Redoctober

Certainly beat the day job that's for sure!

Yes, thanks. We have a site meeting over the next or so with the TF company ahead of their delivery. They seem to think it will be OK but a site visit will confirm it I'm sure.

Yes, after years of dreaming, thinking, researching and waiting, work finally started on our first self build project. After a couple of false starts due to the builder having to finish a job that over ran and the arrival of the better weather, we eventually broke ground on Wednesday 18th April, two days later than anticipated. Annoying yes, but then what can you do? It’s only two days and it’s important to maintain a relationship with your builder. Nonetheless, we are now ready to do the foundations, which start W/C 23rd April. The sheer amount of top soil removed was somewhat overwhelming. The site had to be stripped down to what is called the sub soil – the firm clay stuff and therefore everything above it had to be removed. We had allocated a spot within the plot to store the topsoil but we soon realised that this space wasn’t going to be enough! Thankfully, the neighbouring farmer allowed us to deposit the remaining topsoil, in the field directly next to our plot. He will no doubt make use of it over the coming months but I have to say, if he hadn’t allowed us to do that, we would have had no choice but to hire in a fleet of tipper trucks with grabbers attached. Imagine the expense of that !! Anyway, the top soil removed and store within our plot we come in handy once the landscaping starts. I spent a couple of days as the Dumper truck driver and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I didn’t have the nerve to give the digger a go – far to many levers and pedals!! The hired in toilet was christened within half an hour of the Digger driver arriving ! Thank goodness it gets serviced every week. SPEnergy and BT Openreach both dropped off their respective ducting for when the time comes. Interesting to note that SPEnergy would only allow us 50 metres of ducting as anymore would affect the type of cabling that would have to be installed. 50 metres should be more than sufficient for us but in any case the guy who dropped off the ducting, gave us 75 metres!! The structures, namely the timber frame for the house and the car port, will be erected during the middle of May and the back end of May. Again, another little set back really, albeit a week later than expected. The team of erectors will not have finished the job before ours in time so we had to take a slot, a week later. More photos will be posted as the work unfolds but for now here are a few of the work so far. Thanks for reading.

Last push today and the site will be cleared - Now that we have started, I shall update my blog over the weekend with some more photos.

We have just finished day two and are still to complete the site clearance. The vegetation was removed first but we are having to scrape down some 12 - 18 inches of top soil to get to the sub soil. This has generated so much top soil, the space we had allocated within the plot was soon filled. Thankfully and I mean thankfully, the farmer has allowed us to deposit the remaining top soil in his neighbouring field as he will no doubt find a suitable use for it. I will post photos tomorrow after I have visited the plot but this must have saved me a fortune in removal costs. As @MikeSharp01 points out, you can never budget enough for ground works!!

I too am at the early stages of Project Managing our build - The reasons are as follows - TF being supplied and erected by Company 1. Ground works, external wall, roof by Company 2. Plumbing, electrics and joinery by associates of Company 2. Windows and doors by Company 3. Under floor heating / cylinder etc. by Company 4. Most materials supplied by me. I am now retired so will be on site most days, which helps as I do like to be involved. I have no previous build background but through being a member of this forum, reading and researching, I believe this and my general methodical approach, will help me through this project. Fingers crossed and no doubt that sentiment will be well and truly tested as the months unfold!!

Thanks - that will give me the know how, but would still require "key" materials!

Hi all - I need to budget for a perimeter wall 6m x 7m x 6m in length and 3 courses of brick high, in order for the Oak framed Carport to sit on. Any ideas what this is likely to cost? I've accounted for the concrete slab but the walling has caught me out! Thanks PW.

Or this might help - HSE guidance.pdf

Hi @Plumbersmateuk yes a successful visit - It is a window manufacturer just south of Newcastle - Team Valley - they are the nearest stockists / suppliers of evolution windows - https://www.evolutionwindows.com/ the windows and doors we will be using. We looked at R9 but they can be made by any manufacturer and as a consequence the quality isn't as controlled as it is for Evolution Windows. I hope this helps. PW.

Thanks very much for all your thoughts @newhome we certainly do intend to get out and about exploring all the areas you mentioned. We discovered North Berwick on one of trips last year so do know what the area has to offer

