New house build - Luxembourg
Discussion
A bit of a shock on our return from holiday this weekend ... the first year's electricity bill.
Having paid almost €1,000 during 2014 by DD, I've been hit with another bill for €1,500 for the difference vs. estimation in the 1st year.
I called the local leccy provider, Enovos, and a very helpful guy broke the bad news to me about heat pumps and air circulation systems .... they use a s
tload more leccy than you'd ever imagine.
The guy at Enovos likened it to the new BMW i8 ... promises very low consumption, but the reality's very different, and they've seen that a lot with these new "low energy" consumption houses with heat pumps/air systems in the last 2 years.
Usual house elctricity would be ~5000KWh/p.a. The heat pump/air system's added >10,000KWh to that!
It's far, far from the numbers we'd been quoted before signing on the dotted line, but I should have done more research.
As a result my DD will be increased from €175/2 months to €428/ 2months.
You live and learn but the high cost hurts, a LOT.
Having paid almost €1,000 during 2014 by DD, I've been hit with another bill for €1,500 for the difference vs. estimation in the 1st year.
I called the local leccy provider, Enovos, and a very helpful guy broke the bad news to me about heat pumps and air circulation systems .... they use a s
tload more leccy than you'd ever imagine. The guy at Enovos likened it to the new BMW i8 ... promises very low consumption, but the reality's very different, and they've seen that a lot with these new "low energy" consumption houses with heat pumps/air systems in the last 2 years.
Usual house elctricity would be ~5000KWh/p.a. The heat pump/air system's added >10,000KWh to that!
It's far, far from the numbers we'd been quoted before signing on the dotted line, but I should have done more research.
As a result my DD will be increased from €175/2 months to €428/ 2months.
You live and learn but the high cost hurts, a LOT.
RichardYes, it's good I've been on holiday and that was already paid for in advance, or this month would be doubly painful!
We've pulled out the folder with all the heating spec and instructions, and probably need to rethink HOW we use the system, and when. I'll call the system's installer and ask them to come over too to help us, since they're still working on other houses in the development anyway.
Still miffed though.
Thanks, Herbi. Even a mate of mine, who's a land director for a major UK housebuilder, says their own co build tiny boxes that all look alike - inside and out. They don't permit many changes/customisations to keep the overall costs down and margins up. The most recently finished houses on our development, also on our road, look very similar in turns of style to ours, colour's all the same, etc., but the dormers have been finished in a different way, so I'm noticing small things on each group of houses.
If it's not lashing down or snowing this w/e I'll get some more pics of those that I stupidly deleted before.
Edited by 5potTurbo on Wednesday 25th February 08:23
Err, OK, I've not posted up pics of the surrounding new builds, but now I've moved into the 21st century with an iPhone instead of a CrackBerry, it will be easier to do so.
However, despite the recent fookin' stupidly hot weather, Mrs.5Pot & I decided the square of grass with a Beech (twigs) hedge was a bit boring - so we killed the grass, dug it up and completely re-did it!
The grass was OK, but dull - KILL IT ALL!
(You can see in the background how long the neighbours' front garden grass is. That was >2 weeks ago and it's STILL not been cut! Grrrrr!)
Tree planted, membrane down, decorative stones in place, half the grass dug up. Clay soil = bloody hard work! This was 4 hours on Saturday.
Sunday, another 2 1/2 hours digging and all the grass is gone!
Then Mrs.Greenfingered-5Pot comes along ....bloody glory hunters!
VERY pleased with the results!
(Now I've uploaded all the images at work, I can't see them in this post, so I hope they work OK!!)
ETA: Balls, just checked my post on my iPhone - sorry!
However, despite the recent fookin' stupidly hot weather, Mrs.5Pot & I decided the square of grass with a Beech (twigs) hedge was a bit boring - so we killed the grass, dug it up and completely re-did it!
The grass was OK, but dull - KILL IT ALL!
(You can see in the background how long the neighbours' front garden grass is. That was >2 weeks ago and it's STILL not been cut! Grrrrr!)
