CalvinHobbes

Ah Conor, he also told me your suggestion for the water connection was spot on - so you saved me min 400min . Thanks so much. Yes good point about Grenfell/Kingspan. Forgot about that.

So met the builder today who told me we should have our quote on Friday. He went on to explain that when it comes to insulation, although the architect has specified certain brands like Kingspan that sometimes he may have to swap for another comparable brand due to supply issues. He then went on to point out that the insulation brands all tell the builders merchants they will have price increases say for example on Monday at 8am. He said they all did it simultaneously and it happened regularly. Is that not cartel behaviour? Is it allowed?

Thank you so much, seriously chuffed with that.💃 The flow was fine for the cottage that was there. The main thing is that I don't then have to do anything right now about it. The building can start with them using the water source that's in place .Cheers.

Thanks. 4 bathrooms and the water has to rise up a steep slope. Just wondering - why do we need a NEW connection? Like right now we have one (in the house we are about to demolish) Can we not just redirect the pipe on our land to the edge and link it to a tap for building?

Just applying for our connection. Unsure which to go for.

Been looking at everything from this https://www.farmstream.co.uk/products/farmstream-360?variant=39283563790382 to this https://www.wyze.com/products/wyze-cam-outdoor?related_selling_plan=41618559008930

So waiting for date for wires to be disconnected and temp consumer unit to go up. Considering mounting a videocam beside it on back wall on a pole. I appreciate too I have to get builder to sign agreement it will be recorded/filmed (is there particular wording?) Any recommendations for a camera? Thanks.

Did you decide? We are in a similar boat.

Thank you Gus, you don't know how much I needed to hear that.

Some more pics

I passed this today so stopped to take a few pics. Thought you might like a look. https://www.propertypal.com/the-qube-hazelwood-avenue-prehen-park-derry/632137

Thank you all so much, the guy at the power company is very good and has been really helpful too. I have sent him this and what the lady at HMRC has told me so hopefully he can update it. Temp great tip about the VAT forum, I will submerge myself in it!

The bill is £3817.12, £636.19 is vat. Will we be able to reclaim any part of that? I saw this thread but there

A lot of studios getting decommissioned, for example LWT on the Southbank. Perhaps recycle one of theirs?

Waiting for NIE to remove some wires then we should be starting, just wondering was there anyone here in this region just about to start actual building. It's taken quite a while to get PP sorted. Would love a gander at other sites that are block and self build but round here it's mostly commercial or wood framed estates.

Twice, what would you recommend for a self builder?

Had a chat with the planner at the power company today we have a 3 phase pole smack in the middle of our intended driveway. He explained if it was on our property they would move it for free if it washindering development but since I don't think it is on our land, we would have to pay. Then I pointed out there was a stay for it on our property (which we don't receive payment for)and he said I could do an application because of the stay. He has heard of it being successful before though he didn't sound uber hopeful. He said it would be up to an engineer (higher level). Anyone else have experience of similar? I also pointed out the pole has been there a long time and probably needs replaced. 😬

So was I. He said he knew of people who had dry rot 20 years after building and so regretted it. He specifically said it could be in the block.

He said to get clean coarse stone that comes out of a quarry to stop transferring the dry rot in the old cottage into the new build, he said it comes up over the side. He also said I could use the cottage rubble for the driveway. Thinking now - the new house won't have a wooden frame, it is block so surprised.

The architect has put in a zinc roof and cladding around the 1st floor. A builder who hasn't given me a quote yet did a lot of huffing and puffing, shaking his head and fixing me with a somber look....it's gonna be very expensive, you will need specialised contractors to put it on too. Sheesh, another builder who I know spent years doing roofing (and has a great reputation) is also preparing a quote. I hope he isn't as dramatic. As a fallback, any other options than zinc?

Brilliant, a plan most cunning!

Wow, that would be brill, it's on the same planning grant. Still might do the foundations anyway to stop needing a digger again. Thankyou Temp again!

That is brilliant , cheers.

Hello, so we have to get electric wires from front of old house down and @Conorwisely suggested to save expense we get in a consumer unit at the same time. NIE networks asked me where to site it, I asked the architect who said at the rear of the property on the corner. Thing is there is no wall there (it's currently a dropped kerb), but there is a newly erected fence. Can you put one on a fence? Is that mad? We haven't appointed a builder yet since waiting on quotes so can't ask them. Also it can take 12 weeks from the date of the order till it's done so want to push on. Sorry for all the questions.

Hi, we have pp for a separate garage but with increased costs may cut our cloth and drop it to a later date. I presume pp is only for 3 years. How much would we need to erect to keep the pp indefinitely? I suppose while the digger is in it make sense to start it.