Mr Punter

Will smoke from the BBQ not blow into the house?

Perhaps look at reducing the number of dormers and increase their size. The one that cuts through the floor zone looks a bit odd. Could you add windows to the gable ends?

If you have a parapet all round you must have 2 outlets. Why not scrap the box gutter and just direct the roof fall to the outlets? What is the proposed roof waterproofing?

Can youpost a site plan showing the road and neighbouring properties?

Sometimes you have to double up or use a glulam or two. The 5.4 is a fair span.

Make the house airtight and well insulated - especially the ground floor - and add MVHR and the space heating costs can be reduced to the point where ASHP v gas will make little cost difference. The gas boiler / heat pump can be swapped later but the insulation / airtightness / ventilation is a far bigger job. A single ASHP should be fine for both floors.

Before you make the final decision, bear in mind that Trespa is one of the cladding types being removed from high rise due to flammability and although this will not apply to your project, insurers are very risk averse and may change their criteria in future. The oak frame garages often have brickwork to the lower section and oak cladding above, with clay roof tiles. You could also look at slate. If you want to convert it in future make sure you buy one designed for this. There are loads of companies who manufacture and supply the kit. Sometimes it is worth giving a few a call and having a chat, as you do not always get the information you are after from their websites alone.

Just awful. Get a proper leadworker in to redo it.

Kytun do retrofit ones as well. I guess you would need to fix to the render with CT1 plus mechanical fixings (stainless screws?) every 800mm of so. https://www.kytun.com/p/retro-fit-tile-dry-verge-alu-50mm-blue_black-24m/c08esbb

Yes they have a standard for housing, flats and commercial. You could also add your own loadings if they were extreme. Normal stuff like water tanks are easily dealt with locally but you can adjust for thick screeds, heavy equipment etc. JJI do Joistmaster software you can download. You can adjust joist size, deflection etc and it gives you acceptable joists and even price per m2. Make sure you let a "proper" joist designer do the final design as you may have omitted something that could come back and bite you.

12mm is acceptable for the housebashers but if you are a self builder, get a quote for less than 8mm deflection if you want a really solid feel to the floor.

As I have suggested previously, if you specify that you require maximum 8mm or 0.002 x span (whichever is least) deflection there will be no issues with bouncy floors and the cost difference is fairly small. The standard you will be offered is 12mm or 0.003 x span which is crappy.

I have used aluminium standing seam on projects and the panels zip together over halters that prevent uplift but allow expansion. You need Rockwool under the panels or you can hear the noise from the expansion / contraction. The centre of each sheet is mechanically fixed so it does not creep over the roof.

I don't see why you could not get a new connection. Expensive though. The meter and tariff will not concern the DNO.

If you post the quote and the design you may get some other suggestions reducing the cost. I think the overhead heights / wayleave / tree issues may be wishful thinking on your part and will not help your case. My son is electrical engineer / designer and he has loads of issues with DNOs where incorrect assumptions are made that can have serious implications as the project progresses, so get the homework done.

I like the patch panels as they tidy all the cables away. I have mine flush with the plasterboard. You can adapt to phone and poe where needed.

Another vote for the pulley maid. I wonder why they only make them to look olde style?

@Adam2 Is it the case that these will only be suitable for the driveway or are they going to be used for the house as well?

I have not had issues with Kingspan or Celotex. I have found some other makes have shrunk / warped but can't remember the brands and I don't want to accuse an innocent.

Has anyone used the IG Hi-therm+ lintels for a brick/block build? They are meant to be good at reducing thermal bridging. I was going to use them on a project but the lead time was too long.

They look like Eternit composite slate. Not my favourite but quite cheap and they last OK.

Link?

We have to deal with meter numbers, MPAN numbers and plot numbers with new developments and conversions and when it goes wrong it takes months, sometimes years, to get sorted.

Well Rod you certainly have a house that is unique.

Their standard board is no good as a render carrier. They do a cement based board as well, but their normal boards are gypsum based and prone to mould.