jamiehamy

I'm on Ebico for the house just now - iirc it's 16p/kwh and no standing charge. It's run and managed by SSE and suits us perfectly for the build. I think we have a tenner DD setup which is far more than we need.

I can see a whole bunch of us all having a near identical setup here! No bad thing.

Okay - I think that's my mind made up then. Thanks folks! I've started planning out but will do the detail now. Hep2o vs JG Speed fit? Is Hep2o better?

Hi all, We have a spark booked for Feb to do the First Fix, and we'll give him 6 weeks notice when we need him back for Second. For plumbing, I've been in touch with two plumbers, both recommended - neither has come back with a price despite promising. I'm now minded to do most of it myself after the spark has been. We have 7 basins, 4 toilets, three showers, one bath and one fridge. I liked what @Nickfromwales (I think it was you) did on a job with a manifold system. My thinking is something similar with 10mm for basins, 15mm for toilets and showers and 22mm for bath. We are probably going with a 300L Megaflow - with immerser (no ASHP or other heat source). Would use plastic pipe in most places and going for unbroken runs from outlet area to manifold, and with valves at the manifolds. We get over 4bar at the 32mm incoming pipe. As I understand it, the part I need someone qualified is to plumb in the Megaflow and sign it off - I have someone who can do that - they just can't do the full job. But in terms of the rest of the job - do-able? I'm not against getting someone in, but I don't have the energy to chase people to ask them to take my money! Would appreciate any thoughts? Thanks, Jamie

I think in this case the Op is a developer rather than a self builder. However does a developer require CIS? They are looking to make profit from subsequent sale rather than as a contractor. A builder that operates without invoices is one I'd avoid. What else is he/she dodging?

Hmm. It's more of a business question than self build I suppose. I would go with accountant guidance tbh - they know more. Ultimately it may be a grey are but caution should be exercised - erring on the cautious side.

Who are you in the context of CIS? What your contractor does in terms of CIS is surely not your concern?

I gave up burning wood because I couldn't get a reliable dried supply - it makes all the difference - and didn't have anywhere to store wood.

lol. Let's do this another way. List all the challenges you've got right now (including this one because it's a fair thing to get annoyed about) on a piece of paper and cut them out - then prioritise them,top to bottom. See where this one comes out. Then start working from the top down. Revisit monthly and re-prioritise as you go. That's your answer (my money is that this one will keep slipping to the bottom but I could be wrong!)

My advice is blunt - let it go. You have a house to build and some sort of planning battle is the last thing you or anyone needs. At the end of the day, look at it from the other side - they want to build a house there. They are probably only doing what any one of us might just do and playing the system. Let's say your build takes far longer than planned - and neighbours down the road started complaining because the place is an eyesore with a half built house on it? Stranger things have happened. You would be at the receiving end of the very same type of complaint. Either way, you say you'd be happy if they build the stables and go, or they get permission and build the house and stay - so it's obviously the caravan part that's annoying you - which is fair enough. But I think you need to pick your battles - and I don't think this is one worth fighting when you have far more important things to be doing. If it was me, the last thing I'd want when I'm building my house is to pick a fight with my neighbours if I could help it. You did ask for a strategy - that would be mine!

For walk on rooflights/sklights, we are using http://skylight.co.uk/ - they started off business doing walk on roof lights (after seeing a gap in the market when many people got injured falling through them accordingly to the owner). I went to their showroom and really liked the design. They have done some cool stuff with a Land Rover Defender (glass steps and sides) so walk on floor is probably something they could help with too.

;-)

AH - I stand corrected. I had asked about it last year and told it was a planning application. I had considered and that was one reason that put me off. Could be an option for our DHW..thankfully we're the middle of nowhere and no neighbours to worry about.

Where are you? It's not Permitted Development in Scotland. Also, where are you quoting from? Is that your LA guidelines?

You should be looking for a minimum of 1/80 fall, but probably better to have 1/40. We have 1/40 on our terrace area that is a roof too. I'll be using firrings to bring it up to level, however 1/40 is hardly noticable to stand on - although it might be more obvious with table and chairs! If you're having a screen, then surely you can just pump that to level, assuming the waterproof layer is sufficient?

I'm imagining it's too late to move the whole frame upwards 8mm? Assuming it's been packed at the top, it would be possible, but you've got everything gyproc'd now so it would be a whole load of grief. Would be a better solution than a compromise that might annoy you for everymore tho?

