Temp

Hummm, interesting. All I can add is .. be careful. If buying a run down property you don't want to argue too hard that it's totally derelict. Because if planners consider that use as a dwelling has been abandoned it could make it much harder to get planning permission to replace it. That said, it is quite hard for a building to loose its status as a dwelling but that happened to a farmhouse a few miles away from us.

It also occurs to me you may want to think about when you want the overage payment triggered. Should getting outline PP be enough to trigger payment? Full PP? Commencement of construction? What if someone gets PP for an extension but doesn't go ahead with it? Do they still have to pay the overage because the value has increased?

Perhaps of interest.. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5519543 ..although changing "future further separate residential development" to "future further separate dwelling(s)" might be better? Job for your solicitor really.

Perhaps you can limit the overage to "new dwellings" rather than all planning gains? I also heard a long time ago that the land registry like to limit overage to 30 years but I can't recall where I got that idea from

I wouldn't count on that. To claim adverse possession the land has to be fenced off "to the exclusion of all others" (their words). It certainly doesn't look like it meets that criteria so very unlikely they will let you go down that route. I would get title plans for all the land that surrounds the bit you think you own. That will tell you if you simply have a missing bit (it's not shown on any other plans) or if its likely there will be a dispute (it does appear on another title plan) Then take a look at .. "Correct a boundary mistake on a title plan" https://www.gov.uk/your-property-boundaries/correct-boundary-mistake-title-plan Given the good evidence you have I think you stand a good chance of getting it corrected.

For a complicated project you might need TWO sets of drawing/documents... Building Regs drawings: these provide information the BCO needs to be sure it will meet the regs. Plans will need to be to scale showing things like the interior layout, details of the foundations, cross sections through walls, calculations for structural elements (beams, roof members etc), calculations for insulation, drainage plan, specification for materials (example density of blocks). Construction drawings: these tell a builder what/how to construct the building. They may be based on the building regs drawing plus others. For example they might specify a make of bricks, roof tiles, windows or provide a list of floor coverings or figures that you want the builder to use as place holders in the quote (eg for the kitchen units and appliances). The builder should base his quote on this drawing package. You might even pay a Quantity Surveyor to draw up an estimate for you based on the construction drawings to compare with the builders quotes. Obviously you may not need construction drawings if you are planning to manage the build yourself or it's a simple project with no complications.

You don't need planning permission for "workers accommodation" on site (or even on adjacent land I think). However it must be just for building site workers. So everyone that lives there must do some work on the house and probably regularly. A few hours a day might be enough (?) but no children for example. If you just want a temporary place to live and won't actually be doing any regular work on the house then officially you need Planning permission. Some council's insist on this, others turn a blind eye or only insist on planning permission if someone complains. If you just put a van on the site without permission and the planners approach you about it your best bet is to reassure them it's only temporary and will be gone soon after completion. If they decide you need permission you should probably file a planning application for temporary permission. That could take many weeks to be determined but meanwhile you can still live in the van. If the application was rejected you could appeal and appeals can take 6-9 months to be heard and another few weeks for a decision to be made so you could probably delay enforcement for nearly a year. The planners are also unlikely to fight an appeal if they believe you will have finished the house and removed the van by the time it's heard.

Some info here suggests you may need planning permission for "change of use".. https://cornerstonebarristers.com/news/do-houseboats-need-planning-permission/

There are several different types of TS and different ways to set them up but that sounds wrong to me. I would expect the UFH to be connected to the secondary side of the TS not the primary. That said perhaps the connection to the store is bidirectional. eg The same pipe into the store is used to send water from the boiler to the TS and UFH can draw water back out of the TS when the boiler is off? Seems an odd arrangement to me. Our system does work the way you expected. The boiler heats the TS (primary circuit) and the TS heats the UFH/DHW (secondary circuit). The two circuits are totally independent except for the master electric switch. So the room stats control the UFH manifold and pump which draws heat from the TS but the boiler only fires up when the temperature of the TS falls far enough to trigger the TS stat.

Do let us know if the planners waive the need to provide evidence as that would be a lot simpler!

