davidc

They have been operating in their current form supplying and erecting timber buildings since 1946 though this doesn't make them immune from any potential economic downturn. They want 29% on order and another 25% 28 days before the main kit is delivered, with confirmation in writing that title to goods is held by me following each payment.

Does anyone know if it is possible to insure the sum advanced to a timber frame supplier for manufacture of the kit against the risk of them going bust etc. Am I wrong to assume standard self -build insurance policies don't include this cover ?

@Christine Walker They want a 29% payment upon ordering - i took that as meaning they won't actually begin manufacture until my payment has cleared. Perhaps as their quotation contains their payment schedule, and 'consideration' will have been given if I tell them to go ahead and make the initial payment, this will form as a good a contract as they desire ? Not sure if the notion of 'consideration' works broadly the same in Scots law as it does in English ?

@ProDave They are also supplying and fitting: roof, cladding, windows, timber sun screening, decking, sub flooring, guttering, plaster boarding and internal joinery. They don't want to act as 'main contractor' though. @Dreadnaught Yes, they are going to be in formal possession of site during their own works phase (offered this in pre-sales discussion but seemed less keen to include it in quotation - in part hence why I would prefer some form of contract also)

I have noticed that the warranty suppliers available for self builds seem to designate their self build warranty products with the term "self build" somewhere in the product name. If the warranty paperwork/certificate has the term "self build" included then does this mean that if a lender says they accept warranties from provider XYZ (eg from the on-line list at the Council of Mortgage Lenders) does this necessarily mean they accept the "self build" warranties of said provider ? I'll probably end up contacting lenders directly but wondered first if anyone had any experience in that regard.

Preferred TF contractor seems reluctant to enter into any form of contract (just wants to proceed on basis on quotation alone). The value of the work is just under £150k. In Scotland I should add. I am trying to set out the reasons why it might be a good idea to have a contract and so far have what is listed below. Can anyone suggest what else may be wise to have specified ? start and end dates and notice period for commencing work mechanism to revise completion date after agreeing a delay (otherwise contractors obligation to original completion date lapses) ownership of items and materials procured (i.e. at what point does ownership of materials pass to me) liability for damage to site or neighbouring properties cleaning up site storage of plant, equipment, materials etc variation clause to set out procedure for changes early termination clause if contract breached and clause that client does not have to pay until remedial costs have been offset

It is Sylvan Stuart. I sourced my own references which turned out to be more than satisfactory - alas in my mind that doesn't makes up for not having a contract. Or in effect a contract which is only furnished with terms in the interests of one of the parties.

The company I had shortlisted for supplying and erecting timber frame (along with roof, exterior cladding, windows and internal joinery) tell me they won't entertain the idea of a construction contract. They seem to be of the opinion that the only salient point of prior agreement need be the full build specification and the payment schedule. Should I ditch them ?

Can structural steelwork generally be supported on passive slabs ?

Does anyone have any detailing image snippets for I Joist Sole Plate / Passive Slab Junctions that they are willing to share ? Thanks

Thanks, both. 'Also' because the vertical elements are already specified as I beams but not the horizontal elements. Perhaps I didn't understand your questioning the use 'also' ? On the price concern, wouldn't i beams (rather than glulams) for header, sole plates be less costly anyway ?

Planned construction is 1.5 storey with 350mm I Joists at 600mm centers with blown insulation. Are there any likely reasons why also using I Joists (rather than glulams) for the sole and header plates might be a bad idea ?

So were any of the warranties folk got on builds with passive slab foundations provided by NHBC ?

My question falls outside the topic of self build mortgages i'm afraid but i posted here as it is the closest relevant topic. Once fully built, does anyone know which lenders will lend on timber frame and 100% timber clad for a 'normal' residential (i.e. not self-build) mortgage ? I already know of Ecology and Halifax (therefore Bank of Scotland also) but would like a longer list ! I may approach a broker but would like to inform myself as much as is reasonably possible from the start.

So does the main contractor have to be BOPAS accredited in order for a build to benefit from the insurance/assurance ?

So, as far as i can see, for my prospective self-building lending requirements of £100k, Buildstore are adding roughly £1k of their own fees to those of the recommended product (Ecology). Suspect i may get some sarcastic responses but what I am actually getting for that £1k (over and above applying and dealing with the Ecology directly) ?

I am deciding how far back from the new slab /house perimeter to remove trees (some of which are up to 30ft+ height) from (not a council question) and wondered if self build insurers tend to have exclusions or stipulations about high and how close trees can be ? For that matter the same question will arise when switching over from self-build insurance to regular home insurance so wondered if anybody knows the stance that different mainstream insurers also take on the same point? I'd like to generally keep them well clear but just one or two that are relatively close to the house might be nice to keep.

... just now seen further replies. Looks like the evidence work has got underway is less onerous than i might have thought.

Thanks, just talking about planning alone. I had thought the minimum criteria for demonstrating that the building work had commenced before expiry of the planning permission was that a building warrant had been submitted and been inspected (by building control for building warrant purposes) at least once. If this is wrong, how do the planning department decide if a permission is lapsed ?

Many thanks @Carrerahill that is most helpful , i'm having a mini digger on site for another purpose soon so can get a look at the soil. Will post when i have a picture of the ground make up.

Please could some body just remind me what stage a build must be at before the deadline on which a permission expires in Scotland (before you need to re-apply/extend that is) ? I had it in my mind that there must have been at least one inspection for some of the work detailed in the associated warrant but i now can't recall where i got this from.

Thanks @Carrerahill . Garage with workshop i guess would be about 5m high at ridge and 3.5m by 5.5m footprint but in my case all timber so not sure how much different in weight in relation to what you have done for the slab. I will find out if BW needed for addition of workshop in roof space and how that would work if the slab had been in place before BW applied for.

I added the following after the initial post.... There is a garage marked on the PP just not one with the workshop above for reasons stated. PP amendment to garage height but without workshop floor possible perhaps.

I wasn't aware that Ecology even operate in the lifetime mortgage market for a property of any type. Are you saying that they do ?

Not sure if this is a question lies outside the scope of the forum but here goes. Has anybody any experience of applying or obtaining a lifetime mortgage or equity release type arrangement on a new self build constructed entirely from timber (i.e. with no masonry leaf) ? I had heard that all-timber construction has traditionally not been an acceptable form of security for providers of this type of product but wondered if that may be less true where the property is built to contemporary building regs and warranty standards ?