Benpointer

Fair point but we have zero interest in ever doing that so will leave it to those who follow to worry about. It's 170m2 house, which is plenty for us.

I am struggling to understand how the 'coefficient of friction between the die and the workpiece' is going to affect my foundations... I an only conclude that Yr Afin a L1/2

@SteamyTea These days when Elton comes round ours for a cuppa he doesn't do so much jumping up and down on the piano.

Ok thanks for all the replies, especialliy Gus's - very imformative. So... We are not engaging an SE for the foundations because neither our architect not our groundworker think it necessary; the ground is pure, solid, Kimmeridge clay (for hundreds of metres down). We have one nearby oak tree, 15m high, with 10.2m radius root protection area, and the tree is 14m from the nearest edge of our foundations. So I am thinking we can use the NHBC foundation tables (https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/4-foundations/4-2-building-near-trees/4-2-13-foundation-depth-tables/) which gives 1.75m depth in the corner closest to the tree, reducing to 1.0m deep once we get 20m away from the tree. Hopefully the BCO will agree.

Hi all, I have this from our TF co's designers, which will presumably dictate the foundation depths. Can anyone help me decipher it? I don't absolutely need to know but as part of our self-build journey, I'd like to understand it if at all possible. Presumably "15/5" "12.5/5" etc. means something important but what? I assume the loadings are all quite light, at it's a single storey TF construction clad in a combination of timber and render/cement panels. Thanks in advance for enlightening me! 1829 - 01 Frog Lane-LP.pdf

I would, I will... just as soon as the council's legal team get their finger out and send our solicitors a version to sign. (We already lodged the £1k racketeering charge legal fee with them.)

I would but... that would probably cause a few more week's delay and every week is costing me c. £500.

Yes, you're absolutely right - my mistake. That's why I'd never make a successful lawyer! And yes we will make sure to satisfy this before we start work - thanks! Since there is no CIL in our part of Dorset it would have been much better for us to opt for the non self-build route and have a BNG report done. But this was not a requirement when the application went in - the goalposts have been moved. To change course now would inevitably cost us many weeks delay. Feeling very aggrieved but we not going to kick up a fuss because we just want to get the PP signed off as quickly as possible. 😡

Update: we now have a draft Deed from the Council's legal team, which I attach if anyone is interested. Several things jump out to my non-legal eye: There appears to be no 'get-out' for exceptional circumstances - we appear to have to continue to live in the house even if we die or it is demolished by a meteor or similar. No mention of the sanction if we default. I can't actually see what is to stop us selling the house before it is occupied and putting the buyer's name(s) in as occupiers under schedule b. Anyway, we're probably just going to sign it and cough-up the £1000 in council legal fees for this marvellous contract. self build unilateral undertaking - redacted.doc

Hi all, We have a timber frame shed on our site approximately 9m x 4.5m, which I would plan to retain for a workshop. The shed needs a bit of TCL. It needs re-cladding and an new roof finish put on, and ideal insulation adding within the walls when the cladding comes off (it's plastered inside and the plasterboard is mainly fine). My main concern is the floor which appears to be crushed type 1, about 25-50mm ventilated gap, then 6x2s spanning across 2.4m or so from block walls, with a sleeper wall running down the spine of the building. On top of the joists (which appear sound) is 18mm ply, nailed down. In one are the wall plate has rotted our due to soil being piled up outside but we're hope the rest of the wall plate and the frame itself is ok. There are plenty of ventilation holes drilled in the walls below the floor. I was planning to rip the floor out input in an isolated slab but... costs and the TPO are putting me off that idea. The issue is I have some heavy woodworking machines including a planer thicknesses that weights 220kg. Assuming the ply is sound will the floor be ok for a workshop or should I strengthen it? Also any insulation option or should I just live with a cold floor? (the ply is pasloded down so will be a right pita to lift). Here are a couple of pics of the floor structure. Thanks!

Yep, he's done a comprehensive review for our build, identified one issue, and given us two options to address it. And we have a report we can wave at HSE, BC, and potential insurers.

I used Grant Barker http:// www.grantbarker.co.uk Happy with what he has done for us.

We haven't seen the S106 yet but I am expecting it to stipulate that we must live in the house for at least 3 years after completion, presumably for some get-out clause in the event of the death or serious illness of one of us. I will post on here as soon as we see it. We intend to sign it if at all possible. Had we known we would have to do so at the time we applied, we might have opted for a BNG. Rather aggrieved that the goalposts were moved after our application went - I suspect that is challengeable in the courts but... delays are the very last thing we want.

