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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

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    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2009
     
    Hi to all of you who are in the midst of building!

    How's it going? What surprises have you had good or bad? Are you doing the work yourself? How's the schedule? The budget? I'm just being very nosy! I'm interested to hear how others are getting on and to compare notes.

    We started in June and despite having a super project manager I'm shocked at how difficult it is to get quotes and get things done. My partner just says I was very naive to think it would ever be fun.

    It is satisfying to see my design taking shape, but I've already got so many "if only I'd realised..." points I think I might write "A Little Book of Hindsight" about it all.

    best wishes

    RobinB
    • CommentAuthorTuna
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2009
     
    Started the conceptual build five years ago when we first saw the site.

    Started the physical build in July when we cleared away the old tractor shed and laid the foundation.

    We're currently at second fix, but being slowed to a crawl by Christmas and the bad weather. In January we should see the arrival of doors, stairs, the last dregs of plumbing, electrical fitments and toilet pans.

    The most stressful part has been problems with our self-build mortgage - the lender withheld later stages because we hadn't started building early enough. Luckily that's been solved (not by the lender I hasten to add - they have been pretty unhelpful, which is perhaps to be expected in the current financial situation). I dread to think of our final bill, but we're getting a really rather wonderful house for the money.

    The best part has been finding a local builder who is experienced and solves problems for himself. Unfortunately, that contrasts with some of the other trades who have been disorganised, expensive and required micro-management that I've not been able to provide.

    We avoided any sort of schedule. When we moved into our previous house, which we largely took back to brick before re-decorating, we told everyone we'd be done in six months. Nine years later we put the last piece of skirting in place and promptly moved out to build this one! Having learnt our lesson, we didn't give ourselves any deadline - other than saying we'd have Christmas 'in the house' this year - even if it involved sitting on cardboard boxes and holding umbrellas!As it is, we should have a working kitchen (the oven has yet to be wired in) and the place is warm and dry, so it should be a nice family meal.

    Largely we've enjoyed it, though like marathon running the experience will probably be more enjoyable in hindsight. It does take up every waking minute, which is hard work with a job and two young children to take care of.
    • CommentAuthortomlin
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2009
     
    We're building in the highlands. It took nearly 3 years to purchase/decroft the land and we finally started at Easter. Main issue at the moment is drainage, the plot which is on a slope and is not well drained. We had to dig below the peat to lay the foundations with the result that the house sits lower than we anticipated.
    Im busy fitting out the internals at the moment, heat pump and septic tank still to do so plenty of room for overspends yet. Slow pace of doing just about everything and "we've always done it this way' approach has been frustrating at times. The part of the build which has proven more expensive than expected (so far) has been groundworks.
    If I had come across this website earlier, our design would have much better green credentials but having waited so long we resisted the urge to go back to the drawing board.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeDec 23rd 2009
     
    Living in mine now -- warm and nice -- giving it a porch for Christmas.

    tonyshouse.info

    hope that you will be in by this time next year:smile:
    • CommentAuthorstephendv
    • CommentTimeDec 23rd 2009
     
    The architects plans along with the PHPP was done in July, we then sent it off to the certification company in Germany... it came back as non-compliant with passivhaus due to thermal bridges underneath the foundations. Zey are very fussy zose Germans.
    Revisited the PHPP to calculate the thermal bridges, ended up making up for the losses by installing better windows, final architects plans will be ready this week! Finally. Will hopefully start construction in the new year.
    • CommentAuthorpmusgrove
    • CommentTimeDec 23rd 2009
     
    Doing it all ourselves with no end date. So far so good with things a little below budget but suspect that the roof may put it back up again. If it isn't raining it is snowing so we are looking forward to having the windows in and the doors on and get on with the inside.
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeDec 28th 2009
     
    Really interesting to see how you are getting on. Thanks for the kind wishes, Tony, very happy to hear you are warm in the new house.

    Not so much to do at the moment if you don't have a roof or windows or doors. I've finally spent the time learning how to blog (easier than I thought) and have put up a few pics of progress to date. It's my first blog so I'd be very happy to hear if there is anything technically wrong with it. I'm not sure it will look OK in all browsers for example. Comments and advice on house-building welcome too.

