Dicky

We have finally been granted planning permission after close to two years of trying, but we have conditions to discharge before we can commence. The main two are:- 1. Intrusive site investigation, being on a coal seem. This part is done and awaiting results. But number 2 has bamboozled my architect, my structural engineer and also building control. Which is this verification and method statement for gas protection measures for BS8485. We have had a quote in which was £1200 for a simple piece of paper telling me how it's to be installed by the groundworkers and another piece of paper stating that it meets the BS8485 requirement. Has anyone else come across this in their conditions or requirements? Thanks Rich

@PeterW sadly I haven't been in a house with MVHR, im unsure if there are actually any around where I live. I understand that's what an MVHR system does, just wondering if the price tag is worth it tho.

Thanks for the information @joe90. Was quite surprised with the MVHR stat about air quality. so an ASHP alone should do us well for heating and DHW without looking at solar thermal. I understand MVHR has nothing to do with heating water but that was my main concern. Not really sure now why the company I spoke to tried to usher me down the MVHR route when the hot water supply was my main concern.

@SteamyTea Just to allow fresh air in and to let the house breath a little. Even these winter months there's always a window or 2 open

@PeterW I understand it doesn't stop me from opening the windows, but That heat that can be recovered from kitchens and bathrooms and returned into the house, if a window or two are open (mainly during good weather) will still be lost. Am I right in saying I will need a good air tightness to the house for a MVHR system.

@ProDave thanks for the reply and advice. No I wouldn't say budget is pushing us one way or the other, was just unsure of really what we should do. A company I contacted regarding ASHP, UNF and possibly solar thermal, basically said they would dump solar thermal in favour for MVHR. Which I have very little knowledge of. Personally I'm not to fussed on MVHR system as I'm the kind of person that likes to have a window or 2 open so heat would be lost regardless. Solar thermal I thought would help with hot water demand but obviously the winter I knew it wouldn't help so much. If an ASHP can give us a decent hot water temperature and demand then I'd happily just stick with that and UNF. Was mainly looking to see what people experiences with ASHP systems were for DHW supply. @Bramco we do have solar pv on the garage at the site currently. I have considered battery but we will install at a later date

We are nearing determination date for our self build so I'm trying to get as much knowledge and information as possible so I know what route I'd like to take. We are definitely going down the ASHP/UFH route as we have no mains gas coming up the road to our house. But after speaking to some people, I've had mixed comments on ASHP systems, mostly regarding hot water and not reaching a decent temperature for baths/showers etc... What are other people's experiences with their ASHP systems and their hot water?? So with that this is the reason we may look at also installing a solar thermal system or a MVHR system. Any help and advice will be much appreciated Thanks

@AliG I think we have until November to reapply for free. I'd happily change the bay and stone but Im not happy with spending all that we are going to spend on it for it to look bland. The house is off any through road and is only used by industrial waste company as there is an industrial recycling yard further up the hill. What also angers me with the council and their basically "our way or the highway" stance on it, is that if we agree to remove bay and stone and build what they have asked they will also be looking to remove our PD rights which totally angers me.

@PeterStarck I'm not sure where we go from here tbh. I'm looking to contact the local councillor next week and see what I can do or if I can go to some sort of committee. I've not heard much good reports about the planning office for the county so not holding my breath.

Wow I didn't expect this much of a reply and help/advice and questions. Really appreciate you're input @Ferdinand @AliG. I've read through all of your points and do have more detail and Information. The bat report @Ferdinand The report we originally had done wasn't enough for them. So we went back to the bat people and they wrote up a mission statement and a method of how we are to tear down the house. I have been in contact with the NRW regarding this. They gave us an option to get a method statement and tear down method or have a full bat study done. The plans (design) When I had an onsite meeting to try and iron certain problems out, the case officer mentioned the gap at the side and she wanted it a big bigger, so we moved the house over a meter to the driveway and she was happy with that. She didn't like us having gable ends in the original plans so we placed half hipped roof instead and again she said they would consider it. The thing they are adamant on the most is the stone and frontal bay, which for me is what makes it feel like my house and not the council's house. I can see what you are saying @AliG that it doesn't add any beneficial room to the house and the council won't grant us permission unless it's gone. I left it on the plans to see if the two changes we made would suffice and the fact other houses around the area don't fit in with street scene yet got built. I have since read on the forum while searching that president stands for bog all with planning applications ?. @AliG with regards to the stairs I only noticed after plans had been finally submitted that they double back but they should have been changed to straight up and not a return. With regards to the ceiling heights that is something we can definitely look at and change. There are probably loads I've missed out to comment on. Sorry the reply comes across all over the place.

@joe90 no we didn't. I assume now we have gone to appeal the chance to go to committee is gone now is it?

@joe90 first picture is the house at the bottom of my street, probably been up about 8yrs. The 2nd house is a house on my mothers street about 2 minutes drive from me, not a single house looks like it on the street and as you can see from the rear, it's literally dwarfs everything around it, this got build at the start of 2019. And the case worker for this house is the one that dealt with mine ? ??‍♂️ and did I mention he's a local builder and owns a building firm ?

