Jilly

My mantras: Recognise and seize opportunities. Nothing lasts forever. Protect the downsides. What’s important? What is negotiable and what isn’t? Analyse the feelings you want. What’s this really about? Pain recedes.

It’s a bit bonkers, there can be all manner of vehicles of a site on a busy day.

I was always worried about complaints and so blanked as much as I could with black painted ply where the hedges were thin. Developers do this (or with branding) on a lot of sites in London for screening rather than Heras. if they were really worried, they would refer it to Health and Safety, so double check you comply, perhaps?

Why not just build a small detached property on your plot? I can’t see many people would want to be in this situation unless they owned both properties, so as others have alluded, expect them to want compensation.

Have you thought about a compost loo? Much better than the blue stinky thing 😊

If it’s highways costs, are you also having an electric connection? I had to pay each service to close the road and then was reimbursed by the water co because they shared the trench. They won’t set it up differently because of the jeopardy, so at my risk.

Sorry, I was going off piste. I was meaning that we didn't have to have a SAP certificate or to comply with part M for example. I was surprised, and would also that check this has not changed.

There should have been an insulation inspection requested before boarding out which could have picked up the error… BC will come out fairly quickly, so that’s annoying to find out. Only rely on photo evidence if you know the inspector and they have explicitly said they are happy with this and what they are expecting to be demonstrated. Double check everything which hasn’t been signed off yet, just in case there are more oversights. They are likely to want to do more visits now. Check the ventilation requirement above the rafters if not having a warm roof and watch out you keep within PD roof height. If you decide to add insulated plasterboard below, ensure there will be enough headroom. What a pain. Not your fault as such, but is your responsibility, I hope you can find a compromise with the builder, as he will argue you didn’t provide construction drawings.

You/your architect will need to engage a structural engineer and have trial pits anyway. You could also weigh up going for planning to demolish and replace making the sustainability argument as you have the class Q to fall back on. Single story with underpinning can be expensive, if you are lucky the foundations will be adequate. If SUDS/bats/archeology /highways can all be avoided with class Q compared to planning permission, you save a heap of headaches and surveys. Conversions also seem to be more lenient with some of the building regs too because of the compromises. All the best.

Oh dear, maybe he is hoping for a higher offer...

Why not just pay him to leave? No hassle and gives him a deposit for a new place? I've done it, it was worth it. Everybody wins except the lawyers.

Gosh I've lived in houses where every wall is out... does it look wrong, ie is it noticeable or can you distract the eye with pictures etc? Assuming all is ok underneath, with the correct insulation etc? That would bother me more...

I'd be trying to get it done now in the dry weather on clay. Our place went like the Somme because the lads wouldn't believe me and left it too late.

It might be wise in that case not to do anything which you assume to be under PD Rights, in case someone challenges it and opens up the other can of worms? I've heard it recommended to apply for a Certificate of lawfulness to confirm you don't need planning. If you need a piled solution you would need BC I think.

Hello. Is there a possibility that you could part complete so that you can live on site more cheaply, and build the rest slowly?

I think it’s better to get the same architect to produce both the planning and Building Control construction drawings. There were lots of mistakes because I tried to save money using a different architects as I didn’t understand the pitfalls as a newbie.

Definitely worth comparing. Also see what the offer you, there might be no choice in some locations.

So quite a small tank

Depends how many people are likely to live in the flat?

Research your SUDS options it’s a big subject and a big headache, but doable. It depends on if it’s a planning condition or Building Control are to be satisfied. Is the good spot not suitable for a soak away?

Welcome! Yikes, hope it’s not too expensive. There’s always the off grid rabbit hole.

Just had to self moderate my reply to that one.

I still think it world be easier to start a community bus route 😜

Wow exciting! Welcome.

The permitted design looks like a bungalow, so there was nothing to object to. Increasing the height could scare the locals. I visited everyone who would be affected and showed them the plans to gauge reactions.