Leaderboard

Back in ‘91 we self built the house we now live in. Block, render and pantiles. We were both working full time in those days and we did as much as we could, but that doesn’t include groundwork, blockwork, structural carpentry or plastering. Rural location, fields front and back, nice big garden. A third of a century later, at the end of September ‘23, we found ourselves in the back garden of a small, run down 1920s or 1930s timber framed bungalow. It’s in easy walking distance of the centre of a small market town, even closer is a lovely riverside walk, on a quiet-ish road, near a park, and the long, narrow, over run back garden in a quiet little oasis made of half a dozen other long back gardens. For us it’s the location to die for. Especially with our first floor bedroom overlooking the back garden. But the dark and sad and unmortgageable bungalow is not to our taste and crucially, it doesn’t have a first floor. Yet. On one side is another bungalow (a matching pair to ours) but fortunately on the other side is a two storey house (phew!). So we bought it, and put in a pre app during the buying process. The feedback came in (with some gentle, respectful encouragement) just before exchange and that feedback was generally very positive. Between exchange and completion we worked out what we wanted to live in and we met a couple of architects on site, one of which we were happy to work with so we engaged them. As soon as we completed in mid January we submitted our planning app, and we felled some trees and cleared lots of shrubs so we could start to see the garden. I quickly got to know the guys at the tip and I got much better at reversing Trevor the trailer. Our planning design is v close to the pre app design save changes hinted at by the planners, and in early May it was permitted without modification. Woo hoo. A few conditions (e.g. can’t start till September) but nothing too onerous. So, that means lots of time to research, plan, analyse and generally overthink just about everything! Now all we need to do is sell our house….

Lots of good advice so far @Ed_. Most self builders have a finite budget and have to build to it. It’s easy to get carried away (per many episodes of Grand Designs) then face genuine financial hardshape or even bankruptcy, or an unfinished house. Don’t be that guy. No house is worth that. Better to build smaller with good design, and good quality. We were tempted to build bigger than we did (214 sqm) as at the time each extra 1sqm was going to cost us an extra £1k, due to economies of scale. It took real self discipline to say no and stick to budget/size. The day before we moved in, my wife was made redundant. We coped financially because to self build was a heart decision, but the choices we made were head decisions. As it turns out we could have had a great house for maybes 180sqm so could have gone smaller. Even turn key as we were there’s lots of ways to save money. Make good choices. what size house do you wish to build? And for how many people? And what’s your budget?

there is nothing dangerous about my site. It is secure and insured. The council said "Please note that should you fail to comply with this request, we will consider what further action is appropriate to address the breach. This could include the service of a formal enforcement Notice pursuant to sections 215-219 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), which would legally require you to undertake the works set out above." I have replied to them asking for them to meet me on site to show me the issues they need resloved

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance#class-a-enlargement-improvement-or-alteration Where the original rear wall of a house is stepped, then each of these walls will form ‘the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse’. In such cases, the limits on extensions apply to any of the rear walls being extended beyond. In the example below showing a plan of a semi-detached house with an original ‘stepped’ rear, each of the extensions (shaded) would meet the requirements for a single storey extension as they do not extend more than 6 metres beyond the rear wall (or more than 3 metres on article 2(3) land or sites of special scientific interest). Looks pretty clearly covered in this technical note

Hi All, I was recommend to join this forum some time ago by @Pocster, I have always wanted to build my own house, but a porch, rear extension and above the garage will have to do for now. I am sure I will have loads of questions, and request some feedback etc.... Cheers Don

Apologies you are correct it will not be permitted development. The side of the garage is considered a side elevation, so it becomes a side extension. The bottom Page 19 seems to be a bit misleading, suggesting that if the extension was only 6m deep instead of 9m it would be permitted development, but it wouldn't. You would definitely get planning permission though, because if the bit of garage sticking out was demolished, you could then extend across the whole width of the rear under PD. Slightly bizarre.

If it touches the garage it would be considered both a side and rear extension. The most problematic PD rule is is the one that precludes side extensions being more than half the original width of the house and garage. It looks like yours would be about 2/3rds of the width. I think you will need Planning Permission for that reason.

Edge distance issue that imo.

