Redoctober

Welcome and your opening question, although a good one, will be difficult to pin down, given there are a number of variables to both - Such as budget / land available / applications etc. I'm sure others far more knowledgeable will be along soon to add their thoughts but for the time being, enjoy and hold on tight! PW.

So, its been nearly a year since my last post and this is what we have achieved thus far. We attended the NEC show in Feb to confirm in our own mind the products / suppliers we hope to use – namely roof tiles, flooring, rainwater goods & windows and doors. Despite our best efforts to remain focused we had our heads turned by a range of wooden windows – Accoya wood – we made some enquiries and after a few weeks we received their costings - £37k for 10 windows, two French doors and 2 external doors in triple glazing. The fact that this was so over our budget, helped dismiss them from our thinking. We also made day trips to various showrooms up and down the country to cement in our own mind the type of kitchen units we would be looking to use, oak joinery and floor tiles. Five local builders were identified, all within a 20 miles radius of the plot. One was already booked up, well beyond this time next year, leaving me with just 4. All expressed an interest so they were sent the plans and associated documents in the hope that they would be able to provide a meaningful price. Three responded and personal visits were arranged in early July to discuss the details. The 4th failed to get in touch so we didn’t bother chasing. During our visit up North, in early July, the intention was to meet with the builders and discuss the finer details prior to making a decision which regards to which one we would be going with. One builder had done everything we had asked of him and presented a price within our estimates so all good so far. Unfortunately the other two had failed to anything with the papers I had sent them some months ago – “We’ll get it done in the next couple of weeks” – Yeah right! We’ll see – the problem is their failure to deal with what was a reasonable request in a reasonable time frame has left a cloud which is difficult to shift. After all, they said they would be interested in the first place. However, our visit wasn’t all in vain - It allowed us to visit two non-wooden window manufactures, one of whom we will be using – We have chosen to go with a Heritage Range from Evolution – similar to the range offered by Residence 9. Both very similar in design but the Evolution range, in particular, the Flush range, really does have the appearance of wood, which is lacking in the R9 range we believe. Both quotes came out within £100 of each other so the costings were not part of the decision making process. We also visited two quarries / stone merchants to discuss the external wall requirements. An expensive part of the project and important we choose the correct looking stone. A further meeting will be held in October. We are working to a budget of around £22k and this should be achievable – Lime mortar is a given and the beds will be 150mm, tied into the TF across a suitable cavity. We are told there will be no need for an additional rain screen such as SURECAV. We also met with a local company who will undertake the underfloor heating / DHW requirements and an independent Kitchen manufacturer who will supply and fit. There was an opportunity to visit our neighbours. An issue over previously agreed access to their septic tank needed to be ironed out. Up until we had purchased the plot of land, they were granted access by the farmer to allow the Septic Tank lorry to access their tank, across what is now our land. Through talking with neighbours we discovered a new build being developed very nearby – it just so happens that the TF Company they are using is the same as ours. We took a look and identified a new builder who I have since furnished with the appropriate details – watch this space. This was an unwritten agreement which clearly needed to end. It has been resolved because in recent times the truck has been parking on the roadside verge and the suction hose carried across the land to the tank. This practice will continue so all is good on that front. The building warrant has been issued just recently and was dealt with by the TF manufacturer. I believe I could have perhaps saved some money in this area but like most things, never having done this before or having had people around me who have, I felt I needed the comfort of having it done for me. Of course, such peace of mind comes at a price. I estimate the total cost of the following to be just South of £10K Planning plans drawn up Soil survey - Planning application – Solicitors fees - Building plans for submission to SBE – Structural Engineers report – Building warrant – So hopefully with a builder in place soon, costings and products such as the roof tiles, windows and doors, joinery, floor tiles, heating and DHW all agreed, it seems we are in a good place. Ground works will start in early 2018 ahead of the TF which is due to arrive in April 2018. I will spend the months in between contacting the Utility companies and ensuring that they are all on board with our build schedule and finalising / confirming the builder. Next update due in 6 months……………….. Paul.

Welcome and a very commendable project - let's hope you can get it up and running. As with anything new, the key to success and understanding has to be research. Start by reading some building magazines and the various threads and Blogs on this forum. It will open up many questions which you can then find the answers to, via various internet searches. Good luck PW.

Looks a great location - is that weather recent? - The task sounds and looks expensive! Lets hope it comes good for you when the paperwork is returned. PW.+

Unfortunately my day job took me to the scene today - saw the community coming together, the damage caused and had the unenviable task of talking to the survivors. Truly harrowing experiences - Home in the bosom of my family and cradling a large glass of Red. 30 years of dealing with death and destruction on a daily basis, and still the bar gets higher!! Appreciate those around you tonight and spare a thought for those sleeping in the various churches and sports centres. Goodnight PW.

2) Fleming Homes - again Scottish, however smaller, only make 70 homes per year, you deal directly with the MD once you place the order, and they do offer more in terms of erection, they do erect all internal stud walls. However they do not offer the internal joinery items. @SelfBuild South West we are using your Number 2 option No seriously, we are at the stage whereby they are applying for the Building Warrant on our behalf. We too looked at others but found the process can become a touch overwhelming when trying to compare things. In the end we visited the factory and liked what we saw and heard - at the end of the day, a decision has to be made. Hopefully the right one ! Anyway, we are more than happy with the service so far and the reasons why we went with them are because primarily, they are about 5 miles from the plot, we could cherry pick what we wanted them to supply, they offer a range of insulation options to suit various budgets and they also offer a service whereby they draw up building Reg. plans and secure the Warrant. Although we are not using the joinery options they have to offer, my understanding is that they could supply skirting, internal doors and stairs etc., if required. PW.

