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Hi, As a small step towards repaying the valuable advice I have received on this forum I thought I'd share the attached document, which I hope will be useful and/or interesting to forum users. I am a planner by trade, working in local authority. My SB is on a relatively small, highly inaccessible plot neighboured by mature trees, and tightly bordered by existing houses. The plot was a 'detached' back garden of sorts that came as part of the deal (and something of an afterthought) when we bought our current house. Nobody had ever even considered the prospect that it could be a building plot, and for many years I discounted the idea myself due to the restrictions listed above. Five years ago, having outgrown our house and exhausted other options, I decided to at least try to self build on the plot. I obtained permission at the first time of asking (albeit not quickly and not without having to make a tweak or two). Everyone, without exception, from family to neighbours to building tradesmen to delivery drivers to other planners, have commented on how 'well' I've done to get permission. Some of them probably thought I'd made a mistake, or that the Council did, or that there was some old pals act involved because I am a planner myself (even though I don't work in the borough where I am building, and it really, really doesn't work that way anyway). They are all wrong. I obtained permission because I did the thing that planners spend their working lives telling others to do - I read the relevant planning policies, designed a development that was in line with them, then demonstrated as much in the application. That is what the attached statement does, it goes from global to national to regional to local policy, then explains the thought process behind my design, in that context. I cannot tell you how many architects, developers and would-be planning consultants fail to design development proposals specifically to meet planning policies, and then spend ages moaning, appealing, resubmitting, and generally wasting time. I can't promise that if you follow the thought process in my document you'll certainly get planning permission, but I hope you find it a useful insight into how a planner approached self-build, and specifically the matter of seeking planning permission on a plot that the rest of the world had discounted. Cheers 647910914_DesignandAccessStatementRedacted.pdf

There is a story there @ProDave, and one that leads to another topic of possible interest: post-submission alterations. Firstly, the parking issue. Our current house (next to our SB plot) has no off-street parking, or even on-street parking nearby. You have to walk down a footpath to get to the house. That's not for everyone, but we like it. I agreed with a neighbouring landowner (an absentee landlord) that I would seek planning permission based, in part, on the use of part of his land for my parking, and that we would agree the terms of a lease thereafter. Many will be aghast at the lack of formal contract, and on most occasions I would agree, but I felt my application had only a 50/50 chance. To be frank, in that context, I really couldn't afford a formal arrangement. During our pre-application conversations the neighbouring landlord told me that he wanted to keep his current tenants sweet, as they were paying him well over the market rate in rent, but he was certainly keen to get a few more quid from his land, this time out of me. When the application was submitted, those same tenants objected not only to the Council but also to the landlord, who, faced with losing his over-paying tenants promptly wrote to the Council to deny any knowledge of the application. This made no difference in one sense, but did in another; you can apply for planning permission on land you don't own, even without the owners agreement so long as you give them notice (which I had). Of course, even if you get planning permission you cannot, in reality, proceed to use it if you don't own the land or have an agreement to use it. Which leads me to the subject of post-submission alterations. As per an earlier post of mine, most planners just do not have the time to discuss your application with you once its in, and certainly not to advise you on amendments you might make in order to achieve permission. In this instance however, I met the planner when he did his site visit and the subject of the parking land came up. The end result was that I removed the neighbouring land from my plans altogether, agreed to an extension of time for the Council to decide the application (it was well overdue anyway), and supplied an additional document (copy attached, might be useful to someone) demonstrating that the over-supply of local on-street parking space justified the absence of off-street parking in my scheme. Problem solved. I don't have a parking space (or the cost or headache of the legal arrangements) but I do have a house, and in hindsight I should have gone down this route to begin with. Finally, to finish the story of my application, I came to the conclusion that flat roofs throughout (addressing a point of yours @Big Jimbo) and a less excavated bedroom block would be preferable. I thereafter made a second, separate planning application seeking approval for the same house but with those alterations. This was approved quickly and without comment, as can often be the way when the principle of the thing has already been found acceptable. I attach the D&A statement for that second application, which again might be useful to someone. You can see is a much shorter document, aimed largely at justifying the differences between the permission I had and the one I was seeking. Cheers 1389349718_ParkingSurveyRedacted(1).pdf Design and Access Statement v2 redacted (1).pdf

They are doing a big attenuation system round the corner from my office under the roads, they put in the crate boxes into a membrane lined pit, then they used washed 40-50mm drainage stone (granite usually) also known as clean gravel. Type 1 has too much whin dust and other fines in it. The stuff was dumped on the road and left almost no dust marks it was clearly the right stuff. Even washed pea is not that clean and being round rather than angular creates less voids between the stone, big angular stone creates larger and more voids between the stone. To be fair, at a push, Type 1 would be fine, but it is not actually the right stuff. Clean 3" crusher run of recyclables would be good and cheaper.

