New house build - Luxembourg
Discussion
Looking fantastic 5PT!
Being the owner of a draughty Victorian house with no cavity insulation I am incredibly envious of the thermal properties of your new build.
As geeky as it is, I'm looking forward to next winter so you can update on how well the house is coping with the cold weather.
Being the owner of a draughty Victorian house with no cavity insulation I am incredibly envious of the thermal properties of your new build.
As geeky as it is, I'm looking forward to next winter so you can update on how well the house is coping with the cold weather.
I currently live in germany (just down the road from Luxembourg actually) and I am continually impressed by the quality of the housing here. concrete floors (nice and quiet), great insulation, doors that seal against the frame (quiet, better insulation), window frames that seal on three surfaces, massive 30cm thick polystyrene blocks on the outside of every house, etc. etc. decent sized rooms too.
the standard of the stuff built in the UK is horrendous by comparison.
the standard of the stuff built in the UK is horrendous by comparison.
Muncher: I dunno. I'll have a look for you... I'm sure it'll look different if it's just been floated?
ETA: It must have just been floated by hand. The machine had a round base, so wouldn't reach into the corners. No biggie - t'is all being tiled anyway.
Wetwipe: Me too! We currently buy ~2,000 litres of oil p.a., and that price has only been increasing since we bought our prior place. The buildres reckon on €1-2 per m2 p.a. heating.... I'll bet it isn't, but it can't be more than the oil heating now.
RealSquirrels: Yes, I've been very surprised too. When I read the house specs I didn't really believe it, so to see all that foam stuck on the outside was a little odd. Our current place, only built in 2004, doesn't have that, the EPC rating there being "E"!
Where are you located, then? Do you work in Lux?
ETA: It must have just been floated by hand. The machine had a round base, so wouldn't reach into the corners. No biggie - t'is all being tiled anyway.
Wetwipe: Me too! We currently buy ~2,000 litres of oil p.a., and that price has only been increasing since we bought our prior place. The buildres reckon on €1-2 per m2 p.a. heating.... I'll bet it isn't, but it can't be more than the oil heating now.
RealSquirrels: Yes, I've been very surprised too. When I read the house specs I didn't really believe it, so to see all that foam stuck on the outside was a little odd. Our current place, only built in 2004, doesn't have that, the EPC rating there being "E"!
Where are you located, then? Do you work in Lux?
Edited by 5potTurbo on Thursday 16th May 13:03
Pop over for a beer, RealSquirrels!
Very pleased to be able to get into the house today, and even more pleased to see,
- exterior louvre blinds have been delivered,
- interior granite window sills have also been delivered,
- 2nd fix electrics are underway!
I did have a chuckle as the sparks have set up a small 2 ring stove and obviously cooked lunch today. None of these sarnies for these guys!
Very pleased to be able to get into the house today, and even more pleased to see,
- exterior louvre blinds have been delivered,
- interior granite window sills have also been delivered,
- 2nd fix electrics are underway!
I did have a chuckle as the sparks have set up a small 2 ring stove and obviously cooked lunch today. None of these sarnies for these guys!
Hi Russ,
Thanks so much for posting the diary of your house build, I just discovered it yesterday and find it very very interesting. Me and my family also live in Luxembourg and plan to build a house (preferably A class)in couple of years. Would it be perhaps possible to meet with you sometimes in future in order to get some advice? Our problem is that we unfortunately don't speak french and all the information on internet are mostly written in french....Wishing you a good day and hopefully you can move into your beautiful new home soon...and hope the weather will improve!
Thanks so much for posting the diary of your house build, I just discovered it yesterday and find it very very interesting. Me and my family also live in Luxembourg and plan to build a house (preferably A class)in couple of years. Would it be perhaps possible to meet with you sometimes in future in order to get some advice? Our problem is that we unfortunately don't speak french and all the information on internet are mostly written in french....Wishing you a good day and hopefully you can move into your beautiful new home soon...and hope the weather will improve!
I had a nose in one of the other houses today, and they've had their heating system installed. The air/heat exchanger from Weishaupt is bloody massive.... The unit's as tall as me at 5'10"!
