CharlieKLP

I bow to experience! That’s a very good point ETC. Worth trying the angle that the drawings weren’t fit for purpose like you said in the first place.

Timber frame and brick was about the same until recently, not I’m not so sure. What is better with timber frame is the speed and ability to get the better u-values. In the South people often work to £2000 per m2, maybe it’s cheaper there? I think you’ve missed your chimney flue off your floor plans. In terms of design, it’s a bit clunky but I’ve seen far worse.

I’ve done it off plan on new build timber frames, so it is possible as long as everything is certain. Tobias wasn’t to know that though, I do think if he’d spoken to the architect for a door schedule it would have come up. >Sizes were confirmed with contractor now that might be a case… so your builder confirmed the sizes?

I think you should include extracting oil vs coppicing in the calculation too, it’s a nasty business getting it out the ground. I’d have thought there were more particulates in oil than wood by a long way, but idk maybe I’m brainwashed by big timber lol. I feel like the benefits of using something that grows back is just far greater than something that doesn’t, but I’m not opposed to bio gas.

See if the window manufacturers will take them back too, maybe they can use the bits again and give you a better price. you’re not the first person this has happened to btw, windows always mess up a project.

Yes I am sorry to say that the architect is not at fault and you can’t sue them. I have always thought it’s stupid to put dimensions on, given they are just general ones for guidance. sounds like the insulation/flashing is a cock up, but the ordering of windows is sort of on whoever did that off plan.

Smells like bbq though!

@SteamyTea >If you want really want to know how long it takes CO2 from wood burning to be reabsorbed, count the rings in the logs you burn, then add some. They grow fast growing trees for sustainable timber sources, then turn them into pellets. You can also use willow. I’d even argue turning land into copice was better than a field of cows for nature.

I’d usually say to look into the loft for daylight, but I don’t think you have one lol. I’d have a concern about insulation on that roof just because of the age.

It’s a bit pixelated but I’d agree with you on replacing the flat parts at a minimum. They have come on so far since the old days. If the tile isn’t leaking then it’s probably ok? looks a cute house btw just needs a nicer porch

If you planted a tree, then chopped it down later and planted another it’s pretty much 1:1, that’s how carbon capture works.

That’s not true, if you grow young trees then replace the tree it’s sustainable. It’s not even necessary to kill a tree, it’s just a part of forest maintenance. but anyway, it’s classed as sustainable and compared to the rest of us using gas or electricity from the grid, it is.

Wood is a carbon neutral fuel. If it comes from a sustainable local source it’s fine. I don’t know who their consultant was lol, no.

It’s off grid and makes its own heat and power from renewables, water from a borehole and own sewage treatment. The building fabric also as eco as possible, I don’t know why people are being so cynical about it, they made a decent effort.

It’s quite surprising to hear people changing something with is lovely into something that I think would not be. Just goes to show lol I think the flies are a good point, but the glazing means they don’t have to go out to enjoy the water. The whole house is like a deck. It’s an eco-house, so they have considered solar etc and met the criteria. I like the curtains. I think you can see the liner from the outside. They are nice in the bedroom.

I generally just like things to be beautiful or useful you know? If there’s a feature I want to make the most of it, and if there’s a layout that works with a nice use of spaces then I’m for it. In terms of what the house looks like, I like it to be all in the same style and balanced. I like this one. I obviously didn’t design it, but I think it’s fab and I understand it. Great spaces, clear ideas, nice shape and textures, good.

Thanks for the tips and stuff, really enjoy reading all this design discussion. Since I first posted I got a new job with a practice that had a good design reputation and it’s been much better (for me!) I think the designs where I was before were attracting people with low expectations. Fine for them, but not where I want to be.

Yes you can have 762mm upstairs in England anyway. The accessibility only applies to ground floor, the rest is best practice.

Hi yes they should be fine. You don’t need special trades to do things to them, timber frame is fairly straightforward. Timber frame is non-traditional construction, especially with larger areas of render-on-lath but beyond that it should be fine.

You would have a valley gutter at present, which is doable but complex and prone to drainage issues. You could make that area flat but it it would ruin your design a bit. It’s never going to be a nice crisp V though. I wouldn’t have two stud walls, overkill, just add some acoustic insulation. You don’t have the floor area to accommodate such thick walls, maybe pick ones that separate high noise and quieter areas. If you have 1m high skylights then height is very restricted in the corners for beds etc. just make sure you have a protected fire escape on the stair. the MVHR should be somewhere away from a bedroom. what is your downstairs smaller lounge dimension? I think maybe a bit pokey.

I think you need a designer and you’ve gone a bit too far yourself in a bit of a novice direction. I can tell you are very keen, but things like drawing on all the pipes for an MVHR when you’ve put it in a rubbish position is classic self builder. You need someone with some basic skills, like knowing how thick internal walls are (about 100mm) and how high fire escape windows need to be. You could also do with looking on Pinterest and copying something. Another one is, it’s just a rectangle. There’s no reason for the roof shape to be like it is other than to trap water on your roof. If you want to use the idea of two blocks, then make them two blocks… not just one block with a roof that doesn’t make sense. Turning one block will give you more headroom. I think, step back, and go back to the rough design stage before you decide where your plugs are going.

If you buy them through Potton it’s probably cheaper, just ask them for a quote themselves and then pick a different external supplier to compare the costs.

I really like Bereco for a traditional style house, but they are not cheap. Have you had a look at their ranges?

Don’t have one then lol No if I had a timber frame, I’d have a block skin and a sprinkler to protect the frame and my possessions. It would actually help slow the heat down but your house obvs.

I would always put render/timber cladding on block rather than onto the timber frame, I think that’s even the kingspan advice. That’s for warranty reasons caused by Grenfell, rather than actual fire risk. In wales they have been putting in sprinklers as standard, which is what I would do.