Take a look at this website - https://www.shiply.com/how-it-works never used it but you might find someone willing to transport your items, at a reasonable cost. PW.

Yes, this is certainly the case for us - we have to have the roof and external wall materials approved prior to commencement. It is interesting to note the possible lead times the Planning Departments require for such matters. That said, I have been in touch with ours ahead of such notification and they seem to be content with web links via e-mail as opposed to an actual site visit. This should assist us in cutting down any delays in seeking approval. PW.

Thanks @Nickfromwales for the clarification - PW

Thanks @joe90 - re-assuring to know the running costs are minimal but do you have UFH fitted ?

Sorry @Nickfromwales for what may sound a silly question but if the towel rad was linked to the wet system, servicing the UFH in the bathroom / ensuite, would that not be a beneficial use of energy, in order to dry the towels as opposed to switching on an additional source of energy, namely electricity? Or is it a case that if the towel rad was linked to the UFH, it would never reach a sufficient temp to actually dry them? PW.

Hi @Lucy Murray we too are developing in the Borders - see my blog - http://forum.buildhub.org.uk/ipb/blogs/entry/127-base-camp-finally/ Good luck with yours. PW.

Also in Scotland - paid £1480. PW.

This might assist in understanding what is required for UFH and screed upstairs. PW. UFH.pdf

You could always consider something like this, budget depending! http://www.parkingrevolutions.uk/?gclid=CPqzudTIy9MCFUwz0wods68Dsw PW.

Hi - although it seems you have plenty on your plate for now, you may wish to consider these when the time comes - http://www.greysartstone.co.uk/ PW

Hi Sarah and welcome to the forum - You are in the right place so no worries on that front. I'm sure others with more experience than I in this field will pop along in due course but in the meantime, have a read of the attached link - it might assist. https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/extension-planner/ PW.

Hi - not sure if this helps but we have recently purchased a plot of land which had been severed from a larger expanse of land - A Farmers field - Our Solicitor appears to have dealt with everything needed to inform Land Registry - see below - an extract of an email he sent to me explaining things - As your purchase of the property is the first time that the property will appear on the Land Register, then this could take quite some time. This is because the Land Register is based on the ordnance survey maps and these are not always up to date and accurate and they have to be checked over to make sure that the title, which is granted, conforms with the ordnance survey map.The Land Certificate is effectively a guarantee that you have an absolute title to the property and is backed by an indemnity from the Government. Once the Land Certificate is produced by Register House we will check this to make sure that it is accurate and let you have a copy. The plot was given a boundary by the Vendor and it was from these "boundaries" that we have since worked from and submitted. We never involved a Boundary Surveyor. Hope it helps PW.

WOW What a saga - well done for getting it in ahead of those new regulations - never heard that one before for a domestic build - "sprinkler system" I can see the benefits but to actually impose it upon new builds does seem a bit OTT - What is the general cost for such a scheme? I wonder if that will have any impact and what about insurance? Say they the tea towel left on the hob sets it off! Anyway, welcome aboard the fun bus! PW.

An interesting point and the whole MVHR issues is one I have been considering for some time. I have come to the decision not to install one. Although the house will be well insulated, we are not looking to be as air tight as others may expect and we do like to have the windows open. This appears not to be an issue for the reasons @JSHarris says, but for me, I just can't see the point of having a system running in the background which is, in all intents and purposes there to provide "clean" "healthy" air, in an air tight enclosure, and then have the windows open. Yes the "energy" used may be negligible but it is still wasted energy. Could it not just be turned off during the Spring / summer months? "Tin hat at the ready !" PW.

An interesting read and one which will no doubt be of use to many as they think about embarking on a similar journey. Thanks for taking the time to do it. PW.

@Triassic not just the window companies, I thought. We too were there yesterday and were struck by the lack of companies that we had seen in the past and who weren't there this time round. That said, we enjoyed it and were able to confirm various products for our project which is due to start in the next 12 months.

I have just undergone this process with our TF manufacturer. To have our "planning" plans converted into Building warrant drawings it cost us £2.5k. We then had to pay for the Building warrant itself and the Structural Engineers certificate. Yes, like most things I suppose, it could have been done cheaper but being first timers, with no knowledge or understanding of what was required and needing to satisfy Scottish regs, for us, it was a price worth paying - Peace of mind comes at a price! PW.

Thanks @ProDave, you are right, the location of your AVP is well positioned and is far more acceptable than what we are being asked to accept ! Plenty of information now in my domain to have a proper conversation - thanks. PW.

@ProDave, Thanks - yes it was obvious but I was referring to @Nickfromwales comment. Perhaps it was my clumsy explanation . Anyway, I'm grateful for the comments as I will certainly discuss these options when I speak with those about the drawings next week. Was it to do with the regs that the BC stopped you having an AAV positioned internally, or some other reason? PW.