It comes with some equally massive intake an exhaust ducting too. Think "industrial kitchen"!
Even the hot water storage, helped along by 2 solar panels, is some 400 liters or so
It comes with some equally massive intake an exhaust ducting too. Think "industrial kitchen"!
Even the hot water storage, helped along by 2 solar panels, is some 400 liters or so
Whilst I was being nosey, I had a sneaky peak at how the vents for the air/heat exchanger are built into the 600x400 wall section, that in our house is still to be constructed.
Here's a neighbour's 2nd floor shower room, for comparison, but then I realised I cut the photo short and the vent's higher up. Numpty!
THEIRS:
OURS:
Here's a neighbour's 2nd floor shower room, for comparison, but then I realised I cut the photo short and the vent's higher up. Numpty!
THEIRS:
OURS:
I dared to push the builders on a completion date yesterday. They won't commit sooner tan the contract - Jan 2014!
That's a bit s
t for us. We have to be out of our house before 15 August, and we must have our youngest enrolled in the local school for her last year of primary school for mid September term start. Hmmmmmm.....
It will work out, although I'm travelling for work some 35/50 business days from now. Arse.
That's a bit s
t for us. We have to be out of our house before 15 August, and we must have our youngest enrolled in the local school for her last year of primary school for mid September term start. Hmmmmmm.....It will work out, although I'm travelling for work some 35/50 business days from now. Arse.
2014? They were pretty generous to themselves, weren't they? 
I hated the fact that I had to travel so much during our build. Lots of the problems we have are because of decisions that were or were not made during those times (when apparently everyone forgot that telephones tend to work globally now). However, your guys look like they know what they're doing so far. As long as your SO knows exactly what the plans are, and has no problem being firm with the builders if needed, you'll be fine.
I hated the fact that I had to travel so much during our build. Lots of the problems we have are because of decisions that were or were not made during those times (when apparently everyone forgot that telephones tend to work globally now). However, your guys look like they know what they're doing so far. As long as your SO knows exactly what the plans are, and has no problem being firm with the builders if needed, you'll be fine.
Yes, 2014 was to factor in an awful winter (it wasn't too bad in the end) and in case the main contractor would go bust, giving the bank, who guaranteed the construction financing, time to find another builder to finish it off.
However, the tiling company called me today, I was in Copenhagen on business, and they're starting the tiling on Wednesday, and they want to meet me on site to make sure we're ok with all the plans before they start, and they can answer any questions I have - which makes a change.
Oh, and the outside's painted now.
However, the tiling company called me today, I was in Copenhagen on business, and they're starting the tiling on Wednesday, and they want to meet me on site to make sure we're ok with all the plans before they start, and they can answer any questions I have - which makes a change.
Oh, and the outside's painted now.
Wetwipe: You'd think so, wouldn't you, but I'm told the tiling will take at least 2 weeks; it's 3 floors, plus bathroom & 2 shower rooms (floor to ceiling), the office and laundry/heating room above the garage and the garage floor itself. I've suspended ceilings to be fitted in the kitchen, 1 bathroom and 1 shower room - but only when the ceilings are in can the kitchen fitters come in for the final measuring - and then they'll be able to fit the kitchen 2-3 weeks later.
If the garden's not done, that won't stop us moving in.
It's a bummer, but we'll work something out, somehow. (I'm bricking it now, tbh!)
DrG: Thanks!
If the garden's not done, that won't stop us moving in.
It's a bummer, but we'll work something out, somehow. (I'm bricking it now, tbh!)
DrG: Thanks!
RealSquirrels said:
dxg said:
It does look good. I just wish UK house builders were willing to move away from the twee.
it's all down to those pwotection orders
Very good! 
dxg: I know what you mean. A mate of mine is a land director for a large house builder. In the UK it's all down to costs, £x/m2. Some people will pay it, many won't.
Our build, whilst not large by any stretch, is ~€3,000/m2 - NOT including the cost of the land.
Edited by 5potTurbo on Monday 27th May 10:02
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