zoothorn

Hi there- I understand I think that this is the safe & most sensible route, & I think apt for any fairly large project with a builder unfamiliar with. But mine is a simple box addition extention + roof design, with the most experienced builder/ best reputation around here, 65, who I am absolutely sure knows how to build this with all the BRegs basics covered. He employs his chosen workforce, the best chippie, the best brickie etc & oversees the job. He even has a direct link to the cottage as his ancestors lived here. I'm not understanding the last paragraph, which implies I'd be in a better position to "get quotes" from such detailed building regs plans. My understanding, from the huge list of 'steps' I need (& currently on no.18 of 20 as it were) to take to get this build underway.. is that the detailed plans are no.19 as it were, & the quote from the builder.. would be no.5 as it were. So I don't see how the two are compatible, or could have any direct link, at such a late stage.

Hi JSH. Ok I can get my head around the basics of what you explain. But I just can't understand it really, having never been in this situation. So, let me get this correct. I have two options: a "full plans submission," & "under a building notice". Is this "building notice" something to do with "Building Regs"? or does it 'bypass' the need for BR's.. & if so how do I know whether what I am building complies with "Building Regs"? I am vaguely aware that some sort of "sign it off" finality happens. Surely this has to be from two depts: the PP dept to make sure I've not built it 2x the size I applied for, & the BRegs dept to make sure I've no exposed wires & a balsa wood balcony. As you can tell I'm in a complete pickle with understanding both the "Building Regs" protocol/ what I'm meant to do next, & what avenue I should take if I have choices. Then how to impliment this choice.

Hi chaps- in the last stages of prep for my Wales extention. 10 days wait on a final NMA addition yes/ no. What I need to establish next, is what I need to do on the "Building Regs" front. I'm confused as to whether I need to apply for this.. & what exactly it is that I'm applying for. I have a Haynes Manual but so hyper-detailed that I think/ it seems that the B.Regs apply thing is an either/or situation. Can anyone help me out? thanks, zoot.

Indeed so JSH it seemed. Done the NMA > & sent off! with two A3 docs, & zoomed-out 'overview' doc 1086-13 (which I hope to goodess is the 'location plan' asked for as mandatory). A very protracted online process- I wasn't expecting that. 10 days apparantly to get decision. Another hurdle overcome!! So next step (only 2 to go!) is the "Building Regulations" thing.. & I find the most complicated. So I need to do a new thread to clear my head. Many thanks for the help folks.

Hi JSH- actually the PP dept team sent me on a 2hr red-herring with the pdf. Called national 'Portal' number (no idea national) & someone got me to the right online area to do the NMA "simple wasn't it" he said. jesusH gimme strength I almost popped. I think I'll be rip before I get the 1st spade in at this rate. Ive got 2 whole new arenas of misery to do yet: the building plan (thankfully he only needs the basics on, but even so..) and then lastly [unless I'm mistaken/ I cannot understand the protocol with this section/ whether I have to do this or not or what it involves/ or the implications from my design, re. any part of it] another application for "Building Regs".

@JSHarris I can sort of grasp the idea behind 1st paragraph. If my head isn't fried by end of the day I might try dipping in & seeing if I can get anywhere on this avenue. As to actually being able to fill the damn form in. I'm at a loss. I mean surely it can't be "locked" for customers not to be able to fill it in-? this just doesn't make sense, & therefore zoot-logic is one of.. A) my 'puter adobe thing isn't set up to be able to edit, or B) that I need an entirely different adobe thing to put on my 'puter, or C) I -do- have the basic capability to do * to get into the document.. but I don't know how/ where to look. I'll have to call the poor receptionist up again- her poor ears.. we both needed a snooze after ages to get the cursor flashing on the box to fill in.. which we assumed meant I was finally there. Not then.

