The foundations, water supply, and planning ahead.
I've included a lot of photographs of the foundations going in as they're crucial to building a quality home.
My site required leveling, as it was in a dip, so we had to bring in ten lorry loads of sand before we started on the foundations. Living abroad, I felt it was an important time to oversee the work.
Despite the amount of work involved, I was lucky to have six people working away on the foundations. This came about because I decided to employ a number of local tradesmen. Being Scottish, I wanted a good price for this work, but quality assured. By using people who were recommended, and who knew one another, I am pleased to say that the work has progressed smoothly and quickly. In all, building and insulating the foundations took just over a week for example.
I would make the comment that the cheapest price is not always the best way forward, and although my finances are tight, you cannot undo bad workmanship
My site also had to have a water source identified, and consequently a well was drilled. Another major consideration was to establish what form of central heating would be used.
It was my wish that Opalek 2G would be built in order to be ecologically friendly. With this in mind, I approached a number of companies for estimates for a system including a heat exchange pump, underfloor heating, and mechanical ventilation. I would point out that the costs of these are high, however they will more than pay for themselves in the long term. A word of warning though......go to as many different firms as possible to get estimates, read about the different systems, and find out about the different manufacturers. Make sure that the pumps and installation is guaranteed. Compare like with like......you will be surprised by the price differences!.
