After years of planning, planning applications and false starts we have placed the orders for the frame and ventilation system. Erection on site is to be early November, so we hope that the ground will be cut next month.

The frame is coming from Turner Timber Frames (no relation unfortunately!) in Hull. The price erected for their Plus kit is £31k and we are using a British firm for the excellent price and the zero VAT for new housing - it's 20% in France! The usable floor area is around 170 sq m.

We have also ordered the heat recovery ventilation system from Internal Climate Systems. We are using the Titon T2.75 unit and will install it ourselves. Hopefully we will be able to get it working early in the programme to aid with the drying out of the build.

More orders next week - just wanted to share our excitement!! Regards, Jonathan

I agree with Borpin.

Open the windows (after all, fresh outside air provides the dehumidification attributed to MVHR systems) or use a building dehumidifier to dry out.

In commercial buildings the ventilation systems can be severely contaminated or even damaged by use before the building is clean and construction dust free.

Likewise wondering where you are building re: VAT. I'm building in Sweden where the VAT rate on new builds is 25%! I've just had an Irish firm over to apply the render system, they would normally charge 13.5% VAT for the service in Ireland but because the location of the service they were providing was in Sweden the VAT @ 25% had to be returned to the Swedish tax man, which meant that the firm had to register for VAT here in Sweden just to write this one invoice for me.

Re the ventilation, it is a good idea to install the ductwork at an early stage of the build before the plumbing and electrical 1st. fix so that you don't have to compromise on the duct runs, but then seal up all the inlets and outlets and leave the commissioning until the last thing you do before you move in.

Posted By: PuglieseSuggest you go on the HMRC site and post a VAT enquiry. They will come back to you within 10days

Ring up the help line and get an amazingly authoritative immediate answer, call logged and ref no given - the advice given is binding, can be relied upon and re-invoked later.

Sorry to confuse - we are building in Normandy where we have been living for the past 9 years.

VAT is charged on new building in France, but of course the "Common Market" allows British companies to work in Europe and so long as the bill is paid in Britain then British rules apply - zero VAT on new houses. Think about it - if you buy goods from another European country that charge less VAT you don't have to pay the extra VAT when you receive the goods. Same rules apply with having a house built.

Thanks for the advice on the ventilation system - I will install and seal to keep it clean. Yes, opening windows is a pretty good idea - doh!! Just trying to be clever!!

Thanks guys, regards, Jonathan

Posted By: CerisySorry to confuse - we are building in Normandy where we have been living for the past 9 years.

VAT is charged on new building in France, but of course the "Common Market" allows British companies to work in Europe and so long as the bill is paid in Britain then British rules apply - zero VAT on new houses. Think about it - if you buy goods from another European country that charge less VAT you don't have to pay the extra VAT when you receive the goods. Same rules apply with having a house built.

I'm afraid that is not the case, the EU has rules to prevent companies located in lower VAT countries from undercutting local companies in higher VAT rated countries, that why for example if I buy anything from Amazon.co.uk for delivery to Sweden Amazon charge me Swedish VAT @ 25% rather than British VAT even though the goods are despatched and paid for in the UK.

It is the country to where the goods or services are being delivered to that dictates the VAT rate chargeable.

<blockquote><cite>Posted By: Chris P Bacon</cite><blockquote><cite>Posted By: Cerisy</cite>Sorry to confuse - we are building in Normandy where we have been living for the past 9 years.

VAT is charged on new building in France, but of course the "Common Market" allows British companies to work in Europe and so long as the bill is paid in Britain then British rules apply - zero VAT on new houses. Think about it - if you buy goods from another European country that charge less VAT you don't have to pay the extra VAT when you receive the goods. Same rules apply with having a house built.</blockquote>

I'm afraid that is not the case, the EU has rules to prevent companies located in lower VAT countries from undercutting local companies in higher VAT rated countries, that why for example if I buy anything from Amazon.co.uk for delivery to Sweden Amazon charge me Swedish VAT @ 25% rather than British VAT even though the goods are despatched and paid for in the UK.

It is the country to where the goods or services are being delivered to that dictates the VAT rate chargeable.</blockquote>
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Its a bit more complicated than that, as it depends on the status of the buyer/seller being VAT registered or not in their respective countries, the value of the product (100k maximum in France) and wether the product was bought at a distance (online for example) or bought while the EU citizen was travelling abroad in another EU member state.

I would suggest the reason you pay Swedish VAT is because Amazon UK (UK VAT registered) is shipping via Swedish Amazon (Sweden VAT registered) in which case it is the domicile VAT that is payed. When I say "via" I mean in a financial accounting sense, not physical.

Cerise, are you VAT registered in France?
I would have thought that the UK timber frame suppliers will need to declare the goods with HMCE as being destined for outside the UK, in which case, does the 0% still apply?

You probably know already, if you try and sell your house within 10 years, you will have problems with the assurance décennale