@JSHarris ok thanks for that. I think maybe me editing these then, is too far for me to consider. Ok, at the moment I have these pdf's ready to send via email. Speaking to head honcho, who granted my PP (most likely who'll make decision on this NMA) he'd/ they'd prefer the whole NMA via email. This includes emailing the application form.. .. so a new can of worms. I spoke to reception whose got me to the application form, in pdf. Then Ive saved it > opened it (in order to get the cursor flashing on the info boxes I need to fill out). But having got this far -me just starting to go into stress mode- I cannot proceed: because I just get a 'boing/ NO!' sound when I try to type anything. Yes I could drive back to town > print > send lot off, or drive to PP town itself & deliver.. but if they prefer via email, & if this helps both speed time to get there (& possibly adds to my NMA chances/ saves hours of time/ & fuel too) then I need to do it via email. Can anyone help?

@JSHarris actually I'm not sure the DXF docs can be accessed by me: the two docs kindly sent via email JSH seem to be in code/ text form (a series of commands on the LHS of page only running for a loooong page (up/ down that is). Is this something to do with my lowly windows 7 system not coping receiving them as it were? or do I need to convert maybe?

Hi JSH- thanks so much: btw is that you in a mini helicoptor thing? pretty damn nifty if so!

Hi JSH, well its only a tiny thing -maybe would be glossed over by PP dept. On (1086-11b) the upper story fine, just the lower story: balc still at the full width of extention frontage/ not been tweaked back ~1m. See what you think- I'm happy to send as is, but the tiny chance they could see my balc full width & think too BIG & LoooooG. Thanks so much- zoot

Without wanting to ask any more of Jeremy (done a steps edit version too.. looks great now & all ready to send on monday to PP dept/ fab), he's sent me two versions of the A3 sized pdf docs. One as .pdf, the other as .DXF : in this DXF version can I conceivably tweak a line on the doc? its just a piddly thing really.

Carrerahill- thank you that's much appreciated. At the moment JSHarris has kindly done me a fantastic edit, even adding my steps! & just as I'd imagined too: amazing this CAD & tweaking software. And @Temp I can get the docs needed without wading thru the awful portal reams of info thx to your reply too. Really big thanks chaps- zoot

Hi @JSHarris thanks for offering.. think I might have managed to send them via PM/ let's see..

Ok Carrerahill.. how do I send you the two pdf's? I know how to fwd the email with the attatched pdf's.. but I can't do this to your inbox for eg, can I? I don't know how to separate the 2x attatched pdf's from the email they were sent in, & add them in a reply here, or to a new email, or to a PM.

Many thanks chaps for the info @andyscotland, & offers too.. maybe I can try sending the pdf to Carrerahill as 1st port of call & go from there. An email just rcvd from my archtct chap mentions.. " I have not locked the pdf's against editing so I am assuming that you can draw lines on them using the edit function of the free pdf reader from Adobe. You will not be able to erase or move the existing lines as these are formed in autocad and saved as a block in the pdf.." I can just about cope with this info, whether or not I can actually 'draw a line' is another matter: I did try for an hour literally until my head hurt, & just got too stressed/ I just couldn't find a way.

Hi Ralph- gimp packages, opensource or imports or converting to jpeg.. unfortunately I have no idea what these words mean (well, gimp I do). Is there no way once I have the pdf that I can access it, then tinker with it? thanks, zoot.

Hi Temp- cheers for the ideas & info above (anything to avoid dipping into that dreaded 'portal' page I can decipher barely a word of). I'm much more on the analog front: free editors downloads & I'm up a gumtree already- I can't cope with understanding how to use. I was hoping I might be able to shift a line on the pdf, once Id opened it up. Is the idea of tracing existing pdf by hand onto an A3 page, adding my balcony & shift my line by hand.. then photocopying it to make it look less 'amateur/ hand-done' feasable?

Hi chaps- I'm at my final stage of prep for my extention. I need to do one thing more: a "Non- Material-Ammendment" to send to planning, but I don't know how. I have been given the pdf basic plans of my build. All I need do in theory, I think, is shift one line & add a simple balcony > send off. But in practise- how is the Q. Am I able to access the pdf information somehow, to be able to make these changes? Thanks zoot.

