ToughButterCup

So, you haven't got an answer either .......

To keep this post on a professional level, I'm not going to name the Planning authority in this post, but it isn't hard to work out for yourself. I write about this problem here with great reluctance because I've exhausted all the normal ways of trying to communicate with officials. And it's not a phenomenon which affects only me. I've asked as many local people as I can and broadly, they all say the same thing. My question is what do I do now to try and break the logjam? In the building sector, the locality is booming. There's not white-van man without work. There's not a street or avenue without scaffolding. In the mornings, scaffolders jossle with each other in the Butty Bars and Spa breakfast bars. Some, still coked to the eyeballs, josh and snarl. Chippies swop horror stories in the carpark outside Spa. 'Tother morning, - at the bus stop : you couldn't make it up - I heard two chippies going hammer and tongs at one another about what level a dado rail should be fitted. Scaffolding is put up months before any work takes place. And finished work on one part of building means that scaffolding is whipped down there pronto. A local development area has been defined: its official name is The A [road number deleted ] Corridor. Geotechnical crews have their rigs up in the fields locally. Cores are being taken. A new development village - schools, shops and all - has been planned. Work starts next year. The local BM boss cycles past my place regularly, and stops to pass the time of day. ."Ian, know of anyone who wants a driving job: I need at least five Class 1s and any number of old blokes like you with a Grandad licence? " "Soon as get my hips done, I'm yer man - you just need to get the suggestion past the wife. Coffee's on .... no? Oh, shame" That was close. I've got a Class 1 licence - just keeping it quiet. You get the picture: the place is fizzing. We've got more than our aliquot of Nimbies. To a man (stuff political correctness: sorry girls) they're the ones who objected to our house. Now, not so much rictus-grinners, as developer partners. Every Man Jack and Jackie one of them has - if they have it- sold that itzy bitzy postage stamp of a veg garden and put up a few bijou hizzez. Including the (then) local Kynsella whose objection to our des-res was: It (our house) would spoil my Sunday morning walk along that chocolate box lane. As a saint would say Fer Fek's Sake man. Now, we have a little local difficulty. Doesn't matter what it is. If you've read my stuff. you know what it is. I cannot get anyone offical to talk to me about it. All the offical local channels - silence No Reply. Despite automatically generated emails lying to you that someone will be along in a minnit And every councillor at County and local levels say the same. Our Planner says the same. The LPA are just not talking to anyone. Our architect agrees. Forget yer MP: just a message handling service. I'm all out of ideas. Over to you Commentariat. What would you do?

Cream popularised the lament, but the words are from much earlier - a quick google finds this (Briefly, 1920s America - tear-jerker of a story)

... And why I have to design and build our wardrobes and cabinets....

In a sentence, the reason for (us) to fit a SunAmp.

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Saw the title, saw it was you. Didn't read anything else. Yes .

It's da romance ova fyaaa innit .... Friday night, few beers with the mates, a giggle with the girls, home, cook her a lovely meal, nice bottle of vino collapso, and fall asleep on the .... - erm.... can't remember where. It the intention that counts innit?

No, First fit of the MVHR only so far. 2nd fit planned for early 2022. Meanwhile, we live in a convivial fug. Specially when the dogs are brought indoors during the fireworks. Normally, they live outside: but at this time of year, we bring them in for part of the night. Their presence makes a noticeable difference to the indoor temperature - and gas profile. ? PS., you will be pleased @SteamyTea , for the last year or more, I've logged the temperatures and RH of five locations round the house (Sensor Push). A useful baseline. Ian

Many times over. One day I will write a simple list (with links to the threads) of items of expenditure on our house build where there was a demonstrable saving because of the input from BH members..... Hmmmm, got me thinking now - just quickly - over £20,000 , but there's much more than that.....

I miss, like really really miss the log fire in our old house. We can see it when the current occupants (neighbours) light up - Jealous Button clicks to ON - especially on Fiday nights. ? We considered putting a log burner - just a dinky little toy one - in (a la duct-the-air-in-from-the-outside-route), but there are enough stories on here of people who have put in a fire in a PH(ish) haus, and their occupants being cooked as a result.

And we've all got a jug now haven't we.... I wish I could attribute the author, but for the life of me I can't remember. Apologies, therefore.

We moved out of a 16th Century house to build a near-passivhaus because of the exact same problems you face. I say moved ... 30 meters. There is no painless resolution to your problem. None. Sorry. I spent years working the issue through from first principles to planning and building our current home. I will add my voice to those who say - wait - . . Measure building's performance. While thats happening, research. Go for the easy wins first, and while you're doing that waste time on BH. It will repay the effort. Good luck Ian

We used a washing up bowl. Sorry, but there it is. Float it in your 350 litre swimming pool when you have a bath. You could manufacture a line of baby baths for those of us with first world problems such as this : how about a submarine-shaped baby bath, or a diving bell shaped version of the same thing?

When they touch the temperature variation , especially in winter causes them sometimes to break. Ask me how I know ☹

Play the ball, not the man eh?

Trouble is foam - correctly applied - is so damnably useful. I have come to loathe and love it in equal measure.

Exactly. That's why it was important for the link to the source for my comment to be published.

Apologies for not referencing my comment above. Here's chapter and verse so you can make your own mind up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichloromethane#Toxicity

Some might want to read advice given above with caution.... Here's advice on a package of Dichloromethane. '... Hazard Class: 6.1 Packing Group: 3 Hazard Phrases: Causes skin irritation. Causes serious eye irritation ... suspected of causing cancer ... Obtain special instructions before use ...' In other words don't use it. I would hate BH to be associated with dangerous advice.

Thats right, the domain defines 'proper' . But Lordy, PhD Vivas are repleat with panels dancing on the heads of pins about the meaning of proper - or just as frequently what proper isn't. Mind you, if that dance can't be done there, where else?

Exactly. Could I just nudge the argument a little further ? Anyone can be a scientist: I would encourage that person to apply scientific method appropriate to their age. Sound application of scientific method, coupled with an enquiring mind makes everyone a scientist. And thats especially relevant to the building sector: tell me - what's Thermal mass then??

Mine were exposed for far longer than most. Chippy told me not to worry.

Nearly, @Declan52, nearly. It's judging when to swap from digger to hand digging: that's the joke on this job. Does the Faraday Cage Effect work in a digger: suppose it must do - you've lived to tell the story, thank the Deities.

I think the message is ... save your £600.