Potential Future Self-Builder. Reading Recommendations?

[ME Matt]

Hi All,

 

I have just started researching self build projects and are reading the Haynes self build manual.  I have another couple of books but any suggestions are welcome.

 

Looking for a small plot in Hampshire. 
 

Matt

[Moonshine]

Housebuilders Bible 

[Bozza]

1.  The posts in this forum.  They raise issues, problems, challenges, solutions you may not have thought of.  It’s an Open University of self build with a combined genius of many.

2.  Existing self build planning applications on your respective council planning portal.

 

 

[ME Matt]

Thanks for the suggestions - already started looking at various local applications and working my way through this forum. Requested access to the local self build register too. 

[JohnMo]

9 hours ago, ME Matt said:

Hi All,

 

I have just started researching self build projects and are reading the Haynes self build manual.  I have another couple of books but any suggestions are welcome.

 

Looking for a small plot in Hampshire. 
 

Matt

I started in a similar place, it's easy to go down rabbit holes. But always for a building to be as airtight and well insulated as possible. Building Regs is the minimum standard. Go well above those standards for little no cost 

 

Start by reading building regs and get familiar with them.  You need to know what they require. Use them to test your architects drawings. Actively review and make comments back to architect, make sure they capture everything you want to see.

 

Passivhaus institute websites world wide. Wealth of simple information available. You may not be doing a passivhaus but you get plenty of clues of what to look out for.

 

Don't try to do stuff that is novel, unless you are actually doing it yourself, do what is normal around you. If that's block and cavity - go that direction, if timber frame go that, don't try to force a learning curve.

 

Read up about building form factor. The further you are away from a simple cube, the more insulation you need etc for a given heat loss.

 

But the basics are always the same 

 

Airtightness - can you draw a continuous line line around the airtight barrier, if you can't you have an issue.

 

Insulation - read the above on airtightness, same logic applies.

 

Ventilation is very important, decide early what you want, and have routes for pipes built into the design from the start.

 

Are you likely to want cooling, again design in from the start.

 

You can only generally do airtightness and insulation once, but you can pay bills for the rest of your life.

 

Simple is normally best, if it starts to sound complex, stop and leave it for a few days revisit. (I should have listened to this). Ask yourself what do I want to achieve from this. Be sceptical of advice from unknown people (this forum, Facebook etc). 

 

Heating system should be simple, zero complexity - most complex stuff in heating systems is people trying to sell you stuff, I have a plant room full of stuff I didn't need to install (all now removed).

[ME Matt]

John, thank you - some really good advice there that I will be keeping in mind. Lots for me to refer back to throughout my journey. I also share a desire to keep things simple; ideally I want to try a small scale project before moving onto more complex ventures in the future.