janelondon

Any other recs for SEs based in/near Gloucestershire? Probably doing a timber frame kit and/or ICF build (have one side that is a semi-basement like @Triassic). Have gotten some quotes but the SE also doesn't seem to be familiar with working with a kit manufacturer who will do all the TF engineering design. AIUI if I go with a kit supplier I just need someone to do drainage, substructure, retaining walls etc. We are finalising our design before going in for planning - is there any merit to getting the SE in now? I'm thinking of punting it to post-planning and only getting in the SE to work alongside the TF company's engineer so that the scope of work required of my SE is more clearly defined (don't want duplication of roles).

Really helpful, thanks!

Lovely kitchen @lizzie! The lighting really makes the space.

Hi @AliG super useful as we're looking at an indoor swimming pool as well. Thanks to your post I started looking at Niveko, as well as other one-piece manufacturers Riviera (German) & Tilestone (French). Did you ever consider the stainless steel swimming pools like Berndorf? ICF pool certainly sounds like a good idea and there is a local pool builder who specialises in that. Think it may come down to price and style at the end!

I think the biggest advantage of having an island is the social element. Hob for me. Some like having a sink on the island, but I prefer having the sink against the wall with a window above. Having a hob on the island means I can look out to my living/dining area while cooking and can interact with guests etc. Depends on your personal preference really. Other than hob, just a big clear space for food prep. Size will depend on your kitchen space. I'd have the waste bin where the sink is - so if you have an island in your sink then yes. I've seen someone incorporate an ice trough (https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/558376053781614786/) to keep wine cool - pretty neat! All of the above! Also an informal dining/drinks area. Would also have power sockets to power all the kitchen appliances (blender etc.) or use it as an informal "work" area. Have a drink? Chat? All the time. It inevitably becomes a bit of a gathering point (and also dumping ground by others as much as I try to keep it clear of clutter!) Have an overhang so you can comfortably sit under. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/220817187966211273/ I think that depends on how the rest of your kitchen is configured. If designed well having it really is no less efficient. Other points - Watch out for seat height vs island height to make sure it works out comfortably - Lighting design is crucial here - If your island is rather deep, drawers are so much more functional when it comes to ease of access.

Thanks! How was the design process with JUB and general support during the build?

Hi @Simon R thanks for this summary. Very interesting. We have a basement wing to our build and I'm strongly considering ICF. Would you mind PM-ing me details of your JUB UK contact?

Thanks! Yes they're on our list - their Sieger & Mondrian lines look promising. However they may be a tad more contemporary than we want as our facade is quite traditional. Secco is the ideal look - very nice but I'm sure very expensive!

Any suggestions for Crittall style windows - either in steel or alu. Looking for the slim line profile but better thermal performance (ideally 3G). On my shortlist are MetTherm (AG210), Kawneer (GT70) Secco (EBE 85), Jansen (Arte) and Mondrian (though this looks a tad more contemporary than Crittall). Haven't gotten any quotes yet but they all do look eye-wateringly expensive! ? Also have come across almost a dozen other companies but they don't seem to have very good U-values and mostly 2G only.

Ah @willbish - just saw on another thread that you used the same guy as @vivienz - Mini Soil Survey. (Couldn't edit my first post for some reason.)

Hi @willbish - do you mind PMing me who you used for your site investigation? Thanks!

Nice! Looks like Eon waives the standing charge too if you don't use any energy. https://www.eonenergy.com/for-your-home/help-and-support/no-standing-charge

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread. @Dee J did you end up with Buildcollective and how was your experience? Looking for an SE now and they're not too far from us.

As I understand it, you don't actually need evidence/presence of bats to be required to do emergence surveys. Even if there is no evidence of them, when doing the Phase 1 scoping, the ecologist will rate the building for "bat roosting suitability" - negligible, low, medium or high - which corresponds to the # of additional emergence surveys required - 0, 1, 2 and 3. Things like having gaps would contribute to increased suitability, as in our case.

Thanks @lizzie for starting this topic and everyone else for your thoughts. We are developing our design and considering build routes - will be reading and taking notes!

