Building a house

[JimStynes]

anybody ever use this company run by a fella called Eric Davidson? http://www.reinco.co.uk/

[gander]

Not sure if this link was put up before but it has some useful info

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/build-renovate/self-build-advice

[Brick Tamlin]

Not sure if this has eben discussed previously (couldnt be bothered goin back through pages), but really could do with some educated and experienced opinions on home heating/plumbing systems.
Ready to start building home now in next month or so and still undecided about what heating system to install.
House is about 3000 sq ft, timber framed and will have plenty insulation. If possible id like to avoid oil, just the way its going with prices etc in next few years it will be ridiculously expensive.

Ye hear all sorts of nightmare stories and opinions about under floor, wood pellet, solar etc. any advice or opinions welcome, especially from those who actually have such systems in place.

[Denn Forever]

Myles did quite an extensive treatise on this on page 2/3 of this tread if you want to check it out.  Below is his summary.

I built my house a few years ago. Learnt a lot of things the hard way so I will try and save you the making the same mistakes.

-Before you consider a heat system you must consider 1st how to keep the heat in your house. iInsulation is critical. I strongly suggest you put foam back slab on the inside of your outer walls. 100mm thick stuff would be a good job. This is vital. Never mind pumping walls, that is mostly for old houses and is not as efficient insulatation as on the slab.

- Windows. Do not skimp on windows. Get double or triple glazed, 25mm thick or more. Windows are a hoor for letting in the cold. Get a good company to fit them. Thie cheapest in the south are probably Munster Joinery and they are absolutely useless.

- Sunrooms. Everyone likes the sunroom but beware if you are considering leaving them open plan. They get very hot in summer and cold in winter. If you go for underfloor it can really struggle with rapid temp changes in temperature of rooms.

- Open fires. They are nice and add a nice "feature" to a room. Unfortunately, they also cause drafts and let heat escape. A good alternative is to put a small stove into your fireplace. This will seal your chimney and if you do want to light the stove it will heat the room better than an open fire.

- 2 Story. If you are building a two storey I strongly suggest you go for a hollow core floor and not ply on joists. Putting floors on joists, no matter what dampening you try, will not conceal noise from upstairs.

So now to the heat system. I think anyone with an eye on being efficient has to go for underfloor. It is simply much more efficient than every other system and anyone who tells you otherwise either installed it incorrectly or likes a house that is baking hot. It does have some downsides. You cannot quickly change room temps by say +5 Deg in an hour. Underfloor is a slow steady constant heat. That is why you must be careful about sunrooms and drafts.

Underfloor could be powered by standard oil burner, wood chip or geothermal. Oil is least efficient. Wood chips were all the rage but you need an outside shed for taking bulk delivery and it will need to be really dry (ie have a heating system) as damp wood pellets spells big probs. Geothermal is my choice, ground loop is the best. A Geothermal system, underfloor pipes and cylinders/plumbing will prob cost you in the region of 15-20k (for a 2000sq/ft house approx). Get someone decent to do it. You do not want a cowboy doing this as once it is done it is done!

One other thing I would suggest is to take your time designing the layout of your home. Make a model with cornflakes boxes or whatever. To it right up front cos it is very hard to change. Nearly everyone who builds a house (myself included) was rushing to get out of rented accomodation and regrets certain aspects of design. Try and meet the county planner as that will get you brownie points when he looks at your application.

If you are considering Geothermal then you are effectively using some electricity to heat your house. One way to offset this is to have someone build a wind turbine behind your house (if you have space). This can be wired into a 2nd meter which allows you to sell any energy created back to the ESB as opposed to the older systems which tried to store the electricity in batteries and which couldn't power a kettle. A turbine could be installed for about 15k.

One final thing - what size is your house and what style (cottage, dormer, 2 storey). Your budget may need to be revised, I'm thinking a €150k would be minimum you would spend. Good luck with it!

[balladmaker]

Not sure if this has eben discussed previously (couldnt be bothered goin back through pages), but really could do with some educated and experienced opinions on home heating/plumbing systems.
Ready to start building home now in next month or so and still undecided about what heating system to install.
House is about 3000 sq ft, timber framed and will have plenty insulation. If possible id like to avoid oil, just the way its going with prices etc in next few years it will be ridiculously expensive.

