supply. The family have a house right next to the plot so in theory it might not be too difficult to run a few extension cables from the house, this would mean that once the superstructure is up the consumer unit and electrical gubbins can go straight to it’s final place without having to build the temporary unit and move it. Is this feasible/sensible? Thanks in advance, Mark

I'm a bit pessimistic about it coming out at £5,300 to be honest as there are some mature trees in the way and the plot is up a slight bank so I imagine path through everything won't be as straight forward as it appears on plan of the area. I did explain this to the chap preparing the quote but he just said this would all be resolved at the next stage after the invoice is paid. Anyway, I'm more concerned at present about the water connection (just waiting for drainage drawings to be done so I can submit to Scottish Water in order for them to provide a quote).

Fair enough. I don't think it is unreasonable to be honest - just at present prices saving the odd few hundred pounds here and there is very helpful. Thanks everyone. "Excavate and lay cable" is priced at £2286...

So I've received a quote from SP Energy to provide the electrical connection for £5,300 which includes "Wayleave and land access fees" of £625. The work involves coming off a LV overhead line and routing underground approx 55m to my plot through a field owned by a family member (the same family member who gave us the land to build on). Are these fees appropriate in this case (provided I can confirm the circumstances)? Thanks in advance.

Perfect! Thanks John.

I have a quick question about dry-lining plasterboard finishing costs, hopefully someone can help. The quote I have received from the timber kit manufacturer have priced for plasterboarding as part of the roughings costs, however this does not include jointing and finishing obviously. I'm finding it hard to find estimates of jointing/finishing (information usually includes the cost of installing the plasterboard and does not separate out the jointing/finishing costs). Would anyone be able to provide approx costs (or signpost to info). The build is 167m2, 1.75 storey, standard height ceilings. Thanks in advance. The alternative would be to do the finishing myself - I am a reasonably competent diy'er, but I think I would struggle with the ceilings. Anyone any experience? CHeers, Mark

Okay thanks Dave. I'm actually waiting for them to get back to me, but managed to find this asset plan in the meantime and just thought I'd ask here.