Live self-Builds - mod warning in post no. 1

just do it

SAS

Out of interest, what spec for the "shed" I see in one of the photos?

sas

just do it wrote: »

Nice house there sas. I guess 313 is N facing and 315 is S facing;). Simple and stylish design making traditional form look fab.

Thanks, I appreciate the support. You are correct on the North South thing.

sas

just do it wrote: »

SAS

Out of interest, what spec for the "shed" I see in one of the photos?

That's the one that got away. The footings for that were built years ago when I first got planning and hence any knowledged gained as I went along was lost on that.

It's 100mm traditional cavity with the cavity being empty right now.
The windows are a lower spec variant of the house ones to tie it in.

The garage is a 1.5 storey. The intention is to have upstairs and about 1/3 of downstairs for a gym. This therefore needs to be insulated.
The roof can take 225mm of insulation along with 30mm softboard outside the rafters. The reason being I do intend insulating that with cellulose.
The middle floor can also take 225mm of insulation.
That leaves the 0.5 vertical masonry upstairs to be dealt with. I'm considering building a TF structure inside this on the middle floor and insulating it that way (in time, money etc).

The slate for the roof is identical to the house, as are the fascia, soffit, gutters etc. The reason being that planning dictated it and also that we did wanted to have them similar. In hind sight I'd have built a smaller garage. That roof took approx 50% of the quantity of slate of the main house which is an awful hit to the budget when you go for natural slate.

SAS

BarneyMc

sas wrote: »

Thanks, I appreciate the support. You are correct on the North South thing.

House looking great SAS! Just wondering if your south facing glazing needs summer shading and if so what are you going to use? Maybe shading is just required for east/west windows for passive houses?

sas

BarneyMc wrote: »

House looking great SAS! Just wondering if your south facing glazing needs summer shading and if so what are you going to use? Maybe shading is just required for east/west windows for passive houses?

Thank you.

I have no shading requirement right now. I'm not sure why to be honest because the preliminary PHPP suggested I'd a 35% overheating issue.

When we went to the more detailed one (done by the same person) it dropped to 0%.

Now, I'm happy to spend less money but it's a little confusing.

We put a door off our bedroom (south, upstairs on the stepout) which is to open onto a balcony which we thought would be required as part of the shading solution for downstairs. We'll still be doing that. It will be a free standing structure (to avoid cold bridging in the EWI). No plans for it as yet but it's likely to be a stainless steel and glass type thing.

Do-more

I lodged my planning application this morning!

The system is a little different here in Sweden, there is an area development plan which covers the village in which I will build, a box outlined on my site plan shows where the council permits a house to be built and another shows where secondary buildings can be built.

The development plan also outlines various other criteria such as the maximum height to the eaves (3m measured from ground level to the top of the joist at the front wall) and the pitch of the roof (between 40 and 50 degrees).

Once you stick within these restrictions the planning department can grant planning without any further consultation and no one (such as neighbours) can object, it's only if you go outside the guidelines that the process is opened up to further consultation.

According to the law here a decision must be granted within 6 weeks but most decisions are made within 2 - 4 weeks.

But unfortunately there are lots of things which are not stipulated in writing in the development plan which are open to interpretation by individual planners such as the overall height and proportions of the building and the size of the dormer windows. I've spoken to two different planners already and have got widely different answers on the subject of the size permitted for the large dormer window we will have at the back of the house. So we will have wait and see whose desk the application will land on.

If it is going to be rejected they will give us the nod and we can withdraw our application without incurring any fees, make changes and submit a new application or we can stick to our guns and go to further consultation with the public and county councillors having a say, although of course I'm hoping that neither will be necessary.

Even if we get planning within two weeks I fear it is too late in the year to pour the foundations (I'm told it's not good to pour concrete if the temperature is below +5 degrees C) and we will probably now wait until March or April to break ground.

manufan16

The The last time I posted in this thread was week 5 of the build, I can't beleive its week 11 already. The time is flying!

Anyhow , since then, the ICF first pour was done, then concrete slabs and concrete stairs were craned in ( 2 trucks 2 drivers, in and out in a few hours!)
The slabs were placed front to back so that they did not interupt the ICF on the gable ends of my dormer. After that the gable ends of the ICF were built then poured.
The Internal block walls are almost finished upstairs and downstairs.

I changed the spec from a cold cut roof to a warm cut roof and Im currently pricing timber and insulation materials for this stage.
The chippie suggested the initial wall plate proposed seemed inadequate for a dormer roof my size (concrete block on first floor slab with timber on top) after discussing with architect we changed to concrete and rebar shuttered in place with rebar in concrete and also through first floor slab)

I have scaffolding ordered that should be complete by the weekend meaning the chippie can start on the roof frame next week.

next up is roof , cills and sunroom, then the windows can be measured(still to decide supplier but have it narrowed down)

I am having some difficulty with the sunroom and what is the best way the steel should be done to avoid cold bridging etc. I have seen the keystone option but they have a fully filled cavity above where my sunroom has no block above the windows. If anybody has any advice here I would appreciate it ?