Tree planted, membrane down, decorative stones in place, half the grass dug up. Clay soil = bloody hard work! This was 4 hours on Saturday.
Sunday, another 2 1/2 hours digging and all the grass is gone!
Then Mrs.Greenfingered-5Pot comes along ....bloody glory hunters!
VERY pleased with the results!
(Now I've uploaded all the images at work, I can't see them in this post, so I hope they work OK!!)
ETA: Balls, just checked my post on my iPhone - sorry!
Edited by 5potTurbo on Thursday 2nd July 09:51
I'm very pleased that the grass is still looking good at the side and the rear of the house, and I'm now planning to buy a scarifier so it can be treated, seeded and readied for Autumn.
The front garden's also doing well after its makeover, and the plants, especially the grasses, have really filled out now.
We're looking now at installing frameless glass doors from our entrance hall to our living room, which is currently just an opening. The span is 2.11m high by 1.5m wide, so 2 doors of 75cm ea., mounted in the inside of the opening, and then they can open in or out of the room individually.
To match the horizontally 'striped' interior doors we have, we approached the original supplier last Saturday morning and they emailed us a quote the same day. It's quite a lot of money but it's time to bite the bullet and then I'll feel like the living room and entrance hall are "finished", almost 2 years after we moved in!
The front garden's also doing well after its makeover, and the plants, especially the grasses, have really filled out now.
We're looking now at installing frameless glass doors from our entrance hall to our living room, which is currently just an opening. The span is 2.11m high by 1.5m wide, so 2 doors of 75cm ea., mounted in the inside of the opening, and then they can open in or out of the room individually.
To match the horizontally 'striped' interior doors we have, we approached the original supplier last Saturday morning and they emailed us a quote the same day. It's quite a lot of money but it's time to bite the bullet and then I'll feel like the living room and entrance hall are "finished", almost 2 years after we moved in!
Edited by 5potTurbo on Wednesday 24th February 13:50
Enovos sent me the new bi-monthly DD amount for our electricy bill, having recovered in 2015 from 2014's mahoosive remaining debt to them.
In 2015 I paid ~€420 every 2 months. For 2016 it's now "only" €320 every 2 months.
"Energy efficient" doesn't mean "cheap to run". I feel robbed.
In 2015 I paid ~€420 every 2 months. For 2016 it's now "only" €320 every 2 months.
"Energy efficient" doesn't mean "cheap to run". I feel robbed.
In this zone there were 2 developers. They're all A rated eco-boxes.
At the entrance to the zone there are 2 rows of 4 beige terraced houses, built by 1 developer, and the rest are of a similar design, painted dark grey and white, as shown in the pics. That said, there are small differences to each block of 2 or 4 houses built.
Given the land and building costs, the promoter releases maybe 4 houses at a time, but they'll only start building when 2 are signed/agreed as sold.
At the rate they're going, I think we'll have lived there 5 or 6 years before the zone's completed.... just about long enough for the kids to have flown the nest to Uni and for me to sell up and buy something else!
At the entrance to the zone there are 2 rows of 4 beige terraced houses, built by 1 developer, and the rest are of a similar design, painted dark grey and white, as shown in the pics. That said, there are small differences to each block of 2 or 4 houses built.
Given the land and building costs, the promoter releases maybe 4 houses at a time, but they'll only start building when 2 are signed/agreed as sold.
At the rate they're going, I think we'll have lived there 5 or 6 years before the zone's completed.... just about long enough for the kids to have flown the nest to Uni and for me to sell up and buy something else!
pvapour: Yours sounds cheap, running AC too. Thanks for the nice comments!
kapitain: That's only electric; there's no gas! I think we managed to reduce 2015 consumption quite a lot from not running the air circulation system during the summer months, but we've still a lot to learn to make it the most efficient.
roo: Thanks. They're a bit different to UK stuff, certainly.
kapitain: That's only electric; there's no gas! I think we managed to reduce 2015 consumption quite a lot from not running the air circulation system during the summer months, but we've still a lot to learn to make it the most efficient.
roo: Thanks. They're a bit different to UK stuff, certainly.
Quick update.
