Temp

Most houses end up built over the supply cable... at least the bit where it comes up into the meter cabinet :-) Just a matter of protecting the cable where it goes through the foundations. Use a cable locator and hand dig to find it. Shouldn't really be necessary. I believe it would have to be at least 50mm deep if chased into walls or provided with protection. Fuse and switch needed in the meter cabinet but that's not usually a problem.

You can hire cable locators for around £50 a day. Start by finding any cables shown in the road and look for any branches heading your way. Then do a site walk over? I've only used them for tracing an electric cable not water or gas.. https://www.hss.com/hire/p/cable-avoiding-tool-cat3

OK Google says with render you still need cavity trays but might not need weep holes... https://www.labcwarranty.co.uk/technical-library/weep-holes-in-rendered-cavity-walls/

As I understand it cavity trays are intended to catch any water running down the inside of the outer leaf and divert it to the outside. The source of this water is rain penetrating the outer leaf (bricks are porous). However I though render was meant to be a waterproof barrier so do you need cavity trays at all if the outer leaf is rendered?

If the brick slips have texture will it be hard to keep them clean? Can't imagine trying to mop up a red wine spill or get mud out of our bricks.

When we moved into our house the improvement in air quality was really noticeable. First few nights we woke up feeling like we'd been camping out under canvas. If building again I'd definitely put one in again for that reason alone.

Can't the business just provide you with building services? That way the business never needs to own the land/house. There might be an issue with things like the warranty because I know the NHBC have different policies for self builders and businesses.

Yes that's what I was thinking of but Nicks air admittance trap is a better suggestion.

Thought I'd try and find the regs... http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1511/regulation/4/made Seems it can be used in limited situations.. Para b is unclear. I can read it several ways. Looks to me like the retreated wood must be for industrial or professional use (eg not garden use).

I didn't know you could still buy posts treated with creosote? Its disappeared from all retail shops and most of the online sellers have "substitute" somewhere in small print. https://www.creosotesales.co.uk/

You might get away with an AAV at the end of the new branch? Would need to be indoors and accessible. Another option is to run the basin wastes all the way to the stack rather than share the branch with the WC.

WPB varies in quality so perhaps shop around to compare. Will also need priming before putting the stone down. Many people suggest using PVA to prime wood but some places advise against as water can soften PVA. Perhaps consult the tile adhesive makers like BAL.

Got our trees from.. https://www.barcham.co.uk In Cambridgeshire. Perhaps a bit late for planting but ask the nursery for advice.

A quote will usually come with terms and conditions and usually a list of other assumptions such as a provisional sum for the kitchen or other items that might be unknown at the start. If you have accepted the quote and that didn't include insurance then it's down to you to pay for it. They might be happy to arrange the insurance but you can expect them to want to adjust the agreed price accordingly. If you haven't accepted the quote yet then you can still haggle over what it includes or doesn't include. Edit: We used a builder that had his own insurance policy but because he wasn't starting for some time we took out our own site insurance policy to cover the intervening period. Our site had a public footpath across it until it could be diverted. As I recall our policy covered pretty much everything so there was some duplication but this was some 11 years ago.

Yes normally if you are handing the plot over to a builder and he's doing everything then you check he has his own insurance policy. If you are retaining control of the site and just hiring him to build the shell with you hiring trades to do other work then you would take out a policy, however you would still expect the builder to have a policy to cover his staff and any contractors he hires.

If the breather membrane is vapour permeable you can usually get away without ventilation below it (eg no need for the normal 50mm ventilated void). However you should allow a small void to allow the membrane to "drape" between the rafters. This is to avoid pressing the membrane to the underside of the tile/slate battens. The drape allows water blown under the slates to run down the membrane into the gutter. If you don't do this it can pool above the batten causing the batten to rot. (Edit: I'm not clear how the spray foam companies avoid this issue or even if they try to). The plastic sheet VCL stops water vapour caused by people inside the house getting through gaps in the insulation to the cold membrane where it might condense. So essential to do good job of the VCL. Not so essential to tape the joints in the insulation as well. Seal any big gaps with squirty cream foam. If you fit insulated plasterboard the VCL will be _in_ the insulation layer rather than entirely on the warm side of the insulation layer. That's should be OK provided the VCL isn't too far towards the cold side of the combined insulation. I think the usual rule of thumb is to ensure that 2/3rds of the insulation is outside the VCL with only 1/3rd on the inside. Ideally you would get an interstitial condensation risk analysis done on the proposed make up to ensure the VCL wasn't too far towards the cold side. Perhaps run your make up past the company that will be supplying the insulation. Some insulated plasterboard may also include a VCL?

Google found huge list of price rises with dates here... http://www.encon.co.uk/price-changes

+1 I'm sure they were referring to changes to their standard wording for such conditions not changes to the condition imposed on this application/grant.

