lizzie

I have recirculating bora hob. I put the grease filter in the dishwasher after cooking something that is ‘greasy’....its very easy with bora system, I also wipe out the housing and I get a fair way into the duct too. Again very easy and tbf the grease filter gets most of it. I have mvhr extract vent in ceiling nearby and also have grease filter in that, I usually wash that monthly. Keeps the whole system squeaky clean

Yep its a problem with mvhr.

@Tony99 I looked around on the internet at various lighting designers and in the end I went for one that was relatively local to me which made it easy to have meetings at their offices. Seeing how some of the ideas they had worked ‘in the flesh’ so to speak was really helpful in visualising how it would look. They had sample installations of all sorts of different lighting. BTW I have timers on my towel rails too I didnt want them on the UFH circuit. I went for thermostatic electric towel rails and used screwfix timers.....cheap and do the job, the fancy ones electrician was suggesting were v expensive and more sophisticated than we needed.

Guys this is all brilliant stuff thank you. Interesting the number of you that mention a lighting designer. I used one and it was worth every penny, my last house was beautiful but I left the the lighting to the builder and electrician and then spent over 20years upgrading and changing things, good lighting design in this house was right up there in my top 10 of must haves. Keep the posts coming please its really good to read all this.

Can I ask you all if you were starting out again with a clean slate (plot) and with the benefit of hindsight with lessons learnt from current build what you would do differently and would you use the same method of construction or change? I dont mean things like do less work yourself etc. (I did nothing of consequence myself employed ‘professionals’for everything), style (thats a planjing issue) or cost and level of finishes. What I am really looking for is input on would you go down the same road again i.e. timber frame and a package for just that or would you opt for block or icf or steel frame, turnkey package, prefab, main contractor etc etc Really interested to know if you would use the same construction methods again or change. Would you stick with passiv levels of airtight, mvhr, what about solar etc.

Your slates look nice what a good idea!

Ive got powder coated aluminium

Hello and welcome Opki. Some pics etc would be nice.

@K78I agree with houses built individually being better than mass new builds but the term ‘self build’ can still scare some people and I dont think they are necessarily the people who would be looking at buying on a huge housing estate. Most of the buying public think nhbc and the like is a good comfort to have, indemnity tends to be scary for them in my experience but hey ho the buying public are a fickle bunch no telling what will please and the old saying about not pleasing all the people all the time etc holds true. Got a ‘self build’ tf with 10 year warranty here can be yours for the right price LOL

@K78 you still have the mindset of the purchaser to get past and ‘self build’ can scare some people as they think it may not be as well done as a builder (yes I know not the case but joe public doesn't), Having a warranty even an expired one gives them comfort.

I liked living in a conservation area, kept the place looking nice. I didnt mind getting permission to trim trees I had planted etc.small price to pay for nicer surroundings.

I built a new house in a conservation area. The age of the property is not the decider it is the area boundary and what lies within that boundary is by definition in the conservation area irrespective of age of property. Plenty of conservation areas with new builds.

I agree it is flimsy and soundproofing is an issue with these pocket doors. Glad I changed and only had one. My carpenter used extra fixings on it and we used the heavier Habito plasterboard too which helped. I only have one side skimmed as the other is in a guest w.c. and is fully tiled so that is extra thickness too.

I am aware of several claims paid under NHBC warranties. Not self builds. They do pay out but they, like most insurers, try to eliminate every other prospect of someone else paying first. One claim was for a roof. The tiles failed after about 8 years.......almost every tile. The developer was adamant it was not an installation defect, the tile manufacturer had been bought out by someone else, records scant etc etc poor customer left with failed roof. In the end NHBC paid out for complete re-tile of entire roof. No idea if they ever recovered anything from manufacturer.

Got a photo of the area?

For such a major change it is normal to have to go back to planners. We changed from a green roof to a lead look single ply membrane and had to put in an NMA. Anything that changes external appearance needs their approval they have no interest in your mortgage or insurance situations just in the look of the place in the locale.

@AliG great result,well done, looks fabulous.

Hi @Nicked and welcome. Looks nice, I’m in Worcestershire too.

me too @PeterStarck

@vivienz something like this ?

I have changed to Bulb but I am only in my third month so too early to properly see what costs will be. At the moment I am paying £96 a month for gas and electricty (their estimate). It think after first quarter they will review. My quarters readings are likely to be skewed with MVHR running at stupid levels for last 11months that will have been using more power ditto with ufh which is a law unto itself. MVHR now sorted ufh hopefully will be sorted in next few weeks so realistically next quarter will be the one where I will see some realistic consumption rates for the house. I was with B Gas for gas and elec on their standard tarrif - on that for construction and couldnt get away from them in a hurry as they could not trace my meter. Turns out it registered to a house on a huge housing estate in Worcester. Judging by the size of the bills I got I was paying for the house in Worcester too LOL

@Russell griffiths I have a very large book after this build LOL

I have a rescue myself and I foster so I understand.

A friend had it installed in her 1960’s bungalow. No matter that she opened windows she still had the problem. I dont think it was cheap but it seemed to work and the bunglaow was vastly better. Unit was in the loft.

@Big Jimbo if had known before you could have left woofer with me for the day.