SBMS

We do have PV, not commissioned yet. How have others set up their system? Is it better for PV to use a clamp and use the immersion, or just use the PV to assist with running the heat pump?

Has anyone had any success with scheduling when the hot water function on their heat pump is activated? We are on intelligent octopus so get electricity at 7.5p 11pm to 5am. Does it make sense to only schedule the heat pump to heat water during these hours? Are there any downsides to this? And as a bonus question, is it as simple as activating the scheduling function on the nibe f2040? thanks

Fair point for large works, not sure how relevant it is for a self builder engaging a small builder/contractor, which is really the only scenario I think my advice is relevant for (but probably the most common scenario encountered by those on this forum). Please don't try and build a railway station, bridge, or international airport heeding my advice 🤣

Yeah I'm not sure those examples are hugely relevant, obviously when you're that size you can dictate terms. I run a software business and our customers don't dictate our terms, we have a standard agreement normally they have a tweak. That's because we know how to build and deliver software and so can tailor our Terms to how we actually deliver a product. YMMV, we're just finishing up our self build so am just trying to give a bit of experience. We went small builder, payment in arrears. Of course we had a full project schedule, specification of works etc - so I'm not saying that you shouldn't have a project plan and fully understood and communicated set of requirements, designs, timeframes etc. It's just the 'contractual' element that I think is fairly pointless when dealing with smaller contractors.

I think you need to outline exactly what you are hoping to achieve and what you've currently agreed regarding terms with your contractor/builder. Here's my very simplified view on this topic, and the replies on this thread. There are typically two types of routes the average self builder goes down: 1. Large, primary contractor 2. Smaller family/local builder I think there's a disparity of expectation here. The self builder will look to the large primary contractor because of the reduction in risk, capacity for dealing with problems, resource they might throw at it, dedicated project managers etc etc. But with that, likely, comes a higher cost. The smaller/family/local builder is probably the opposite of that, but obviously comes in at a reduced cost. What I would expect here, and what happens in most other industries, is that the supplier provides contractual terms and conditions. This is because they are the ones that deliver the service and therefore they need to formulate their capability to deliver, what their liability is, how their contract feeds into their indemnity insurances etc etc. I don't know of any industry where the customer brings/formulates a suggested contract/delivery terms to a supplier. Granted, there's always scope for negotiation and tweaking terms, but it's generally the supplier that provides their contract. I think the problem with some of the comments in this thread is that self builders are choosing the smaller/local/family builders, but then attempting to overlay onto them a set of (often) onerous contract terms. My point that I've referred to repeatedly, is that I don't believe this works. Even if this small builder agrees to your terms, the likelihood is your project/build is maybe only one or two that they have on the go. In the event that something disastrous happens and you come to attempt to rely on those terms, what's the likelihood of legal success? Will you have a day in court, or will your contractor likely fold and phoenix, as it's a much more cost effective route. Larger contractors that do have their terms (or adopt JCTs etc) will typically have a fairly hefty insurance policy/Professional Indemnity cover that backs their capability to defend any legal action you might take - and actually means that in the event that you're right, and they messed up, and you need compensating or making whole, their PI cover picks this up. Smaller builders just don't have this. It's why I said, earlier in the thread, that selecting a contract and enforcing it, or even proposing it on your smaller builder just doesn't make logical sense to me. With a larger contract, and a larger contractor, you don't need a huge amount of trust. You could even pay in advance knowing if you get shafted, you can sue and get your money back. With a smaller builder - get referrals, pay in arrears, built trust as you go, inspect often etc. TLDR: If your contractor doesn't already have a suggested contract/engagement/terms likelihood is they don't have an insurance policy that would back this up in the event you legally needed to refer to it.

We are not yet moved in! Although I would imagine condensation is more a function of the glass, not the frames though? Someone on here will let me know if otherwise! Will let you know when we are in 👍

We had reynaers cp130s installed, they’re great. Two sets of 4m, lift and slide. Really smooth operation, chunky handle. Ours were on a double track as we wanted 2m of glass.

This is what we did with two vertical drops. Holesaw through the header and footer. In hindsight might as well have just left a 100mm gap when building stud wall! Wall not structural, both sides being plasterboarded so boards bridged the ‘gaps’ (there weren’t actually gaps as there was about 5mm of timber left each side of the hole).

Think this was something I was pretty worried about when starting off, hence why we agreed to pay in arrears at the end of each stage - I always owe the builder money rather than other way round.

My advice as well, bearing in my mind what others have said about contracts being fairly useless from an enforcement point of view (good points though regarding flushing out issues) - try and make sure the balance of financial risk isn’t predominantly with you. Our builder for example stood the cost of most of the stages of our build (less a small 5k builders deposit to get going). This fundamentally meant that we could make sure work was carried out to a good standard before payment. It’s one of the reasons I was less bothered with a contract.

