Benpointer

Great blog and good progress - well done! Interesting that the DPM and underfloor insulation took you much longer than you expected - that was the task which most severely stress us out and also took longer and cost a lot more than I estimated. If I were doing another build, I'd seriously consider poured floor insulation.

That Kohler filler is listed as £825. £825! for a 0.95" chrome orifice ?! WTAF? How about this for £27? Projects just 22mm from the bath wall. https://www.bathroomrepublic.co.uk/bath-filler-sprung-waste-overflow-and-easy-clean-1.html

We are now in that phase where we can see the finish line not far away but, bizarrely, the closer we get the more there seems to be to do. The list the jobs that yet need to be done is a bit depressing; reflecting on all we have achieved so far is much more uplifting. We are certainly in a significantly better position as we approach the end of the year than we expected to be when we started the project. Work has continued in the run up to Christmas and several trades have asked if they can work some days during the holiday period (er… yes please!). We have sadly suffered a family bereavement this week which has naturally led to reduced focus on the house, so apologies if this week’s blog is a bit rambling. We do find creating the blog helpful and therapeutic, so we’re inflicting it on you regardless! Cladding Alan and Chris have now completed the ash cladding at the front of the house and the scaffold is down - yay! The cladding looks quite dark at the moment but it should fade to silver over the next year where exposed to daylight. It will be interesting to see how the silvering graduates under the soffits which will presumably remain darker for many years. Kitchen Our carpenter Chris has started to install the kitchen, utility and pantry units. In the past we’ve installed kitchens ourselves but various circumstances have meant we’ve not been in a position to do this and Chris is undoubtedly doing a better job than we could do. The main kitchen is bespoke from Husk Kitchens in Bristol and uses ply drawer fronts faced with Fenix. Mrs P. is, as you would expect, Artistic Director and I defer to her on all colour choices (or else we would probably end up with beige/grey everywhere). We both really like the effect now that we see the kitchen beginning to take shape. Of course Mrs P. does have extraordinary good taste - she chose me after all! Our signature 'Wall of Ovens': Here's the utility room. Mrs P. may have allowed me free rein with the colours on this one - I know my place 😉 Electric second fix Darren has been progressing fixing of sockets switches and lights. First lights fitted! Our batteries and inverters have finally arrived and been connected, so the solar panels we had fitted in July(!) are now actually generating for us. Annoyingly, OpenReach still haven’t installed the fibre, so we can’t monitor our generation in real-time just yet - the geek in me will have to wait a bit longer for that. For those interested, we have 14.88kW of solar panels and 27.12 kWh batteries. Focus for the next two weeks: Obviously a quieter period than usual but we expect there will still be progress in a number of areas: Floor tiling - Steve should be back over the holiday period to fix the porcelain skirting tiles. Second fix electrics - More progress expected on lights and switches. That depressing list of things to do: Kitchen worktops Porcelain skirtings Finish bathrooms (x3) 2nd fix Commission STP Electric 2nd fix including lights, switches, heating wiring centre, CCTV, PIRs… Install fibre to house Internal door linings, architraves Internal doors Hatches to loft storage areas (x3) Fitted wardrobes Rear timber cladding Cladding front and rear canopy soffits Front landscaping, including level access, highway apron, parking and turning Rear landscaping, including level access and garden lighting Final airtightness test ‘As built’ SAP report Building Control sign-off VAT reclaim! + probably others we haven’t thought of. Dashboard: Contractor days on site this fortnight: 16.5 Contractor days on site since build start: 458 Budget: No change - over budget but within contingency. Plan: Breaking news! We are now aiming to move in at the end of February. So, a month earlier than previously planned. Issues and worries closed this fortnight: Kitchen units are substantially in so will be ready for worktop templating. Current top issues and worries: None.

It's impossible to cover every decision and get them all right. 'Mistakes, we've made a few, but then again... '

Further update from Octopus: "I’m sorry to hear that Royal Mail is taking some time to update their address database. Unfortunately, if we put through the request and the address is not updated with Royal Mail, it will be rejected on their end." Which begs a couple of questions: 1. Why do Octopus need Royal Mail's approval? 2. How did the current fictitious address come to be assigned to the meter? This is becoming Kafka-esque.

Indeed, and it's the sort of thing that can hold up a future house sale as the solicitors see a way to charge the buyer more money 'investigate further'.

