Temp

Click on "Room in roof" here then "next"... http://www.governmentgrantsforinsulation.org.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAiAtorUBRBnEiwAfcp_Y1ozihyXuXSR_j-iLI5IyZF7GTiZZLwPEVAJYOoIy4miNeBWNdbaXBoCl64QAvD_BwE The devil will be in the detail. If she has had other insulation work done already she might not be eligible? Is that the scheme she has already been refused? If so it seems odd. It smacks of the energy companies not wanting to take on "difficult" properties. Perhaps write to her MP. Ask the MP to write to the surveyor for an explanation of why the property isn't eligible.

Try the council. They may have grants for what are called "hard to treat" properties. Usually this means houses with solid walls but I guess it may also cover her situation.

I half remember that an over flow is a building regs requirement? ort perhaps it's a water regs thing? Either way our BCO didn't object to a basin without one. There are some fancy waste outlets that have a hidden overflow built into the waste. It involves an inverted syphon/loop of pipe hidden in the wall or base unit.

If the tap is a mono block some are supplied with "rigid" copper tails that are almost touching each other. These can be bent/ splayed apart enough so you can use isolation valves with compression fittings to connect them up.

I don't believe you will need planning permission but I would write to the planning office. Tell them the replacement will be the same size, shape and use similar materials to the house. You don't normally need permission to block up an opening or add doors and windows so I doubt planning permission is required to make it an "indoor facility". I believe you _will_ need Building Control Approval but providing you follow the building regs that shouldn't be a problem. You will need to achieve specific insulation levels and it would be easier if the electrics are installed by a qualified electrician and the windows by a FENSA approved installer.

Builder 1: The only option is for you to buy the materials in your name and reclaim the VAT yourself. If the builder purchases anything in his name neither of you can reclaim the VAT. Builder 2: Both his labour and the materials he supplies should be zero rated to you. So there is nothing for you to reclaim. The builder will reclaim any VAT he has paid. Regarding your objective: Best option is ONLY to use VAT registered trades (Builder 2). If you buy anything yourself (perhaps second fix items) then reclaiming the VAT isn't very difficult.

PS I would get them to cut the door say 5mm shorter in height so it doesn't scrape on ceiling. Check no downlights in the way etc

You can get sealing strips to go on the bottom of the door. In our experience they last a few years but have to be replaced. Likewise at the hinge. We still get some water escape but it less than what drips off you when you get out of the shower. Fair bit runs off the door as it opens outwards. We have had issues with steam causing the ceiling paint to blister off despite having a gap above the shower screen and door for it to escape. Recommend using Zinsser waterproof paints.

New article in The Times today says that investigators have not been able to find any record of independent tests on the combination used on Grenfell tower, either in the UK or abroad. This combo was used on 299 similar high- rise buildings. "Somehow or other, those materials have got onto 300 buildings without any tests being done or test results being produced." Related... "A 95 year old man is being treated in hospital because of stress after being asked ( told?) to contribute to the cost of removing unsafe cladding from the block of flats where he lives."

I might be wrong but as I understand it there are some difference between a Warranty (NHBC or other) and an Architects Certificate when it comes to actually claiming.. In theory if something "fails" and you have a warranty, then your NHBC registered Builder (and failing that the NHBC) should fix it. In the case of an Architects certificate I think you would probably have to argue the failure occurred because the Architect had been negligent and take him or his insurance co to court if they disagree. So for example suppose your roof tiles turned out not to be frost resistant, fell apart after 5 years and you find the tile manufacturer has gone out of business. I believe the warranty should cover that but I doubt an Architects Certificate would unless you can prove the Architect was at fault. Warranties aren't perfect either. I don't think warranties cover some things that might be considered due to poor quality of the workmanship. For example bad plastering/wavy walls probably wouldn't be covered by most warranties if they are structurally sound. If your Architect was supervising the build then you might be able to sue the Architect for failing to spot the bad workmanship. Likewise missing insulation probably wouldn't be covered by a warranty because it hasn't "failed" but again the Architect might be responsible for not spotting it. Perhaps someone can correct me if I have any of this wrong.