Change of user name for me, in case people hadn't already realised. "5PotTurbo" had to go as the 2.5T S-Max went 2 1/2 year ago, so it's now my number plate: initials and birthday.
Anyway, no more scary bills on the horizon. Aside from keeping the garden tidy, weekends can be a bit dull as I don't have any maintenance issues to take care of, but that's also quite nice actually.
The main constructor/promoter have all but disappeared from the site. Unless they sell the 4 largest houses they've released plans and prices for (ranging from €1.1m-1.35m), and those 4 plots have notices of planning consent on them, I fear that construction will stop for some time, even though there are maybe ~40 plots still to develop.
How long will we live on an undeveloped building site?
Doesn't bode too well for future sales, although we're not in a hurry to sell. Probably just as well!
Change of user name for me, in case people hadn't already realised. "5PotTurbo" had to go as the 2.5T S-Max went 2 1/2 year ago, so it's now my number plate: initials and birthday.
Anyway, no more scary bills on the horizon. Aside from keeping the garden tidy, weekends can be a bit dull as I don't have any maintenance issues to take care of, but that's also quite nice actually.
The main constructor/promoter have all but disappeared from the site. Unless they sell the 4 largest houses they've released plans and prices for (ranging from €1.1m-1.35m), and those 4 plots have notices of planning consent on them, I fear that construction will stop for some time, even though there are maybe ~40 plots still to develop.
How long will we live on an undeveloped building site?
Doesn't bode too well for future sales, although we're not in a hurry to sell. Probably just as well!
For months, well, almost 3 years actually ... I've put off looking at why a few of the great ZEP1 LEDs I purchased from ecoledlight.co.uk didn't fit snugly in their carefully cut apertures - 2 in the kitchen, 1 in our en-suite, 1 in the bathroom.
I finally got my arse up a stepladder last Monday to find that the required ~100mm depth needed to clear the LED housing and cable is, in fact, only 90mm on those 3 holes! bkS! That, to be honest, is a royal pain in the arse. I paid a lot of money to have suspended ceilings on alu frames put in those 3 rooms specifically for these lights, and the space needed isn't there.
It seems my well used old masonry chisel will be out on Sat to create the +10mm depth needed in the cast concrete ceiling above.
Oh, joy.
I've put off looking at why a few of the great ZEP1 LEDs I purchased from ecoledlight.co.uk didn't fit snugly in their carefully cut apertures - 2 in the kitchen, 1 in our en-suite, 1 in the bathroom.I finally got my arse up a stepladder last Monday to find that the required ~100mm depth needed to clear the LED housing and cable is, in fact, only 90mm on those 3 holes! b
kS! That, to be honest, is a royal pain in the arse. I paid a lot of money to have suspended ceilings on alu frames put in those 3 rooms specifically for these lights, and the space needed isn't there.It seems my well used old masonry chisel will be out on Sat to create the +10mm depth needed in the cast concrete ceiling above.
Oh, joy.
ETA: UPDATE on the light fitments - took me a long time, but I did manage to gain the ~10mm depth on a few holes int he cast concrete ceilings to gain the clearance needed. ZEP1 now all cleanly seated.
TBH, I'm not sure if it is set to the optimum levels. The system was serviced a week ago under contract, and the filters, etc., were all changed. The chap who serviced the mnachines told my wife, "nothing unusual noted", and wrote as such on the service record, plus what he'd done.
New Lux Govt guidelines now also require that the system's sanitised, which I think is anti-Legionnaires, and the Govt also placed a fix price tariff for that so heating companies don't take the piss, as they often do here.
I've never done a KwH price comparison, but now you mention it, I will do so. We did make a significant difference last Spring/Summer by switching the air circulation *in* off from May-Sep, and reducing the cirulation *out* flow speed at the same time. It seemed pointless to have that running whilst the windows and patio doors are open! Bi-monthly DD is €344, and I've not checked the bills vs. estimates, so will need to review that soon, too.
