Jilly

Fab thank you

Pro Dave, what company did you buy your PV's from?

DIY composting loos are really easy to make: just get a bucket with a lid and a source of organic material such as wood shavings and you never need to touch the brown stuff. Make some kind of thunder box to house the bucket and loo seat. Every time you 'go' put a decent handful of shavings over it, and it really doesn't smell. When the bucket is full, swap for a clean one, and put the old one at the bottom of the garden for several months (I wouldn't advise tipping out onto the compost heap for obvious reasons!). It will then turn to compost which you can put in the garden or round fruit trees but not on veg, just in case of pathogens. We've done this at our stables in an out door shed and its no where near as disgusting as any kind of chemical loo to use or manage.

If we build up the layers on the floor in our stable conversion, we will lose height and the structural engineer has advised that the architect might design (or is it spec?) thinner lintels. Please can someone point me in the right direction to research so I ask intelligent questions? Thanks

I'm researching options. We are converting a stable with raft and slab foundations. It needs underpinning. A builder we like has suggested cutting out the raft to put insulation/DPC/.UFH etc etc in Structural engineer has suggested (at my behest, because intuitively it looks like a good idea) building over the top, but in that case how do the layers work? Could damp become an issue?

I'd like something easy to manage (small person here) and that would be ok under trees as we have loads...

I'm looking into buying a scaffold tower for jobs which we can do ourselves for the conversion and for tree and hedge trimming. The top ridge of the building is 4.6m. Can anyone recommend something sturdy but easy to manage and put up etc? Thank you .

Hello. Welcome.

OMG

Few of us would have had the money 30 years ago, but maybe more energy! I've spent forever researching everything and it's finally starting to make sense and come together, but I've got long armed glasses round my neck.

Hi there, following on from my previous post about scaling back: Living on site is something I haven't fully explored yet. I understand I am likely together planning permission for a static caravan during the build (which might be very protracted for the full duration) but they are not beautiful (except the very swanky expensive ones). I also had fancied having a garden studio that could double up as guest accommodation, which is also likely to be given planning permission, and clearly we could live in that. We are in a Conservation Area, and have had Permitted Development Rights removed. Would increasing he floorspace by having a garden building affect the Cil calc or am I ok because we are self building? Can people throw ideas, reminders about what to be careful about/wary , what is doable, simple, ideas about costs, so that we try to minimise mistakes, paying twice and less faff please? The ground away from the stable is clay but not near trees. Thank you!

OMG, poor you. My planning permission did not mentioned CIL payment, but I sent the paperwork in anyway and haven't heard anything back. I will sit tight.

Why don't you buy it if it's going to be in your name at the end? Also, the planning process can be slower than you might think, if there is any controversy, it might take a lot longer than 3 months.

As a sign of the times, my old cleaning lady had a law degree and she advised that all agreements have written terms. If you think of all the possible permutations and unforeseens that could conceivably happen you will save a lot of money, as their job is to make you aware of just these issues. At the very least, if you decide to DIY get signatures witnessed. I might need to borrow from a family member but will do this to protect other members of my family who stand to inherit and would not be pleased if this was not clear, in case the worst happened. I guess you need to have wills too.

Fabulous! Bet you are very proud.

I know conveyancing is different in Scotland, but the uplift in value is in gaining the planning, so someone has to take the risk, either you or the seller, you can't have it both ways unless you come to an agreement to split or apportion the costs/risk/profit and make an offer 'subject to planning'. If you have a plot in mind, you could visit the planning office and ask for a view, but it's still not cast iron. In areas where land values are lower and you can get a nice large plot, it may not be so problematic as down south. How about asking your family if they can sell you some land?

We were given pre commencement conditions, which were actually just 2 of the conditions. I now have a different case officer, and she seems unaware of the precommencement conditions...

Are you going down the route of ' Paragraph 79 (previously paragraph 55) of the National Planning Policy Framework states that single dwellings in rural countryside would be looked at more favourably, if the dwelling is of exceptional quality and innovative in the nature of its design and of outstanding architectural merit.'?

I only just got to know that where I am you pay each time you apply to have a condition discharged, so you can do one at once or 10 together , it still costs the same.

Gulp. Wait out the 3 year and rent the house out in the meantime? Take a fixed rate interest only mortgage for 3 years to cover his debts til you can sell and get straight? Or some deal with a delayed completion, but take advice as that could be tricky.

It's usually to have influence or gain payment for further development. People do it if the plot is sizeable and would fit a housing estate to hedge their bets against the uplift in value, or to preserve their outlook.

Do you want to put covenants on the land? I think in that case it would be best to use a solicitor, for the avoidance of doubt.

Thank you for the explanations

Just at the research stage: My architect specified this on the plans and I'm discovering I can't deviate from this, unless I do a 'Variation of condition'. Does anyone have experience of it? We are alongside a hedge, I can't see how it won't crack eventually. Is it really porous? It looks very expensive and a faff.

Not sure if it is the same as in England, but during our Planning Application, we had to liase with Highways about the visibility splays.They were happy our entrance has enough visibility, but we have to keep the splay clear etc. One condition is that we have to have a bespoke dropped kerb (yes, another application) even there is no footpath on our side, with all the drainage/surface info to be supplied etc Luckily highways own the verge, and we didn't have to purchase rights over it. The application was about £110 and the quote from their approved contractor is £4200 and it seems I can't negotiate a better price. Meanwhile, the local farmer removed the relevant section of hedge, removed some spoil, put a bit of hardcore and moved a gate for £400 as a temporary measure. The main thing is that your permission includes the entrance. Cost and details, you just have to suck your teeth (it seems to me!). Good luck.