LSB

I spoke to SE today and he has reduced half the site to A mesh but is adamant that the bit we are doing must be B785 I can't replicate anything as BC is insisting that we follow the drawings exactly. Luckily i can get it from Jewsons, but lots of places don't provide it, and it's expensive. Apparently it's to do with the roof, this part of the barn has it's own roof and is 6*4 sqm approx. internally. Our SE is a commercial company more used to doing hospitals so guess to them it's a minimal spec.

At last the SE rang back and admitted that it is B785, so a typo all though the document and double checked by a senior. I also questioned having 2 layers of B785 for a single storey residential floor that will only have household furniture on top. He's now checking if that is really necessary. Shows how much we've learnt since we go the drawings 2 years ago when we just took what they said as gospel.

yep, just rang them again !!!! in a meeting and will call me back, just like the last 3 times I rang. Architect says that they just used what SE said. I don't plan to swop for A mesh, it's just the BC says that we must do as per the SE spec, which doesn't exist. The hardcore is being put in today and then I'm stuck until I can get this stuff.

He is VAT registered, but is a one-man band with a huge home build machine that he just takes from site to site and crushes concrete, I don't think paperwork is his forte in life. He's pretty rough and a very typical 'old Suffolk boy', but he's been really good at what he's doing and even went and found HID for me yesterday when I had a problem when I was on my dog walk, HID didn't have his phone so I rang this guy who went and told him to ring me 🙂 I would happily recommend his work and I'm happy not to be charged VAT as long as any risk is with him. My issue, is: If I buy in hardcore I don't pay VAT, no problem. This guy is crushing our own old concrete floors to provide us with hardcore. So, are we buying a service, which is not VAT exempt, or are we buying hardcore.

We saw a system at a show called Unico which 'does it all', this is a hot air system, HID loved it and wanted to install. We rejected because I'm very sensitive to air flow and couldn't face the thought of it coming in the room. But, it did look quite good. This was at the Swindon House Building show.

thanks, it's just that I'm not sure that crushing concrete is VAT free even though we will use most of it, just not all, what's left will go on the driveway

I have a 'supplier' who has bought a machine and done some work, he says that I don't have to pay VAT as it's a new build. But, just for arguments sake, what happens if he is wrong. Slightly more info he is crushing concrete on site for our hardcore. I know we wouldn't have to pay for hardcore if we bought in, but what about in this scenario. He bought his own crusher and did all the work.

I expect so, waiting on a call back from SE although they didn't' respond to my email I'll chase tomorrow otherwise Shows that even though it is written by A and checked off by B they both maybe missed it. Just frustrating as I wanted to get prices today and I can't really guarantee that I'm looking for the right thing. That's the trouble with working and acting as PM, limited time availability during office hours.

We are converting an old barn, one corner is clay (about 9sqm out of 240), hence the cellcore, but that is also included on the rest which is sand, hey ho. I have gone to the SE, but they haven't come back to me, just rang again and was told no one was available. We had the plans drawn back in Nov 2020 so I think maybe they are not interested any more, the receptionist couldn't find our plans. I wondered about a typo, but B705 is everywhere in all the calcs. when copy and paste doesn't ring true. Pity the architect didn't notice when he did the BC drawings, from the SE drawings. BC said that there has never been a B705 so it's not like Persil, the new improved version. What with the cellcore and high spec mesh (2 layers) the floors are going to be very expensive.

I'm confused, not for the first or last time I know. But, just doing quotes for our floor makeup and looking at the SE & BC drawings, same thing really. Anyway, they's specified B705 mesh, neither BC nor BM have not heard of this. I went back to the architect and he said, that's was SE specified, SE not available. As it is I think this floor makeup is excessive for a single storey building, but BC is saying that we must follow the drawings. What do others think. The screed is only speced at 50, the hard core (not listed) at 200 and the insulation at 150, ignore the bit at the top, that's the existing floor that we have had to dig out to provide more roof height. The nearest spec to B705 is B785, which is £83 per sheet compared with £30 for A rated mesh. thoughts please.

you could house a lot of immigrants popping in from the coast as well

that's one hell of a telly but, I quite like it and not that far off what ours will look like, except we are single storey and only one 'barn', but nice location, wherever it is.