Reading the thread about the VAT reclaim rejection brought to mind a question about the CIL exemption for self-builders. CIL is available to self-builders if the new-build is your "sole or main residence". However, there is also a clawback provision in the regulations - there is a 3-year clawback period (from the date of the Building Regs Compliance Cert) if a "disqualifying event" occurs. One of the disqualifying events is if the new dwelling is no longer "self-build housing" (54D(2)(a)) - which the regs define as a dwelling built by and occupied by you as your sole or main residence (54A(2)). Question - what if you have obtained the self-build exemption (with the genuine intent of occuping it as your main home) but take a long time to move into the new build for whatever reason (work/family/finances etc.), and the new build is not actually your main residence during the clawback period? Has anyone heard of enforcement by local councils in this regard to clawback the exemption and demand you pay the levy? Or do they look at intent? Are the regs primarily to keep out pseudo-self builders who are developing for let/sale who may try to evade the levy by claiming exemption?

Thanks for all the comments. We have given our architect a build cost to work with, and our QS will cost up estimates of the different concept designs that our architect comes up with. Speaking to a couple of engineers on a no-obligations basis to get them lined up / familiarised with what our aspirations are (& get some early input where possible), so that they will be primed to do the detail work once we're settled on a concept design that can be developed in detail.

Hi @canalsiderenovation sorry to hijack your thread! I've been knee-deep in researching bats and speaking to ecologists. Have you had your survey done yet? We are arranging our scoping survey, and the several ecologists I spoke to said that we likely would have to do the dawn/dusk emergence survey too as we're in a 'bat hotspot' and our stone house has gable end featherboards which bats like to roost behind. Although we haven't seen any bats in the attics, we'd likely be considered to have "medium" or "high" roosting potential, necessitating the follow-up surveys in May! That's a huge bummer as we were hoping for an all-clear after the scoping survey and planned to submit our planning application in March. It looks like we'd need to submit the emergence surveys before our application can be validated by the local council - so now it's probably slipping to May/June. And if we have bats, there are also restrictions on when we can demolish... we were hoping to start work this summer! URGH BATS!

I have just spoken to an architectural technician (who used to be the head of the technical department at a very well-known architectural practice) and his hourly fee is around £50, which I think seems quite reasonable.

Thanks all. The QS will only get formally involved after we have the concept design by presenting initial costings. I don't see the value of having the engineers without first making decisions on our build design/route (and as some have mentioned the TF company may also appoint their own structural engineer). And yup services engineer is m&e. To be fair, I believe the architect is suggesting these additional consultants as we have specified an ambitious time frame and he wants to get everyone lined up early.

We're starting with concept designs and our architect has suggested hiring the following consultants at the outset: - Structural engineer - Services engineer - QS The one that I see as being possibly useful from the outset is the QS, as he can tell us based on the concept designs whether what we want to build is within the ballpark of affordability. Was thinking of having him do the initial costings and we will then take over the estimating when we go through design iterations (I bought a copy of SPONS). Am I thinking along the right lines? When do we bring on the others - or do we need them at all? P.S. The build will be fairly large as we have a house, cottage and detached garage. Was thinking of using a timber frame kit supplier, but still open to other build methods. Thanks!

From attached Ofgem's guide to non-domestic RHI, para 4.40. Haven't read through the whole document, but it seems that where you have separate council tax bandings (as in my case for house + cottage), you can retain the "domestic" nature of both properties without needing to apply for PP for conversion to business use, and still be eligible for non-domestic RHI, subject to fulfilling the other requirements. BTW this factsheet also states on page 2 that if your main house and annex/outbuilding are supplied by a renewable heating system and have separate EPCs, then you may not be eligible for domestic RHI! guidance_volume_1_v5_publish_0.pdf

Thanks for the tips! Haven't even started building but I reckon buildhub has already saved me several £££! Ps @newhome I have also read and re-read your vat thread - so useful.

Good point - thank you!

The cottage may be used as an occasional holiday let.