Tifosi

sas wrote: »

At least on the outside....

External insulation is completed and the scaffolding (less the porch) is down.

SAS

Just coming late to this but SAS the house looks great, the EWI looks well finished. Well done

farmerka

Hi all Im on the half way to finish country side home

muffler

farmerka wrote: »

Hi all Im on the half way to finish country side home

Keep us updated particularly in relation to pricing and any problems encountered etc. Thanks.

BryanF

splashthecash wrote: »

Hey all,

I'm in the early stage of a self build - looking forward to it, I'm sure it'll keep me occupied for the next couple of years...

I've created a blog with a couple of entries so far so I'll try my best to keep it going and update as often as I can.

http://lilly4life1981.blogspot.com/

G'luck!

congratulations
may i ask
are you sure the north point is right on your drawings?
have you done a provisional BER?

splashthecash

BryanF wrote: »

congratulations
may i ask
are you sure the north point is right on your drawings?
have you done a provisional BER?

Yes, the north point is correct - we were limited to the orientation of the house due to the size of the site. I realise that our living room isn't in the ideal location but other than that we are really happy with the house.

No provisional BER rating has been done yet. Might get someone to do this now that you mention it.

Quazzie

splashthecash wrote: »

Hey all,

I'm in the early stage of a self build - looking forward to it, I'm sure it'll keep me occupied for the next couple of years...

I've created a blog with a couple of entries so far so I'll try my best to keep it going and update as often as I can.

http://lilly4life1981.blogspot.com/

G'luck!

You've a sunroom and a two storey high window on the North elevation of your house. Mt advice would be to get a provisional BER done quick as that house will cost a fortune to maintain heat in.

splashthecash

ah lads - ye have me worried now (I know you're only trying to point out helpful tips..)

We have a large window on the north side because of that very fact....it is north facing and the orientation of the site can't be helped. I think any loss through these window can be offset by upgrading the window type\ wall insulation etc so im not overly worried about it.

FYI - I've removed my plans from my blog because I'm a pussy and can't handle constructive critisism...:D

BryanF

FYI - I've removed my plans from my blog because I'm a pussy and can't handle constructive critisism...

I'm sorry if I led you to do this, i was trying to subtlety get you to have another look at the design before your start

splashthecash wrote: »

ah lads - ye have me worried now (I know you're only trying to point out helpful tips..)

We have a large window on the north side because of that very fact....it is north facing and the orientation of the site can't be helped.

? this makes no sense ? while the site orientation cant be helped, the layout of rooms and glazing can be helped, who every did the design needs help!

why not do a phpp calculation to put your mind at rest, i think your naive to think that :

any loss through these window can be offset by upgrading the window type\ wall insulation etc

so im not overly worried about it.

has someone convinced you of this?

Quazzie

splashthecash wrote: »

FYI - I've removed my plans from my blog because I'm a pussy and can't handle constructive critisism...:D

Lucky I saved them so

My advice would be (in no particular order.
Downstairs
1. Remove the window in the north wall of the Sunroom.
2. Put two smaller windows in place of the 2100 wide window in the dining area
3. Replace the 750 wide full height window in that area to a Double 'French' doors, to lead out onto a decking area. That are will be small but it will be a nice sun trap for the SW in the summer evenings.
4. Get rid of the large glazing unit in the North Face. No amount of double/triple glazing will make up for the heat lost through that window.
5. If it was me, at the back I'd put the sun room on the right (south) and the kitchen on the left (North) this doesn't change things too much but allows for the sun room on the south where it should be and allows for bigger windows that the high windows you will have into your kitchen.
Upstairs
1. Lose the window into Her wardrobe. Personally I think it takes away from the front of the house and cuts down the wall space in her wardrobe significantly.
2. Swap the study for Bedroom 4.
3. In keeping with the change made downstairs, change the glazing unit in the new study.
4. Move the window in Bedroom 3 to the other wall. Where it is does nothing whereas moving it you might get some sun in it.

Thats pretty much it. I know you didn't want constructive criticizm but hopefully it might make you at least think about a few of the issues. All the points I raised are small issues that don't change too much.

Aine Bui

Hi All,

Im new to this thread but so far looks like it will be a vital tool in our self build. :)Going with direct labour. We just have foundations in. Trying to price Sandstone cills & lintels, so far ive got a difference of 5k in the quotes- is this possible? I also want to quote a dye render company, anyone got any recommendations?

muffler

Aine Bui wrote: »

Hi All,

Im new to this thread but so far looks like it will be a vital tool in our self build. :)Going with direct labour. We just have foundations in. Trying to price Sandstone cills & lintels, so far ive got a difference of 5k in the quotes- is this possible? I also want to quote a dye render company, anyone got any recommendations?