Thanks for that info and link, very useful. I am currently trying to get Octopus to change the 'address' of our supply meter from a completely fictitious address made up be the plot vendor, to our actual 'approved by the council' address... I email the request as per the instructions on the Octopus website. They email back and asked for evidence that the council had approved the address, so I sent that. Then they came back and asked for a photo of the meter. Ok, I took one and sent it to them. Then they said: "I can process the address change for you, but first, please update your address with Royal Mail. Once you've done that, could you please send me a screenshot showing the updated address on the Royal Mail website?" Which of course RM have failed to do despite a request via their online form in June and two chasers since. So I have now sent Octopus a link to http://www.findmyaddress.co.uk in the hope they will pull their finger out and sort this. Octopus not covering themselves in glory here.

It's a 6 month window for VAT reclaims isn't it?

Interesting idea but I can imagine Mrs. P's reaction when I tell her I've opened a Velux for her to climb through. I suspect she'd tell me where to go ('go and get a hammer').

I have been messaging @craig about this and he has suggested possibly replacing the current striker latch for a day latch on at least one door. It doesn't look that straightforward but may be doable.

I've now found Dorset Council's policy, I assume other council will have their own similar policies. https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/new-build-properties In summary, once first fix is complete they can issue a Completion Notice allowing up to 3 months for 2nd fix. We are through first fix on our build but haven't had a completion notice yet so I am hoping that: a) their usual tardiness/backlog is delaying this, and b) they can't back date a completion notice.

I'm hoping that is not the case for Dorset Council - we registered our new address back in June, before the footings were complete. Still haven't heard anything about CT banding yet.

Get one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TOPDON-TC001-Plus-Resolution-Maintenance/dp/B0D46K5CMK/?th=1 Worth the investment imo. Pics from our UFH on very low during the build.

Just to confirm, Protek say we are covered to live in the house until our Building Completion Certificate is issued, at which point our self-build insurance ceases and we need standard buildings insurance.

Just to add that I have checked our Protek site/build insurance and it doesn't really mention whether the cover persists if we occupy the house but there is an exclusion as follows: The Insurer shall not be liable under this Sub-section in respect of: 4 Occupation of the works Loss or Damage due to the use or occupancy other than as dwellings of any portion of the Contract Works by any owner, tenant or occupier other than as herein provided. But since we would be occupying as a dwelling, my reading is that we would continue to be covered (no contents cover though). I am going to give Protek a call and double-check.

Hi Hannah, We're in the same boat - also timber frame, timber cladding and zinc roof, aiming to move in in the spring, probably before a completion certificate is issued. We currently have build insurance that runs until November 2026 but I suspect it won't cover us if we're actually living at the site (need to check). A month or so ago I did a search on a comparison site (Money Supermarket I think) as if the house was occupied, and it came back with a couple of options in the £400 p.a. range, which didn't seem too awful and eased our insurance concerns but I haven't yet put anything in place. Good luck - do please let us know where you get to with this.

Left hand diagram looks very similar to our wall build-up. Right hand side: we haven't used an angled timber head drip but we don't have very much clad wall above the window, as single storey but I can't see any reason why your design won't work fine. IANAE though.

Checked - it's as I thought, they are going to fix a strip of the ash to the cross batten, they have already done this on the tall window (photo looks a bit odd due to it being an angled reveal + the camera perspective). We are not going to worry about weep holes because: ventilated cavity, small gaps between the half lap boards, and its a relatively sheltered east facing wall. The window itself is set back from the cladding and very well sealed.

We registered our address with the council in June and they said they notify Royal Mail amongst others but our address is still not appearing on the Royal Mail Postcode Finder. So I tried the Postcode Finder: Report an incorrect or missing address facility but it only accepts the new address if you have moved in or are moving in within the next two weeks. Which is a real pain because we have people wanting to deliver to the address regularly, MCS certificates and warranties needing to be registered to the address, etc. etc. I've told them via the facility that we've moved in even though we haven't - I'm now hoping Royal Mail don't tell* the council or else they'll be on our case for council tax! * Since RM don't seem to able to tell themselves about our address I doubt they'll be telling anyone else. Immediately after submitting the 'missing address' request via RM's online form I get an undeliverable email notice: "Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups: postcode.enquiry@royalmail.com" but also another email from RM stating: "Thank you for sending us your updated address request. We're currently experiencing higher-than-usual volumes, so it may take a little longer to reply than usual. If you've already been in touch, please be assured we'll respond as soon as possible." I don't hold out much hope of progress! Hey-ho.