After building the shower room, we had a free shot at planning so I put in for an extension down the side of the bungalow, to create a utility room and this was granted. But we did not think my parents could cope with the building work so it was never implimented. And, as they do little cooking, the current kitchen is enough for them. See origional and permitted plans. However, now that we are planning to move into the bungalow ourselves in the future, we would be looking to remove the flat roofed lounge extension and extend across the whole back to give a larger open plan kitchen/sitting room/dining area. We now need to upgrade the current heating system/addition of ASHP and it would need to have capacity for the new extension too. So we need a plan for whenever we do the renovation. This turned out to be far harder than I thought. The side would be extended out 2m, which would then extend to the current length of the lounge. We would like to have a pitched roof, giving a valted ceiling, tied into the current roof. The new exension would have patio doors to the garden and we'd need another door into the garden (I assume we need a second door rather than use the patio doors). But positions of those and new windows are flexible. We looked at what furniture we would be taking with us, and then after much discussion, came up with plan 1. I am thinking the utility room could have a complete wall of units, including the washing machine and a tall fridge freezer, then just an under-counter fridge in the actual kitchen. We dont have a dishwasher (thats his job) and am thinking an induction hob could sit on the kitchen island. But our plan does not look like we'd have many kitchen units. However, he plans to get rid of anything we dont currently use so is convinced we'd manage. (that arguement does not apply to the garage and workshop - just the kitchen!😁) So with our plan, we can now go ahead with renewing the heating system with an ASHP, radiators in the bedrooms, bathrooms and one large one in the entrance to the lounge. I am hoping the large night storage unit at the far end of the lounge (under a large window) will be able to stay for now. Then, we'd install UFH in the new extension eventually. My main concern would be to see if we can have a single beam across the whole exension, to avoid a post/pillar in the middle of the open plan room. It would need to be nearly 8m. If it were a gulam beam, that would make a fabulous feature with the vaulted ceiling. Any thoughts??

Yes, it's only the exhaust that's concerned. As long as the duct is adequately supported to at least the manufacturer's specified intervals, and well insulated, you're fine.

It makes perfect logical sense really. If you enlarged the red line during the process, consultees who may have thought "that won't affect me" or "that won't impact on x" based on the original plan might well feel aggrieved. Also, fees for some applications are based on the application site size, so enlarging it might mean more fees. Alternatively, as you're finding now, reducing it might have it's own problems. Natural England might have responded based on the original site and sizing for BNG and a smaller site may have different opportunities... I can't see any situation where changing the red line plan would not warrant going back to consultees even if their responses remained the same.

My understanding is that any change to the red line plan would restart the process.

No. Aeration is a common problem when extruding 'fractional melt' plastics. I think the main problems are that the top cord was too small and with only two bolts per arm, 'rocking' soon becomes excessive. Triangulation is simple, cheap and sturdy.

@LaurenJ That would be a waste of time as the LPA will confirm it isn’t Lawful, i.e. Permitted Development. As mentioned, speak to professionals on the Planning Geek Facebook group. They will advise and confirm if it’s PD or not, without any fee or timescales.

I've found this forum helpful for DIY projects, esp @JSHarris re balancing our troublesome MHVR system. Currently posting from Mountsorrel in Leicestershire but we're hoping to embark on our own self-build near Ross-on-Wye soon, if we can complete the purchase of a building plot we're negotiating there.

If there has been a continued use, then it may be worth a conversation with the LPA, as you are not at risk of losing the rights to that Use. Your LPA may have a Policy in their Adopted Local plan, that gives more information on how they may would approach it. You'd be searching for something like "replacement buildings in the countryside/green belt". My LPA's policy is as follows: This gives a little more flexibility than a like for like replacement. Personally, if I was replacing like-for-like I wouldn't approach the LPA, knowing that if someone did complain I could put in a retrospective that would be approved. If I was going to rebuild materially different, I'd probably apply for planning. Difficult to advise, my LPA has, over the last few years, made it more and more difficult to talk to anyone. To do similar I'd have to submit a pre-planning advice, just to speak with someone, then submit a planning app if they said it was needed. Hence if you are confident it would get approved, just get on and do it and wait for them to contact you. The closer you are to the original, the less reasons you give them for a rejection.

I don't have any experience, but ask the neighbours surveyor that question as I'm assuming that he is insured and if he is prepared to do this then he must feel comfortable as it will come back on him. But, and it's a big one, won't you need access to his land to build your property and have you had a structural survey to confirm that his wall is good enough to hold up your new house.

