If it is your own house, I personally wouldn't agree to a full code level 3. The design implications that are involved may result in needing to make massive and unneccessary changes to your initial design.

If it were me I would ask if we could be allowed to achieve a code 4 or 5 level in energy consumption backed up with SAP reports and all that, but not do the rest of it.

Get a copy of the code and see how it would affect you.

The alternatives could be AECB silver or Gold standards?

Passivehaus?

Timber

I would aim higher than level 6!!!

Code 3 for new build is now a common standard condition for new applications in many LPAs.

NBT do quite a good line in Code equivalents, Code 3 should be easy enough, not many mandatory standards so lots of transferable credits, and not the queer anomalies of higher levels but worth exploring other options such as high EPC or SAP for eg if only as these are cheaper to get a full accredited rating for, saving you money for insulation and solar panels!

However these should not be confused for design tools, PHPP is apparently quite a good design tool but a full accredited certificate would be expensive and indeed at that level you are well into diminishing returns territory, but a good tool to get your envelope right.

It depends a little in how far you are going and how much you are spending...

J

Hi,

Thanks for all your advice! We are considering a pellet boiler and will have Solar panels, underfllor heating and very high levels of insulation so that should help. We also have the option of Krypton glass for the glazing but it's almost twice the price per M2.

I will take on board all your suggestions and hopefully come up with an alternative if Code 3 seems too costly and disruptive.

To be honest we have had so many problems with Planning that we have vastly overspent already and had over 2 years of terriblel stress with it all, so the cost, whilst important, is almost secondary to getting it built at last.

That's the price of living in Green Belt and an AONB. It's a long story but be warned if you ever want to renovate or extend in these designated areas as Planning is a real nightmare and we were given so much wrong and inaccurate information by the Council at the outset.

We certainly never expected to be doing a new build but at least we will get back the VAT!

Thanks again everyone!

Posted By: DianeWisdomHi,

Thanks for all your advice! We are considering a pellet boiler and will have Solar panels, underfllor heating and very high levels of insulation so that should help. We also have the option of Krypton glass for the glazing but it's almost twice the price per M2.

We looked at Krypton for some 4-6-4 sealed units. I discovered the price depends if the company already has a cylinder of the gas. If they don't it probably means they would have to buy a cylinder for your job. Due to the lack of demand they want your job to recoup the cost of a whole cylinder. So ring around all the sealed unit manufacturers nearer the time and see if you can find one that already has a cylinder of Krypton from a previous job.

Many thanks for the last 2 posts. I will certainly make enquiries re the Krypton - thanks Daryl! I am sorry to hear you had problems CWatters and totally sympathize, we also came very close to walking away from it all but financially it's aesier said than done. I really hope the build is progressing now. We have done lots of investigation into Code 3 now so have a clearer idea of what we need to achieve.