What heat pump did you go for?

Re my previous point the installers can apply retrospectively after install. (Point 100 in the guide).

Just an FYI vouchers don’t have to be issued prior to work commencing the guide states this at point 100: “Installers can make voucher applications retrospectively after the installation has commissioned, but they will still need to apply for a voucher before they can redeem it.” I think this is how our installer is doing it.

We used total home to design and supply our MVHR and our builder has installed it. I believe that total home subcontract our the install. They were really very good, worked with us through a design change when we went with trusses and have been very useful and communicative.

Wow - 4.5m?? Our glazing manufacturer raised their eyebrows at our oversized 2.2x2m panes for our sliding doors. 4.5m sounds very special order. Especially in a roof orientation where gravity is wanting to pull the centre of the glass span in itself. Maybe speak with a commercial glazing supplier?

Not sure it’d work if you cut it in half and then cut back insulation you’ll have less than 50mm on each piece? What’s your cavity size? I think once piece is designed for up to 100mm, not to be cut in half to do 2x 50mm

Thanks @craigbut i think the drainage channel has a built in dpc that sits under the threshold (the bit that is shown on right of their drawing above). I don’t know if I’m overthinking it but wouldn’t the track be butt up against the top part of the R47?

@MJNewton can I ask how far set back your doors are from the front brick face? I am worried that the drainage holes for ours would sit on the brickwork, rather than ‘overhang’ and drain into a threshold drain if you know what I mean? How did you get around this, as I believe the track should be set back from the front face of the brick a little?

Following on from some really useful advice from @Dan F, @MJNewton and @craig I am wanting to use the Aquabocci R47 flush threshold on our sliding doors. I am struggling a bit with the detailing with our Raynaer's CP130s.. Basically, this is the profile for the R47: There is 26mm from top of the threshold to the side entry point. This is my track profile for my Raynaers CP130s: The Raynaer's low profile track has a front drainage system that I've indicated on the attached profile, but from the top of the track profile to the bottom of the drainage holes is about 22.5mm. If the top of the R47 was level with the top red line (top of the track), then the front drainage holes would sit higher than the side entry for the R47. Am I missing something really obvious, or is this flush threshold not compatible with my track? Thanks in advance

You’ll want a site surveyor who will come and survey the site (usually using a GPS gizmo to be accurate to within few cm) and then they’ll set out using stakes for the corners for your groundworker. Our groundworker then sprayed his dig channels on the ground between setting out engineers posts to get the corners. Often with planning there will have been a site surveyor at the beginning who would have surveyed and generated a site layout plan for the planning application?

Completely agree. They also haven’t got a clue how much it costs to build so don’t ask them. They were nearly 100% off our actual build cost with their estimate.

My experience of a couple of architects: they won’t design something that is cost effective to build and there will often be points on the build where the contractor scratches their head because the drawings don’t make sense. Case in point: architect designed our open eaves and didn’t think about clearance for windows on top floor. They hit the eaves (timbers now being cut down). Structural engineers will design things that are hugely over engineered to cover themselves, and aren’t specialists in things like trussed roofs so will design things using traditional steels and loose rafters rather than an engineered product. Case in point: our SE designed loose lay rafters with a chamber floor and about 12 steels for our attic room. They said attic trusses wouldn’t work. Builder got a truss roof manufacturer to design attic trusses - it passed engineers calcs and saved 11 steels and £7k in our pockets. If I knew now what I know I would try and ensure the architect and SE were designing a house that was economical as possible to build. We were so excited to design the floor plan and we didn’t know to pause and make sure the thing was as economical to build as possible. My view would be try and minimise on site labour for things like roofs, minimise steels, and maybe liaise with your builder at the design stage to point out any complex or expensive bits in the build that could be designed out.

As a domestic client, the health and safety responsibilities pass to the contractor (or principal contractor). https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/areyou/client.htm

Fair enough @ETC. I didn’t advise the OP not to use a contract (I have a simple set of terms and conditions with ours) but was trying to impress the importance of prioritising and developing trust and finding a good builder over relying on a set of contracts. Especially if your contractor is more a one more band as appears the case of the OP. I always question the usefulness of a contract in the event of dispute - and having worked developing commercial contract agreements for a couple of decades can speak to the fragility of any contract when a dispute does arise, and the expense of enforcement, litigation, justifying limitation of liability levels, proving damages etc. On a self build scale, understanding the terms and conditions of a third party contract - even with a helpful QS - I’d still question.

Have you discussed with a solicitor what the cost of an indemnity to protect against this limitation for any future potential buyer would cost? They could get a quote to alleviate your concerns that it could be covered and wouldn’t be extortionate…