Mr Punter

I have found highways to be fairly approachable. Perhaps a pre application site meeting with you or your agent / consultant would be the best way forward. Even if the wall owner does not support your scheme they may be more amenable if you agree a cash compensation figure to lower the wall height. Could look good with some railings on a dwarf wall instead.

If you are planning on contiguous piling to form the basement walls you may as well dig the middle out and concrete the floor. Digging and muckaway is fairly cheap. You need to consider daylighting, ventilation, drainage, insulation and waterproofing. Waterproof concrete is very difficult and expensive to get right. If you went with an internal drained cavity it is much less risk and you can do it later.

Not quite the look that @PeterW goes for...

The most recent we had were 40 no. @ 435kN SWL

For larger buildings it is worth splitting into zones where you can control time and temperature with a programmable stat for each zone. Rather than ON or OFF I just set the required minimum temperature. for the time of day. Leave it the same year round.

There are plenty of people here who have your back. No fee. Just ask.

If you are single storey timber frame, bricklaying is simple and cheaper than slips. Not on the critical path. Wet plaster v. jointing and sanding there is not much in it. Fermacell = Fermahell. Your budget allows you to get decent contractors in for the whole project and it should not take too long. As soon as the frame is up you can get bricklayer, plumber, sparky and roofer on site.

I have been told in the past by NHBC to limit the number of downlights or use fire rated ones as it may otherwise compromise the structure of the floor above. filedownload,84608,en.pdf

Well done! Would you dare to post your budget costings, so they can be compared against actual at the end?

I live near the GD "Rusty House". I have not noticed any streaks but I think this risk was largely designed out. They have even done boundary fencing in the same stuff. I they have perforated panels. I think it was expensive. I am not very keen on the look. The guy who installed it found it a pain to work with. I have read that the material can sometimes suffer from premature failure due to corrosion.

Hessian sacking? http://www.tarpaflex.co.uk/acatalog/Hessian-Roll-137cm-x-46m-HESS.html

I am no expert but the brickwork and the site looks very tidy. No point on trying to save a few quid when this is so focal so I think you have done the right thing going with him. I also approve of the Makita radio.

Not for me or for many others here.

Perhaps the primary reason is that it works quite nicely for the architects that fund it. It clearly does not always suit the customer, which is why there are so many topics posted on here questioning the wisdom. I seem to remember that RIBA were taken to task some years ago over their "fee scale" that they sought to impose and was found to be unlawful. I don't blame RIBA for looking after their members, but customers should be listened to more, as we are the ultimate paymasters.

Another vote for Spanish. Siga and SSL are 2 of the brands I know.

At least make sure you insulate the pipework between the boiler and cylinder. Quite annoying in the summer having a room heat up because the plumber was too lazy to do this.

Yes.

I use an architect who is very good at getting planning consent and is happy to pass over the CAD drawings. They are good at working out what will fit on site, look good, sell and finance well and help make me a profit. I would always expect the scheme they come up with to be buildable. I get others to do the building regs, planning conditions, amendments and detail drawings. If there is not enough information on the planning drawings, they can email each other. I often find that architects are more interested in producing attractive elevations than considering costs, building performance, H & S and so forth. On some LA planning websites you can search by Architect and work out who has the best success rate, which can be useful.

It is your money and you can do what you like. Make it clear to the architect that you will only be engaging them for the planning and you will require the design in electronic format for the detail and construction stages. If they are expensive, haggle for a better fee.

I use a Big Mutt for this sort of thing. Handy for removing skitings, door linings and general light demo stuff.

Another vote for the Aicos, although I spec them as mains with lithium cell backup. I have 10 plus and external sounder and a test switch at home.

I think it would be better to have the final ICs on your own land. Gutter outlet will be OK if all properly sized. Run all the drainage fairly shallow and just dive down where you are connecting into the main drain.

I have used Fermacell in the past. It is a real pain to work with, expensive and your sparky will hate you when they try to cut out backboxes. I also found it seems no less prone to mould than plasterboard. I have used Knauff Soundshield Plus in the past. Good value, sound attenuation, tough etc.

Standard practice at the onset of winter. Robbing b*stards.

I have to say @zoothorn that if your builder does not give you a smack in the mouth he is a saint.