Yes I would fire a length timber along the full length of the ridge either side

I’m pretty sure supply will outstrip demand very soon If it isn’t the case already We have had a sign up at the plots with my name and contact details on for the last six months and up and till three weeks ago no calls from the usual reps This past two weeks I’ve been contacted by 2 kitchen companies 1 window company 3 timber -builders merchants and a GSHP company our Joist suppliers have contacted me regarding ordering the roof Lead times down from 8 weeks to 2 weeks Pasquils have asked if they could re quote This is a massive contrast to six months ago when it was taking several weeks to get a response to an email enquiry

Bravo. For some reason, the government dropped the requirement of a d and a statement with every application. We continued to do them anyway. At an open meeting of parish councils with our planners, I told them that my business continued so to do, for the same reasons you state. It ticks off all the questions the planner has to ask anyway, so make it easy and quick. It addresses all the questions that need addressing, and some more, and it is wise to do so before application, not after. It concentrates the mind as a designer , to get the best from the project. The client can also review and perhaps understand the complexities properly. Most of all, if you can't prepare a d and a statement then you haven't designed it properly. I asked a planner once why they seemed to respect planning consultants so much, when I thought they might be almost enemies. The answer was that they make the job easier by referring to all the expectations and requirements of the application. They could swap jobs. The planner generally doesn't have any prejudices, so just make it easy. And lastly, a beautifully prepared d and a statement, such as yours, makes it easy for neighbours and parish councils to understand too. they are more likely to support the application.

I was a purchasing manager during the previous material cost explosion in the early noughties due to China buying up all the materials to build all their infrastructure. The prices paid by our customers were fixed (automotive industry) and the material costs were exploding and we were piggy in the middle. I had fixed the steel prices for a year but the suppliers were increasing prices just after the ink was dry so I knew they would be back. The steel suppliers played cute and first asked for a small surcharge per tonne on all signed fixed price contracts. To keep us afloat I had to keep those steel prices fixed, first letter came in asking for £10 a tonne extra so I consulted the company lawyer. I was told by the lawyer not to agree in writing and hold out. A lot of sister companies in the same group agreed to pay the surcharge (did not consult the lawyer as the amount was so little), then when the huge increase came 8 weeks later the lawyer told all of us. If you paid the surcharge of £10 a tonne you are stuffed, pay all and any increases you are asked for until you can get a new contract. If you didn't pay the £10 then carry on refusing to pay and point out the terms of the contract are fixed price and no previous variation has been accepted so the original fixed price is valid. What the small variation in price did if paid was to remove the protection of the fixed price in the contract, it was not longer fixed as it had been varied by a small amount which then left the door ajar for later increases. I had 2 steel suppliers, I sent one bust with this strategy despite them being the better supplier as their staff drank at the same pubs. If it got out that I had paid one then the other would know. But it was either they went bust or we did and I got paid to keep the business viable not to be kind.

Rey website is a con Google reviews are all 1 Star Reviews Write a reviewAdd a photo "Avoid and don't fall for any of the cheap prices." "Awful, attempting to mug people off." "It's a con, item listed at £50, checkout directs to Amazon where product is £110" And sure enough you end up at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KB2WGQS?tag=prostech03-21 at £499

I'm sure you already know, but as a reminder, don't forget to let it settle before you switch it on! Following delivery I would leave it standing where you're going to use it and wait until the next day.

Tony, you have saved a lot of our members a lot of money. Thank you very much indeed.

Hi again Ferdinand, yes I think I can perhaps just put this down to naivity, & thankfully not the £360 they invoiced me for (!).. but £120. Still irks me if I didn't need it doing, but hey I must crack on. Actually my insurance Co, Admiral, didn't ask for it/ my family friend persuaded me.. & he's invariably correct on anything financial. He is 93 though! Sharp as ever, tho, but perhaps an 'old school' redundant way now. Thanks chaps, spurs me on to shop around again. If my brain can bear it. Zoot.

replace the socket with a fused spur and it's all good.

I have gone with noggins as its only 6 furrings back to back on this section of roof. They are deep enough at the thinnest point for that very reason. On the other larger section of roof the back to back furrings are sitting on a 100mm joist.

Have you got any more joists, if so put a double joist there. If not do as nod said. You should have some form of noggin in those i joist anyway. Should be a couple along the length to stop buckling.

I would prefer noggins all the way, what depth are the furrings at the other end? Are they deep enough to carry the weight of the roof (snow loading!!!) I have always put furrings on top of and along the joists, not across them 🤔

I have never had a survey fir house insurance (and I have owned a few) they usually base it on the number of bedrooms and other rooms! Currently with Direct line for both houses (they are not on comparison websites).

