Jilly

You need specialist advice. Sometimes crown reduction is advised instead, to prevent heave which could happen if the trees were removed, due to the sudden extra water under the house, so they may have got another opinion? Could it be in a Conservation Area and the trees have TPO's? Or they don't own the trees? Removing the trees might ruin the character of the house/area? Lots of houses have been underpinned, it's not the end of the world, but it scares people and lenders. If you proceed, you must stay with the same insurance company, the policy can be transferred and you must confirm this will be the case as part of your due diligence. Other insurance companies won't touch it.

Who owns the trees?

I would go the caravan route or have you got room for a log cabin in the back garden?

Bad luck, but you are nearly there, keep going. Try to keep the BCO onside.

Well done on the house and getting the job!

Above the insulation is right in a cold roof.

I’m late to the party, but enjoying reading this thread. I was going to suggest you could use some netting to suspend your rock wool between the roof joists to get the air gap, and/or to hold the stuff in place before you boarded out, but I was too late. I’ve seen it done to hold rock wool insulation under floorboards in an old house.

Were you having a moment? Sorry, couldn’t resist that 😂

Their fees could go bonkers if that is the start, as you could need many more surveys, depending what they find. It might be because they are placing several surveyors at the same time? I found out too late that there is a big variation in costs, so definitely get more quotes. The Bat Licence itself is about £1K . Also the mitigation itself is up for discussion BEFORE the licence is obtained, so discuss siting of boxes etc to suit your needs.

Adding trellis is more lightweight and might look more aesthetic?

So sorry you’ve been through such a lot. You sound like a very determined person though, and that will get you through.

Meaco dehumidifiers are very good.

A terraced garden can be very interesting and attractive.

I might be missing something, but why would there be one before the house is built? Unless it’s a demolish and rebuild? Or is it a brownfield site? Or does it have planning permission and digging has been started?

If you have an uber insulated and airtight house with MHRV it should use very little energy, whatever method you chose.

Steamy Tea will tell you that might well not be enough insulation under the ufh. A lot of people here have put an electric Willis heater or two as a back up to a ASHP, rather than a boiler.

Hello! You might find you need planning permission for external wall insulation (EWI) as it will have to go under something, which will change the appearance. All of the window reveals would need adjusting. Cavity wall insulation would be ok, with caveats. Someone will be along to advise as I only have experience of 1970s retrofit which caused damp.

Yes, but the majority of women of the generation we are talking about, (and still do) had to take time off to have children and so haven’t paid enough NI.

So are you just replacing, rather than creating an additional dwelling?

Will your entrance satisfy highways?

Are your neighbours happy with your plans? I went round and showed them the drawings, hoping that if there were any major concerns they could be addressed so that changes wouldn’t be needed later. There are stories of people occasionally saying they are happy and then objecting, but most people aren’t like that. Keeping the place smart and tidy won’t do any harm, and you could think about the garden and which plants you could keep/relocate. It can help soften the ‘building site chic’ vibe that you will be left with at the end.

Be careful of the timing when digging clay. When it is wet and sticky, it won’t fall off the digger’s bucket easily and sticks to everything in sight. I was persuaded to get a digger in at the wrong time and the ground went like the Somme (and drove me potty).

Maybe line them with felt so you don’t damage the toe/heel? B &Q do see through plastic boxes so you can see the contents.

Currently I use a dehumidifier on an extension lead into our windowless bathroom in conjunction with the extractor fan. It’s sited on a cupboard, about 82cm from the nearest tap. Would it be ok to drill through the wall to use the plug socket in the next door bedroom? Obviously the plug would need to be rewired, which seems to be frowned upon these days. No MHRV here. It’s a pain to drag the extension lead around the door, but I resent chucking all the heat out with the fan. Any other suggestions/legals to be aware of, please?

Welcome. I’m interested in ground screws for a garden room too, so I’ll be interested to hear how you get on.