Lincolnshire Ian

My building spec is for 160mm PIR in the floor. This is OK, but I am struggling to find any insulation thicker than 150mm and to keep things simple I would like to avoid using two different thicknesses. Does anyone know where I can get 160MM PIR? Thanks

Hi Our Structural Engineer is designing piled foundations for our self-build in south Lincolnshire. Does anyone have any recommendations for piling companies, and also for groundworkers who can build the ring beam etc. Thanks

Hi all We are planning a new build with a plant room. The plant room is accessed from the garage, but is part of the insulated building envelope. The plant room will contain the ASHP internal components, MVHR, battery, UFH manifold and Hot Water Tank. Most of our UFH quotes exclude the plant room, which has a certain logic because this is a small room which contains equipment that will generate heat. Does this make sense, or should we be asking for quotes that include UFH in the plant room? Thanks

We want to increase the potential to avoid awkward questions from insurers and mortgage companies for future owners.

Hi We have spent lots of time looking at different types of cladding for our Fleming Homes timber frame house. The house is going to be 70% render on block and 30% cladding on battens. We have settled on Cladco and gave them a call for a chat. One of our questions was about fire rating, and due to it being a composite of wood fibre and plastic they aren't. We have a two storey house, 30% clad, on a large plot with at least 10m between us and the nearest neighbour. Do we need fire-rated cladding? Thanks

We have been looking at tiles for our self-build. We want a grey, flat tile and have been looking at Marley Modern and Sandtoft Calderdale. One builder's merchant said these two suppliers can have availability issues and long lead times, so they suggested we look at the FP McCann "Thin Flat Tile." It looks like FP McCann has been making concrete products for decades but is relatively new to the tile market. Does anyone have any experience with this tile? It seems to be quite a bit cheaper than the Marley or Sandtoft alternatives. Thanks

Hiya I have been told by my structural engineer that his standard soil test depth is 3m but some warranty companies want deeper tests. Has anyone seen this. I can't see anything in the policy etc. Thanks

Hi We have a new build timber frame house 200sqm with posi joists. We are going to install an MVHR system. We have received quotes for MVHR systems from BPC and ADM for five different units, but similar ducting etc. The units they have suggested are: * Vent-Axia Plus B * Zehnder Q450 * Vent-Axia Sentinel Kinetic Plus * HRV4.25 Q Plus Eco * Comfo Air Q350 The quotes are all within several hundred pounds, except the Vent-Axia Plus B which is much cheaper, the actual unit seems to be around half the price, or less, of the others. Does anyone have any experience of the Vent-Axia Plus B system (it's being suggested by BPC)? Is it worth paying the extra for one of the other systems? What is your experience of BPC or ADM? Thanks

A few more notes about Biodiversity Net Gain and exemption. Whilst the BDNG applies to most new developments, there are some exemptions. BNG Exemptions Regs 2024 8(1) the biodiversity gain planning conditions does not apply in relation to planning permission for development which – (a) Consists of no more than 9 dwellings; (b) is carried out on a site which has an area no larger than 0.5 hectares; and (c) consists exclusively of dwellings which are self-build or are custom housebuilding. 8(2) in this regulation “self-build or custom housebuilding” has the sme meaning as in section 1(A1) of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (a) Definition of Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 “ In this Act “self-build and custom housebuilding” means the building or completion by (a) individuals, (b) associations of individuals, or persons working with or for individuals or associations of individuals of houses to be occupied as homes by those individuals. When planning is granted the LA may ask you to enter in to a unilateral undertaking to the LA ( a promise made in a written agreement signed by you (with a witnessed signature i.e. a deed) . In the promise you confirm that you are doing the project as a self build. The LA may insert a requirement that you have to occupy the development. You may be able to negotiate that there should be no separate occupation requirement as the need to occupy is already included in your part of the promise the build a self -build home which meets the definition of the 2015 Act. If the LA insist on a separate occupation clause, you may want to offer 12 months post practical completion. This coincides with your VAT reclaim period in any event. Some LAs may try and insist on a three year occupation period. With it being a relatively new regulation, there is still a lot of confusion going on in the LAs. The requirement for a 3 year occupation (usually associated with a Community Infrastructure Levy exemption) does not come into it when dealing with biodiversity net gain exemptions.

We live in South Holland, which is in a neighbouring "three district" blended area. Planning has been a 18 week nightmare with BNG exemption being the final hurdle. We signed a Unilateral Undertaking (contract with the council) to agree to living in the house for at least 12 months. The LA solicitors are swimming in the dark with this as its new so it's worth pushing back on suggestions that seem a bit mad.

The difference is that with CIL the mechanism to break the agreement is written into legislation, but it isn't for BNG.

We are going through the final (painful) struggles to get planning permission for a demolition and self-build project. We are exempt from biodiversity net gain requirements because we are self-builders, we are recognised as such by the LA so all should be good. EXCEPT we have received a Unilateral Understanding (contract) from the LA in relation to the BNG exception for us to sign, which includes a requirement for us to live in the house for 3 years after completion. Now, we hope to be living in this house we have sweating blood over for decades, never mind three years, but there isn't a way to discharge this liability in the contract if we are obliged to sell (what if we die, and my daughter wants to sell my house, or I die and my wife wants to downsize). We have challenged this with the LA solicitor, but after a bit of googling it seems that this as this is new, and happens so infrequently that the LA solicitors are having to make up the rules as they go along! Has anyone else come across this, or has a strategy that could work with convincing the LA solicitor to relax a little! Thanks

We are looking at a solar PV and battery setup on our new build. We are getting quotes and noticing that some installers are MCS certified for panels and batteries and some just panels. We always have one eye on selling a house before we build or buy it and I was wondering if anyone had run up against a problem with selling a house without a MCS certificate for the storage battery. Thanks

We are building a replacement dwelling in the "open countryside" (planners phrasiology). The planning approval includes removal of permitted development rights to erect sheds etc. Could this restrict our ability to erect a welfare cabin (shed) and provide a portaloo?

We are building a replacement dwelling in "the open countryside" - outside the local development plan area. The stumbling block we came up against is that the house we build needs to be of "high architectural standard". We started the process of submitting designs that fitted in with the local street scene - brick outer skin to fit in with the typical vernacular. The planners said this wasn't of "high architectural standard" although weren't able to offer us any guidelines, meetings or anything really - they just wanted to see revised plan. The plan they have approved is a small brick plinth, and a mix of render and cladding for the walls with Alu-clad windows, tiled roof with built in PV panels. They have approved this, but we need to wait until the planner returns from holiday to hear what changes are needed to the front elevation. For context we are demolishing a derelict 1960's prefab bungalow!