vivienz

Peter - out of interest and with the benefit of hindsight, do you think that the solar film is sufficient or would you go for external blinds if the option was available? I ask because we have a large upstairs window facing almost due south. Our window company do solar film but it's a rectangular window and so I could use an external blind instead.

I've had a quick look at the hire costs for small generators and it seems that it may be better value to buy one. I'm working on the assumption that it will take about 5 weeks to get the electricity supply sorted to my site, given that it will involve the DNO. Does anyone have any recommendations?

To be honest, Dave, it's all a bit of blur now as it was over a year ago that I had the so-called service alteration carried out, on the understanding that the connection was live. I do know that I spoke to both the supplier (SSE) and the DNO, but it was the DNO who removed the cable from the metre, SSE knew about it and that the house was to be demolished, but the only reply I seem to get from SSE this afternoon was "I don't know, but it's not us". They said that there was an appointment booked last year to remove the meter, but it didn't happen for whatever reason. Anyhow, no big deal, I will get a genny for the time being and sort out the supply without any immediate time pressure so it should be sorted by the time some bigger stuff starts happening.

Well, it seems that SSE are about to get their knickers in a twist because despite my having told them everything that was happening over a year ago, no one ever came to collect their meter which is now at the bottom of a pile of builders rubble and they don't know what to do. Looks like I may hire a generator - could be easier!

The supply hasn't been disconnected, Nick, as I had a service alteration rather than a disconnection knowing that I would need a supply for the build. I will get hold of a sparky early next week; I may have come off hold and got to speak to someone at the electricity supplier by then - 25 minutes and counting so far.

When prepping for demolition of the old bungalow, the electricity supply point was moved from the old structure onto a box on the pole from which the cable ran. My site cabin arrives Monday and I need to get the electricity supply from the box to the cabin - is it as simple as calling a sparky out for a couple of hours to run a connection into the hut? I will also ring the electricity supplier to let them know that I want the supply turned on again as it was on a pre-payment meter before the service alteration.

I've just checked and their quote was actually for £475 + VAT per visit! Definitely a case of hyper-inflation on the south coast. Grrr! Seriously, though, it does seem to be a common theme that anything coming via the architect has the south coast premium plus a bit attached to it. This isn't due to the architect trying to add a slice to anything, more the other associated trades and professionals seeming to think that if an architect has been used, there is idiot money up for grabs.

Thanks chaps. I shall use a professional. Interestingly, Mike, Baypoint are quoting £450 + VAT per visit. I'm sure that inflation hadn't been that high since yours was set out. Many of the quotes obtained via the architect have been inflated and this seems to be no exception.

Useful comments, thanks Russell. I haven't had much other than 1 quote from a surveyor so far, and they want £450 +VAT for the visit to set out for the piles, then another £450 + VAT for the foundations. It seems rather expensive to me, in truth, but then the positions of the piles is rather important to everything that comes afterwards.

A good job for next weekend - thanks, Declan.

Our site is bordered by a wiggly little rural lane and so there's no chance of taking a reference off this for the location and layout of the new build. The groundworker needs to dig out for the piling system as well as the slab foundation so I need to make sure that everything is the right size and in the right place. I'm assuming that I need a surveyor to do this, which will cost me a few quid, unless anyone can come up with a genius, money-saving alternative. Also, do I need them to set out in 2 stages, i.e. first for the piles, then again for the foundations?

Couldn't you train all those pigeons to crap all over anyone who tries the same thing? Enough crap comes out of the birds, it would be nice to see it put to a good use.

I've looked again at my PP. It says: "No works shall commence on site until precise details of all tree, shrub and hedge planting (...) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA. Planting shall be carried out before the end of the first available planting season following completion of development.....In the event of any disagreement the LPA shall conclusively determine when the development has been completed...blah, blah. So, if I get written approval of what we're planting and where, does this make it reclaimable? I'm not sure whether we will actually buy all that much in the way of trees and shrubs, but I reckon it could be about £1k by the time we're done with the garden and orchard, so it could be worthwhile.

Gorgeous! Another milestone passed - really pleased for you both.

Holy cow! I was going to start getting some quotes this week, but I'm not so sure now! I may anyway as there's only 1 large upstairs south facing window that I think it's essential on, so I'll report back with what I find out.

Hmm. We submitted a design and access statement as part of our PP request documentation and this included details of a proposed wildlife pond, greenhouse, orchard and kitchen garden, as well as a formal garden area. The PP was approved but with no specific mention of the landscaping scheme - do I stand a chance of claiming back the VAT on the materials and plants used for this? Thinking of the fruit treees as well as the greenhouse.

Do you have an idea of what your soil is like? It was pretty clear from the outset that my site is on clay - waterlogging everwhere and local permanent ponds. It might be worth digging a trial hole and see what comes out of it. Re. the asbestos survey, yes, you will need it and before any groundworker will commence demolition - they will insist on seeing it. Re. services, you probably only need to get a 'service alteration' rather than a disconnection as such. This will disconnect the supply into the bungalow but then run it onto a nearby box (which you will have to buy, but cheap enough on Amazon) so that the builders can use it. Similar with water, but I can't speak for gas as we don't have any. Most of all DON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU HAVE THE CIL PAPERWORK SORTED otherwise it could cost you a packet. Do this first. If the bungalow has asbestos ( likely) be prepared for about £1k of costs - this is what it will cost to get it into a skip, transported to Swindon and then disposed of. The only way around this is if there are really tiny amounts that you could take to the nearest site that accepts it. Is there any wildlife or ecological stuff you need to take into account? That should do for starters but there will be lots more than this. What sort of build are you planning?

Congratulations! Yes to all of the above. Do you need a soil survey?

Depending on your point of view, it's lovely to have all the wildlife, but I would second the comments about manipulating the site now before you go anywhere near planning, not least because of how much it slows everything down. Even if it's straight forward as ours was, it also costs a fortune to do something you were planning to do in the first place and uses money that could have been spent on the wildlife rather than red tape. Definitely bung up all the entry/access points for the bats; you could also put bat boxes up on trees that will stay on the site; this will almost certainly keep the bats away as they never seem to like purpose built accommodation. And chop down any trees at the beginning of winter outside of any nesting season and, again, before planning get a sniff of it.

I sincerely hope so! Once the house is done, there is a life-long garden project to tackle.

Bloody hell, that's amazing. I'm not even going to bother posting now other than I have what I have and I'm quite content with getting my house built and moving in.

My recent experience is that screw piles are to be avoided. Fantastic idea in principle, but mind boggling in their expense. I'm going with CFA mini piles that will cost IRO £15k; the equivalent support in screw piles was in excess of £42k. None of this is including VAT. The piling company I use will get their own SE calculations done and included as part of the price; I doubt they will travel as far as Suffolk, but I'm sure their equivalent exists over that way.

We looked really closely at Scandia Hus but went with architect design and building regs, with MBC doing the build and foundations. The main factor that out me off Scandia Hus was the tight tolerances on the slab but having to find a third party to do it. Undoubtedly the architect cost is lost in their price. I will have paid about 10k in architect fees, 5k up to planning stage and 5k for building regs sign off. Another bit on top for the SE to design piles and drainage but, in all, no more expensive than a Scandia Hus build would have been.

Fabulous lights but the whole project us looking gorgeous.

Hmm. I have a meeting with the architect tomorrow morning. I will see what they and MBC have to say about switching from cold to warm. I could see if we really need the parapet, as I think this is a design rather than a structural issue. Thanks, chaps.