Mr Punter

I am afraid that the Party Wall Act will come into play here. Although your sketch is neat it does not show the foundation and trench depths accurately. If the footings are 600 the trench should be over 3 times as deep as they are. Can you let us know why your drains are so deep? If they are already in place it may still be simpler to dig them out and re-lay them at a shallower depth.

Don't bother with UFC upstairs.

There often seems to be a few areas where you get loads of pipes. Is there no way of opening up the spacing adjacent to these areas?

I have not heard of this before. Did they put anything compressible around the edges? Also, is it the same against the lounge floor?

An architect I know is keen on the corner window and he achieves this with a fairly slim circular steel post on the inside which I imagine supports some steel beams above. I would expect the architect to understand how his design was going to work thermally, structurally, aesthetically etc and the engineer calculates loadings, steel sizes connections etc. and supplies you with a drawing and calcs for review.

Firstly, your invert of 1.6m seems rather deep. Are the drains on you side already laid? If not, see if they can be shallower, as I would normally expect them to start at about 0.6m, so the additional metre on yours suggests a very long run (60m?) Avoid the pump station as it is lots of additional cost and a nightmare when it fails as you will win the prize of a tank of raw sewage. Excavate the drain run at a fall of 1:60, picking up the in-laws drain on the way (this may be via a bottom outlet inspection chamber). If the main Anglian sewer is over 300mm dia you may be able to connect via a saddle connection on the top of the pipe.

You are looking rather fit in that picture Jeremy.

You should have a load of AVI files and you can edit them, join them together, add titles and music in Movie Maker or any AVI editing software. I found it really simple as I got my son to do it for me.

I have bought DIY kitchens in the past and they were fine. Units averaged out at £2,700 plus VAT per kitchen, £2,200 worktops, appliances sinks and taps from various £4,280 fitting £700. Howdens are a PITA to deal with and do a double glazing style discount and endless telesales calls.

There is no longer a maximum gradient quoted for below ground drainage, just the minimum, which can be stretched to 1:80 for a 110mm pipe, but 1:40 preferred. If the gradient changes significantly along the run you will need an access / inspection point.

What you have shown is fine. As @scottishjohn says use a long radius bend. You will need access at the top for rodding. Better if it is a bit more under finished ground level so it does not get damaged.

Waste of time. I think this route only suits larger developments.

Hi and welcome Are you going to live in the new house or the extended one? Make sure you take professional advice on VAT, CGT and stamp duty.

Seems OK. Looking back we have spent £4,500 for 1 bed flats up to £11,000 for 4 bed houses.

Crushed concrete is cheap and works fine. You may want to top it off with a bit of proper type 1 to get a smoother finish for the final paving or tarmac.

We once had a standing seam aluminium roof that would make load cracking sounds due to thermal expansion / contraction. Sun and cloud was the worst. We had it unzipped and 50mm Rockwool stuffed into the 40mm void and that sorted it.

There are five sets of 3 in my house!

I have got one of these https://www.screwfix.com/p/evolution-r255sms-255mm-single-bevel-sliding-mitre-saw-220-240v/1062x Cheap enough and cuts most things. Use the laser as a rough guide only, especially if you are doing a bevel cut. I use for steel, ali flashings & gutter, joists, plastic, flooring. You won't impress proper trades on site but it gets the job done and nobody will steal it!

Perhaps have a talk to the Conservation Officer. Where we are, they are often keen to see something that blends with the older buildings but is not a pastiche, so aluminium / ali clad in black is often acceptable, as well as being lower maintenance than timber.

I would take the roof off and have a proper one designed. I assume you are single storey so you can include some rooflights and maybe a mezzanine with all roof insulation at rafter level. If the floor is good you could just add 100mm insulation with underfloor heating incorporated, then 22mm chipboard and engineered oak to finish although I don't know if this would work with the existing door and window arrangements.

If the concrete is dust free you don't need a primer.

No, I have not done any householder applications. I think they are probably more for extensions etc but the £200 discount possibility looks tempting!

The householder fee for a non-material amendment is £34.

You could work for a brickwork contractor. They will get the work and tell you what they will pay you. You must hold a CSCS card to do site work. You will be best to do formal training like VQ Diploma.

NMA is fine for windows and doors moving / removing / resizing. Quick to process (28 days) and cheap (£34?). If you want to move external walls or change the ridge height it will need a minor material amendment (normally an application to vary the condition that states "To be built according to xxxx plans", where you will substitute in the new plans. Both these alter the current consent, not give a new one. Anything more major that significantly deviates from the approved scheme will need a fresh planning application (ages to process). Nobody cares about internal walls but you may as well include these if you are doing any of these applications, just to bring the as built in line with the planning drawings.