Grian

Hello, hoping someone can advise please. First hurdle cleared - got planning permission to site a shepherd's hut, next I want to connect it to the services used by the house. I believe the only interest Building Control has in a mobile structure is with regard to the septic tank? Am hoping this will be straightforward and not require specialist (expensive) input to prepare the application, but it isn't evident from the planning portal whether there is a special form or part of a form for a mobile unit such as a caravan or shepherds hut. Any advice or experiences gratefully received!

Good point, thanks, of course it will need to be beneath the surface. Hopefully building control will find it acceptable.

Proceeding at a typically glacial pace - I have the measurements! Hut to Invert = 20.8 m with a 500 mm drop

Very cunning @Russell griffiths thank you!

Oh that is good news, I hadn't taken into account that it is actually a little deeper at that point, that will help. Feeling a smidgen more optimistic. Will I also measure from the height where the toilet will be in the hut, or from ground level at that point? Thank you.

Ah!!!! That looks familiar, in a distant and unpleasant way, 'if the tree is 20ft away and Timmy is 4'7" how soon will the train reach the station?". Thank you! Accurate enough to be 100% confident the drop is sufficient to work for foul water... The proposed hut location is a fair distance from the septic tank. Step 2 will be discovering the formula (forumula probably as I will ask here!) that tells me if poopies will make it that far. If not there is a plan b but I prefer plan a quite a bit more.

Thanks for the link, I will refer to Google for operating instructions clearly I should have said could a not very bright layperson do it!

Thanks, I am on an island so that adds hugely to time and travel costs. I don't believe there is anyone local who will do it as they are all part of firms who work on big projects. It looked easy enough when done for the house but I wasn't thinking ahead far enough to really pay attention to how it was done. I will have a look on ebay for laser equipment.

Hello again knowledgable folk! I'm going to need levels measured on the area where I'm applying to site a shepherd's hut, both for the planning application and for building control in order to get approval to connect to the septic tank, however I know from the house build that it costs loads to get this done. Is it something a layperson can undertake, and is the equipment expensive? I did help by holding poles when the levels were done for the house, but please assume I know nothing because that is pretty much the case! Thank you.

@Gus Potter That is a brilliantly creative perspective. The roof soundproofing is especially appropriate as we have a crow (Russell) who delights in waking people before 5am by pecking the static caravan roof loudly, everyone on first hearing it thinks someone is knocking at the door.

It is a beauty, but I am missing how it is made so that it can be removed in no more than two sections? I did only get a couple hours sleep so I may be extra unobservant today!!

Many thanks @ProDave I'll have a look now.

Diameter approx 2cm, length about 25m. It says 1x16+16+16mm2, and Eca 01816 m. ?

I will call and ask him on Monday. We spoke about an en-suite unit... Gas is not a problem if it isn't sufficient, and recommendations would be great if anyone has experience of gas powered showers as my friend is going to put one in their hut facilities.

I hope it is adequate, I discussed the intended use with the electrician when they laid it... ? ?

I've come across floor plans, but nothing more detailed or technical than I could draw myself. I'm happy to pay for detailed plans of a layout that suits...

@Cpd thanks. In the long term the investment would pay back, but I'd rather not spend more than I need if there is a decent saving to be made, plus the location makes delivery a huge additional cost and logistical hoo-ha! Plus I would prefer to pay that money to another local, and know that something has been well made. On my exposed site something made in Somerset might not stand up to Hebridean gales... Equally, the cost of mistakes reinventing the wheel ourselves could be high, that is one of my main concerns. The electricity is sufficient, and armoured cable and water pipe were laid to the location in readiness when the house was being built.

Thanks Tony. As it only sleeps two then I don't think the issue you describe with kids and space will be relevant, I see our market as pairs of adults. I'd anticipate using a straightforward electric shower - I have long hair and detest the kind of caravan shower that sprays a mist or dribbles a tiny bit of lukewarm water over you!

I want to establish a small accommodation unit adjacent to my recently completed house in order to create an income stream. It would share water, electricity and septic tank with the house, and would sleep two, with en-suite, wood stove and very basic kitchen facilities. I will need planning permission but would hope that having a small 'moveable' building as per caravan regs I would only need to involve building control in relation to connecting to drainage. My location is perfect and demand for accommodation exceeds supply. An idyllic shepherd's hut or bothy would be just the thing, but my budget does not stretch to the ready made options. I hope it might be possible to have a local builder make one more cheaply... I know someone who is very good and reasonably priced who has said they could be involved. However it would be their first mobile/moveable hut, and I don't have any plans to work from that have been tried and tested, either in terms of layout or construction. Can anyone offer advice please? I really need this project to succeed and am feeling a bit daunted and unsure whether it would be best to take on extra debt and just buy something... I personally have no diy skills, so besides labouring all I can contribute is enthusiasm and tea and cake! Many thanks

So, it seems the key bit I was missing re exemption from Building Control is that the structure must be moveable (in a maximum of two sections, I gleaned elsewhere here) as well as single storey and small as per caravan regulations. And I am reminded, thanks, that I would need planning permission if it had it's own facilities for eating and washing, even if it were for my own household use. Thank you!!

I don't know about yours but some stoves have optional heat shields that reduce the distance to combustibles, for example https://www.charnwood.com/all-stoves/stove-accessories/all-ranges/single-skin-heatshield/ and https://salamanderstoves.com/product/small-stove-heatshields/ the latter says "Our heatshields greatly reduce the distances that your stove can be placed next to combustible or non-combustible surfaces. If your Hobbit stove is equipped with this heatshield option, then your small wood burner can be placed 150mm away from combustible materials at the sides of the stove, and 100mm away from combustible materials at the back of the stove." There is also this kind of spendy option for a complete surround https://www.charnwood.com/all-stoves/stove-accessories/aire/stove-pod/

Hello I had some good advice here when we were planning our now-complete house and I am back for more! The next step is a very small ancillary building connected to the house services, to provide additional accommodation (bed, kitchenette, bathroom). I was advised this morning that if the structure is smaller than a certain size then the only building control involvement is with regard to connecting to the septic tank. Can anyone elaborate on this please or point me to a good source? I had resigned myself to going for a mobile shepherd's hut type building as I believed I would otherwise have to meet criteria for minimum distances and suchlike which would mean engaging an architect. This provides a glimmer of hope. I was thinking along the lines of a Sweeny's bothy kind of thing http://www.eiggtime.com/sweeneys-bothy in terms of being basic/rustic. As I understand it I do not need planning permission for this if it is in the curtilage of the building and for our own use... Thanks in advance!

This morning him indoors broke his 5th glass this year, we are about to move in to our house and I fear for the sink. What bowls, bottom-liners or anything else have folk used to preserve their Belfast sinks please?

I need an L-shaped curtain rail and would be glad of recommendations for something strong and rust-resistant. Stylish would be amazing! Thanks.