|
PowerSwitch
The UK's Peak Oil Discussion Forum & Community
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
clv101
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Posts: 8051
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
clv101
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Posts: 8051
|
 Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:13 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
Been looking at the last year's smart meter data. This is for three of us living in a totally conventional 1920s semi. In the new house, our sole source of electricity will be the 6.5 kWp solar array and the only other energy source will be the wood stove with back boiler.
_________________
PowerSwitch on Facebook | The Oil Drum | Twitter | Blog |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Little John
Joined: 08 Mar 2008
Posts: 6796
Location: UK
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
| clv101 wrote: | | Kukunir wrote: | Excuse me, if it was already mentioned somewhere in the replies, but is this way of building a house cheaper than when using not local and perhaps even non-sustainable materials?
I would like to live in exactly the same house one day like you, as I care about being in sync with the environment and local traditions, while at the same time have access to all modern gadgets.
Also, I checked your blog, hoping to see the progress you have made since April. Wonder how the construction looks like now? Do you already live in? |
It's a good question. Our total build cost is around £750/sqm, but that looks higher than it needs to be as around half the building is double height (~6m) so we've got less internal floor area than we might have for a building this size. ie we could get around a third more floor area for relatively little extra cost.
This is around half the price of 'conventional' builds, BUT doesn't include 18 months of my labour (and a lot of other folk pitching in for free) to build the thing!
Some aspects of local or natural materials are cheaper (straw bale), but others (wood fibre insulation) are more expensive.
Won't be moving in until the spring. |
So, if you are only citing materials for your own house, then a fair comparison would be with the materials required for a conventional house. So, I fail to understand why you have compared your material costs to a conventional house including the labour to build it.
Or, are you saying the materials costs of your house is 50% less than the materials cost of a conventional house? In which case, that would be impressive.
Can you clarify this point please? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
clv101
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Posts: 8051
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm not only citing materials. I'm citing, as I said above, our total build cost.
This includes materials, professional services (building control, structural engineer etc), labour for the stuff I can't do (roundwood timber framing, electrician, sprinkler system install etc).
I'm not sure what proportion the material costs are for a conventional build. As I said above some of our materials are cheaper, some are more expensive. But also the design with a lot of double height space makes our cost per square meter look more expensive than a conventional build, also there's all our off-grid power infrastructure that a conventional build wouldn't have.
_________________
PowerSwitch on Facebook | The Oil Drum | Twitter | Blog |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Little John
Joined: 08 Mar 2008
Posts: 6796
Location: UK
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Okay.
So a simple way to resolve the comparison to is to add up the man hours that have been carried out without pay and add them to your total cost and then use that as a direct comparison to the total cost (including labour) of a conventional build.
Have you kept count of the unpaid man hours spent on your build? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kenneal - lagger
Site Admin
Joined: 20 Sep 2006
Posts: 11132
Location: Newbury, Berkshire
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Costs for a conventional new build are usually thought to be about 40%/60% labour/materials. On a conversion or extension it's usually the other way round at about 60% labour and 40% materials.
_________________
Action is the antidote to despair - Joan Baez |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
