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@pocster That is a deep auld hole. If you did that on my site you would drown. 3 years ago today

In attempt to prevent someone else suffering what we have had to put up with for the last 8 years, this post summarises key aspects of this case and itemises our lessons learned. Here's the background to a long and determined attempt to squat on open farmland. The saga started 8 years ago, and will end on the 27th of December this year. And here's the Inspector's uncomfortably-well written Decision . I found myself clutching my withers at her uncompromising written style, attention to detail, diplomacy and mastery of detail. Summary We were awarded Planning Permission in 2015 25 yards away - crucially separated by a farm track - the new landowner moved in to a caravan sited on the field next door A cesspit was dug - open to air within a meter from a fence by the track He made Planning Applications . All were refused. Then he builds a dwelling house INSIDE the caravan. Swing a mouse? No chance. Subsequent Appeals were also refused. Enforcement Notices (EN) were issued HM Inspectors visited The first EN was quashed. Because the owner had built a dwellinghouse inside the caravan. Yes, you read that correctly. A further EN was issued Inspectors visted again and a Public Meeting (of interested parties only) was held. Despite an invitation, I stayed away from the meeting. The Refusal was published yesterday (Enforcement Notice Upheld with amendments) Lessons Learned Cesspits need Planning Permission and Building Control Sign off. Here's the point: The moment you see an open cesspit in use, write to your LPA with evidence. Heres the point: Stick to the knitting: the lack of Planning Permission: the LPA tried to fob us off with Environmental Health Heres the Point : If the LPA does not address the issue within 8 weeks or so, make a formal complaint. The Environmental Agency is a chocolate fireguard I didn't take a log of the number of times I rang them or wrote to them: but each time I was fobbed off. One unusually candid Officer told me directly that unless there was a major spillage of effluent they were not interested : a two person cesspit was almost irrelevant he said. Here's the point: save time, forget about the EA Caravans are not always caravans If a caravan has block-work poking out of its underskirts and the block work is connected to a foundation pad, its a Dwelling House If a caravan is hidden behind a high wall, densly planted Leylandii and guarded by a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog: smell the rat Here's the Point: be as persistent in your pushback as the applicant is in deceit. Do not bother to contact your MP Here's the point: ours thought of herself as a referral unit. No action was taken as a result of her involvement. Why have I bothered to make this post..... ? Had I taken effective , determined action promptly - the following would not be the case The high walls that disfigure the lane will stay : why ? 4 Year Rule The cesspit will stay will stay : why ? 4 Year Rule The Caravan will stay: why ? 4 Year Rule The Leylandii (30) continue to grow in a hedgerow full of natural species. And all because the LPA simply did not do their job in a timely fashion. And when they stirred their stumps they did a sloppy job. If you have a point to make in terms of Planning Enforcement and - on the basis of evidence , you are sure of your case . Go in hard, determined and armed with every scrap of relevant evidence clearly itemised and described. The only excuse I can muster in self-defence is that I had a house of my own to build. The Head Of Planning has resigned recently. I pity the organisation that recruited him.

a BIG SHOUT OUT to all of you for your warm welcome and for asking me to be succinct! Note to @ToughButterCup: that was my scream @Thorfun: our brief re going low-energy (not Passivhaus) was obviously not clear upfront. Is there a u-value calculator for various construction materials available online? Have started reading Barry Sutcliffe's book. Mark Brinkley will be next. @JohnMo: Can a UVC run on electric (there's no gas). Stand corrected re MVHR. Meant to say ASHP-UFH... @Glenn: we're almost neighbours (or will be!) the barn's in Langton Green... Would really appreciate pointers to builders and tradies. @Tom: this build is under full planning, but on condition we keep the concrete posts, etc. @pocster: what can I say? You're ummm... gorgeous @joth: thanks for that suggestion. I've got in touch with a few Interior Climate specialists today. I'm thinking of the AHSP+UFH+UVC designed by the same person, if possible. Would you be able to suggest anyone? @gc100: thanks to you, I hope to save some money on our sewage treatment plant. @Temp: I'm aware of the tax savings and VAT431C, but hadn't come across VAT708... it's going into my black book. Thanks! @Jilly: ours is not Class Q, but I'm running against a personal deadline to move in by Aug 2024. That said, I've pushed the pause button for the rest of the week to do some reading, talking, and listening... so I can revise our plan. @SteamyTea: we'll be building up the floor for the UFH, but I don't know exactly how. Have made a note to ask our architect. We do have room for sewage treatment plant and PV (there's 1+ acre). We might go for more PV with planning, but in future. Thank you all again for your attention and care. I'll return with short, sharp questions soon! ciao

8 years ago.

