DevilDamo

In a ‘normal’ situation, level access is only provided (and required) to the main door and failing that, another door on the principal storey. So you’d ramp up to that access and then ramp back down to normal ground level. Not only does this overcome the issues with air bricks but also helps alleviate any damp/tanking issues and stepped DPC’s. If it was possible, a ground bearing or suspended concrete slab would have been better as opposed to a beam and block... assuming that is what you have?

That is what I was going to suggest but AD B states... Where served by only one stair, all habitable rooms (excluding kitchens) should have either of the following. a. An emergency escape window or external door, as described in paragraph 2.10. b. Direct access to a protected stairway, as described in paragraph 2.5a. 2.3 Two rooms may be served by a single window. A door between the rooms should provide access to the window without passing through the stair enclosure. Both rooms should have their own access to the internal stair. And they define a final exit as... “The end of an escape route from a building that gives direct access to a street, passageway, walkway or open space, and is sited to ensure that people rapidly disperse away from the building so that they are no longer in danger from fire and/or smoke. NOTE: Windows are not acceptable as final exits.” Can that Hall window be changed to a door and just used as a side/secondary entrance as that would then comply? Or as per 2.3, you may actually be able to call the Hall a room and have an escape window.

Does the Hall not have a front door?

What does?

The percentage uplift would be in relation to floor area, not footprint. Otherwise, that would allow people to keep extending upwards. What would be more of a priority and importance to you... the additional floor area to the dwelling or the outbuildings? If you did offer a trade off, the LPA ‘may’ not look to withdraw your Class E rights so you can put back those buildings. They may however withdraw Class A.

Your best bet would be to seek Pre-application advice. The LPA would normally be mindful to grant PP for alterations that would then take you over the 50%. Are there any other buildings on the site that could be used as a trade off?

Well I’ve learnt something different today ?

What purpose does this ‘assumed’ land drain serve? Are you or they not sure it’s a public sewer of which there are certain development restrictions? If so and if the garage could cause an issue, can it not be re-located or re-designed accordingly?

Take a match to it ?

As @Temp mentioned, is there an issue with the window to the Master Bedroom that it does not meet the escape requirements?

It sounds like the BCO is stating the En-suite is habitable and an inner room of which it is neither, so not sure why they are requesting the additional detection. You need to ask for clarification. Is your house 2-storey or 3-storey?

It would not be that difficult nor very complicated. Any changes to an approved application would result in a revised or new application to be submitted. There are some options as to the type of application along with application fees, e.g. Section 73/Variation of Condition or Full application. As you are already considering changes to the facade, I do not think the LPA would accept a Non-material amendment application, which is why I haven’t mentioned that as an application option.

You would need to carry out a few structural checks of the existing structure to make sure it’s adequate to receive the additional load. Never rely on drawings as that is not always what has been built. Assuming the extension is not recent, i.e. built within the last 5 years, Building Control would ask for the existing foundations to be exposed. If they’re not adequate, they may have to be underpinned. If the extended first floor element is to be constructed like a dormer so utilising timber frame, then that will obviously limit the additional applied loads to the existing foundations. Or you take the rear wall up as cavity wall but with a flat roof. The existing flat roof joists would need to be checked to determine their suitability to use as floor joists as the loadings are a lot different. You’d also need to check the floor levels between the existing and new incase any small internal steps have had to be created as a result of increased first floor joist sizes. This is easily alleviated by having a slightly lower and dropped ceiling to that rear part meaning the first floors can remain flush. To hide that step down below, you’d to look to incorporate a small suspended ceiling to the existing part of the main house. Depending on what structural and thermal upgrade requirements are require to the roofs will end up dictating the practicality and feasibility of modifying or replacing the existing. Your starting point would be to have an architect/technologist/technician/designer round to run through the options and pro’s and con’s of the various processes and methods.

There isn’t any reason why you couldn’t submit Building Notice applications for both projects. There are certain works that do not allow you to submit a BN application, e.g. building over or within 3m of a public sewer. BN applications are commonly used for minor works of which these would be classed as.

@monsieurjava It sounds like the only notifiable BR works are the structural alterations relating to the wall (for the kitchen) and the chimney breast (for the bathroom)? Assuming this is the case, there isn’t really any major saving in putting them under one BR application so just split them up as two applications as they will be dealt with in two phases anyway.

But that would be made up ground. The 1m isn’t just a distance measured from a made up level but natural ground level.

600mm down for what... your new foundations? If so, that would never be acceptable to Building Control because as mentioned before, the minimum is usually 1m even for single storey extensions. As @Temp has mentioned... if you’re building min. 3m away then you’re pretty much sorted on the foundation front. Unless of course you end up having to pile, which is more so to do with the ground conditions.

I have read it all but did get a little lost halfway through. So what is the issue that needs resolving or clarifying?

If you’re excavating within 3m of your neighbour’s building and your foundations will be deeper than theirs, then the PWA would apply. With new foundations having to go down at least 1m, it’s not easy to ascertain the depth of their neighbour’s so you end up serving notice because of the unknown. You can download templates from the PWA yourself and serve those as opposed to appointing a surveyor. The attached should help clarify.

Unless the OP can find a very friendly and accommodating engineer, I work with three who wouldn’t commit to producing such calculations as they are a specialist time of which engineers do not have the loading information. @Boris 18mths isn’t actually that long ago. Has your builder/groundwork gone awol as I assume you remember their details?

Providing your Class E PD rights remain intact, then an outbuilding/shed in that location would be considered to be PD. Homeowners have to also check to make sure there are also no legal restrictions, i.e. covenants preventing or restricting you from doing so.

SV would normally dictate a Stop Valve. Topographical surveys would usually include a key for the various abbreviations.

It’s all very well having a client wanting to get involved but to me, this much involvement is quite concerning. I’d feel embarrassed or upset if one of my clients was asking the quantity and quality of the OP across the forum. Just hope their architect never reads BH ?

2-storey over garage so 3-storey altogether or are you referring to a first floor extension? LABC fees for extensions are determined on the proposed internal floor area so how big is it?

Across the forum in general. Even if somebody has been instructed to design something ‘elegantly’, they should also be aware and advise their client of the Planning and Building Regulation implications. It just doesn’t seem you’re getting that at all and I’d be questioning their capability. I assume you have learnt things here that you have not been told or heard before?