BotusBuild

We have just bought on a site 10 minutes from our build. So we are lucky as it is mains everything. It's an ABI, and has been well looked after. Just two problems to fix which we will do when we move permanently next month.

I can confirm that they are to scale, but you'll have to take my word for that I guess

@mjc55, thank you for your observations, and I accept your comments. To be clear, the advice and guidance on the Cornwall website is very poor. You go round in circles trying to find a webpage that contains all you need to know about what you need to submit, and in what format. Believe me, if I had known it all had to be in PDF, I would have done so. Re-directing you to the planning portal, which itself is better, but still does not restrict what you can submit (it allowed me to upload the JPG files). When I called to get some help, the ONLY way I could get it was to fork out nearly £300 for the privilege of talking to someone. I'm just trying to keep costs down, but I feel that I HAVE to use an architect to draw me some pictures. FYI - the elevation drawing and floor plans that I provided are all dimensioned, so no need for them use a scale and measure it themselves. All the information is there. This is why I am annoyed.

They want an OS based location map even thought the planning portal allow you to provide easting and northings only 1:500 scale location plan - they already have one Elevation drawings with scale bar - they have all the elevation drawing with actual proposed measurements on them Similarly scaled floor plans To be able to measure we need PDF instead of JPG files Ecology report assessment check list - not asked for on the planning portal We don't have a record on system for "your site". If they had bothered to read the extensive accompanying document I put together they would have all the information about the current build being done. I just hate that I am having to reproduce or further annotate stuff that they already have in front of them. And if I could go and physically talk to them it could be sorted in under an hour. Muppets!

Thank for the feedback. It helps to know I'm not alone (although I suspected as much anyway from other posts). I'd love to see how all these "vote" promised new homes are ever going to get built when this is what we are all up against.

Why do Cornwall County Council planning department refuse to talk to people about submitting a planning application? And why is the information on their website so piss poor? And why are they using the sh1tty planning portal system? Am I frustrated? You bet. And having submitted an application to be told that files that were uploadable to the planning portal are not acceptable just makes it all so much friggin worse. Thank you for listening 🙂 I'm off to change files to PDF, and spend unnecessary money on a map they already have. Fvckwits!

It is being used for backfill and other landscaping in the rest of the site

🙂 so it is a big job ( in my eyes at least)

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Then why am I being quoted £600 or more??

That will be removed No older than late 1980's There is 😀 Basically sockets in one side of the house. There is another MCB for the other side. It could be labled simply " sockets, right hand side"

I know that as part of an electrical safety check (in order to get an EICR) that our consumer unit will be checked. See pictures. Can a qualified electrician here tell me if this is likely to need to be changed?

and the table and chair legs will mark it 🙂

Not the best picture, but this is what it looks like once the box is properly set in the wall

Got any pictures Richard? Assuming these are going to be walked on (patio?) they are likely to get marked and scuffed after you have laid them anyway, so if the marks are relatively minor they are likely to "disappear" over time.

I am told that standard electric cable cannot be in contact with EPS. Fullstop. The only way to guarantee that is to run it through conduit. What is not obvious from the photos is that the final conduit runs the full length (and more) of that cut channel. Hope that helps

Several months ago on a thread I can no longer locate, I committed to donating the location to create a short video of installing conduit for running electric cable to sockets in EPS insulation, specifically in this case Nudura. Well, finally, I bought a roundtuit, and we have results. For those who don't know, if you are not using the low smoke insulated cable (at 20-30% more cost), then using conduit is the way to go. Why? If the cable heats up, it can melt the EPS which turns into a glass like substance. This in turn can then cut the insulation on the outside of the cable with potentially devastating consequences. First the video (sorry, can't seem to resize this): 20240519_162745.mp4 Link for the hot knife - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07F8LFRCF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 No extra videos, just a few follow on picture of the conduit in place The sockets have since been cut further back into the EPS so the conduit sits flat

I've got 4 or 5 litres of D4 to get rid of if your interested. In Cornwall but can be in Reading

@Thorfun - would you mind messaging me to let me know what system you used and any gotcha's that someone should look out for. Just got to convince SWMBO that the pipe into the washing machine is coming from the mains 🙂

30 m2

With those picture I would say a simple T piece would suffice instead of the double set of pipe where the bath taps are going

@Hannah82w - do you have pictures of the controls that you propose to use for the bath and shower? They may help people to answer more fully. Where on the pipework fitted in the bathroom as shown at the moment would the shower controls and shower head be fitted?

One of the problems with building stuff onto existing properties is not knowing of hidden surprises. When this happens, adjustments maybe necessary and may involve unforeseen cost. Sorry to be the harbinger of some possible doom. But you need to be aware of this upfront so you can plan accordingly. You are going to have to take a balanced approach, and I think both you and your dad are right in wanting to approach the relevant people. You'll need to talk to both, find out what the lenders are prepared to lend, and what a builder is likely to charge. If you are handing it all over to someone to build and your funds are limited then you really need to consider a fixed price quote (Note: the builder will add a contingency figure into their quote as they will be taking on the risk to deliver the proposed extension). Obviously, if you are able to do any work yourself/ves this may help to reduce the overall cost. Whatever you do though, do not hand over money for work not completed. For materials, maybe on delivery is OK, but pay for the "doing" in installments e.g. foundations complete, walls complete, roof and windows installed, first fix, second fix, completion and snagging. Good luck. Don't be put off by what I've said, just be aware of it 🙂

I would love to try and do the skimming, but having just ordered 4 pallets of plasterboard (and that is not the final total) I think I will be calling someone in to do it especially as 260m2 of that plasterboard is on the ceilings - there ain't no way I'm going there especially with my shoulders now in the state they are from the build so far.

Do you mean buck ends? I ran out but had spare standard blocks left over, which I cut up. Set the blade depth on a circular saw to cut the notches in the sides. Bit messy, but does the job - Wear a mask and goggles 🙂

Thank you all ye Thespians - It seems it is nobler in the mind not to suffer the tape and joint of outrageous fortune but to take skimming tools against the bumpy boards, and by skimming, end them.