canalsiderenovation

This is definitely a niche question, but has anyone been on any house related renovation programmes, or knows of anyone that has and would share their experiences - good, bad etc If you had the opportunity would you? Curious if they are worth applying, you frequently see adverts after some of the shows on TV encouraging you to apply

I hope not! I've been driving myself batty (pun intended!) researching into everything bat related.... Couldn't see any signs but I may need to keep going up the loft weekly now, checking for mice and rats after the discovery of the rodent boxes ? and clearing out some of the junk we discovered today. We are also clearing out all the outbuildings, vacuuming and cleaning over the next week or so, we also cut down some more trees today.

We are in exactly the same position and will have whatever metal roofing we have on the first floor walls as cladding. We have samples of Tata, Euroclad and have been comparing general pricing. We also looked at alternatives like the Marley Eternit. We are now leaning to a cheaper alternative a plastisol covering metal from a local firm at a fraction of the price of Tata and Euroclad given that it will rust the same, it's all down to getting someone who is competent to install it! https://www.excelclad.co.uk/sheets--cladding-14-c.asp

Finally today, Boxing Day task, I ventured up the two lofts. We have one in the bedroom and one in the kitchen as due to the odd layout of the bungalow (basically two bungalows seperayed by a flat roof in between). The good news is that whoever installed newish loft insulation left the paperwork up there from a couple of years ago so there is lots of insulation, so everything was definitely disturbed not too long ago. Lots of spiderwebs and a random dead blue tit in the first bungalow loft, but can't for the life of me see how it got in (removed it), no obvious gaps but we did see birds going near the guttering, fascias and soffits in summer but no sign of anything in the loft. Lots of white boxes with 'rodent killer's on them situated all in both lofts (counted more than 10 in both so mice or rats perhaps, but no sign of bats). Second loft has chimney in it, again lots of spiderwebs which seem to have caught an abundance of wasps, so perhaps a wasps nest somewhere which explains why we had so many in summer throughout the house, though can't see any actual wasps nests or birds nests. We just have an old flat roof sectional garage and makeshift building to worry about that will be demolished, but the bungalow itself certainly has no obvious signs of bats in it, but I guess they could still be 'around'. Architects know someone who normally does their surveys so I'm just researching into who they mentioned. There is a local guy literally walking distance away who had permission passed for a swimming pool and gym building (who had the same architects), so I'm guessing he would have had to have a bat survey too, and let's face it a swimming pool is not exactly conservation friendly!

Ouch, sounds like it's a sore subject...

Tomorrow, I'm going into the loft - it's easily accessible as it's a bungalow, we have two loft hatches one in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. Since we bought it at Easter its has tradesmen in there, me and my dad looking for the TV aerial cable as well as a professional guy rooting around and us emptying stuff that has been left in, in addition to the wasp incident so I can't help but think we would have noticed or at least disturbed them if there was any. I'll see what I can see (and smell) tomorrow - if anything.

Hmm, well just waiting to see what architects say. I suspect first step is the pleliminary bat survey. When my dad removed the wasps nest from the loft a few months ago he didn't see it smell any indication of bats, but then he's not a specialist and I guess any little sight or them and it will be the full survey.

Thanks I'm currently looking through LPA and finding out info. I'm thinking worse case scenario here as we are immediately adjacent to woodland and adjacent to water (canal) so there's bound to be some of the critters somewhwre!!!

No, although our bungalow roof has that many holes and gaps in it we probably have all sorts nesting in it currently! Worst case scenario there are bats living in our roof ?...

