Temp

Think you might need two layers of plasterboard under the beam to meet fire regs? Otherwise I can't see anything technically wrong.

+1 The problem with spray foam in roofs... Water vapour from the house that gets into the loft must be ventilated out or you get condensation and rot. Some roof membranes, particularly on older houses, are vapour impermeable. This means it can't escape through the membrane so vents are provided at the eaves. They are designed so that air goes in one side, across the loft and out the other side taking water vapour with it. When conventional sheet insulation (PIR, PUR etc) is installed at rafter level it's normal to leave a 50mm ventilated void between the membrane and the insulation. Air goes in the eaves, up this void and out at vents at the ridge. If you just spray foam onto the membrane there is no ventilated void. No way for the water vapour to escape. There is a risk of condensation causing the raters to rot. In some houses there is no membrane and the foam is sprayed onto the underside of the tiles and around tile battens, this can also trap water against the battens causing them to rot. If spray foam companies were to fit some sort of tunnel or spacer between rafters to preserve a ventilation gap before applying spray foam there might be a way to use it without creating a condensation risk. Unfortunately the appeal of spray foam is the speed of application and fitting these spacers would detract from that. Scaffolding would also be required to provide vents at the ridge, in many cases the ridge would need replacing to provide vents. Mortgage companies have woken up to the issue spray foam can cause and many now won't lend against properties where spray foam has been used, even if used correctly. This has nothing to do with cans of spray foam used to seal around doors and windows or cavity wall insulation.

We've had a Visonic for 15+years. The indoor wireless "Quad" PIR sensors have very good battery life if you turn off the optional red flashing LED in them. The control panel on ours has way too many modes and options for most people. They have key fobs for arming/disarming like a car so you don't really need a key pad.

Welcome to the forum.

Do we see large housing estates with heat pumps yet?

What would Electric (eg Fan heaters) with a a battery to time shift look like?

Might not be criminal damage if your contract says all materials supplied remain your property until invoice is paid for? Perhaps add something about right of access to collect them?

I've not studied part O but perhaps overhangs and or external shutters can be used to help meet the regs?

My understanding.. DPC should be at 150mm. I think only a limited number of renders are approved (by the manufacturer) for use below the DPC.

See Forms 7 (multiple parts) here.. https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/forms/form_1_assumption_of_liability.pdf The main things to know are.. You must still formally claim the exemption using the forms. The planners may tell you that your planning application is exempt BUT you must still formally claim the exemption using the forms. You must not start work on site before sending the forms and getting confirmation they have been processed. Hassle them for written confirmation. One form must be sent in after you finish the house/completion. You must live in the house for three years after completion. There are other disqualifying events (like renting it out) that can mean you loose the exemption. If you loose the exemption by mistake you get a bill for the whole amount which can be a fortune.

I have a copy of Carpentry and Joinery by Brian Porter. Excellent books I recommend. Small extracts from the relevant pages are below

Does it ever lock out with just the CH running? Does it only lock out when you call for DHW or is that only when you notice it?

Land without Planning Permission might be £12-15k per acre but with Planning Permission it might be worth anywhere from £150k to >£1m per acre depending on location and what it has permission for. I would either get drawings done or find photos of a similar size house and see if an estate agent might value the land assuming you can get with Planning Permission for that. If the numbers stack up get proper drawings done for a planning application. Make sure you know about the CIL exemption and what you need to do to get it and keep it before starting any work on site.

Depends where you measure from.. if you measure from the top of the brick work then the wall plate that fits in the birds mouth raises the rafters by its thickness which is about same as the birds mouth.

Have I understood the problem... It occurs when the boiler has been delivering 76C water to the rads so it's nice and hot. Then you call for DHW and the thermal mass of the boiler momentarily heats the DHW to 76C (or perhaps a bit less) aided by the boiler flame not modulating down enough. The boiler detects the DHW is too hot and shuts down for safety reasons. Is that what the engineer was saying? I would start a diary with date and time and description eg Date, Time, No HW for shower. Also any call outs and bills. Backdate it if you still have earlier call out bills for same issue. If the spec says the boiler can deliver CH and DHW at certain temperatures and it can't then that sounds like grounds for asking for your money back. At some point you will have to write to the supplier/installer giving them reasonable opportunity to rectify the problem after which you expect a refund or initiate court action. That's what the diary is for.

