AliMcLeod

That is certainly an option, but do be aware of the potential gotchas when it comes to VAT reclaim. HMRC seem to have changed tact in how they approach VAT reclaims with respect to the 3 month time limit in the "rules" See this thread: https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/8965-diy-claim-rejected-as-claim-submitted-too-late/

I'm afraid the only correct answer to this is "it depends". Part of your pre-work before making an offer on any plot should be whether services exist at/close to the plot, whether you can connect to them and what it would cost if not. If not, you can easily be quoted £10K (or multiples of) for getting them to your plot - read the blogs here for examples. You should contact the local service providers to ask. In many cases, the costs will be reasonable, but there's always those edge cases...

We've just moved/replaced our driveway and ended up with ~150m2 of drive (Tegula style block from Stonemarket) and ~30m2 of porcelain tiles for the path to our house. As @JSHarris said, you have to consider drainage and officially need planning/approval if you're putting down a non-permeable surface and wanting to direct water to drains. However, if you're putting down a non-permeable surface and directing the water to a grass verge (eg, your lawn) you don't need planning See: https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/45/paving_your_front_garden To mitigate against the council car park feel, we put borders (we considered raised borders but decided not to in the end) around the parking space in which we'll do some planting (hopefully starting this weekend). We did look at resin bound, which I love the look of, but this pushed our budget a bit too far and we're on a bit of a slope (not quite as much as @JSHarris picture above) and I hadn't seen enough evidence that there would not be an issue in future.

I suspect this is where you'll end up. Realistically, even if you and your friends are willing to do a lot of work yourself, you'll need cash (including mortgage) to cover the plot cost plus around £1000 per m2 of house you want to build. This may also give you some contingency if you really are doing a lot of the work yourself.

Please tell us you're gonna get your "chinese fella" onto him...

I wonder how many of these companies that produce reports are run by ex-council planning staff who still know people who work for the planning departments...

Inspection Chamber.

When I had dealing with BP regarding a pipeline, they had a specific Wayleave Team that owns discussions/negotiations. You might have to contact the DNO for a name from someone at that team.

With mine, it changes every year... YMMV

Would there also be scaffolding cost savings with a bungalow?

The obvious saving is in not having any stairs, but I'd not be surprised if a 2000 sq feet bungalow cost 30-50% more than an equivalent 2000 sq feet two story house due to a large part of the cost being in the foundations and roof. I've done a quick search and can't see much in the way of example figures, however.

Shouldn't it be the seller who is asked to take out the indemnity on your behalf, to ensure that access continues into the future? Or get the seller to get legal right of access before concluding? There's now the moral issue too - if you take out an indemnity, will you divulge the information you received anonymously? Don't and its border-line fraud. Do and you're unlikely to get a policy. Its easy to say with hindsight, but this should have been at the forefront of your mind before agreeing to buy a piece of land - you have to ensure you legally have access to the land. I'd also question why the anonymous person has come forward now - a good Samaritan or someone with something to benefit from the sale not going through. I'd certainly think that land without legal access is worth less than land with legal access, and therefore would impact mortgage-ability. I'm not sure whether the existence of an indemnity policy itself would impact that, however. What has your solicitor said about the legal access rights? Since he has recommended the policy, does that mean it does not exist? How long has the existing owner used the current access as that can have a bearing on assumed access going forward.

For comparison, we're currently getting our drive done - around £150m2 block drive (3 different block sizes, so not "standard" drive blocks), with block kerb/edging plus a 30m2 path (porcelain tile). We're getting the lot done for around £85m2 (so around £80m2 for the blockwork and £110m2 for the tiled area). Our makeup was no mebrane , 150mm MOT1, sand, but no stabalisation mat. When pricing up the various options, we were finding Resin was around £100 per m2 and block around £80 per m2. We didn't consider gravel but were told it should be the cheapest option. However, I'm not sure whether your stabalisation matt/gravel is a higher price or whether your edging will have bumped up your price or even whether the price it is area dependent. I'd like to think that a 320m2 area would get you a decent reduction in the m2 cost compared to doing an smaller area. A quick search found this: http://www.homeadviceguide.com/block-paving-prices-costs-uk/

Bamboo plants in pots? Would need a few to cover the width but they can grow that height.

The initial cost, and the cost to extend, will vary widely depending on which part of the country you live. There are some very basic questions your need to get answers to here: Is there a guide price for the property? What do similar sized properties (pre and post extension) sell for? Have you sounded out some builders on what it might cost to extend? You can do a very basic potential profit calc based on that. But perhaps the most basic question of all - if someone has gone to the trouble of getting planning permission, but has not gone ahead with the work themselves, is there actually a profit to be had?

Without knowing the full context, that sounds like a fairly arrogant response. I'd be tempted to ask how does the price compare to a standard hot water tank or store with immersion.

Isn't this (my bolding) saying what Jeremy is saying - that with Option 1 on, the unit will only charge when it falls below 10% charge (90% discharged)?

I'm sure that's never happened on here before

I'd be tempted to always have a piece of coal in a pocket and simply take it out, show him, and carry on with your business.

Have you spoken to them, told them you have the right of way and ask them to reinstate the access? That would be my first action, verbally and then in writing if they did not comply.

Little (if anything) on their website would make anyone who hadn't read this thread think they were being an early adopter.

Ah, ok, I'll leave it to the experts then A schematic may help. eg, if the hotter manifold is tee'd off "before" the cooler one, could there be some "backwash" from the now-circulated (and therefore cooler) water reaching the second manifold?

Have you considered a dodgy gauge? Measure the temperature with an external thermometer probe/laser?

Do you have planning permission in place? If not, are you willing to pay for the payment if the council say they won't do it or if they say its your responsibility (as a condition to getting your planning approved)? If you don't want to pay for it, i'd wait until you get your planning approved (without condition) and then raise the question.

I suspect the seller/estate agent know that the conversion has not gone through building control, hence it being advertised as a garage, not an annex. I can't see why council tax should be charged on something that is not legally a separate property, but I'd be urging your friends to ask the council about that before proceeding.