One approach would be to do it in two stages... 1) Create the basement as a "games room & storage". With care it appears you don't or may not need planning permission for this.. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/5/basements Even if you did need permission I'm pretty sure this would qualify as a residential extension exempt from the CIL. You would have to pay VAT at 20% on this work. When that work is done.. 2) Submit an application to convert the now extended house into flats. The floor area would stay the same so although not exempt from the CIL the bill should be zero. The work for this should qualify for 5% VAT. It would need some planning to ensure the work done for 1) can be reused for 2). Eg plan ahead so the work would meet Buildings Regs for 2). Perhaps think about the electrics, water heating etc. The planners do not need to know all the details.

Ok why did they say you can't do that?

+1 A builder should only charge you 5% on materials and labor. Unfortunately I don't think it helps with the CIL because I don't think you can use the self build reclaim to get 15% back on any materials you have purchased (The self build reclaim appears to apply only to conversions of non-residential property).

If you go for stainless it may help to know some have a special pattern stamped on the head to make them less reflective. I forget what that's called. Edit: Here just called diamond pattern.. https://millworks.co.uk/cladding-fixings/

Perhaps she could use the exemption for residential extensions for her flat? They can't expect people to have the same evidence for those?

That needs to be the one she will live in afterwards.

There is also an issue of how you can live in all three flats at once for three years (another requirement for claiming the exemption). Sorry but I think you will have to pay the CIL on the increase in floor area.

If you are using a private BCO they should tell the council BCO about the work. Speak to the private BCO you plan to use and ask him for a list of what he needs from you to get started. I would recommend the going down the "Full plans" route which involves providing him with a set of construction drawings and other info and waiting for them to be approved before starting work. They will probably come back to you ask for additional information or questions on the drawings several times. If the approval process seems to be dragging out you can ask your private BCO if he will allow you to start work prior to him granting full approval. He may do that if he is only waiting for minor things to be resolved. Depending on the site and how keen the BCO is he may want you to get some test holes dug to check the ground conditions and/or a percolation test to see if soakaways will work and how big they need to be. Typically the next thing he will want to do after approving the drawings is inspect your foundation trenches before you pour concrete in them. Don't order concrete until he has done that inspection as he might see something he isn't happy with and tell you to dig deeper. The NHBC may also want to do an inspection at this stage. Every time you have a meeting or visit from the BCO/NHBC I recommend making a list of any issues raised and what, if anything, they tell you to do about them. Before they leave ask at what stage you should call him back for the next inspection and how much notice they want (some BCO only want 24 hours notice). After they have left write them a letter/email listing the issues that were raised and confirming what you have agreed to do about them and finish by stating you will call him back for the next visit when you have reached the point agreed. You should consider the BCO a friend, so try and keep on their good side and they might get you out of a hole. Our BCO spotted that a window wasn't wide enough. It would have been a nightmare to fix as we have external oak framing. He allowed it provided we upgraded the fire rating of the door on that room and that was a lot easier than fixing the window.

Remember that opening up the stairs can make a loft conversion harder later That's because converting the loft makes it a 3 storey house and the fire regs effectively mean the stairs on the ground floor may have to be enclosed again (or at least protected from a fire in a ground floor room). If that's not a concern then go for it.

Make sure you check the small print. Some warranties only cover sales to EU countries. OK now but what happens after Brexit will depend on the wording. They may also be slow to change the wording to take Brexit into account. Might be wise to pay something by credit card.

You mean you have sent them Forms 7 (part 1) and are about to sent Form 6... https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200126/applications/70/community_infrastructure_levy/5 Make sure they have granted the exemption and you get some sort of acknowledgement that Form 6 has been received. Ideally I'd want both in writing before starting any work on site.

Could you do it with an old mobile phone and a cable? Must be loads of Internet Radio Apps.

The labor should be zero rated to you (eg nothing to reclaim). The scaffolding hire is standard rated and can't be reclaimed. https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-construction/vconst02750

+1 to hemihydrate screed. They say it doesn't form a surface laitance like other liquid screeds so shouldn't be a problem sticking tiles. Make sure it doesn't get substituted.

Tip: Strongly recommend you paint the ceiling above the shower with Zinsser waterproof paint. We had issues with paint peeling off due to condensation or steam and other so called waterproof paints didn't last long. Think someone here recommended Zinsser to me and it's been fine since I used that. I think I used the Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 but it's been awhile.