saveasteading

Bad choice of words...not more than 1.5 storeys and looking traditional. We got a long way towards buying a plot with that spec. Established that the planners seemed to be happy with slate effect tiles. As ProDave says, with stone and timber cladding, is yours 'contemporary'. The Moray (or was it Aberdeenshire) planning guidance is very strong about not having fake masonry effect render at corners and doors. I agree as it looks very suburban. Have you done it or seen it done? How well does it work?

We looked at projects in Morayshire, and everything new there had to be 1.5 storey with white render. They call it wet-dash there, which I would have called roughcast. But in my experience roughcast is pebbles thrown at a newly cement rendered wall whereas wet dash involves flinging a ready-mix of pebbly mortar at the wall and hoping it sticks.(there are special tools rather than using handfuls) then painted white. This wetdash idea seems simple and eminently diy, will bridge over board joints, and can be patched if necessary. There are videos on youtube. Will it stick to an external board? I would think no problem with a cement board.

Running your own business brings its own stresses and pleasures. Everything is up to you, and you need to think as a business as well as a designer. Invoicing, collecting payments, tax returns. You have to jump when a client wants you. Nobody else to share burdens or quandaries with No money sometimes Overdue payment sometimes Very difficult to take holidays. But The stresses of solving your own problems are very different to in-house differences and doing as instructed. (I am saying less stress, others may disgree) If you make money it is yours Job satisfaction if all goes well. Possibility of growing to a bigger practice and you still earn the money while on holiday Great to have your own business employing who you want.

More on my own response. I would be interested in counter-thoughts. Have just cleared my gutters of moss that had lost its grip and tumbled. (gutters are at 8') 1 bucket load, onto the garden or into the compost: it is almost ready-made compost. It got me thinking. Whatever is the matter with having moss, and anyway it is outweighed by benefits? Against having moss May appear untidy in some mindsets, or the impression to neighbours of not caring. May block the gutters if not cleared Some think it damages the tiles. Could cause seepage into a damaged roof. requires an annual clearing of gutters (but this is easy with the right equipment working from the ground). may reduce air-flow through and under the tiles. For leaving the moss/ against clearing it It is a green roof, much sought after by some: absorbing sunlight, capturing carbon absorbing water slowing the flow of water into the drains and rivers attracting insects and birds appears mellow and characterful clearing involves either pressure wash or very long poles, which can damage tiles may involve bleaches and herbicides which run into drains and onto garden. pressure washer may force moss into drains lots of water used. Notes the moss is in clumps but never more than 100cm2, and maximum 20% coverage on the 'worst' slope. The only aspect of roof that has lots of moss is facing East. South and west get frazzled in the summer and never quite recovers. north doesn't get enough light. As to the tiles wearing away, I think they have been on there for 80+ years.

Yes but.... Perhaps that is the biggest issue. Wages are silly high and skills are sadly lacking. Keeping the building very simple will be essential. More info needed from you. Architect led or yourself? What relevant skills do you (or friends and family) have? Will you project manage: Several hours every day from now til finished. Are you planning to do any construction yourself. I think the answers, and their effect on cost, are self explanatory.

Foam insulation is horrible, and could cause problems, but the house is not worthless. Superfoil appears to be overhyped but is a quick improvement for some situations (attic, garden shed). It does not 'wrap' any timber and it can usually breathe on the other side. The Aldi pic is an unheated attic. so for storage that won't cause much issue, but if turned into sneaky occupied room it could be a big problem.

I agree with most above. I've done major refurbs several times and there have always been nasty surprises, and I had seen plenty of challenges but was still caught out. Usually the surprises are a previous owner/ builder bodges. I don't regret any of the decisions because the result was good for us/family to live in and commercially sound too. So if you are expert and hands on , you might risk a repair. But, a bungalow gets extended upwards to avoid moving, not as a commercial decision. And commercially, this would always be a converted bungalow, with a ceiling to its resale value. Better a modern customised house. If you need an Architect, start from there. questions on kitchen suppliers are a long way down your list, so ask again next year. But I think the vote on here at the moment is towards Howdens which is good enough for most people. For best value house, just make sure it is easy to build....and we can all help with that. You should start with what you want from your NEW house.

Rainfall at Wick is officially 'LOW'. about 2/3 of that in Preston. But wind will drive rain inside if it can, so attention to detail will be very important....I mean design, as you are obv building it yourself with great care.

