Energy costs

[Treetom15]

1 hour ago, Woodworks said:

Yes, many will choose a 20k+ kitchen (that will be ripped out in a few years due to fashion) over extra insulation and an efficient heating system. As you say we are greedy nation.

 

Bet you wont be using as much as 22kWh a day in a small Passive House. Good on you for going the extra mile now as it protects you in the long run

 

 

It will certainly be interesting to see how it performs in reality! We were limited on size of the build (local needs, 100sqm living space etc) so we decided to make the best we could afford. Feels expensive at the moment but if energy costs keep going up I hope it pays off. 
 

Re rising energy costs-the one thing that shocked me is the lack of funding/grants for building a house that is low energy. There is/was stuff available for renovations or replacing boilers, but now they are scrapping the RHI payments in April, so even though you are using the same stuff the government subsidise if you are retrofitting it (triple glazed windows, extra insulation, ASHP etc etc) if you fit it as standard with a new build you get no financial benefit? It’s no surprise companies don’t bother when wacking up 80 new builds on a postage stamp. 
The problem with the rising cost of everything is that it’s discouraging people from making small changes that will collectively have a big difference-using low energy bulbs, no dishwasher/tumble dryer/microwave etc, poor insulation in houses…..people who are on the cusp of this rise in living costs won’t want to spend extra on something that makes a relatively

small difference, and I don’t blame them at all

[Baldbloke]

I'm not familiar with the system in Scotland, but in England that would be catastrophic.

 

We would not actually be allowed to make the changes necessary to uprate the house and, like you, many of the energy efficiency measures we have made do not count. We have early glass in some of the windows, so would not be allowed to remove it. Our walls are 4" thick lath and plaster which we would not be allowed to remove. Cladding over it with a modern system would reduce breathability and it would rot, for which we would be held accountable. Installing heavy thermal curtains, underfloor heating and thermal plaster do not count because they are not in the assessor's checklist. We do not have solar panels because the artificially inflated costs are designed to become affordable once you factor in the grants, but we do not qualify for the grants because our property does not meet the necessary energy efficiency levels, which we can't do because of the above. Catch 22.

 

If you make listed buildings or buildings in conservation areas legally unsaleable then the residents have to live there until they die, and then they are left to fall apart. It's worse with listed as technically the owner still has to pay to repair it.

 

You might think things would be joined up in this regard but they really aren't. When I built our extension it had to comply with both building control and listed buildings. These were totally different functions and although the relevant officers sat in the same council building they didn't talk. They both put forward their stipulations and I was obliged to find a way to reconcile them. If new legislation makes that impossible it will fall on the homeowner to deal with that problem. The only way I can see that being resolved is if the regulations alienate enough voters simultaneously that it costs them an election.

 

Alec

 

Good post.

 

Our issue is that because we bought a property that should have been listed, ours isn’t, so I don’t have that valid argument. The chap we bought it from worked in the Council and was able to avoid listing in order to rip out some features during renovations and not have the burden of inspections after work[emoji849]

 

 

[Big J]

It again comes down to one fundamental problem with UK housing - that it's treated as an investment, not a home. 

 

We don't really place any value on the green credentials of a house and money invested in insulation and sustainable heating isn't recouped at the point of sale. So it's often not done.

 

Couple that with the general inadequacy of housing in the UK, where people have to continually hop up the ladder to get a house that grows with their needs. Moving house is extremely expensive in the UK, which is a whole load more wasted money. The UK average moving cost is £9k - it'll cost us less to move to Sweden, including all fees. 

 

Then add in the expectation that new technology adoption, or insulation improvement should be payed for by the state. Improvement only occurs if someone else pays for it, which is an odd mindset.

 

The UK housing market it absolutely and completely f*cked on so, so many levels. It just doesn't function for anyone except the most wealthy. Very few people live in houses that would be considered decent by European standards. New builds in the UK average 103 kwh/square metre. Older houses 294 kwh/square metre. We've bought a 1957 house in Sweden of typical construction and if memory serves, the energy use is around 65 kwh/square metre. Keep in mind that it's much, much colder there in winter too.

 

And then there's planning too. So many developments are pushed through without adequate affordable housing provision. No infrastructure is put in place, roads are barely upgraded. Planners continue to favour large developers, shitting on the self builders. Ecologically barren farmland greenbelt land is sacrosanct (and won't be built on), second home ownership is rife and local people are priced out of so many markets. 

 

I'm really, really grateful to be leaving. I wouldn't have the first idea how to buy/build an affordable, sustainable, spacious home for my family now in this part of the UK. 

[Stubby]

4 hours ago, coppice cutter said:

I believe a bigger issue with tidal is that you have slack water on average four times per day.

 

So while tides may be constant, it would take a series of them all along an area of coastline to provide anything approaching a practical supply.

We have 2 high tide times in and around the Solent .  As the moon pulls the water in some of it has to find its way round the tip of the I.O.W. so you get a second high tide a bit after the first one . Neat innit ? 🙂

[Stubby]

30 minutes ago, Big J said:

It again comes down to one fundamental problem with UK housing - that it's treated as an investment, not a home. 

 

We don't really place any value on the green credentials of a house and money invested in insulation and sustainable heating isn't recouped at the point of sale. So it's often not done.

 

Couple that with the general inadequacy of housing in the UK, where people have to continually hop up the ladder to get a house that grows with their needs. Moving house is extremely expensive in the UK, which is a whole load more wasted money. The UK average moving cost is £9k - it'll cost us less to move to Sweden, including all fees. 

