Brix

I'm submitting an application for prior approval for the addition of a full extra storey to a house. In addition to that I am proposing a number of alterations which are straightforward permitted development and simply require a certificate of lawful development. Can these all go through on the same application? Locally I have seen other prior approval applications in which the drawings show both the proposals requiring prior approval, as well as those which are straightforward PD. Other than being shown on the plans there is no reference to the straightforward PD proposals. The design statement and report focus solely on the elements of the proposal requiring prior approval. There is no separate application. The architectural technologist we are working with does not seem certain.

Yep. Those are fab.

Most of that is pretty straightforward though. More design guidelines than hoops. And protected views, air traffic, conservation, etc.. are simple to get a good steer on in advance. Completion target than commencement within 3 years is a bit more risky.

Not looking to extend above garage.

Thanks. What do you see as the main hoops are for AA? (Everyone I have spoken with is wary of it or entirely unfamiliar). General design specs would be OK (max height etc..) I can't see overlooking, loss of light or privacy being an issue (the row is south facing and a good distance from properties behind). I don't think any of the other listed exceptions apply. Foundations need checking. With AA you need to apply for permission with regard to the external appearance of the dwellinghouse and that seems like it could be a bit troublesome - extending the first in any terrace upwards is arguably conspicuous / incongruous. But then that's the nature of the permission so it would seem odd if it could fail on that basis?

Agree that carefully considered design is key. Yes it's terraced. Just bought it and exploring different options. Luckily I'm used to part wall shenanigans!

Thanks. PD applies equally to the principle elevation unless it is considered to front a highway. What constitutes fronting a highway is not clearly defined. Intervening uses, buildings, distance, angle and land uses are all factors. Just trying to get a steer on our set up. (The garage is already there).

I was looking at adding a storey to a house but then wondered whether I might be able to achieve most of the extra space with a front and rear dormer. PD for the front dormer would be dependent upon whether the house is considered to front a highway. The house is set back from the road by about 15-19m. Between the house and highway are a hard-standing, 2 single storey garages (ours and our neighbour's) and front garden - each about 5-6m in depth. Half the frontage is occupied by the neighbour's garage. The ground floor of the house - and front garden level - are elevated about half a storey above the ground floor of the garage. Our garage is marked green in the picture below. Might it be more conclusive if the garage and forecourt were in separate ownership (shown by the green dotted line)?

Through the flat glass roof.

Cheers for the suggestion. The extension will be built up to the boundary which runs east west. So anything providing shade to the roof between about 10-4 would need to be in the neighbour's garden. Not going to happen!

Believe me that if there were scope to install PV here I would have done so - I have two 4kw arrays elsewhere. Listed building, conservation area, awkward roof and mostly shady garden... 🙄

This is where I am coming from!

Thanks for the suggestions. I have to admit I feel that if the design of the new extension relies on an air conditioner, it is probably not the right design.

Today is the first I've heard of the A2A mini split unit. Not quite sure what it is but will look it up. Some kind of air con?

Thanks. I'll ask about these calcs.

I think this is my concern - that SAP is not very sophisticated. Certainly not an assurance that it's going to be comfortable.

Thanks. The glazed roof is almost flat, so not really orientated. Slight pitch facing west. Vertical glazed elements are east and north facing. It's a kitchen, so not outside the thermal envelope. But in any case, it's the space itself I want to be comfortable rather than exclude it from any calcs. The purpose of the glass is to minimise visual impact as it is a listed building so screens might be an issue. Just not sure whether I'm being cynical or realistic about the design!

Hi, My architects are proposing a relatively large area of glass roof on a new kitchen extension (something between 35-45%). In fact more accurately it is a glass box on one end of the new extension. They specified solar control glass to manage heat gain. Gain from the glazed vertical elements should not be much of an issue due to orientation. The architect and the glazing supplier are confident that they can make the extension meet building regs on paper. I love the design but am concerned that even if it passes building regs the built reality could still be uncomfortable. The extension is not a huge volume and in summer the roof will be exposed to full sun (weather permitting!) between roughly 9.30-4. Both seem to be of the opinion that solar control glass will effectively manage heat gain. Can the energy calcs for building regs be relied upon to expose any issues? Or are there additional checks / modeling that might help? Thanks.

