Self Build

Eco Accelerator Mortgage

Ecomerchant has also recently launched an exclusive new Eco Accelerator Mortgage with an attractive, discounted interest rate, in partnership with the Melton Mowbray Building Society and Buildstore. This new eco mortgage is for self build, renovation, conversion and refurbishment projects and it's the latest to be added to the BuildStore exclusive Accelerator scheme. The Eco Accelerator Mortgage does not simply focus on energy performance and generation, but also on the building fabric too. It promotes healthy living by rewarding you with a discounted interest rate for the lifetime of your mortgage, when you select sustainable building materials with a reduced global impact, while also ensuring your property is energy efficient. It's a simple approach that goes a step further to minimising global impact.

Exclusively available from BuildStore, the eco mortgage also offers the unique added benefit of advance stage payments - ensuring you have the cash to pay for your land, build and materials ahead of every stage of your project.

Self Build Tradecard

Ecomerchant work with Buildstore the operators of the National SelfBuild and renovation centre in Swindon and Stirling. Buildstore offer Self-build credit accounts through the Tradecard system, which gives you special rates and monthly credit up to £10,000 per month with Ecomerchant, please contact Buildstore directly about the trade account or call us directly if you wish to open an Ecomerchant account (minimum target spend £50,000 on materials).

Building Control

Ecomerchant encourages self-builders to use natural and low impact materials, which can sometimes present problems when dealing with Building Control. Some building control inspectors are very knowledgeable in this sector and positively encourage eco-building however some have not yet gained the experience and are very wary of new or unconventional building techniques and solutions. It is worth considering using approved inspectors in replacement of local building control as some have previous experience of ecological design and can help you through the process. Ecomerchant recommend you speak to local building control and an approved inspector before you decide which is the best solution.

Warranties

Warranties can also be a challenge with natural and low impact materials. For example, the NHBC (National House-Building Council) will not approve render finish on external insulation even though it has been widely used throughout Europe for many years and some systems even have BBA (British Board of Agrément - UK's major authority of approval of construction products, systems and installers). The NHBC will expect to see a cavity, whereas with the thermal requirements for modern dwellings are better achieved through monolithic (solid wall) solutions such as timber frame and clay blocks. Self builders using straw bales can even consider gaining a building warranty if they shop around. We are not commercially linked to Buildzone and gain nothing in referencing them, we are merely offering an alternative view to the mainstream solution and suggest you consider Buildzone and other warranty providers when using  non-brick and block building solutions.