My term I think. The solum is the ground surface beneath the floor, whether sat upon or exposed. In a suspended floor situation it involves a dpm under a rough concrete or stone covering to keep it in place, and the dampness is excluded. Not sure whether it is in the English reg's. No drainage. Old timber floors tend to be in much better condition when there is this subfloor.

Quite right. Also it is difficult to do well by spray without close access, Spraying water up from below can get under the tiles and into the house. Scraping gently gets the big lumps off....and a great substitute for compost. There is nothing wrong with a few bits of moss left on the roof, and it will be back soon enough. Plus the moss attracts insects and then birds.

Awful for you. Keep recording and keep messaging them. No chance over the weekend I expect.... remind them of that too, that it was important to keep the Friday promise Is it mugs., or buckets per day? Is the water clear or coloured?

This incudes one of my great hates: percentage of build cost. This example states 8% for commercial work. Most of my business (retired) was picking up unaffordable projects and reworking them to the original stated budget. Typically a £2M best tender price from others and 'could we do it for £1.3M'. Usually yes. The poor client had already shelled out for lots of consultants who were then paid off and not involved further. So if that example had gone ahead with the architects design they would have charged 8% of 2M = 160,000. That covered our inhouse (Architects and Engineers) and external design and the oh &p, within the £1.3 example for complete design and build. No corners cut btw, just knowing how to build things and what stuff costs. So what is the client to do about rising costs (usually inherent in the design) that make the architect a higher fee? The worse the cost control the higher the fee. If I was a very cynical architect working on %, I would involve lots of consultants to do the work at client's expense, include expensive specialist contactors likewise, and go to main contractors who charge a lot but don't need supervision.. That makes more money for less work. And they call me cynical. Moral. Get a fixed price quote and scope of work.

I think Autocad has a button for the wobbly line option. Or the magic words 'do not scale', and the dims are excluded. If you mentioned it I missed it . Are you ARB? That allows some premium.

I would hazard 25%

I have worked with Architects some good, some not) who worked with straight lines , but then only issues wobbly line tracings. This was because 1. It looked more artistic 2. nobody could expect to scale off it and blame them for any errors. Part qualified? I don't mind that if they are working on Part 3. By that stage they have done maybe 6 years study and practical, so they should be respected. Being in RIBA is normally aiming for 'best practice' and they do organise training.

Water goes where it can, so when that is all filled in it will not have that hole to fill. Is your floor going to be suspended or ground-bearing? If on the ground, any water just stays under the dpm and there is no issue. If suspended then a protected solum is a good idea. More a Scottish detail but I would do it anywhere if it seemed wet.

Agreed. and they are used to working hard. It comes down to the individual.

I see a string line, hooray. Get them to fill the perpend joints. The wall is supposed to be solid. Nice bond joint at cross wall: not many would do that.

I too am surprised not to see orange strings to provide line and level. Lo-tech but it works. Have they taken them down?

Ouch! A lot of people are wrong but you are right?* I have been thinking on this while walking in the sun. This is not the forum where you will meet your clients. Self-builders do so for very specific reasons. 1. Cost saving 2. Control 3. Hands on 4. A dream The first three appeal to people who will take a chance, be immersed in their own project, and be watching detail, quality and cost closely. Almost by default they don't want or need to be hand-held throughout by a single party. Some will be know-alls that don't take advice. Others will be exploring every aspect and wanting to now why, why, why. Most will be earnestly striving for a good job at a very cheap price. Your market is therefore to do a simple design (most likely tidying up a provided sketch) and leave, but technicians are doing this already for low fees. Or to do amazing flights of fancy where budget is irrelevant, and lovely big fees follow, but these clients are not on here. *actually this isn't your fault it is taught at uni. I have come across quite a few who think they are special, almost in inverse proportion to their skill and value.

They will accept a design by a Chartered Engineer. The individual BCO is likely to have it looked over by another SE, and doesn't have the qualifications (or any thought ) to dispute it with them.

A battery powered windmill? No, it is all hypothetical, I won't be getting a wind turbine?

A local SE will know the makeup of the ground, and if that material found, provides certainty of what is beneath. eg If they have hit stone and stopped, is the stone there in bands or solid. The survey company might have stopped in this kinowledge.

A full kit of dumpy and legs and staff costs £200. but you need an assistant. Good fibre tapes, £30 to £50.

true. There is nearly always a wind even in harbour. but on a shed roof in the right spot, just to run the led lights.