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Have you already purchased it? You can get 18mm (13mm ply, 5mm oak?) herringbone engineered flooring but I don't know if its rated as structural (eg for use without additional ply)... https://www.saleflooringdirect.co.uk/item/794/EngineeredHardwoodFlooring/Engineered-Marrone-Brown-Herringbone.html https://www.saleflooringdirect.co.uk/item/899/EngineeredHardwoodFlooring/Engineered-Oak-Herringbone-18mm-x-120mm.html

No. Because its over 3m deep on a semi/terrace it needs "a prior approval application" to which the neighbour has objected. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/17/extensions If the only reason for rejection was the neighbours objection about a possible future roof terrace then the best thing to do is just make a planning application. If the planning officer added other objections that would be a different matter. The fact that other similar extensions have already been allowed in the road should be pointed out in the application. In fact you could make out you really want an 8m extension but have limited it to 6m so its consistent with previously approved extensions in the road.

Thing is planning conditions have to be "necessary for valid planning reasons" or they can be challenged/appealed. You can't convert a flat roof to a balcony (aka Raised platform) without getting planning permission so the planners may say such a planning condition doesn't meet the criteria of being "necessary". But hey worth a shot if it solves the problem.

Got a feeling the Building Regs require 18mm minimum thickness for structural floor boards. That's probably why he's saying to fit ply first. Your best bet is going to be to find 18-21mm thick Engineered flooring. In the case of carpet over UFH they recommend you keep the TOG value for the carpet and underlay below 2.0-2.5 total. Unfortunately I don't know how to translate that to mm of plywood. Just for info special low TOG underlay is available (0.6-0.7). Also carpet with hessian rather than rubber backing is lower TOG. Just watch out because some carpet is made in both versions and the carpet showrooms sometimes reserve the right to supply either in their T&Cs.

Its all going to come down to the exact wording of that access right. Every comma or missed apostrophe might matter.

What you could do is... Offer to sell it to them for a nominal £1 inc costs subject to contract. Get an acceptance in writing and then back out. Any claim to adverse possession would then fail because the agreement to purchase would amount to them admitting you own it. ...but they would never speak to you again!

Presumably in addition to the ransom strip there is something in the deeds to your bungalow (or the ransom strip?) that allows you access but which would prevent access if you split the bungalow plot in two? Have you had the wording of that checked carefully to see if it's enforceable? Many old covenants aren't because of court cases have changed or clarified the rules. One option might be to dream up a scenario for "dual ownership" that requires the neighbours help without mentioning your plans to split and develop the land. Perhaps something like "My brother wants to lend me some money to do up the bungalow but he's asked to be on the deeds in case I can't pay him back. I can't give him half due to this covenant... "

As @Construction Channel said, if its a special laminate finish one standard 8*4 sheet will be too small. If you know what the make is Google to see if they make it in bigger sheets.

I believe it just has to be received before you start. However the consequences of it getting any of this paperwork wrong, lost in the post or even lost within their office are dire. One person sent them an email instead of posting form 6 and it ended up costing him over £40,000 in CIL, a surcharge and legal costs. You should send them recorded delivery and wait for confirmation of reciept, keep copies etc. I believe the full process is.. 1) Assume liability (Forms 2, 3, or 4) 2) Apply for exemption (Form 7, Part 1) 3) Notify them of commencement date BEFORE doing any work on site (Form 6). 4) After completion but within 6 months send Form 7, Part 2. 5) Live there 3 years. No responsibility accepted if I've got any of that wrong!

I was so pissed of with our planning officer I considered changing the roof tiles to a mixture of colours and hiding something rude about him in Chinese script, Morse code or Braille.

Ok just to be sure I believe the full process is.. 1) Assume liability (Forms 2, 3, or 4) 2) Apply for exemption (Form 7, Part 1) 3) Notify them of commencement date BEFORE doing any work on site (Form 6). 4) After completion but within 6 months send Form 7, Part 2. 5) Live there 3 years. Would be wise to send any forms by recorded delivery and/or ask for written confirmation of receipt because one lost form either in the post or in their office could spell disaster. Best not leave any until the last moment. No responsibility accepted if I've got any of that wrong!

Sorry to contradict but there must be a min 12mm level change (Part J, Diagram 27 top right hand side). Apparently it's to discourage rugs migrating onto the hearth where embers might fall out onto them.