I think our hope of starting the renovations next summer has just disappeared then! This is the info from the council; Before a consultant is contacted to assess the building for bat potential, the applicant may like to provide additional information, i.e. internal and external photographs of the building, which we will take into consideration before determining whether any surveys are needed. If a bat survey is required, it should be carried out as follows: This application site meets the trigger point for requiring a bat survey since it involves modification, conversion, demolition or removal of buildings and structures (especially roof voids) involving the following: all agricultural buildings (e.g. farmhouses and barns) particularly of traditional brick or stone construction and/or with exposed wooden beams greater than 20cm thick. The bat survey should be carried out as follows: A Preliminary Roost Assessment including a thorough internal and external inspection of the building and an assessment of the potential for bat roosts to be present. Recommendations should be made regarding the need for additional surveys (see below) and/or precautionary methods of working. During the Preliminary Roost Assessment the ecologist should also record any evidence of nesting wild birds. A Presence/Absence Survey should be carried out in all cases where the Preliminary Roost Assessment finds evidence of bats, potential for bats or where a complete and thorough inspection cannot be carried out. The presence/absence survey will involve dusk emergence and/or pre-dawn re-entry surveys to aid identification of the species of bats present and estimation of the numbers of individuals. The presence/absence survey should follow the guidance on survey effort and frequency in the Bat Conservation Trust’s Good Practice Guidelines (3rd edition, 2016) and will usually comprise 2/3 emergence and/or pre-dawn re-entry surveys* between May and September (optimum period May to August). The Presence/Absence Survey will allow the surveyor to consider the need for mitigation, enhancements and compensation, to assess the likelihood of an offence being committed and to make a decision as to the need for a European Protected Species Mitigation Licence from Natural England *Note – 2 surveys carried out within the same 24 hour period constitute one survey. A Roost Characterisation Survey should be carried out in cases where an offence is considered likely to occur, where mitigation is required and where a European Protected Species Mitigation Licence from Natural England will be required. The Roost Characterisation Survey is intended to establish number of bats in the colony, access points used, temperature and humidity regime in the roost, aspect and orientation of the roost, size and perching points, lighting and a surrounding habitat assessment. For any planning application triggering the need for a bat survey, the following documents should be submitted to allow determination of the application: 1. A Preliminary Roost Assessment and any further surveys recommended by the licensed ecologist (e.g. Presence/Absence Survey and Roost Characterisation Survey). 2. A site plan showing any mitigation and enhancements being offered for bats (e.g. bat box locations, bat loft locations with measurements and internal details) 3. A lighting plan showing location and specification for any proposed lights on the site. The lighting plan should reflect the Bat Conservation Trust’s Bats and Lighting in the U.K. guidance. All bat surveys should be carried out by an experienced, licensed ecologist and in accordance with the Good Practice Guidelines. Mitigation should be designed in line with Natural England’s Bat Mitigation Guidelines. Any deviation from the methods, level or timing of surveys set out in the Good Practice Guidelines should be accompanied by a reasoned evidence statement from the licensed ecologist carrying out the survey clarifying how the sub-optimal survey is ecologically valid.

Oh god, go on please tell?

See that's what I'm thinking that there will be a condition of weight limits etc, BUT the farm can use it frequently and with vehicles I estimate are almost double the 10 tonne limit, (tractor, sileage trailer)... The neighbours apparantlt raised the issue of the farm going over the bridge at speed, churning up the grass edging and the bridge and lane has potholes in it from the farm vehicles - CRT would not act on it. It won't be a highway issue I would have thought as it is a bridleway technically...

I'm venting... Finally had the official letter from the council after pre app who will support our application, although the other letter from the Canal and River Trust (CRT) whilst not saying they won't support it contradicts some of the points the council have made, e.g Council liked steel effect, CRT weren't keen. I mean who trump's who?? CRT or the council if one likes it and the other doesn't.... It feels like we need to please both but they haven't different ideas! Two main points are a heritage assessment to assess the impact of the build on the heritage. We aren't in a conservation area but to access the property you drive over a canal bridge. We are one of three properties over the bridge, us, an empty lock keepers cottage and a farm. Apparently they are concerned about vehicles using the bridge as it has a 10 tonne limit. The irony is that the farm have tractors, and go over with bailers, harvesting equipment, have feed and fertilizer deliveries, muckspreaders etc so I'm damn sure the limit has been breached frequently so if they needed to assess it then surely they'd need to look at what others are doing too, it would certainly put the farm out of business if the limit was enforced, not to mention when the property we are in got permission in 1970s it was approved then, probably before CRT were even in situ! Exactly how long does it take to do a bat survey?

I've had samples of both. The guarantees are different, Trespa10 year but Accoya is guaranteed for 50 years against rot.