Aine Bui, welcome to the forum. We try to keep this particular thread for people to update us on their progress and offer opinions on things they have done/didn't do, problems they encountered, general feedback etc etc.

If you have queries on prices etc you can post in the Prices/costs sub forum or if you have any queries in relation to your BER then you can use the BER forum or for general queries/discussion then this forum is fine.

Enjoy

sas

Did some final work on site this morning to prepare for the first blower door tomorrow.

The weather is shaping up to mess it up for me though.

If it's windy we're likely to push ahead and treat it as a leak identification exercise with the intention of allowing the build to progress without us having formally taken a measurement. We'll retest when the house is the further along and we get a calm enough day.

It it's raining there will be no test because the only door I have suitable for the fan faces directly into the prevailing wind and wouldn't be good for the gear.

We may not end up pulling the plug on this until early tomorrow morning.

Having done the hands and knees walk over the house during the last few days, I'll be surprised if we don't have remedial work to do.

By this time tomorrow though I hope to have some indication of how we're looking.

sydthebeat

best of luck sas, give me a shout either way, ill try to get out if i can

sas

Things can change of course but it would appear that weather could be shaping up for us to actually get an accurate reading on the blower door this morning. Shocking last night but currently not raining and very calm wind wise.

The last time I felt like this I was sitting in front of a piece of paper with something alongs the lines of "Leaving Cert Gaeilge Paper 1" written on it i.e. 2 years of planning\work is about to get tested in a few hours.

beyondpassive

Congrats SAS on a 0.34 ach on your first go. (subject to environmental conditions in Gavin's Calc's. Fantastic project, top quality workmanship. Photo of air tight junkies and the client, can you guess which he is?


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beyondpassive

Not sure that works,

<SNIP>

Mod edit: You're around long enough to know better.

Do-more

Congrats SAS, now all you need to ask santy for is a nice frame to hang the passivhaus cert in.

beyondpassive

Apologies I was only on site as a spectator. Will send the site photos to SAS for him to post.

sas

Hi,

Yes, a really great day.

A number of the boardsies were onsite to see the test.

BeyondPassive was purely there to support me along with BryanF, Carlow52 and Sydthebeat.

What absolutely amazed me was when we smoked the downstairs of the building, it was complete whiteout inside. There was alot of leakage of it to outside even though the house had hit quite an airtight level. If I hadn't known the result before hand, I'd have assumed we were at 4 or 5 ach. In a nutshell, even at PH levels, you still do get leakage.

A side note but worth describing, BP encouraged me to go inside the building when it was filled with smoke. It was the middle of the day, it was my own house, there was no fire, I was perfectly calm and I couldn't figure out which way to the door. I was completely disorientated. If it was at night, there was a fire and the building filled with smoke, I can easily see how you'd very quickly be in trouble. I personally never appreciated the truth behind the adverts on fire safety. I think it would be very beneficial for anyone to experience it.

On a less serious note...
I do intend to test again once we're finished. Biggest leak on the day was with my sliding door and I want to get that addressed. The side door didn't exactly fly through either. The suppliers will have video evidence sent to them later on.

just do it

Hi SAS

Congrats on a great result:D. It's amazing to hear even at this there appeared to be alot of leakage - what will it be like when you've those sealed up?!

By any chance did you get down on your hands and knees like you're supposed to if there is a real fire?

sas

just do it wrote: »

Hi SAS

Congrats on a great result:D. It's amazing to hear even at this there appeared to be alot of leakage - what will it be like when you've those sealed up?!

By any chance did you get down on your hands and knees like you're supposed to if there is a real fire?

The items that were leaking (mostly the electrical sockets) aren't really fixable unless I start pulling them back out. I won't be doing that (most likely ) The slider and rear door will be looked at.

I did bend down at one point to see if it would be better and in fairness it did become a little more obvious where I was, darkness however would work against you here.

brickee

Hi all great thread lots of reading no posts sorry. We have the raft down and about 1500 blocks laid on our 300+ sqm dormer without the dormer windows.
I'm ex bricklayer so going to lay the blocks myself over the winter/spring months.
Not in much a panic as money is hard to come buy no mortgage got loan from credit union have spent 10,200 euro so far not including planning or council. Will hope to have the hollowcore and 2nd floor blocks built for 20,000. Then we have another 20,000 to get roof also windows quoted 11,200 for slates plus all timber not inc sky lights. I have allowed for 180mm cavity as I think this is the safest distance with 300mm wall ties to get a good enough bond with the leafs. Planning to install boiler stove to heat rads upstairs and downstairs. Would appreciate any advice that you might have to offer.

brickee

Just some of the prices I got lately 520 per thousand blocks, 68 per cubic metre concrete both rdst inc vat.