Jilly

I'm doing a conversion and have found that there can be a lot of variation in advice and recommendations from structural engineers. A conversion can have some drawbacks which you have to get round creatively and may make you tear your hair out, as you are finding. For that reason I'm finding it a lot more expensive than a new build would be, so you have to trade off the desirability of the location. Where I am they are like hen's teeth, and I love the place, so it's worth it. Good Luck. BTW I'm trying to raise the money elsewhere to avoid complications.

Hi, welcome. My project is similar, a stable conversion but really the size of a posh garage compared to the amazing things some people do!

I'm just going through this, it's quite a palaver and there are companies you can pay to co-ordinate it. My quote for electricity is £8.7k, water £3.5K, both from over the road and both had to be paid in advance (No gas available). They acknowledged they could share a trench and road closure, but it's on a refund basis which they won't disclose or promise the amount. Water needs to go deepest, but initially the electricity people said they were going to dig, until I pointed this out, so double check everything.

She couldn't work to my budget, that's all. I really admire her work, but she's also a very high end designer. She can't stand the 'make do and mend culture' which I don't mind, and I (still) want to keep to a low budget with flair, if I can. I was also very ill at the time the planning permission was going through (maybe not a co-incidence!) so that may have clouded my judgement. The second firm came on as CAD monkey, I think you called it, which meant there were millions of questions for me to answer all on the clock...(they decided it was fairest...).

I did this and it ended up costing loads more as there were several stuff ups because the second firm weren't invested in the design.

Hello. Sounds good.

Would second trying to find a satisfactory solution between yourselves. My SE made an oversight which caused problems so I sent a polite letter setting out the problems they had caused and requesting they review their fee for the matter. They haven't been daft enough to send an invoice, so everyone saves face and they don't have to worry about admitting liability by giving a refund. As a professional, although I had professional indemnity insurance, I would have been mortified if anyone had claimed against me. An older, wiser colleague once gave a great bit of advice: 'Don't send a bill if things haven't gone well'. It's a good maxim to have, but a little old fashioned in these days of businesses being run by corporates, when invoices are shipped out by return. Accept that everyone is human, and I would suggest giving this person every opportunity to see things from your point of view and explain what would be a satisfactory outcome on both sides.

It makes sense tho'. I've emailed the photos to the builder and the window installer. The builder is letting me down with lots of little things like this. I'm trying to part amicably now the superstructure is done, but I have conscious incompetence for what's required next... Thank you for your help

But the windows will be fixed by drilling into the steel, I think?

I've chosen triple glazed Aluminium argon filled windows made by a local company for simplicities sake. They are reasonably priced compared the ones the self build shows, but they aren't up to the same fancy spec. I had agreed with the builder that he would do up to the superstructure and then go on to subbies. The carpenters seem to have half prepared the windows and the window people agreed to fit the windows and measured and quoted for supply and fit in this rough state. There is no sign of the builder this week, so I will have to hope the fitters are happy to be flexible. Some of the (grey) lintels are are rusty so I've gone and bought some Red Oxide paint, but they must be rusty on the bits under the wood frame. Does this matter? Should the wood come off and it be painted? I can paint them as best I can tomorrow but bits will be missed. I've noticed that the corner steel has damp coming up from the ground where it's fitted (there will be a big corner window). The base of this doesn't seem to have damp proofing, and is lower than the damp proof in the walls, if that makes sense. It can't be moved so does this matter? Rust has appeared at the bottom (this was a red coated steel). (The bricks you can see are approx finished floor level). I'm resigned that this steel and the lintels above are going to be a thermal break, but is there anything I can ask them to do to improve things (the builder vaguely suggested drilling holes in the supporting steel to fill it with foam, but I think that would be difficult to do and to know that it was properly full)? I might not sleep now, worrying about this steel rusting away at the base ? (Stable conversion of old 140mm block building for those not acquainted )

I love ancient byways for that reason. The thought that people have been treading these paths for perhaps millennia, is truly humbling. Come to think of it, building your own shelter is a pretty basic path that is uniting us. The forum is egalitarian, our personal circumstances are hidden, our abilities are diverse, but we are out here (or is it there?), lending a metaphorical hand in our abstract community...

Take a look at the vets at Beeviewfarm.com on the OPD in Wales. They are self sufficient on a few acres and have made a dwelling by recycling all kinds of things and proving that they are low carbon, according to the regulations. They are near Lamas. I have interior-designer-meets-cabin-in-the-woods aspirations but it's really restricting to be bound by all your principles. Surely the great thing about a canal boat must be that if you don't like the neighbours, you can move on?

Thank you. I'm thinking I'd better check with the water company

Its an existing building, a conversion. There is water in the correct place, but comes from next door and they don't want a submeter

The builder is preparing to connect the water main into our stable conversion. The old building has 600mm footings with a 150mm slab. Builder's subbie (a) wanted to drill into the slab to bring the pipe in. There was quite a bit of huffing about not having the right tool. Today, main builder turned up with a less experienced side kick (b) and persuaded me that this isn't necessary and the they can just go through the wall at the bottom above the slab. This was difficult enough, there was some puffing about the drill. I had to point out he was heading for the DPM in the wall as the masonry started breaking away there and asked him to redirect it. However, I can see this isn't fully correct as insulation is going to be an issue, but I can also see that going through reinforced concrete will be difficult. I went ahead because I need photos (including of insulation) before the water board will book our connection in. They also want photos of the plumbers certificates, which I am certain neither subbie (a) ( b) nor the main contractor have. Subbie (a) has confided he gets very stressed when asked to compromise his standards, so I feel he's on my side and that may be why he wasn't present today. However, it is making me little uncertain/distrustful, so I'm glad I can ask you all ...?

Slightly different for me, a condition of planning is that all my PD rights were removed A,B, C, D, E, F and G ...

I'm in a conservation area and can't even have a chimney without planning permission, and I cant even apply until we have a completed dwelling. It's giving me all kinds of logistical money wasting headaches, so mobile things like this are really interesting, as they seem to circumvent the planning position, to a degree.

What a fab idea! I've been stressing about how to board up on my own ?

Bargain. Mine was £8700 ?

Analgesia not mandatory.

You lot are shockers. Poor chap. Didn't I warn you my favourite operation is gentle emasculation?

Even if that was in a building it would be 'treated' by simply removing or reducing the offending trees and monitoring. Ceanothus is not known for being damaging or thirsty. I would stop worrying and try to repair your relationship rather than the wall...

I recall some people in NZ speaking of moving their 'actual' house sometimes, so they must've been referring to some variation of this.

I think you could add garden design to this thread

I would prefer to drink filtered water (ie some contaminants removed).