kandgmitchell

You will need to clear all the pre-commencement conditions before a start could be defined as commencing the works.

The driveway thing is from Part M, the BCO is flagging a requirement to have an approach route (between the curtilage and dwelling access) with a "suitable ground surface". Some BCO's will not accept gravel as being suitable because you can't easily use a wheelchair on it ( I must admit to overfilling a driveway with gravel which trapped my car the first time I used it - much like one of these emergency bays on steep hills).

Basically the B Regs have now got a section purloined from the CDM Regs. In effect the designer of the work has to be competant for that complexity of work and so does the contractor. This indeed does stem from Grenfell and is an attempt to put a name to who designed the building/extension and who built it, making sure they knew what they were doing. However, Regulation 11G says: 11G.—(1) A principal designer must have— (a)where the person is an individual, the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours necessary, (b)where the person is not an individual, the organisational capability, to fulfil the duties of a principal designer under these Regulations in relation to the design work included in the project. I'd say the OP with his experience has the skills etc to design a dwelling house. The structural elements will no doubt be designed by an SE who again will have the level of skill appropriate to to the complexity of design. It doesn't demand an architect with insurance, just someone with the knowledge. The same goes for the contractor in Reg 11H: 11H.—(1) A principal contractor must have— (a)where the person is an individual, the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours necessary, (b)where the person is not an individual, the organisational capability, to fulfil the duties of a principal contractor under these Regulations in relation to the building work included in the project. So I guess the OP will be using a builder who will assume this role, but you could have someone who could do both jobs if they had the skills, so you could well be both designer and contractor - it isn't against the rules. From what you have said I'd be looking for an alternative BC supplier!

The Building Regs certainly are a challenging read and are only getting worse to understand! Requirement B2 says: B2. (1) To inhibit the spread of fire within the building, the internal linings shall— (a) adequately resist the spread of flame over their surfaces; and (b) have, if ignited, either a rate of heat release or a rate of fire growth, which is reasonable in the circumstances. (2) In this paragraph “internal linings” means the materials or products used in lining any partition, wall, ceiling or other internal structure. That's my emphasis, I can't see a plenum being used to line a partition etc so they are not "linings" and thus not covered by B2. If your ductwork is not penetrating a "fire separating element" of which in a simple two storey dwelling is likely only to be a floor over a garage (assuming first floor bedrooms have escape windows) and the party wall (if not detached) you don't need to close off that ductwork at the penetration.

If it was part of the original house footprint. However, before you rush off and build there are other more significant restrictions on what constitutes permitted development - heights, depths and positions relative to the dwelling. The footprint one is probably the least restrictive as few owners build quite that much. Single storey extensions are not all PD. So, you need to look at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d77afc8e5274a27cdb2c9e9/190910_Tech_Guide_for_publishing.pdf that gives more detailed guidance.

This is the requirement he should use: 4.1 The surface linings of walls and ceilings should meet the classifications in Table 4.1. Table 4.1 Classification of linings Location Classification Small rooms of maximum internal floor area of 4m2 D-s3, d2 Garages (as part of a dwellinghouse) of maximum internal floor area of 40m2 Other rooms (including garages) C-s3, d2 Circulation spaces within a dwelling Other circulation spaces (including the common areas of blocks of flats) B-s3, d2(1) NOTE: 1. Wallcoverings which conform to BS EN 15102, achieving at least class C-s3, d2 and bonded to a class A2-s3, d2 substrate Sorry the table doesn't come out but I think you can see for small rooms it's D-s3, d2 and others C-s3, d2, hallways etc B-s3, d2 So if your bathroom is over 4m2 then it ought to be C-s3, however if your panels do not cover all the walls then paragraph 4.4 says: 4.4 Parts of walls in rooms may be of lower performance than stated in Table 4.1, but no worse than class D-s3, d2. In any one room, the total area of lower performance wall lining should be less than an area equivalent to half of the room’s floor area, up to a maximum of 20m2 of wall lining. That may help you work it out. If all else fails and you are a bit over then try to point out that a bathroom is a low fire risk. They do not need fire doors when opening onto a protected route because of that very reason so the chances of a major conflagation starting in yours is low..............

