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We are getting things finalised for our extension and summer house build. The main chosen supply at this stage had been reluctant to give a figure of any sort over the last ten months until we had some drawings, which i get in part. Over the development of the projecr communications have been rapid. And responses swift. People "who understand" the product have been suggested to us but this is the big but no one would seem to give us ball park figures stressing they needed drawings. My partner is a chartered accountant in financial control she LOVES approximate costs. So that's been an added worry. Our design and size isnt anything too unusal.. So 48 hours ago we received the big news of their costs. I guess a big issue has been covid in that they offer trainung usually which i guess they may offer more insight on the product and costs. The architect gave us resssurance on his visit that what we are doing was a ball park figure of less than we had budgeted, not much but a few hundred. So to the quote they had done basically two quotes..which looking over them in detail, im now at a loss as to why they dont do ball park quotes. One extension has been quoted with no doors or Windows to me thats just sloppy. Being told when you work out the doors just deduct them. Windows and doors are on the scaled plan! Which they have said we cant give exact figures til they had the plans. Two quotes one they do all the work, we had stressed in many conversations i intend to PM it and be the main person doing the build buying in elements from others again talking to their staff you could buy days of their time. 48 hours ago that talk was lacking again, having been told at Swindon what we had requested IS information they have and do distribute! Frustrating we cant have it. We were looking at two forms of ICF from thsse people, chosen because of the ability we have been told to do it ourselves. Then they suggest as a urgent need a soil survey at sub 5k... Oh then on the quote they have included delivery in four parts which we had been told would be able to delivered on one wagon but each element has a delivery charge. 990 1080 700 750 Which the dev manager says oh we can talk about those...talk about them? Too right when the materials cost circa 20k The site is an accessible surburban setting the materials are being distributed and delivered to 80 miles or so 70 plus of the trip being on the m1. I feel a bit mugged off if truth be told.

Hi all I have a conditional offer on a small piece of land in a city centre, it’s subject to planning permission. A few few issues have been highlighted, I wasn’t totally naive if it seems I didn’t grasp the severity.(?) As part of the planning process I had to get several assessments done, including noise and odour, it seems because a local pub/restaurant I need a mitigating strategy. This will be a mechanism ventilation system as recommended by the consultants. There is is also a flood risk, as far as I believe the site has never flooded. It came close a few years ago when the city got hit by flooding in a few areas. Since then there have been flood defences put in place by the council, the consultant says the classification of FZ 3a takes these into account. I thought they would have reduced the risk further if I’m honest, but they are the pros. So im at the stage now where I am ready to put the application in to the council, the assessments have dampened (pun) my enthusiasm for the self build somewhat, not even sure if it is the right thing to do anymore. I have been trying to get that excitement back over the weekend with ideas how I could over come these problems in a good way. I guess most contemplate this through the build process.