The house internal temp's always 22C-24C
- ** THEN ****
TBH, I'm not sure if it is set to the optimum levels. The system was serviced a week ago under contract, and the filters, etc., were all changed. The chap who serviced the mnachines told my wife, "nothing unusual noted", and wrote as such on the service record, plus what he'd done.
New Lux Govt guidelines now also require that the system's sanitised, which I think is anti-Legionnaires, and the Govt also placed a fix price tariff for that so heating companies don't take the piss, as they often do here.
I've never done a KwH price comparison, but now you mention it, I will do so. We did make a significant difference last Spring/Summer by switching the air circulation *in* off from May-Sep, and reducing the cirulation *out* flow speed at the same time. It seemed pointless to have that running whilst the windows and patio doors are open! Bi-monthly DD is €344, and I've not checked the bills vs. estimates, so will need to review that soon, too.
The house internal temp's always 22C-24C
Edited by RC1807 on Monday 13th February 14:35
Quick update on our electricity consumption: I've just received the 2016 year-end invoice.
I *only* owe €220 for the year. 2016's consumption was down on 2015 & 2014, so it seems Enovos did a good job with the overall estimate for the last year. (I've been paying by DD every 2 months.)
Also, the heating and ventilation system was serviced and new filters fitted a couple of weeks ago.
That's €415 under contract.
Now for winter to FRO and we can get back to sorting the lawn out for the Summer, although I may have some more front/side garden remodelling plans in my head.
I *only* owe €220 for the year. 2016's consumption was down on 2015 & 2014, so it seems Enovos did a good job with the overall estimate for the last year. (I've been paying by DD every 2 months.)
Also, the heating and ventilation system was serviced and new filters fitted a couple of weeks ago.
That's €415 under contract.
Now for winter to FRO and we can get back to sorting the lawn out for the Summer, although I may have some more front/side garden remodelling plans in my head.
I've not updated this for almost a year!
4 years in: what's it like?
Warm in winter (on the whole, see below!), comfortable in Summer, despite temps hitting 40C in the garden in 2017.
Ventilation tends to be set towards more extraction than incoming air as we do like to have the windows open for REAL airflow, not living in a sealed box.
HVAC was serviced in early December under contract. €430 inlucing parts.
Engineer managed to break some collection tray in one of the units, and we're still waiting for that part to come and be fitted.
Oddly, from above, in the last week our UFH isn't functioning properly - well, at all. House itnernal temps remain at 22C, but with concrete floors and cermaic tiles, it still feels cold. Engineer's coming out today to have a look as this is a "fooked if I know" kind of thing. System instrucitons, even in English, make bugger all sense to me!
Looking at having the house redecorated internally this year, so during year 5 of habitation. It's been a very light grey on all painted walls from day 1. Daughters, particularly, want some colour now - they're both "art students" now
Some construction's underway with a few more places in the €1.1-1.3m mark around the corner - bigger than ours, and completely detached. They're "AAA" rated. Planning signs/authorisations are also up on 4 more plots across from us, so we expect more building action soon.
Immediate neighbours were renting and moved out late last Summer. They bought land and built somewhere near the Moselle River. New neighbours are Polish. Their spoken English is excellent, and "Mum" just gave birth to dort #3. Very nice family.
Overall, we're a happy family in a quiet, well insulated home.
Nothing exciting. Sorry!
4 years in: what's it like?
Warm in winter (on the whole, see below!), comfortable in Summer, despite temps hitting 40C in the garden in 2017.
Ventilation tends to be set towards more extraction than incoming air as we do like to have the windows open for REAL airflow, not living in a sealed box.
HVAC was serviced in early December under contract. €430 inlucing parts.
Engineer managed to break some collection tray in one of the units, and we're still waiting for that part to come and be fitted.
Oddly, from above, in the last week our UFH isn't functioning properly - well, at all. House itnernal temps remain at 22C, but with concrete floors and cermaic tiles, it still feels cold. Engineer's coming out today to have a look as this is a "fooked if I know" kind of thing. System instrucitons, even in English, make bugger all sense to me!
