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Strange......you normally drink it

Hi all, Been laid up feeling sorry for myself with a cold or something. Fed up with job and wondering what the next project should be. At the back of my mind I've always thought we could build on top of the garage and now I'm seriously thinking of it. Would like to hear thoughts. I've got nothing firm other than the below: Garage roof is reinforced concrete and was rated at 10kN loading by design. Area is approx 7m x 11m Walls are 250mm reinforced concrete Thinking we could build a single bed apartment on it. With a view to a retirement income, we could build to a high spec as per a few of the folks in here and let it out. I've not done detailed study of the Local Plan yet so clearly absolute condition on that. Would be single storey with same pitch roof as main house (5degrees I think) to keep a low profile,possibly sharing the drive or steps from layby with option of wheelchair access using the main drive as required. Could I build it such that BC regs do not apply? I could use icf, would be really easy but permenent. If I did timber framed, could I build it in two sections such that it could be craned off if needed? The thinking behind it is as much around trying to generate an income that could support us in retirement as much as anything else. We have no plans moving so making an assumption we will be here when we retire. I've attached pic of garage. As you can see, driveway is not finished - if I was going to attempt something like this, I would try incorporate 'things' into the drive, like possible soil drainage to the existing outlet (water run) possibly different levels to support true level threshold and disabled access, maybe prefab concrete steps up the side(assumption is entrance from this side) Thanks, Jamie

Hi Jamie, Dropped you a PM to discuss a few things and for the benefit of @Crofter and everyone else I'll mention a little tip I have uncovered. Not sure on both of your energy situations but since you both have or will have 2 dwellings you are eligible for a commercial RHI. You can have a split phase supply put in that feeds two air source heat pumps in the properties and thus qualifies for the commercial RHI. It is set to cash flow us about £200k over the next 20 years.

Thanks all for messages of support and commiseration. And on how to be more astute next time ?. Have made lots of calls today and am proceeding with caution to get on with sourcing another kitchen. Am also getting in touch with the directors of Domo Direct to see what is going on. Am reserving all judgment until I have contact from them. Will post updates as this moves on. Things are never straightforward but we just need to get on with it now and not expend energy on anger.

No, not yet. But by accident I do have a spare electricity meter, so I might just consider connecting to log how much energy it uses. There have not been any "multiple ladies showering" incidents since I fitted it, so I am sure it has not saved the day yet.

Our efforts in the latter part of 2018 was spent on getting the exterior properly wind & watertight. With just the render left to do, we could now concentrate on the insides. Starting to insulate the suspended timberfloor was the first job to do. We attached some little bits of timber to the underside of the joists, which will keep the insulation boards in place. Our primary insulation for the groundfloor is Quintherm 65mm (another two layers of insulation will be added later). Once ordered these were then cut to size using a piece of wood to score a mark and then cut with a handsaw. We left a bit of gap either side which will be filled with expanding foam to ensure a tight fit. The other insulation ordered at this stage was the Frametherm wool which is the primary insulation layer between the studs. But some will also be used to top up the gap left in the joists. The width is already in the correct size so it was just a cut for the required length and then you can pop into the studwork. Compared to the Quinntherm this is more quicker to fit. And that is that for 2018. Reflecting on the build process to date: We are exactly where I hoped we would be at this stage. A proper wind and watertight shell that can stand up to the Hebridean winter weather. Reviewing the finances we are about half way through our build budget. We have been fortunate no real issues. A problem with a wrong size velux flashing and the metal flashing provided for utility roof was provided at the incorrect angle, both were the suppliers fault! At the start of the build, I had visions of the concrete wagon sinking in the road, the windows being dropped on arrival and the trusses not being able to fit down the access. The lesson here is watch programmes like grand designs and building the dream, but don't let the drama put you off, self building, it is achievable by anybody!

*faints*

For draughts hunting you can get a thing called a smoke pencil to find small air movements; it does what it says on the tin.

You can trade John Lewis and richer sounds of against each other. Both do free warrantys that are 5 and 6 years long.

