K78

This is the route I’m taking. Been looking at that site for a while.

I suppose because it reassures them that more knowledgeable people have taken that route? I will be using MVHR myself. i was just making the point that things outside the usual don’t get a big response on here sometimes. I was put off sips due to valid foundation concerns raised on ebuild. After doing a bit of research, for me they are better than a timber-frame. i appreciate there have been problems, just like there have been with timber frame. I’d never use OSB skinned sips but cement fibre board or mgo make a lot of sense to me. Waterproof, no need for membranes, can be rendered or plastered on to directly. The one approach I don’t understand is a 140mm standard timber frame. By the time it’s insulated, lined and clad they’re expensive. I like the mbc closed panel system but I find it expensive for what it is. Im on a tight budget as I’m doing this without a mortgage. 250mm thick mgo or cement fibreboard sips make a lot of sense for me. I appreciate others have a different take. I’ve learnt a lot from this forum and had good advice which I appreciate. It wasn’t a criticism.

This is a really good forum, but I find many people take the same approach as many of the main contributors have finished their builds. If it’s timber frame it’s usuall Mbc, with a insulated slab, underfloor heating and MVHR. I’m taking the sip route and that isn’t so popular on here. So there is not so much information regarding them on this forum. MVHR doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s quite simple in principle. My house will have a industrial feel with exposed ducting, conduit etc and concrete walls. This has the added benefit of making things easier to DIY.

As Dave mentioned. Nordan look good. I was going to import but with current exchange rate it’s barely worth it.

Ive used it on marine aquariums for over 10 years. I really like the smell and the water looks crystal clear.

I stumbled across this website earlier. 250mm cement fibreboard sips at a reasonable price. They will do foundations too. http://superiorsippanels.co.uk/

When I was last on this forum sips seemed unpopular with most. I was considering Kingspan Tek at the time. Can I ask why you prefer it to timberframe or masonry for self build?

My foundations will be straightforward thank god. About the only thing on this site that will be. Ill do do the kitchen myself and the bathrooms with a bit of help. They offer this internal joinery pack for £9k.

I would use concrete block for both. Concrete is good at retaining heat if well insulated. I’ve had quotes as low as 60p a block for bulk orders with free delivery. I personally don’t see the point in timberframe if you’re doing a brickwork outer skin. Im doing either concrete block cavity or sips/insulated timberframe with cladding.

Isulation is included as it’s sips ( they do a timber frame option for around £10k less) and the windows are a good size. I like DualChas architecture and the house would suit my site perfectly. I would clad the out side rather than add blockwork.

The windows are NorDan. Most of the houses they have built are in the West Scottish isles and north Scotland. There is only one in England in the Lake District. It’s around £60k erected with all windows and doors. They offer internal joinery, kitchen and bathroom packs too but they’re pricey.

Cheap uninsulated timber frames look attractive when you first see the quotes but by the time you add insulation and a block work skin, I think the cost is higher. Insulated frames or sips are a better option. Concrete block cavity is the cheapest way to build if you know people in the trade imo. And is probably the route I will take. Ive had so many problems on and off site over the last 2 years, airtightness isn’t a big concern to me anymore. Just want my house up.

Has anyone had experience with Hebridean homes? https://www.hebrideanhomes.com/ I have to amend my original design due to groundwork issues, and the amended design layout would be very similar to one of their designs. Long and narrow. Their prices seem reasonable considering they include windows and doors. And it’s tempting to take the quick option over a concrete block cavity build, considering all the groundwork issues I’ve had.

I've decided to take this approach using the Eko Thermobrackets Dudda suggested. Im having a real headache deciding which type of insulation to use. The wall make up will be 225mm block, 200mm insulation and timber cladding. What is best option at 200mm thick? Any advice on cheap suppliers would be greatly appreciated too. Thanks

I went to view a development of 4 timberframe houses that one of the local providers has built. They are 140mm frame with a combination of render board and timber cladding on the outside. All passed building regs and sold within a couple of weeks. He said they scored a B on Epc but would have got A, if they had solar panels.

Kingspan have recommended specs for additional internal insulation. I plan to add 50mm eps external insulation 150mm above and below the soleplate. With the soleplate sat on marmox blocks. With my budget being so tight, I'm not sure it would be wise to put a lot of money into external insulation at this stage. I'm not in a position to spend money on something that will take 25 years to pay back to initial cost. I was really sold on solid masonry with external insulation until I priced external insulation render systems. Im going to look at the Marley eternity vertigo brackets because they look like a cheap simple DIY solution to ewi.....but I thought ewi was a cheap solution until I got a quote.

That's why I'm thinking SIPs might be a good middle ground. They claim good air tightness and it would be easy and cheap to add DIY internal insulation.

Just checked the MBC quote. £48k for the frame and £13k for the foundation. AFT were a lot cheaper for the foundation. I thought I'd have to use an insulated raft as the house will be situated close to a retaining wall. But my SE says the ground should be good enough for strip foundations. Hence my interest in foamglass. I wish i had a bigger budget. But at least I'll end up mortgage free. Since my original quotes, timber frame prices seem to have risen by 25% and sips have come down considerably. It it would be great to employ a architectural technician but I fear costs could spiral. At least with the TF/sip providers I get a set price.

I wasn't comparing like for like. MBC want £52k, which is more than twice the price of other timberframe quotes and significantly higher than sips. The benefit with sips for open plan and vaulted ceiling is cost. They come that way as standard. I'm not a penny pincher when I first started on this "journey" I had a "secure" job. Never thought a mortgage would be a problem. Touchwood homes are a fair distance from Manchester and I would imagine they have a lot of work on. I've not found any other companies offering I joist frames. If I do go for a 140mm timberframe or 150mm sip I will be adding additional internal insulation.

I like your approach. I may do something similar. My thinking is that if I timber or tile clad, I can DIY that with a joiner who I know. Render quotes have been really expensive. Timberframe quotes are coming in from £19k-£23k. Sips are £26k-£33k. MBC was just too expensive for me to consider.

My concern was with the condensation issue rather than a target u value. I want a warm comfortable house but I'm not looking for passive levels. One sip supplier sent me an article by Mark Brinkley regarding a 145mm sip house heated only by a wood burner and MVHR. The big benefit for me with sips over timber frame is that I have a open plan layout with a vaulted ceiling. I did have a twin stud quote from MBC, but I found it expensive and they were slow to respond. I've not looked into I-joist at all yet, I'll take a look. My budget is tight as I'm building without a mortgage. I would consider a block build, but it seems difficult to get a quote in the same way as you can from a timberframe supplier. So it looks like a choice between basic timber frame or sips.

I was reading a thread on another forum where it was suggested that a strip of 50mm EPS 150mm above and below the sole plate, solves the problem.

How thick is the required layer of foamglass? I was really interested in kingspan TEK sips before i started the thread on ebuild?

The product literature does mention that "some lightening may occur". https://www.marleyeternit.co.uk/~/media/Files/Product-Files/Roofing/Brochure-Request/Vertigo---Vertical-Slates.pdf

As as far as I can see you can fix anything to it weight permitting. I like the the look of the vertigo tiles, but I'm glad you mentioned the weathering. I'll have to check that out. They are offered in a range of colours and a few have a "mottled" design so I'm hoping they will be designed to preserve their finish. They seem to have been used on a few apartment blocks, hotels and large office buildings. They will end up looking terrible if they age like roof tiles. With the system you used, do the battens and fixings mechanically secure the insulation?