Adamantium

The issue is I'm living in the house that's on the plot already. The plot with planning permission, regardless of existing house, is worth much more than the build cost (possibly 100% more depending on the build. I'd love to retain my existing mortgage but I can't knock down the asset on which the mortgage is secured. I suspect I'm just going to have to lump it and move to self build with a poor rate and without my lovely offset facility.

Hi all, Has anyone heard of this? I'm not looking for a self build mortgage as such, just a conventional residential mortgage but secured against the plot. Reason being it would be easier to deal with than a conventional self build mortgage. Basically I'd like to remortgage now to a mortgage company that won't care if I knock my house down because their money is secure (plot with PP is worth double what I want to borrow). I then have my own cash to build the house.

and if it wasn't a planning condition? (it wasn't!).

The main issue for me is not completing the build, it's demolishing everything. There is a garage which according to the plans is to be demolished but its footprint is completely separate and therefore it doesn't have to be demolished in order to finish building anything. It was always my plan to demolish it last because of the seclusion, protection and security it provides for tools etc. Thing is budget is tight and it's a few thousand I'm could save at the end by simply not demolishing it. I'm quite happy for it to stay and have building regs signed off, I'm just not sure if there's a legal mechanism to make me knock it down since it was part of the permission for it to not be there at the end.

Odd question. I have planning to build what i want to build and am happy with everything as it is. Part of my permission includes knocking down the garage and also putting dormers in the roof. What I'd like to know is, in the event that I run out of money and say, cannot afford to put the dormers in but just tile over the space in expectation that one day I can put them in, or choose not to demolish the garage (it doesn't interfere with the footprint and is useful for storage during the build), can I be compelled by some legal mechanism to install the dormers or knock down my garage? I can't see how as if I haven't got the money, what can they do, but also I haven't deviated from my planning permission, I simply haven't finished yet. How does it work? Is there a time limit? Can they remove permission retroactively?

I'm a firm believer in well designed plumbing. Water pressure and flow is very important to me, and things like routing, isolation valves, bend radii etc can make a huge difference to efficiency, noise and performance. In my experience, most plumbers are more concerned with profit than performance - I can't allow that to be the case on my build.

Every avenue I've looked at for a decent M+E consultant/designer has drawn a blank. No one I know across all trades has been happy enough to recommend anyone. I believe this person will end up being the most important person on the build to me, which is why it's essential I find the right man for the job. So far reports have suggested strength in one area but not others. Many people recommend leaving it to the AV company, but AV guys don't understand plumbing, and while they may understand lighting and automation, are not happy when it comes to mvhr or air con (can these be combined?). Is there no one who can be considered an "expert" in all the above, good enough to map out the whole house?

Thanks guys. I have time but not infinite amounts. The architect so far has been genuinely staggered/impressed by my amount of involvement and research. He only does new build houses and has managed 220 so far. He's well used to co-ordinating consultants and is certainly not insisting on any of them. Where I have indicated a preference to use one (M+E for example) he has prepared quotes from different suppliers local to me who he has used before and has been impressed by. There doesn't seem to be any loyalty to one over another, in fact on three occasions he has found the best to be almost a quarter of the price of some of the others he has been happy with previously. I'm just glad he is acting as a central port of call and is comfortable with that. The QS hasn't been paid yet but value engineering is the next planned stage. the architect wants involvement by questionning every aspect of the spec, but before I cut anything out i can see many areas to reduce the cost, I'm just not sure what to do first.

Meeting with architect today, the number of consultants he was putting forward has frightened the life out of me but it does seem that he's well organised. The elemental cost analysis also came back from the QS. Only 50% over budget - at least it included 5% contingency. I've gone through 1 out of 102 pages and managed to shave off 5 of the 50% but I don't think that rate is going to continue. What I'm wondering is if this site has a recommendations page. Surely there must be some benefit to sharing contacts who have been excellent/reasonable, or even suppliers to save costs. I'm looking for someone to do a surface water drainage study but crucially I need an M+E consultant who I suspect is going to become my pal, as I'm more likely to engage with this guy than anyone else. Thanks in advance, Adam

Hi all, I need to discharge some conditions in order to get a commencement notice, otherwise there's a chance my site investigation to check the soil will trigger a CIL charge. The council cannot guarantee me that it won't so I'm rushing to discharge the conditions. First off I need a method statement for construction of the development - I assume the architect can sort this, but if there's a standard document, that would help. Next, I assume I need some experts but am struggling to find the right people for the following: NO DEVELOPMENT SHALL TAKE PLACE BEFORE a Drainage Impact Study, a surface water drainage scheme for the site (based on sustainable drainage principles SuDS) and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro geological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The surface water scheme shall be implemented before the first occupation and/or use of the development and be constructed in accordance with the approved details. NO DEVELOPMENT SHALL TAKE PLACE BEFORE a scheme for the on-site storage and regulated discharge of surface water run-off has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme. Can anyone help/recommend?