If intent on filling it then there's very likely to be an offer of free hardcore local to you. Are all those slabs around it being scrapped? If so, smash or drill drainage holes in the bottom then heave any unwanted slabs, bricks, tiles etc in. Smash with a club hammer.

>>> what Wattage p/m2 to go for? Well you could just guess (I did and played it safe at 200W/m^2) - by and large it only affects the warm-up time - the thing will switch on and off to maintain the set-point temp - less switching off and more switching on for a lower wattage mat. If your bathroom is, say, 5m^2 you'll have a 1kW heating source which sounds ample. You could do a quick calc using ubakhus or similar to get the U-value above and below and the likely set-point (28C?), min below floor temperature and min air temperature above. One tip I've seen and used is to either put the themistor in a tube so it can easily be replaced or bury a spare thermistor which can be used later if the first one fails. I've done the latter before - although I can't imagine the failure rate is very high.

This is actually working \o/ (Right hand side is rubbed up, left hand side is not). Managed to get two bags on in one day yesterday, right the way up to the door at the front. The finer sand really aids workability, although it's not *great* stuff, there are some big pebbles in it, and a little bit of sharp glass. Found some charcoal as well? Still, 3 more long days of this and I should be finished. A few hairline cracks have shown up, especially in the very first section, where I think I put it on a bit thick. So far they've all rubbed out without issue. Limewash apparently helps to heal them as well, once it's time for that. Or I can always cut bits out and re-do, but hopefully it won't come to that. Still not level, obviously.

Can't you just hear the LadysThatLunch table talk.... " Ey, hev yoo walked parst that dredful heys ... yoo kney the won thets being bilt ? "Oh ya ... I mean just think of what its doooing to heys prices. Dredfool. Go round your locality with a camera and Photograph every site that has scaffolding up for as long as , or longer than you - and ask whether the LPA has made similar requests of those sites Tell them firmly that the '... potential ...' that they identify has absolutely no basis for complaint in law. Nobody is being harmed. Nobody has lost money. No injury has been caused. Everything has the potential to cause injury. If I had had those points levelled against me, I'd appeal the decision, and if the appeal is denied, I'd wait until the day before they take action ( probably six months later) and then start work on doing the absolute minimum: If needed, get the HERAS sorted out. Thats it. Fookem PS, presumably the cars would be OK if the house had been built - so why is there concern now? Know what, .... I'm quite cross on your behalf.

good move - face the daemons head on.

@bassanclan For somebody who advises and does this for a living, I’m afraid you are incorrect. The extension would infill the gap between a rear and side wall so the rules for rear and side extensions come into play. If you want clarification on that, then ask the question on the Planning Geek Facebook group. Also Page 27 states those extensions are not PD. So I’m not sure how that helps to back up your thought process.

It is not a rear and side extension. It is only a rear extension. The side elevation of the property is the garage. The example on page 27 is more relevant

@bassanclan https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d77afc8e5274a27cdb2c9e9/190910_Tech_Guide_for_publishing.pdf (Page 23).

@LaurenJ If you’re adamant in wanting to go down the PD route, you have two options. The width of the extension has to be reduced by approx. half (so it isn’t flush with the right hand side wall). Or you leave a gap between the garage and extension. The latter would then solely be treated as a rear extension without any additional “side extension” PD rules or requirements. If you want this confirmed or clarified, join the “Planning Geek” Facebook group of which the majority of contributors are Planning Consultants.

I am struggling to see the area of the technical guidance that agrees with you

@bassanclan You will also note those individual extensions are not greater than half the width of the house, which is why they comply.

It also comes off a side wall and the width is more than half the width of the house. Therefore, not PD.

On what grounds? It looks completely PD. Assuming not in a conservation area or listed or had PD rights removed. Single storey rear extension less than 4m deep. The only thing I can see that might be a problem is the roof height if you wanted a pitched roof

We are not expert Planners (or if one of us is, she is - sensibly - keeping it quiet). In my considerably inexpert opinion, there are sufficient ifs and maybes in this case to warrant expenditure on a professional opinion. I follow your logic. You need to find out from someone who knows the extent to which a garage can be considered part of a Dwelling House - and not merely ancillary to the enjoyment of that Dwelling House. One way of finding out for yourself would be to review similar Applications and developments in your area. The LPA will have a database of applications you can review. In this kind of -what appears to me to be - finely balanced question, I would always err on the side of caution. What is to be lost by asking your LPA?