No, curtilage is the area of the land the house stands on (there can be subtle interpretations of that for farm houses etc) and runs with it that forms the "planning unit".

The BC side is not too much of an issue. The foundation stuff is dealt with as normal and we did that so it didn't move as quick anyway. As for the superstructure technically it's a dpc inspection but DW cover the whole slab and a photograph did the job there. The rest is factory manufacture and BC seem very happy. DW do the pressure test and provide all the certificates for MHVR etc. Hopefully the final sign off will be smooth after we've done our bits. We had seen an Adelia made by Scandi Huis, they have one on their factory site near East Grinstead. It was too big (and too dear). We had looked at DW but couldn't find a design we liked although some of the features we thought were interesting. So we came up with something along that scandinavian look which would not be out of keeping in the streetscene. MBC quoted and whilst we were considering where else we could go for an alternative quote, we spoke to DW just on a whim and they said they could get close. We had to drop a few bits, partly due to their system and partly due to cost so there was a compromise to be made but we're not far off. Just couldn't face several years of pain at our age just to get the fully glazed gable that you can't curtain anyway!

You are going passivehouse for a garden room? I'd buy a kit like JohnMo says and sit it on a reinforced slab. At 20m2 it'll be exempt building regs if you keep it away from the boundary.

To use Class A.1 Permitted Development to extend your property, one of the constraints is that the total area of buildings within the curtilage excluding the original house should not exceed 50% of the ground within that curtilage excluding the original house. So it's plot minus original house = X, you can then have up 1/2X to use for buildings (obviously subject to other constraints depending on size, height etc etc). So the workshop uses 18m2 up and the porch another 5m2 leaving you (1/2X - 23m2)m2

Well it's the second day on week 4. The ground floor screeding is being done as I type this. To date all the walls are up (they come fully glazed, partially rendered and plasterboarded). The roof has been tiled and guttering fixed, the first fix electrics are done, the first fix plumbing is done (wastes and supplies for basins, wc's etc come ready installed in the panels), the underfloor heating is in and the MVHR ducting in place. In the service room is the cylinder, expansion vessel etc for the ASHP and the external unit is here wrapped, sitting on it's pallet. They started on the 8th April and expect to hand over at the end of May. We elected to use Dan Wood as a "half way house" - it's our original design (although with a nod to that sort of style). We didn't go extreme, much as we would like as I wanted a smooth planning experience, which we got. So, some of the standard Dan Wood bits we omitted. They can finish right up to carpets; handing over complete, save for the kitchen (too many choices apparently). We wanted a UK stair with closed risers so it could be carpeted. DW use bare wood, open riser and being aimed at the German market, the pitch is lower so the going messed up our internals too much. We also left out the doors (odd looking with the leaf rebated and closing against the face of the frame) and floor finishes save for the bathrooms. Those are now down to us. We had to provide the foundation (insulated raft for us) and drainage/service connections. However, it's been a dream not having to organise anything once they sign off the slab as ok. Men turn up at 7.00am sharp and work to between 5 and 6. Saturdays 8 till 1 ish. All materials are either brought with them or turn up on time. Electricians, plumbers, and scaffolders are woven into the work and are here at the correct point. The electrician was here until 11pm finishing off first fix because the next trade needed it done. Every single day it progresses. It probably isn't the cheapest way of doing it ( about £1730/m2 ex foundations) but the joy of not having any arguements with individual contractors makes up for it and there is no doubt the polish crew working on this house work damm hard and do a good job. You have to credit their attention to detail too. They obviously do this all the time as all the membranes are properly taped and sealed, the windows being inserted in the factory are done properly, etc etc. It's clear they have designed out issues over the years and have come up with solutions that work - hence the 20 year guarantee. We could buy the plot but needed to sell our house to fund the build. We are in a static caravan at present on site. Having reached retirement the certainty of getting the build done in a sensible timescale so we could get on with enjoying life was a big driver for this approach. Hopefully it'll be a family Christmas settled into a house this year instead of renting a cottage to escape the cold and damp of a 32ft static!

