lizzie

sorry missed this.......pictures not the best, inside floors finished but outside still rubble and mud. hope you get some idea. Those with antinox/rubber mat in pic are front door awaiting tiles outside, it will be just a few mm up from ground when finished for rain protection. the metal bar with black insert is the threshold itself. Next are sliders...ouside drainage being done it will be level with a tile when finished no step

Mine is at the opposite end of the house in the plant room.....quite a wait for hot water to get through to the bathrooms, good tip ProDave.

@Vijay I have Internorm front and back doors with level threshold which are I think considered flush......the threshold rise is tiny a few mm. Both open inwards. I have level thresholds on the internorm sliders too.

Really a question for those that have completed their sign off....what EPC rating did you get? I have had a misunderstanding on SAP info assessor has worked from so result is not based on correct data (i.e. one thing was that he said I had all electric heating and DHW when I have mains gas UFH, DHW and whole house MVHR). As far as I can see Air tight does not tally with test or spec but I dont really understand that and window spec different (worse) and a few other things. Based on inaccurate info it came out at B rating. I was disappointed at B even though I know the whole thing is skewed in favour of renewables (which I dont have) but still think I should do better if he inputs accurate SAP data. Even if the rating ends up no better he still needs to sort out correct SAP data for my property and reassess on that basis. Be interested to know what sort of ratings other have achieved.

yes not relevant unless change of use I did ask hmrc that specific question. I only had to resort to this when I had a contractor who would not accept planning perm or a letter - they said they would only accept the certificate and as I had inadvertantly paid them over £2k vat and they wouldnt refund I rang hmrc for help and this is what they told me to use. They also said to use if there was any contractor who would not zero rate on planning or letter....there are some! HMRC were extremely helpful to me in this and the ways to use the certificate to ensure smooth vat free supply if needed.

Just checked my spread sheet - I have to date 429 items on there. Have not counted how many for the vat reclaim - guess maybe 30- 40% of them so 150 or so. Not finished yet!

For anyone that may find it useful here is the vat certificate that HMRC pointed me at on their website. I have attached as a pdf as forum will not allow editable word.doc to be uploaded If you have contractor that is being sticky about zero rating you just give them this cert (completed with relevant details) and pay them net of vat. The cert covers their back with HMRC and doing it this way has worked for me in several cases. blank proforma vat cert .pdf

Fingers crossed for you @newhome

In our two spare bedrooms/studies I have gone for the build an alcove vat reclaimable style. Just need some big capacity storage and it worked in those rooms. I have used Howdens sliding door kit, very inexpensive and looks much better than I expected so I am pleased with it. First doors on yesterday.

@newhome good luck and thanks for the tips. Hope they deal with yours soon thats a long time to be waiting to hear.

I have not counted......yet! I have a huge box full of everything vat and non vat and its all on one big running spreadsheet. It is a big job ahead!

I have laminated everywhere, toughened is the default standard I believe. I went for laminated as it is better for security and lots of big glass sections in toughened make the windows the most vulnerable part of the house.

I think that is the most perfectly tiled monstrosity I have ever seen.......hope she is not over fond of the prosecco, waking up to that!

I used magnetic ones...Italian, got them from my door supplier. Very pleased with them.

I paid vat in error on our render. I was being pressed for final balance payment pretty much before it was dry. I had lots going on and just paid. When I looked a week or so later realised I had paid vat and I should not have done. I asked for the vat back and a new invoice. They initially refused. Referred me to HMRC website quoted all sorts at me. I rang the vat helpline they said i should not have been charged and and to ask for it back. I explained I was being refused and she said going to court was my only option it was wrong but HMRC would not intervene. She pointed me at the vat exemption ceritifcate on the website and said try that on them. I did and eventually I got the vat back......5 months later I have still not had any warranty documents from Alumasc for this install. Alumasc told me the installer only put the paperwork in a couple of months ago....maybe I upset the cash flow who knows but I have very expensive render still waiting its warranty checks and an installer who refuses to respond to my e-mails chasing it. Very poor customer service from this company. That exemption cert is a useful doc. If anything that should not have vat on comes with a vat inclusive invoice I pay ex vat and send a certificate. Once bitten and all that! Having said that I have over £2000 of reciepts for materials in bought in other peoples name, I didnt realise they were buying stuff on their account and so receipts in their name, vat lost to me I think but I will try and see what hmrc say when the time comes

Wow that looks great, far better boarding than we got from our ‘professionals’! Well done.

Pension pot @nod

@nod thats known as overage. We put an overage on a separate part of our garden that we sold with last house with a lot higher percentage than 20% if they get planning on it. Its the way of the world and is usual.

Ikea pax very popular, Ive had in a temp house. Quality par for price. Useful bits but longevity doubtful in my opinion. No experience of any other ikea wardrobes. Google ikeahackers for some amazing ideas on all sorts of ikea stuff. You can buy good quality internal bits on line quite cheaply if you need them, if you can build a warbrobe using a room corner and put an end stud wall in at the other end you can use sliding doors or any sort of doors and get internals to suit. Quite cheap to do and very sturdy if you can fit it that way. A girl can never have too many wardrobes!

Sounds all very normal. We dug a bit deeper and lowered our house down to give a bit more height inside as we couldnt have gone any higher on the finished roof per planning. Always a work around that suits everyone, rarely a stalemate with two motivated parties. Hope you get a speedy exchange.

The draft contract is drawn up as a standard document by the vendors solicitor. These are all standard starting clauses. It is the vendors solicitors job to protect his client not the purchaser. It is for the purchasers solicitor to play about and tweak things. Its all very normal stuff its the way it works. In the end it will get sorted into something that is a workable compromise for both sides but it has to start somewhere and this is where its at. No reason to start getting stroppy with anyone at this stage just do what your solicitor will expect and go through it clause by clause, he/she will advise on what they think is reasonable and what is not. Up to you if you then ask your lawyer to pursue changing anything that they advise is not unreasonable. You are the buyer, the seller has something you want to buy at a price you have agreed. Within that the seller can ask for things to be included as can the buyer. Its normal. If you as a buyer become unreasonable in your demands then the seller does not have to proceed with a sale to you. Its the way the system works in England.

1 and 2 standard stuff, 3 and 4 to protect the vendor from some ugly monstrosity and give a degree of control over what is next to them. 3 and 4 are not at all unusual but may be open to a bit of flexibility and I would ask your lawyer to work on those otherwise you could be held to ransom on any changes to the current planning even with the get out of ‘not unreasonably witheld’ standard wording inclusion. We started with almost identical wording in ours....comes from the precedents they use to draw up the contracts. Should be all everyday stuff for a lawyer used to dealing with individual plots sales and purchase....as opposed to plot sales off for a developer.

Upmarket and lack of hot water the two dont seem to go together......can you put in a bigger tank or change to electric showers so no lack of hot water. HMO always a pain whichever way you tackle it. I had a residential letting agency for more than 20 years I dont think there is one thing in the universe I have not come across with tenants in that time. Refused to touch HMO and student stuff in later years just did corporates much better class of tenant damage?

Mmmm don’t think I would be impressed at a shower cutting off on a timer!

I feel for you....been through the BT nightmare recently although not as extreme as yours. They are without doubt the worst company and most stressful to deal with. Hope you get sorted..........I eventually got.mine escalated by posting on their facebook page....repeatedly .....until they responded with a dedicated person (and her direct phone contact number) to deal with things and get it sorted. Sometimes the power of social media can help.