Update: The Council's legal department have been in contact with our solicitors. They state that: "I understand that _____________________ are looking to take advantage of the self-build exemption from the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regulations. I have been asked to put in place the paperwork to secure the necessary planning obligations. Please note that that the Council have a standard Section 106 Agreement for this purpose and amendments will only be accepted on a site-specific basis. I would be grateful if you could forward your clients evidence of title to the application site so that I can produce a draft for your comments and approval. Your clients will be responsible for the Council’s legal fees in this matter for which I anticipate being in the region of £1000 (no VAT). I should be grateful to receive your undertaking to pay these fees, either on completion or within two months of written demand. The undertaking should apply irrespective of whether the matter proceeds to completion. I reserve the right to increase my fees should the matter become protracted or more complex. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.“ So, to unpack that: it's a standard template that we can't change and they are going to rinse us for £1000 to put our names and the site address into that template. The words 'robbery' and 'daylight' spring to mind.

I'm no expert but I'd have thought the main living area is the obvious place. We're currently in a rather drafty rented place that is impossible to keep at a sensible temperature - it's either too hot or too cold. It's got oil-fired CH with rads in every room. The boiler/pump is controlled by a single wireless thermostat that you can move to wherever you like. This suggests two things to me: I am not convinced a single thermostat controlling a whole house or most of a house is a good thing. If you're going to have one and can't decide where to place it, how about a mobile wireless stat, then you can decide where it works best in practice?

We were planning on letting it silver naturally - we like that effect, had it on our previous house. We're now looking at Brimstone Poplar from Vastern. https://www.vastern.co.uk/timber-cladding/brimstone-poplar/ Poplar is noted on VMZinc's website as being compatible. https://www.vmzinc.com/en-gb/technical-support/general-technical-recommendations/compatibility

I wish it were so. But according to VMZinc's website cedar and zinc are not compatible: "Acidic products and products that can generate a galvanic reaction must not be used with zinc. Run-off from non compatible products onto zinc also must be avoided. In general, products with a ph lower than 5 and higher than 7 are not compatible with zinc.” https://www.vmzinc.com/en-gb/technical-support/general-technical-recommendations/compatibility

Damn and blast! I think we might be in danger of making a big mistake with our cedar clad walls above zinc roof. I've raised it with our archtect (though can't help feeling it should be the other way around 🤔)

Now you've got me thinking. How am I going to get the 3 WC soil pipes, 1 shower wast and 1 bath waste to the drain outside... on a single storey floor: B&B, 200mm PIR, 75mm screed? Here's a diagram of the drain positions with some red lines lines showing how they might connect to the drain outside but each of those soil pipes and waste water drains have to go straight down through the insulation and the B&B (through a block presumably) and all the pipework is in the ventilated airspace under the B&B - where it is inaccessible forever, so I'd better hope there's never an issue with it. 😱 Have I got this right? Is there a better way to do it?

We've considered that but, it's all about timing now. Will it take longer to draft, sign and deliver a S106 or to have a BNG report created and signed off by Environmental Services? Who knows!

The utterly ridiculous aspect of all this is that we're going to be planting about 20 trees in our 0.85 acre plot which is currently concrete and grass - no hedges, no trees, no shrubs, nothing.

Question for the BH Brains Trust: For our 170m2 single storey new build we will be putting in a floor of B&B + 200m PIR + 75mm liquid screed over UFH. We plan to have a couple of shower trays, shown dimensioned in the diagram below. Obviously we could put trays on top of the screed, and maybe we will, but if we wanted to inset the traays at floor level, do we just box off the floor in that area and not screed it, then set the tray on the VCL over the PIR? Presumably on marine ply or some water resistant strutural boards rather than straight on the PIR? (Obviously we will need to arrange for a drain to emerge through the B&B and the PIR in that area, and no UFH where the tray will be obvs.) Any suggestions gratefully received.

We're going for B&B rather than raft because: a) large footprint (180m2), b) heavy clay and risk of heave, c) we've 0.75 acre to spread the spoil so no muckaway costs. Yes, it will be baltic under the B&B but with 200mm PIR who cares?

Our planning application appears to have been caught by this. Our planning consultant received an email from the planning officer: "You’ll be pleased to hear I’ve assessed the application and will be recommending approval, subject to ironing out final details such as agreeing conditions/obligations... The other outstanding issue is that the Council have been informed that if a self-build BNG exemption is being claimed a Section 106 legal agreement (S106) is required to ensure it is self-build and the case officer must instruct legal accordingly. The S106 will need to be signed and sealed prior to the determination of the planning application. Therefore, I’ll need your agreement before I instruct legal to generate the S106. In addition, if you able to provide details of your solicitor that would be helpful. Also, I’m obliged to tell you there are costs to the applicant associated with this as well for the instruction and monitoring of the agreement. Whilst some previous applications using the self-build exemption did not use a S106, it is now a Council-wide approach, that I have no choice but to request such." That was two weeks ago. We provided our solicitors' details the same day. Since then we've heard nothing. I reckon every week delay costs us £500 in rent 😞

@mjc55, did you explore this approach with Dorset BC? I ask because we are facing the same issue, and we're also in Dorset. Thanks