scottishjohn

or just route that floor later this is what i did 20 +years ago --no pre routed board existed then 1/2" route and very good extraction -the trend system is first class and you will probably use 2 or 3 router bits or more if you don,t move screws ro miss your tracks ,before you start-guess how I know .LOL,only my floor was nailed then --what a bitch made up a template to go round corners at each end of run my channel was 30mm wide and 10mm deep as it was a triple pipe system - --modern type will be deeper but narrower i finish off by glueing and screwing 6mm ply on top of flooring to put back the strength

I will be very surprised if building control accept anything but tanking and french drains- this is why you need a design - what you want and and what BC will accept could be totally different there are no extra problems using ICF for basements than any other system and you already have said you are wanting keep concrete and steel down -- you will not find the full solution for free no matter how long you study the net pick a system an SE and an architect professional fees are part of the cost with a tricky site you already have all the info you get for free already -by what you have said people who make your chosen system must be the ones to be at front of your design process --they will know cheapest way to build what you want I think an architect who does not know system will cost you money and delays If site is really tricky then you may need to spend some money on ground survey -to see if it will take what you want to do if its soggy --maybe it will have to a different system all together or spend large amount of very deep foundations sounds like you come to the end of the guessing game road and now need to spend on ground surveys and professionals then maybe you can decide what system you will use to build your house -- have you bought the plot yet?

half right -- if the grp behind gel coat was resin rich -then there would be no place for water to be and therefore no osmosis --or what ever you want to name it ,but I understand why its not resin rich it makes it brittle, heavy and costs too much I am familiar with epxoies having built an aircraft from it- a europa - blue foam wing cores sheathed in bidirectional cloth and using west expoxy system - all expoxy systems are resin rich so it does not occur same as pre-preg grp + kevlar -- its always see through --no air pockets , cut out the bits stick them together in poly bag on the mould and evacuate it and autoclave it

now you just made it non standard mentioning retaining walls,etc so yes you will need an SE --but surely best to use the design the maker of your chosen ICF system suggests

thats why i say a coat of pure resin to start with --there is no absorption possible in pure resin ,that happens when fibre is added and its not resin rich --eg see through - not see through and there is space for water-as you well know - so my proposed first layer of resin seals everything in one simple quick job -that can then wait for better weather to add next grp layers that,s how osmosis happens - water gets in the fibre layers that are not fully wetted through and does not want to come out without lots of heat and ventilation

if the boards are stored in the damp ,then it will be the same how ever you do it ,even if you have a tent - proper treated roofing boards should be reasonably water proof as they come , low temps - if dry just means more catalyst and or dif resin

resepectfully we will disagree here -- if boards screwed down in the dry then a good coat of resin --they will be sealed-as it will run in the joints not coated then screwed down

and choice of windows and bath rooms and kitchen can romp up price dramatically any of those could be 10 k or 40k+each same goes for flooring £1500 -£2500 sqm would be good estimate figure in my view don ,t see any one realistically doing for £1000 sqm --

what ICF system ? they don,t all need lots of rebar except for round opening- uk is not earth quake zone check out Istoex they offer services like that as part of their services-just give them the plan

what about fitting a few boards to roof --then just coating in resin including joins - do that as weather allows and then come back sand and apply lay-up and top to a section at a time that way boards are waterproofed ?

its called sods law -fine in US where they get dry cold autumn --but scotland --wet --no i won,t be buying one but I have spent on a milwaukee cordless weed spryaer pack --just due to the amount I have to do -- good tool and can be used as a water supply for a stihl concrete cutter --so 2 jobs in one- could be battery grease gun next --Iuse a cartridge of grease to do the dumper every time and same for the digger - yesI know digger is hired --but want to keep man happy he delivers +picks up for free + insures it and they are new diggers --so keep this man happy

