Jack757

Are you documenting your new build journey? Be interested to see how you started and getting on

Thanks all. I suppose we are finding it hard to find our feet. I like step 1,2,3.... not not knowing what I should be doing or what's right. The builder we like and have viewed his work has actually recently built for someone we knew (although didn't know that until we viewed it!) so quite liked that first hand recommendation. The architect they use has been highly recommended by various people in the local area where I currently live (they are about 10mins away) so liked the idea of being near rather than miles away but like I say hesitant about it not then going out to tender. The one charging straight away we have dismissed him as felt he hid too much before we even started and they won't leave us alone now!!! I've got details of recommended architects in area that the new build is (only about half hour away from where I am) that has dealt with new builds there and knows the parish council regs etc so will be speaking to them soon. We know what we want, how we want it to look and kind of how we what it laid out and we are aware of what is allowed, also as all properties in the village are now being demolished and rebuilt can see what has and hasn't been allowed. It's a normal family working house not grand designs will lots of wasted space (apologies if this is your design just not my style) and want a normal everyday spec. I can appreciate things change and things possibly end up costing more but I can't/won't magic up ridiculous amounts of extra money when I'm already in too far. Used the online budget tool but obviously that doesn't take into account things like demolition of property and garage, clay soil, trees close by etc so getting an understanding what is affordable seem to be tough.

After many years we are now in a position to start on our new dream home....Demolish existing bungalow to build 4 bedroom house, approx 250sqm and outbuilding. So far.... We have spoken to a builder locally who has given us lots of advice, viewed his work and he uses a single architect locally that he works with and advised us to discuss with him going forward (this architect has been mentioned numerous times as a recommendation of FB pages to others for extensions etc). We have also got details of other architects that dealt with rebuilds in the area and similar to the style we are after and knows well the parish criteria etc. We have also spoken to another builder that again uses a specific architect but want to charge initially £1.5k for a client brief and assessment (at this stage I do not feel I want to pay this). We really like the work or the first builder but my concern is that prices from the architect will only be applicable to him and not a range of builders/out to tender as another architect (although would presume they are have their go to builders). So where do we go now??... Have more architect meetings? Accept the builder will charge the going rate through the route or architect/builder? Cough up £1.5k before even deciding who we will be using? Please help as I feel we are getting nowhere and to this point we still have no idea of a rough costing apart from online calculators.

Thanks. Definitely no meter so will have to investigate for a further ground stopcock

Thank you. I'll have to have another look externally as don't recall seeing anything. Think a pump for the wells would need electric? Or if that system was around back when it was put in. I don't believe electric supply down that end of garden. However I'd think the well water must be going somewhere or surely they'd overflow over time or with heavy rainfall like last year. Seems coincidence the taps are next to or adjacent to 2/3 wells.

Hi All.. Looking for your thoughts on my situation. Background... My plot is half acre, part prone to flooding due to clay ground and slight incline. Many years ago (probably 30+) French drains (or similar) were installed at the bottom half of garden consisting of 3 wells and 2 taps. I believed these taps were fed by the wells, used just for watering the garden and for livestock. Forward to yesterday and we needed to change a dripping tap (B). Turned off the stopcock in kitchen which turned off all water to kitchen tap and outside tap A but not to tap B or C. Still full pressure nothing changed. We then turned stopcock back on and turned on kitchen tap and outside tap A which then reduced pressure on tap B & C. To note taps B & C are just mounted on metal pipes about 3ft tall coming out of the ground. No other stopcocks known or found. We have no idea of the set up of this or what is happening, water feeding from etc. Any thoughts or ideas please.

Just interested, having lived there most of my life never know it existed until now.

I have an air raid Anderson shelter to go with my missing cesspit lol

I have found a written record that a disused cesspit from when bungalow was built 1906 is within the garden and a very rough measurement from boundary. I have no knowledge of this and now got me wondering. Firstly how could I actually locate it and would it effect building on site (I think it falls about 40ft from rear of property.

3 years, personal legal reasons that shouldn't have taken so long!!! Been in no hurry and not planning to move out of my existing house until new house is built (or at least watertight cashflow dependant) so I suppose been thinking and overthinking a lot but no action! Thank you, I think I may be getting my head around it all. I will have to look at the LPA policy. My thoughts were purely guessing no size issue due to previous surrounding properties being built twice if not three times the size of which I am going to (we want a practical house not a huge heat/expense swallowing waste of space). It seems looking at recent planning applications in the area over the last year they are refusing a lot of pools with outbuildings, garden rooms etc due to green belt when neighbouring properties have had these agreed and built in previous years (the area is full of pools and tennis courts in the gardens!) so a planning consultant may be the way to go!

What would they do for their cost that the Architect couldn't advise on? Sorry if sounding nieve

Thanks for your reply. I think we need to speak to a couple more architects rather than just the one and get a idea of where we are going. Sitting on this for over 3 years so far without a clear idea of what to do first or the best way to do it. I would happily leave building the workshop until after the house but it would be really useful for storage in the interim. The existing property is a bungalow and detached garage, we are looking at potentially demolishing both and increasing the existing bungalow footprint by 3 meters across and 2 meters deep and adding an additional floor. With regards to PD Rights this is what was concerning my on the relevant councils website...RELEVANT PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, AS SET OUT IN SCHEDULE TWO OF THE GENERAL PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT ORDER 1995 MAY BE REMOVED BY CONDITION ON THE PLANNING PERMISSION, WHERE IT IS CONSIDERED THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS COULD CAUSE MATERIAL HARM TO THE GREEN BELT.

As a rough guide approx here

This gives you a bit of an idea from the property just along the road...

This is what is quoted for other planning applications along the same road The Green Belt boundary is drawn broadly 10 metres beyond the average rear building line of dwellings along the street frontages.... therefore would it make a different to the replacement house?