Mr Punter

Mostly, pitched roofs are either cold roof + cold loft with insulation at ceiling level or cold roof warm loft, where the insulation is between and under rafters. To be a proper warm roof, all insulation would be above the rafters. @kaye has cold roof + cold loft and needs ventilation at eaves, plus a bit at the ridge.

Could you just swap it for a programmable stat? This will allow you to set any temperature at any time.

It looks like the joins in the insulation boards. The render should last longer than that but it is not uncommon to see modern renders discolour. Can you get the contractor back?

Yes. The units are a lot more than gas boilers but if your house is well insulated that seem like a decent budget. Depends on cylinders, controls etc where you will need a bit more say £15k. If this is a spec development you are wanting to turn you may want to think twice. The gas tanks are like being a hostage. Probably the ASHP would be half the price to run but purchasers don't look at this (unless they have one).

I would guess that ASHP and UFCH will be at least double the price of gas boiler and rads, but if there is no gas, you don't have much choice.

I am really sorry to hear this. Sadly it is not that unusual, especially if they are paid up in full. With insurance, all your contractors should have their own but you also need self build policy. Others will suggest the best value. Is it possible to contact the sparky and see if he will come back to work for you? Don't bother if he is a pain though! Hopefully the house is fairly weathertight?

No reason you should not get consent for a new connection for 1 property.

You need to apply to the Sewerage Undertaker - often the water company. They will do an assessment on capacity. You will need to do similar for all services for their infrastructure capacity if you are proposing 20 units.

Where we are there is a lower connection fee but I think they have increased the infrastructure charges. I have never know them to inspect a connection but have once been asked for photos when we made a late change to our proposal. There is nothing stopping you installing a new chamber but you will probably need the consent of the sewerage undertaker. If you are connecting a property that was not previously connected you will need to fill in the form and pay the connection and infrastructure fees. The wastewater charges are often on your water bill.

I think they charge about £250 for sewer connection fees.

I looked at the Fairshare website. It assumes that I will move to a house of equal value and pay SDLT at the current rate every 20 years and uses this to claim that an annual increase in property tax of £1450 per year is in fact a 'saving' of £292.

This is a transfer of wealth from rich to poor. It would kill affluent areas and benefit poor areas. It will bear no relation to the funding of local services. It is not a terrible idea but I think a halfway house would be more acceptable. Also, I am not sure how they arrived at 0.48% as I think it may need to be nearer to 0.6% to be revenue neutral.

Over half our housing stock is flats. A quarter is terraced houses. Most of it is existing. How the hell will the heat pumps work out?

If there is room for a crane or telehandler, timber frame will get you in the dry quicker. I have done timber frame over a concrete (ICF) basement. We used timber joists for the ground floor structure. You will need to work out where your insulation is going and carefully plan the junction between the 2 systems. Make sure the join between them is at least 150mm above ground level.

From my understanding, trivial alterations would be a 'non-material amendment', more major changes, but not increasing impact on neighbours etc would be a 'minor material amendment' and would seek to vary the condition referring to the drawings in the original application. 'Material amendments' include changes that would affect neighbours and this would will need a new application.