I would suggest you invest £2-300 in a topographical survey -don,t rely on the one they have done for thier planning before i have what i have now i looked at a plot for 2 houses planning passed ETC WITH PLANS I did my own topo survey and found they were way off anyway -some one has now bought it and have spent 4 weeks pecking rock out to get the plot down to heights on plan and it still is not there rotten rock 2 ft under soil --so how they ever did the percolation tests for the septic system- or going to fit drains etc So i am guessing another plan will be drawn up soon the answer is they did not --and knew it would only come to light once anyone started building so beware of other peoples plans

all depends how serious you are -- quite sure you could trim lifestyle a bit and make it happen sooner --bear in mind anything you borrow will in the end cost you 2 or3 times as much with 245k of an income -you must live very well if it will take you 5 years to save up for a plot -- and if most of that is going on present mortgage ---maybe downsizing ?might release money quicker to get to your end goal If your serious about self build and want to do it most economical way ,then you need to start economising now,ask most people on here and they will be running older cars etc -cos blowing 10-15k a year on a fancy car devaluation is not top of their list . I run an old car 10 years old cost bugger all -if i replaced it with a new model of same car it would be 9k a year loss against 1k running costs -holidays --where you going to go in next few years with all the covid about If you are serious you can save plot money alot quicker than 5 years I,m guessing all these things are choices you can make or not - Ohh and im just turned 69 and just started --so you got plenty of time --just wish I had started 15 years earlier

with all the uncertainty in the world now -i would do as i have done my time scale is short due to my age -- and borrowing is harder save up and buy plot with cash --then it don,t matter on time scale -it will always be there for later -or it will be something you can sell on if you need to. I would not be getting into big borrowing at htis time -- you may think your jobs are certain --but what if --you have health problem as well as loosing job thats what you should allow for I remember the first stocks crash when my pension pot dropped from 700k to 200k in one day --and then took 10years to come back . it could happen again very easily with current situation. so --find plot first and buy with cash is my advice-- it will probably be a better investment than alot of things anyway ,if you have to sell

if thats what you can see --how bad is it where you can,t see? that would be my question rake out and repoint?

but you still got to find the right plot - and then get the right design for your budget

welcome to the forum at least you have a plan as to when you want to build and as long as you accept it could be a like elastic ,then you will get there very rough quesstimate on house build cost would be ,depending on how you much you do your self --and what spec of internals --that is usually variable by at least 100% if not more so to be safe think around £1500-£2500 per sq m then the price of the plot so decide on a budget So first job is to decide where you can afford the plot you want where I am in s/w scotland a plot could be £60k-100k same plot in other places could be 800k so the sooner you work that out and if you have cash buy your plot do not get tied up in the details yet -all build systems can do what you want -work out the plan and how to fund it when you start the next problem is that you cannot get a mortgage -simply on any house unless it is habitable 3 estae agents have told me recently that they expect rebuildable ruins and plot prices to jump son ,especially if the second wave is bad -people worried about money in investements and stocks =shares crashing so land has always to some extent been like gold -but thye are not making nay more land my rebuildable house plot i am selling has risen in valuation in the last 3 weeks by estate agents some by as much as 25% as projects with land are getting desperately short -good for me

If i understand you you are making a lean too extension which you intend to attach to the neighbours wall which is tight up to your boundary . have you asked them if they will let you and give permission for maintainence ? I any water leaks from your roof will go right through their wall and vice versa It would a hard no from me and i would telling you to build your own wall and keep your rain water to your self

snap --thats was my thought on the problem as well .

don,t think SEPA will be very happy if they find out a buzzard could get fried on a power pole must be something wrong with the installation --lots of buzzards round here never seen one get fried -and they do like to just sit on poles and watch

I suppose next question is thei 180k real money or do you have to sell another house and then another mortgage

all the reasons and problems you mention is why i will be using isotex ICF wodcrete blocks -may seen more expensive at first glance --but add up all the other things --i don,t think it is walls and insulation in one go -clad with what ever you like - outer brick wall -brick slips -render ,wood clad

I would say due to the LACK of triangulation turn all the rafters into triangulated roof trusses and problem goes away - look at nay old barn and if they have trusses the section of wood is much smaller than if it is rafters this is maybe the time you need to calculate the weight of your slates

thats a dream -build a house for 80k inc all fees etc

what about a compromise for a few years-- buy a wreck -and do it up --yourself and sell at profit -then maybe look again -or maybe it will take a couple of diy rebuilds to get the funds you want to buy what you want - or buy correct plot ,get planning and start a build hwile living in a big caravan and save up over next year or two Icould be wrong - but 180K for plot and new house in west country sounds impossible to me- 180 k for the house if built economically