    I can't wait for things to get moving again in the new year!

    best wishes
    RobinB

    http://robinbuildsanest.blogspot.com/
  1.  
    I have cut the trees down! FSC certified from a forest near my house. 145 large oaks ready for milling sat in my back yard. Oh, and i bought a Woodmizer to mill them too. House design totally changing as going for CSH code 6, hoping to build summer 2010.
    • CommentAuthorMaren
    • CommentTimeDec 29th 2009 edited
     
    Well, just in time for the freezing weather I now have a massive hole in my back wall! We are spending the holiday with my parents and decided it would be a good opportunity for the builder to knock through while we were away but now I worry endlessly about the water freezing in the pipes and the boiler seizing up etc

    Roof is on, partially tiled, outer wall is only 1 m high and needs to be knocked down again as the brickie left a 50 mm gap instead of a 70 mm gap! Couldn't even complain properly as it was a mate of my mother-in-law's who took the money (Yes, I still paid him...) and made some outrageous suggestion about dealing with it. "sloping the wall'll fix it, You'll never see it, hen"

    Window/door openings are boarded up (have only just ordered the windows/doors), insulation should be in by now, floor is insulated and chipboarded over and the ceiling might be on as well. I am a bit hesitant to ask as my builder is really glum and this is very disconcerting when you can't see what is really going on. Last time I spoke to him he moaned about missing drawings from the engineer and that did freak me out just a touch as I am now envisioning the house collapsing at the back due to inadequate support!

    I like to be in control. Living in the house while it is being worked is useful as I am aware of what is happening and able to intervene if I don't like it. So being away at this point, while it was the right strategy, is worrying.

    The stair has been redesigned three times and this has an impact on the kitchen. So I have to rework the kitchen layout - again!

    A bit anxious about the budget: saved on foundations and scaffolding, overspent on the roof trusses and labour costs but compensated by ordering slightly cheaper windows and doors (no alu-cladding), overspent on insulation but aiming for a cheaper kitchen so hopefully it'll balance out.

    However, as this will all be finished in 2010 I am feeling a probably unhealthy optimism about the whole thing and have started to imagine what my house will be like when it's finished! Going from 90 sq m to 140 sq m plus 27 sq m for garage and utilty room (PLUS ca 30 sq m for the master bedroom with en-suite in the attic (if we don't run out of money!) Twice the house with the same number of people - it will be wonderful...

    Wishing you all the best for 2010 - plentiful budgets, perfect weather and reliable builders!
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeDec 29th 2009
     
    Hi Maren
    Nice to read your post, and thanks for comment left on my blog. I hope the freeze is over soon. I am now feeling lucky we didn't get the water connected this year as we had planned!

    Hi Pedro- codel level 6 is ambitious! - Nice work! I think you have design it to fit the criteria, would love to see details posted here when you have them - our house should be a comfortable code 4 (from scoring it myself so could be iffy) - and the code has been amended since I did that though. Some things are very easy - bike store, home office, water saving etc. others are either hard/too expensive or at odds with what we felt was important. Now I'm in the midst of it I find I've forgotton some of the reasons I had for wanting things a certain way - though I'm sure I had good reason!

    Hi Pmusgrove
    I think doing it all yourself is the only hope of staying on budget and getting just what you want! Unfortunately I don't have the strength or the skills!

    best of luck to everyone
    Robin
    •  
      CommentAuthorrichy
    • CommentTimeDec 29th 2009
     
    Over budget, nearly broke and need roof covering, windows and second fix.
    Happy because I havent compromised on quality.
    Regret trying to be joiner, Labourer, machine driver and project managing at the same time as my fighting fires mismanagment has cost me £££s.
    Realised that I am much fairer with others than they are with me )-:
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeJul 9th 2010
     
    How's it all going? Tuna finished yet?? Maren home and dry? Pedro.mahon any trees left standing? Stephen, Pmusgrove how's progress? Tony I know you've been nice and warm.

    I like to hear the good stuff, gives me hope!

    RobinB
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 9th 2010
     
    I got piles yesterday!
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2010
     
    Piles! Congratulations! (never thought I'd say that about piles)
  2.  
    I am fitting my main house trusses next Monday. I hope (fat chance) to be water tight within 2 months. Project managers role is very hard with little building knowledge. I have a very good builder though and he has held my hand along the way (ooh err). He has saved me loads of cash and STRESS!!! so my advice is get a good cooperative main contractor. He has done my shell to a very high standard. Roof next then windows. Still unsure about a window supplier though. I wanted 3g but money is flying out of the windows too quickly for that. My window quoted all seemed so high for timber too :sad:
    So all I need to do now is keep chipping away and never give up!
    Oh, and my architect has been B####Y pathetic!!! My front faces of the build have always been designed as brick construction but he set windows at half brick heights. He also forgot about 1 brick sill so the window now needs to be 10" shorter. He also made the toilet windows as tall as the other windows so a loo will not fit under them. He also got the ensuite window size incorrect. He designed 1 room so the RSJ support would have given me a step in the ceiling height in the middle of the window. This step would have come down to the frame so no curtain pole etc could have been fitted on the wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    He is a nice guy though and that makes it worse because I feel it would be good for me to punch him!:angry:
    So all good so far!
  3.  
    Hi Robin

    I now have a beautiful house (with just about everything done except for painting and 'tinkering' eg curtain poles, fitted cupboards) ... but I am still awaiting a permanent electricity supply and a septic tank.

