Oz07

The 45k over price is a not interested price just forget them. Keep trying to find people you have a connection to. Building is quiet atm

What are your labour figures for superstructure in that estimate? 400m2 blockwork around 8k 7k bricks around 5k 13k Is that anywhere close?

What estimator did you use. 3 weeks sounds a bit quick to me but I've not seen or can't remember the plans or elevations. Whats your quantities or brick and block. If you were to allow maybe 75 pence a brick and 2 quid a block down your way does that get you somewhere in the ballpark? Very rough and im not sure of rates your way. With regards to getting some decent quotes try to get an introduction or reccomendation off other trades or previous customers. That way your not a cold calling random you're ringing them up saying I know X who's extension you built or I know X plumber who has worked with you guys says you do a decent job etc

Tbf who is going to self build anything other than detached?

I think their planning is a lot more zoned than over here. I assume providing you build within certain parameters planning is automatically given. No silly planners going on about vernacular on a modern estate. You look at the quality of design of houses here before planning was brought in (1940s?) vs after. Which houses look better?

Woah hold your horses. Should we check it out first?

Let's hope OP has a commercial bread oven to hand 🤣

Do you mean structurally or thermally? Structurally if they've lasted this long then should be fine. Must have quite a few intermediate walls? Thermally as @ProDave says be a hell of a lot better than nowt. Some modern houses still have 4" in the cavity.

You'd be closer to 4 quid a meter or thereabouts where I live but difficult to say for Scotland

What do you bed your trays on @Nickfromwales

Can you pull your paths away from wall of house by like 2 or 300mm?

Dunno if short for owt but yeh midlands.

Compo here. As in "COMPO ON THE GABLEEEE" no please or thankyous.

I had tanking peel off 1 wall before tiling once. It was the external wall and I wonder if the plaster hadn't dried enough to accept tanking. I stanley knifed up 1 corner and peeled it off in sheets. The 2 other stud walls were fine. It must need a good dry surface to adhere properly. Ive used it on other projects no problem but usually on stud walls

Aco in the potential pond then. Most bco would want to see dpc 150mm higher than external ground id have thought