Mr Punter

It sounds like the map and GIS need to be changed, as they are at odds with the schedule.

OK I have just spoken to the LPA and they suggest I download the form, print it, scan it and email it to them, together with the other documents. I will do as @Hecateh suggests and just print to a PDF so I can fill it in on screen. They have their own payment portal. I will let you know how I get on, but what a hassle to save being blagged out of £20!

Agreed. This is more like Ryanair behaviour. Loathsome.

I am really impressed with this house. One of my Buildhub favourites. I also like @Tennentslager's build in a similar vein. Very well done.

I just went through the online Planning Portal to get a condition discharged. The application fee was £116.00. After uploading all the required documents I am hit with a payment screen requesting a mandatory additional "service charge" of £20 to PPQ (Portalplansquest). Is this now standard? Surely if the charge is mandatory they should add it to the published planning fee?

1 part cement, 9 parts all in ballast.

From a thermal efficiency viewpoint, you should set the glass of the window somewhere in the insulation layer, so the window needs to move inside a fair bit. The window is often attached to the timber frame and you will need to make allowance- perhaps using Compriband tape - for the timber frame to shrink downwards compared to the masonry.

I think the mortar mix is going to be the main thing and you may want to look at using a lime based mortar for this. Because the mix is likely to be fairly stiff it will not work with a pointing gun so you will need to press it in to the joints.

You will probably want to screed in any case as the hollowcore is not perfectly flat, especially if prestressed and it will take out the camber. Regarding the pipework, manifolds and controls, get a price for this and assess for yourself if it is worth the money. If you have solar gain from windows it will probably never cool enough to compensate.

Brick or rendered block would probably be best and cheapest and there will be lots of local builders who will be familiar with this. What do other extensions have where you are? Make sure you fit a decent extractor in the shower room. If properly built and ventilated it should never have mould.

I have used one of these. They are really accurate and the blade does not wander like the ones where the saw moves on rails overhead.

Given your lack of experience and the fact that this requires a very high level of skill and knowledge together with a great deal of time and materials I think you could be setting yourself up for failure.

I am with @Declan52 on this. On the basis that there are no links to this, I don't think will work the way you are suggesting. I thought that you were going to make single sided shuttering, fix it to the wall with spacers, pour the concrete in from the top and vibrate it with the poker on the face of the shutter. I could not work out how you would get to the top bit though unless you left out the floor above until it was done.

If you just use the second one it will be OK as that is the one you implemented. Confirm it with a letter attached to the application.

@pocster if you post a floor plan we can see if a pump station will work. If you have already cast the floor slab it may need a bit of breaking out though.

Does anyone have a link to see how this is done in practice? I would be really interested to see how they make up the shutters, anchor them, construction joints, grout checks, concrete spec, how to pour and striking. I know how it is for casting a concrete wall, but facing an existing wall would be quite different.

It is an interesting idea. The pictures look fantastic. I think it will be expensive and time consuming and if the finish is not spot on you will need to take it off and start again (or make the room 1" smaller!). If you get anywhere near a decent result I take my hat off to you.

If the drawing is based on a topographic survey you should see features like walls, drain covers, trees, kerbs and so on so you have somewhere to start from.

I would change the lower left set of doors for a window, flip the kitchen on the horizontal axis to put the sink under the window and make the peninsular worktop 90cm deep so you can use it as a breakfast bar. I am not sure why there is a post in the middle of the room but at the moment it is impeding access to the stairs. If it cannot be moved you may be able to lose a tread at the bottom and add one at the top.

If it is not too late, a small pump station would be better - much quieter and more reliable. I would rather burn the house down than live with a Saniflo.

If the property is brick and block, I would stick with that for the extension as timber frame and SIPs work best when starting from scratch.

I like the concept of near handleless doors. You could fit some soft close power hinges. Not sure about the magnetic though.

I recently received an email from Premier Guarantee warning about the use of MGO boards. The type of board you choose will depend on what the render system manual specifies. If you are selecting non-BBA, check with your warranty provider and BC. I would choose a BBA system and a board like Bluclad.

Regarding highways, as you already have a live consent, unless the access is altered for the new proposal they will be unable to object.

https://www.labcwarranty.co.uk/self-build/ but there are several who offer this