Looking at having the house redecorated internally this year, so during year 5 of habitation. It's been a very light grey on all painted walls from day 1. Daughters, particularly, want some colour now - they're both "art students" now
Some construction's underway with a few more places in the €1.1-1.3m mark around the corner - bigger than ours, and completely detached. They're "AAA" rated. Planning signs/authorisations are also up on 4 more plots across from us, so we expect more building action soon.
Immediate neighbours were renting and moved out late last Summer. They bought land and built somewhere near the Moselle River. New neighbours are Polish. Their spoken English is excellent, and "Mum" just gave birth to dort #3. Very nice family.
Overall, we're a happy family in a quiet, well insulated home.
Nothing exciting. Sorry!
Heating repaired on Friday.
2 men were here for 4 /12 hours, then 1 stayed for another 1 1/2h to finish off. Part is more than €1,000 - expect total bill somewhere in the €2k region.
bks.
I will take that up with the contracted company, who installed all the water/hearing stuff in the house, and have serviced under contract since we moved in.
Let's see!
Anyway, house is warmer as the floors are no longer freezing cold!
2 men were here for 4 /12 hours, then 1 stayed for another 1 1/2h to finish off. Part is more than €1,000 - expect total bill somewhere in the €2k region.
b
ks.I will take that up with the contracted company, who installed all the water/hearing stuff in the house, and have serviced under contract since we moved in.
Let's see!
Anyway, house is warmer as the floors are no longer freezing cold!
Oh, utter bks.
€3,500 invoice in the post yesterday.
FFS.
Going to ask the company to refer to the manufacturer for a warranty/goodwill claim. Failing that, the heating company can complete an insurance claim form for me as any ELECTRICAL faults are covered on my home insurance.
Oh, and the cheeky fkers billed me for time/transport/labour on a part's replacement (but not the part itself) that their engineer broke when he serviced the machine a month or so before.
They can F.R.O for that €160 as well!
ks.€3,500 invoice in the post yesterday.
FFS.
Going to ask the company to refer to the manufacturer for a warranty/goodwill claim. Failing that, the heating company can complete an insurance claim form for me as any ELECTRICAL faults are covered on my home insurance.
Oh, and the cheeky f
kers billed me for time/transport/labour on a part's replacement (but not the part itself) that their engineer broke when he serviced the machine a month or so before. They can F.R.O for that €160 as well!
For the €3,500 heating repair bill, I've written to the contracted company, requesting a guarantee claim be made to the manufacturer, or a goodwill offer.
If neither option's available, I provided them with my insurance comapny's claim form to complete.
(I copied the 'after sales service' guy at the contruction company too, as perhaps the system they specified isn't fit for purpose...)
On a related note, electricity bill came in yesterday.
I'd paid €1,500 in 2017 via 6 x DD payments, based on the prior 3 years' bills/outcomes, and I now owe another €500.
Increased DD in 2018 - like 2015 all over again.
Roof needs some repairs following a recent storm - few tiles damaged and dislodged. Insurance company paid out on the basis of the quote! Work's being done next week.
If neither option's available, I provided them with my insurance comapny's claim form to complete.
(I copied the 'after sales service' guy at the contruction company too, as perhaps the system they specified isn't fit for purpose...)
On a related note, electricity bill came in yesterday.
I'd paid €1,500 in 2017 via 6 x DD payments, based on the prior 3 years' bills/outcomes, and I now owe another €500.
Increased DD in 2018 - like 2015 all over again.
Roof needs some repairs following a recent storm - few tiles damaged and dislodged. Insurance company paid out on the basis of the quote! Work's being done next week.
Ouch, indeed...
We can claim if it's from electrical/circuit failures, not purely mechanical... if the heating company word it on the form as "compressor failed due to a short circuit", for example, then it's covered
My insurance broker schooled me on that, and said, "they'll know what to put on the form for you!" Fingers are crossed, else that's the summer holiday fund hit.
We can claim if it's from electrical/circuit failures, not purely mechanical... if the heating company word it on the form as "compressor failed due to a short circuit", for example, then it's covered
My insurance broker schooled me on that, and said, "they'll know what to put on the form for you!" Fingers are crossed, else that's the summer holiday fund hit.
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