mr rusty

What can you build under PD? It might apply leverage if you say you will cancel the PP and build what you can under PD. You might also wish to inform the neighbour that if they continue to object, you will plant 6-8m bamboo screening along the boundary which, as it is a grass, falls outside the high hedge legislation. They might decide they would rather have your extension 😉

Hi. I'm going to be building a substantial garden room using SIPs from simply sips. Their 122mm panel is 100mm core with 11mm OSB either side. Obviously in some places rather than splines, I will use timbers slotted in to the sip rebates. - wall plate, sole plate, corners, round window frames etc. My question is that if I go and buy my usual 100x50 carcassing timber it's more likely to be 95 x 47. How critical is that 95 v the 100mm rebate? Would I be OK foaming the timbers in and taking up the gap? or should I perhaps be thinking buying "125 x 50" and running it through the saw to exactly 100mm? Another alternative that springs to mind is to use 100x100 fence posts, which are exactly 100 and run them through the band saw into 2 100x50's, but fence posts are not kiln dried, although in my experience tend to be very stable. Thoughts and recommendations from people that have used SIP's?

Why do people get in to this sort of mess time after time. There are two ways of doing building work - the owner draws up his plans, sorts out the build regs application and finds a builder to build strictly to his plans. - If he doesn't he is identifiably at fault. OR you enter a "design and build" contract where you specify what you want for a fixed price with full BC compliance. The builder designs it, looks after the applications, takes all the risk, and gets final payment once a completion cert is issued. Too many people don't work out who is carrying the design risk from day one, and get in to these sorts of situations, nor do people understand that risk has a cost - if you offload all the risk to the builder, you have to expect to pay for it.

Build it as one room, get it signed off, then do a little re-modelling.....

Here's a thread on a similar issue. It went to the planning inspectorate and the OP of the thread won. link

Well, for a similar single story extension I found a local builder I trusted, with a good relationship with BC and just told him what I wanted and asked him to design and build on a building notice. Builder built - I was around and we talked through a few details as it went along, BCO inspected, everything was exactly as I wanted. Not a single plan was drawn by anybody except a few concept sketches by me. It was very straightforward. We reused bricks taken down from the knock-through so it matched the rest of house, steel beam calcs were done using an online calculator, but BCO never even asked for them, just looked at the steel and signed it off. It can be done if there is trust all round. However, agree not always possible.

Thanks. So 1:4 above dpc with plasticiser

Hi. I've done a little brickwork in the past - mostly low garden features. Going to be building a garage with brick front face and clad blocks sides/back. As this is my first major brickwork job attempted, what is the best mortar mix to use in my mixer? 1:6:1 with hydrated lime, or forget the lime and use plasticiser? what mix? Won't be starting until I can get materials....

Long time "silver hair" DIYer done a bit of most things. Recently finished a 1902 house refurb (back to bare brick, new floors, ceilings) where myself and OH did everything except extension brick/roof, electrics, boiler and CH, gas, re-roof and skimming. Made a house full of DG box sash windows from scratch + french doors, all joinery, new floors, ceilings, non CH plumbing, fitted out kitchen and bathroom etc.etc.. Here now because going to be attempting brickwork and roofing not quite for the first time on a garage project, and have a SIP garden room in the planning stages. I'm good with wood, tiling, kitchens, bathrooms, but limited experience of doing brickwork so here for tips and suggestions. Completed the reinforced raft already (9m x 3.3m).