deuce22

I've helped on 2 self builds in the past and a few extensions and there's always been an outer block or brick used. I agree it's more robust and know that I won't have a problem getting a mortgage. The reason i'm looking into this other way is that, I have been told that when using a twin wall stud the insulation value is achieved and so there is no need to fit insulation in the cavity. A block/brick is then just an unnecessary wall covering. I think I'll calculate the prices between the two and see how different they are. Thanks.

Thanks all for the advice. So batten, cement board and then render is the correct way. If this is correct, are mortgage companies ok with this?

Hi. I am planning to construct a stick build timber frame on site, but I'm not 100% sure what to do for the exterior. I have done a timber frame with block and a traditional double block construction in the past, but I have been told that I do not need an outer leaf of block/brick. It will be a twin wall stud at around 300mm thick. I have spoken with warm cell and have been told this is enough to achieve the thermal value. I was then told that I could render straight onto the OSB and there is no need for a cavity. I've never seen this done in the UK, but supposedly it is starting to happen on a lot of builds. My concerns doing it this way are, will it be 100% watertight and will there be any issues for mortgage purposes? Thanks.

Yes, it definitely did. I'll have to let things just go over my head, rather than getting frustrated. Cheers.

Just to say thanks for all the help and advice. I finally got the approval. I'm now having to sort out the conditions, which shouldn't be a problem and then I'll get started. Thanks again.

That's exactly what I'm trying to do. After her drip feeding me problems for 3 months and me finding solutions to them, she then asked if I could get a cross section plan. I asked her why it had taken this long to ask me and she didn't give me an answer. It was only when I read the comments from the neighbours (that weren't easily accessible, I had to go into the council and read them on there computer) that I realised it was because of them. It has now been going on for a further 2 months. I've agreed to remove the balconies, obscure the glass and drop the house 1m and she's still coming back and forth with things. I asked on here because I wanted to know if there was a planning rule about distances. I've never dealt with anything so inefficient and inconsistent, it feels like she's making things up as she goes along. I'd definitely use a planning consultant if I did this again. Thanks.

That model is excellent, but I honestly don't think it'd make a difference to the neighbours. They haven't communicated with me from day 1 and i just think they don't want any development going on. I thought that there would be some sort of planning rule where you have to be so far away if privacy is an issue. It is laughable, there are 2x 3 storey new builds 100m away that are looking into neighbours gardens/back windows, almost identical to what I'm proposing. There deck area has been elevated, so it's higher than there house floor level. They only have a small wall, but I will be putting 6ft fencing up and so it will be difficult to look directly into their garden. Even though it is a 3 storey property, there is only one window on the top floor and it is obscured glass.

Hi. I have now found out that the concerns the neighbours have are down to privacy. It's difficult to get to the bottom of everything because even the planner is not being honest with me. It feels like she is trying to keep the privacy issue away from me, but keeps asking for amended plans to show the impact of the property it will have. Does this proposed plan seem unreasonable? There is a windows on the 2nd floor, just below the ridge height, but she has asked me to obscure it. As far as I can see the only relevant windows would be to the first floor and the garage will be in the way. The house is also over 30m away. Thanks.

AnonymousBosch I will do just that. I had to go into the council to read the objections as they are not made public on the portal. The one neighbour obviously does not want anything going there, from what she had said. The bad thing about it was that she bought the house off the person that I'm buying the land from. She was offered the plot, but declined and then said she had no problem with anything being built.

The conclusion we have come to is that I will drop the whole house by 1m into the ground, so I can still have the rooms in the loft space (she originally wanted me to reduce it to 8.5m instead of 10m, it will now be 9m). As they are bifold doors to the front elevation she has agreed on Juliet balconies. I have to raise the window on the second floor, so you cannot see out of it and also obscure it. This was my email to her this morning and her reply. Hi Hayley. The last time we spoke, you said the decisions for the amendments were from yourself and your team and not no 13/14. Your recent email states, that you “will need to re-consult no 13’14”. This is getting both very confusing and frustrating. I was under the impression that this had nothing to do with the neighbours and contacting them would just be a formality to let them know what is happening. Your wording suggests otherwise, you state, “you will have to consult them”. I am happy to wait until the 1st, but I am now wondering whether you are having to discuss this with the neighbours and I could be delayed further. Can you confirm that what I have proposed is within planning policy and you are informing the neighbours of these amended plans, out of courtesy and not for their permission? Thankyou. Thank you for your email. With regard to the re-consultation with the neighbours, the amended plans are obviously changing the proposed scheme and therefore they need to be consulted on the proposed changes only. They have both raised objections and the changes you are proposing are seeking to overcome those objections so I am duty bound to consult them which may result in their concerns being overcome and their objections withdrawn. In view of this, please can you submit the amended plans asap and confirm your agreement to the extension of time. As soon as the amended plans are received, I can then start the re-consultation process with a view to determining the application hopefully before the 1st May 2019. I trust this information is of assistance and I look forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards, Hayley

http://planning.bridgend.gov.uk/Planning/Display?applicationNumber=P%2F18%2F943%2FFUL Thanks.