I've received this from my architect re possible changes. Rural diversification can be both agricultural and non-agricultural and rewarding on many levels. There are many success stories from smaller to larger businesses, with DEFRA statistics suggesting that more than 60% of UK farms are now involved in some form of diversified activity. As a rural planning and architectural consultancy, we have been involved in a great number of projects over the years, the majority of which have been delivered through the traditional planning routes. The more recent introduction of permitted development rights has enabled further change, with much more hopefully being delivered in the future. Of particular importance and relevance to our rural clients is the latest Government consultation which allows agricultural diversification and development on agricultural units. Key points of relevance in respect of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 are: Part 3 Class Q allows for the conversion of agricultural buildings to residential dwellings. The proposed changes would include: Increasing the overall size limit to 1,000sqm (currently 465sqm for larger dwellings and up to 3 smaller dwellings each less than 100sqm in floorspace). Increasing the maximum number of dwellings from 5 to 10. Introducing a maximum dwelling size of either 100sqm or 150sqm, reduced from 465sqm. Allowing for 4m rear extensions during the change of use. Enabling Class Q to apply in Conservation Areas, AONBs, National Parks and The Broads. Enabling Class Q to apply to buildings on agricultural units that may have not been used solely for agriculture. Enabling Class Q to apply to former agricultural buildings no longer on an established agricultural unit. Requiring existing access to the public highway. Part 3 Class R allows for the change of use of agricultural buildings to flexible commercial uses. The proposed changes would include: Expanding the change of use to outdoor sports, recreation or fitness. Enabling the change of use to mixed uses. Increasing the size limit from 500sqm to 1,000sqm. Part 6 Class A allows for, amongst other things, the erection of agricultural buildings. The proposed changes would include: Increasing the size limit from 1,000sqm to 1,500sqm. Please note, the Government consultation for England closes on 25th September 2023, therefore we strongly encourage you to complete the Government Survey.

But, if the planners are going to demand that there is no increase in height then will you even have enough roof space for those stairs. Would you be better looking at extending into depth for future, even down to laying foundations. My brother had a catastrophic house fire and the house had to be rebuild, not from nothing, but definitely 70% and his insurance company were happy for them to extend into the side return so just ask them. They can only say no.

Thanks, you have made HID a happy chappy 🙂

thanks, but we've tried that already, but will carry one looking

Our Winget dumper (30+ years old) had developed a fault and is leaking hydraulic fluid. Can anyone advise where we can get parts for this, specifically an oil filter as we think this is the issue. But, a supplier of all Winget parts would be really useful. TIA

3 blocks to wall plate

The bricklayer is my husband 🙂 He is not experienced at bricklaying, but it's this particular row of 2 bricks that is the issue. All the others are level. I guess the mistake was he built the 5 sections separately with string lines on each one, but this block must have been wrong from foundation level. We had a concrete man who has since been 'let go' who just tipped it all in one place on this pour and didn't move the chute at all making it very difficult to rake it level and I think this bit was slightly higher and we make the novice mistake of not checking it then. That said, it is what it is, and we need to recover and we can't take the whole wall down so need to get level where it is.

the top of the bricks on the one wall is about 1/4 brick thickness, we are going to get the laser on later when it's not so hot and bright as can't see it in this light.

we are converting a barn and one of the foundation levels has turned out to be marginally higher than the next one when building the wall. the 2 walls have a French door way in between and now need the lintel, but they are not perfectly level The total wall length is 18.4m with 4 door openings into the garden (in separate rooms) Each bit of wall has been built separately, 5 of them as all the doors are level thresh-hold. That is 5 walls. rough drawing The wall between D1 & D2 is higher than the rest meaning that the lintel can't be installed, 2nd picture not very clear. Do we cut those bricks to make this wall the same level as the string and level with all the other walls. Or, something else. Help please from novice builder. TIA

we wouldn't need a road closure if they used poles, would do it they went underneath. when they put in our fibre in June they didn't have to close the road, I wasn't watching, but I guess he must have just thrown it over the road, it is very quiet though.

I remember that GD. This GR is part of our planning conditions for converting the barn, luckily it's only the small bit of the 'L' and not the whole roof.

we've been charged, I'll talk to them.

it's more the green roof bit that I'm not sure about curving.