No we haven't rendered that top reveal - too fiddly. There's a cross batten behind the vertical cladding and I think they have added, or are going to add, a strip of ash to cover that batten but that strip will only be visible from below - the vertical cladding comes down further. I need to check tomorrow. Also I am now unsure how any water that gets behind the cladding will drain, so I need to check that too but I'd be surprised if the chippies haven't already considered and addressed it. (There's a ventilated cavity behind the cladding of course.) I'll report back.

Hah, yes, I spotted that in the photo too but you just don't notice the nail holes from ground unless you look for them. They are doing them by eye rather than marking out every hole and there are some slight variances - I'll forgive them that because we want the cladding done asap. The cables are indeed mainly cat 5/6 - for CCTV. The outside lights are all in the soffits, and obviously have power cables running up behind the cladding from the plant room to service those. There are just a couple of outside power sockets but not on these walls pictured. We have used British cedar before on previous projects and rated it highly. We bought it green from a local sawmill and was very heavy - I almost expected it to drip like a sponge. But once it was up it dried quickly and weathered very well. I might well use it when we re-clad the workshop, next year hopefully - no zinc to run on to so no issues with using cedar there.

Yes it's Brimstone Ash from Vastern timber. Expensive but really excellent quality - straight as a dye, virtually no knots, and it came really well packed. It cuts cleanly and we haven't experienced any splitting, despite Vastern warning that it can be brittle. We originally intended using western red cedar but discovered that cedar reacts with zinc and we have some high cladding above our zinc roof. The Brimstone Ash is inert (so we are told!). It's about the same price as Canadian cedar but has the benefit of going silver quicker, and it's British, so lower transport CO2 costs. Stainless nails are an absolute must. We're using Timco FirmaHold 16G 50mm Stainless 2nd fix nails through the face - very hard to see. Regarding the edge above the windows. Although it doesn't really show in the photo all the bottom edges are cut at a 30 degree angle to leave a drip point at the outside edge. This was recommended by Vastern. The same for any joins in long verticals, though incredibly I think we have only needed 2 or 3 due to lots of long lengths being supplied and careful selection by our carpenters. For the bottom edges they have fixed them slightly over sized then run a rail saw. Anyway we feel the angled cut at the bottom should stop water pooling on those bottom edges. Further progress on the cladding today:

We bought everything through them: design, kit, commissioning, and installed it ourselves. I am sure we could have done the design ourselves but we had too many other things going on. You would have to give Patrick Chester a call or email patrick@heatspaceandlight.com to see if they would just commission.

Well that's very kind. There are several things to say: Firstly, we have been lucky. What's the most important attribute of a successful project manager? Answer: Be lucky! Secondly, the blog no doubt gives a slightly rose-tinted view for a couple of reasons: I have not majored on the couple of trades who have been more 'difficult', primarily because it's not fair to trash them when they have no way of replying. Also, I am mindful that where we have had issues that might be down to me - lack of clarity of instructions, clash of styles etc. None have been fraudulent or dangerous. In terms of the process of finding good trades, it's largely down to previous contact and personal recommendation. Those trades we did not already know were mostly recommended by those we did know. Notably the few we have been less enamoured with were people I sought out directly through the internet, adverts etc. but equally that method did throw up some excellent teams (e.g. the plasterers, and indeed the main timber frame company Turners). For national suppliers/trades (e.g. our ASHP team Air2Heat and the MVHR guys Heat, Space and Light) a trawl of BuildHub has been very useful, and reliable. I thought about asking for reference sites but in truth I don't think these are at all reliable; ask any trade for a reference and if they want the job they'll provide one (and often those good trades that don't need the work won't be bothering to provide referees because the whole thing is a bit of hassle for a job you might not get). And has anyone ever followed up a reference and got bad feedback? So I didn't bother with that. The other big thing is communication. I spent quite a lot of time lining people up as early as possible, and talked to them - a lot. By which I mean I kept in regular contact every fortnight or so to confirm we were still on schedule, and check they were still lined up. Some people I just On a couple of trades I got cold feet due to difficulties getting hold of them or lack of confidence they could make our dates, so I switched to alternatives, giving them plenty of notice we were going elsewhere. I have tried to keep the communication up through their work for us too - everyone likes to be told what a great job they are doing and it costs nothing. Build up a stock of that and if you need to call out issues, change things, or beg some favours it lands much better. We have really worked hard to keep people on site happy too - tea and coffee making, free snacks, a well-stocked fridge - several contractors have commented that ours has been a great site to work at. It costs next to nothing and reaps lots of good will. Also boosting good will is paying invoices immediately - I mean the same day, within a couple of hours. We have the cash to fund the project so it does much better for us in keeping trades happy than sat in our account earning nothing in real terms.

