Off grid house build Orkney

This looks great! You have a ceiling!

Do you have far to travel for amenities and necessities?

I know right?! Really quite exciting!! The loft hatches they gave us were kind of shit so picking a couple more of those up at buildbase tomorrow. I don’t think I uploaded this, but they’ve got this far on the roof as well. The last two sheets got a little damaged on the way up here so replacements are on the way.

@greytyke there’s a wee shop/post office on island that we’re a couple miles from and from there it’s only 25 minutes on the ferry for us to get to Kirkwall which is no metropolis, but has most things we need

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The big table showed up last night and survived the trip, result!! It’s a huge slab of wood!

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Looks beautiful.

Thought it might be the best thread to ask this question. We have 5.8Kw solar PV installed, with a 10kwh residential battery.

Even with this and an electric car we still export a lot of electricity, so I'm thinking about fitting a direct hot water cylinder and a diverted that channels excess electricity to the HW instead of exporting.

Anyone else done this?

Ooh good question, and kind of what we’re aiming for. Sounds like an interesting system you’ve got too! Because we’re not going to be sending to the grid, anything we can’t use will be earthed so we’re trying to create as many energy dumps like that so we use as much of it as we can. It’s a victron micro grid inverter we’re going to use and think they’re available in different sizes to fit different size systems.

I’d be really interested to hear other experiences!

We have a solar edge inverter but from and have a Zappi car charger that can divert excess to the car and are planning to fit the Zappi Eddi that diverts excess to the water heater.

That sounds really interesting, would that inverter then divert back to the grid when the water heater is at max? Given unit cost right now it sounds like a great idea. You’ll hopefully save a fair bit by heating the water from anything you’re producing rather than exporting production back at a low price and paying a supplier current market rate.

We’re hoping to have the foundations for the turbine dealt with today, but pretty windy this morning so we’ll see if they can get the boat across. More internal progress now. We can see where the walls will sit now so have a much better idea of individual room sizes at both sides and they were getting the loft hatches in yesterday.

Picture 2 is the study/utility, they couldn’t put the internal wall in yet because of those boards sitting there for the workshop but that wood across the ceiling marks the point the wall will be. Picture 4 is looking from our main bedroom towards the bathroom and picture 5 is looking from the central space through what will be the bathroom door.

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We’re hoping to have the foundations for the turbine dealt with today, but pretty windy this morning so we’ll see if they can get the boat across

Take some pics! If the boats interesting (if you see it of course) but of the pouring too.

Also, that your view?! Gaddammmm man!

Haha they never showed up today, think that’s just Orkney though, things are nice and slow and easy here. I’m sure they’ll show up next week..

Yeah uh huh it’s wild, nothing in front of us and lovely views to the Orkney mainland and some of the other isles.

Got our loft hatches in and get to see where the door in from the porch will sit now too.

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Yeah uh huh it’s wild, nothing in front of us and lovely views to the Orkney mainland and some of the other Isles.

Wait til the damn londoners arrive and build a block of flats on that view! 😂

Jokes aside, I'm well jel!

We’re super lucky, this is us here. below us is a bird hide and arctic terns nest between the wee loch and the sea in the summer so don’t think anyone would be allowed ☺️

The lady we rent from who sold us the land owns that bit in front of us to the shore so we’d be looking to take over the wee parcel if she ever sold up to make sure it was protected for the birds in the future.

That and in about ten years that bit probably won’t be there anymore.. climate change, sea level rises and coastal erosion is real unfortunately.. Genuine kind of internal risk assessment we had to do when considering the land. I think we’re probably about 12m above sea level so reckon the house should last our lifetime before being washed away..

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Lurker from the thread start. Love it. I am moving Scotland from Thames valley in Feb so this is very inspirational. Thank you.

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Genuine kind of internal risk assessment we had to do when considering the land. I think we’re probably about 12m above sea level so reckon the house should last our lifetime before being washed away..

Yeah you are on the 15mt OS contour line so should be fine. Obvs OS datum is Mean Sea Level not HAT. My mothers house in the South Rhins, Dumfries & Galloway is 8 mt above OS datum and I think she will be fine, however the two houses at the bottom of her drive are at 5 mt and across the road from the road level sea wall. Eek!

