ToughButterCup

I sympathise greatly with you. We are not experts in VAT and self-building. Please read the comprehensive post written by @newhome here. That whole section of this site bears close reading. My instinct says you have a long fight on your hands.

Just look. And listen.

I could not agree more. The most difficult word there is .... constantly.... And thats where the authors of posts are often told that they are overthinking it. 🤨

Exactly. Its an interesting task - summarising relevant previous posts and then ordering the contents into a coherent , easy to digest thread. 'Interesting' is the wrong word. - daunting - is better. The one thing that motivates me is how badly our members appear to have been treated. And since I know some of the characters involved personally, that makes it all a bit more real. Jamie was the bloke who came and dug me out of the soft and smelly when our wall collapsed. But being a nice bloke often bears no relation to business decisions. Companies start with the best of intentions, and then go breasts-up. I've rung him a few times, no reply. Perhaps undestandable ... Its trying to remain focused on facts, rather than assuming motive and extrapolating from there that is so difficult. There's little place for emotion in trying to sort things out.

The direct answer to that question is I'm not sure. The due diligence process should be applicable to every purchasing decision that is made by a self builder. But the key thing in this thread is to make it one which allows any member to use the framework to apply to their particular purchasing decision. There will be a diligence process in relation to the purchase of land as well. It'll be a little more specialized and I suspect a little bit easier.

post deleted. apologies

After a prod by @SteamyTea, I agreed to write a post about Due Diligence. The end-in-mind is to produce a 'list' of things that we can do to lower the risk self-builders take when buying valuable items during the build. And maybe 'pin' that list so that its available for all to review before they buy expensive items for their build. I'm on with that task, and in doing so I've read and re-read this thread a few times . It's striking that in the entire thread, the only mention of Diligence is made in relation to the Official Receiver. And none in relation to the original purchases made. It would help me help us all if those involved in this sad affaire could let us know what Due Diligence they did before buying the product involved please. I ask because its relatively easy for me to list what Due Diligence involves: a few hours reading and then writing a summary. But that's just theory: and we aren't about mere theory. It would be helpful if contributors could describe what they did to reduce the risk of purchase in this case. Did you contact the provider's other clients, did you ring anyone for information, did you visit other builds using similar products, did you research the company - if so how? How useful was the information? Were you put off purchasing from this provider? If so, why? Maybe you have your own informal way of checking companies out: would you be prepared to share that information please? I understand that there is a good deal of pain and loss wrapped up in the posts members make here. And that might lead to reluctance to post. If you feel able, then PM me an answer and - suitably anonymised - I will include it in the thread. If its easier, PM me or we can chat on the phone.

Timber Frame The F-- uck Tomorrow's Friday

Here's how our architect approached the issue.

That's not an Oooopsss..... That's an "Oh F F sake " Its multiple feckooops like this that gave birth to my signature line

It looks to me -now- that a couple of hundred quid will sort this out: maybe a bit more but not much. The key thing is - yet again - communication. In any contractual relationship (in any sector, not just building) it's almost the single hardest thing to get right. And it is the hardest thing where a friendship group or family relations are concerned. I really feel for you @jamesmonk83. Thanks for posting about your job: with luck, a good few people will learn from your experience. Ian

Red flag number one: a (skilled) friend and a nice guy. But the word 'professional ' doesn't apply here. If it were a professional relationship, you wouldn't be asking us what to do next. Red flag number two: you say you supplied him with a print out of examples : to me that's a 'mood board', not a design with dimensions and guidance Red flag number three : come back and correct. Pay it and keep a friend. Don't and lose one. Reasonable. Yes, and no. Perhaps too relaxed would be a better descriptor. In the absence of an exact design - signed off by you - he's well within his rights to ask for more pay. Leave as is and learn , or pay and learn. You are not alone: it's a very common process.