Re: your not allowed to speak to her I'm wondering if the company you paid subcontracts out the actual work to self employed solicitors. They may not want you talking direct in case the solicitor steals "their" customer.

Sounds like they messed up. My guess is they knew you were close to roman remains and would need to impose a watching brief condition but the Planning Officer used their standard wording for such a condition rather than wording specific to your site. The reply you got from the planners even mentions that "The condition has been amended recently" meaning they have amended their standard wording. If you wanted to appeal it you would have to show it failed one of the tests I mentioned above. It's important to separate the requirements of the condition from the reason given. If the planners decided to fight an appeal they are likely to argue the condition is valid even if the reason given isn't. necessary - The planners will argue the watching brief is necessary to protect possible Roman remain. They might call an Archaeologist to give evidence. Relevant to planning - This sort of condition has been used many times before. and to the development to be permitted - This is the debatable bit. You would be arguing that "Areas of Archaeological Importance" was capitalised so must refer to areas defined in the local plan not just any old area of archaeological importance. Since you aren't in an AAI the reason given is invalid. The planners would argue that even if the reason given isn't valid the condition itself passes all the tests (1 to 6) due to the "nearby" Roman remains. You would have to argue the remains were too far from your site to be relevant. Ideally find an archaeologist prepared to say it's unlikely there is anything under your site. enforceable - Such conditions have been applied before. precise - What's the exact wording of the condition? Must you get the brief agreed by the planners before work starts etc? reasonable in all other respects. - Again you can try arguing it's not reasonable but if you loose on point 3 then you are likely to loose on point 6. I think Appeal Inspectors can change the wording of a condition. They don't have to choose between upholding it or deleting it. Might be worth finding out what Archeologists think of your site.

Before you speak to the planners make sure you are aware of the grounds under which you can appeal a condition. If they know you are serious about appealing the condition then they may back down and remove it without you having to appeal. Not sure if this is up to date but see... https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-of-planning-conditions

I have 5 Hikvision POE network cameras on a Synology NAS and hub that provides the POE. Works well. Issues to think about: If you want to view video from the cameras while away from home you may need to have a reasonably good broadband connection (good upload speeds). However some cameras/systems can support two video streams at different resolution. That allows you to record the hi-definition on the server and watch the low-def on your phone from the beach. Spiders are an issue. They are attracted by the IR LEDs in the camera. Their webs cause IR light to bounce back into the camera spoiling the good night vision the cameras have. Make sure you can easily clean the area around the cameras. So called spider repellants don't last long if at all. Another option would be to have separate IR LED illuminators and turn off those in the camera? It can be difficult to set up motion detection to trigger recording. I have issues with sunlight and moving shadows due to wind/trees and the bloody spiders webs. I get 100's of recordings a day but if I turn down the sensitivity it fails to detect a person. I've tried loads of things and have come to the conclusion that motion detection in the camera or the server is not the best approach. The best solution would be to use a camera with a separate Alarm input and connect it to a good quality PIR sensor. This would give you far fewer false alarm recordings. Unfortunately my cams don't have an alarm input or I'd switch to using it. Meanwhile if we got robbed while on a two week holiday I would probably have to wade through a few thousand recordings if I can't narrow it down. I got some cameras from China at a bargain price. They arrived with Chinese firmware but rather than send them back I able to flash them with latest English firmware. If you order from abroad check what you are getting. Some camera recording programs require browser plug-ins not supported by MS Edge.

Read the planning policy document carefully and measure the plot carefully. Do the maths to figure out what the density rules mean. Only on any gain in value not the whole value of the plot. Say the plot costs £300K and you sell off 1/3rd of it for £100K. You could argue there was no capital gain. You also have your CGT allowance of £11,300 each. Figure out if the density policy would allow two detached houses - say one on 2/3rds of the land and one on 1/3rd of the land? Another option might be to apply for planning for two semi detached and one detached house that look the same. eg the two semis are the same size and shape as the one detached house, just the interior is different. A lot depends on the size of the plot.

I had a look at 73 para 5 here which appears to be the bit that stops you applying to change a time limit in England. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/8/section/73?view=extent but there is a huge list of amendments not yet edited into the act one of which is this which mentions Wales in (4) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2015/4/section/35#section-35-7 It needs more brain power than I currently have available to fully digest the meaning but these lines look like the important bits... So in England it appears you can't change the condition if it applies a time limit on the start of development. However in Wales it looks like any time limit in the original must be applied to the new one. I'll need a few beers to figure out the difference :-)

You need PP for "separate use" but not "use incidental to the main dwelling". Renting it out as a totally separate dwelling needs PP. Renting it out as a room with shared use of the kitchen in the main house would be incidental use not needing PP. That said see the last two paragraphs down here... http://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1209098/conversion-garages-outbuildings-ancillary-residential-use-q---dcp-section-104