Mike_scotland

What is everyone's thoughts or experiences with site insurance? We have recently bought land and are in middle of design stage still... I'm just wondering do we need site insurance to start before we dig/start work or have any Materials/tools on site or? It's just a bit of a field and enclosed by fencing etc so bone can unexpectedly walk into it. Thanks in advance.

How was it? Did you feel it was easy enough and cost effective

Ok guys all valid points and remarks, currently our ground conditions are good, had a few surveys carried out topo and ground foundation survey..... Topo came back the site is pretty level think its sloping about 0.4m and the ground foundation survey came back as normal strip foundations will suffice. So I'm crossing my fingers I can ha e a few options to pick from when the time comes.

Hi guys, Thanks for the info!! May I ask why your local authority's didnt let you use a slab? I'm still at design stage with architect. But trying to think 2 -3 stages ahead and het as much information as possible.

What's everyone's thoughts on the various foundation types? I quite like the look of b and b as I can do alot of the work myself but not sure of costs vs slab costs etc.

Aslong as I can run my ashp I'm happy haha

I'm honestly not sure what to think as my electric only has one wire? But further much further down the road it has 3 wires so maybe my soon to be neighbours feed is taking off the 3 wires I really dont know or understand.

This is what I got from SSE.

Its tough as on google maps there is 5 wires haha obviously from the past. But these photos are mine from a few weeks back during surveys etc.

This is the wire at the plot 2 cables. Will het better photo tomorrow,

Good point, the water is on the verge(my side) of the road so that shouldn't be a problem and I'm assuming the bt connection will be about there due too the fact the houses are near by but I will check. I am still at the planning stage(we have outline planning) but i would like to get water and electric into the plot asap.

I think there is only 1 phase as the surrounding electricity poles have 2 wires.

Description of proposed works and assumptions Proposal: SSEN to carry out a pole termination onto LV pole 8 Replace pole 8 with a new intermediate pole and install a stay – ** this may not be required ** From pole termination, lay approximately 30m of 3c95mm² Wavecon cable to across the road. Pot end mains cable and carry out a single phase service joint. From service joint lay no more than 20m of single service cable to the meter position. Customer is to arrange entire cable track excavations and reinstatements at no additional cost to SSEN. If a formal quotation is requested in the future and it proves that we require more than this amount of cable, it would incur extra costs This is what is on the letter I recieved for a online rough budget. So I'm hoping it's slightly lower. It was 4-5k for the above^^ Then 2500 for excavation and reinstatement of road it's a out 5 metres.... then 1500 for permit to close and dig the road. Thanks for the additional info makes me feels better now we can use a single phase.

Hi, We have a plot in the country the plot is in the middle of 2 cottages and there is overhead electric poles running along the road also adjacent to the plot, my question is do you think rural areas will have 3 phase electricity possibility? If not can you comfortably run air source pumps ,solar panels etc with single phase? We have been told it will be roughly 10k for electricity that is taking it under a road and Into the plot. (Its proberly about 10m from pole to plot boundary)

Thanks for the feedback guys! As always this website is brilliant. I think we may just have to find extra cash or another architect who's slightly cheaper. Mike

Me and my partner are currently looking for architects, we really like one but he is a bit expensive and we had a brief thought, (might be stupid thought,hence the post here) Can we use the architect we really like for the design planning stage but then go with a much cheaper person for the warrant or is it best staying with 1 all the way through or what's everyone's thoughts and experiences? Thanks in advance Mike

Thanks guys! I have emailed my local building warrant authority and await there feed back

Hi guys, I read this online to it had got me thinking and wondering if anyone else had done similar. Who is responsible for making sure that new electrical work meets the new Scottish building standards? You are. By law, homeowners and landlords have to be able to prove that all new electrical work and any change to existing electrical wiring meet the new rules. Your local authority has the power to force you to remove or alter work that fails to do this. What should you do when you need electrical work carried out on a property? You have two options: Employ an electrician that is registered with one of the government-approved schemes. These qualified electricians are known as ‘registered installers’; or Let your local authority check and approve the work when it’s been done. We recommend homeowners use an electrician that is registered with one of the government-approved schemes for all electrical work. My my local authority states on there website if you use a governing body for electrical you get a rebate of 100 odd off your building control cost. So I'm wondering if you dont use it they will use that 100 to check it. I have emailed the building control for my area.

Hi, Hopefully doing a self build soon and wondering if my friend who is a spark to trade, if he does our 1st and 2nd fix how do we get it signed off as hes not select registered or that, can you get the building control to sign it off? Hes doing it for very good mates rates so will work out alot cheaper than getting a part p /select registered electrician. Thanks Mike

Hello Recently bought a plot of land and currently doing drawings to hopefully get planning soon We are trying to get a head of the game and look into everything we can - I have recently came across cdm 2015 health and safety on site, has anyone came across this? Has anyone done a self build where they self managed with conttractors is there anything special you have to do? Thanks Mike

Does anyone know if you can claim scaffold containers chemical toilet etc for a self build can you claim that back free of vat? I believe you cant do hire costs but just wondering for things I could hire would I be able to buy them and reclaim? Thanks Mike

Hopefully I can get a a retiree or such like haha someone who's not on sites

They are not cheap brickies, did you buy all materials separate?

Then you have materials on top?? What's the going rate for a breeze block £1 or so ?

Hi Peter 1.20 per m2?