You would require Planning.

Yes those are temporary supports holding up the back wall while they insert that big steel beam then it looks like they are going to knock out all or part of the back wall downstairs to join through into the extension. A structural engineer would normally specify that.

Look at the General Binding Rules carefully. If you meet those regulations then that's doing it 'by the book ' Our BCO could not have been less interested. Annoying to pay for a professional's disinterest. But hey ho.....

Exactly what we stated on our replacement dwelling, BCO not particularly bothered, only that it was required distance from property. If I was staying in the bungalow and swapping out the septic tank, I'd just crack on and do it.

Does your new glass have a bannister or similar above? If not, it’ll be the torque around the fixings at the bottom that is the problem. As others have said, your BC will almost certainly require SE sign-off. The weight of the glass itself probably isn’t the problem.

Yes. Quick phone call to your SE.

Does the ballastrade system meet all the design requirements? "In general there are three main uniformly distributed line load requirements for barriers or balustrades and these are, 0.74kN/m, 1.5kN/m and 3kN/m. This refers to the force applied to the balustrade per linear metre of balustrade at 1100mm above finished floor level. These loads in general cover the following locations (although it is always prudent to refer directly to the standard to ensure that every situation is covered). Areas not susceptible to overcrowding in office and institutional buildings including stairs, walkways and balconies – 0.74kN/m Areas where people might congregate and public walkways and pavements less than 3m wide that protect a drop – 1.5kN/m. Footways or pavements greater than 3m wide and public areas such as theatres, bars, shopping malls and other areas susceptible to overcrowding – 3kN/m You should revisit the changes with structural engineer, for loading and general balcony design.

As general advice. Sometimes you might want a quick bit of advice from an SE of either 1. The building is obviously a disaster....walk away or 2. I would need to do a more detailed inspection. 1. Does not need a written report, so is half the cost of 2.

Fair point. I have a plant room for my MHVR and DHW tank with the ASHP attached to the wall outside, so I have plenty of options for venting the MHVR. Just asking if I need to avoid venting over the ASHP so I have my answer, thanks!

It was several years ago but I used the Wetherby system, just for a plinth around the house, six rows. Didn't have any problems.

Over the last couple of months we have made steady progress. But, I've been very remiss in taking photos. Last time I posted we were busy building up the walls in phase 1. It's now ready for the lintels, which we waiting a month to be delivered. This one requires some blockwork changes as the overhang is over a block joint. This is the inside looking North looking down over the valley. This is the outside looking in, again some block changes needed. We used thermally broken IG lintels, which were on a 4 week lead time so to fill some of the time we have been prepping for phase 2. We realised we didn't have enough space for concrete lorries and storing the spoil so we moved the soil spoil heap further into the field. This doesn't look much, but it took 3 days and countless repeats of load dumper, move and tip, and repeat !!!! We've also moved into one of the horses winter fields, but we will return to a field when we've finished. Apart from putting block on block and repeat we've bought a few items at auction. We got some windows that are exactly the same model as we are ordering, maybe not the exact size, but we can make them fit. Of course the cill will be replaced. We also got a lovely sink for the utility room. For the first time in months we are dry on site, not sure how long it will last. At the moment I'm trying to order the posi-rafters for phase 1, but I need some input on a beam from the SE who is being very un-responsive. We've realised that we have a beam on our SE drawings which say 'B3' and no details. He initially responded saying it could be either an RSJ or a flitch beam, but that was 2 weeks ago. I was told last week that the rafters are also on 4 weeks lead time. Once we have those then we will be putting some of the barn roofing on as a temporary measure as we'll get the whole build roofed at the same time. I'm horrified at how little we seem to have done, but as I'm no longer working at home I think the work force (hubby) may be slacking 🙂 More soon, when I have some proper progress to show. Jill

Well yes you will end up with a nice simple roof with no trusses etc taking up space and it will be well insulated. But you know you can have a full SIPs house and still have a masonry outer - that's what we have. So its traditional stone on the outside, but concealing a full warm SIPs house on the inside.

I find concrete cills tend to crack & go green. I’m actually considering aluminium for a new build but not 100% sold on them yet.

Thank you. I initially called it the Pigpen but that wasn’t generally liked and the neighbours may have inferred that we would be keeping livestock rather than a barely housetrained, smelly and untidy little, round, bald fella who makes loads on noise.