ToughButterCup

An anonymised image from Google Maps ( or Earth) with an indication of scale will help us help you.

Cold roof design Cold vs Warm roof

How much of an issue? Faced with a (possibly) analogous problem (if the issue isn't too 'large') , we built a water garden. Since building it, all the rainwater off both sides of the roof just disappears. Cost £200 ish .... including the digger. Insterested? Search SUDS> Rain garden. Loads of nice designs. Not much space needed at all.

Center of our place is vaulted. Brilliant. Pain in the Botticelli to dust and clean.

A quick referral @AppleDown - Tanners (referred to above) may be in Eire, but they answered every question for us promptly. More to the point, they made just one sensible suggestion about piles which (together with colleagues on BH) saved us many thousands of pounds.

Beat me to it Ian.....

We had a very similar challenge. Own the land, part of which is / was an orchard. We built on that old orchard. 'Chocolate Box' countryside: lots of opposition. Getting on with people , while useful, is a periforal issue. Its the quality of the support - or objections - that count. The key theme is is whether the objection (or support) is Material to the Application Local Planner is the next stop. Choose carefully. That isn't easy.

To what extent does this sloppy work matter? If the work will never be visible, and is structurally OK (level, straight, correct mortar mix) it doesn't matter. But don't let the sloppiness go unremarked. Because its part of the 'way' which your builder operates. And pay him. If it does matter - isn't level, perps all over the place, wrong mortar mix, is off line - then get it put right before any further work is done. And don't pay until it is right. People and systems show themselves for what they really are when things go wrong. Handled very carefully this issue could really help your build a lot.

Does yours look big in the mirror then ?

Before you go, it might be useful to sift through the Minutes of the relevant Committee. Patterns will emerge, especially if you look at things like political affliation. Attendance records can be instructive .... Have a look also at some of the relevant Decision Notices and see who on the Committe always follows the Planning Officers recommndation - or who doesn't and think about why.

Hello. Welcome. Hmmm, it's a Planning Lawyer you want. Not us builders. I have a feeling - and its no more than that - that withdrawn applications cannot not prejudice a new application: because the content of the old application is irrelevant. Just imagine if in the Decision Notice (to the new application) , reference were made to the earlier withdrawn application : you'd have firm grounds on which to Appeal. The new application will allow you to correct the previous factual inaccuracies. But I doubt whether you can ask for reference to an application be removed from the record. I think it likely that any documentation in the withdrawn application might be hidden from online view. That seems to be the case here in Wyre Borough. In other words, anyone can see that there was an application, but there's no link to its content.

Warra a diplomat .... Lets all have pint on @nod tonight and send him the bill ex-VAT

Rubbish. Bid him Happy Christmas, and bye bye.

The Problem Description is simple: There is a problem in the Planning sector. Whats the answer?

"I wouldn't do it that way mate."

Ditto. But it would be unwise of me to detail it here. Here's an article written by a man I really respect on the subject : Martin Goodhall. A Planning Expert, and a lawyer - a tad out of date but really worth the read.

Had this problem twice. Each time solved by putting our own system in. RightRoyalPainInTheArseInMoreWaysThanOne

I am not an expert - one will be along soon I bet. In the meantime, try this. Find out which frequency the stat works with. I bet it (the thermostat) operates on 2.4 GiggleHerz ( Yes yes I know @SteamyTea ... gimme a break). And maybe your friend has his WiFi set to 5 gHz. In which case the thermostat won't talk to anything (except itself) First job: find out which frequency the thermostat uses and which is being used by the router. Next: match the router with the thermostat frequency (likely to be 2.4gHz) Then come back here..... Maybe the Control unit referred to above is designed to obviate that problem. Issue is still the same - the control unit and the thermostat need to be on the same frequency. Check each of them. Do the freqiencies match?

Anyone know of a good online resource for accessible door furniture? I've spent ages looking online. And nobody - well no door furniture designer at least - has had anything wrong with their hands. Or suffers from arthritis, or has as few fingers as I have, or has parents who are old enough to have trouble grabbing hold of a thumb-lock handle inside a loo - and at the same are visited by bolshy teenagers who just breeze into the loo without a care (other than themsleves) in the world. At least the teen was gracious enough to say 'Shit - that was bad man' And didn't know the answer to the question "For whom was that bad then - man: you or your friend's grandma ? You self-obsessed dolt " Cue flounce and a slammed door. Door closers being fitted next week.

If the Councillors comment has been accurately reported, change '...may...' to '...will be writing...' to both the Planning Committee chairman and the Head of Planning. Has that person submitted a written Objection yet? What is his rationale behind the preference for a bungalow? I ask because it may be that the preference (for a bungalow) is Material to the Application. If on the other hand it isn't, then the objection is irrelevant.

Good. Now - How to choose a Planner.... Network : with the emphasis on work : it takes time and effort. Go onto the LPA site : read lots of applications of the sort of house (build) you want Note who submits that type of application. Read the narrative. Does the Planner make the application easy to understand - has a good deal of effort gone in to it? Does one planner waffle ? Forget her /him Try and find out who knows who in the LPA, and how (Network) Micropolitics matters Look at how well the application is illustrated: it may or may not matter - but if it does, then why wouldn't you make the effort? Does the Planner listen - really listen - to you? If not, then she / he won't listen to others either Does the Planner name-drop about Officials in the LPA ? How? Why? Go to a Planning Committe or two or three. Get to know the people involved Does the LPA outsource the Decision Notice Report? Talk to Estate Agents. Listen. We paid £2000 ish. 6 weeks from start to submission. The guy next to my site applied at the same time (25 meters away) mishandled the LPA - stropped, complained, rubbed folk up the wrong way. And didn't get through. Politics matters.

No. You don't . Initially avoid architects (why - they will try to sell you their design services - which isn't planning) . You need to instruct a Planner to work for you. Ours (sharp as a tac) charged £70 cash for a visit and 30 minute discussion. Best money I ever spent. Ever.

Welcome to normality. Dr Buttercup diagnoses LackOfControlitis: common among self builders. Symptoms: sleeplessness, monomania, distraction, restlessness , anomie, periodic raised heart rate, irritable brain syndrome, BP 140 over 90 most days, over eating. Cure: long distance running, sky diving, caving, rock climbing, toothache, base jumping, romantic weekend with partner, bog snorkeling, supper at @SteamyTea's place, a day in a deckchair watching @Pocster at work, bicycle trip to Sicily, shout down a volcano. All available on the NHS

Exactly Alan. But we still don't know whether the objection is Material to the application. It better had be coming from District Councillor .... @Lincolnshire Ian - can you send us the link to your Application please? We'll be pleased to help - plus we're all as nosey as tomcats anyway.....

Well, there you are @Lincolnshire Ian, and That Councillor will have friends. It won't be too hard to work out who they are. If you look at the others on that committee and their political affinity, it shouldn't be too hard to read the runes. Key point; is his(?) objection Material to your application? If not, you've nowt to worry about. If so: deal with it .