At some of the shows there was a display by an Alchimica distributor based in Glasgow. They will have a product that will suit - I'm imagining one you will roll on before the concrete topping and lap up the edges. We were going to use their product as tanking but it was just too expensive and when we researched, we didn't need to go down that route. Even if you don't contact them, their website should give some food for thought. http://www.alchimica.co.uk/

How much have you engaged with them before putting the application in? We had two meetings and a couple of conversations before it went in - we heard nothing during the decision process - I called them once about 6 weeks in to be told the decision would be soon, but there are no problems (it was a delegated decision). They may contact you before the decision if there are things they would like changed, depends how they operate.

" though the annual rate remains below the Bank of England's target and low by historical standards ". That's the key bit to remember - whether inflation or interest rates, they are all abnormally low and will both start to rise. You're not really going to lose, just that you won't get the benefit of these unusual market conditions that were never long term.

Why you ask? Because no-one ever did Ed - no-one ever did. It was all secret squirrel as you know. I watched what unfolded over a few days and it's beyond me how anyone can claim it had nothing to do with Jeremy. Some of what he wrote was downright outrageous about a certain person/company.He was maybe not the only one, but he created mayhem. And that's just ebuild. I'm being blunt on this thread because as far as I'm concerned, the whole ebuild thing got swept under the carpet, but here was are with one person STILL creating issues. The same person saying he won't use/comment on this forum but yet continues to do so? I'm still wondering how someone who doesn't use this forum has over 11,000posts. Edit: I have un hidden this post as I think it is better for the whole story to be visible while things are being discussed. If I am wrong in doing so. On my head be it. Ed

It did make me chuckle!

I want to put a Yale lock on the phone box and have it by the drive for the same thing - but other half wants it as a mini bar at the back terrace... Might need to find another phone box!

Hmm, true - I never ever buy things like that as yes, complete and utter rip off. I remember with a shudder what they charged me for Flashband when I needed it and Screwfix were out. Would bring tears to you eye. I only use them for timber, gyproc, insulation etc. Smaller things I used a combination of Screwfix and online.

Never had anything like that. What does annoys me consistently is their pricing - I was told having a credit account would let them 'set' prices on my account, but if I don't order through the regional sales guy, I never get the 'best' prices, despite me telling the branch what that is. It's such a basic fail - their lack of transparency around pricing is their biggest fail in my eyes. My price for 45*65 is £1p/m but when i needed an emergency order frmo the branch over Christmas they charge £1.20, despite me telling them what the rate should be. It'll get fixed but it's a waste of my time.

" Keeping decisions local – rights of appeal. We believe that more review decisions should be made by local authorities rather than centrally." - except windfarms - in all these cases, the Scottish Government will ignore local decisions and grant them, with a fwe token exceptions to keep the plebs happy. " Getting more people involved in planning. A wider range of people should be encouraged and inspired to get involved in planning." - Good luck SG - The truth is Joe Public doesn't give a hoot about planning until it's near them, then they are the most uneducated experts in the world. " Improving public trust." - Again, good luck. Inverclyde Council have an appalling reputation and quite rightly so. Google 'Greenock Yellow House' for a laugh. " Developing skills to deliver outcomes" - what a load of claptrap - they must have been struggling for the list of 20! " Giving people an opportunity to plan their own place" - something I welcome but something that in many areas will be impossible to deliver. Again using Inverclyde, but could equally be Argyll and Bute - these LAs have one plan - their own. Nothing else is allowed or considered. Community involvment is one way - they tell us what they are doing and will not work with communities. I have a feeling this is common across much of the country but not all). " Stronger local development plans" - LDPs are a waste of time and effort. They are a tick box exercise, nothing more. They are one vision, generally that of the LA and restrict innovation and new ideas. " Making plans that deliver" - as opposed to...?! I'll read it in more detail later, but as @ProDave highlights, bar the infrastructure levy (which the SG WILL introduce - hell, they need the revenue with all the freebies up here), there is nothing fundamental;. My main issue here? Not a single reference to the Land Reform Act. That is surely a massive own goal. How can you push a Land Reform Act that has no connection with planning reform? If they do not work in tandem, they are not going to deliver anything new. Remember the Land Reform Act has one aim to allow people to buy land from big estate - but if that land is still reletively worthless thanks to a completely inflexible planning system, it will never deliver. So you can buy 10 acres of land somewhere? Great - but not if you can do nothing with it other than graze sheep...