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Before you start building walls work out how big the roof overhang or any gutters as that may dictate how big the gap is. If its a flat cold roof construction think about how the void will be ventilated. Sometimes one orientation for the rafters is better than the other for this because it moves where the vents will be.

Perhaps skip to about 8 min..

Im not a lighting engineer but my guide/sanity check for kitchens goes like this... lighting experts look away now :-)... Google recommends about 500 lux for a food preparation area. 500 Lux = 500 Lumens/sqm. Our kitchen is about 4x3.5 = 14sqm so my rule of thumb says we needed 14*500= 7,000 Lumens in total. We fitted 15 led rated at abut 400-450 Lumens each. That works out at about 6500 lumens. We're happy with the result but its just a simple grid of LED down lights. I choose wide beam angle bulbs to eliminate shadows and "spotty" lighting but at the expense of a bit of glare. LED Lighting tapes/strips typically quote "Lumens per meter" in the specification so you can get a rough idea how many meters of linear lighting you would need in that central rectangle. Experts will tell you this is all wrong and that beam angles, ceiling heights and the emissivity of walls matter.. but if your lighting designer says you need a very different figure for the total Lumens you can at least ask him to explain how he arrived at his figure. If he can justify it then he's probably right. You might find a company that will do you a lighting design "free" if you buy their lights?

Wish my dad was still alive. He was lighting engineer/manager at BBC and could probably make a fortune designing lighting for houses. He did some garden lighting in the 1980s tor people but was getting offered projects on £ multi million houses and was meant to be retired.

Google says you can get green oak beams upto 12m but I'm not sure what size you would need. You may also need wind braces. "Instant Oak Beam Online Quotes - up to 12.5 metre sawn to size" UK Timber Ltd https://www.uk-timber.co.uk https://www.uk-timber.co.uk/custom-cut-fresh-sawn-oak-beams

Is it a SIP roof? If so I don't think it needs any ventilation and no void to ventilate. If not a SIP is it being done under permitted development (roof less than 2.5m) or under planning permission which might allow a bit more - possibly enough for a warm roof construction. If all else fails build this version.. Run rafters front to back and put vents behind front fasia and a small rear overhang. Only needs about 25mm slot for vents.

Hope you are in good health. Remember this thread...

I checked and you are correct because no new dwelling is being constructed. If a new dwelling was being created there would be a cil liability on the 95 sqm even though it's less than 100sqm.

Caution. I might be wrong but I think they only deduct the demolished space when calculating the amount of CIL to be paid, not when working out if the "new area" is over 100 sqm. So if you were to knock down 200sqm and rebuild 250sqm they would say the new area is 250 sqm which over the 100qm so the CIL must be calculated. The amount would be calculated on 250-200= 50sqm. If you start work before claiming the exemption you loose it.

Thats OK. See section 28.. So you can dig within 3m provided you don't go deeper than the neighbours foundations.

Most rear extensions would only need a PWA if the foundations need to go deeper than your neighbours foundation (in a terrace that normally means deeper than your own) or if you were building off their extensions or something like that. What reason did the surveyor give for needing one.

The procedure is in here.. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-resolving-disputes-in-relation-to-party-walls/the-party-wall-etc-act-1996-explanatory-booklet Basically can take months. If you get no reply or no agreement you are meant to appoint and pay for a surveyor to represent them separate to the one you are using. What work are you doing? There is no penalty for not complying with the PWA but if you caused damage and it went to court they might look less favourably on you for not complying.

Cant comment on how much work or what can get retained without knowing how much insulation was fitted in the roof and walls. Even how it's installed can matter. Is the roof membrane a vapour permeable type? You might also need to make changes to doors on other floors as a loft conversion makes it the three storey house.

Have they actually initiated enforcement action or just warned you that they will if you don't do xyz? If they haven't initiated enforcement action I would speak to a planning consultant asap about an application for a certificate of lawful development on the grounds it's too late to initiate enforcement action. You can always apply for separate PP later or at same time.

Looks ok to me but I would request sample tiles for approval. Think I also want to see how the dry ridge looked compared to the neighbours. Do you have a chimney or vent pipes through the roof? What sort of flashing. Ideally ask to go see a house they are currently doing.

Few trees and a hedge. Fertilize/lawn sand the lawn area to make it a darker green colour and cut it a different length. Perhaps check old aerial photos for any evidence of a boundary.

Depends entirely on where the nearest transmitter is, how far away and how powerful. In some areas a length of wet string could probably be used. In others you need a tall pole and large aerial. In some cases you need a very directional aerial to prevent you picking up signals from the "wrong" transmitter. Ask/look at what your neighbours are using and which way they are pointing. In weak signal areas the the golden rules are.. Right type and size of aerial. As high as possible. If signal still weak only then use a mast head amplifier (goes at the top of the pole). +1 Excellent site.

Are there any fences, hedges or ditches that form an obvious garden/field boundary? I think you will need Planning Permission either way because 6 acres is only about 2.5 Hectares so too small to be considered an "agricultural holding of five or more hectares, under Part 6, Class A of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order.

We have MVHR and opted for an extractor hood. I figured its not running a high percentage of the time and when it is it probably just gives the MVHR incoming fan an easier ride. It doesn't seem it affect our wood burner either.

I think 230cm is a bit too low to build a separate false ceiling below it. Yes, wall plates normally same height as the joists. If the existing ceiling is very irregular building it as a separate ceiling would avoid having to make lots of different thicknesses of packing to get everything to the same height. Also avoids any further movement of the existing ceiling causing movement of the new.

How high is the ceiling? If the result wouldn't be too low I would fit wall plates around the walls and use small joist hangers and new joists below the existing ceiling. No connection between the two. If the whole floor isn't really strong enough take down existing plasterboard. Sister the joists to strengthen. Sound insulation and new plasterboard.

I fitted a pre filter to the air inlet of our system so it's visible without removing any covers. Saves a lot of effort.

Is the tarmac the water permeable type? Is there a rainwater run off issue or did they add drainage?

It may not apply to you but once you own the house I'm not sure they can ammend your planning permission without your approval. I know you can apply for PP on land you don't own but normally the planners require the owner to agree.

Sometimes the small print says "details may vary" or "errors and omissions" etc