They go as low as 0.12. Think their standard block is 0.15 and they also have a 0.19 option. In our EC's report he's assumed walls are 0.18 (I know not why) We're getting quotes for both 0.12 and 0.15 versions

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. It’s been frustrating and frankly quite lonely trying to find help and support so far, so to have had some great and thoughtful responses on here has given us a new energy to push forward, no matter how messy it gets. thanks all!

i think it all depends on the airflow required and needs to be calculated. we had 90mm ducts specified as our unit was pushing the limits of the area of the house and so by upping the duct size it made it all work.

I think they do, by definition. The thing on such a practical and hands on forum as this is that we are by default questioning and cost conscious. It is not necessarily in the typical Se or Architect skillset to be god teachers or to understand costs. Hence many Engineers who do, are engaged by contractors....and the rest do these on-off designs. Yes that is what I do. It happens to be within my experience. Most consultants will propose details that they are comfortable with, or have assurances on. My suggestion isn't Engineering, but builder's detailing based on experience and knowing the cost of things. Your typical SE or Architect wouldn't know what things like this cost, and can't know everything. I suppose I am being defensive on this subject (to an unknown SE who may well be very good or not so good) because I have seen so much appalling work carried out by people who don't know how little they know, and seem to think that SE/Arch/BCO are trying to catch them out. I have had projects where the client decided to not use us, and do it themselves. Met by chance later (or to do the next project for them) they moan about fire barriers, foundation depths and all sorts that they have been made to do. Wind posts and pad-stones might be another example.....just how much is expected as free advice before even engaging a designer. On our project I challenged the SE, and we saved £15k. The daily contact resisted but the top boss agreed our proposal was acceptable, but they hadn't realised it was a commercial option. Fair enough. But I did many hours of general research, more site tests and technical research, and got tacit backup from a certain member on BH. Allow 30 hours a plane trip and 3 days board.....I worked for it. I allowed 10% for unknowns on our project, because conversions have surprises. And I am reasonably expert. On a new build of a project I understand backwards it would only be 3%. I can well understand that many on here have not allowed for contingencies, and it hurts when the unexpected is required and the costs rise. That is the big risk of self-build.

Company 3D printing 100 houses in USA..

Will it comply with building regs? Would you not need balanced ventilation system? As mentioned get other quotes

Get another plumbing quote

That’s a big bank! Last Friday 😂

Three years ago today

Ours is not big but it's pretty much built to the same spec as the house, insulated, standing seam roof etc. If I was being 100% honest I might include all the money we spent on fees for the first design and plans we had but it's too depressing😀

Yes, the house is eerily quiet. And we've either laminate, LVT or carpet in all rooms... We were paranoid about lots of echo in the open areas, but it's fine. Concrete floors and fire rated doors help a lot as well. I also beleive we have not only limited time, but limited physical and emotional energy... Are there other things you could be spend this energy on? Definitely my biggestes lesson learned from building a house.

If you have any particular room that you would like to soundproof ie bath to bed Use two 50 mil stud walls 50 mil apart braced with 150 off cuts of track each stud every 800 vertically 15 mill soundblock You won’t even hear the loo flush

A cut of 10db = a halving of noise, 5db = a useful reduction, 3db = just about noticeable. So to go from 40dB to 60dB the airborne noise level would be a quarter of what you'd otherwise hear - a very significant difference. If impact sound is an issue, then you'd ideally want two independent studs, though resilient bars are an option. This is the one I'll be building later this year; 2 x 70mm studs, 2 x 45mm hemp sound insulation, with 1 x plasterboard + 1 x GypsoLignum each side. I'm expecting a reduction around 65db, though as I'm using GypsoLignum I can't prove that.

We've 70mm metal studs, standard boards and 50mm isover accoustic roll inbetween... Can't hear a thing through them. Keep it simple, keep it standard.

Under the 2021 version of Approved Doc L intermediate floors with heated floor systems require thermal insulation (as well as acoustic requirement).