I do plan to never move again, except to retire to San Diego, that said, healthcare insurance out there would mean I'd still need to be "based here" if things were bad.

understood. Anyone familiar with the level of enforcement of Environment agency byelaws with regard to building within 8m of a small brook? Will be invisible to all but one neighbour who is trying to move.

My planning doesn't mention the sheds only the garages. I asked about when PD rights change and the officer said she wasn't sure of the law. I assumed that it would be once the planning permission was in place, not necessarily once it had been started. My planning also shows demolition of one of my garages which doesn't overlap the new footprint. I was planning to retain it for site storage until the very end. I believe there's no legal implement to force me to complete the construction and hence demolish the garage at the end. Moot point really as the garage has to go - it's falling down anyway and is totally out of keeping the design and position of the new house.

Found a great broker if anyone wants a recommendation!

So it's not that trickle vents are required as such, it's more that the SAP calcs need to stack up. Approximate cost of MVHR?

The issue for me is that our plans result in the demolition of our two garages and removal of our three sheds. I have no objection to being prevented from adding a conservatory or extension etc. but I object to requiring planning to put a shed at the bottom of a large garden. They can keep their class A to D restrictions, but class E really bothers me, it feels like an arbitrary punishment because they didn't want to grant the application but had to due to officer support, precedent and it ticking all the boxes. My planning officer tells me that an appeal has no bearing on the rest of the planning granted, and I can still continue to dispense with the conditions to keep the ball rolling.

Hi all, I'm currently speccing (before build) a neo georgian house and have decided on bygone windows. The issue is that for authenticity reasons they do not have trickle vents - fantastic. My concern is meeting the ventilation requirements for a new build home. I do not want to install ugly airbricks but what choice do I have? Any advice would be much appreciated. Adam

Bit of a follow up - planning permission was granted in committee last thursday - one of the worst days of my life. Horrific interaction with my neighbour who blanked me as I walked into the proceedings. I know it is contentious but it has never been personal, and I wouldn't have held their view against them had I lost. I'm not sure the same can be said for how it has worked out. I am annoyed however, that they've seen fit to remove my category E permitted development rights so I will be appealing. In addition, I now cannot get confirmation that I am allowed to perform a soil investigation as no one can assure me that the machinery won't be considered as starting work for the purposes of the CIL. As a result, I need to discharge the conditions before we can start on the detailed plans!

Thanks for the help. I've found a great broker who has been amazing so far. I assumed that I'd need a mortgage broker who specialises in self builds but that doesn't appear to be the case. If anyone wants a recommendation, feel free to pm me. Adam

BBC Northern Ireland - BBC house of the year guest judge Des Ewing - he's an architect - top guy.

Can anyone recommend a self build mortgage broker other than the usual suspect. I'm considering a halifax mortgage but they don't sell direct and they won't provide the name of a broker. Thanks in advance.

Really helpful advice - just as I was hoping for. I'm a patent attorney by trade so I have a fair amount of experience when it comes to contracts and if I can't cope, I know thousands who can. As for a design SAP right now, because of the complexity of the planning permission process so far, I'd rather get it through then look at the numbers. It's easier to apply for an amendment to the design once granted than to try to get the entire design through. You do have me wondering how all the similar yet much bigger houses around me manage to be built.

Thanks JSHarris, As regards glazing, you haven't seen the rear of the house which is almost floor to very high ceiling glass across the width. Most likely sliding doors rather than bifolds. The upstairs remains sash. I believe the design brief includes MVHR and air to air heat pumps. The windows are the top rated Bygone collection (fake wood UPVC sash) which are costing me a fortune but they are among the best u value upvc window that looks the part that I could find. I am desperate to avoid having vents on the windows though. I fail to understand why you make a house so airtight and then have to have mechanical vents. I need to determine how to do this to avoid ruining the look of the windows. My plan is certainly to uprate all insulation where possible. It sounds like a passive slab might be a big help in reducing heating bills too.

The heat loss is a concern but one that I cannot avoid. The light and appearance is very important to me, so I expect I'll need to subsidise the heating and cooling for eternity. I actually have no idea what a passive slab is, so any quick pointers would be greatly appreciated. I'm guessing its a floating slab of concrete that isn't anchored in deep foundations. This makes me concerned on the run adjacent the sewer as it really does require footings deep enough that the 45 degree load zone is safely beneath the sewer. Is it possible to build a slab that has a strip/trench as well in order to satisfy thames water? Once I'm outside the 3m zone, they don't care what the foundations do.

I have no desire to connect to that, I was planning on utilising the existing drainage connections with suitable modifications. Yes it's within 3m. Building over is unlikelyh to be permissible when it's a main strategic sewer, but I don't want to take the risk anyway. At least if I build up to a metre of it, the house can stay standing if they need to dig it up one day.