Caroline

I am in the South East of England (Greater London area)

Thank you for your reply. Our pre SAP came out very good apparently 300% more than the 10% requested. Don't think the 1.2 windows rather than the 1.0 on pre SAP will be an issue but waiting for the company who carried out the report to get back to confirm. God knows why architect put 1.0 when 1.6 is allowed! Everything has a knock on effect and take so much time to rectify.

Hello everyone I have searched the planning portal and can't find what the requirements are for U values for newbuild windows and doors. Can anyone direct me or help please? Thank you. Caroline

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts. Been really helpful and will go down the 2 coat plaster route.

Hi We have new internal block walls. Was thinking of 2 coat plaster over them but some say dot and dab. Any advice appreciated. Thank you

Good afternoon everyone. We live onsite in mobile home and managing our self build. We have superfast wi fi as I work in my day job from home too. Building control asked for a connectivity plan Approved Doc R. I sent them our current super fast broadband bill and I completed the form to my best ability, however, they are not satisfied and say: “Thank you for this. Although the bill shows network capability is available within the site, it doesn't clarify a network provider has offered to provide a connection and which technology will be used to deliver this. I appreciate you advise a CAT6 cable will be installed, which will provide 'gigabit capable network', and you that have stated it would be full fibre wired connection however, a statement would be required from a relevant provider. In addition to the above, additional information would help me assess compliance, such as schematic diagrams, location of network termination points, access points and network distribution points. Please also ensure the form is fully complete, including section 5.” Section 5 relates to the build of more than one dwelling (we are only building one), any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance Caroline

Hello We are building a new single storey property with attached garage. The house is block and beam and so is the garage. The garage is having A142 mesh over B&B slurry then concrete poured for the garage floor. The rest of the house will have above the B&B slurrey, radon dpm, insulation, UFH and screed over. We can't seem to see that the engineer has requested a dpm to be laid below the mesh and the builder says if dpm is below the concrete being poured over the mesh it won't adhere. Any advice would be welcome. Thank you.

Hello I am also building a single storey house. Our building control drawings showed DPC to be Radon type. Building control officer visited this week and asked for a Radon report (planning didn't). We have spent so much on various reports including a contamination report (part of our planning conditions) but that didn't test for Radon. A previous report from a couple of years ago suggested Radon would be less than 3% but BC wasn't satisfied with this (probably because it was a couple of years old). I suggested to building control that we pay for the Radon type DPC which will probably end up being cheaper than getting another report/time etc. The reports needed to be produced nowadays cost a fortune, drives me mad. All the best

Thank you.

Hi all This is a requirement by planning. I have a pre-SAP that shows lots of data that means little to me, the one thing I do understand is the pre SAP suggests we will end up with an A EPC of 99, so excellent. However, I can't see from the very lengthy document what percentage of reduction of carbon emissions through renewable energy we will have. We are electric only, having 24 PV panels/ASHP and double glazing and UFH. Has anyone been able to find out this information from their pre SAP or do I need to spend more on an energy assessment report? Look forward to hearing from you. I am pulling my hair out trying to discharge all of these conditions. Thank you folks!

Hello everyone. Building inspection has asked for the above even though we have ultra fast broadband to the mobile home onsite which will be transferred into the new house when we move in. He directed me to the Part R Appendix B but looking at the form seems to be for obtaining new broadband. I sent him a copy of our current bill so the same address (mobile home on the same site as the new house) but apparently that isn't sufficient! Any advice appreciated.

Happy Easter! Our planning came through and there are a couple of renewable conditions: 1. That our ASHP has to be <35 dB (we want a Steibel Eltron), don't think it is that quiet, even though our nearest neighbour is 100m away, we are in a field! 2. They say we have not clarified that such measures will achieve the 10% reduction in CO2 as required by Policy CSP14. We are having ASHP/13kw of PVs to a newbuild bungalow. They go on to say: The utilisation of such renewable energy technologies is likely to be able to achieve the required 10% reduction however has not demonstrated at this time. These details will therefore be secured by way of condition Will our Pre-SAP report demonstrate the 10% reduction? Any advice (always helpful on this forum) will be gratefully received.

They originally told me to complete a form 6 commencement of works CIL form and also a Self Build form 7 part 1. I have looked on the government website and it says self builders who plan to live in property for at least 3 years are exempt. I have sent this to the CIL dept asking why they want details about offsetting floorspace etc We didn't know anything about offsetting the new residential area with barn (which is labelled on the planning application as Storeage Unit, not agricultural). I think you are right, they are confused, but odd as they told me (and I have it in an email from them) what the process was and what forms to complete and submit and I have followed their guidance.

We are self builders and have obtained permission to knock down a storage barn and build a new bungalow. I completed the relevant forms, the LA received CIL form 2. I just sent them form 6 (commencement) and 7 part 1 (self build) and they have come back with this, which I don't understand. Can anyone throw light on it. BTW the barn is 326 m2 the new build is 288 m2. "I am writing to you regarding planning application 2025/143, if you wish to offset existing floorspace we would require evidence of lawful use, please see the below: Demonstrating buildings in continuous lawful use Regulation 40 of The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 allows for existing floor space which has been in continuous lawful use for at least six months within the three year period preceding development being permitted can be used as deductible floor area in the calculation of the CIL liability. The applicant must provide evidence to demonstrate the continuous lawful use. This can include the combination of the following: • Copies of leases. • Electricity/gas bills for the 6 month period. • Where an informal arrangement exists redacted bank statements to show rent/rates have been paid. • Confirmation from a letting agent/solicitor advising of the period of occupancy. • An affidavit. • Photographs. We will need further evidence of continuous use if it is not evident from the information supplied. We will not consider the existing floor space as deductible floor space, unless the applicant demonstrates this. We have a duty to issue the liability notice as soon as is practicable so if we do not hear from you by the 21 April 2025, we will issue the notice based on our calculations." All comments are appreciated.

Thank you. We didn't realise the lavender hedge and trees were outside the red line, we are happy to bring them in. No fencing as we look out onto a 38 acre field with sheep. We will be having entrance gates though. I was just wondering how much detail is included in a typical Landscape plan. Hopefully we will have some money left at the end to get one. We have also be asked for Contamination Phase 2 report which costs a lot, so the contingency is reducing even before ground is broken!