ToughButterCup

After recently bemoaning the absence of sockets, here's the opposite problem - but caused by the same fundamental error. Changing plans. Arghhhhh. Looky here .... I'm ashamed almost to post this image: count the errors: shelf not level, tile needing to be cut, loop of spare wire over a kitchen worktop. On the other hand, I've had a long stint on the Naughty Step - and chastised myself thoroughly - for long enough. Every day for a couple of years I've looked at it and winced. Now, please help me dig my way out of this one. The best I can come up with is to tape the spare wire under the stainless steel shelf. But in a kitchen, that's not too clever an idea. It's wired into the same circuit as the kitchen lights, so I can't isolate the circuit at the consumer unit. And there's no way I'll get this through Part P is there..... Please help.

How can you make light of such a serious issue @SteamyTea ? Poor @pocster's budgie is having to put up with condensate on his pecker. He needs to get more air flowing round it, and all will be well. Lift his Dew Point and all that stuff.... he's well up to the job I should think.

Here's the answer Its also given on VAT431NB in the notes. paragraph 7 if I remember

@pocster , yer not going to like this but, I'm old, so I have a relevant story for ya ..... One of my first seasonal jobs was as a lifeguard (well, cleaner really) at a swimming pool that was heated by methane gass. All the heat we ever wanted, and all free. So of course we ran the system full throttle all the time. Loads of heat wasted, very happy swimming customers - but people in the viewing gallery - sweating after 10 minutes. Air temperature stratospheric. Double glazed in places by the pool, but not in the viewing gallery. Yes .... condensation aplenty. The dampness dribbled down the beautiful laminated beams causing a white trail of calcium carbonate left behind after the re-evaporation of the now re-warmed water. Looked seriously awful. Architect - make the fans bigger Pool manager - scrub the bloody beams every day (yep, me) Me - make the windows openable : there's more than enough heat - for free Fans made bigger, me scrubbing like a dervish, if anything the condensation got worse ( yep - bigger fans) Then one year during closedown, they told me that they were going to make the windows openable. BINGO Viewers in the gallery - very happy - nice cool breeze now. Wet swimmers walking past the open windows - very sad. Me very happy Make your window openable. - I know - I'll get me coat.

I think it was @ProDave or was it @jack who warned me: once you have agreed the design don't change it. Its hugely wasteful of money time and effort. "Will you design me a really nice laundry room: one that's super convenient and easy to use?" "Of course I will. We'll adapt the old piggery" An old piggery next to the plot was knocked down and rebuilt at the same time as the build. 8m by 3m by about 3 high. Smashing little utility store and laundry room. But tight. Very tight. Only just wide enough for both machines, and a real squeak to get the machines at the right height so the washing baskets can slide neatly under the machine. Emphasis - 'only just fits ' - in all sorts of ways Well, 8 years later, she's got it : unveiled with suitable fanfare yesterday washing machine and tumble drier at waist height under - machine storage for the washing basket water on/off easily reached power sockets jus' right utility sink within reach of both machines hot and cold water auto occupancy light (12 minute dwell time set (her choice not mine) hanging bar for drying damp clothes assorted shelving There I was like Mutley : Medals, medals, gimme medals. If not Brownie Points will do. Medals woman, medals. "Look sweetheart, see how the laundry baskets fit perfectly under the washing machine" Big smile. "Medals, medals woman." I didn't see it coming - it was a real blind-side strike. "Oh yes, that space under the machines is just right for our two flight bags" Reaches round takes the flight bags of the shelves and shoves them under the raised machines. Only one thing for it: don't show her how hurt you are. "Wonderful idea of yours darling - simply inspired" Its just another way of showing her how much you love her.

Not going for planning 10 years earlier. Both of us were over-focused on career paths. In terms of the build, not trusting my instincts more.

Do more and more of it on my own. It feels like hard-core DIY now, and after 8 years, getting a bit fed up of it. But, I never let myself forget how lucky we were to get permission at all. The guy next door didn't. How? Save up each month, cut back on the caviar and chips, try not to take things to seriously. And JustBloodyDoIt.

Mmmmm, but when on the same trip, the road leads (say) North, away from any potential glare, she still leaves it down. I point out that doing that makes obeying traffic lights a bit more difficult. And leave it at that. Knuckles just a little whiter than usual.