    The latest 'hitch' is the catastrophe naturelle which inundated parts of the south of France in mid June killing 40 odd.

    Hopefully in by Christmas. (2010 that is!)
    • CommentAuthorTuna
    • CommentTimeJul 13th 2010
     
    We're getting there... undercoat on all of the walls, kids bedrooms and vaulted ceilings painted fully. Septic tank ready to be commissioned and most lighting in.

    This week we're having the outside rendered - note how we cunningly miss the good weather.

    There's a lot of tiling to do, and the house is currently sitting in a sea of nettles and scaffold, but the end is in sight.
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 14th 2010
     
    Piles have taken 2 days to drive. Quoted £2K to depth of 6 metres, soil investigation suggested might be a bit deeper. Deep breath....piles down to 11metres, £45.00 per metre. Almost 100% overspend after first 2 days of build, must be some sort of record!
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeJul 14th 2010
     
    Hell, but they'll never move!!! Good luck and stay friends with your bank manager. You'll need him!

    :bigsmile::bigsmile::bigsmile::bigsmile::bigsmile:
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Piles and ringbeam done, Biorock arrived Monday as did huge hole in ground. Fantastically, we have almost zero water in hole although well below the base level of nearby stream. Thick clay has its uses sometimes. Now waiting for settlement tank to arrive (it's late) and hoping that it doesn't rain meantime.
    • CommentAuthorTuna
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Posted By: dicksterPiles and ringbeam done, Biorock arrived Monday as did huge hole in ground. Fantastically, we have almost zero water in hole although well below the base level of nearby stream. Thick clay has its uses sometimes. Now waiting for settlement tank to arrive (it's late) and hoping that it doesn't rain meantime.


    We've had some 'fun' with our biorock, and a high water table. It seems that keeping the seals intact between the biorock and the various connecting pipes can be difficult when backfilling. We've already had to dig out one air vent, and now it looks like the bottom drainage pipe is leaking (inwards!).
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Without wishing to ignite the previous debate, how did you guys scale your "pre-treatment tank"? As a septic tank or a settlement tank?

    Is backflow into the bottom of the bio-rock a real problem or just an indication that you needed to go lower on the outflow?
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Tuna, sounds very scary to me. My installer has gripfilled all the connections and all will be encased in concrete. Did yours receive similar before leaks???!!!!

    Marktime, as we will be only two bedroomed and there are only 2 of us, we went for smallest everything.
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Yes, if I remember you two have become water misers! :bigsmile:

    Where do you discharge to if your stream bed is higher than your discharge?
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Marktime.

    The treated effluent is pumped back up to the drainage field by submersible pump. When we flush the loo, pump comes on etc. Rated 250w, so one hour a day = 250w, a bit less than having air pump or discs rotating 24/7.

    The drainage field is actually called a "partial drainage field". Theory is in summer, low water table, works normally, in winter, should field become sodden, effluent is diluted by groundwater before possibly entering watercourse. Have terrible percolation figures, need 150m of drainage trench to get consent to discharge. Pretty ridiculous given water purity of 4:3:3. and daily usage of 120l.
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    That's interesting. I imagine you are required to have a sample extraction point to check treatment efficiency. Those results would be very interesting on this forum I would think. Do you check the effluent quality or EPA does it?
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2010
     
    Marktime.

    The pumping chamber also serves as the sample extraction point (I think). I also "think" that no one will ever bother to check the quality of treated effluent, except of course, I'll get it done at my cost 'cause I'll be very interested to see how well we're doing. Don't expect to be connected for 12 months, so it'll be a long wait. We are getting it done now because the weather has been fantastically on our side.
    • CommentAuthordickster
    • CommentTimeJul 30th 2010
     
    Bio rock et al concreted in the ground. Now proud owner of 5 manholes, + 1 on the way for head of drainage field.

    Going for 40 winks now.
  4.  
    Bliss - actual sanitation going in. Still waiting for AWOL plumber to show. On a more positive front, we now have an electricity meter. Never thought I would be thrilled by the prospect of getting a leccy bill.
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2010 edited
     
    So EPA weren't convinced then that Biorock will do all it says on the tin?

    Why do you have to pump daily? Don't you have a sufficiently large reservoir that you can pump say once a week? Your only using about 120 l per day right?

    When you get bored you can play "road workmen" and lift all your manholes covers! :bigsmile:
   
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