They don’t get much quieter tbh, as is the same for my sons attic unit. Also needs an 8” discharge hose to atmosphere. A split will give you cooling with just the sound of a fan oscillating. I’m looking at a split for my other sons room as there just isn’t any floor space left in the room that I wish to sacrifice, so a unit on the wall is the weapon of choice by default. Maintenance of the in-room units is a drag, as the tiny gaps between the heat exchanger fins catches dust extremely efficiently, and I have to take the unit outside and blow it all clean with my compressor and an air ‘gun’. You can see how quickly and by how much the output is affected by even the start of that accumulation of crud, mostly carpet / clothes fibres and then the fine particle dust catches in that. A PITA, but, in fairness, without the attic unit running 24/7 that room would be unusable. I am likely to go for a split for my other sons room because a) I want to put AC in every bedroom by the end of the year, ( 8kWp of PV going in soon, expanded by another 4 also by the end of the year ), but his room ( rear extension 1st floor ) is 9” brick and it is just unbearable in both the peak of summer and the depths of winter, so that unit will likely need max output focussed in that room plus one other less adverse room, ergo the split will likely feed 2 rooms with his ‘prioritised’ as iirc you can do with certain decent splits. The other 3 less adverse bedrooms can come off a second split ( feeding the 3 rooms ) and that should suffice. Was hoping to get DIY Pre-gassed units for self install, but I’ve decided to just run all the gas lines, condensates, cables etc and dry mount the internal and external units and then get an AC fitter in to gas, test and commission in one visit. I’m way too busy with work to do EWI, and IWI is not sn option either for a bunch of reasons, but the 9” brick extension is gagging to be EWI’d in honesty. Time is my enemy.

Hi there Ferdinand. To be honest, I haven't got a clue about any of this. All I had was this: a very intelligent retired accountant family friend whose been like a financial advisor who knows a myriad about everything to do with money, advised me very specifically, to go to a Chartered Surveyor & ask for a "rebuild survey, fire related, insurance purposes" (something along those lines, even if the 6 words are round the wrong way). I called my surveyor, gave these 6 words. He understood. Quoted me £100. The survey done, & as a result, I have a document, to give to my insurance company. I think maybe my friend was advising me to have this survey done, after adding an extention 2 years ago now, which I hadn't yet even mentioned to my insurance Co. 50% Laziness & 50% actually I wasn't even aware I needed to have my insurance thing changed, so I've been blissfully unaware. Or naiively unnaware. Or stupidly. Tbh I don't even know what to do with this document. Just email it to them? Explain I need something extra? Or ammended? Anything financial to me, I just do not understand 95% of it ( eg a credit card I cannot understand even have it explained by family or even a bank person. but I don't get it. So I just don't have one!). Insurance as a basic thing, yes I can understand. But if it splits into different guises.. I'm lost. Thanks for reading my spiel, zoot.

Looks similar to a product I was looking at today. I opted for a split unit and fingers crossed it keeps us warm.... Heres the link drastically reduced .. https://reyfurniture.com/product/electriq-14000-btu-portable-air-conditioning-unit-mobile-air-conditioner-and-heat-pump-energy-a-plus-pus/

I didn't want to change sizes in different rooms. Thought for the sake of 500£ might as well do all in 18mm ... At least I can hang whatever the f... I want with a few woodscrews without having to overthink it . Building the house for longevity. That's my 1.st aim .

Not a good starting place - every installation needs a good earth somewhere.

Apparently Bertazzoni is where it's at, with A+ appliances on the new (??) rating https://www.appliancecity.co.uk/refrigeration/fridge-freezers/?filter_energy-rating=energy-aa otherwise there's a few A-C rated ones https://www.appliancecity.co.uk/refrigeration/fridge-freezers/?filter_energy-rating=energy-a https://www.appliancecity.co.uk/refrigeration/fridge-freezers/?filter_energy-rating=energy-b https://www.appliancecity.co.uk/refrigeration/fridge-freezers/?filter_energy-rating=energy-c

ILLBRUCK air tight foam. then pack out reveals with insulated plasterboard.

Please could the Mods consider pinning this post / thread Ian I ask because the Design Access Statement is a model of Brevity Focused argument Well-structured content Good use of images Evidence-based discussion Clearly produced maps and an excellent written style

Rust on the corners where they’re welded up. Heat from welding causes a reduction in the chrome content and hence the stainless part. Electrolytic weld cleaning or pickling paste is usually used to restore the stainless part, post welding.

I watched this YouTube video today and in here he mentions that if you have already submitted you have to finish the build by June 2023 or comply. See from 1min in..

For services, forget dot and dab. Fix an airtight membrane to the wall with 25 by 50mm battens vertically every 400mm. Run all pipes and cables in that service void created by the battens then screw plasterboard to the battens.

Youre all missing a (cheap) trick! Nasty black waste pipe (or indeed white plastic)? Nice bit 'o foil tape: Brought to you by Mr Cheapseats. ?

Otherwise known as a Widow maker lead.

Could I nudge that sentence to say ... there's a fine difference .... between the two "Sweetheart, I'm not having an argument with you, I'm just making one argument, there are many others that could be made ... more tea?