I will assume you filed the completion paperwork within 6 months and you still live in it. I've had a look at the regulations here.. 54A &D.. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/385/regulation/7/made I don't think b,c,d or e applies so we only need consider a? Para 10 and 11 are irrelevant. There is nothing specifically about HMO that I can see. Eg I don't see why it becoming an HMO means it's not also still a qualifying self build. My guess is they are arguing its no longer a self build covered by 54A(2) because its not all occupied by you. However 54D(c) appears to allow you to let out part of the building just not the whole building. I think I would find yourself a solicitor familiar with the CIL exemption and run this past them pronto.

I think I would read the wording of the CIL regs carefully and perhaps appeal. As I recall it requires you to remain in occupation but I don't remember it saying anything specifically about changes to the status of the property. I might be wrong but I'm away from my PC and can't look it up right now.

When you remove the hedge it no longer removes water from the soil and you can get heave. Lot depends on the type of clay. In some areas it's deemed to be non-shrinking and no special precautions are required. In others you need deeper foundations, expansion boards to line the trenches or even piles. We had to get a soil condition report done and then input from an SE who said we just needed expansion boards. A house 100 yards away were told they needed piles and they ended up pretty deep and expensive. Can you find out from local builders if they know what type of clay is in your area?

Cotterill Civils sell pipe and their page says.. https://www.cotterillcivils.co.uk/blogs/guides-to-underground-drainage/top-tips-for-installing-a-culvert-pipe Perhaps see if they have a guide?

Google found these which I've not read.. Culvert design and operation guide.. https://www.gov.uk/flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-research-reports/culvert-design-and-operation-guide Superceded by.. https://www.ciria.org/ItemDetail?iProductCode=C786&Category=BOOK&WebsiteKey=3f18c87a-d62b-4eca-8ef4-9b09309c1c91 And a page on grants.. https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/installation-of-piped-culverts-in-ditches-rp6#how-much-will-be-paid The latter says it should "foll8w the manufactures instructions". Perhaps the pipe company can provide info on what coverage etc is needed to meet the weight limit? Perhaps you could do a sketch design that's compatible with the above and then just tell the planners that it's been designed in accordance with the above guidance. Cite a few paragraphs ? Something like that.

Replacement Darwin Green homes ‘will not be built to all of the latest building regulations’ https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/replacement-darwin-green-homes-will-28850775.amp Cambridge City Council said the developer had confirmed it would not be building the homes to meet new standards for ventilation, conservation of fuel and power, and mitigation of overheating. The developer forced to demolish faulty new build homes at the Darwin Green development will not build the replacement homes to the latest building regulations, Cambridge City Council has said. Councillor Katie Thornburrow, the executive councillor for planning, building control and infrastructure, said the authority is taking legal advice on the issue. Barratt and David Wilson Homes Cambridgeshire began work to demolish the 88 impacted properties - some fully and some partially constructed - at the Darwin Green development on the edge of Cambridge earlier this year. It was revealed in the summer last year that there were problems with the foundations of a number of newly built homes in the second phase of the development. At the time the developer said that a “small number” of houses had foundation issues and said no one had moved into any of the affected properties. It was initially reported that 36 newly built houses were impacted by the issue and needed to be demolished. However, a council report later revealed 88 fully and partially built properties were impacted. Councillor Simon Smith submitted a question to the city council’s planning and transport scrutiny committee this week (March 19), highlighting new building regulations had been introduced. He asked whether the developer had said if it would be building the replacement homes in accordance with the new regulations, which he said provided for “better ventilation, conservation of fuel and power and mitigation of overheating”. Cllr Thornburrow said the developer had told the city council it was not planning to meet these new regulations. She said: “BDW have confirmed that the replacement dwellings will not be built to the new standards for ventilation, conservation of fuel and power, and mitigation of overheating, they will not be built to those standards. 3C Building Control, the council’s shared in-house building control service, are in the process of taking legal advice as to our next steps.”

Pricing error on Jewson site? Says... Ancon ST1 Type 1 Heavy Duty Wall Tie 200mm Pack of 250 £3.08 inc VAT https://www.jewson.co.uk/p/ancon-staifix-standard-heavy-duty-wall-tie-200mm-l-CIWT0275 They obviously mean per tie but it does say "box of 250" in several places. The page for the longer version doesn't.

Do make sure your non-material Ammendment was definitely granted. If you build the house and later they turn around and say the changes are material and a new application is needed you could run in into a CIL problem because work has already been started.

In my day they would send you a revised grant with a copy of the revised drawings stamped approved. Like they did for your original application? Has it all gone electronic now? At the very least I would expect the portal to have a copy of the revised drawings marked approved.

Perhaps tell us more about what you are building and why it needs Planning Permission?