OK. I'll start a thread with the basics of Due Diligence, and then everyone can chip in to add their own bits of wisdom. Then I'll summarise it into a checklist and ask the Mods to pin it when done. Ian I've got loads of niggles to sort on the house yet, like MVHR, Part P, and finishing of the 'that'll-have-to-do-for-now' list Quite apart from mending two new hips. But hey I put my own socks on for the first time this morning. Nurse is only visiting once a week now. And before you release too many testosterone molecules @SteamyTea , think Divine Comedy, National Express '... of a small country...'

All ours are like that: the answer to the question immediately above is that they are stocked in our nearest BM(s), and nope, its the way they come off the delivery lorry. Don't worry, me coat's already on ... have a good Easter.

I'm late to this wake. I'm very sorry for you @Pete Coleman. I have the opposite experience of Jamie Anderson: he helped me out greatly when our wall collapsed (because of another builder's negligence). He sometimes rings up for a chat...... I'll give him a ring. Ian

What constitute a 'start'? Find out what that really means locally. Different LPAs have different understandings. It could be as little as erect a small brick shed for your temporary electricity meter. Ask local builders what actually happens. I would not take anything any BCO says at face value. Nothing. Especially not on something with so much expenditure hanging on the outcome of discussions. You need to find independent substantiation for what your BCO has told you. (Full disclosure, I have recently been having an argument with our BCO - failure to keep discussion notes, inappropriate communication and unwarranted threats of legal action) In any case you have 3 full years in which to show 'commencement': July 2025. (July 2022 + 3 years)

Finger-tip '... feel... ' : sell and move on. Why? It is much more common for ab initio self builders to have had a good hard look at the issue of self-building in its entirety - Self Due Diligence as it were, BEFORE they post here. Self-building challenges everyone who commits to the process: spend a few minutes reading and tales of woe that abound here. Never mind Sleepless in Seattle, sleeplessness is very common (see @Kelvin above). But then so is Optimism Bias. Supporting and following through on that optimism is *king hard work.

I think you're right. Foxes probably do kill quite a lot of rats. I don't shoot them because I haven't got a weapon powerful enough for a clean kill.

Farmers do control the distribution of feed. But they can't control the efficiency - or lack of it - with which pigs consume their feed. Some feed is inevitably left over. And rats clean up the leftovers, other omnivores do the same until there's none left. Seen as a whole, the process is very efficient. Same with our chicken feed: inevitably they leave some, and that (a few grammes maybe) is hoovered up by rats, wild birds and others - including our sheep dog. No, a gun isn't - on its own - the answer to efficient vermin control. But a gun, some judiciously laid poison, the local owls, our resident tomcat, other rats ( who eat their dead brethren), and on ocassion our local buzzards do make the problem manageable. Its wonderful to hear and see the difference made to rat activity when an owl decides to hunt on our patch and hoots to announce his or her presence. I sometimes wish they were completely silent killers.

When you live next to a pig farm, there's not a lot you can do about food left over and lying around the place. Rats will always accumulate there. And as for banning guns, well I admire the sentiment but not the practicality. It would be brilliant if you could suggest away of suppressing vermin on a farm without one.

Rats are worthy opponents. They'll give you an evenings good shooting practice if you use an air rifle with an image intensifier. Either that or find yourself somebody with a Patterdale terrier or six...

That looks very nice indeed. I like the way that the curves contrast with the straight lines in the rest of the bathroom. Rather than do something as creative as you have, I just went out and bought one. SWMBO really likes it, but I don't like it very much because of its infrared switch. You have to wave your hand in front of it before the damn thing lights up. I know it's a first world problem, but it seems to manage to switch itself off just as quickly as it switches itself on - one hand movement can cause it to both switch on and off. As I say, a first world problem.

You say '... planning to object ...' Typical neighbourly fuss about nowt. Check your local council rules about the issue: but I bet you this is nothing to lose any sleep about at all.

Adapt this to you window dimensions: DIY cost of concrete wood and a bit of effort £500 Grow any climbing / shading plant on it.

Yes, the edges of Spring. At long last. Time to save up for the next price hike. 😔