Yes, there’s a lot going on right now. It’s been a mixture of challenges and progress this past fortnight. Floor tiling The original plan was for the floor tiling to be done during the first two weeks of November but the screed not being quite dry enough delayed that. Contractor sickness and the need for the tilers to try to juggle their other booked work around ours have led to us being about 3 1/2 weeks behind now and still not quite finished (a few tiles still to lay and about half the house to grout). The overall impact on our plan is not to severe though as we managed to schedule the decorating in early to gain a week back and overlap the tiling with second fix plumbing. A big plus is that the quality of the tiling is excellent. In years to come, we won’t remember the delays but we’ll be constantly reminded of the quality job the tilers have done. Tilers: Lee and Steve Kitchen floor down - kitchen units arriving! Bathrooms Speaking of quality, we have a first rate plumber working on our bathrooms, namely: my brother Chris. He came over from East Sussex for a couple of weeks to do the work and the logistics meant he came ‘sight unseen’ which added to the challenge. We are trying to maximise the space by fitting a generous master ensuite, a family shower room, and a guest ensuite into a relatively compact area of the overall house footprint. This means a lot of plumbing has to go into the wall between the master ensuite and the other two bathrooms. The soil pipes, whose location we had decided on during groundworks, proved not to be in the ideal place, but Chris managed to find a way to make it all fit. We dropped one wall hung WC in favour of a back-to-wall, floor-standing model with a concealed cistern because there was simply no way to fit a wall frame into the studwork and line the soil pipe up. Chris has made great progress so far and we are particularly pleased with the mural wall panels that he’s fitted to the two showers. He’s also sorted out half a dozen minor jobs in the plant room, and set up the supplies and waste for the kitchen and utility rooms. Great work Bro! In the master ensuite we have now got some boxing-in to do which will hopefully double up as built-in storage, then Chris will be back in the New Year to fit toilets, wash basins, shower screens etc. Cladding Alan and Chris, our two chippies who have been with us throughout the build have been progressing the Brimstone Ash cladding. They’ve made a great job of it too. All the high work is now done and so our scaffolding should be coming down within the next week or so, with luck. It would be nice to get the house clear of scaffolding with the cladding complete before Christmas. We’re delighted with how the cladding looks. We won’t be treating it in any way though as we are happy to let it fade to silver naturally. Chris and Alan our carpenters: Between cladding, they found time to fit the 'real' front door back on (Norrsken tip was to replace it with a temporary door while the 'messy' trades were in and out of the house.) The door looks great - but I am not sure the pipe insulation on the handle adds much to the aesthetics. On the subject of doors, we went for 'slam shut', requiring a key to turn the latch from the outside, even on an unlocked door. This may well be a recipe for locking ourselves out of the house repeatedly. I am having second thoughts but Mrs P. is more relaxed. I asked Norrsken is there is anything we could do to change that at this stage but they haven't been able to offer any solutions, so I guess we are stuck with slam shut doors. MVHR commissioning Patrick Chester from Heat, Space and Light came along to commission our MVHR system. He confirmed that we appeared to have connected all the supply and extract valves correctly(!) and the commissioning and balancing was very straightforward. We've had great service from Heat, Space and Light for a competitive price - highly recommended! We have a Zehnder Q350 ComfoAir unit and Patrick took me through the basics. Compared to our previous MVHR the Zehnder seems incredibly quiet. In normal operation it’s using just 20W. Patrick also showed me the heat recovery stats. On the day of the commissioning the outside air temperature was 2° C and the inside air was 15° C. After passing through the heat exchanger, the incoming air was registering 14.5° C, so that’s a pretty impressive exchange of the heat from the air going out to the air coming in. Patrick balancing the ventilation system Electric second fix… …is also under way. More on that next time… Focus for the next two weeks Floor tiling - finish off. Cladding - hopefully complete in the next fortnight. Joinery - make a start on the door linings and doors. Second fix electrics - should be progressing, batteries due to be installed next week. Kitchen/utility/pantry - make a start on fitting the units. Dashboard: Contractor days on site this fortnight: 45.5 Contractor days on site since build start: 441.5 Budget: No change - over budget but within contingency. Plan: Still on track to move in by Easter 2026. Issues and worries closed this fortnight: None Current top issues and worries: Will we have the kitchen units ready for worktop templating w/c 5th January?