Redoctober

Hi - it's not a problem as such. The Scottish Building Regs make great play on new builds having to have what they call a "level access" for wheelchair users and this can sometimes be problematic when planning / designing the house of your dreams etc. I just raise this issue with regards to your drawings, as there doesn't appear to be any such provision.

Looks great but simply out of interest and curiosity, how do you overcome the "level access" requirement for building Regs? I'm in Scotland so the regulations maybe different north of the border!

@canalsiderenovation how about putting in an over sized doorstep type board which sits above the finished floor?

No suggestions sorry but an interesting post in as much we a,re in the process of putting our sons flat on the market. The Estate Agent - 20 years experience - was saying that he has noticed a trend in the past 3-4 months whereby he has had more downgraded market valuations than in the past 20 years put together. It seems the RCIS are getting stricter with their valuations or are reacting to pressure from elsewhere?

This looks a fantastic bit of kit - I was only pondering the other day how best to paint the gable ends - I thought of a cherry picker but dismissed it due to the likelihood of it curning up my lawn etc. But this beast could be the answer. Thanks for sharing - Out of curiosity , what is the hire rate ?

Hi @Charlotte sounds as if you are on the right tracks before committing to a plot of land as you definately want to try and identify all "costs" beforehand. Estimates for Water connections and Electrical connections are paramount and various "estimates" can be gathered by asking members their experiences but remember not all plots are the same! BT should be able to get you connected for free providing there are no "substantial issues" with doing so. Look into getting a soil strength and porosity test done - this will be needed for foundations and also SEPA. Inform SEPA of your intentions and get registered with them as you will need that certification to all ow you to install a treatment plant etc once the build starts. Not only that, SEPA can advise you as to what sort of discharge they will accept for the plot. I appreciate my figures are a few years out of date now but have a look at this part of my blog for an indication of the likely costs one could incur depending upon circumstances.

Guys I appreciate the comments but for clarity, this thread is about 2 years old now and was recently added to by a newish member being steered to the blog. He kindly "liked" it, which caused it to pop up on the current threads so to speak. That said, we are still enjoying it, thanks. ?

Well that is interesting. Personally I don’t think that that is a bad price?. What sort of figure where you hoping for or do you think you could get it in for?

Teaser....................... Me and Mrs W just played a game with by not scrolling down until we had guessed!! Anyway - between £9.5 & £13k ?

Prompted by @daiking comment, I have read this thread as I seem to have missed it first time round. Probably up to my knees in self build stuff. Anyway, for what it is worth I too looked into pressure washers and felt that for the once a year usage it would get on the patio - [Not an advocate for using them on cars] I couldn't really justify the up front capital expenditure. Instead, I hired one from the local hire company - Unbelievable - it cost me £40 for the day and they provided what can only be described as an industrial one - it was petrol driven and arrived on a set of 4 wheels which made movement all that bit easier. I was so pleased I will be using them again this year and on top of that, I could probably use them again for the next couple of years before being out of pocket.

Hi @WWilts - Perhaps you do need to explore possible "turnkey" routes or as you say, employ a Builder who will take on that responsibility too. Your build doesn't sound as if it really needs a PM on board - It sounds as if your circumstances are making you feel you need one. The things you list such as drawings, quantity estimates / programme of works and even a contract can all be sorted / sourced individually by yourself. I'm sure if you asked for the collectives experiences on these matters, then you may find yourself emboldened to undertake them yourself. If that is all you are looking for from a PM, then I would suggest you don't need one. Take a look at my blog - you will see that although I was on site the majority of the time my duties amounted to no more than making decisions, sourcing materials and sweeping up. No PM employed - just me and I am no different to anyone else undertaking a self build of the nature you describe. Good luck.

mmm. The word "value" complicates your arguement I feel. How can you or indeed anyone, say that a TV [for example] couldn't be "most" valued thing in someones life and therefore justified? Making any decision to purchase any item has to be considered carefully. Such as house building - It depends what one is building for. Is it to sell on for profit in the very near future or indeed next few years? Is it a forever home? These are the sort of considerations one has to be mindful of when purchasing anything I would argue. So you are right to say that looking at it from a cost prospective alone, is wrong but in that equation one has to consider "value" and "justification"

Good for you - reading between the lines, it seems the back stories have there own issues but the main thing is you are now in a position to push forward and realise your dreams. I'm sure your Dad is proud of you. Enjoy the build and I will look forward to seeing this unfold over the coming year. Good luck. ?

Yes, this was certainly the case in Le Ger's region, albeit some 10 - 12 years ago when we were frequent visitors to the MIL's who had renovated an old watermill in the area.

Hi sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I'm unable to check my photo library at the moment but from memory, the studs went into the base then the insulation went down, followed by the UFH. The liquid screed eastern poured. ?

@Mrbehr - welcome to the forum. Sounds an interesting and exciting project. Be sure to ask any questions as the advice and guidance on here is usually awesome! Do you have any plans as yet which you could share ?

I suppose the correct thing to do would be not to fit carpet as to ensure you get the maximum benefit from the UFH - But, things like personal taste etc., come into the equation which makes decision making that bit more difficult. We too enjoy having carpet down and we have done so, in the sitting room and bedrooms - all of which have UFH heating fitted. We chose an underlay and carpet with fairly low TOG values in order for them to "work" with the UFH as opposed to working against it. I have to say we do not feel we have suffered as a result. The rooms are warm enough and I suppose it just underlines that such things as UFH, Floor coverings etc. need to be considered in the whole, together with a well insulated house, which is either air tight or fairly airtight.

Beautiful and the views aren't that bad either?. Cracking job - hope you feel proud of what you have achieved?

Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting. Good luck with your project but maybe the following would be useful for other members to know about. Which TF company are you going with? How much of this work are hoping to do yourself etc? Have you experienced any issues getting to this point? Being in Scotland and the need for a Building warrant, did you do this yourself or did you employ some professional services? Enjoy.

Yes, no doubt lessons will be learnt regardless of the outcome of this current "issue" - I can't comment on whether or not it is a fair price but surely you would have had a discussion of some sort about "likely" costs involved. If so, how much difference is their final bill to that what was discussed? I can't believe you just "agreed" to get the job done and then he has handed you the bill without some sort of expectation.?

Yes, I agree with @Bozza although one other consideration to factor in would be your long term intentions. Are you looking to sell in the near future or making it a "forever" home. So many variables to consider.

Plus 1 on this.

???

Very much agree with the above but I have also read that Oak doors should not be subjected to the elements. They should be protected by a porch of some description or recessed somewhat to provide that protection.

No one wants to spend more money than they have to but as you say, there are somethings that are worth investing in over others. For us, the whole UFH and DHW system was an area we wanted to "invest" in, in order to minimise the risks of things going wrong or being installed incorrectly etc and to have peace of mind. That comes at a price sadly. As for the size of your cylinder, you make a good point and one to be mindful off. That said, how many people will be occupying the property on a regular basis? We have a 170 litre tank and for the two of us that is more than adequate. When quests arrive, we just "manage" shower times and have never been without hot water.