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Which company may that be?

I see VAT on solar is increasing from 5% to 20% in October; can you reclaim this for new builds?

http://www.qualitytradewindows.co.uk/aluminium-range/aluminium-windows/ Family firm fabricating Schuco windows and doors.

Thanks and apologies the initial info was so scant. I reckon we've only about 400m2 we could use which would be on the cusp if at all possible in the best of circumstances so given your responses it's perhaps not worth the time investigating further.

How much land did any GSHPers require to lay their slinkies in?

How big should they be? I've read in a few places 37/38mm and in others 50mm.

Thanks for your insight. The other attraction is that going the MCS route attracts a 10 (or 12)-year interest free loan and frees up a bit of capital, so a fair bit to ponder.

Apologies for piggybacking on this thread, we've just had a renewables report from the Energy Savings Trust which gives very positive reading about the financial viability of ASHP (and even more so, GSHP - capital costs entirely paid back through RHI) but this is based on a model of a bog standard new build whereas we want to build a very well insulated, airtight home. Does anyone have any experience of how these types of reports compare to the end results and how much smaller savings/RHI payments are?

Boomarked - thanks.

Thanks. A quick google suggests they might not be that prohibitively expensive though I'm not sure where you hide it (beneath the bottom brick?)

Yes, definitely built and I'm definitely on the 'quite cool' side of the argument! Presumably using brick slips would achieve the same(ish) look but would mean having to use slips for the full thing?

Not sure if best here or on the structural sub-board but does anyone know how the bricks are likely to be supported above the canopy in the image below?

No - I've done the assessment with Ecology and they've given the okay 'in principle' but looking at bank statements our discretionary spending is a bit more than my frugal estimates at assessment stage so having a bit more cashflow might give a bit more comfort. No broker involved. There's two cars in there, both 14 plates not worth much more than 4.5k apiece but required to get to work and ferry the kids about, and both about as fuel efficient as you can get for the age/type. They'll be ran into the ground as we've no interest in cars bar hopefully switching to electric and ditching one of them if the numbers work when we move.

Hi, I have a personal loan at 3.9% (taken out with a credit union to purchase a car) with £8700 remaining on it. I pay this off at £300 every 4 weeks, direct from my salary. I am between refinancing at 2.9% and extending the term to reduce payments to £200/month to give a bit more disposable income for mortgage application purposes or clearing the loan from existing savings which forms a wee bit of contingency. Does anyone know what would be the best approach to take from an 'able to borrow the most' perspective?

Can you elaborate on what the direct electrical heating through the Mvhr supply is (and how it works) please?

Thanks - sounds reasonable then.

A belated post on this topic... I've had two quotes and the cheapest is £140/m2 (taking from prepared ground to slab) - is this a bit toppy?

Looking in from afar, it seems that you'll be getting the house you want for roughly the same £/m2 that a volume developer (or Graven Hill's equivalent) would sell you the identikit house they want for, which doesn't seem a bad deal if you are happy to take a bit of risk and do a bit of graft. That said, it's a bit frustrating that they seem to be taking the piss with the whole idea of self build for the masses, particularly when a fairly priced golden brick model could be a great idea for replication across the UK. And like some of the other posters on here have alluded to, if those wee 3s are going for £413k how can the average family afford live in that part of the world? We might have more rain but at least shelter from it is (relatively) cheap in Scotland.

Sorry, I was referring to self-build only.

Most lenders in this market (with the sole exception of Ecology AFAIK) don't lend on more than 50% timber cladding. So if you are going timber-on-timber then Ecology may be the only game in town.

How did you get on?

Thanks all - and yes, will explore with merchants on their credit checking. And hang off opening a credit account until the mortgage is through!

Hi I will definitely get that contact from you though I think our local branch will be a few over from you. I'd quite like the credit option (which would definitely help with a few cashflow pinchpoints - e.g. ordering bricks before the revaluation and staged payment for having the shell up - so we're not waiting around for weeks while the shell gets battered by the wind and rain) but for the likes of plasterboard, paint and sundry items should be fine to pay in cash. In the first instance I'm just looking to cost items to provide a costings plan to the lender however.

Any recommendations and advice on engaging with merchants? And do they credit check prior to opening accounts? I don't want to open several just now for the purpose of costings if it could jeopardise completing on a mortgage. Thanks.

I read your blog with real interest as I am interested in doing much the same. Was installation fairly straightforward, including around the windows? Did you get quotes for roofing to know how much you may have saved by DIYing the installation? p.s. looks great!