Lingwood

When I Googled, other local authorities have quite detailed regulation, by my LA has zero. I guess the correct term should be "main entrance" and we are just used to saying front door front the traditional British view. Like my main property, I moved the front door from round the side to give the house a front door, and even though electric gates prevent posty delivering to the door, we still had a letter box fitted ....just because!!!!

Looking to build a small 2 bed bungalow, and looking at many different layouts, but would prefer to have the 2 bedrooms at the front (its a quiet road) and living areas (kitchen and living room, not sure if open plan or not) at the rear to allow "modern" access to rear garden area. Most bungalows I have seen have the door on the side, but I seem to remember seeing a planning regulation that stated that the preference was to have a defined front door? I have seen one layout that would work, but would probably mean widening the bungalow a bit, maybe could off set this width by the length. Originally was planning a 6 x 10 (internal measurements), Any advice on links? Thanks

Actually just a quick Google search of air leakage new build gave me this http://propertytesting.co.uk/air-tightness-testing-cost/ and is saying £200-£300 at most. I was thinking near £1000 for some reasons like everything else is water connect, £1500, gas £700, drop kerb £1500 electricity £1800 i had seen air leave testing on programmes like grand designs where they are building passive heating houses and they effectively have to have them sealed like Tupperware boxes and though surely not all houses are like these.

I am all for tightening reg, but what I have been suplrised at is what in effect you get away with (legally) with building an extension compared to a single new build. just from my nature, my extensions have been built and insulated etc far above regs for not only long term cost savings but general condition, but I was even shocked at just the drawing price increases as again from my recent extensions which are far more complicated than a new built, just because it is classed as a new build and not an extension. So, so far my costs are , planning drawings, about £600, planning fee, £385, building regs drawings £500 and bc fee about £600 so ontop of this I need to have done , air leakage survey ? Heat loss calcs? Possible tree survey? And ground / soil????? any idea of these extra costs?

Hi, after some advice on a single property self build (standard block render construction). This bungalow will be 2 bed 6 x10m , I have built much larger extensions to my main house, but I am bewildered what I appear to be asked to do for a much smaller new build? air leakage, heat loss, water usage, tree and ground conditions . are these all required/ the expected?

Thanks for clarifying that. His price was including all materials

Yes, I should have clarified as vat on his labour. I have no issue if he is only labourer or just the bricky. I have seen his work and have managed enough projects to take on an unknown "builder" and not like on these cowboy builder programmes where the customer gives them all money up front and even pays to fix their van etc

I pi think you are saying if I use a none vat registered builder I don't pay vat? Is he is below threshold level? As builder I did get quote off said no vat! obviouly would have to pay vat on everything else,

Thanks I will give them a try. but if I can do the build fir what i am thinking if maybe £40k, I had gone upto £50k when I was doing build for myself buy as a rental, fixtures etc would be at lower spec. on the potential of rental, any rent will go to paying off loans etc, so likely to be paid off sooner and lot less interest than a mortgage of 20 odd years

Thankfully he is still alive. The benefit of an honest broker is bouncing ideas off him and him offering/ backing up my sensible thought, He said as not living it, pretty much rules out most self build and not many self build about now. He then stated talking about small scale development loans etc etc, to which he then just said you might as well get a loan and or credit cards for it! This was my other thought, but when your broker says it, it makes sense SO plan now is, to save up some cash and or loan and or credit card(s) I probably will do it in stages as when time/money permits as I nearly killed my self doing last extension and rental renovation. I just naturally assumed self building = self build mortgage but the simplest route is usually the best.

That's ok about the vat. my main reason for the self build is the finance issue also does the new stamp duty fir a second (or more ) home still apply to self build? Got hit with it last year. my broker got back to me this afternoon and said he dies stiff build so I gave him my ideas and will see what he can offer

Thanks or the reply. Nice that your budget is not a million miles from mine, even accounting for builder doing my shell, and your extensive drainage. Nothing too major for services etc connection, but still about £6 in services connections (water, gas, electric , drop curb, phone and sewerage). I guess like many things you can get away with but you never know. The house I have just bought last year and renovated was for my mothering law (who the bungalow was originally for). We looked at buy to let mortgages but actually told because a family member could not do buy to let, so ended up with a defined mortgage and used the cash as a very large deposit. I will look into the VAT claim back, and see. After all my recent building work and thought no more! But recent thoughts and savings etc for future I think this might be back on in a bit. I am just turned 40 and even if completed by 45 and rent out for 10 years, that will be a nice pot in the future (along with main house and other renter). Estate agents have said in future if sold main house, people buying would never notice bit of land missing if bungalow was then, plus in addition we have bought a strip out back as part of the pool extension. I have just contacted the mortgage broker I have used in past, but don't think he is into self builds. Thanks

Hi, I have enquired about building a small (6 x 10m) 2 bed bungalow in the far corner of my garden and have pre planning approval from my council. Initially I looked at building with cash, but bought another property which I rent out. I am now back on with building this bungalow, but looking at ways to finance it and thought a self build mortgage might be the way as I believe the mortgage company values it from plans on the final value? We already own the land, and mortgage company OK with the land split (although technically I would still own it all), as my plan would be to rent out the bungalow rather than sell. I estimate build costs to be ~£50K and final value of £150K. I will get a builder/bricky I have sued for previous work on my main property (double garage extension, kitchen extension, and indoor swimming pool) and then as with these projects I then did all fit out including plumbing and electrics (signed off), thus keeping contractor work to a minimum. I would be looking for a builder to in effect make a water tight shell, with only internal work to be skimming and maybe boarding. Any advise please?