IanR

Is that price the average for the year, or for the last couple of months ie. March and April? I also have a 12kw ASHP, which is a little oversized to the 8kw calculated, and I have 500l UVC + a 200l Buffer for the UFH. I'm around 450m^2 I think. While I did put my heating back on for a couple of weeks in April, it's mostly been off since the start of March, so my current usage doesn't include heating and is around 1350 kWk for each of March and April. That's around £160 /mnth on my tariff. I do have a couple of servers that run 24/7, that aren't the most efficient, so that pushes my usage up a bit. I wonder if your Air tightness is effecting your energy losses, how much has your heating been on? Why is it more expensive than Gas? I pay 12p kWh with a COP of around 4, so that's costing 3p/unit?

Pricing does look very good, would you mind sharing the supplier either here or via PM? It's around £350 - £400 cheaper than I've managed to get quoted for similar.

I keep coming back to this same question myself, for a similar length of drive. We're using a shared entrance at the moment, but wish to put in our own access, however the numbers are off putting, even though I have 200t of hardcore "tucked away" ready. My thinking at the moment is to go with a structural grass drive way for the majority, using grids like these: https://www.ibran.co.uk/products/grass-parking-grids (I've just picked this from a random search, and know nothing of this particular product) The build up suggestion is 50mm - 80mm Type 1, but that doesn't feel enough. I'd be looking at going with 150mm of crushed hardcore (as that is what I have). I've found other similar products that are 60mm deep rather that 40mm, that say they are good for occasional HGVs. If you can get away without an edging, it could be relatively cost effective.

Have you seen such a finish? From your description I'm picturing the edge of the board flush with the main wall plane, but then a recess around the board making it appear to be sitting proud. You may need to sketch what you are hoping to achieve.

The wall joint to the cill board is already in a shadow (under the overhang of the cill board), so there is no need to create an artificial recess to disguise the joint.

Yes, if you've concealed a breach, you'd be denied a CLEUD. Council Tax would be separate, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were chased for it.

Once it's been inhabited continuously for 4 years, the owner can apply for a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development The Owner has to prove the breach is ongoing and has been continuous for 4 years. If they can the LPA has no choice but to issue the CLEUD. But, that's not the same as having planning, it just allows the existing breach to continue. If the breach is discontinued, ie it's empty for a while (at least 3 months seems to be the threshold) then the CLEUD is no longer in place and the 4 year clock starts ticking again. I don't believe Banks will lend Mortgages against such a property as it doesn't have planning permission. If the LPA become aware of it before a CLEUD is applied for they would likely give the Owner the opportunity to normalise the breach by applying for retrospective planning. If they do so and it's rejected, or they fail to apply then the LPA will issue and enforcement notice. Enforcement notices do seem to go very very slowly. It would be years before it got to the point of the Council demolishing the build and charging the owner for it.

50mm gap between sheathing of warm roof and 18mm OSB deck for metal rain screen.

Have you seen any? Are you happy with how they look? I don't personally feel a single ply membrane roof could be confused for a metal root, while I agree that sticking a "seam" detail on them is intended to make them look similar. Do you wish to fix anything to your roof? ie. PV, satellite. The seams on single ply aren't structural, so you need to find another way of fixing. I'm assuming fixing through the membrane is a water leak risk.

We're a family of 5 with a 500l tank, and never get close to running out of hot water. For swapping over I'd be more concerned about the size of heat emitters. If you are on rads, they need to be oversized.

Our LPA takes a very different view on all change of use from non-resi to resi. It requires the Phase 1 to get the history, and a walk-over to determine if there are any potential risks. If any risks are found then a Phase 2 is required. I assumed this was the norm, as every Class MB/Q and "normal" Barn conversions I researched had the same conditions attached.

The Structural Engineer will be interested in the Soil Survey, and the Bore Hole work can derive the ground bearing capacity which the Structural Engineer will likely also want, but the whole of the Phase 2 would normally be done by a separate company and will likely be a condition of your Planning. If you plan it well you can avoid a double-count in the tests and make sure the Environmental tests cover what is required by the SE as well as the Contamination report.

Reading back to your initial post, it looks like your Class Q application has not been submitted yet. Are you aware that you will likely require a contamination survey? and unfortunately with asbestos present a Phase 1, desktop survey and walk over probably will not be enough. We'd hoped to get away with a Phase 1, but having an unbunded diesel tank close to the site necessitated a Phase 2 with bore holes, soil analysis and gas sampling. All in it was close to £5K. I believe these came under professional fees, so were not VAT recoverable.

