LSB

we are the new pocster, no loans, just my income and hubby doing the real work, bit by bit. We are already 3 yrs in, but did faff for the first two of those, even so, doing it on your own is very very very very slow and you do make mistakes, which take time and cost money We know that hubby could have worked and got more help, but he is such a perfectionist that he doesn't trust anyone else to do it, and it keeps him busy 🙂 Well done pocster for getting yours done, I just hope we get there some day so we can enjoy our retirement.

Once again it's been much longer than it should have been since I last posted with my last entry being July, wow where has that time gone. Back then we were building the walls for phase 1 and installing the window and door lintels. Back then it was warm, unlike now and building could be done in shorts and T shirts Once these walls were built then it was time to think about a roof, even though it is going to be a temporary one for now as the whole house will have the final roof at the same time. This part of the conversion is designed to look like an extension as it did on the original. So, the South wall is higher and this 'hooks' on to it. We also have on-site building inspectors checking out their new home Then we had to start getting the rafters in situ, allowing for the overhang on the sides and end. The roof 'ladder' was built from the wood that was used to line the windows whilst building. These did take a long time as the roof is 4 degrees so slightly sloped so each block of both cavities times 2 had to be cut to the exact size required The weather wasn't always kind, but we did have some visitors to check out what was happening. Eventually, it was finished with the temp roof on. Windows covered for now as this will become our storage shed for a while During this time, we also had to move the stables. From this, already part demolished, not sure where the original pictures have gone. To this to this, luckily moved by a local farmer. Not sure when the horses will have them back though. Next is to start on the East side of the main part of the build. Originally our SE said that we had to have 2.4m deep underpinning foundations. But, our BCO had on on-side meeting with the SE as he felt this was over the top. We dug some example trenches to show what the soil was. He agreed with the help of the dog that it really is sand in this area. We do have some clay further on where we can have stepped foundations But he has agreed that we can have 750mm where it's sand so we are doing phase 2 which will be the office, master, bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. It will be the plant, another bedroom, family room and pantry which need deeper foundations. We have started digging out for the 2nd phase so will post my next update in due course. Thanks for looking and good luck with your builds

we got a man with a crusher, we dug out 1/2 m x 250 sqm of very hard concrete. he crushed it and we had for hardcore, topping the drive when it got muddy. we will have the same again, but will use under the base for the stables and cart lodge and hubbys multiple sheds so we paid crusher about 1k, but don't have to buy any hardcore in. garden waste we separated for our log burner or just set fire to it

Like @Jilly I would have pushed more for knock down and rebuild, all this bloody underpinning and rebar etc. etc. is getting me down. I totted up the other day and so far I've spent circa 30k on 'preliminaries', I could have got a good consultant and better architect for that and pushed for rebuild for that money. Instead we've paid out multiple times to 'fix' issues which have needed SE / planning / architect multiple times. And I don't think it's over yet.

We used private in East Suffolk, brilliant guy who always available to help. Not saying that LABC won't help but as we are novice DIY self builders then we decided to go for all the help we could get and they have really helped. Recently he suggested that we got SE and BCO on site together to discuss the best way of laying the floor as our SE plans were rather over the top and BC said not necessary. So, with that one thing he's saved us 1000's, not sure if LABC would have done the same.

Welcome, there are a number of us from Suffolk

well done, you've waited long enough, bet it will be finished way before ours 🙂

Thanks, the SE approved the rafter drawings, and the walls, but didn't actually specify the hangers 🙂 He is currently on holibobs for the next 2 weerks (I know because I'm waiting on him for some changes to the floor structure for phase 2) so no chance of involving him and we don't really want to wait for him to return to 1000 emails. I'll look at the links you sent

We are looking at fitting the following roof. The wall where the rafter fits is the internal wall below the rafter and for 2 blocks above it will be the external wall. This wall is built using H&H celcon high strength 7.3n aerated concrete block 440*102*100mm My question is, what sort of bolt should we use to fix the wall plate to this wall. The wall plate is 47 * 147 and the rafters are at 400 centres. The walls have been constructed, but we are wondering about them being aerated as the the decription. TIA Jill

laying a suspended concrete floor with 2 layers of mesh not suspended on the foundations, so just sitting there. luckily we hadn't poured so it was rectified by removing, but it was noticed by BC not us and the mesh was all too small after being cut to go into the foundations, not on them.

not adjoining their existing land and land away from the farm is never going to be farmable due to the issue with moving the equipment needed. There is little ag land available except in huge parcels as farmers give up, getting 5 acres of good ag land by your land is like finding hens teeth.

why would we want to sort out the roads, that will just bring more tourists 🤣

I would say to rebuild to look as much as possible as it was previously, from a distance. But, if you at any time are thinking about a dwelling then agricultural to dwelling is a well trodden path. As IanR says though if you change the use to workshop then you will need to wait 10 years before you could ever consider converting. By the way, there is no such category as 'countryside', they is agricultural, amenity and residential (including gardens) so I guess it's still agricultural if it was never changed, but that shouldn't make any difference to you using it.

I don't have any experience, but ask the neighbours surveyor that question as I'm assuming that he is insured and if he is prepared to do this then he must feel comfortable as it will come back on him. But, and it's a big one, won't you need access to his land to build your property and have you had a structural survey to confirm that his wall is good enough to hold up your new house.

welcome