If it is the flow of the central heating then you would have to isolate the flow AND the return as they are one common body of water. Also, doing this will render the boiler unusable for heating, and may affect hot water production too. Unless you can confirm the drip is between the boiler and the isolation tap, and not between the radiators and the isolation tap, then isolating the boiler wont stop the drip. Give them one email as a written warning that you will get your own plumber, and that if you are not seen to within 48 hrs then you will pay the 3rd party plumber yourself, get the issue fixed, and then that you will deduct their bill from the next rent payment.

Thirteen years ago and long forgotten.

You can stop paying rent until this is fixed. Just photograph the boiler leaking, and meticulously document the correspondence between yourself and others. Send everything via email or message. When the money stops going out you will need to have it to hand to make the arrears payments immediately upon the issue being resolved.

He is not actually using a shovel, that is a broom. He is tidying up, bless him. He soon lost that habit.

Yes 💪💪💪💪💪💪

Even if there is no mention in the title deeds, if the drainage has been in place for at least 20 years and you (or your predecessors) have not had to pay for use, you may have the right to use the pipe via prescriptive easement.

That was just to be my basic level . Probably got a photo of the rebar raft in the foundation somewhere .

With our passive timber frame on cast in situ basement was 0.6 ACH/h - not sure how those numbers translate. I believe MVHR does not work well above 2ACH/h. High airtightness does not mean you need to live in a sealed box, open doors and windows when you want but if you've paid to heat or cool the internal air then makes sense to stop it from leaving (which is where MVHR comes in). As concrete is inherently airtight you just need to pay attention to windows, doors, roof interface and any penetrations. I assume you are speccing airtight doors and windows (no trickle vents or letter boxes, cat flaps etc)? If so then you need a decent seal between unit and wall (compriband is excellent) and air tightness tape from frame to wall. Junction between roof and ICF will need taping and roof will need to be of an airtight design. Penetrations (e.g. incoming/outgoing cables & piping) are easy to do - either put duct in before pouring or drill later and seal the inside of the penetration with tape, fill duct void with silicone or a flexible putty. 2 systems should be avoidable - we have a large house (400m2) and have one Sentinel Kinetic +. Did not make provision for ducts in steel design so some runs are elongated but it all balanced well enough in the end. Why? If slab is insulated, just clip the UFH pipes to the steel mesh and save expense of screed.

And ... we just submitted two alternative designs to the LPA ... 14 months from our initial offer on the plot and counting.

7 years ago : at least we used rebar and not 2 by 2 in the trench 😝

I grew up on a pig farm: and love them. If you know what you are doing, well-handled, pig-poo is top stuff. I would be as pleased as punch to look after them. Well-kept porkers don't smell at all. As a kid I always had a pet piglet. And I love shooting rats: they're worthy opponents. But, as you might expect, my soon to be has-been neighbour is not well disposed to me. He's the kind of bloke who makes constant reference to England not being the kind of place his dad fought for any more. Lucky he doesn't know I'm German ( 'old a minnit... if he did then that'd explain a lot. Ah well, never mind what a shame)

Easyjet will confirm that I'm not known for giving up. 6 months of empty promises, 'lost' receipts and compensation forms, poor arithmetic etc. finally yielded a payment. I'm sure most (less irritating) people would have given up. I regard these small successes as (limited) evidence that the soul-destroying big machines of bureaucracy can sometimes be slowed, if not defeated. Vive la révolution

No probs Drop me a message if you get stuck with anything

Oh thank you, but Mr has managed to draft one up. Feel better soon!

+1 the Fischer ones are fairly cheap too. If you are using a Paslode first fix gun, get a "no mar" tip and make sure you adjust the depth.

Yes but it still isn’t compliant which is the issue for the buyers.

and then sue him for poor living conditions? at the very least withhold the rent.

Well since it is dripping and the LL has done nothing yet (other than send someone who for whatever reason failed to fix it) I would inform the LL in writing that you will not be responsible for collecting the dripping water, and you will not be responsible for any damage done to the property by the dripping water. See if that stirs him into sending someone willing and able to fix it.

I have fitted one, takes about 15 to 20 mins, really easy to do, works fine.

Hi Patrick and welcome. Sorry to hear about this. It doesn't sound like much fun. This really sounds like the landlords issue. Why can't they solve it? Are you sure they won't hold you responsible if something goes wrong? I would get something in writing before you tackle this, a text message would do.

