Brovashift

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm currently looking at that PVGIS tool shared above, looks very useful thanks, but just working my way through the "Getting Started" guide as it seems pretty complicated at first glance. This post was actually the result of a conversation yesterday after a few beers down the pub, just making the most of that sunshine before winter kicks in properly lol. I have been looking into off grid living i.e. completely off grid, no mains, and exactly what that would entail regarding; heat, water, waste, gas, and of course electric... and if its really feasible to live off grid with all the mod cons, and not turn into a complete Hill Billy lol. No offence to any Hill Billy's reading this post 😅 I'm in North Wales and so would look to buy land, assuming it is a realistic project, somewhere in the NE and surrounding areas. You posts having given me a lot to think about. Regarding system spec I have no idea at the moment, I am right at the beginning of a very long journey, still in the investigatory stage. I assumed that if I need X amount of power to run everything for 24hrs, and have a solar panel big enough to produce more than I need, or as mentioned small arrays, which I assume is several smaller solar panels? As well as adequate battery storage, and an automatic sun tracker to follow the sun for best angle. I still wonder if this would be enough, even on trickle charge days, to not have to rely on an expensive backup generator. Obviously if we were in a sunnier climate I'd have more confidence. This is the UK after all.

Hi all, I'm new to off grid living and currently in the investigatory stage, but I'm trying to find out how to calculate required power, based on power draw, and recharge rate, number of batteries etc. Ideally during winter months, so short cloudy days, working to the worst case scenario so that longer summer days should be covered. I have been looking at a 6000w solar panel kits just to experiment with, and seeing how long a 600w light will last on a single battery charge, and how long it takes to recharge, simply because I have a 600w light and ballast. If I had a 100ah battery would the light last 10hours? Pure guesstimation... I was thinking of doing some trial and error, but I'd prefer an easier and cheaper way of calculating this stuff from people more knowledge than myself, if possible. Thanks TIA

Haha... that made me laugh! Hope the guy was ok. Bet he felt like a right numpty lol. Tree in the kitchen lol, thats a new one. Last place I finished just before covid hit had no roof on the back, on the coast, and I roughed it and lived in. Doors used to blow open in the middle of the night. I can laugh about it now but at the time I was like wtf am I doing ?. Ended up being a long slog because it was everything from the roof to the drains, and everything inbetween. Majority on my jack jones as well, but sold in January (thanks Rishi Sunak) and now ready to get stuck into the next project. As long as I can understand the what and why, Im not phased by anything, ready to try and add dry rot to my repertoire. Or at the very least, have a guy that I call lol.

Im just going off what the auction house have stated, legal pack not yet available. Thats a good spot re the quoins, but looking on street view I think its original as next door is similar. My guess Would be that because that is a communal rear access, possibly to avoid damage from vehicles etc.

Ye they have been changed for new style bricks. That crack between the two windows is either movement or they have just done a shit job because they haven't knitted them back together. The crack runs between new and old bricks.

Thanks.... Im going back to the property next week to take some detailed photos and have a chat with a surveyor. It was too sunny yesterday for my camera, screen kept going dark! There are issues that need addressing, but wouldn't say its about to fall down. In my experience there's a solution to everything.... as long as it doesn't cost the earth! ?

Thanks for the replies. Just out of curiosity, are any of you time served builders, renovators, developers etc? Im assuming so. I am a time served joiner, but been out the site game about 10 years. Ive been renovating property since and so now consider myself a jack of all trades, master of none lol. But never dealt with dry rot before... The work I have described is only the lacky work, Id of course get professionals in for the important stuff, so it can be signed off with building control. My plan was to clear the place out, rectify the dry rot, do a strip and recover on the roof, and then re-access my options, whether to continue or put back into auction. Its obviously got a cheap price tag which gives scope to spend and still make profit. Thanks all.