This is a short update and precursor to the updates that will soon follow once the ground works begin in April. Having now finally sold our house in Milton Keynes, we have made the move north to the Scottish Borders. We are renting a small flat, few miles from our building plot. At £320 per month, I was never going to win the caravan argument! We lost 7 weeks due to the initial sale /purchase of our house collapsing at the last minute. Fortunately it was sold very soon after being put back on the market. On reflection, that was not such a bad thing as the weather in the Borders was awful during February and early March, so any planned works would have just been put off anyway. So, with less than 4 weeks until the ground works start, we have set about making the necessary preparations and will also use the time to visit various contractors, suppliers and utility companies to confirm arrangements. Such as – BT Openreach, Scottish Water and SP Energy. I have to say, my experiences with the utility companies thus far continue to be good – meetings arranged and kept, very informative and happy to help. All approaches were via the internet and their respective websites. Connection costs for all 3 will amount to less than £2k, as BT Openreach appear to be indicating that the connection costs will be covered by their allowances. We have paid a visit to the window manufacturer, based just outside Newcastle, to discuss lead times - All seems good. We will also be popping over to the stone merchants to ensure they are aware of the time frames we are now working to. To help cement in our mind that the choice of stone we are going for is correct, we will visit a couple of buildings in the Kinross area of Scotland to see it for ourselves. It’s OK seeing various stone options on a sample board but you really do need to see it on a larger expanse. It’s not like wallpaper, once the stone is up, you can’t take it down again!! We have met with the Timber frame supplier and our builder who will undertake the majority of the work alongside his various tradesmen colleagues. We lost our plumber two weeks ago due to unforeseen circumstances but thankfully we have another on board. The builder confirmed all systems are go for the 16th April - We will be travelling slightly further north to Dalkeith, just south of Edinburgh, to have a cup of tea with the guy responsible for making and erecting our oak framed car port, log store and man shed! His surname is quite apt – Mallet – I kid you not! I have also secured a site toilet on a long term hire - £25 per week was the best price I could find. This includes a weekly service. Just need to sort out the scaffolding company and plant hire for the TF as and when it arrives. Hopefully come mid April I will have some construction photos to post, so until then take care and thanks for reading. PW.

You might wish to look at "Local Heroes" aligned to British Gas- I have used them twice recently for separate jobs - electrician and Plumber - Very good service. PW.

Welcome aboard ! As you will be aware from your days of lurking this can be a fun and informative place to be! Pleased you have come out of the shadows though as your project does look an interesting one. We like pictures so if you are able to upload some that would help. As for answers, well the more informed than I will no doubt pop up once they have dug themselves out of the snow wherever they may be. Enjoy, but hold on tight. PW.

This is all very interesting. My experience is so different to the above - I completed an online form from the Scottish Borders website, with the name of our intended new build. A few days later I received a reply informing me that my name request has been approved and the details have been sent to The Royal Mail. They will retain the details in a folder marked "not yet built". Once completed, I need to let the parties involved know and they will move the address to a folder marked " built". The whole process couldn't have been easier and hasn't cost me a penny!! PW.

@recoveringacademic - Bobby Moore ! - "what's the score" - a nice touch of good old cockney rhyming slang!

Very true. In complete agreement. Hopefully once in the area and on site things will ease for me and the need for 4 phones won't be necessary !! PW.

Hi @Lucy Murray I have sent you a PM. Paul.

@readiescards we are looking to install Evolution flush system windows. Prefer the look of the flush system over their Storm range. Have to say also, we did look at R9 and it was only at the last hour that we discovered Evolution. For us the price difference was about £100 but we have gone with Evolution because we felt the appearance of the frame was better and they offer a much wider range of colours. Not quite reached to stage of having them delivered though - still a few months to go before we get to that stage. PW

Area dependant, but we paid in the region of £1300 some 2 years ago for a plot in Southern Scotland. PW.

It is a shame to hear such news. Will you just purchase an established house following the sale? It seems you have fallen out of love with renovating and or the thought of a self build. Is that really down to the experiences you have been exposed to or is it because of the desire to remain in a particular postcode? I know how difficult it can be moving a distance from family as we are about to do that in February - we will be putting 300 miles between ourselves and the immediate family. That is a choice we have made to realise our dream. Difficult choices. I wish you good luck with yours. PW.

Hi @Lin and welcome to the forum. I'm sure others will be along once they have surfaced and or sobered up but from my understanding, if you are able to connect with gas, then that should be your preferred option. But please don't take my word for it, as I too am on here to educate myself as much as possible, from this wonderful friendly resource. Enjoy and good luck with the project. PW.

@JSHarris I agree and we are currently debating whether to go double glazed or triple glazed and I suspect the price may well have a factor in that decision. Anyway, although we have currently priced up for triple glazed windows, the French doors are having to be double glazed due to the weight involved we are told. If that is the case, then other such doors like Bi Folds are also double glazed. Or are they? If so, how do people overcome the "coldness feel" you rightly mention above, when faced with a larger expanse of glass? PW.

It;s not as easy as that I fear Have a read of this as a starting point to understand what is required - http://www.nhbc.co.uk/ProductsandServices/ConsultancyandTesting/Airleakageservices/documents/filedownload,38528,en.pdf They mention that every new build requires an - Air Permeability Testing is a requirement for new buildings under Part L of the Building Regulations. If a score of under 5 is achieved then an MVHR should be on your radar. Others will be able to explain more and in greater detail but the attached should get you up and running. PW