Hi. I am still having issues with my application and would like some advice from some of the experienced members. After almost 4 months from first applying, I was asked by the planning officer for a side cross section showing the elevation of my proposed build in comparison with the houses in front. I questioned why she was asking this after so many months and she said it was due to the one neighbour having privacy concerns. She then asked me to amend the plans, but said it was due to what she and her team thought and had nothing to do with the neighbours. She wants me to drop the total height of the house by 1m, remove the balcony from the front elevation and remove a window on the second floor. Even though I didn't want to do these things, I have accepted. She has now emailed asking for a further 3 weeks as she will need to consult the neighbours. This has now confused me and it's getting frustrating. It feels like she has to get permission from the neighbours to do her job. If this is correct then I am fine with it, but everybody I speak with tell me, that if I'm within planning policy then it shouldn't be an issue. Can somebody please give me some advice on how planning actually works. Some people tell me not to bow down to them for everything the ask for, as they will take advantage, whilst others speak about them as if they were gods and do everything they say. Thanks.

I think a lot of issues that I've been getting is due to the person I've used for the application. He is a SE by profession, but also does drawings, so he is not a true Architect. The majority of the things he's submitted has been very vague and basic. I'm having to meet him on site today to do the calculations for him to draw up a detailed cross section, including the surrounding properties. Hopefully this is good enough for them to finally make a decision. I'll post it up once it's completed. Thanks.

From the back of there house to the garage is about 16m and 3m from the garage. There house is about 10m or so away from the boundary.

Cheers Mr Punter. What's the problem with the address? Should I just crop it out? I think I've left it in on another plan I've put on here.

The neighbours house is below the garage and I have moved it quite a bit away from the boundary. The ground slopes up from the bottom boundary to the top and keeps rising behind the property. The bottom edge of the property is about 25m away from the boundary.

The garage has a room above which will be for a home office and the gable end is facing the neighbours property. There are only windows in the roof. I can’t see there being any overshadowing from the sun as the ground keeps rising for a few hundred metres behind my house. I am higher up than the neighbour, but then there is another property behind me thats a lot higher again. The people recently moved in. I bought the plot off the owner that also owned the property that they’re in. They told him that they had no objections when they were buying, now they’ve changed there minds. The party wall next to the existing garage is a chain link fence, so there’s no issues with a wall falling down, his garage is a further 2m or so away from that. That’s exactly what I would have preferred PeterW. If they communicated with me directly, we could have sorted all this out. I will try and speak with them to put there minds at ease. The last thing I want is to be having disputes with neighbours. That’s what I thought PeterW. If the objections could potentially have serious consequences then it would be considered. Just because they don’t like what is going to be happening is not serious enough.

Hi. I am now coming to the end of 4 months since my planning application was submitted. The planning officer has asked if I can extend it for another month whilst they are just waiting on a few more things. I have managed to find solutions to all the issues they’ve had so far, but the next thing they want detailed is a cross section of the property in relation to the house in front. The 2 properties that are in front and below have objections and concerns about a few things. The one neighbours concerns are understandable and there won’t be a problem dealing with them. However the other neighbour has issues with privacy and sunlight. A garage that I will be building will be towards the party wall and an existing garage. How far away should I be from both these structures to stay within the law. I will be around 3m away from the existing garage and 5-6m away from the party wall. Thanks.

I've managed to sort it out now and I'm happy with the outcome. I'm not going to argue with them about culverting the whole length as I think it'll look pretty good exposed for part of it.

That looks lovely. I wasn't thinking of doing it like that, but I am now. Thanks.

Hi. Just an update. I have managed to sort this out with the owner behind me. He is giving me 4x25m behind the house and I'm giving him 3x25m down the side. I will also be losing about 20-30m2 at the entrance as I'll have to set it back to give him access. All in all, it's worked out good. Thank you to all of you for the help and advice.

The plan is to do something with the part that has to stay open, similar to those things you've mentioned. The only part that will be culverted is where the drive will be. Drive.pdf

I'd prefer not to get involved with him at all as I think it'll be a big hassle. I believe that he is getting the better deal as I am giving him double the amount and it opens up potential for development. I'll see what Happens with the SE. Thanks.

The guy I'm using for this is an SE by profession and also does drawings and other Architects work (even though he isn't one). Really, he should be coming up with the solutions and telling me, not the other way around. I'll have a word with him and see what he thinks. Thanks very much for your time and help.

Nothing has been mentioned about create a watertight retaining wall, but I have been told that there will be plenty of land drains. I assumed that these would collect all the water and channel them into the watercourse. There are other areas that have water on, yes. The planning engineer said all surface water would go into the culverts at the bottom. If there was a watertight retaining wall wouldn't all the water behind just congregate?