Big Jimbo

Make sure that the granted planning permission does not remove your permitted devl rights.

I did my planning myself, which might have been a mistake, but i could'nt face the £30k quotes i got from 2 good local planning consultants. I am also in Green Belt. Parish Council, Neighbours, etc are all anti extending, let alone new build. I did as much research as i could, and nicked several bits from previous successful applications. I did sightline drawings that showed that my proposal was less harmful to the openess of the Green Belt, than what i already had been granted permission to build. My problem was that the lame planning officer just went along with the parish council, (and does in all his decision making) because he has no ability to form an opinion of his own, and just want's an easy life (lazy). This means that he basically follows the reccomendation of the Parish Council, (Who all act as planning officers even though they have zero training or expertise) This makes it very hard to get anything done if you end up with a particular Two planning officers at the local council. Research, research, research. You can't do enough, or pay a very smart local planning consultant if you have one. It's either that, or resort to the hooker, coke, and photos. That also works wonders. Good luck in your quest. Interestingly, Two schemes very similar to what i got eventually passed have both been refused within 50metres of my my place, since i got my PP. Perhaps i should have passed on the telephone number of my fixer. ???

Bloody hell Pro Dave. Gutted for you. That looks like one large problem that you just don't need. Somebody else had a problem with the render boards pillowing. Hope you get it sorted without it costing you.

Sad to hear that. In the 3 years you might come to love it. If it is something you are really not happy with, and if you have some money in it, perhaps pay the cil, flog up, and move on. Life is short.

A bit of both, i tend not to increase the height of the joists, as height always seems to be an issue. I usually work out what size wood i beams i need for the spans. This will give me the minimum acceptable for building control to pass. I usually purchase the next width up in size (for very little extra cost) and look at my layout as sometimes moving a few of the joists closer together can make work to come after easier. So in effect if i was using 15 joists, i might end up using 17 joists. When i sent them off to the joist companies for confirmation, i always get told that i have over engineered it. (I'm happy with that, i don't like just minimum) Always screw and glue the floor above, and joking aside i have ended up with better floors than some block and beam, and with less bounce.

You can have a crack at it yourself, as its a surface mounted sink which should hide your new cut edge. However, it is messy. For what it will cost you, get the pros in.

Only my personal opinion, but i would go for posi everytime. I usually up the spec width wise, rather than depth. Ie; go above minimum spec. Floor above , glue and screw. Rock solid floors. Most of the timber i find, is wet, shrinks like hell, twists like hell, and is generally crap. Engineered timber all day long for me.

It may not just be coming through the blockwork below dpc. It may also be rising to sit at the water table level. French drains around the outside may help, but only if you have somewhere lower to take the water to that has good drainage.

I once got lines in primary school for messing about. I had to write out One to a Hundred in Binary.

I agree with Russell above. Any building system can be built well or built badly.

Sorry, I am rubbish with computers. Check out my thread "Posh shed" Although my shed is insulated to higher standards than you are thinking about, don't under estimate how much it will cost you to build something decent from scratch. Mine came in at just under £13k . It has got a shower and a toilet, and lots of electrics, but even if you didn't fit them, it would have been well over £4k.

Welcome. That sounds exciting. Best of luck. If you get some time, post your plans up.

Yes i see that, which is a naughty. But from where he says the water is coming in , i would expect that if he had a problem it would be the roof.

Rich 123. Did you find out what your problem was ?

I thought he used to say "Keep em peeled"

I'm talking about having your sips panels signed off. Building control, or an engineer. I doubt you will get either to do it. Sips panels are made in a factory under high pressure. If you decide to either stick build or timber frame, you will still have to find somebody to sign it off.

I would be concerned that you would not be able to get your own sips panels certified.

Sorry, are you intending to buy pre made sips panels, or make your own ?

I think the fear of crime is something that bothers a lot of people. Me included. In the 60's and 70's i had so much freedom to play out with my mates etc. At the weekend, or school holidays i would take off on my bike after breakfast, and not return till dinner time. My mum or dad never indicated that they were concerned. My own 3 daughters however were never allowed such freedom, and i wonder if it was because of the media. We became much more aware of peado's etc through the news media. I have always had, House alarm. CCTV, and extra van locks.I have always worked on the basis of wanted to make my neighbours easier to burgle than me. An old pals from a few years ago caught a burglar in his house. He detained the guy for several hours and tortoured him before calling the police to come and pick him up. He scared the guy so badly that the guy wet and poo'ed himself. My friend was prosecuted, and got 6 years for kidnap, and had to pay the guy a substantial sum of money for mental stress etc. The local cops felt quite sorry for my mate, but he was considered to have gone too far. I have often wondered if the burglar decided on a change of career after that. These days crims seem to be total scum, and don't seem to worry about alarms, cctv etc. Up untill recently i kept a vicious dog. Basically, there were 10 people that he would not touch. Everybody else he would attack. He caused some serious damage to a couple of undesirable visitors once. They never complained. I think they were just glad to get away. When i decide to get another it will be a personal protection dog. Local people soon get to know what you have, and i believe that most burglars are either local, or will have checked a place out before.

Good luck. Are you thinking of making your own sips panels ?

The other One is having a storage bits clear out...Two weeks later finding out you could have done with a few of those old bits.

I love the, "I'll hide them there, coz i know they will be safe" Only to find them months later when you have bought new bits. We all do that.

You are still a right tart.

My vote is with Peter. You have lost the compression ring you tart.

I did a deck at my daughters. it was about 450mm high. I had forgot about the 300mm planning rule. I stuck a 2mt high fence on top of the deck to prevent my daughter being able to see straight into next door. To be honest it blocked a lot of light from there patio. If i had been them, i would have complained.