Thank you very much, whereabouts are you moving to? What inspired the move for you?

Yeah it’s quite concerning, even a couple metres rise up here the wee village, the shop and the ferry slip would be gone..

@ChainBreaker this gate and the fence line in the bottom photo are the bottom edge of our field so it would just be that wee triangle on the left to keep preserved. Hoping to shape another wee pond above them and fill it with our rainwater runoff to create another wee space for things.

Got in and tidied it up a bit today. Hoping the plumbers show up Monday to start on their first fix.

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This thread is brilliant because you have documented it so well, I am thinking that a self build is achievable now where I would not have done before.

My reasons for the move are that I used to do the corporate thing, and now want to explore different things so dont need to be in the South East any more. I come to Scotland 3-4 times a year to visit family. I want to be closer to them. No idea where will end up.

Agreed about coastal areas being so vulnerable. I wonder if it isnt so much the rise in sea level but more violent storms producing bigger storm surges. This is what happened to the harbour wall in my Mums village in December. Stills from a video taken by neighbour in her living room.

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That’s amazing, honestly we’re so chuffed we chose to go down this route! There were 2 years of visiting frame companies, researching materials, planning and building control, finding trades and things before this got started last summer but well worth it!

Keep me updated on your progress please, that’s really exciting and all the best in it mate!

Yeah you’re exactly right, that’s another thing that’s really scary, the power behind some of the surges! The beach below us changes shape after big storms as hige amounts of stones and pebbles are shifted. Wee shelves the length of the beach appear that weren’t there before!

We have a approx 6kw solar PV too. No battery though.

More of a long term aim (mostly due to the cost) but I was thinking about getting one at some point. What battery do you have?

Been looking at this comparison website here: https://www.solarguide.co.uk/solar-batteries#/ but need to do some maths on how long it'd take to pay for itself.

We just had a new gas combi boiler fitted so won't be doing the HW tank (although its apparently possible). Would like to have explored electric boilers more too but didn't have time. The old one died and needed replacing asap.

Sorry to continue with the thread derail.

Water will always get past the external seal around the glass, blown in by wind pressure and gravity.

Double glazed windows have a drainage system, below the glass, to prevent the DGU sitting in a pool of water. This is usually created by sitting the DGU on some plastic packers and a few holes or slots allow water to pass down through the frame.

Ive had plenty of leaking UPVC windows and think it's because the air pressure from the underside of the drain holes prevents the water draining. Once the bottom of the system is full to the inner sight line, it overflows inside.

Making sure the drain slots at the bottom are clear and creating a couple of new slots high up on either side seems to have sorted windows that I've looked at. Probably because it equalised the air pressure above and below the pool of collecting water and it can flow outwards as intended.

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To avoid standing heat losses from a water tank and to avoid degrading battery performance over time, I would look into SunAmp heat batteries (used for space heating and/or DHW).

This seems like a similar execution(?):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srPPJPFcnK4&ab_channel=JonathanPorterfieldEcoCars

Sorry, it’s been a busy few days..

@tallsam no bother at all, super interesting and nice to see the different approaches and systems folk are working with!

@user69121 Thank you, you have no idea how useful this information and this drawing is! There’s still moisture sitting within the frames weeks after that storm so there must be some issue with the drainage channels. The frames are engineered wood so unsure what impact sitting water will have on them. The resolution they recommended was different tape, another seal and silicone in a few spots.. the joiners both don’t think this would work and said taking apart each frame to do this will take some time and cost a fair bit in their time. I’ve put this back to the window company and asked how the warranty would be impacted if people have opened and modified the frames too and whether they would be happy receiving the invoice for the joiner’s time. I’ve asked them just to send up someone from their glazing team to come up and assess and am just waiting to hear back now.

@JonoMarshall Those sunamp batteries seem great and I had looked into them before but no trades have any experience with them up here unfortunately.. Depending on how the first couple years go and working out how much we’re having to earth we might look at putting a couple of these in as another dump if there’s a way to incorporate it into the full system.

