MAB

This website should help you:- https://www.buildingregs4plans.co.uk/ Garage conversion:- https://www.buildingregs4plans.co.uk/garage_conversion_plans.php

Might be useful as a future reference for getting light into a basement or a room made darker when adding a rear extension to an existing house:- https://www.tuffxglass.co.uk/products/thermal-walk-on-rooflights/ Also do some neat looking fixed flat rooflights:- https://www.tuffxglass.co.uk/products/fixed-rooflights/

You can have an informal pre-planning application advice meeting to discuss your plans with most council planning departments, it used to be free but I think many charge for an hour of their time now... Pre-application advice:- https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200232/planning_applications/59/how_to_apply/4

It is important that the mortar mix is correct and not too strong or it can cause cracks. There is a golden rule in the building industry that states ‘mortar should never be stronger than the material it is joining’. Some good advice here:- https://skill-builder.uk/aircrete-blocks These Fischer Duopower wall plugs work well:- https://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-duopower-wall-plugs-6mm-100-pack/1030P?tc=KT1&ds_kid=92700048793290424&ds_rl=1249413&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3oXXyb6R7AIV0-ntCh10cQq9EAQYASABEgIxmPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Without the final completion certificate on a house or extension from Building Control, it can cause problems if you ever sell the house as the buyers solicitor usually asks for evidence of it to ensure everything has been done to the correct standards. A friend of mine whose builder failed to get one on his extension had major delays when selling a few years later, as he had to get local BC to come back and sign off the drains, etc retrospectively before they would issue a cert. Luckily they did not insist on him uncovering the pipe work under his new paving but the delay almost broke the chain of waiting buyers and sellers. I had to chase my local Building Control office to issue a certificate, I don't think they would ever have knocked on my door to add to their workload. My BC officer said the property did not have to be fully decorated but all essential services must be finished and working but I remember he said my walk in shower needed to be plumbed in but did not need the glass panel, etc fitted. He also checked the Electrical Certificate and noted the spec etched on the safety glass panels on my Juliet Balcony. I have never had a Planning officer return to check anything after construction has started and they rarely seem to talk with Building Control officers, I suspect they are too busy and only come out if a neighbour complains about something. Another friend had his builders make the foundations for his kitchen extension half a metre too far out into the rear garden by mistake. The Building Inspector said if your neighbours don't mind just carry on. His neighbours did not mind so his kitchen is bigger than the approved plans and as over 4 years has passed I think that is the cut off period for anything out of planning spec to be challenged?

I had the dilemma a few years ago of planning wanting a new bedroom window to be fixed frosted glass with an opening top fan light window to maintain any overlooking privacy to neighbours, while Building Control wanted an opening casement window below the fan light for fire escape reasons. In the end I went for frosted window with opening fan light and casement to suit BC and safety, only opening the lower window if/when essential. BC inspected and signed off but planning officers rarely seem to return to inspect unless someone complains.

Thames Water:- What should I do if I want to replace my lead pipes? Answer: 'If you’re replacing your lead pipes, we’ll arrange for the replacement of any lead piping that belongs to us free of charge.' https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-quality/lead

Perhaps you would have been better telling Thames water their outside stopcock had stuck in the shut off position and you had no water supply, pretty sure they would have to come out then. Once the workmen arrived I doubt they would care exactly what the problem was and just replace it or fix it.

I saw a house recently that had a dormer roof loft conversion added after the old tiled roof had been spray insulated a couple of years earlier by the previous owners (to me it is a temporary bodge job in most cases). The builders had a nightmare removing the old roof tiles and the whole road was littered in foam insulation carried around on every gust of wind.....

Correction Building Regs only require 30 minutes:- "Wall and any floor between the garage and dwelling house to have a minimum fire resistance of REI 30 from the garage side." https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832631/Approved_Document_B__fire_safety__volume_1_-_2019_edition.pdf

Good point you can do one of two things if the ceiling is not already to 60 minute fire barrier standard for the garage below a habitable room Building Regs:- (1) you can double board the ceiling with standard sheets of plaster board. (2) you can use single layer of fire check pink plasterboard sheets which are a bit heavier to put up.

I would close it in as you plan and maybe install a linear drain across the front of the new Garage door to prevent any rainwater coming in under the door. If you did have any damp problems you could still install a concrete floor at a later date if/when required.

My chipboard floor in my extension only started squeaking after all the carpets had been fitted!.......as I fitted the chipboard floor I just lived with it and don't notice it anymore, plus the rest of the house is 1930's suspended timber floorboards and stairs which have always had various squeaks and creaks!