You don't have to give the mortgage company an exact breakdown of what all the money will be used for. In fact I would avoid doing that to give you some flexibility. As others have said the amount they will lend depends on the likely final value. If you use a builder as a prime contractor it's important that the payment schedule you agree with the builder is compatible with the release schedule of the lender. They should not be the same, you want to arrange for the lender to be some way ahead of the builder both in time and value if possible. Remember it's normal to retain something like 10% of what you owe the builder for snagging, our architect suggested that this 10% should be retained for 1 year after completion and our builder agreed. It's not unreasonable to retain 10% of each stage payment for this purpose rather than subtract it all from the final stage payment. Again this needs to be agreed in writing up front. That might also help with your cash flow. Many self builders have been approached by their builder half way through for an advance payment, perhaps to "help with their cash flow" or similar reason. I would never pay the builder in advance but you might consider paying for something like the windows (eg direct to the window company) if they need a deposit or final payment on delivery. Just so long as you get the invoice/reciept in your name so you can reclaim the VAT. Remember to write a letter documenting that you have agreed and made this extra payment and that it will be deducted from the next stage payment. The one thing to avoid is ending up in a situation where you have paid the builder 80-90% of the money but he's only done 40% of the work. This can easily happen if there are a lot of changes along the way. If in doubt a Quantity Surveyor will (for a fee) come and value the work done.

My thinking is that the history shows units used up to end December whereas the total shows units to 29th January ish. The difference is about 1100 units which is consistent with about a months use (Decembers consumption was 1300 units).

Just for info....I have an outside light on a light sensor. The light sensor gets warmer than the led light it's controlling. One day I'll get around to making my own light sensor.

You can appeal an enforcement notice and the appeal inspector will consider if that extra 30mm is significant in planning terms. Eg would your planning application have been refused at appeal had you added 30mm to your original application? Very unlikely I suspect. Planners know you are likely to win any appeal but if someone has complained they may feel obliged to act just to satisfy the complaint. In such cases they might hit you with an enforcement notice and at the same time recommend you submit a revised planning application which they are likely to approve. It also give them an excuse to hit you for the application fee.

Deleted this reply as I missunderstand the situation.

All I can suggest is wrapping the wires in polythene and using expanding foam to fill gaps. PVC insulation on wires should be kept away from eps and the like.

Since it's now Feb can you see what the meter says in History for Jan?

Looks like first is KWH and second is £ I made the total 2197 KWH and £241.65 Edit: I just added up those after "History" do you need to add something for the current month (eg most of January)?

Small article in today's Times. It say that Celotex have .... ...'admitted that there were "differences" between the safety experiment conducted at the Building Research Establishment test laboratory and the way the outcome of that test was reported' 'A spokesman said: These differences were carried through into our marketing of RS5000' 'BRE said in a statement that "anomalies" had been discovered in the testing process and "the test results have been withdrawn" Note: I believe they are referring to tests carried out at the BRE before Celotex marketed RS5000 as suitable for high rise buildings not the recent test carried out at the request of the government. I've not yet seen the statement by the BRE.

If the council (or anyone else) really "owns" the verge then you need to check where the highway boundary is. If the highway comes right up to your property boundary then it's usually no problem to get access and a dropped kerb installed. However if there is a ransom strip owned by the council (or third party) between your boundary and the highway boundary then watch out.

We have travertine in the bathroom and I recently had to replace a tile so rummaged through the left overs we have in the garage. Was quite amazed at the different colours. Looks like our tile man must have been through them all carefully pulling out any that were too extreme.

Perhaps check if the appliances are designed to be fixed to the adjacent cabinet wall. Our dish washer came fixings for this to help stop it moving. Cant use them if there is a another appliance like a fridge next door.

Nice to win occasionally. Well done.

I think the main problem is that any buyer would know that the sale was a forced sale and so would know they are in a strong bargaining position.

+1 "Installation" should clearly be zero rated (no difference between the installation of an ASHP system, a wire or a brick). Then there is a question of the commissioning. Some services are standard rated but where someone is providing several things at different rates they should rate everything at the lowest rate. So the commissioning should be zero rated as well. Might be worth making sure that both installation and commissioning are same invoice.