No, she always been photophobic from early childhood. Never complains about it - only reason I noticed was when, even on fairly dull days, she consistently put the glare-shield down while driving - almost always while driving south ( roughly towards the sun ). Thanks everyone for the concern and suggestions. The most difference for her was made by thinking about where she needs 'task' light (narrow beam, cold temperature) and where 'fill' (warmer, wider) lighting would be better. In each case recessed light source cuts glare for her by 100 %. Happy wife, happy life.

Naaaah. Moron? Thats the collective noun for a group of sober Corns. It's OK, I'll get my coat....

I'm really cheered to read that Peter. Perhaps they - and the Government need to move on from where they are though.... Have a read of what Martin Goodhalls Planning Blog says about the matter (March 2013) Especially the bit about Professional Standards among Councillors. He talks about the need to ensure Councillors are seen to be behaving honourably: (Downloaded 13/02/2023 https://planninglawblog.blogspot.com/search?q=corrupt ) I suspect that most of us would be happy with Councillors who could think straight and who were honest.

@Dave Jones, you and @saveasteading are saying the same thing. Just different words, and in a different order. (All the right notes in the wrong order : Andre Previn should have sued 🤪) If a material Consideration is raised, then it doesn't matter who says it. It mut be considered You are right, Parish Councillors are often less than helpful. But it is a scandal that Parish Councillors receive so little support in terms of training to do the job they are asked to do. And , by their behaviour, many bring themselves into disrepute (see above .... ' spoil my Sunday morning run' ) . Parish Councils let off steam - just like Social Media. Doesn't last long, but scalds when touched. And even if scalded, the burn soon heals.

Now that, that's progress. It points up what happens when nerds come up against usability experts. Not everyone needs to know what's happening inside a 'black box', but for those who do, then manufacturers need to take account of their requirements. Tell us: do the LEDs actually tell users anything meaningful?

Local politics and more especially very local micropolitics really does matter. Our immediate neighbour got the micropolitics of things so deeply wrong that he is now facing his second Enforcement Appeal in the hallowed presence of an HM Inspector . (Very nice man / lady) Here's chapter and verse. I'll be writing it up in due course

My other half is a little photophobic: she can't stand glare. The light from surface-mounted LEDs almost always cause her slight physical pain. So all our LEDS are recessed about 30mm. There is no more a 'cone' of light with those as with surface mounts: but there is absolutely no glare. In terms of lumen output, I'm not sure if there's a difference between recessed or surface mounted lights. We worked on 5000 lumen in the kitchen and office, a good deal less elsewhere.

and and There is a difference - illustrated above - between Material and Non-material Considerations in relation to Planning Applications. But I think, since we're human, we take more notice of simple (simplistic?) human comment. Our build has taught me - Unless asked : I feel another thread coming on

