RichS

Where are you buying your materials from. I also will be doing my own foundations, I have a price from Kore and a price from Future Found. Future Found actually list the clips in the estimate but I was assuming they were also included in the price from Kore, after all the ring beam can't function without them.

http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/woodscrews/cat840066#category=cat840066&productlength=38_mm

Thanks for all the replies.# The paperwork was indeed what I had already found. The bad news was it cost me £97.00 when I thought it was going to be £28.00. Apparently the lower figure is for extensions etc. not a complete new build.

Jeez, Yours must be printed in gold !!!!

Re. the roof in SIPs. I got some quotes for mine, supply only, and they were eye watering. Regardless to say I won't be using it.

Hi Vijay, I had a look on their website and it seems to throw up the same form. I didn't go through them for the initial planning app. and now although I've registered to the site I can't bring up any details of my permission. Seems that you can't register post permission and then see anything about your plans.

OK, I've done a lot more searching on the web and it seems that I have the correct paperwork in the above. If anyone knows differently please shout up but failing that I'll go ahead with what I've got

Does anyone know the correct form to complete for the Discharge of Conditions. I have to supply drainage details, window details etc. I have all these to hand but I'm not sure which form to fill in. Is it the "Application for approval of details reserved by condition" or is there another form that sounds more fitting?? I've tried my local council website and the Planning Portal but can only find the above. I have managed to find that the cost is £28.00.

If it's in such a bad state why not just knock down and rebuild keeping external looking the same.

@JSHarris Thanks for that reply Jeremy, I will have water on site but I didn't really fancy farting around fitting the manifold etc. when there is a very good chance of it getting damaged. Your reply has just convinced me not to bother

Looking good, hope you get some decent weather for the pour. Are you not bothering to pressurise the underfloor pipes before you pour??. I have often thought about not bothering when I eventually reach that stage but was never sure!!!

"Working at heights" regulations. He should have a safety harness on

So as the general consensus seems to be that the SAPs are really a waste of time and effort, but necessary, would it not make sense for the Design Stage calculations to just meet or slightly exceed the required standards. I ask this as I understand that your final As Built results must at least meet or beat your Design Stage calculations. Doing it this way surely would make life simpler as beating the minimum requirements should present no problems. Or am I missing something??

Hmmm, that makes the price I've been quoted seem even more appealing

Firstly sorry if this is in the wrong section, couldn't really find anything that mentioned SAPs. Anyhow, what is a fair cost for SAP calculations. I have just contacted an on-line firm and this is their response, "Our fee to provide the design and as built SAP calculations would be £90 + VAT. We would charge £40 + VAT for the EPC" Now I'm not sure what I was expecting but at £130 + VAT that seems a pretty decent price to me. Anyone know better??

Exactly, just like holidaying in a camper van or small caravan where the seats become beds, with all the associated farting around.

Yes, a very clever design, but as @Triassic points out the bed needs a douvet and pillows to be any use so it's not quite as simple as they'd like to make out, plus all the other bits and pieces you have in a bedroom, like wardrobes for example.

@Mr Punter & @Vijay Thank you both very much, looks a very simple but effective solution that gives good tolerance for setting the chamber joists to the desired level.

I believe a few forum members have built using Polarwall ICF. What's the situation for fixings the hangers when you reach chamber joist level?? Thanks

Hmmm, tricky one to answer. If i am to be charitable to my conservation/planning department it could be the fact that I pointed out the site has been extensively disturbed back in the 80s when some ground condition tests were carried out. If I was to be skeptical, it would be that I pointed out the condition was capitalised, so was specific, not general, and I wasn't in the said area's so therefore was invalid. Take your pick, but personally I think it probably falls 60/40 into the first category. Whichever, I am more than happy

I would say, that if you have enjoyed a good relationship with them in the past, that this is nothing to worry about (subject to wording) and they are simply covering their own backs against any claims, and quite rightly so. They are being amenable to your plans by letting you work from their side of the boundary. The alternative for them, to avoid any claims, is to simply refuse you the right to work this way. I would say don't look for problems that aren't there, read and then sign the paper, and then buy them a nice bottle of plonk when everything is finished.

Good news I managed to get this condition removed.

Thanks folks, all those replies have sent me back to where I started and saved me £800

So I had pretty much decided not to bother with a warranty. I have no intention of selling the new build when it's complete so can't really see the need. BUT, as you do, I got around to re-considering. A 10 year warranty + building control will cost me about £1600, building control only from my LABC will be about half that. So I read Build-Zone's bumph and it states, Why do I need a Structural Warranty? Apart from the peace of mind you gain by having the Build-Zone Structural Warranty, most Lenders will probably require a warranty as part of the lending criteria. Useful also if your circumstances change and you need to sell the property in the next 10 years you will find it likely that your prospective purchaser's Lender will require a structural warranty on the property before releasing any money. Do not rely on an Architect's Certificate as this will only provide cover in the event of you are able to establish negligence by the architect, which will be covered under their Professional Indemnity Insurance but only for a period of 6 years and it will not cover workmanship or defective materials. The Build-Zone Warranty applies for a period of 10 years and will respond straight away as a 'prime' policy and the insurers will then take on recovery action against those responsible. Now what exactly does the highlighted bit mean??? Recovery action against those responsible?? As a "Self Builder", ie, no main contractor, do you pay them £800 simply for them to come chasing you if things go tits up, therefore negating the whole point of having the warranty in the first place.

I agree, those plastic interlocking tiles look the business but they cost a bloody fortune (the ones I've looked at anyway) Daft as this idea may sound, in my existing garage, in the end that I use for motorbikes etc, I fitted some carpet tiles that I managed to locate free from a job I did. They make it a lot more comfy underfoot and if you leak too much oil on them you simply take up the mucky ones and replace. They also sweep/hoover ok as they don,t really have any pile on them.