Great_scot_selfbuild

The electricity company form appears to want you to calculate it / show figures. There I was just wanting a quote for single phase or 3-phase.

It's in the title really, and I'm short on time to scour the internet for how I calculate the total load. We don't have everything specified yet, but to give an idea: 4 bed house, high-performance timber build, ASHP (6kW). It will also have MVHR, a 7.5kV EV charger. I'm sure we could run off single phase power if that's all they had on the street (the power company doesn't know until they do a full application and in-person survey?!?), however, we want them to quote us for 3-phase power so that we have it installed as future-proofing, or rather so we at least know what the cost difference is and whether it is even routed nearby. If we put the demands in for single phase, I just don't want them to only quote for single phase. Hopefully that makes sense? Grateful if one of you would offer some advice. Many thanks

@Gus Potter fantastic response - really appreciate you taking the time to be comprehensive. Happily, I spoke to an SE this week familiar with designing gabions for just my sort of problem and even better his feedback was almost identical to your response above. We have a positive direction of travel!

@Gus Potter Thanks - it's good to know we're on the right track (we have just had borehole samples taken, SPTs conducted and soil analysis to take place over the next couple of weeks. We have a detailed topo map and the driveway will be topped with a fittleworth stone finish. Can you advise how to find the right type of SE for designing gabions? (this is the bit I'm struggling with atm)

@Conor see OP - we're looking to create a level surface for the driveway which traverses a sloped area of ground. The gabion's would be topped with a cellweb layer and finishing topping, providing a free-draining driveway so the roots/area under the driveway still get water to them.

@ToughButterCup Can you please elaborate? Was it for a similar task (gabion / driveway)? Can you share any details? Thanks

A seemingly simple task. I know I need a structural engineer with a Civil / Geotechnical specialism, who has experience in designing gabion walls. Any recommendations on how to sift the internet to avoid wasting lots of time? I'm in Farnborough, Hampshire. Summary of the task: Driveway traverses a slope, but we can't dig into it because of tree roots. The design recommendation we've had is to use Gabion baskets to build up the lower side to create a level driveway surface (rather than lots of layers of 'Cellweb'. I've spoken to an experienced engineer familiar with gabion baskets and confirmed they have done this for other jobs (car parks etc...) so it is possible, but they're at the other end of the country and recommended finding a local engineer (who highlighted that the term 'structural engineer' covers very wide range and so I need someone with the right sub-specialism). Thanks in advance... Dave

I'm just about to start sizing up the plant room space and trying to keep it as small as practicable - would you mind sharing any details of yours? (please DM if not wishing to share too much publicly). Many thanks, Dave

Thanks for this post and keeping it updated - I'm following closely as we're starting to look at this for our build (builder had just mentioned to us yesterday to ensure that rainwater drainage mustn't be directed to the waste water drainage field). We had been recommended the Klargester Biodisc, partly as being the quietest treatment plant on the market (we're in a very quiet location and weren't aware of the noisy created by air blower pumps until it was mentioned to us). Good luck with the build.

Any advice on how you finish the edge to prevent it just crumbling away? (I've used tarmac for individual pothole repairs, but without a firm edge to compact it against, I think any vehicle weight on it would just cause the edge to collapse and push the tarmac out the side).

(See attached photo) I’m looking to repair some potholes and general wear and tear along the unadapted lane leading to our site (‘driveways’ seemed to be the only suitable topic area - let me know if theees a better one to ask this in) This deep pothole is on the edge of the tarmac road surface, where it meets the gravel. can anyone advise on the best way to repair this? Many thanks

So,... We already own the land (have done for a few years), land registry details are updated and correct, we have the title deeds. We gained planning permission during our ownership. We're applying for a self-build mortgage and have been told we need a solicitor for the conveyancing. I'm just struggling to understand why we need a solicitor and what they have to do for us to get a self-build mortgage. Even if we have to accept that conveyancing is required, the quote we've received (see extract attached) includes a lot of fees that are nothing to do with the conveyancing but rather land registry activity that we've already done and already have the documents for. A land registry title and plan only cost £3 each. Grateful for any light that fellow build-hubbers can shed. TIA. David

@Gerhardt did you manage to source a pivot door? It's something I'd really like on our build, but the cost is out of this world through the big suppliers.