Hi all, Im looking at a property (end terraced) going to auction thats being sold with dry rot, and a floor collapse clearly evident in one of the photos. I have been to the property to do an external viewing, internal viewings are not allow due to the structural condition, but from the outside I can see the corner of the building where the collapsed floor is there is a rain water pipe flowing on to the floor where the external brick meets the concrete floor of the front yard. The brick work of this corner, no more than 10 courses high, 5 or 6 bricks wide, looks to be either sinking slightly or the motar is just cracked/crumbled away, in a pyramid pattern, from wide at the bottom to single brick at the top. I am concerned about the likely hood of needing to under pin. Looking at the gable end of the property I dont see any major cracks, and any that are visible look hairline, some cracked motar in the usual step like fashion, with only 2 bricks that I can see with cracks through the middle. There are other small cracks around the property but I put this down to possible vibrations of passing trains, as the railway line is only approx 5 meters from the end of the rear yard. If I got the property my first course of action would be to remove all timbers from the room, hopefully adjacent rooms wouldn't be necessary. Redirect the rain water goods until a permanent solution could be done, perhaps connect to the 4" waste stack, as there doesnt seem to be any drians. Either clear and/or add additional air bricks for better air flow. Then get some specialists in to damp proof, before replacing the timber floor and treating, or treading and replacing, whichever way round. My question is; is dry rot capable of destroying brickwork, or is it just the motar? I can redo the motar and replace a few bricks. My concern is that the bricks might be affected which I'm guessing would mean rebuilding that bottom corner, which I am also assuming would need some temporary support from somekind of jack, like they use when underpinning. I know when putting a lintel in a non load bearing wall, in theory only a 60° or 90° triangle above should be able to drop out if you wernt to use acro props, because the rest of the brickwork should lean against itself supporting it. But even though this corner is a very small area, approx 6×10 bricks, its the bottom corner of the building with a lot sitting above it. Ive got a photo but its of the side wall, cant believe I drove all that way and didnt get a photo of the front. The drain pipe location can be seen in that corner that i think has caused the damage. There is also a noticeable crack to the rear of the property, between the downstairs and upstairs windows, seen in the attached photo. Gable end is to the right. At the time linked it to possible passing trains. Thanks

Its very early on in my self build journey, literally just a twitch in the brain... but Ive taken note and will bare that in mind, thanks.

Thanks, I'll take a look.

Im just wondering if anyone knows of any online sources of ready made plans for timber buildings? I have been toying with the idea of a self build for a while now and am just investigating options. I used to make oak frames in my 20s and that has always been the dream, to live in an oak framed house that I built myself. As this would be quite a physical and financial undertaking I was thinking of initially building something simpler, as Im sure I could build some of these flat pack versions that are available nowadays... and then building the dream home onsite over time. Lets just assume; land, planning, regs. are all in place and a non issue. Im not upto speed with all the latest regs, most efficient materials etc, and I know environmental is a big thing now... so was wondering if there was a library of timber framed plans somewhere for self builders perusal, that included e.g. materials, regs etc? Just as a starting point really to see whats achievable, and so I dont have to dig out my CAD 2006 lol. Probably wishful thinking but if you dont ask you dont get. Thanks.

Thanks for the replies guys, To be honest this is my first time looking into these kind of projects, and was only considering it after seeing the quality of some of these timber structures by companies on ebay of all places. Going off what you've said, to require planning for specific land use, and the structures inability to be moved easily (28 days), and the necessity for planning re ground works/water... might as well apply for full planning of a permanent structure, as I dont see any benefits to these 'caravan regs' that these companies use to make out like its easy. I had considered purchasing land with an old burnt down bungalow on, as the services would already be on site. But the £30k ish that some of these timber buildings cost would probably be better spent rebuilding the fire damaged bungalow. Thanks again.

Hi all, Im am interested in building one of those timber frame homes on some land that apparently do not need planning permission as they fall under caravan regulations due to them being considered non permanent structures. I was just wondering if anyone knows the situation with hooking up to services with one of these builds i.e. would hooking up to mains water, sewerage, main electric/gas etc. class this type of build a permanent structure, and so require all the usual stuff re planning applications? I dont know for sure, but would've thought for something like this to be covered under caravan regs alone it would have to function similar to a caravan, with regards to water and gas (bottles) anyway. My next question was going to be regarding 'cost'... If anyone knows about this stuff and can shed some light, it'd be a appreciated. Thanks Rob