Thedreamer

Thanks that's really useful.

I had considered this previously. http://www.earthsaveproducts.com/product/waste-water-heat-recovery-unit/ Do you use this in your house? This might sound like a stupid question but do you know if you can link a shower and bathroom to the one waste water recovery device?

Thanks firstly for the helpful comments. I'm a first time builder and this our first step on the house ladder and therefore have to be realistic as to my budget. I'm building in Skye so pretty limited with mortgage lenders. The house is a 1.5 storey (138sqm in total). My hot water system will be a ecocent heat recovery system. I plan to heat the house with a stove and some portable backup electric heaters in the winter. We will most likely have a split heat/air con unit in our main living area. My design is a slight modification of a house that was built previously and I was able to check with the owner as to how often he needed heating and how the ecocent has performed. If I reach Ecology minimum standard I would like to invest any contingency left in PV or possibly a micro small wind turbine and perhaps boost the SAP rating further before completion. Thanks Kerry

Hi everyone, I need to achieve a SAP rating of 85+ to achieve lending on a Ecology self build mortgage. Would anybody be able to offer a view as what would be the most cost effective way to achieve this target? Thanks Kerry

What type of foundation will go for? Are you able to sit the trenches within the compacted hardcore?

Hopefully your over come this and look back on this as a small set back. I had one today myself, but I know I'll over come it. Although they are a necessary evil for many self builders, it's never a good match, when on your side it's dreams, energy, passion and on theirs it just a click on the computer and a no thanks.

Thanks everybody, it's been useful to hear from others regarding this. Being in Scotland, lenders are pretty limited, but I note that Ecology one lender who offer in Scotland, this on their website. Does Ecology require a particular build warranty on completion of my self-build? A build warranty is not a mandatory lending requirement of our mortgage and we are happy with a Building Regulation Completion Certificate. However, if you wish to take out a build warranty for the completion of the property then this is acceptable to the Society.

Just did a quick quote for a structural warranty and the quote was £5,000 (the property is 140sqm and estimated build cost £150,000), that seems mental to me. Just out of interest how many forum members took out warranties when starting their self builds for their own homes, i.e. not expecting to sell for a long time or ever? My plan was to go with a self build mortgage provider and then on completion move onto their own standard residential product. Kerry

If your supplier is registered under the VAT flat rate scheme, then the following should happen: If the supply provided, qualifies as being zero rated as site preparation costs, then they should issue an invoice to you which shows VAT charged at 0%. The supplier's own VAT records will be based upon what ever the flat rate % is for their industry. My understanding is the flat rate % is based on a composite of standard, reduced or zero rated supplies averaged within a particular industry, unless they are operating as a limited cost business in which it's case it always 16.5%.

Okay, see now regarding your drainage. I hope to have a soakway for our waste water and for our rainwater we will probably just dig a ditch to let it run down the croft.

I would suggest holding off any building works until you have secured your mortgage. We have found that the limited number of building societies that offer finance for self builds in Scotland apply quite a high 'stressed rate' of interest. Often the lenders provide rough estimates of your borrowing multiples on their websites, however it really once you have completed the affordability assessment that your have an indication of your potential borrowing from a lender. After decrofting our house site, we applied for planning and then put in the services and our access road. These works can be undertaken before you apply for a mortgage and in the worst case scenario your really only adding value to the plot. Electricity connections can be costly if you have to go back to a transformer. Just out of interest what are your drainage costs?

Hi Crofter, We've building on my wife's croft in Ellishadder, Staffin. Whereabouts is your build on Skye? Thanks Kerry

Hi, I'm starting a self build in Skye next spring. I've got services and planning for our site, currently working on the best mortgage for us. Thanks Kerry

Thanks Peter.

https://www.fibrecast.uk/ I think these guys do superfast wireless broadband in the North East of Scotland. I'm in Skye and we are not due to get superfast broadband any time soon.

Thanks JSHarris and Pro Dave, I'll have a good scroll through your blogs. I find the blogs to be a great way to see a breakdown of a self build. I hope to start a blog soon for my own build. Just seen the mezanine floor on your house Dave, looks good and I would imagine it will be a great place for kids to play. Cheers Kerry

Hi, I'm currently at the stage of arranging mortgage finance. I've had a chat with an advisor at BuildStore who suggested a mortgage with the Newcastle Building Society. Today I also spoke with an advisor from the Scottish Building Society. Anybody have any experience with either of these two? I'm self building in Skye, so I'm leaning to the Scottish Building Society, as they seem to have more experience in dealing with decrofted sites etc and I don't have to go through an intermediary like buildstore. Very few lenders appear to offer mortgages to Scottish Self Builders and even less to the 'Isles' (despite Skye having a road link). Other lenders open to me appear to be: Halifax - through an intermediary (I heard that a large exit charge exists when switching the product at the end) Ecology - seems to be a good organisation to deal with, but my product is going to be up to Scottish Building Regs rather than passive house rating. I had an initial telephone call with them and I was hoping they would factor in our environmental friendly lifestyle as well as the property, but sadly just based on SAP rating. I would love to spend money on environmentally friendly features in the house but I just don't have the funds for this as I'm in my early thirties with a young family. Scottish Government revolving credit fund managed by Highland Rural Community Trust - my only concern with this fund is that you have to find a lender quickly after the fund finishes or you get charged 9% interest. Some lenders appear to not provide traditional mortgages on properties less than two year's old. Thanks Kerry

That sounds an interesting way to gain that extra bit of height. So your house has a large beam of wood/steel running across the top, as opposed to the little triangle (not sure of the technical term) that you get at the top of the trusses. I always had in my head that the ducting for heat ventilation system would always run in the small loft space, do you have a system like this in your build and do you presumably just have this in the coombs instead?

Hi, Has anybody completed or in the process of building a 1.5 storey property? I just wondered if the costs per square meter of the building, can be reduced slightly, as the attic trusses basically form the structure of the first floor? Thanks Kerry

Thanks I search on google for self build blogs and articles so I think this forum was maybe picked up in a search.

Hi everyone, I was briefly on e-build last year and then it became inactive about a month later after joining. It's great that this forum exists, so thanks for the members who put this together. I'm hoping to start my self build in Skye next March. The house structure will be a 1.5 storey timber frame. Thanks Kerry