Canski

Hi all Has anyone been obliged to build a bat ridge tunnel ? This is part of my Bat Compensation measures that I have been given. I have googled it and I see a detail with a ridge tile laid on top of the 2 adjacent ridge tiles. It looks ridiculous and people will be knocking my door telling me that I have a loose ridge tile. Any ideas ?

I saw droplets of water. I’m sorry, I don’t know if that’s on or off.

I had 2 ‘incidents’ in my life with these and I swear I’d rather shit in my pants than one of these.

Water meter and stop tap. Is it raining where you are ?

Saniflo maybe ?

fantastic views.

I'd remove the loose bits. usually a good sweep is all it needs. Or a leaf blower ? I wouldn't bother getting down with a screwdriver. They get pretty tight after grouting anyway.

I bet much of the bounce has gone since you filled your doubles ? I'll try to get some photos if I remember Why are you cleaning the joints out with a screwdriver and a hoover ?

Is there another wall plate slightly higher up the rafter than this ? ( Just a thought)

Well on the 4th and final survey the bats returned for the first time. It happened to be the only time when I wasn't there which makes me suspicious. Anyhow I have to go with the flow. Now I have to wait for planning which will be delayed due to staff shortages then apply for an EPS license. It looks like I will have to stay out laying bricks this winter after all. Project delayed 2 and a half months 😞

The one I did a couple of weeks ago was 163 m but many double beams to infill I think we used 3 bags of gravel about 2 bags of sharp sand and about 30 bags of cement so for yours I'd say 1 - 2 bags of sharp sand and 6 - 9 bags of cement. It goes a lot further if you soak the floor first. The stuff is no use stuck to the top of the blocks. 2 of you should do it in a couple of hours. I'm doing a 66m2 one tomorrow so can let you know what we use if you like.

It would be even better if you could get it in writing.

and some by the time it is rectified. Has he still got their details ?

Oh my God that is awful. I am so sorry for your Dad. He was not to know that it would turn out like this. I would report it to trading standards first then ask on the facebook group Band of Builders if there is anyone in the area that can help.

Thanks for that Temp. I have run it through with the accountant previously but will check again. The plan is to sell the second house not to rent it. It now seems I have more time to plan due to the re-emergence of bats last night after 3 blank surveys. 😞

That’s what we do but using sharp sand. Wet the floor before pouring it over and have a big stiff brush to move it around. It’s easy you’ve just gotta keep it moving.

Thanks Mr Punter The attached drawing shows why its not really feasible to keep the existing house. I realise that there will be some CGT to pay on one of the plots. CIS not a problem my builder is CIS registered. I am just the client. VAT I think is pretty clear as the builder will be zero rating their invoices to me and I'm on it with the CDM (I think). One benefit is that there is no CIL's to pay in this area but all the paperwork needed to be submitted anyway. Southbank Proposed.pdf

Thanks Josh that is helpful. 2 x 3 phase supply totals £4200 and 2 x Single £2012. I didn't know that about the permission from the DNO what is the limit of PV that I could get without the need for paperwork. I'd ask the DNO but I would have to wait 3 months for a reply.

As a contractor that is exactly what I’d like to see. A clear concise idea of what you are expecting. I get a lot of sets of plans saying price this. I don’t have the time to break it all down and I am much better at returning a quote if I’m supplied with a bill of quantities and some idea of the clients expectations on programme.

It’s more a case of the house is 160 years old and in a poor state of repair, it’s set way back from the new building line at an odd angle and too far to one side of the site to renovate. The thought did cross my mind when I eventually got inside the place but I soon talked myself out of it. The demo cost isn’t too bad but I had some horrific quotes alone with some decent ones. Once the house has gone it will be a nice flat level site on a pleasant cul de sac with a handy drainage connection and services to hand. The expensive and frustrating part has been the bat surveys. Survey Nr 4 tonight after three blanks. Fingers crossed nothing appears tonight and that the little buggers haven’t made a late return and shit all over the ecologists sheet that he laid out in the loft 2 weeks ago. This is something that I have been itching to do for many years and I need to get the monkey off my back. It’s just that my timing has turned out to be very poor. I know that the new houses won’t be as well insulated and efficient as many in here but with my skills and a reasonable array of decent tradesmen contacts I hope to be able to offer one new house to the estate that is built to a far superior standard and to have a modern reasonably efficient house for myself for the next few years to take me to retirement. Then the plan is to renovate the house that I live in now whilst living in my new one. I will decide then what the next stage of my life’s journey is.

Sorry , I bought the old house and the land shown on the site layout. I intend to demolish the old house (shaded) and build 2 new houses on Plots 1 & 2 and keep Plot 2 for myself and sell plot 1.

I have a bit of time to put more info up about my project. I'm currently in rented so need a house to live in so it is now time for this. The existing house was the site office for a major house builder who developed a 500 odd unit housing site around it and for one reason or another didn't proceed with the final 2 houses for one reason or another. HTBC Plot 2-Planning Elevations Rev A.pdf HTBC Plot 2-Planning Plans Rev E.pdf

Thanks I need all the help I can get. I'll post some stuff on my intro page to view. As I've said before this project is just a stepping stone to my final project so it's not going to be my for ever house and therefore has been designed with the influx of a couple of developer clients who are also helping me along a bit. It's a traditional brick and block construction of 2 houses on an infill plot in a new housing estate so anything else apart from similar would look out of place. Even the PV is going to look odd on the front elevation but it makes sense to install it now. U values given are:- Ground Floor = 0.12 Exposed Floor (garage ceiling) = 0.16 Cavity Wall = 0.21 Cavity Wall to Garage = 0.19 Roof Insulated @ Joist Level = 0.11 Flat Roof = 0.10

Thanks John. My SAP assessor is still working on this and this was her first suggestion. We are waiting for confirmation of availability of blocks before she can finalise the heat loss calcs. All my suppliers are 'on allocation' again.