Ye hear all sorts of nightmare stories and opinions about under floor, wood pellet, solar etc. any advice or opinions welcome, especially from those who actually have such systems in place.

We went for underfloor heating throughout the ground floor, as well as upstairs bathroom and ensuite.  The rest of upstairs has radiators.  I think the kind of heat required upstairs is different than downstairs, but that comes down to personal choice.

I can't comment on the underfloor as the house isnt yet completed, however, from the advice I was given, if you have it professionally designed and installed, with stats in the correct places, and do not scrimp on insulation below the underfloor, then it will be an efficient system.  Will let you know in the next month or two.

[johnneycool]

I put the underfloor heating into any room which was going to be either tiled or have wood flooring fitted, i.e. bathrooms, kitchen, hall etc and i like the even heat better than radiators which I still have upstairs in the bedrooms and landing area

I have 75mm of insulation below the underfloor and only 50mm of a non concrete based screed so you don't have to wait as long as you would with 100mm of concrete based screed.

I also have a solid fuel stove linked into the normal oil fired heating system as well as solar panels heating the hot water.

The solar panel is a good job as i rarely burn any oil from about May till late september.

I also put 75mm foil backed cavity insulation in all the walls and that helps no end.

Insulate as much as your budget will allow you as its money saved in the long run.

Can't see the end of the feckin line on this new board!!

[ha ha derry]

If you do go for underfloor heating, think about using a lightweight screed at first floor level on top of timber joists, will create the mass required for u/f heating to work efficiently. Also has the added benefit of sound dampening.

[Newbridge Exile]

In terms of the foil faced Cavity insulation, there are 2 principal types , Phenolic (kingspan Kooltherm ) and Pir board , with regard to The thermal quality there is a slighter higher u value using the Kooltherm   but because Kingspan have a monopoly on this product it is a hell of a lot dearer than Pir board

[JimStynes]

Any good examples or ideas for a 2500 bungalow. Im in middle of planning and in need of some inspiration for designs. We want something that isn't too modern and not ur usual 4 bedroom bungalow that you see everywhere around the country.

[FermGael]

Possibly thinking about moving house.
2 storey house has become available that i like the look of but it has to be finished.
Its 2600 sq feet, on half an acre , windows(double glazed) and doors have been fitted. 
Roof is on the property and the attic has been floored.

But the inside needs to be plastered, radiators put in, plumbing, electrics, kitchen and bathroom fitted, etc
It's a shell of a house but has potential.

I know nothing about house building but what sort of money(ball park) would you be talking to finish the property??

[trueblue1234]

Just a quick question, and unfortunately I think I know the answer. Built a house and it was signed of completed by building control. I was looking to claim the tax back on a few bits and bobs but have passed the 3 months deadline (By quite a bit in fairness). So was just wondering if there is any chance of getting it back? Or is there any way around it at all? Completely my own mistake to be fair.

[johnneycool]

Just a quick question, and unfortunately I think I know the answer. Built a house and it was signed of completed by building control. I was looking to claim the tax back on a few bits and bobs but have passed the 3 months deadline (By quite a bit in fairness). So was just wondering if there is any chance of getting it back? Or is there any way around it at all? Completely my own mistake to be fair.

You're in the south I presume?

[Tony Baloney]

Just a quick question, and unfortunately I think I know the answer. Built a house and it was signed of completed by building control. I was looking to claim the tax back on a few bits and bobs but have passed the 3 months deadline (By quite a bit in fairness). So was just wondering if there is any chance of getting it back? Or is there any way around it at all? Completely my own mistake to be fair.

You're in the south I presume?

Must be as we had our final conpletion done a long time before we claimed the VAT back from HMRC.

[trueblue1234]

In the North Johnny.

But from speaking to a couple of people and spoke to Building control they are saying it has to be done within 3 months of cert of completion?

If you have any info to the contrary I would be very interested to hear. Could be the difference of the guts of £1500.

[johnneycool]

I wasn't aware of any time constraint on it but then again I haven't got a completion certificate yet.

Building control did give me some sort of temporary certificate or the likes for me to claim my VAT back. That was 3 to 4 years ago.