This video in link below may help you. I bought my 'Folding Sliding Doors' from here and installed them myself as shown in their video. Detailed instructions can be downloaded here:- https://www.foldingslidingdoors.com/info/advice-centre/installation-instructions What is the best bi-fold operating system

Makes no sense to me either....plus many councils suggest you get a Lawful Development Certificate with PD to save any problems. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200187/your_responsibilities/37/planning_permission/3

I built my integrated garage to the same standard of construction and insulation to walls and roof as the rest of the house, a minimal cost difference in the scheme of things, that way the garage can always be used in the future for extra living space or as a warm Hobby room/Gym/Workshop, etc with minimal conversion work. Also a good selling point if you ever move on as few people seem to use a garage for a car anymore.....

For info Virgin V6 Cable TV boxes each require a coax cable connection.

I agree in your case.....I think mine was for expansion joint and to allow some movement between the new and existing foundations as existing house foundation were 1930's and not as deep as the new extension @ 1m in clay.

I did my extension foundations in 2 or 3 stages a few years ago the same way as your structural engineer has proposed, mine was done following advice from the local Building Inspector. The rebar dowels as said can probably use a bit of ply with holes drilled and locate it where the joint is. Push the rebar halfway so it is part in the excavation and part in the a short excavated section of the next trench but make sure the ply is secure enough to hold back the full weight of concrete when poured. One mistake I did make was to hammer the rebar half way into the adjoining clay before the next trench was dug at a later date, rather than using a sheet of ply to support the rebar in an already open section.........hand digging the clay out 1m deep around several half projecting buried rebars was not an easy task in practice! I presume using the ply method the ply board can be left in place when the next section is poured? Where the new foundations butted up to the existing house foundations the Building Inspector also asked me to insert a sheet of polystyrene a couple of inches thick before the concrete went in.

Government's Green housing plan under fire as developers claim it is 'unworkable' Ministers want tough standards to slash the carbon footprint of new homes Housing bosses believe a deadline for the first changes this year is unrealistic Developers will be banned from connecting properties to the gas grid They will be encouraged to roll out air-source heat pumps, solar panels and better insulation Developers say the preferred option would probably require them to stop using gas heating systems and use air-source heat pumps instead. But the HBF said the annual output of these pumps is just 38,000, against 250,000 homes built in 2019. It also says there are only around 900 registered heat pump engineers. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8084233/Developers-claim-Governments-Green-housing-plan-unworkable.html

Using some quality cable made all the difference to the poor signal from my loft aerial.....WF100 / CT100 grade of cable and not the standard stuff sold in DIY stores:- (other colours also available) https://www.aerialsandtv.com/product/black-cable https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/cable-connectors-and-leads/the-three-main-types-of-coax-cable#copper-foil-satellite-grade-cable

The average cost in Surrey is £1500. "An authorised vehicle crossover ("dropped kerb") allows you to access your property safely and easily when you are using a car or other domestic vehicle. Kerbs are dropped from their normal height and the pavement or verge is strengthened to take the weight of the vehicle crossing it to avoid damage to the pavement, pipes or cables buried beneath it. It is an offence to carry out any works on the footway without our express permission. Unauthorised vehicle crossovers will cause the footway to deteriorate and put those using the footway at risk. We take seriously our duty to maintain our highways and protect it from damage, if necessary by legal action." https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/permits-and-licences/vehicle-crossovers-or-dropped-kerbs There are several external factors that can affect your quote, including: The size and gradient of the proposed crossover Utility adjustment/diversion Street furniture adjustment How quickly the contractor can carry out the works If traffic lights are needed or not to carry out the works As part of our initial checks, we will contact all of the utility companies to see what equipment (pipes, cables etc.) is located underground. This information will be passed to you in your 'crossover pack'. If there is equipment that requires adjustment or diversion, you will be responsible for the arrangement and cost.

Does anyone have any recommendations for the best 'Anti-Snap Euro cylinder door locks' to replace the standard ones which it seems are vulnerable to being snapped off? (See videos below)

I have a low profile Walk-in shower tray 1700 x 800 plus glass panel with a 600 wide opening. Water supply comes from a Stuart Turner 2-Bar power shower pump, 200mm diameter shower head and a further hand held shower on the wall. It is not a wet room but so far I have not needed to fit an extra hinged glass flap to the end of the glass screen to retain any splash from there...although it does of course depend to some degree on the care of the person showering, or when using the hand held shower to clean the tray. The problem is sometimes excess water can travel along the tray next to the back tiled wall then around the corner of the end tiled wall and end up dripping off the walk-in tray drying area onto the ensuite floor. The only solution appears to be a Threshold seal fitted on the shower tray entry area, this one in link below seems to be widely available locally and online from Uniblade.......any thoughts welcome? "The Uniblade Chameleon® wet room seal is an ideal solution for situations in wet rooms or shower areas where the flow of water runs out of the floor area it is not intended to. The Chameleon® wet room seal is made from a soft translucent (also grey or white) rubber that simply silicones to the required position on the floor area - tiled or vinyl. It offers an indiscrete barrier to stop the water escaping the shower area." https://www.uniblade.co.uk/chameleon.php