Judy C

You don't need to notify them of starting. If you make any changes and decide to go back in for a revised permission during the build, check that they haven't introduced the CIL in the meantime, and check that you won't be caught out second time round (this won't be a problem if you go back with a non-material amendment or to vary the conditions). I expect that the few remaining councils not applying it will be doing it very quickly to plug some gaps in their finances!

I've got some samples - they don't look bad actually. They are expensive and I would be worried about them getting dented. I think they would be a solution worth considering if putting down underfloor heating was not possible.

I've had that done quite successfully on a project - it's quite fiddly tho. Have you thought about heating pipes in the skirting boards? https://www.discreteheat.com/lp/thermaskirt-skirting-heating/?AdSource=0110&AdMatchType=&AdKeyword=&AdDevice=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwguzzBRBiEiwAgU0FTwI5czGlriAKrunoW5BDL98dy7rCUGg76o3FV4umkCPuUDEf-_xZxhoCwgIQAvD_BwE I've not used it but it might be worth a look? As always make sure the house is really well insulated and as airtight as you can (ventilation managed etc) first. so that you need as little heat as possible.

We have already booked our facing materials but just for people's budgeting purposes, the exchange rate is going to affect prices: Spanish slates up by 20p each Bricks coming from the Netherlands likely to go up Scandinavian timber Anyone else coming up against this? What else might be affected?

Are you the builder, client or developer? Most contracts need a 3rd party to administer the contract - there is an RIBA one where the client can be the contract administrator. If you have an architect or surveyor involved, they are the best people to advise. I certainly wouldn't go near a JCT MW or even the RIBA unless you know what you are doing and/or get proper advice. Also - if you are getting finance for your build, you need to check with your lender what would be acceptable to them.

Included beams and all the insulation - this depends on what U value you want to achieve. The dpm is between the first layer of insulation (ie the t shaped pieces between the beams) and the second layer of insulation, then brought up to dpc level at the slpper walls and around the perimeter. The mesh in the concrete is because this is the main structural slab. Lynx provide the specification - I think there are alternatives if you look at their literature.

It was about £40/sqm to supply for the graphite enhanced EPS (150mm between the beams, 135mm above with grid attached for heating pipes) , infill blocks, perimeter insulation. We had it fitted by them (just the beams and the infill blocks) which they did in a day and brought their own crane, cost about £1k extra. The 135mm was supplied because we have heating pipes and therefore need a reinforced concrete topping of 90mm (minimum is 75mm above any pipes) I am probably misremembering - it would have been 150mm of Kingspan.

Yes surnames are the same for both plots (actually there are 3 plots involved).

You are right - but we thought our solicitor had raised that and dealt with it already. Maybe he hasn't!

How well insulated is your house? We are using larger radiators (to suit the ASHP) upstairs on the basis that we won't need a lot of heat, and u/floor is not that effective in timber floors with a carpet on top. Another option is to use skirting heating? https://www.discreteheat.com/thermaskirt/products-and-information/overview.aspx

It wasn't cheap but you can get more of the cheaper insulation in this way. So if I had gone for standard beam and block floor, I would have had to use something like 225mm Kingspan to achieve a U value of 0.12 - would cost several thousand over this area. It was interesting to work with - builder hadn't come across it before - and was a problem when the blocks started blowing away in one of the storms! Also this way round the finished slab will be in place before the frame goes up. So will be perfectly dry by the time the floor finishes go in. The mesh is just to make it easier to clip the pipes to, and when taped stops the concrete falling into any cracks. No need for a polythene separating layer as with Kingspan as concrete doesn't react to EPS. We are having a warranty (Protek) - no issues with this.

Spend week talking to brokers and trying to compare costs and second guessing how long you need finance for. Find a good solicitor (if one exists) who knows what they are talking about. Have a really good breakdown of your costs - you won't get a loan if the numbers don't stack up. Dot all the i's, cross the t's and hopefully get a mortgage offer. Hope your solicitor (who has otherwise been very good) doesn't sit on the land registry application for 6 weeks before sending it in. Hope the land registry don't take more than 6 weeks to sort things out and that you can complete your mortgage before the money runs out. We have enough funds to pay for work already done (to soleplate); for the timber frame - due in 10 days, but might struggle to carry on after that if the land registry still delays - 6-8 weeks is really all we have before things get sticky....

We have just installed an insulated beam floor - our's was by Lynx Precast. All went very well. The build up was 150mm beams with T shaped blocks between, dpm, 135mm EPS on top - this was supplied with a polythene sheet glued to the top to make it easier to clip the u/floor heating pipes to it, 30mm EPS to perimeter, 90mm reinforced concrete slab to be poured to dpc level as soon as there are 48 hours without rain forecast. The EPS is graphite enhanced so that we are getting a U value of 0.12.

Well we have started our build, confident that the loan would be in place ages before we ran out of our own funds - now we are beginning to worry!

EPS is actually waterproof - so dpm not always needed