TheMitchells

As some of you may know, we have been looking to build for several years but are finding it very hard to get a plot near here within our price range. We have been waiting for Graven Hill since early 2013 but after more than half a dozen deadlines came and went, with never an explanation or apology, I wouldn't touch the plots with a barge pole now. But I don't want to get too disillusioned so while we wait to find the 'ideal' plot, we were offered the chance to buy a nearby small rundown Victorian end terrace for a very reasonable price. It looks just right as there isn't much structural stuff to be done so we hope to be able to do most of it ourselves. The OH retires in November so I have to have something to keep him busy. I have attached the building survey and here is the front of the house. It's a bit of a strange location as our row of 7 cottages are set behind a row of another houses which are on the main road. We have to walk down a narrow alley behind the other row, to get to the front of ours. Its about 60m from the road and there is no way of getting a vehicle any closer. Initially this did put us off; however, it is clear that people manage quite well. Most of the houses have had extensions built so it is possible to do most jobs but extra time and effort will be needed to remove and get things to site. Skips can be put onto the road and everything will have to be wheel barrowed onto site; so not the easiest location for a fairly major renovation. As you can see there is a small alley between ours and the house on the left. That takes us to the rear of the properties where we have a narrow path behind the house, leading to the back of the house to the right, to their back door. There is no back garden, just a wall (which is leaning quite badly) then a raised garden belonging to a house on another road, which runs the whole length of the row of cottages. It is quite strange as the chap can be gardening while looking straight into the kitchen window. Not ideal I know. However, he is old and there is talk of all the cottages buying the land to the back, which we have said we'd be happy to do too. But I don't think it will be very straight forward to waiting to see about that. The wall belongs to this chap too and he knows it is leaning and needs work so I am hoping that will give him an incentive to sell. There is room to get alongside the back, that's our lovely wooden back door, leading to the yellow house/extention of the neighbour. The house in the distance behind the huge holly, is the owner of the gardens. Its a long, long garden. So, about the house. We believe it was built around the mid 1800's, as church cottages to the nearby church building, dated 1836. We are the end of three with a row of four next to us. The front of the house faces south so the garden gets plenty of light. On the ground floor is a front room, stairs, a bathroom, middle room with the kitchen in a newish extension at the back. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, one large at the back with two smaller ones at the front. I plan to create a post for each room with lots of photographs and what we think we need to do for each room. And to add plenty of excitement - we have a cellar - an old fashioned coal cellar the full size of the house. It's a bit rickety and the bottom step is missing. There are Akro props holding up some of the beams under the front room and the surveyor says we need to replace them all. Unfortunately there is not sufficient height to stand upright although I can manage it with my head between the beams. That's the coal store and the board to the left was the shaft which went up to the front garden, under the front window. The previous owners had it blocked up and the front wall waterproofed down to cellar level, rendered and painted. No mention of insulation in the document. What to do with the cellar is one of the many questions we are looking at. The idea is to renovate with the intention of selling and hopefully making a profit or, if the economic situation is not favourable, then we can rent it out. But this will be a slow renovation and we have no intention of being in by Christmas and I certainly have no intention of getting pregnant! We are using it as a learning experience as this is far more than we have done in the past. We have a builder lined up for some of the work but the rest we plan to do ourselves. I am sure there will be lots of questions for our fellow buildhubbers in the months ahead and I hope you enjoy reading about our progress. Advice and tips always welcome. Building Survey Report Blank.pdf

That's very similar to the house we are updating. Will be interested to hear what is the best way to sort out the artexed ceilings.

That's pretty much as I have found - never had any problems of condensation and it goes through a cold attic. However, we too have a timber framed house, built by the Americans in the 1980, we think, for personnel at the local RAF station. They (the Americans) are still there and half the estate was sold off 20 years ago, when I bought it. We never have any problems with condensation and half an hour after a shower, the room is completely dry and there isn't a fan anywhere. Our clothes dry overnight, without any heating and again no condensation. We assume the house has a vapour barrier that allows the moisture to escape. Its a great system and hence part of the reason we want to build in timber.