Go on the "developer" bit of your sewerage company (Wessex Water?) and look for build over agreements. Most now have a "self certify" system where if you meet all their criteria they'll agree a build over (for a fee) and give you the detail you have to use where actually building over the sewer. It'll be easier than diverting.

Presumably you have a "build over agreement" for that sewer? That will dictate the construction arrangements required. If you do divert then don't forget you are increasing the length of drain between two fixed points and thus the gradient must be lower - perhaps too low. You will need access at each of those bends, both of which seem to be in the neighbour's garden - are they ok with that? You will also need to check with the sewerage provider with respect to diversion.

The permitted development criteria are different for business premises. One of the criteria is that any PD extension should not be within 2m of a boundary. At 50cm it obviously is, so cannot be PD with all other things being equal. If this extension will have an impact on you then by all means contact both planning enforcement and BC.

But it will though - it's the original front wall that is the baseline not the porch. Plus think the footprint thing through a little - why stop at one extra storey why not three or four; it's the same footprint. Planning doesn't work quite that simply I'm afraid. If only!

It's not an architect you need for outline it's a planning consultant. The drawing work is minimal but the "planning" bit even for outline these days can be a trial. Check out the Council's local requirements for registering various types of applications. Even an outline may require a flood risk assessment, a sequential and exception test if in the wrong flood zone, ecology assessments, etc. I've tried the arguement that it's only the principle being considered at this stage only to be knocked back with; the principle cannot be assessed without xyz.....

On the front i.e the principal elevation? It certainly will require planning permission. If the existing house door is still in place then that porch could have been built without regard to building regulations (save the safety of glazing requirements). It may then have little more than a simple concrete slab as a foundation. It could end up easier to take down and start again, only a trial hole would tell.

Many thanks Nod

Ditto, what do you want the insurance to do? If the current structure is robust and unlikely to be destroyed by fire, lightning or vandals then why insure it as yet? If there is a chance that persons will injure themselves on site and blame you then that is the risk you need to cover from day one. Then as the work starts and you need to insure against losing the work you have added, a policy becomes more important but you have time to search. We used Protek but also we had Titan Insurance quote - they have humans!

But it's the Valuation Office that decides the Council Tax banding and informs the Council what and when to start charging. I found them more pragmatic and (when you can get hold of them) helpful. We had a renovation project taken off the Council Tax list by them as it was patently unlivable in. Until the VO have been how can they assess the band? When they do inspect they will see it is still underway and that should fend the Council off for a while. Keep up the fight!

Right, another interior finishes question. Quotes for laying 65m2 of floor tiles include for decoupling mat. However, since the kit supplier's tilers are doing the bathrooms/wc as part of the package, I asked what they use and found they do not use them. Given the house supplier gives a 20 year guarantee and they obviously do loads of these, I'm inclined to go along with that. They use a quick drying Tekcem Rapido Witt cement with sand. See attached pdf. They will heat the screed up to 55 degrees gradually with a piece of kit that's programmed to step it up day on day. Anyone use this stuff? Comments? TEKCEM-RapidoWITT.pdf

We had our plot surveyed - about 1/3rd acre. It has a stream as one boundary, lots of trees and an odd shape being ex. agricultural. We had them plot the boundaries that been agreed with the land owner, provide levels on a 5m grid and put the contours on as the plot slopes. mark all trees etc and locate and give us the ridge and eaves height of the adjacent house for planning purposes. It cost us £340 plus vat last year. You would get it a bit cheaper for a simple boundary and building location survey (given they have to cover site attendance and kit procurement across all jobs).

I'd be going rigid board as it gives more insulation for a given thickness. Another thought is the foil type insulation such as Actis. Personally, I'd send your picture which illustrates exactly the situation, to the company's technical department and let them suggest a solution.

THought I recognised the shape of the building on that proposed blockplan - so it was a cattery that needs demolishing. There was no answer to the question posed on that thread "where did all the cat shit go"? Just another poo question to consider.

Absolutely agree with that. If you are tight for time then work with what you've got in hand and deal with the other stuff later. As pointed out you can use the renewable energy PD in the future.