diff --git a/scripts/build-local.bat b/scripts/build-local.bat
index 5d9affc7f..2dbbd1371 100644
--- a/scripts/build-local.bat
+++ b/scripts/build-local.bat
@@ -8,14 +8,39 @@ SET APPVEYOR_REPO_COMMIT_MESSAGE=this is a [build appveyor] test
 SET APPVEYOR=true
 ::comment this to get complete AppVeyor behaviour
 SET LOCAL_BUILD_DONT_SKIP_TESTS=true
-
-SET MAPNIK_GIT=3.0.5
-SET BOOST_VERSION=59
 SET FASTBUILD=1
+
+FOR /F "tokens=1 usebackq" %%i in (`powershell .\scripts\parse-appveyor-yml.ps1`) DO SET BOOST_VERSION=%%i
+ECHO BOOST_VERSION found in appveyor.yml^: %BOOST_VERSION%
+IF "%BOOST_VERSION%"=="0" ECHO BOOST_VERSION not valid && SET ERRORLEVEL=1 && GOTO ERROR
+
+
+:: OVERRIDE PARAMETERS >>>>>>>>
+:NEXT-ARG
+
+IF '%1'=='' GOTO ARGS-DONE
+ECHO setting %1
+SET %1
+SHIFT
+GOTO NEXT-ARG
+
+:ARGS-DONE
+::<<<<< OVERRIDE PARAMETERS
+
+
 SET configuration=Release
 SET msvs_toolset=14
 SET platform=x64
 SET APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER=%CD%
+
+
+
+ECHO pulling test data
+CALL git submodule update --init
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO ERROR
+ECHO pulling test data, DONE
+
+SET TIME_START_LOCAL_BUILD=%TIME%
 CALL scripts\build-appveyor.bat
 IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO ERROR
 
@@ -28,5 +53,7 @@ SET EL=%ERRORLEVEL%
 
 :DONE
 ECHO =========== DONE %~f0 ===========
+ECHO build started^: %TIME_START_LOCAL_BUILD%
+ECHO build finished^: %TIME%
 
 EXIT /b %EL%
diff --git a/scripts/parse-appveyor-yml.ps1 b/scripts/parse-appveyor-yml.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f87ae7e3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/parse-appveyor-yml.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+$boost_version='0'
+Get-Content .\appveyor.yml |
+    foreach { 
+        if ($_ -match "BOOST_VERSION: "){ $boost_version = $_.split()[-1] }
+    }
+Write-Host $boost_version