That sounds great - I am not sure where I'm going as I am going with three others and we haven't decided where we will go yet - more likely around north/hampstead/regents park area. But will take your number just in case we get anywhere near there.

Did anyone see the Build the Dream programme from a couple of weeks ago. It was the one where she built a huge house over the stables. But what surprised me was the house she was sent to see which was built I think in 2008 and was the first Passivhaus in Scotland. They had two sunpipes into the dressing room to give extra light. But I didn't think you would be able to use Sunpipes in a Passivhaus? Am I wrong? We have one fitted into our upstairs hall and it works very well, giving us as much light as quite a large window. We have wrapped insulation around the pipe within the cold attic, but I would not have thought it was airtight. Any ideas?

quite agree with Jeremy, the website is excellent for explaining everything to do with building. I have learnt much from there, as well as here of course!

Enjoy the gardens! I'll be there on Sunday. Well done on the sale - here's to the future.

As ever, thanks Jeremy - will probably be very useful when we get to do our house. Though I may need help filling it in.

Can I ask what size is your plot approximately? It's useful to have an idea so when looking at ones to buy, it gives me an idea of what can be fitted on. There was one for sale near us a few years ago in a garden which I looked at and thought 'ridiculous - it's tiny!' but then they build a four bed house and it looked okay. Didn't have much of a garden but showed I was completely wrong about what can and can't be built. Thanks.

thanks - will try to remember that. I obviously wasnt listening properly in the science class.

Sorry Terry, you've lost me - Temperature delta.... is that the difference between upstairs and downstairs. its a new term for me so may be for others. Anyway - thanks for the simplified picture (words) - that makes it a lot clearer Jeremy. will add that to my talk!

But didn't I read somewhere that one builder had been taken to court and found guilty as they advertised the homes as Passivhaus and they weren't. They were prosecuted under the new Consumer Rights Act 2015. As the Money Saving Expert says, And if it's not, then we aught to start taking the builders to court. I think this legislation will start to make a difference. Here's the case I was talking about. It's not a huge fine but its a start. From the Bournemouth Daily Echo - 24th January 2016. A BOURNEMOUTH property developing company which made false advertising claims has been ordered to pay more than £15,000 in fines and costs. Lomand Homes, based in Glenferness Avenue, pleaded guilty to five offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations at Bournemouth Magistrates Court this week. Dorset County Council’s trading standards service investigated allegations that the company had falsely claimed that properties at Pennsylvania Heights, Portland, were built to “certified Passivhaus standards”. These industry standards show that buildings are constructed in a way that reduces the need to heat or cool them. However, after failing to reach this standard, Lomand Homes continued to advertise the properties as if they had. District Judge Stephen Nicholls said that the company had been “negligent in the way it handled the advertising”. Lomand Homes was fined £3,400, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £12,000 and a victim surcharge of £120. Richard Herringshaw, principal trading standards officer, said: “Once it became clear to the company that the properties were struggling to meet the standard they had two options, either invest in achieving the claimed standard or amend the claims. It seems that they chose neither.” The council’s cabinet member for economy and growth, Cllr Colin Jamieson, added: “Buying a house is the largest purchasing decision most consumers will make. “It is vital that all of those involved in marketing properties ensure that the claims they make are true and that buyers can rely on them. Allowing decision to be made carefully, based on real evidence. This gives confidence in property sales businesses in this area. “Our trading standards team works with businesses to help ensure fair trading but enforcement action including prosecution is appropriate in some cases.”

