flanagaj

Anyone have a recommendation for a good bombproof wheelbarrow that might survive the beasting of a self build project?

The graph clearly states that it's using tender prices and main contractor. That is of course going to cost you considerably more than managing the contractors you need and doing the rest DIY.

If you are in the know, it's amazing what you can achieve using birch ply and vacuum bag veneering, all of which are something I am able to do. I have no intention of spending > 10k for a kitchen. Just no need.

We are on a tight budget < £1500/m2, but I intend on doing a lot of the work myself. Kitchens / bathrooms, plumbing, carpentry... I was a cabinet maker in a previous life. I just wanted to add that, as I know some on this forum are banding around figures of £2500+/m2 for a self build, and I simply am not buying those figures. The reason for the post is to try and understand what is it that you need to avoid when trying to create a contemporary design. I assume lots of steel (cantilever) and glass will eat into the budget, but if I was to show the designs below Ignore the balcony and the fascia on the top as I wouldn't want those. Drop the cantilever on the left hand side Could these be done on a budget or is it simply impossible?

It was more to do with the sorting of the material post demolition. The digger will as you say rip it all down in no time, but then I'll have a huge pile of wood, metal, insulation, polycarbonate roof sheets which will need sorting? Or will a grab lorry company happily just load it as is into the truck?

Cordless wouldn’t work as I wouldn’t have any means of charging the batteries whilst working on site. The digger is an option, but then I’m left with loads of trashed timber that I need to then load into a skip. I thought skip rules recently changed so that you cannot dispose of treated/painted timber in a general waste skip.

I've got a massive amount of wooden building demolition to do, and am planning on using a 240v (I don't want 110v and will use an RCD) reciprocating saw. Only issue is that there currently is no electricity on site. So I am after a generator that is quiet to power said too.

Can I ask who you used?

Now we have purchased a plot, I am unsure what insurance I should get if any, before development starts. We are most likely putting in a new planning application, so it could be months before any construction works start. So any insurance is to protect us from some trespassers injuring themselves and then trying to sue us. Do we just need Public Liability for now?

Thanks very much. You’ve given some very useful information there and most likely saved me wasting money by immediately engaging with an Architect.

Thanks. So consult with a planning consultant, before engaging with an Architectural Practice.

Can you share anyone who is coming in at £100m2 as I've had quotes > £150m2 and I cannot fathom how they've arrived at that price.

The plot we have just purchased comes with full PP and all that is left to do is a few minor amendments and for the Architect to do the drawings for building regs. So from that perspective, we have already saved a large amount of time / money. However, we are not overly sold on the design and feel that it is basically what the seller of the plot wanted to build (very similar to their property). The property sits in an AONB, but it is is quite a distance from the neighbouring property and we are trying to deduce whether the planners may be open to a two storey flat roof uber contemporary dwelling or whether it's wood cladding / clay tile roof and a dwelling that is in keeping with the surroundings. Not sure how to proceed, or whom to approach. We don't have thousands to throw at a new planning application if the planners won't go for it, but then again, we don't want to build what has been granted, only to then think "Could we have got a more contemporary design approved" I was contemplating arranging a meeting on site with the Duty Planning Officer, but was concerned that when they speak with a layman, the might say "forget it, you won't get that", but if it was an Architect / Planning Consultant, they might know that they cannot pull the wool over their eyes so easily.

No. It’s 18000 clay tiles. Roof is 300m2

Did you install the seam sealed roof yourself, and if so, can I ask what you paid /M2. I am hoping I can get this to come in cheaper than a clay tile roof. Just the thought of laying 18000 clay tiles makes me shudder.

Was hoping the later, but if not, I'd be happy to spend more to get it right.

Ouch. Looks like I am way off with the budget. We are not looking for it to be Architect managed, but more to do with enabling us to create something very contemporary that the planners will like, and to a budget that works.

I am trying to understand whether Architects always base their fees on a percentage of the build cost or whether some will give you a fixed price to do the drawings, submit the planning application and then do the drawings for building regs. We are finally exchanging and completing on our first plot on Friday, and my wife and I have decided that we want to try for a more contemporary designed dwelling. The current dwelling is 200 M2 and we don't intend on increasing that. Just looking to try and switch from clay tile to standing seam sealed roof and hidden guttering .. Happy to spend 10k to get it right, and wondered whether that's a realistic budget?

Google is my friend. "However, if that plot forms part of the gardens or grounds of an existing dwelling it is deemed to be residential property even if it is bare land. This is because ‘residential property’ means a building used or suitable for use as a dwelling or in the process of being constructed or adapted for such use. Crucially, the grounds or gardens will count as part of the dwelling. So, if the plot you are purchasing forms part of an existing gardens or grounds of a house tax is payable at the residential not non-residential rates."

I've checked that, but it wasn't very clear as I'm not sure what a building plot is classed as. Maybe it doesn't matter and although it's a plot it's simply calculated as residential.

After 20 years we are finally ready to exchange on our first building plot and I am not sure what SDLT we should be paying. Our solicitor first said that 350k purchase price equates to 5k, then he said he'd made a mistake and it was actually 7k and now on the final paperwork it's 5k again. I don't think the solicitor has done land sales before. Sigh. Can anyone actually confirm whether it's 5 or 7k. We are in rented and we don't own another property.

haha. Funny, but not pleasant. I am going to be doing the installation myself for this very reason.

I've probably answered my own question here, but I am assuming that so long as you have your FFL datum point for the new dwelling, then installing your sewage treatment plant / drainage field is done simply by deducing the proposed location of the treatment plant, and the associated run length of the pipe to determine the corresponding invert level and associated fall. We are hopefully (if planning allows) putting a static caravan on site and will need the sewage treatment / drainage field to be in place before development starts, and I am just trying to deduce the best way of getting it right so that it works for both the new house and the static caravan. The only potential issue, is that the caravan is going to be sited on the opposite side of the tank and this will mean an interesting pipe setup, as it will have to at some point perform a 180 degree change in direction so that it can feed into the inlet side of the tank. Not sure if this is a problem, or whether I need to consider trying to move the tank.

Boom boom.

She has her heart set on an island. Seems to be the way to a woman's heart.