@AliG most of the new build will be render other than where we want the stone. They ain't bothered about the back end of the house and also have said that we can put stone on the garage front cause "it's down the back" as the woman put it. They said if we moved the house over and changed the roof to a half hipped instead of gable then the other parts may be ok. Her words were "don't give us all of the changes at once as it may keep her boss happy if we do one or two". Yet during a phone call with said boss, she hadn't sat down with the woman dealing with our planning to discuss changes and that our planning handler was the one requesting the changes. The communication level seemed nonexistent in the office from multiple phone calls I had with the boss.

@Randomiser ah I didn't think about that

@joe90 and that's another thing, the planners have said if I do compromise and take off the front "bay" and stone they will grant me permission, BUT will also aim to take my PD rights off me aswell so I can't.

Thanks for the reply @AliG. We had a planning consultant so our appeal and to be honest looking back now feel a bit bullshitted by him. Was told what we want to build can be done on PD rights and put that in his case but i now realise that they can't and never could be. The house we want to build is alot larger than the original but the plot, land can take it and we will still have over half the land to still use for a garden. The planners refused it on design and not fitting in with the street but again only used the other 3 similar houses. There is a compromise to be had and that's build what the council wants us to build and it to look the same as it does now, albeit bigger and render only. I have included a pdf of the elevations Current Proposed Elevations.pdf

Today I had the news that my planning appeal had been rejected to build mine and my partner's dream home on the grounds of "Street scene". The plan was to demolish an old house and garage on the land and build new. But the current house is part of a row of 3 identical detached houses from the 1930's, our house being the last of the 3. Next to us sits a tiny bungalow and also across the road from that is a small bungalow. They have taken "street scene" as these 3 houses yet there are other houses on the road of different character and materials choice such as brick and so forth. They seem to have disregarded any other house on the street in our report. Now our appeal has been rejected I want to know where can I go from here?? Have others been in a similar situation where they have been rejected on both but still managed to build the house that they like/love?? The council have basically told us we can build to the same that's currently there, but for me that's not an option as we have a big family and need the room. Any help or advice will be so appreciated Thanks Stay safe

@AnonymousBosch really appreciate them links. Will take some time in work to read them. I am interested in building with durisol and doing it myself with my partner/friends but want to know is it as easy as it says on the tin. With regards to other trades coming to work on it such as carpenters and plasterers I'd be surprised if any around my neck of the woods have worked with it but I may be wrong.

Thanks @Bitpipe for saying hi and replying. I was always slightly thinking it may be worth demolishing but never thought it would be a real option and an extension would be the way forward. Now we are planning to demolish we also look to move the house slightly on the plot to accommodate a slightly large drive opening and push the house from the road a little, even tho the road is a quiet road. Luckily where I am there are lots of farmers and jcb owners and have had one quote to demolish for £2500, which includes taking the rubble away. He will them turn it into hardcore and sell on. So a win win for him ? Ideally we want it well insulated so there would be no need to re-install and lpg tank that we are having disconnected and taken away. So a air source heat pump is going to be an option plus under floor heating and a wood burner in one of the living rooms. Hopefully the plan is to do an awful lot myself and call in help from mates in the trade to give a helping hand with the stuff they can do, carpentry, plumbing, etc. I'm leaning more towards ICF but not sure where on the site I can gather a wealth of information from one post or a pinned post and who on here may be the best to speak to regarding ICF stuff.

Hi @Ferdinand thanks for taking the time to say hi and reply With regards to I have no problem keeping them on but on a new roof. They have said if I want to change the roof (when we were talking of extension) they said they are reasonable and can accommodate. But now it's a demolish and new build I'm hoping they will fair the same ? There is an old 3 car car port down the back which is in poor state which I plan to demolish and put a new large 2 car garage down there. I was going to do this the same time as the new house and get things delivered the same time to save on cost and what not

Hi all recently joined up before me and my missus start our venture into our self build ?? We recently bought a house with the plan to extend it, but we have had 2 architects around and both have said we would be better off demolishing the house as to build what we want. We are looking at over doubling the square footage of the house and apparently it's not possible. We are both happy to do this as we can build what we want and not governed by the current house and walls. But now the question is, how do we go about building it. Traditional block, timber frame and block, or ICF ??‍♂️??‍♂️ I have read a bit of Information on the site regarding all possibilities but I'm even more unsure of which way to go. The house is off mains gas and there are leased PV solar on the roof. We have spoken to the company who own them and they are more than reasonable to work with us with which ever we decide. Basically I'm after peoples opinions of what's cost effective and also energy efficient and what the pros and cons are of each. I'm no builder but am an electrician so would feel confident in giving things a go myself. That's basically the jist of things at the moment. Looking forward to hearing people's thoughts and gathering useful information that may help us with our dream Rich ?