torre

I prefer your alternative, it has more of an open plan feel and adds a downstairs toilet which I'd expect in a property that size. Maybe you can tweak the design, turn the toilet around so the door feels like it opens less into the space and more into the end of the hall (could it knock through into that closet?). Maybe look at squeezing the pantry into the now quite large laundry too. Guess you've roof windows somewhere?

https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=BuildingControl looks like your local building control search from your other answers. Speaking to your future neighbours may get you the same info, plus a recommendation of who did their work

I wouldn't expect you to need planning permission for either a small porch (if you're keeping the front door) or a garage conversion. Building regs would be needed for the garage conversion but again, not the porch. You may be able to look at your neighbours planning& building regs applications online to get a better idea what they did

Sounds like a good deal for the developer then, to get over some hurdles - will they at least also cover your legal expenses? Are they also going to insist on a covenant to prevent you switching windows back to plain glass? (I'm not 100% clear if the problem is you'll overlook the neighbour, vice-versa or both) Legals aside, have you considered how this deal might affect any future buyer if you ever come to sell? It sounds like you're losing being able to see out of three bedroom windows (presumably others still have a clear outlook?) in return for a discounted patio (say 2-3k saving)? That's not a lot if it puts off future buyer. It sounds like the developer is pretty keen that you don't object - unless there's other sums involved I wouldn't be too swayed by the discounted patio for something that affects your future enjoyment or price if you sell.

I'd go dmev, not PIV. PIV pulls fresh air in, which is good, but it's pushing the humid air out via gaps and holes in brickwork, around frames etc. Forcing damp air through the building fabric doesn't sound a great idea

Isovit e-cork is used as a mortar/adhesive for fixing cork insulation board to masonry. We've used it for sticking wood fibre boards (internally) and it worked very well

I'd echo getting a planning consultant to argue this for you and do it at the planning stage, rather than leave it to appeal. I think point 10 from that appeal is helpful to you ... note that an extant planning permission is in place, which I consider is a realistic ‘fall-back’ position. You'll want to argue that the semis were acceptable to the council and also to the appeal officer, and what you're doing now as a single dwelling further reduces intensification (fewer cars etc). A planning consultant will help you strengthen the argument to the planning officer that if they refuse now, they will lose at appeal. At least the officer is engaging with you so seems somewhat open minded - give them policy backed reasons to approve. At first glance I missed you'd lowered the eaves, perhaps lower the ridge correspondingly and give the bungalow to your left a bit more room - that would emphasise how much you've reduced the mass versus the outline of the original permission.

I like elements of your design and you sound very committed to renovation but the VAT saving on knock down and rebuild for a project this size would be substantial and, as others have said, simplify any build. It would probably be easier to get builders to quote for and those quotes might be more reliable too. Are you sure you've explored that option fully?

Our garage floor sloped away to the outside so check that as you may need to level (we did framed floor for this reason). Building inspector wanted a couple of courses of brickwork under the stud wall to prevent spills in the remaining garage contaminating below new floor or creating fire risk. Dpm is cheap and saves risk of more expensive problems later

Perhaps to fix a future garden studio issue you're putting a bit too much emphasis on this toilet/utility? Possibly to the detriment of the rest of the downstairs layout? With around 5.5m total width onto the garden, toilet/utility will take around a third of the space next to the garden, rather than the kitchen/dining etc having better access to outside and more light. You need to design for your own needs first but @ETC' first suggestion would probably appeal more to future buyers. A dedicated WC in your garden studio would probably be more usable too (if you're working there on a wet day and need the loo!)

Sounds like a span better suited to engineered posi/i-joists. Plenty of span tables online. Have you tried contacting local joist suppliers? Given a set of plans they'll probably spec out the depth & spacing you need for free when quoting. Deeper but wider spaced may be cheaper if you're not height constrained.

If Luis applies to extend, before purchasing, and it's turned down, the house would then be worth less to them as they won't be able to get the living space they want. I'm suggesting a way of getting certainty about a planned extension before finalising the purchase

This is the largest purchase you'll make so you need to consider the worst case - if you couldn't extend then is the house still suitable for you? And would you still be happy with your offer price? How about you or the owner puts in a planning application and you make your offer conditional on it's approval? In about 8 weeks, as the rest of the sale process continues, you'll have certainty. A house you definitely can't extend is clearly worth less. It's unlikely you'll get the condition removed, the extension looks reasonable to me but planners may feel differently.

Congratulations if you're recovering anywhere close to 88%, that sounds above alternatives with much larger heat exchangers (but until your products are listed in the Products database used by SAP it's hard to know if it's a like for like comparison - are you saying you outperform PowerPipe for example). I still think 'easy retrofit' sounds a stretch though, and the pre-heat will be a barrier for some potential customers. Isn't your obvious route to market a licence or tie in with a major shower manufacturer? Have you approached them? I agree renovation is your main market but regardless of energy efficiency in markets like the UK I think you'll struggle to persuade customers to replace their shower with one that has a lower flow rate, and also risk unhappy customers when their new shower is weaker than the old, so I'd focus here on pitching at least the same flow rate, but for much lower cost. Good luck with your product, it would be great to see more energy efficient products reaching the mainstream.