I'd probably lay them perpendicular to the existing but does that suit the room? If not make sure the existing are well fixed down and should be ok parallel. We were advised to glue the boards together using plenty of glue. We also fixed them down to battens but floating is ok. Our supplier recommend using a glue pot and brush to get good glue coverage on both sides and bottom of the groove rather than just running the nozzle of the glue along the groove which ends up with poor coverage. The transition should be fine if the levels are right. However I would probably run boards across the transition rater than parallel with it. There are different thicknesses of engineered oak. 14 and 20/21mm are common. The 21mm typically has a 6/7mm oak wear layer on 14mm plywood. You can re-sand engineered boards several times over their life, in fact about as many times as solid (until the T&G fails). I strongly recommend Osmo Hardwax Oil for the finish as any recoating in years to come is less visible. We git ours ready coated which minimises the risk of it getting marked or stained during laying. PS: Shop around for samples and try them at home. I picked up lots at a show. Some looked fine at the show but horrible when we got them home in natural light a few were positively orange due to the finish used. PPS There should be a gap around the edge under the skirting to allow for expansion. Ours expand in summer when it's humid and contract in winter when the air is dry.

+1 to the idea of a planning condition although the planners might say one isn't needed because a new planning permission would be required to use it as a balcony.

If you just build it the planners will either ignore it or they won't. If they ignore it all well and good. If not then I reckon their first move will be an informal approach telling you they believe you need Planning Permission. If you keep ignoring them they will have to decide if they want to initiate enforcement action. If they feel strongly they will probably write a scary letter that talks about initiating enforcement action if not rectified by some date. At that point I reckon it would be pointless submitting an application for a Certificate of Lawfulness because their letter will state their reasons why they believe PP is required. Once you get that enforcement notice you should file a planning application. That will delay any enforcement action until the planning application and any appeal is processed. If they are extremely concerned and think you are going to do something much worse like create a lorry park or travellers site or tarmac the whole paddock they might hit you with an injunction to stop work. Personally I doubt they would do that as they would risk costs of perhaps £10K. I'm not sure why you cant convert that curving footpath into a driveway? I can see reasons why you might not want to.

Perhaps mention to the neighbour that you are struggling to get planning permission for a 6m single storey extension so you may have to build a 3m two storey extension instead as that wouldn't need planning permission at all. Unfortunately the upstairs windows of a two storey would overlook his garden but what can you do ? I agree with others. You could just apply for planning permission. Cite the similar 6m extensions in the road as examples of what has been considered acceptable previously. Any objection from the neighbour would then have to be a valid planing reason. An objection on the grounds you might put a balcony up there wouldn't count. Find out what else he objected to.

And it must be on the right form.

I think one of the form's has a schedule of everything you need to do to claim and keep the exemption. You aren't 100% safe until three years after completion! There was a case where a couple claimed the exemption and the husband died before the house was completed. Wife finished the house but couldn't face living there. Council pointed out she had to live there for three years or the CIL became payable.

Is this going to be a single or two storey extension?

Within 3 meters the Party Wall Act only applies if you will be digging below the bottom of his foundations. There is no penalty for not complying with the act but should you cause damage to their building and it ends up in court the court might take a dim view and award greater damages. How close are you digging near their outbuilding and what is it? Just a shed? Perhaps make sure you have photos of any pre-existing cracks or other defects. Perhaps stick them in a dated sealed envelope and ask your solicitor to store them? or is that overkill.

It's quite common to employ a builder to construct upto a water tight shell and then contractors to do plumbing and electrics etc. You could also start this way and see how you get on with the builder, if you are happy then discuss him re-quoting to finish the job. Generally employing a builder/prime contractor costs more than hiring trades because the builder is doing the project management instead of you. In my case that project management involved the builder unlocking the site first thing in the day, organising what trades would be doing, tidying up, and sometimes helping trades (eg move materials). He wasn't always onsite the whole day but would return each afternoon to discuss the next day's work with the trades and make sure they would have everything they needed. If not he would either go home via the builders merchants or go via there next day on the way to opening up. The key being not to let trades waste time going themselves or standing idle waiting for materials. Obviously he also had to pay for materials and chase delivery. He also arranged for machine/tool hire where necessary and things like the Building Control Officers visits and warranty inspections.

Make any electrics safe and useable as a temporary supply?

Welcome to the forum.

I believe this thread is partly relevant although it relates to resurfacing an existing road. https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/15335-planning-for-tarmac-laying-on-unadopted-road/ The planning officer said resurfacing an existing road could amount to "engineering operations" requiring planning permission. The reference I found below suggest that's not true for an existing road but could apply to a new road or highway access... https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/planning/document/393788/5J6Y-V7J1-F18C-4292-00000-00/Is_planning_permission_required I don't think those are conflicting... The second part implies Planning Permission is required. The first part implies it would be approved. I would quote the first part back at them in a covering letter with any planning application.

worth a look.. https://www.npt.gov.uk/PDF/landdrainageresponsibilities.pdf