New Build N.Ireland

mmackey234

Hi folks,

Currently awaiting plans to be passed with the local planning authority.
I was looking to hear ideas or suggestions from people with building experience on what are the best methods of construction, how to retain heat within the house (what type of heating, size of cavity, type of Block etc...) The site is on the coast, so weathering will be a factor.

Thanks in advance
Mark:beer:

CEON44

Cant help you with much apart from the heating. You really should consider biomass heating due to the government grants. Expensive to install but over time it will cover the cost of installation plus the cost of your pellets, meaning free heating for 7 years. After that if its too expensive then it wil have cost you nothing, just rip it out and install next best option. Go here to find out more:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/energywise

Check out Renewable Heat Incentive ( RHI ) Basically you get £2500 payment as soon as your boiler is commissioned plus a payment every year for 7 years which is based how well your home is insulated, by means of an EPC

mmackey234

Ceon44 this is exactly what I am after. Picking peoples brains and getting ideas about green energy etc.. Windmill, geothermal, wood pellet boilers etc..
Thanks mate, will check out the link now.

waltsalt

You should look to build the house right. Concentrate heavily on insulation and airtightness. I'd really emphasise the airtightness. Do it right now and the house will be cheap to run for your lifetime.

And if you build it right then biomass will be overkill for your heating needs. A low power heat pump (be it air source or ground source) would be adequate (and also eligible for RHI).

Do it really right then a wee taste of direct electrical heating will be all the need. The extra cost on insulation and airtightness will be offset by not needing to install a wet central heating system.

If you're not familiar with this approach there is a lot of information and resources available on the Internet. Or else you'd be best to seek advice from an architect or energy specialist that has experience in this field.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

mmackey234

My trail of thoughts were to increase the size of the cavity, triple glaze windows, go with thicker insulation onto of roof rafters between insulted plaster board etc..
Once the plans are approved the architect will provide more detailed plans with specifications etc..

I would be of the opinion I would rather go overboard on air tightness/insulation than expenditure on bigger boilers etc..

Thanks for the advice Waltsalt.

CEON44

I fully agree with Waltsalt. If you get it right at the start regarding insulation then your heat source will have little work to do. My house is 25 years old so wasnt built to the present specs for insulation. however I've filled cavities, extra roof insulation and triple glazed windows. I find that I dont really need heat on unless temp is close to freezing. So I am running the biomass boiler 24/7 but not really needing it. But as I said earlier the pellets are free so no big deal. Advice now, i'd go overboard on insulation, you wont regret it. If money is tight skimp somewhere else

motorguy

mmackey234 wrote: »

My trail of thoughts were to increase the size of the cavity, triple glaze windows, go with thicker insulation onto of roof rafters between insulted plaster board etc..
Once the plans are approved the architect will provide more detailed plans with specifications etc..

I would be of the opinion I would rather go overboard on air tightness/insulation than expenditure on bigger boilers etc..

Thanks for the advice Waltsalt.

Will post more tomorrow however RE: windows and doors, dont fit trickle vents or letter boxes. Helps a lot with air tightness.

motorguy

Ok, quick brain dump based on our experiences with building.

Totally agree with biomass boilers being the way to go - big grants make it worthwhile. Pure fuel costs dont though currently. Oil = £150 per 500 litres, Pellets = £220 a ton at the moment (500 litres of oil = 1 ton of pellets)

Allow for storage of the pellet bags too - probably one or two pallets.

If your house is big you may want to consider a bin and a hopper instead. This will allow you to get pellets blown into the bin, so saves manhandling bags about the place.

Underfloor heating - we did it upstairs and downstairs and zoned every room. We would do it again, however you need to think ahead of yourself and not expect instant heat.

Look at how far your burner will be from your house. Ours is across our back yard - we got specially insulated pipes - like big drainpipe filed with foam and the heating pipes down the middle to cover this distance - expensive, but we only lose 2 degrees across the back yard, rather than 10-15 (which means you've always to heat +15 degrees just to lose it across your yard).

Tiled floors work best with underfloor heating, then wood, then carpet.

Allow an extra 10% of your house price for contingency. You WILL go over budget, and nothing looks worse than an unfinished house.

Our siteworks came to £25,000 - fences driveway, large back yard in concrete, paving, patio, kerbings, lawns in grass. Again, set aside money for that as gathering up that sort of cash down the line when you've already spent it on / inside the house is difficult.

We did concrete floors upstairs and downstairs, and block walls upstairs and downstairs too - didnt add much to the price, but sound insulation is much better.

Fireplaces, kitchens, appliances and sanitaryware all vary greatly in price, so price around. A £40,000 kitchen is all very well but it will date just as quickly as one at a fraction of the price.

Same with fireplaces - there are places will take £20K off you for a fireplace. We got ours made by Portadown fireplaces for half the price of the one we had looked at elsewhere in the same stone and to the same standard.

Back to insulation - you are totally correct with over insulating wherever possible. Once your house is heated you want the heat to stay in.

Blinds in sun rooms - we got fitted heat proof blinds in our sun rooms. They fit in tight to the frame of the glass so you can still open the windows without them fluttering about like verticals do. Great for keeping the heat out during the summer, and keeping the heat in during the winter.

vfrdave

I'm in a similar position to yourself and fully agree with all that has been said above.

However take care with biomass and grant assisted purchases as prices may have been inflated to account for the grant.

Google ebuild loads of good sound advice on there and alot of it from locals.