Leaderboard

Getting closer! Next week will see it stuck down and we'll start making the Oak breakfast bar

Claim forms here.. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200126/applications/70/community_infrastructure_levy/5 Must follow the rules at top of the claim form 1 to the letter (reproduced below).. https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/forms/form_7_self_build_part_1_exemption_claim.pdf Make sure they acknowledge receipt of everything in writing.

A reminder that the Aldi DIY Special Buy is today, including: Welder for £70. 24l Compressor for £80. Mini Bench Grinder for £27. Cordless 20v tools including Recip Saw, Grinder. Air tools. 20m extension reel of air hose "10. Also consumables such as: Pack of approx 150 x Welding Electrodes 3.2 x 350mm £8.99. Pack of 11 thin cutting disks £3.99. Assorted pack of 11 disks also £3.99. 20m ropes for £3.99 - duct cord perhaps. Puncture proof wheelbarrow wheels @£15. And lots of types of tape. Website: https://www.aldi.co.uk/c/specialbuys/diy I find here, with about half a dozen Aldis in a few miles, that there can be a significant time difference before they sell out. Some things go in a day in some places, others stick around for a week or more. I am heading down, and probably coming back poorer. Add: the coming back poorer hunch was correct . Ferdinand

If the council apply a community infrastructure levy or CIL charge to your approval then as a self builder you can claim exemption. The key is not starting anything on the build until the paperwork process has fully completed.

A few simple suggestions. 1. Lose the vestibule It is too small to be of any use, we have a larger one currently and still stand in the hall whilst people walk through. I have done away with it in the new place. Without the vestibule you will have a much larger and more pleasant area in front of the stairs. 2. Could you put the washing machine in the hot press? Depends on if you like to hang washing outside, but if you use a dryer, then keeping all the washing upstairs is a lot easier. 3. I would always rather have fitted wardrobes in bedrooms if possible. 4. What was the architect thinking with the chimney up the middle of the wall in the bedroom. Does the lounge really need such a big fireplace taking up a lot of room. If it does I would try to route the flue out the wall, not up the way. Decide what fire you want before you start, it has been a nightmare trying to get fires to fit with all the flue requirements. 5. As mentioned try to get larger walk in showers without doors. 6. Move the door into the kitchen/dining room behind the stairs. Walking in facing the island so close to the door will feel quite unpleasant and will be bad for circulation. It's better to enter the middle of the room with the option of going right or left. The dining area will also probably be the quietest least used area so better to walk into. You could then have a straight stair and wider hall. 7. Turn around the WC and enter from the hall. You can then lose the rear hall and incorporate it into the utility room. 8. There are currently no cupboards downstairs, there will be space if you lose the rear hall and rearrange that area. 9. Put cistern and pipework under the eaves in the upstairs shower room. 10. How low exactly do the walls go in the bedrooms? If that roof slopes at 45 degrees in the master bedroom then you will end up at floor level at the end of the room. You might have to cut a metre off the room. I would not really want to end up much lower than 1.2/1,3m at the side wall. That room might be much smaller than it looks. Even the other bedrooms may have an issue.

Yes well done you must be relieved

Congratulations! Next stop the CIL Exemption.

Well done.

We also have vaulted ceilings upstairs and had room inlets at around 500mm above the floor. We used 204mm x 60mm ducting for that short length. The extracts in the bathrooms were through an extra wide internal wall between the ensuite and bathroom where we used 125mm round ducting.

Well that took a LOT longer than expected. I shan't bore you with writing the details of all the balls ups I had with getting the rest of the slates I needed but finally the back is slated. Now It's just the little mono pitch to slate, lead work, ridge, cast the cils, fit the windows and doors and I will be officially watertight ?

Had my 3 mins and finally got planning permission thank god for that. There was no objectors so it was pretty straight forward. Thanks everyone