 

Then add in the expectation that new technology adoption, or insulation improvement should be payed for by the state. Improvement only occurs if someone else pays for it, which is an odd mindset.

 

The UK housing market it absolutely and completely f*cked on so, so many levels. It just doesn't function for anyone except the most wealthy. Very few people live in houses that would be considered decent by European standards. New builds in the UK average 103 kwh/square metre. Older houses 294 kwh/square metre. We've bought a 1957 house in Sweden of typical construction and if memory serves, the energy use is around 65 kwh/square metre. Keep in mind that it's much, much colder there in winter too.

 

And then there's planning too. So many developments are pushed through without adequate affordable housing provision. No infrastructure is put in place, roads are barely upgraded. Planners continue to favour large developers, shitting on the self builders. Ecologically barren farmland greenbelt land is sacrosanct (and won't be built on), second home ownership is rife and local people are priced out of so many markets. 

 

I'm really, really grateful to be leaving. I wouldn't have the first idea how to buy/build an affordable, sustainable, spacious home for my family now in this part of the UK. 

Its shocking Jonathan when you view it like that matey . Right , everyone off to Sweden

[eggsarascal]

37 minutes ago, Big J said:

It again comes down to one fundamental problem with UK housing - that it's treated as an investment, not a home. 

 

We don't really place any value on the green credentials of a house and money invested in insulation and sustainable heating isn't recouped at the point of sale. So it's often not done.

 

Couple that with the general inadequacy of housing in the UK, where people have to continually hop up the ladder to get a house that grows with their needs. Moving house is extremely expensive in the UK, which is a whole load more wasted money. The UK average moving cost is £9k - it'll cost us less to move to Sweden, including all fees. 

 

Then add in the expectation that new technology adoption, or insulation improvement should be payed for by the state. Improvement only occurs if someone else pays for it, which is an odd mindset.

 

The UK housing market it absolutely and completely f*cked on so, so many levels. It just doesn't function for anyone except the most wealthy. Very few people live in houses that would be considered decent by European standards. New builds in the UK average 103 kwh/square metre. Older houses 294 kwh/square metre. We've bought a 1957 house in Sweden of typical construction and if memory serves, the energy use is around 65 kwh/square metre. Keep in mind that it's much, much colder there in winter too.

 

And then there's planning too. So many developments are pushed through without adequate affordable housing provision. No infrastructure is put in place, roads are barely upgraded. Planners continue to favour large developers, shitting on the self builders. Ecologically barren farmland greenbelt land is sacrosanct (and won't be built on), second home ownership is rife and local people are priced out of so many markets. 

 

I'm really, really grateful to be leaving. I wouldn't have the first idea how to buy/build an affordable, sustainable, spacious home for my family now in this part of the UK. 

Stop talking nonsense, you'll be back from Sweden within 5 years, you are chasing a dream that isn't there. I've a brother just the same. I went about with a lass from just outside of Gothenburg, she'd never go back. Things here might be shite, things in Sweden are not much better. Thinking about it, I've got a pound says you won't last five years out there.

[Big J]

1 minute ago, eggsarascal said:

Stop talking nonsense, you'll be back from Sweden within 5 years, you are chasing a dream that isn't there. I've a brother just the same. I went about with a lass from just outside of Gothenburg, she'd never go back. Things here might be shite, things in Sweden are not much better. Thinking about it, I've got a pound says you won't last five years out there.

Ever the optimist, eh?! 😆

 

I think you underestimate me a little. We've been debating moving to Europe since 2014. Through the pull of family, we moved to Devon to try out England. Really didn't like it. So back to plan A, which is what we ought to have done all along, but at least this way we know that England isn't viable for us. 

 

I don't want to derail the thread, but what exactly do you think we'll miss from the UK? I can hardly be accused of being England's greatest cheerleader.....

[trigger_andy]

53 minutes ago, Big J said:

It again comes down to one fundamental problem with UK housing - that it's treated as an investment, not a home.

It has to be an investment if you're being forced into spending upwards of £30,000 in upgrades to a property where the law has given all the rights to the tenants. 

 

In Norway the owner has far more rights than they do in the UK. But of course houses, like they are globally, are seen as an investment. This is something thats never ever going to go away unless we go full on Communist. 

[Stubby]

4 minutes ago, Big J said:

 

 

 

 

I don't want to derail the thread, but what exactly do you think we'll miss from the UK? I can hardly be accused of being England's greatest cheerleader.....

Narrow country roads , muppets that can't revers a Fiat Panda ( when you have a tractor and tailor with a mini harvester on board ) shit housing ( baking hot in summer freezing cold in winter ) , rain and some more rain then rain , mud and some more mud You love it mate   😁  Thing is Jonathan what would you have to moan about over there ?

[eggsarascal]

2 minutes ago, Big J said:

Ever the optimist, eh?! 😆

 

I think you underestimate me a little. We've been debating moving to Europe since 2014. Through the pull of family, we moved to Devon to try out England. Really didn't like it. So back to plan A, which is what we ought to have done all along, but at least this way we know that England isn't viable for us. 

 

I don't want to derail the thread, but what exactly do you think we'll miss from the UK? I can hardly be accused of being England's greatest cheerleader.....

It's not about being a glass half empty fella, it's fact, we all head home at some stage. I've lived all over this country and I always head back to Staffordshire, our kid has lived all over the world, Japan and Australia mainly, he always ends up back here.

 

Like I said, you'll be back within 5 years. Probably complaining about how shit the law/rules are over there.