The plumber is coming out today for a look and to assess what he needs for the first fix so should have them out before the end of the week. The electrician is swamped just now but sticking with this guys as he has a lot of renewables experience and will be installing that aspect of the system too. We’re going to get a shopping list together with him this weekend and get everything ordered so it’s all on site for as soon as he can start.

We also had someone out over the last couple days trenching for the cable and installing the foundation for the turbine to sit on. Even managed to steal some of the cement spoil to shore up the corners of the polytunnel ☺️

We got our bathroom sink too and I think it’s a good size and fits quite nicely on the bit of live edge wood we’re going to use for that shelf.

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Quick question - been following the thread as this sort of engineering is my thing - How have the people on the island taken it? Is this concept your going with new to them or have some got it already?
Not sure if you've mentioned it before but the build has progressed now

seems relevant
Remote Orkney Islands prove ideal testing ground for energy innovation

Remote Orkney Islands prove ideal testing ground for energy innovation

thank you - seems to hit the point

Yeah they’ve been really supportive of things. Because of the all electric systems/fuel poverty context up here there are a lot of properties with turbines or solar panels. A lot got in early and got on the feed in tariffs so also have a grid connection. When talking to folk there doesn’t seem to be any fully off grid houses I’m aware of. Loads of people really intrigued by how it all will work though (me included!).

We’ve found everyone to be really supportive of us being on island and the house build too. Think they’re quite happy that we’re not a retired couple just taking up another property without putting anything back into the community. There’s way too many second houses and holiday homes up here, or people just retiring up here after selling an expensive property south. This means there is a major shortage of properties for residents and when properties do go up for sale locals can’t afford the same as someone moving up here. A large percentage of properties that go on the market do this dance where they’re sold to someone rich down south unseen, they come up and see it, realise it’s a lot of work or they don’t want to live here and then put it back on the market, but more expensive so they don’t lose out, making it even less affordable for people here. There’s currently something like 900 on the housing waiting list up here and no houses..

With us being in our 30s, me working at a local charity and my partner working at a local renewable firm that’s sat well with a lot of the older islanders. I met most of them when I was delivering food boxes to vulnerable folk on island during lockdown and think that set us in good stead while we were new here. Any trades we could hire from on island we did as well. They’re all fantastic folk and do great work, but it also means that most of the money from our build is going to local families and that is looked well upon too.

@cozey yeah I had a wee read at that piece, just to make sure these projects benefit locals now instead of generating private income..

Thank you, you have no idea how useful this information and this drawing is

Google "aluclad window profiles drainage system" brings up lots of different profiles, with quite a few rogue pvc/ aluminium frames, or inward opening. However they all need a working path for water to escape.

I tend not to work with timber frames very often, having found a niche repairing pvc. I've seen dozens with the drains choked with muck or swarf from the machining or covered by the glazing packers. A good handful have had drainage holes across the top of the window! Have a look along the bottom edge of a non leaky window, and try to identify any drain slots. Then compare to the leaky window bottom and top.

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There’s still moisture sitting within the frames weeks after that storm so there must be some issue with the drainage channels. The frames are engineered wood so unsure what impact sitting water will have on them. The resolution they recommended was different tape, another seal and silicone in a few spots.
The joiners both don’t think this would work and said taking apart each frame to do this will take some time and cost a fair bit in their time.

Thicker tape and a dot of silicone in the corners of the glass, may reduce water ingress into the frame, but it won't stop it entirely. Your DGU will still be sat in a pool of water at some point unless an effective outlet is created.

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I’ve put this back to the window company and asked how the warranty would be impacted if people have opened and modified the frames too and whether they would be happy receiving the invoice for the joiner’s time. I’ve asked them just to send up someone from their glazing team to come up and assess and am just waiting to hear back now.

Unless the joiners have installed the window upside down, or removed the aluclad facing and fitted it upside down, it's not really their job. Unless a customer doesn't want to deal with the supplier anymore, I wouldn't get involved modifying their window if there's still a warranty.