Jilly

I think a few Energy Co's have gone bust recently, and there are lots of errors. There was a piece on Radio 4's Money Box last week: One chap had had his account transferred from now defunct Tonik to Scottish Power and had randomly been charge £1000 in a week. He was very stressed! My uncle has had a similar worrying debacle, but all was resolved when he went to the Ombudsman, plus a promise of £75 compensation.

I am using one in the house we are renting. One of the rings pulses and feels odd and I assumed it was malfunctioning as the others don't do it. I like it, but it's a Neff so a good one.

I think the height of the walls (varied or not) is related to the scale, dominance and overdevelopment statement. I'm guessing the neighbours are worried they will feel like they are living next to a concrete bunker? I can't see their properties properly, but it looks like they have south facing gardens and so might be affected by a tall adjacent structure. Is it worth making modifications if you can, before you go to appeal?

Thank you all. I really don't want to be confrontational, so I'll try the softly approach again. It isn't a lot of money in the greater scheme of things (renting for longer will cost me far more, its just the uncertainly is getting to me).

I hope this isn't an incoherent rant. My builder has gone AWOL for months, it's partly my fault, partly his, Covid, isolation and I'm too inexperienced to know exactly why and need to get back on track now the weather is warmer. The stable conversion superstructure is complete but there are a few things (insulation in the vaulted ceiling, the roof ventilation debacle, the utilities connections) which are about 80% complete and I stupidly paid for. I have stubbornly waited for him to come back and I'm really not sure if its going to happen (although they have left stuff here like an abandoned broken down dumper truck). His (business) partner got involved (the one who was actually recommended to me: it turns out they work quite independently cos they don't get on) and wants to come back and do the hayshed extension (started on a Building Notice, just the piles in) and says he will rectify the issues. The question/problem is when! He (rightly) says he wants all details decided before coming back. That's where I am flailing and no progress is being made. His QS has given a reasonable quote, but indicated for example 80mm floor insulation. I know that's no good, but it means my extension is going to be a compromise and I want a higher spec, but he needs detailed instructions. My architect's technician doesn't want to get involved on a BN. The other issue is the hayshed is small and I want to extend it later, rules of conversion are that all must be complete and a household, before I can apply. Which is mad, as Joe alluded to in an earlier post. Builder 2 suggested putting a beam now in for easy demolition later, which is a reasonable idea. I've started making enquiries about subbies on the main stable as I need to get some control back. I think I just need jollying along..

That is exactly what I am having to do at the moment, but the rules on conversion are really strict (apparently!). The madness of it keeps me awake at night as its such a waste of money!!

Not sure, but it is in a rural area

Have you checked out the planning situation? A friend of mine wanted to demolish and replace a bungalow but weren't allowed to so they had to go down the extension route, using Permitted Development Rights and be a bit creative to get what they wanted. You can have a Pre application meeting with the council usually, to get a feel for what you can do. I would have loved to demolish and replace but it was a complete non starter (stable conversion in a Conservation Area), so it's like Trigger's Broom...

Hello! I've unfortunately done some of mine the wrong way round: I've seen the builder doing something which doesn't look quite right, and then done the research! I now want a full toolkit for my birthday...

I would resist 'a car free development'. There's no such thing, household wants a car or two these days and it would be impossible to prevent people owning them and then parking nearby.

I have had all of mine removed too, I think its known as an Article 4 Directive, but my understanding is that I have to get planning permission for everything which would normally be PD as they want to be involved in the design (it's a Conservation Area). I suppose it means if there is something you want, which they don't like, you would have to appeal, others will come along with experience of the appeal process.

I've got used to everything taking forever...

hello! Search through old posts as there is a lot of info.

The site seemed not to be working properly and wouldn't accept figures (but I may have been doing it incorrectly!)

Didn't I see something on tool share about the stapler thing which administers the clips to hold the pipes down?

Get someone to show you after lockdown, its easy when you get the hang of it and very useful. Have you thought about upgrading to a smart phone? They are pretty cheap secondhand

Why not put the 1m fence up and then grow a hedge. Plants don't need planning permission afaik, apart from leylandii .

How does this sound for my DIY SuDS attempt? The surface water storage volume estimation tool didn't seem to work, so I've just used common sense, is it correct?! To quantify the existing runoff rate from the site, the on line tool on uksuds.com was used to calculate the mean annual flood flow, QBAR, using the Institute of Hydrology Report Number 124 (IH 124) methodology. (see Appendix 1). The post development run off rate must be no more than the green field run off rate, generally accepted as a 1 in 100 year, 6 hour event. If QBAR 1 in 100 yr = 0.52 l/s Then, surface water storage Volume estimation= 0.52 x 6 hrs x 60min x 60 sec = 11 232 L Rain gardens will be placed adjacent to the permeable driveway and a seasonal pond to attract wildlife and increase biodiversity, in the meadow is proposed with a volume of 15 000 litres (5m length x 3m width x 1m depth) with a bund on the south and east sides receiving water via a gentle swale which is to be incorporated as part of the garden design. A system of above ground storage (water butts) will be installed for attenuation of storm water from the roof for reuse on the garden (gravity fed). If these are overwhelmed, water will be diverted into the seasonal pond.

They shouldn't be able to get in. The builder says its all glued down so there's no access, so I think we are ok.

Hello, I'm hoping to build a small extension on the side of the stable (140mm block) with a flat roof. I have planning permission for a small footprint and hope to enlarge it later when can apply for pp. Builder has suggested putting a steel in at the time to allow for easy demolition when the time hopefully comes. My problem is deciding on the construction method whilst worrying about bat mitigation. We started the foundations on a Building Notice and so my architect's technician doesn't seem to want to get involved now, as he says it's the builders risk. Seems like its mine, so any advice welcome! The beam on the piles is 300mm wide. Block and cavity wall had seemed like a good idea, however, I read on here that sometimes BC might insist on breathable membrane under the weatherboarding, which we can't do. Does anyone have a flat roof spec they could share which doesn't use breathable membrane (we can use bituminous F1) please? I think I am on the clock if I ask the architect's tech as he's not familiar with this.

Just make sure both planning and BC acknowledge in writing. If you are really worried as it's so tight, maybe consider discharging the relevant planning condition (ie call them and pay the £100 fee)?

And not under the bin?

I use Gumtree, which is free, and Freecycle too.

Would chainmail butchers gloves do it?

Freecycle is a great resource, I'm sure you will find someone to take your stuff and reuse it.