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There are different views about Planning Consultants, and whether they should be used. This is a short example of a Planning Consultant offering superb advice, that most of us self-builders would perhaps not think about. The Problem I have just received a Planning Permission, after 3 months of engagement with the Council. It is a commercial Change of Use but the lesson applies to self-builder permssions. We received our permission, but on the last morning the Planning Department applied an unacceptable Planning Condition which threatened the whole project. The Planning Condition clearly violates several of the basic tests. This condition had not been mentioned in the previous months of consultation, and I did not see it until it appeared on the Decision Notice. At this point the Planning Application has been "determined" (ie decided and frozen), so the Condition cannot be modified without a further Planning Application or an Appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. The problem is that a Full Appeal gives the Inspector the opportunity to reopen the basic Planning Application, and modify it - which I do not want. The Solution The recommendation from our Planning Consultant was: 1 - To apply for a Variation of the unacceptable condition, which might be accepted, then... 2 - To Appeal the Refusal of the application for the Variation if we need. The advantage is that we then if needed we can get a Determination by the Planning Inspectorate on the narrow point, while keeping all the other acceptable aspects of our Planning Permission out of their scope. The Learning Point As self-builders, we think about discharging Planning Conditions at the end of the build process. The same process can be used to vary them before we start building. It takes extra time and a fee, which is smaller than a Full Planning Application fee for a new dwelling, but does not run the risk of reopening the entire Permission to change. More information The appropriate form on the Planning Portal. Explanation of Planning Condition Variations on the Government Website.

This time it's plastering. Blog at the usual place http://www.willowburn.net/ Look for the entry Plastering Upstairs. Here's one picture to whet your appetite Next comes painting, lots of painting. And the stairs are due from Staitbox on Monday

I am looking for the confused smiley. Never mind I'll have to borrow one.

Thought you lived a mile south of there... not sure about drawing arbitrary lines you are on the wrong side of!

Steady on. MOST of you on this forum are "southerners"

That I certainly can! In fact, there are a couple of articles on NaCSBA which cover GH planning in general. Another article on NaCSBA covers the tax implications specifically surrounding serviced plots where they cover the approach GH has taken. It's complicated and not ideal, but I believe that is more down to Government Policy not having adapted to this sort of scheme as opposed to the council trying to make a quick dime. Same for us; about £22k for the passive slab and £43k for the frame and then various upgrade packages for the insulation. The substructure estimate above is for a beam and block foundation however as we couldn't go with MBC for that in the end. The only restriction we've had in place in this regard is the type of foundation that needs to be applied due to the local ground conditions that GH surveyed prior to our plot reservation. It was defined in the 'Plot Passport'... the document that defines the minimum requirements of the build in line with the GH Design Code / LDO. More details in the first article linked above! "Type of Ground Floor Slab: The proposed form of suspended ground floor slab; e.g. precast concrete beam and block, cast in situ reinforced concrete, etc. (NB: the ground floor slabs will need to be suspended to allow for heave and the expansive, shrink / heave of the highly plastic underlying Oxford Clay)." Otherwise we were free to pick and chose. We were keen on having MBC do the foundation as well as it would ensure continuous insulation between that and the frame. GH worked quite hard to help us make it work in so far as to offering to hire MBC direct to do the work and looking into alternative structural warranty providers who may accept them (Premier Guarantee didn't, who are the ones included in the Golden Brick). Ultimately it was the latter that caused us to throw in the towel as the administrative faff of getting another provider and the outlay of a couple extra thousand quid wasn't worth the delay. We know that this is far from the typical self-build experience, but unfortunately there's little other choice in Oxfordshire unless we're stupidly lucky in finding land (failed at that for 4 years) or win the lottery! Financially this is the best opportunity we have to build near where we want to stay. Biggest difference is the £36k of DIY we've identified as potential savings which is really a big factor in cutting down the labor cost which is high here in Oxfordshire. Primarially in the Superstructure, Finishes and Services Areas cut down: -£5k Drainage (dependent on Golden Brick though!) -£2.5k Service Connections (dependent on Golden Brick though!) -£9k Heating (simplified from ASHP to Gas Boiler) -£8k Electricals (removed solar voltaics) -£7K Drive (can wait until we move in) -£6k Veranda (can wait until we move in) -£3.5k Landscaping (can wait until we move in) -£3k Tiling and Joinery (out! can wait until we move in) Areas that went up: +£7 Roof (upgraded corrugated steel to zink cladding) +£10k Frame (Cellulose insulation) +£5k Kitchen (I believe people were right in that we were specking too low. Can always get a temporary IKEA one though!) That'd be the double layer of plasterboard (£5 - 6.5/m2) and the inner wall acoustics (£4/m2). We may halve this later, but given I'm of the large and accident prone persuasion I do like the idea of walls with a bit more of a sturdy feel to them. About 50%+ of this we plan to save via DIY

Talk about the pot calling the culturally misappropriated kettle black indeed

I am re visiting this with some more meaningful measurements. I have just received a few cheap elect convector heaters, something I am happy to leave on unattended. So I plugged one in last night and it's been on about 20 hours so far, just on a low heat setting of 1250W (just one element turned on) In that time the internal temperature of the house has risen from the 10 degrees it was sitting at with no heating to 15 degrees. This is one heater downstairs and heat getting upstairs by convection up the stair well (no doors anywhere yet) Last night the temperature was below freezing and just now it was up to the dizzy heights of 3 degrees outside. The heat lost spreadsheet tells me for a 10 degree temperature difference, the whole house should need a heat input of 640W so it looks like the 1250W I am pumping into the house is not only overcoming the heat loss, it is slowly warming the fabric of the house that has been cold for some time. I feel a lot better now that the heat input requirements should indeed be low as predicted.

I have just received my annual ER form, have noticed that it has a Security Code (10 numbers) and a Password (8 letters, all lower case) printed on it. Now I can go online and register, text the security code, call a number and give the security code or post the form back, which will include the security code and the password. Not even banks send out such insecure letters. What nonces.

Yes. That way you keep the potable ( drinking quality ) water completely separate. I would not use a coil on the ashp, but would instead feed the buffer 'volume' direct as that'll have the quickest recovery / transfer rates of heat from the HP to the buffer / TS. Edit to add : that brine ( HP water ) needs antifreeze so I'd recommend a stainless coil for DHW uplift. You don't want those two bodies of water ever mixing ☠️