sameulepapi

OK great - yes this is the approach I took in the end. Thanks Sam

@andyscotland on the certificate there is a section that I have pasted below. I am confused as to how to delete. I can see point 2 relates to me as someone converting. It then says tick as appropriate. I am just using this for a residential dwelling, it all seems to be very charity focussed which is confusing me. 4: I have read the relevant parts of Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) and certify: (read statements 1 and 2 and strike through the one that does not apply). 1. That, as the recipient of construction and conversion services, this organisation (in conjunction with any other organisation where applicable) will use the building, or the part of the building, for which zero rating or reduced rating is being sought solely for (tick as appropriate): 2. That, as the recipient of services of residential renovations and alterations, this building, or the part of a building, will be used by an organisation for which reduced rating is being solely sought for (tick as appropriate): · New builds only. A relevant charitable purpose, namely by a charity in either or both of the following ways: · other than in the course or furtherance of business · as a village hall (or similar) in providing social or recreational facilities for a local community · New Builds and conversions. A relevant residential purpose, namely as: (a) a home or other institution providing residential accommodation for children (b) a home or other institution providing residential accommodation with personal care for persons in need of personal care by reason of old age, disablement, past or present dependence on alcohol or drugs or past or present mental disorder · a hospice · residential accommodation for students or school pupils · residential accommodation for members of any of the armed forces · a monastery, nunnery or similar establishment · an institution which is the sole or main residence of at least 90 per cent of its residents and will not be used as a hospital, prison or similar institution or an hotel, inn or similar establishment

Oh I found it Section 18

Really amazing help thank you @Drellingore and @andyscotland Seems I better get good at keeping the invoices! @andyscotlandwhere does one get the HMRC official looking certificate?

Hello, Just getting started on our planning and having a few expenses coming through for various bits and pieces. I am trying to understand how well I need to track invoices etc. Ours in a conversion from a barn to a house (albeit is it just a frame) but still counts as conversion. It has been empty 10 years or more as it is a barn. So am I correct in assuming we should be paying 5% VAT to main contractor rand then we can claim back the 5% after with the invoices? It also suggests we can claim 20% back on materials? I have seem contradictions which say you can't claim it back at all? I also read that you can claim back for providing water, heat or access, drainage and security etc - Does this mean I should be asking fencing people for 5% rate? Thanks

The answer was in the question, if it involves a solicitor then yes you are being taken the cleaners!

Barn is literally a frame with no walls, roof or slab. It is just 1m concrete foundations and frame. Not really a barn at all!

I am looking at a new supply from SE Water. The barns we have are around 500m from the nearest road (and therefore mains supply) HOWEVER, the existing houses just 30m away from the barns DO have a supply already run up the drive. I believe they may be separate for each of the 4 houses. One of the owners are happy for us to have a shared supply with a meter and direct contract with SE Water BUT do not want a reg 8 onward supply arrangement. It was my understanding that SE Water would not allow a second meter on a connection - does anyone know the rules here? Any advice welcome.

Very comprehensive, thanks @Ferdinandmuch appreciated. I think the point that was most scary to me was a new gov taking my cash (not that I am in anyway a Tory fan to be clear!) Also @jack we did indeed think along the same lines, smaller and better is probably the trick. Thanks all. Plenty to think on here.

Thanks all, very helpful. I will look at the cost + route when we get there I think. I am very unlikely to be able to do anything myself, I don't have the time but moreover I lack the skills! Someone mentioned the fact that they assume you have money so the numbers have plenty of fat 'costing on what you could afford' and this is my main worry. Just want to pay a fair price for a fair job so I think I will have to get more involved than perhaps I thought. We are not borrowing so that does not cause any issues but nobody wants to overpay.

Yea I am not at the point yet, I guess it is a leap of faith to design it knowing we can then bring it back to something sensible. We don't NEED 500m but then again it seems to a shame not to maximise the space that is there naturally. I am not too bothered with running and maintaining it I just don' want to pay more than I would if I bought a similar house mid 2023 already built!

Hello! So we are starting to put together budgets. Having spoken to a few architects we are being told we are looking at a MIN of £3.5k per sqm and most likely £5k per sq m with everything including fees and final finish...... Seems to be the consensus even having spoken to 4/5 of them. This is a one-off build in the SE at around 500 sq m and will prob be considered 'higher end' When you factor in the falling house prices potential and the cost of the land, it is hard to make it add up......... Not looking to make a profit but it is hard to see how this will be viable. Anyone else hearing this or have any thoughts on the market? I do not intend to PM myself but even with paying for the extra fees £2.5mil seems a little toppy!

Amazing thank you - this is exactly what I needed to know for now. You 3 are great

Hello Clever Electrical People, We have just bought a barn of about 500sqm. We plan to build a house of a similar footprint. It currently has no power but an overhead cable runs in the grounds. UKPN have come out and said no issue with the cable, pretty easy job. HOWEVER, the transformer is small and already feeding a few places. The guy ran a test and said we can get max 3-phase with 69KVA - anything over and it is a new transformer I understand from my reading that we most 4/5 bed houses still only need a 100amp single phase (23kva) and I also understand that 100 amp per phase 3-phase is 72kva ish We are not at the point we have a spec yet so we will get them exact KVA in the future. For now though, I want to just understand if that transformer is likely need to be changed (and thus big extra cost) The plan is to be passivhaus with mechanical ventilation, GSHP, Electric Car Charger and PV to some degree. 5 beds and we do not plan on having a pool or anything but maybe a hot tub. My questions are: 1. Does anyone have a similar barn / house size and spec and have a rough KVA number? 2. On a 3-phase supply could you have 2 x 100amp and 1 x something else? Thanks in advance and yes I realise there is no firm answer here until we have done the plans! Thank you

Hello! I thought I would do a little intro before I start asking a million of questions on here! We are a couple that have bought a couple of barns in the Kent Countryside in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Green Belt. The barns are in a couple of acres of land and we have a plan to build ourselves a home in one of them. I am useless at DIY so we will be doing minimal work ourselves, looking forward to getting gleaning some knowledge from all of you pros and slightly petrified at the task/cost ahead!