One of the most common posts from new members focuses on peoples opinion : what do others think of what we want to build? The answer is derived almost exclusively from the opinions a series of people all of whom - one way or another - visit the site of your proposed build. They either have a statutory duty to attend your site, or are interested locals, some deliver stuff, yet others simply stop and chew the fat. Not all are sympathetic - and decide one way or another to let you know how they feel. In person, or by anonymous comment in the Planning Process. So I thought I'd give an overview of our experience. Reading many of the other posts, it seems that our experience is remarkably similar to most. The Councillors We've been 'at it' now for about 8 years now. There's nowt like a house-build it seems for turning otherwise normal folk into Nosey Parkers. We live on a one lane road - it's also an official cycle track, so loads of folk drive, walk shuffle or ride by most days. I wrote a few years ago about passers-by: the white van driver, forearm on the steering wheel, driving as slowly as he could - chin straining to get low enough to see as much of the site and house as possible; the little boy wondering aloud to his mum whether it was Darth Vader behind the shield while I was welding the container roof; the retired doddery old builder walking past slowly, wife proudly on one arm - his broad wink and grin always makes me smile. In twenty or more years I've never spoken to him. Ever. But what about those who make the effort to stop and chat, or - as some have - sneer? Visits to the site by others begin before Planning Permission is given. And make no mistake, those before Planning Permission visits tend to be high-stakes. We lived next to our site: lucky in some ways, others not . Read on. The doorbell goes and the unmistakeable profile of the Chair of The Parish Council peers through the faux glass whorls in the door. "Just passing " was the introductory lie. He had the grace faintly to wince when he heard himself say that. His real agenda was to protest at the design we wanted. Sharp Scandi, clad to look like the old local barns which litter the countryside here. In a previous life, I used to run Conflict Resolution Courses but - when it comes to my own conflicts…. managing the irritation flushing rapidly into my cheeks was difficult. The technique runs loosely like this …..Repeat the question, rephrased if helpful, show you understand the problem, offer some sympathy for the challenger's situation. Stuff that mate. This is my place, my house my build my… my… my …. And up yours if you don't like it. It is very lucky that I am married to a consummate diplomat. Lucky also for me that a local builder had - using PD rights - just erected a wooden barn within sight of our build. (see image below) I swivelled on my heel and waved my hand in the direction of his beautifully clad barn 50 meters away. Same size as our proposed house. I swear the Parish Councillor nearly swallowed his tongue. I couldn't resist it: "You mean you don't like that either ?" Further waffle only dug him into a deeper hole, and instead of being kind, I continued "Our current chocolate box house is built of stone isn't it?" Nods sagely. "And we are proposing a timber build, but you want ours built in stone." More sage nods. "How long Councillor, does it take to create stone? A few million years? And how long does it take to create wood? " "Well we (the Parish Council) are all agreed you should be building in stone" came the -now- tart response. "Our whole design philosophy focusses on sustainability. I'll use the material that only needs a few hundred years to reproduce over a material which takes a few million to recycle itself anytime." Managing the local politics of a potential newbuild is a nightmare. At the time, I'd had not made time to think about how to manage this issue of the build. Learning fast though. We parted on the worst of terms. A significant error on my part. Other Councillors came and went. One even told us that our newbuild would spoil her Sunday morning run. Five years later, that same Councillor obtained Planning Permission for her own garden and built four executive houses on the land. At the same time, she had the effrontery to campaign for 'starter houses' in the area. At least , once she had sold the newbuilds and her own house, she had the decency to move out of the area. I'm looking forward to meeting her one day. Can't wait. And then last week : on another matter, I had the singular displeasure of a knock on the door from another hissy weasel of a Parish Councillor. One who had shared her ex-colleague's opinion: we should have built in stone. She wanted to tell me wonderfully our new house was blending in to the countryside : you can hardly see it from the canal-side. (see image below) Mountains sometimes do pole vault to Mohamed. Conclusion? Tolerate - but only just and for just long enough.

Fill yer boots......

Fence, paddling pond, geese?

Simple way of telling ...... Frosty morning: ice on the roof. Pools of melt-water on the roof when the rest of the roof is still frozen? Not OK.

Yes, Dave, I can see how one way of looking at things is the status of your VAT reclaim has nothing to do with any Supply and Fit company. All they need to know about is the status of the build in terms defined by the BCO.

The Problem: Does HMRC formally regard a building as Complete after a successful VAT reclaim? If HMRC does regard it as Complete, then a company engaged on Supply and Fit (after the successful reclaim) , cannot 0 rate the VAT But if it doesn't, then a company engaged on a Supply and Fit basis can work without charging VAT We've successfully reclaimed our VAT. Because VAT431NB (section 3) doesn't give any guidance on the matter, I rang the HMRC helpline. Their answer was that the question was one that should be answered by the supplier. I asked where the supplier should get their guidance on the matter. The answer was that guidance was to be found in Section 3 of VAT431NB. A slightly different way of asking the same question is; Does a newbuild have two Completion states - one defined by the HMRC, and another by BCOs ?

Yeah, but the thing is, can you get the damn thing back out once - in error - you've put it in.

Thats yer problem, right there sir. Trying to be fair, I don't have the cranial band-width to think through many of life's bigger problems. Designing, framing and fitting a pantry is more than enough to keep my mental gears whirring all day and part of the night. People like me rely on people like you @SteamyTea. So, to Infinity And Beyond, on behalf of a good few of us please......

I love it @MDC - hidden guttering? How and to what extent does the proposed cladding 'mirror' / copy /echo local cladding ?