Well I visited a local company today called Excelclad close to us in Prees, Shropshire who manufacture steel roofing and cladding, and everything else in between and I was also able to view the Marley Eternit and I've also had samples from the Cembrit. Although I like the cement, ultimately it is just painted and will fade from anthracite colour so have ruled it out. We have decided on the plastisol pvc in anthracite. The one I saw was a bit textured, although some I saw were smooth, think I prefer the textured. They do that many different profiles I've come away with samples and pictures. There is a local guy less than two miles away from us that apparently worked on a house using the companies products who has been installing it for over 40 years too who I'm hoping will pop round to look at the plans and advise on profiles etc and see what he can come up with but I think I'd rather someone do the roof with all the skylights, cuts and flashing that has been doing it years than a builder that may not have used it before. If our house looks half as good as this one in the pics he's worked on I'll be made up!

Actually it was the Colourcoat Urban and also we looked at Vieo and Euroclad. We like the appearance of the steel and the corrugated type look, and actually don't have a preference on these v profile 6 cement board but cost wise I suspect the steel will be far more working on a m2 basis. Whatever we use on the roof will also be used on the walls. If anyone had any pictures of the Marley Eternit Profile 6 that would be very helpful, I've emailed them asking if they have any examples of work locally we can look at. We aren't doing it ourselves so it will be down to the builder. I was just wondering from an installation point, and especially with the amount of windows but I'm a bit worried about steel with the points @scottishjohn has raised too.

Thanks @le-cerveau they look really smart. Your wood cladding looks really good too. Another question, is that k-rend? If so what colour?

That's really helpful, definitely worth considering then, I'm just curious on fitting if one is easier than the other, especially as the builders will be fitting.

So we are looking at metal roof and cladding from Tata and Euroclad but I've been looking at alternatives that would give us a similar 'metal' look. Im expecting the Tata/Euroclad to be expensive but having has samples of both Tata and Marley Eternit Profile 6, we are equally happy with either. Our pre planning advice today was that they would support PP (that was with the steel) but when full PP goes in I'd rather propose either so we have a couple of options. One thing that worries me with both is that our only windows will be skylights - and we are looking at 9-10 of them. Is one of these roof options better for installation of skylights? Anyone here had Marley Eternit Profile 6 and if so, what do you think? Pros and cons of both?

Thanks @le-cerveau that's great to hear. I didn't like the kf410 solely from a practical point with the gap around and I was thinking of cleaning and it getting dusty. Do you have any pics of the kv440? I'm definitely leaning towards the aluclad pvc especially if the price difference is significant. I can't seem to find many places other than Internorm that offers aluclad pvc though.

I visited Rohaus, Stafford today which has Internorm windows on display. Obviously we will need to get prices but I was surprisingly impressed by the aluclad uPVC, particularly the KF500 and KF220, the KF500 has a u value of .61 which was on a par with some of the timber aluclad windows. From the exterior there would be very little difference and the interior is pretty decent too. I'd definitely be interested to hear anyone who has aluclad pvc.

We have an old fashioned cast iron sprung bed frame, I'd never give that up!

I work away one night a week and get up same day as the wife to get to the station to commute to London. The rest of the time I work from home and when she gets up at 5am and is rattling around it drives me insane, I'm partly deaf and most of the time I struggle to hear anything without my hearing aids but at 5am my hearing seems to be amazing ? I casually emerge at 830 and log on in my PJs. When it gets to the weekend I wake up at a godly early hour when she wants a lie in!

I've tried to rejig things, I did try roomsketcher but I found it easier to draw my ideas from this, I'm not very technical and I envy those drawings I've seen some of you do. The only way I found it easier to interpret was to measure rooms now, e.g. our current bedroom to help visualise what space we have and space we need with cut out newspaper for wardrobes, toilets, baths etc. Allocating around 1700mm width to the balcony seems more than sufficient allows us to extend the other space. We roughly think we will need around 3600mm width for the bedroom (likely less), 2900mm for the dressing and 2500mm for the ensuite. I also liked the suggestion of entering into the dressing room and then into the bedroom as not to disturb one another but the door location may not be quite right. Like @joe90 we will have around 4m length but the ceilings will be vaulted. Hopefully still space for a nice roll top bath.

We have gone for preapp which is £85. A week past the 8 week deadline, architects have chased and our case manager is off this week and the duty officer advises they are 'waiting for conservation'.