Post some pictures close up of where the leak is, and then more general views of the pipework connecting to the boiler.

I did mine with a nail gun (stainless). No regrets.

Stainless ring groove nails. I used a nail gun, with a smooth head, so it didn't damage the wood. Don't use carbon steel, nails or screws as this will lead to black streaks on the wood after a few month's.

And my SE report had several errors on it. Blindly following what you’re told whether it’s the medical profession or the building profession is a folly in my opinion. The very best professionals should be happy to explain what/why/where/when/how. You’ve already questioned why render over lathe has been specified for my block wall for example.

In our case the PiP said much the same about a house in the local style 1.5 storey. Draw a big circle around the plot and find every house in the area. Take pics of all the different styles. Then go onto the planning portal and search for every new dwelling approval going back a couple of years.

I don't know if this translates into the building trade, but in my previous line of work I would've asked something along the lines of "is there anything else I can do to make the job more attractive?" There are other motivations than money. Are you going to be a PITA client? Is the site going to be cold, wet and miserable? Can you do other payment terms? Is time-and-materials vs fixed cost an option that's attractive to you both? On the supply side I was given sagely advice to never drop my prices unless I got something in return. We were doing IT consultancy, so if we offered a discount it was often in return for better working conditions for the staff, better payment terms, offering a testimonial, that kind of thing. If you're asking a supplier to drop their price, it might be worth thinking about what you can do in return. Beyond that, @ToughButterCup's lines all look ace!

Thanks for that ToughButterCup, it's staying in front of me.🤣

"Thanks for that price. I have three other quotations due in the next [...] . Can I ring you to discuss your price when the other quotes are in?" "Well, the main issue is that I want to be sure to compare like with like. I'm trying to be fair to each supplier, and not simply rejecting the quote on the basis of the final figure " "The other comparable quotes are substantially lower than yours. Do you have time to discuss them with me?" "Help me understand why your quote is so much higher than everyone elses" "Why is your quote so cheap?" "Your quote is so high that it makes me wonder wether you want the business". "Your quote seems to be substantially out of line with other quotes I have. The others are all about 15% cheaper. Can we explore why that might be" "Why did you waste your time sending me a quote that high?" "Self builders are not stupid" "Do you have a line manager I can talk to, just to check a few items in this quote ...." "Really? Honestly? Have the decency to wear a mask the next time you commit daylight robbery."

If you are a "few miles" from the sea I doubt you will have a problem. but go and look at peoples satellite dishes. My own one here, 3 miles inland is probably 20 years old, and still sound. I can tell you for a fact that houses right by the sea, they would be lucky to last 5 years before they have turned into a wilting mess of rusted metal. If the satellite dishes around you are fine, then so too will be an ASHP.

isnt your water usage plan already covered by your planning application ? You will need to perform a SUDS test to see if the ground is suitable for a soakaway and how big it needs to be.

So for clarity the builder should charge the VAT rate appropriate to the main element of his work (in this case the groundworks) and all other elements should also be charged at this rate as long as they are needed for the job and invoiced as a 'package of work'. So a groundworker who is charging you for groundworks and needs skips, machinery, security fencing should be able to charge zero rate as part of the arrangement as it is necessary for the job and "closely connected to the construction of the building". You start to push the boundaries if you ask him to provide Heras fencing and leave it up for the duration of the build because you can't argue that the work he is doing requires fencing to be installed for months after the groundworks are complete. So if you are strictly following the guidance in VAT Notice 708 (that VAT registered builders are obliged to follow) then no he can't really zero rate the Heras fencing beyond the point when his job has completed IMO. That said what matters is what the builder is willing to do for you. I had a couple out to quote who refused to zero rate anything at all. I think they thought I was on some massive fiddle and no attempt at explaining the new build rules would persuade them otherwise so I didn't use them. If you use a non VAT registered builder (for others who may be reading this as I believe that your prospective builder is VAT registered) although they won't charge you VAT on their labour they will have no choice but to pay VAT on the skip hire etc so you will end up paying the VAT on those things too. Similarly if a non VAT registered builder supplies materials. So ultimately you need to have a chat with the builder and agree the rules of engagement in respect of the VAT for your build. As I found out you can quote what you like at them but if they are not willing to do it that way then you are stuffed.