Hello, My home is currently run on two separate systems. Granny flat with UFH run off Worcester combi. Remainder of house UFH with Potterton Suprima 100 boiler and 240L Thermalstore with secondary hot water loop. Planning to combine the two. 6 bed 3 rec 2 shower rooms, plus 1 bath / shower room, plus 1 more shower planned. Terribly insulated (ie, barely - it's listed) and detached. Going to be run off gas but would like option to upgrade with G/ASHP or solar at a later date (listed building and just too tricky at the moment). Will include electric immersions in case I can take advantage of Octopus night time rates / battery at a later date. Looking for thoughts on what type of boiler / tank set up would be most appropriate to my circumstances. Cheers!

I'm trying to match woodwork in a flood damaged building. The floor is unusual and made from reclaimed structural PSL (Parallel Strand Lumber) beams. There is a product called Trusjoist Parallam in the US but I can't find them available anywhere in the UK. Does anyone have any suggestions how to get hold of them, or something similar? In UK LVL is widely available but does not provide the same finish.

I'm looking for suggestions for replacement aluminium windows in UK. 24sqm cabin project in mid Wales. Originally built as a bit of fun using 2nd hand windows. Now looking to upgrade. Exposed to high winds so they need to perform but it is still very much an insulated OSB box on stilts a hill so good value is critical rather than whistles and bells. There are 4 of them - the largest (2400W x 2100) will be fixed panes and the other three patio sliding doors 1800 and 2100 wide. Any suggestions?

OK, looks like I don't need to take out the slab afetrall - just the reinforced screed and 20-25mm insulation layer. This is mostly 100mm overall depth (plus 21mm floor finish) - although it seems to be only 80mm in one of the three trial holes in the middle of one of the rooms. The damp contractor has specified Vandex BB75 and Drybase liquid DPM on top of the existing slab and lapped up the walls to sort out the waterproofing. So - I have 80-100mm to play with (mostly 100mm). I need to install insulation, screed and UFH on top of the slab and would like to improve on the existing 20-25mm insulation. Any suggestions? It's a domestic basement floor so not major point loads. I'll probably go with parquet floor finish on top.

Looks like I am having to dig out my basement floor after a flood from outside and reinstate. Tanking and DPM installed about 18yrs ago have failed mostly around the bodged floor wall joint. The existing installation has criminally thin insulation which I would like to increase as much as possible. But there is no scope to raise the finished floor level (old listed building). I have drawings of what was supposed to have been installed although I cannot be certain that it matches 100% what was installed - but hopefully not a million miles out. I'm hoping to strip back as far as the old DPM and leave the blinding/hardcore (is it negligent to reuse the blinding?). Existing construction is: 20mm floor finish, over 75mm reinforced screed, over 25mm UFH pipework and mesh reinforcement, over 150mm slab, over 25mm rigid insulation, over DPM, over 50mm blinding, over 150mm hardcore. Ideally I would like to end up with a new floor construction incorporating at least 100mm insulation - more if possible. The use is just a residential basement with lightweight traffic. The only particularly heavy thing might be a 500L water tank. Floor finish could be floating floor or possibly something like polished concrete. Any thoughts on this?

I wondered if that were the thinking. Compared to separating out the drains under a terraced city house (so complex that it seem unlikely to happen in the property's lifetime) separating a couple of downpipes would be simple.

I understand why rainwater and soil downpipes cannot be combined in modern buildings with separate water waste collection systems. But why must they be kept separate in older properties with a combined sewer. In this case, two 4" downpipes - one soil one rain - run parallel to each other down the wall until they each empty into the same manhole about 12" from where they reach the ground. Everything is channeled from the manhole though another 4" pipe under the house, picking up from other outlets along the way, so capacity of the pipes surely can't be the issue?