SelfbuildNovice Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 Hi everyone, newbie here. We are embarking on a self build project - never done anything like this before and pretty much trying to get a handle on the various processes while dealing with info overwhelm. Would appreciate any help with looking at our building plans. We plan to build with ICF and possibly go for passive house certification. Our architect has no experience of either (wondering if this is a mistake), we all appear to be working it out as we go along. Any thoughts, guidance, etc would be very much appreciated 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 I had no experience or knowledge. My architect had no experience or knowledge. Yet here I am 😊 You got this ! Plans please !!! 👍 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 Just now, pocster said: Yet here I am And probably will be for another decade. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 Whilst you can learn as you go along It’s not ideal for your Architect to do the same As you will be paying him The design will need to take your specific build into account Might be worth shopping around 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelfbuildNovice Posted May 24, 2023 Author Share Posted May 24, 2023 @nodThank you very much. I think you are right. @pocsterthanks for the encouragement but it just doesn’t feel like I’ve “got this” right now 😀. Plans coming up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 1 minute ago, SelfbuildNovice said: @nodThank you very much. I think you are right. @pocsterthanks for the encouragement but it just doesn’t feel like I’ve “got this” right now 😀. Plans coming up Mate ! I know (expletive deleted) all Yet I am ( still ) building a mostly underground house with all the issues that entails . Ignorance is bliss . Many have said “ you don’t know what you don’t know “ If I had understood everything from the start then a) I’m a seasoned pro and it’s easy b) (expletive deleted) that ! 😁😎 . What’s life without adventure and risk ? ( ignoring all the shit bits of course ) . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 On 22/05/2023 at 18:07, SelfbuildNovice said: We plan to build with ICF and possibly go for passive house certification. Our architect has no experience of either (wondering if this is a mistake) I’d say so. Do that shopping around and find someone who at least knows something about one of the disciplines, preferably both. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tosh Posted May 26, 2023 Share Posted May 26, 2023 I would say its more important you have a strucural engineer who understands ICF than the architect. After all an architect should be familiar with co-ordinating dimensions of any material e.g. bricks/blocks, etc etc. ICF shouldn't be that hard for them to get their head around. An SE on the other hand can waste you a vaste amount of money by over specifying rebar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelfbuildNovice Posted May 31, 2023 Author Share Posted May 31, 2023 @Toshthank you for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted May 31, 2023 Share Posted May 31, 2023 On 26/05/2023 at 17:18, Tosh said: An SE on the other hand can waste you a vaste amount of money by over specifying rebar. True . My SE confirmed in general he over spec’d by 350% .. wtf ! For my foundation insulation ( concrete raft ) I had a spec . I called around and just couldn’t get any product at that level . Finally a guy said to me “ are you building a 10 storey ncp car park ? “ . I said no . He then told me to tell my SE to (expletive deleted) off and half the requirement . This I did . SE lowered the spec ‘ over the phone ‘ to half what was required ; which I could find at a sensible price . 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelfbuildNovice Posted June 26, 2023 Author Share Posted June 26, 2023 Was wondering about not getting any comments on my plans only to realise that I hadn’t posted. SMH. Here they are. I would really appreciate input from this community Building to Passivhaus standard, ICF - trying to decide between nudura & thermohouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 That is very sizable. It is a fairly simple cube shape so should have a favourable surface area to volume ratio. I couldn't work out the orientation. I have seen Nudura around a fair bit recently and several people on here have used it. Not so much Thermohouse but it looks a fairly similar product. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandg Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 Not my thing from the outside but would make a really nice house. Looks a good, efficient use of space inside but I wouldn't want to build that size of house then find it's a real squeeze to get more than 10 in the dining room at Christmas. And it's be a right pain to be sat down then realise you fancy a condiment all the way across in the pantry. Don't know the orientation but I'd maybe consider swapping the snug and pantry about and playing with the layout. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 Pantry / utility aka dungeon 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ETC Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 Sorry - not my thing. The elevations look a bit too much on the 80’s side for my taste. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 The roof limits how much PV you can get on it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 your going to need a mega plant room for all the kit. multiple cylinders, mvhr etc etc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSB Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 what bathroom does the au pair get to use in the basement Also, if the au pair is babysitting her room is 2 floors below the children 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMo Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 Sorry don't like at all. Exterior marmite. There is so much wasted space - let's make it huge. But lounge is just long and no depth, kitchen is way out of proportion is just too big. Top floor, just strange. Hope you don't need something out of the pantry when at a meal, everyone will be finished by the time you have got back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMo Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 Just noticed the limited light available to the Au Pair room - not good 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ETC Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 1 hour ago, JohnMo said: Just noticed the limited light available to the Au Pair room - not good If it was good enough for Cinderella it’ll be good enough…… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 @SelfbuildNovice As a new build I would have expected it to look a bit more contemporary but each to their own. In all honesty it looks like an extension/renovation project of an 80's "Executive House" where a checklist of desired rooms have been thrown in anywhere they can be made to fit but in this case it looks like most of those rooms don't actually fit or work very well. As a starter, on the ground floor; is that a garage door to access the pantry from outside? What's all that about? If that really is meant to be a garage door then that will make your passive target more difficult. Why is the pantry/utility so huge (what do people keep in pantries?) The Snug won't be that snug as it's in the kitchen and you have to go through the Snug to access the dining room. The living room looks very narrow but can be kind of expanded by opening it up to the hallway/stairs. Is that really something you're likely to do?? If you're going for passive you won't need that fireplace. Which way is south? The shadows on the elevations are contradictory. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canski Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 Some great constructive comments on the layout. Maybe the plant room could be in the rear of the garage ? Personally I like the external elevations. I guess they are made to fit in with the street scene ? I prefer it to mine which I am not brace enough to post 😜 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelfbuildNovice Posted June 27, 2023 Author Share Posted June 27, 2023 Thank you all so much for the comments so far. Sooooo the pantry utility is really the garage with a utility & pantry created at the top end of the room. We have found a garage company that has passive house standard garage doors - think it’s called hausmann the poor lighting in the basement room is noted. Will draw to the architect’s attention for adjustment. Thanks for pointing it out the front elevation design is to be in keeping with the street view Didn’t think about the distance & access from the dining to the kitchen until you pointed it out. Will need to remedy that somehow. The reasoning behind the closed off living room and dining is to keep it as formal entertainment space separate from our general living & cooking space. The sliding doors in the living room are actually to help open up the space fully because I don’t like that the space is so narrow, but retain the option of closing it off completely too when we want to. Will remove the fire place to create a free flow between both spaces. That said, I am pretty flexible re where every other space is. Would really appreciate suggested layout sketches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelfbuildNovice Posted June 27, 2023 Author Share Posted June 27, 2023 The room on the topmost floor is the master bedroom. Designed to keep the sleeping area very quiet, away from the noise of tinkering in the dressing room & bathroom. Bothers me that it’s a trek to the bathroom. Don’t know how to work around that. The roof space for PV- was told we can get a good number of panels on the south facing part of the roof as designed and that they should be sufficient for our needs but hey……… any sketches suggesting layouts will be appreciated 🙏 only just found the emojis #hopelesstechnophobe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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