Hi chaps- family crisis hence awol: back on board & all systems go.. £2k for block cladding (usually £more from my builder, due to best rep): GOOD. Ok so finally the full quote! (inc: VAT, bat survey, archtct fee, PP & BR fees, estimated my electrics, decorating, finishing of).. £31,000. So, I can go with same builder for all aspects, best for both of us. ? Just 2 more steps until I can give builder the go-ahead. If anyone could lend advice: I need to do a non-material-ammendment, myself, just adding the balcony I mentioned. I have the pdf basic archtct plans. Lastly I need to do the build plan, for the builder to go by: we discussed its not neccessary for a comprehensive-detailed one.. just the vital details/ dims on etc. He is sending me an eg from a prior build (but I can't do another 6 week wait- so need to crack on). Very grateful for all replies- zoot

Anyone any idea how I do a "non material ammendment"? I have my Planning documents ready, in pdf form. Thanks, zoot

Hi Peter, Labour + materials.. its the outer block cladding, over my TF shell extention. So only £1500? that seems a quarter of what I was envisaging/ albeit me having no clue whatsoever I admit. Be damn great if so! I guerss I need to factor in scaffold ontop.. but if £2k Id be very pleased. Any idea about accessing my approved Planning documents, in order to do a 'non-material ammendment?' (add balcony to plan). I cant get hold of my 'architectural consultant' (most often abroad as I recall): he did my previous NMA minimising plan to one story, idea now n/a. Thanks, zoot

I just spoke to my PP officer re. tiny ammendments (+20cm to Length, +5cm to Depth) who said "no need to do NMA for, so small etc". Good. Whilst there, as my balcony idea is still relevant (if maybe not affordable, for now) I repeated my Q as to whether it would need a PP renewal for. I refreshed him with explanation (1m x 3m, elevated timber balcony, steps up) & the reason I ask again to double-check I said, is that I'd been reliably informed by experienced folk on a VG build forum, that I very likely -would- need to redo PP. Of course he no-likey 'build forum advice' etc. Again he said "no, just a NMA for this" (& are yous lot in his office? oops). So, plan now is to do NMA for my fabulous balcony idea > get extention built > do balcony in my own time. I've a friend in next village who had an outbuilding built 2 yrs ago (a few visible cracks- not the block chap I want then) he's still not clad in stone or in any rush to complete.. so no timeframe rush on the BRegs 'signing off' process it seems. And once Ext built if I then either can't afford the balcony, or feel idea doesn't "fit".. then so be it I don't need to do it. I can get the build signed at this point leaving it off. It would make sense to have doors open inwards in case of this eventuality of course, the only caveat here afaict. zoot.

@PeterW or @Onoff (or even @ProDave ).. could any of you guys say what 50sqM of blockwork might cost, a vague/ ballpark figure? Thanks, zoot

Finally got (90% of) quote from builder. Gonna be @ very max of my £ means, so I'm having to compromise xyz: so no big balcony. I still want to do, but separate project next year/ once Ext built. A Juliet tw&tty thing instead, as per PP for now. The only bit still waiting on, is the block outer cladding. My builder said better if his block chap do, under the build's insurance (using the scaffold etc). So another wait for quote- sigh. Guys: can anyone give me ~a ballpark figure~ of what 50sqM of block cladding might cost? And do I need a computer drawing program to make a tiny ammendment (add 200mm in Length 'outwards' of extention).. or scribble over the previous plan, or what? One step closer!! thanks, zoot.

Ok I've had a rethink & I will do this balcony project (in time/ & most probably) once the extension built: asking for PP just for this addition next year. Tbh I can't afford it even at £500 timber cost at the moment/ just got main extention quote in. Also can better judge size etc. I'll come back to this project/ & thread- very useful info & most helpful replies. I still think its a relatively simple addition & good idea. Best reference pics yet (say 3/4 of this width, I saw locally): ideal D, & good approx H tho mine would be 30cm lower still at 2m H..