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Buying an unconventional passive house

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  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,206 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Doesn't look too unconventional, unlike this one - https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/projects/detail/?cId=77


    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • mbugsy18
    mbugsy18 Posts: 88 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Steve866 - yes I did. I was informed that there was another offer being considered.

  • princeofpounds
    princeofpounds Posts: 10,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I'm not sure why you would have too much reason to worry, as long as it's not difficult to mortgage for being non-standard construction. It doesn't appear that's a problem, and the passive element is not really relevant to that.

    If it's been downvalued, it may be marketed a bit expensively. A new property, with a grand-designs gimmick, doesn't surprise me. No particular view on how expensive it is, depends on the local area. That aside, it should appreciate/depreciate similarly to any other local property.

    The windows aren't in the prettiest configuration. The brick is a bit orange at the moment but that will fade over the years. But I've seen far, far worse in London. The garden and outside space look nice enough - I presume you don't own the walls bounding it though?

    The passive thing largely means you should have low energy bills.

    There is a bit of maintenance knowledge required - passivehouses have ventilation and other energy systems that normal houses don't have, and you need to know how to 'work' the building to get the effects you want. The link below details some of this.

    http://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/UserFiles/File/Technical Papers/ROT/How to build a Passivhaus_Chapters 5 to 9(1).pdf

    You should also bear in mind that any significant alteration to the structure risks compromising the passive nature of the house, as they need to be somewhat airtight to work properly. One thing I don't know - and you should check - is how that accreditation works if you want to, for example, add a small extension or change a window. Is fresh accreditation needed one or two decades down the line?
  • eve824
    eve824 Posts: 229 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Something doesn't add up to me. Passivhaus certified yet an EPC rating of 84?? I know EPC has its limitations but really? They will have had to have a proper PHPP assessment done if it is actually certified Passivhaus so I would be requesting that to double check how energy efficient the house actually is. It's several thousand pounds to have a certification done and restricts the suppliers you can use (have to be Passivhaus certified) so a lot of people don't bother and just build to the principles. I would lay odds it's not a Passivhaus and they are just chucking the name out there to make it sound good.

    What is the construction method? Brick / block? It's VERY difficult (probably not completely impossible but I've never heard of one) to achieve Passivhaus with traditional building methods. 

    Anyone can chuck in a MVHR system into their house and fit triple glazing, doesn't mean it will perform to Passivhaus standards.

    Of course, it will probably perform better than most house, but if they are raising the price to account for the fact it's a 'Passivhaus' then it needs checking out. 




  • mbugsy18
    mbugsy18 Posts: 88 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Princeofpounds Just to clarify the house I am selling has been undervalued by 20k, my buyer can go half way and add £10k from savings. I will be stretching myself to make up the difference to purchase the passive house. 
    I understand it will take a bit of getting used to living in the house. I’ll be inside so won’t be looking at the front of the house.
    From the planning portal i understand that Peter Ranken was the architect and it did have a plaque saying passiv Haus accredited or words to that effect.


  • princeofpounds
    princeofpounds Posts: 10,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Check the accreditation direct with the Passivhaus trade body (whatever it's called) - it's probably accredited if it has a plaque but eve824 did pose some interesting questions. The thing is, EPCs are pretty dodgy assessments (monkey with a clipboard making a lot of assumptions based on tick-boxes, typically) so wouldn't surprise me if they have little relevance.
  • Alan2020
    Alan2020 Posts: 508 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    Personally I like the house, the only reason I would not buy it is because it’s a semi and in ilford. 

    But house looks ordinary enough, sensible layout, driveway and large south facing garden. 

    I generally would have offered £600 to £620to start with a view to complete at £630 or so. Generally, I look at who the estate agent is, and depending on their overpricing knock off several 10ks, new build premium off and kind of gives you a realistic figure. But I am not buying and don’t know if you desperately need it or the area.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    eve824 said:
    Something doesn't add up to me. Passivhaus certified yet an EPC rating of 84?? I know EPC has its limitations but really?
    Full EPC for it...
    https://find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/energy-certificate/8381-7537-6120-5347-5922

    Looks like the tickboxes that are dragging it down are...
    Main heating - Room heaters, electric - Very poor
    Hot water - Gas boiler/circulator - Average

    Recommendations to take it to 92/A - solar HW and solar PV. Well, yep. Does seem a surprise there isn't some form of solar.

    Now you know and I know that a proper passivhaus shouldn't need much heating, especially in a city... But did anybody tell the software?
  • mbugsy18
    mbugsy18 Posts: 88 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Yes, it surprised me about the EPC but to be frank Solar PV isn’t worth the cost and I used the solar calculator at the energy trust and it was a minus figure for the lifetime.
    Some of the houses and area I have been looking in Wanstead are way over priced and it would not have been worth moving. 
    For me the driveway and south facing garden are important, the area is OK hence I was thinking I would give it a try see how it goes and move on if it’s not right for me. 

  • k3lvc
    k3lvc Posts: 4,174 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    mbugsy18 said:

    For me the driveway and south facing garden are important, the area is OK hence I was thinking I would give it a try see how it goes and move on if it’s not right for me. 

    For me that's the sort of statement that warrants a £600k offer rather than £680k (not even 1%) - if it's been on the market for that period it's challenging to see two competing bidders appearing at exactly the same time.

    House itself looks great on the inside but surely one of the ideas of lots of windows/light is to enjoy the view - and in every pic shown the 'view' leaves a fair bit to be desired  :'(
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