Jilly

Wowsers! Well done!

Hello!

I've done the same, but converted an existing building, so Ecology issues, Bat surveys, licences etc have cost £6K alone. I also used a Planning Consultant, (about £2K) altho in the end, the architect got a really good relationship with the assigned planning officer, and this was key. If preplan was favourable, you will likely make the most 'profit' on that (see other thread). They will want to see designs, something of 'exceptional architectural merit' can occasionally be build in the middle of a field. You'll have to get your head around the costs and the implications of getting it wrong eg CGT, VAT. That said, you are in a very favourable position, most self builders have a headache finding a site.

I've easily spent £20k on fees.. its all a bit scary...there's a ton of stuff you don't know about yet, which makes you feel like people are ripping you off, when they aren't necessarily. Have you bought a plot or got outline planning?

I really wish I hadn't changed architects for the Building Control drawings, it caused no end of problems and was a false economy.They weren't invested in the original design and planning constraints.

I have a friend who is a passive house fanatic and retro fitted insulation in his house. He decided to stay with his mains gas because he uses so little (only needs to be on every 2-3 days)

I might be being a bit thick here (physics isn't my strong point) but I'm given to understand that water ASHP do supply low temp water and you need giant radiators to compensate if you don't have under floor heating. Could this be partly what's going on? Your experience is putting me off getting the same as I do like simple technology!

Electric blankets are brilliant as a stop gap

https://visualhunt.com/battery-operated-table-lamps These are much less fugly.

Aside from the hassle, you'l need to have 3x Landlord's Safety Certs every year. I pay £100 with a service for one very old gas boiler. Combi gas boilers only live for 10-12 years, apparently.

You reckon??

I had this specified stuff because of bats. The modern stuff tangles in their feet and entombs them.

How about trying a bit of soot to colour it like the rest of the pointing?

Compost loo for emergencies?

Fab thanks!

OMG

What are they called/what make are they, please?

That's a great idea near the house. I wish I'd sorted something out before, I'm worried about the big lorry deliveries, the next grab lorry is going to make a mess.

Can anyone recommend some kind of mud mats that aren't too expensive, please? The temporary entrance has been trashed. Events have conspired in that the builder underestimated how much spoil the piling contractor would leave, the rain came, the clay has done its stuff...everywhere.

I have a friend who couldn't get permission to demolish and rebuild so they went down the route of Permitted Development and ended up with a bigger house than that which they asked for originally. Bit like Trigger's Broom, there isn't much left of the old house.

Clever, Joe, clever.

Yes, loads of outside space.

Maybe just let him know it seems to be a problem, but relax and live with it for a few weeks as you may have injured your feet some other way as dp says. Shift your focus elsewhere as you have had a lot of stress recently so its bound to worry you.

I'm very short of space and money. Solar thermal has had to go out of the window for now. I need to decide re domestic hot water and I'm thinking a simple electric immersion heater is easiest/cheapest, maybe with an electric shower too. I've read about electric combiner's boilers which I'm guessing must be heat on demand type things which look smallish. Does anyone have experience of them? The SAP calc seems to be concerned with timers and insulation. PS No gas here and still exploring air to air source heat pumps.

Wow, a pro! Welcome