Peter W said in another post; UK building regs are appalling - full stop ! They are a minimum standard and don't encourage anything. Add to that the well known reports that volume house builders are cutting corners even with the minimum standards then it's not surprising the masses don't understand. Take this as an argument - "Yes Mr Smith, our Balmoral new build has lots of energy saving features with uValues 10% better than most modern houses , annual bills 15% lower than the average property..." So Joe Public (aka Mr Smith) thinks that's fab.! But it's not what it "could" be ..! Average energy bill for a 4 bed, let's say £1800 pa. This new house is only £1530. What if you said to Mr Smith that for £2k more insulation you could have 40% lower ..? Payback of 3-4 years ..?? You are then talking in numbers people understand, yet the masses sometimes don't get that anyway. The Green Deal is a classic example of this - saving energy just isn't exciting ! On a similar note, I have been thinking for a long time that the majority of the general public have not a clue about energy efficiencies in homes while they probably could tell you lots about their car's efficiencies and choose accordingly. Having been researching how to build for about 4 years now, including lots on Ebuild, several books front to back, courses and the podcasts from houseplanninghelp, I sometimes feel I could lecture on the subject, particularly on the benefits of building well (Fabric First). In an earlier life, I used to go round to WI groups and give talks about another subject and it occurred to me that I may be able to help spread the word in the same way. After all, younger folk will probably use the internet but those of a similar age and older, are less likely to find out this way so I have been looking to create a talk which I will take to local WI's and other groups who may be interested. I found it thrilling to learn abut these things and I enjoy sharing that knowledge as it can save people money and make their lives that much better to live in a 'good' home. I was thinking of concentrating on what can be done to homes to create a better living environment; airtight to avoid draughts, insulation to keep heating bills low, and the benefits of MVHR's for health and comfort as well as efficiencies in heating bills. Nothing too in depth but just an overview of what we should be expecting from our developers. I want to get as many people as possible asking about airtightness and insulation levels. if enough ask, then eventually they will start realising it matters. And if we push for thermal images of homes, then they cannot hide! Any thoughts? what would you include?

definitely too boxy !! Don't you guys have any taste...... (only joking).

It does seem ridiculous and should give us all the incentive to check round and try the suppliers direct. though I doubt many of us have the same confidence in doing so that you have Jeremy.

Sounds like a lovely idea; just be aware that most waterlilies do not like moving water. So keep it at the opposite end from the water feature.

Great Idea. hope it works well and we may pinch the details for ouor own place. I prefer warm white but there are some that change colour. Is that too tacky?

ta much - I cant believe how much I missed the banter when the site was closed down. I had to use snail mail to Jeremy to find out where you'd all gone.

I do wonder why people choose the avatars that they do - some I find quite scary! Particularly the Gollum one - is that on here?? I am sure they are really nice people but ......

of course you are - I can see it in your profile pic. shame on me for not noticing. right - time to get started on my blog.

Can anyone get my profile photo working? Not sure how to get it attached ?

We're all old! and no doubt after the renovation and eventual self build, I'll be grey too.

Hi Dean - still hopeful?? We'll be there on Saturday if you want to meet up. Maybe I should wear a hat with a flower in so you can spot me......

Yippee!! am I glad to be back? I missed you all....... As a catch up and introduction - we have been looking to build for several years but are finding it very hard to get a plot near here within our price range. We have been waiting for Graven Hill since early 2013 but after more than half a dozen deadlines came and went, with never an explanation or apology, I wouldn't touch the plots with a barge pole now. But I don't want to get too disillusioned so while we wait to find the 'ideal' plot, we were offered the chance to buy a nearby small rundown Victorian end terrace for a very reasonable price. It looks just right as there isn't much structural stuff to be done so we hope to be able to do most of it ourselves. The OH retires in November so I have to have something to keep him busy. We completed on the 3rd but the vendors have had issues with their intended house so are still in residence. they hope to be out by this weekend or sometime soon. I can't wait to actually see it without all their stuff in it (they have loads including a 30yr old parrot who has pride of place in front of the lounge window) so we can really get an idea of what needs doing. I will attach the building survey for those interested, and a photo if I can work out how to do it. Building Survey Report Blank.pdf