Onoff

Copper. But then I like bending stuff!

This worked on kids tree(less) house:

On a retrofit with biscuit mix you need to make sure your joists will take the extra weight.

Did you miss "Heating" from the thread title? Grooved 22mm boards? For example: https://www.theunderfloorheatingstore.com/profloor-boards?

Wrong section post! ???

Oh to have this type of major problem to worry about! ?

Tbh structurally I'm sure it'd be fine. The existing dormer is in effect an 8m X 8m, 4 room box built on a 9x6" frame. There's also an RSJ, front to back, mid span. 4x2" stud walls with 4x4" corner & mid posts come up of this frame to form the rooms. The 9x6" frame sits above and independent of the original ceiling joists. It rests on concrete padstones at the corners and mid span. These are cast atop the existing, original walls. So point loads as I see it. If I brought the front wall of the dormer out it'd sit on the original front wall and I guess evenly distributed. I'd do a bit more investigation / peering into eaves and crawl spaces along with referring to the (poor quality) copies of the plans the council gave me if this went anywhere. Unfortunately we do! Corner of the lounge is "falling off:

The top looks in better nick than mine, also weed and root covered. I did debate casting a reinforced slab on top. You have I think two chambers...wondering if I have now but it'd mean hacking further into the jungle! Is it brick built, like a beehive in shape? I attempted a video inside ours by just leaning in.

Even the "wrecks" here, really only suitable for knock down & rebuild start at around £500,000.00. I imagine anyone buying this place would view it as such. Imo you should get concessions (grants? ? ) for wanting to improve the housing stock, not keep having to pay more and more to do so.

Ta. That's for new homes though? I imagine a knock down rebuild would class as such. Conversely I can see why extra scrutiny would perhaps be needed on an extensive refurb.

Seeing what people have done here the only way I would want to go is a floating slab on 300mm of EPS. One thing I've forgotten is money. I haven't got any! ?

Can't see it happening. Pre planning charges are a pi** take from the off. https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/planning/planning-applications/planning-advice/planning-pre-application-advice#:~:text=Pre-application advice is provided,being granted a planning permission. System is screwed. I really wonder where my council tax goes. Round here it's certainly not spent on visible policing, road repairs, preventing / clearing up fly tipping or stopping anti social behaviour. Even have to book a slot at the tip now and you get banned if you go too many times. Yet still they want more ££££.

You'd have thought I'd have learnt that by now! The only thing I keep coming back to is that I would do all the work myself (albeit slowly and in stages). I'd even do the ewi. A worry here. In amongst the house sale documents or it might be on the 80's re-roof/dormer extension plans I got from the Council a few years back I seem to recall a note about test digging to gauge the existing foundations prior to the place being re-roofed with the dormers. I presume it must have "passed" that test. However, when I redid the water main and had to go under the footings they look pretty shallow imo. This duct for the water main goes under the footings, not through them! (We're on clay then chalk). Saying that the bathroom walls where I looked were a later addition after the place was built in the 30s I think. Uncovering the walls here and you find infills where doors and windows once were since moved. I suppose a few test digs around the perimeter would be in order.

I wouldn't be increasing the footprint btw. Stable block, double garage and 8x10 wooden shed. None of which I want to lose. Just done a quick search and no, it appears not. In however the Kent Downs AONB.

Pipe dream possibly but as opposed to a knock down rebuild I've been musing if I'd get pp to: - change hips to gables. -extend the front dormer and bring level with the front of the bungalow. Vertically clad to the full height (black possibly). -make front dormer windows full height -extend the rear dormer slightly -make downstairs front windows full height (just the RHS one shown) -ewi and warm roof What would be my next logical step to see if this would be permitted? Bungalow in an AONB has already I think had its 50% extension (must check that). Cheers

The truth hurts!

Love it! ? (Always annoying when someone's garage is built better and is warmer the my entire house! ? )

Don't know much about oak. What about coping with lateral expansion of the rear oak beam i.e perpendicular the ridge direction?

Similar to ours I guess. Inspection manhole in the foreground then the lid of the tank:

Why go into the end wall with the oak? 4 posts instead maybe?

Looking at the site I imagine the build is indeed downhill!

I forgot about Roger!

No, but I've been amber'd, dawn'd, joanne'd, tina'd, vicky'd.....

I can't imagine there's many barristers on here? A few merchant bankers mind!

When my brother tore his ACL it was a serious thought as he only has an upstairs WC. I suggested a proper stairlift which can be picked up 2nd hand for peanuts. Don't think he or his SWMBO wanted the decor messed up. That got me thinking... I can only assume he thought "I'd rather sh!t in a bucket!" As that's what he did for a few weeks.