Redoctober

I'm not sure if you are "overthinking" things here or not. Yes it is important to grasp the cost of materials but work hours is another thing altogether and in my experience few if any tradesmen work on "piece work" rates. Our plumber, electrician, window installer, builder, stone mason, plasterer and heating engineer all worked to a set price for materials and labour or labour only. I suppose bricklayers maybe different but not having used them on our build as such, it's hard for me to comment in that regard.

@Robert Clark I too have attached the spreadsheet I used. You may find it useful. Contract sum analysis - template.xls

We too used online estimators and found their figures to be very useful. It provided us with a ball park figure across various build routes and to be fair, the quotes provided weren't that far off. I would recommend them.

@joe90 we used this guy and found his services to be very professional, efficient and expeditious. No complaints at all, so hopefully you will have a similar experience.

Yes we had two drainage tests - One once the drains had been fitted and BEFORE they were buried and the second one was once the plumber had installed the sanitary ware. With us the BC asked for the drainage runs to be blocked up using rubber type bungs either end and then they were pressure tested with a bike pump type instrument [ excuse the terminology but thats what it looked like]. Our builder mentioned that some BCO's have a golf ball which they roll along the pipework to ensure there is sufficient run on them!

A message was sent via PM but for others who may be interested here are the details - As for the stone / render costs, I'm not sure how much render would have cost as we never proceeded down that route - it was always going to be stone. The cost of the stone worked out at as follows - Stones themselves - £70 per sq metre Unfortunately I no longer have any reference as to how much the lintels and quoins cost but my total overall spend on the exterior wall materials was £19,418.00 [No VAT] - On top of that I had the labour costs but again, his costs were incorporated within the builders general costs, so I had no breakdown of his actual costs.

Congratulations and welcome to the forum - Have a look at this link which is the latest I think to cover your question - Others might chip in with their views on MBC as and when. Good luck.

Yes I agree with @Crofter - we had additional insulation to install once the TF had been erected. This went on prior to the vapour barrier being fitted and then the service batons went on thereafter - hopefully these images attached will assist - the first shows the TF having been erected and the second one will show the additional insulation having been fitted, then the vapour barrier fitted and sealed. The service batons are then fitted followed by the plasterboard.

Yes welcome out of the shadows. What sort of build route are you taking - Contractor, Turn Key, DIY or a bit of everything? Shall look forward to this project unfolding and for the forum to work, please share experiences as well as asking questions. Good luck.

No idea as to the question but loving the graphic - great bit of software. Not seen that before. ??

Same as others above, we were given the name and number of the local Openreach guy. He supplied ducting and cable. Once done, they came and made the necessary connections and BT came to connect to the house - all free of charge.

@Amateur bob if you haven't already considered Fleming Homes, then I would urge you to do so. They provide various "packages" which might suit your intentions. We went with Flemings and employed a builder to do the groundworks / foundations prior to the framer arriving. We then employed a joiner to follow on once the frame had been erected by a team from Flemings. Take a look at my blog - it might help !

It's all about moderation - we are on a treatment plant and have conditioned ourselves to read the labels in more detail in relation to various products. We only use those that state they are "septic tank" friendly and bleach IS one of those products.

Sorry for the late comment but just catching up with various posts and blogs. I have to say that view and location you have secured is second to none. Photo two teases with glimpse. Are you working to a "move in date" or are you flexible? Good luck either way.

@nikki take a look at this web link - it might be useful if only to steer you towards further research / reading via the magazine itself. I'm not sure how current the prices mentioned are but it might be a start. This was one of the methods we used when we first set out trying to establish how much things might cost and whether or not they fitted within our budget. Good luck. https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/foundations-cost-guide/

Spreadsheet updated with my bits and pieces - thanks.

Well done, looks lovely and you have managed to avoid it looking to clinical which is often the way with such "accessible" bathrooms etc.

@Christine Walker we used this guy - https://www.albaatt.co.uk/ Comes from Perth - happy to travel and charged us £250 - excellent service and would fully recommend - @eandg Yes I believe it is a requirement and therefore something for you to budget for - £250 should see it.

We registered a B84 without MVHR.

Exciting times - good luck with the build and I look forward to seeing unfold. ?

Take a look at a website called paving expert - http://www.pavingexpert.com/drainage.htm Well used by members on this forum and they provide sound advice. Good luck.

@Wagas - Like @ragg987 We put the screed down over the UFH first as to allow plenty of time for it to dry out prior to the tiles going down. Sometimes an image or two helps. The two images show how the manifold was fixed to a wall, in the under stairs cupboard, prior to the walls being plastered and how it ended up afterwards.

Yes, wishful thinking I believe. During our build, I found the stage where the TF and roof where going on to be the least stressful part! They were taken care of by a team of erectors employed via the TF company so I had a degree of confidence in them. After that, it was down to me and the sub contractors. What helped me I believe, was our level of decision making beforehand - such as electrical points / sockets and lights etc. and the materials to be used internally. Try to avoid last minute decision making !! Good luck.

+1 to the above and that is with a main contractor.

Hi @selfbuildaberdeen and welcome to the forum. As you have already experienced, there is a lot of well intended advice available and sometimes the ride can be a bit bumpy. Just hold on tight and you will be fine. Now, MVHR - I pause to adjust my tin hat - last year we built a well insulated house without an MVHR - The reason we chose not to install one was due to cost, ongoing maintenance, our desire for a wood burning stove [ WBS] [possible balancing issues] and because we like to have the windows open whenever possible. In helping us come to that decision we visited a show home, built by Border Oak in the Shropshire / Herefordshire area. They chose not to install one and we found ourselves agreeing with the reasons they cited. The members suggesting an MVHR have no doubt good reason to bang that drum but for balance, we are now 6 months in and do not feel that we have missed out on any of the benefits they can offer. We received a EPC rating of B and our annual fuel bills - electric only - are expected to be sub £1000. Yes there are many variables to consider, location being one of them, but I just wanted to let you know there is life without an MVHR! As suggested very kindly by @Thedreamer, have a look at my blog for further details. oh, and good luck!