torre

It's tough making decisions with the clock ticking! You'll be spending a lot of money on both the refit and the boiler though so if you're very undecided pushing back the install at a stage where you're not letting the plumber down last minute may make sense. If pushed, I think boiler backing onto the long wall looks a bit more flexible, narrows the room less. Is there any scope for moving the doorway? If it was more central on that wall you could put the boiler cupboard top left behind the swing of the door. (You might have to squeeze past it if the boiler has to be installed before the door can be moved!)

How about building some integrated storage along the wall below the window and hiding the pipes in that?

Where does your boiler condensate drain to? It's a lot more water but maybe about to drain there? Perhaps another option is shower where the bath is now and have a free standing bath beside it, longways facing the window Alternatively, based on your last pic, you could think about having the sink between the bath and toilet, all the drainage is on one wall

No idea of suppliers in the SW but we'll be using Viridian in roof panels. UK based and been around a long time, they supply a number of UK housebuilders and are now owned by Marley so hopefully a good chance of replacement availability in future and good flashing compatibility with common UK roof finishes.

I'd echo this. They're now effectively building a replacement dwelling and don't have planning permission to do so. Your friend needs to take legal advice on the subject of CIL but a possible upside of this is that because they don't have planning permission and haven't lawfully commenced, they won't be liable for CIL at this point, and assuming they eventually get permission will then benefit from self build exemption.

How about carrying the rear dormer through across the whole width? That would either let you fit the staircase as you mention to use as a room above the workshop, or alternatively give the house a bigger upstairs - push bedroom 3 over the garage and you could have a galleried landing right around the stairs, plus additional space (another ensuite say) where bed 3 is now

We did the same as @JohnMo 's option 1. All run in 15mm Hep2o so no joints at all from a manifold (with isolation) all the way to each room (so each room is easily isolated and can be worked on separately). There you can just tee off as needed or use a secondary manifold (with or without isolation) if that works better (Hep2o manifolds are just a block of tees at the end of the day). For some rooms we reduced down to 10mm for basins just to make the runs easier to work with.

We've previously installed a 2-panel bifold (Korniche) in preference to French doors because it allows you to park both doors on one side of an opening (say towards your boundary side) and make better use of your patio. Many French doors are installed such that you can't fold them back flush with the wall and having only one side of the patio blocked worked much better for us. If you do this though, you definitely need a separate 'traffic' door elsewhere as the 2-panel bifolds I've seen can't be opened and closed properly from both sides and would be annoying to use as your 'go out to the bins' door every day. In your case @Berkshire_selfbuid it looks like you have a side door from the utility for that sort of traffic so 2 panel bifolds could both open away from your sliders giving you a nice wide unobstructed patio (and symmetry)

We used Keim, which is similarly pricey but at least gives good coverage. We saved a bit by only using it on the external walls though.

What a horrible position to be in, unfortunately I doubt if your architect was your agent for the application you'd be able to argue the council hasn't notified you. I agree getting legal representation urgently is your best option here. Is there any chance in your rush to start you've ignored any pre-commencement conditions? Anything that would invalidate your commencement?

@Alan Ambrose that would be fair enough for the probably not VAT registered carpenter friend, but here it sounds like it's the builder and their PM (definitely VAT registered) issuing the 'informal receipts' and offering to 'save VAT'.

This isn't for your benefit, it's basically a sign none of that money on the informal receipt is going through the builders accounts. So the whole lot is cash that never goes through the builders books at all and he's avoiding tax and NI contributions on it while still reclaiming the VAT.

Always nice to get an update. Not a happy ending but certainly reinforces that you were right to walk away - well done for taking the difficult decision after thinking you'd found 'the one'

I think that 20% is more of a guide where velux are the only source of daylight. In your case, with other windows smaller roof lights should be absolutely fine, try to work out the overall window area as a percentage (as a point of reference building regs for a new build generally don't allow more than 25% window to floor area) You could probably save money embracing the wedge shape of your ensuite instead of so much studwork but that very much a personal design decision

We're at an early stage of sourcing similar. I was also going to mention Guttercrest. Alumasc Skyline look like a more 'off the shelf' option

The difference between a wood burner and bacon is that you can choose to eat a bacon sandwich and it only affects your own health whereas a wood burner pollutes the air for everyone. You can protect yourself from the dangers of bacon, but it needs action at a government level to protect us from pollution.

Try to feel reassured that this doesn't appear recent if doors etc are cut to the slope and may well not be getting worse. What sort of survey did you have? 25mm over 1m sounds like something anything more detailed than a valuation survey should have highlighted especially with visible signs like doors and mouldings cut to slope. Did the extension have building regs sign off?

Putting the extra board below is probably problematic in terms of heat distribution (in the future carpet scenario) though I agree it'd give the same support. Best would be clarify with the board manufacturer though it sounds like they've already said it's needed

I think building control will insist on the extra board over. It forms part of the structural floor - you might be okay with 12mm flooring over but the next occupant may replace that with just carpet, unwittingly making the floor unsafe

Perhaps focus on the smaller set of properties where the shell is already big enough then and it's mainly an internal remodel. Play to your strengths, where you can make savings and there are less unknowns like planning, groundworks. You can't out compete developers when it comes to material costs or hiring trades, but can compete on your labour as that's free, so try and max your contribution and minimise the unknowns (sorry this is much easier to say than do)

Maybe you could improve the flow from entrance to living space. It's the first impression for guests and how you'll use the space every day. Right now you come up the impressive outdoor steps, through a grand entrance way to... a lobby and a storage wall? Then turn 90 degrees and back 180 degrees up smaller stairs to the living space. Instead think about pulling the lobby and stairs forward a bit so the stairs can continue running forwards up to the living space, so you're greeted with a more open space and invited in. If you need a panic room, wouldn't you want direct access from the master suite on the right of your plans? I agree with others if you've 9 bedrooms you need more living areas - how far do you want to be from a coffee machine! Also that it's very (very) large - easiest way to cut costs and simplify construction would be to make it smaller, but bear in mind almost everyone (me included) will be giving their perspective from experience on much smaller builds. Good luck, I like the external design and how it fits the landscape.

I would avoid relying mostly on PIV in an old property and use MVHR or continuous DMEV instead. If there's a lot of moisture internally, PIV has to push that out somewhere, and that's likely to be into any gaps etc, where it may condense, potentially making any damp problem worse, whereas MVHR or continuous extract will help ensure more of the moist air is pulled out of the property.

Your first example looks like it's to protect anyone, esp children, coming from that path against running/riding straight into what is probably a road where the picture is taken from. I've plenty of sympathy for the issue of accessibility but please don't cut down something that's intended to prevent a serious accident.

I can't comment on the trap but you can get water leak detectors quite cheaply that will alarm and/or notify you via an app. It's something we're considering where we have a bowl sink without an overflow(!)

I'd quote an hourly rate (so from your figures ~125/h) as that's more likely to be how any legal adviser for the other side structures their charging and so more relatable (also probably lower than their own charges, so 'reasonable' looking). It's also probably reflective of how you put the time in. If I was on the other side I might try and argue you down on the basis you're charging a consultant's rate, but a consultant would have done it in half the time, because they would already be familiar with details you spent time researching, but I think your starting point is a reasonable one.