Hi, We're just really starting to plan our the construction of our build after 2.5 years in the planning system. I've amassed plenty of knowledge of the planning process, how subjective it can be and how important it is to manage your own expectations from the start. It's also shown me first hand why land with planning permission is worth so much - those that can get a site from nothing to approved have put a lot of risk on the line if like us you have bought a blank site. I believe a lot in knowledge capture and exploitation, so although I'll be here to learn and draw on others for the next phase, I'm keen to share an unhealthy depth of planning experience and knowledge I've now amassed. Initially I'm holding off from publishing our exact planning reference number etc. Our Initial Process: Our rough process at the start was: Purchased land from family based on valuation of land with no planning, and actually paid more than a neighbour had offered shortly before (so the risk wasn't the same as buying 'any old plot' - there is a lot of history and ties for us to wanting to preserve this parcel of land whether we achieved planning or not). Reviewed all the planning applications for the immediate lanes and roads to understand the likely reasons for refusal (we already knew planning was difficult to achieve) and, importantly, note the architects and planning agents that had been used successfully. Searched for local planning consultants and spotted a name that was familiar(!) - they were previously the head of planning for the LPA for 15+ years and had signed off many (many!) refusals and approvals in the immediate area. Approached this planning consultant and they attended site (£250) and basically thought we may have a 50:50 chance, weighing everything up. Asked his view on some architects - he reluctantly gave a couple of names (not endorsing them, but as examples of some he'd worked with) We searched locally for an architect and approached two. We were upfront with them about approaching a couple of different firms, both attended site (free - very local) and we selected one. They clearly have a lot of approaches from people 'who have bought some land...'; what gave us significant credibility was that we had a planning consultant (who was well known and respected) who thought it had a chance; by all accounts, he was known for being pessimistic and so 50:50 was apparently pretty good from him! ...and then we got stuck into the detail. Expectations: We'd set our expectations (based on the planning consultant's advice) as: Expect it to take 12mths for the application to be refused (having trawled the LPA planning history it seems to be a right of passage for any new dwelling application, just to see if you really want it). Appeal - expect this to take 18-24mths. Review the refusal and submit an amended application in parallel to the Appeal. Timeline (attached): I've attach a timeline summary of our first (refused) application, which we ensured our planning consultant included in our appeal submission - maintaining a meticulous action log of all emails and phonically during our planning process proved invaluable. Summary: Here's a small extract of a summary that I ended up including in a few of the documents submitted in the second application - putting this at the front really helped land the salient points of the development. As with any application, there are a lot of site specific details and it's a skill writing something that is short enough to be read - including this bulleted list at the start gave me more confidence the LPA (and committee if it went that way) would see that I'd covered off the main areas they may seek to refuse. We submitted a very comprehensive full planning application so that they had to work hard to find a reason for refusal. It worked, because it got approved. a. Not a developer-led application; applicant-led and meets criteria for Self-Build Housing; the applicant is registered on Part 1 of the Custom & Self-Build register. b. Proposal is for a single 4-bed house, single external garage (4 parking spaces) and external home office. c. 0.84-acre plot; private garden. d. Last undeveloped plot along the lane. e. The plot boundary has been set out since 1909 as part of the low-density design of the area. f. It is not a sub-division. g. It is in the developed settlement area. h. It is at the intersection of two dead-end unadopted private roads. i. Mains services run directly past the plot. j. It meets criteria for being classed as windfall and infill. k. It is not in a conservation area. l. It is not in an AONB, AGLV, or green belt. m. It is not overlooked by any neighbouring properties n. Although there are many trees on the site, it is not ancient woodland (closest ancient woodland is ~400m away). o. It is adjacent to a small public wood. p. There are no TPOs on the site. Protecting and preserving the trees was the over-riding brief to our architect. Application proposes removing 2 low quality trees. So, that's us and if you have a plot with a lot of trees and you're trying to work with them rather than fell them, I'm happy to share my experience. Kind regards, David Instagram: @Great_Scot_Selfbuild; https://www.instagram.com/great_scot_selfbuild?igsh=bGJtcWVwdzR2ZHA5 Great Scot! Planning Timeline (for buildhub).pdf

Just for reference if it helps anyone, here's the email content I sent to my CIL team (who were actually responsive by phone and email), they couldn't offer advice on the regulations - they are under instructions to only be able to point to the regulations, paste them verbatim but not offer a view on whether the work is in/outside them. The phone call confirmed that my interpretation was correct, but the email they would reply with could only agree that the regs I was citing were current and correct. It gave me enough to know that I was the right side of the line. ************ Email content ************ Dear CIL Team, I’m still looking to get our Form 6 approved against tomorrows date, but I have looked further into the government regulations and their definition of ‘Material Operation’ in relation to the extract in your email below. Based on the Gov definitions (CIL / Town & Country Planning Act), the investigative holes (which will be filled back in) do not actually constitute a ‘material operation’, therefore it can be undertaken prior to the Form 6 approval (and would avoid me rescheduling this work). However, I would like a response to confirm that you agree with this. The relevant links and extract are provided here: Gov CIL Regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/948/contents Gov definition of commencement: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/948/regulation/7 Commencement of development 7.—(1) This regulation has effect for determining when development is to be treated as commencing for the purposes of Part 11 of PA 2008. (2) Development is to be treated as commencing on the earliest date on which any material operation begins to be carried out on the relevant land. (3) Paragraph (2) is subject to the following provisions of this regulation. (4) Development is to be treated as commencing on the day planning permission is granted for that development if planning permission had previously been granted for that development for a limited period. (5) Development for which planning permission is— (a)granted under section 73A of TCPA (planning permission for development already carried out); or (b)granted or modified under section 177(1) of TCPA 1990 (grant or modification of planning permission on appeals against enforcement notices), is to be treated as commencing on the day planning permission for that development is granted or modified (as the case may be). (6) In this regulation “material operation” has the same meaning as in section 56(4) of TCPA 1990(1) (time when development begun). Gov definition of material operation (TCPA 1990): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/8/section/56 (4)In subsection (2) “material operation” means— (a)any work of construction in the course of the erection of a building; [F9(aa)any work of demolition of a building;] (b)the digging of a trench which is to contain the foundations, or part of the foundations, of a building; (c)the laying of any underground main or pipe to the foundations, or part of the foundations, of a building or to any such trench as is mentioned in paragraph (b); (d)any operation in the course of laying out or constructing a road or part of a road; (e)any change in the use of any land which constitutes material development. Many thanks, *******