# vomit GIF

For me that bathroom is in the wrong place - I would swap study/snug and bathroom positions make the utility smaller to give more room for study/snug and build a ceiling in the utility to give some roof storage space as storage is very limited in the house and no garage. I would take down the wall between the kitchen and living room. Having said all that is there some rule that habitable rooms have to have an opening window? Roof light in present bathroom may not suffice to swap it into study/snug if so. Glad to see you have incorporated a tiny outdoor space for a table and chairs.

Ampatop Aero Plus, the stuff that has built-in self- adhesive tape at both edges.

If you put walls up in the snug could that be a study / bed 3? Mine is a 5 bed but we decided not to put the stud wall in to make bed 5. It’s an open plan upstairs seating area currently but has been designed so that a single stud wall and door opposite the family bathroom would make the 5th bedroom again.

If it's only a 2 bed for now, might there be anything to be gained with chopping out the communal bathroom, throwing another en-suite at it and then moving things around with that in mind

There is one more in the UK that I am aware of - Thermofloc (from Germany) used in the PH15 Timber Frame system and also available to buy from them and lots of other places. https://www.phstore.co.uk/thermofloc-cellulose-based-insulation

Just for your sanity, popping a soil pipe through a PH wall will not bring the 4 horseman knocking

Bath already christened! Shower, bog and basin are the choices left! Shower’s big enough for 2 though so a lovely @Onoff @pocster duo followed by the body dryer ?

Just to be clear, its not them suggesting the alternative wall. Its my architect and I.

I fitted all my own linings on our MBC house. This is a case of shopping around, online or local BMs. The main issue that you will have is quality. We bought our liners in bulk from a local BM early and I then stacked them properly (horizontal with spacers) for over 6 months in our case, but there was still enough warping to be a PITA, so maybe consider the extra to get a decent slow growth redwood rather than the typical cheap but far grown pine. MDF is no good since the linings will get knocked around through life and MDF just isn't knock resistant enough for this use, IMO. Also remember that the quoted dimensions are nominal and the actual are typically 5mm less as a result of planing. The other complication for us as that we used 12½mm plasterboard on most walls but the halls were a fire safety corridor and need 15mm pink plasterboard. Hence the frames are not all the same depth. I bought a fairly cheap planer-thicknesser and this was invaluable for truing up the board surfaces and planing to depth. If I were ever to do a house load of doors again, then I wouldn't bother buying cheap liners, but instead go for decent grade planed wood. You will end up routing all of the hinges, locks and keeps and some head mortices, so it is well worth spending a few hours making up the full routing jigs for these.

You can never have too many wardrobes ?. A simple, built in, vat reclaimable wardrobe may be more cost effective than buying wardrobes later. There are very specific requirements to meet to make it vat reclaim eligible however. Is the WC big enough to comply with building regs?

Good idea, I can't see a reason not to post the details for the chap we used, so here they are for future reference: Dan Watt at Ashmount Consulting Engineers Ltd 151 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury Manchester, M20 2YA email dan.w(at)ashmount.net (replace the obvious anti-spam change)

Thanks for reviving this thread. Just for the record, my eventual design was 42m2 net internal floor space, on a footprint of about 52 m2. I think for a one bedroom dwelling it will feel spacious enough. I won't be cramming it full of bulky furniture. For an object lesson in living in small spaces, it is remarkable how comfortable you can be aboard a boat. I had a mate who lived on a pretty small wooden yacht for a couple of years. The total floor area where he could stand up was probably less than one square metre. Everything has to serve two purposes, and it does force you to be ruthless with what you regard as 'essential'.

Thank you. I have written a polite letter to the company directors and the guy who ran the business day to day (all address details obtained from Companies House) to request more information. I am not optimistic. But now I have done some digging I find there are 4 people who are all directors of many companies involved in kitchen fitting and property development. The 18 years, quoted to me by another "creditor", may not be true (5 looks more like it) and I may be learning a pretty tough, expensive lesson. Not to take things at face value. Dig a bit and then dig a bit more. Before paying anything. Easy to look at it in hindsight though. At the time we paid the deposit there were plenty of happy customers, a positive recommendation, a buzzing showroom...... Well I have a kitchen design now. A bloody expensive one. But a kitchen design and specification with which to start again. Off to lie awake all night.....