I guess your roofers wouldn't have had the tools on site to fabricate the cladding for the columns from the wall cladding. It would also need some careful thought to avoid sharp edges that could cut hands. While the pre-made parts you link to are expensive, I would have thought fabricating bespoke cladding panels that neatly fit together, leave no sharp edges exposed and hide all fixings, would be even more expensive. That leaves you with a timber cladding, but for me that introduces another material and texture that doesn't relate to anything else on the facade. I'm back to painting what you have to match your windows, but introduce some detail at the top if you don't like the junction to the eaves. I don't personally feel they look too small in section, but do understand your concern. Perhaps with the balustrade attached they won't look so "out on their own".

How about sand and fill (automotive body filler), and spray paint to match external window finish

I believe this is a mix-up of the rules. Conversions are subject to a 5% VAT rate for supply and install, rather than the 0% of a New Build. However that 5%, + the full 20% of supplied goods can then be reclaimed at the end.

This is the bit to me that actually makes it clear. Class Q PD is for the creation of a new Residential unit, so there is no term in the Planning Permission that stops it being sold separately. It doesn't need to "yet" be separated off on to its own Title, it just needs to be capable of being. Conversions can also make use of the 5% VAT rate for Supply and Install work, t help cashflow.

When first quoted late 2016, Colorcoat was the best value, and I had a company lined up to Install. When I pushed the button mid 2017, the install company had just got busy with a development of properties and Colorcoat's pricing seemed to have gone up 40% (plus they appeared to be having some internal issues) I went back to re-quote all the options and Falzonal was now the better value. I also liked that all the flashings could be hand worked in the Aluminium, rather than introducing another material.

I was planning to use Colorcoat Urban originally and Tata, at the time, said they were investigating using their product directly on the sheathing of a Warm roof, without a ventilation gap. They did come back to me and say all their analysis showed it "would be fine". I wasn't willing to take the risk personally - in the end I went with an Aluminium roof (for other reasons), and a ventilation gap. As you say, battens and 18mm OSB.

CIL - Community Infrastructure Levy = a Planning "tax" that many Planning authority's have now entered into, that allows for a standardised charge of £xxx.xx / sqr m of residential development for any new developments. There are exemptions allowed, that need to be in place before you commence the development. You'd normally receive a CIL notice around the same time you receive the planning application notification. If you've not heard of it it's probably because your LPA has not yet signed up to CIL, but worth double-checking. RHI - Renewable Heat Incentive = a grant from the government to encourage use of technologies like ASHP, that is meant to reduce the capital cost of that technology to around the same as the fossil fuel alternatives. ASHP - Air Source Heat Pump - I actually thought you'd mentioned it in your post, but I must have mixed it up with a post I was reading just before yours, otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it. Anyhow. Class Q is for a new Residential Unit, so is VAT deductible, and you will need to reference the Planning Application on your VAT reclaim at the end. The fact that you haven't yet divided it off on to its own Title I don't believe would effect it.

It doesn't need to be attached to be an "Annex" - it needs to be on its own Title to not be an Annex, otherwise it would be considered as an extension to the existing homestead and not a new residential unit. Thinking about it, a Class Q is for a new Residential unit, so must be OK. Yes, all listed are VAT deductible, with the possibility of RHI on the ASHP. Edited to add: Is CIL owing? Not sure where you stand with self-build exemption as you won't be living in it, but you should get "conversion" exemption if it's been in "continued lawful use for 6 months within the last 36 months prior to the application".

Hi @Ali F , and welcome. Yes, as a new residential unit you can reclaim the VAT on a Class Q, as I did myself. (This is assuming the new unit is not an Annex to an existing residential unit) Keep all the receipts, making sure they have VAT showing as a separate amount, and claim at the end. Same process as for any other new build/conversion.

...and still working on the landscaping.

Hunter Douglas used to manage their own UK Install team, but halfway through my order with them (2016/2017) they swapped to using independent Installers in the UK. They passed me on to Interlace Blinds, who did a good job for me. At the time Interlace didn't advertise that they did Hunter Douglas, but at least they do mention them on their website now, even if it's not their blinds that the show on the "External Blinds" page. https://interlaceblinds.com/hunterdouglas/ When I researched, only Hunter Douglas did a 5m width in a single span, so I didn't get into too much detail with any of the other blind manufacturers, but I'm very happy with the HD product. Edited to add: They do need to be considered early, to get them integrated into the the facade and avoid them looking like a retrofit.

I have a Nibe with the cooling add-on. I cool the buffer which is then sent to UFH and MVHR heat exchanger. The UFH is very effective for cooling, in my set-up, the MVHR less so, as you would expect. I have other processes to help cooling so the ASHP/UFH doesn't do it all on its own, which probably helps. First step is to even out the energy in the slab, to move heat from solar gain areas to the rest of the house by just circulating the UFH. Roof vents will also open to dump warm air, if outside temp is lower than internal. I also have external blinds to restrict solar gain if needed. If the "passive" measures are insufficient, then the ASHP starts to cool. I have it stepping in quite quickly so that it is trying to maintain a temperature rather than bring a temp that sailed 10 degrees passed the desired temp. In those circumstances, it is effective.