LSB

our batts totally fill the cavity, 150 mineral wool.

true, but to be fair they know we own all the fields from the contamination survey.

We were never consulted on this at all, so I'll talk to them about why they put it in the 'suggested' location. But, I've asked them a few things and don't get any response. I will ring them when I get a chance as maybe my emails are not getting through.

this is a Class Q barn conversion to a dwelling so is not commercial.

Good point, not something I thought about who would spec this. But, we always thought when looking at the conversion that the treatment plant would be in the East field, but the SE has put it in the North field. My point is more, they did this without discussing with us and I'm not getting any response from them about why they put it there and why they choose the specific model, personal preference, simplicity or a genuine reason. I must also note that they never visited the site before doing these drawings. A different dept had been previously for the contamination / soil survey so I guess they just used those drawings.

this is a Class Q conversion so maybe it's that, they have also said the company that we need to get the roof from. This is a top quality roofing company who do 99% commercial and their quote is about twice anyone elses. So, we aren't going with that either.

Distance from the building is fine in either location, in fact my preference is about another 5m further and slightly lower. This is the main reason we want it there, and always did. But, the SE just put it where they saw fit. We can keep the land if necessary. The main advantage with the current location is that it's beside the drive whereas our preferred location is further away which might make emptying more tricky.

Another area of self-build that is confusing my brain. On our SE plans they have specified a Klargester BioDisc, no consultation with us on what model or where we wanted it placed. They have specified one of our fields, but the plan was for that field to stay with our current house. We would like to put it in a different place, does anyone know if we can do this without a change in planning. Also do we have to use the STP on our SE drawings or is that just an example of the type of thing needed. I've asked the SE, but they are not forthcoming. And, how much space on the surface does a treatment plant need. TIA

let's hope it works out But, I do hope that Fram and Sax will do something about the requirements of families, docs, schools etc. With the Layers having pre approval for another 800 houses in Sax I do wonder what will happen. I was unwell last weekend and had a visit to our delightful local hospital. They told me that I needed to get an urgent follow up via my GP on Tues, it was Thur before the reception police even listened to me, prior to that they said that the practice was too busy. By the time I got through the hospital consultant had rung the surgery asking why I hadn't been seen, so when I did get a telephone appointment the locum did admit that they did have a message in my notes for urgent followup, but said that they don't have enough staff to act on these messages. In the end the consultant has arranged for me to be seen on Sat @ 5:30 at the hospital. Fram apparently are just as blocked up and none of the schools has spaces. They will just have to hope that whoever buys or build these houses is healthy and doesn't have any children that need education.

I've just been looking at the gov site for what I can add to my reclaim VAT list, in probably about 5 years by the time the build is finished. Now, as I'm sure many know there are some strange things. I can claim for paint, but does that include the paint we use for marking lines ? I then spotted that you can claim for 'manure' !!! You can claim for top soil, but not turf You can't claim for trees unless planning said you must have them. You can't claim for underlay of carpets, but can claim for underlay used for other flooring such as timber. I can already see that this is going to be complicated. Hey ho.

Part of the CIL payment goes to the local parish, only a small bit, but some. In the parish I live in, 144 residents, we have recently received some money from a New Build in the Countryside, agreed only because it is going to a 5 bed holiday let which increases tourism. Initially they submitted a Class Q to convert a small barn, again as a holiday let, once they got that they submitted plans for it to be a house, next door to the original barn. That was supposed to be knocked down on completion, still to be done. I personally don't like it, some do, that's not the point. Most agree that within a few years it will be residential home for the London solicitors that own the existing house and all the other barns. The CIL here is £200 per sqm and this house is 300sqm so the CIL was 60k The parish who have had their road and many verges destroyed by all the delivery lorries got just over £1,000. This build has since built a new cart lodge with 'games' room over and paid more CIL. CIL rules do not allow the parish to use the money received to have the verges and edge of road holes repaired, that is down to county, who as it's a green lane will do nothing, even with their 59k CIL. So, the CIL payment has been used to replace the church gates. We are so limited in what we can do with it. I've asked for an Owl Box, must be on a footpath, which is not an issue as one runs beside our fields and there is a huge tree. I've yet to get a response. But, I guess it would be interesting to know what the LPA do with the rest of the CIL for this and numerous other builds in the area.

As many on this hub are aware DIY self-build is a slow and sometimes lonely process, particularly when you are a novice. HID knows how to build, but he's never had to make the plans or decisions previously, he's just been told - dig that trench, lay that foundation etc. etc. So, we are finding having to explore in depth every step is time consuming and pretty tricky and there is no one place with all the details. We don't know what we are looking for - how do you know what to look for when you don't know what you don't know. I'm an avid reader and have read dozens of building books / magazines / articles etc. etc. But, they all assume that you are just looking for interest and that you are just going to hand over to 'an expert' This includes the architect, SE, BC In the last month it's been; How to lay DPM for level thresh-hold doors. How do level thresh-hold doors work How do you leave the cavity under DPM, full or empty Then there are the cavity closers, closer clips, cavity trays, level thresh-hold drains. And, other things that I can't even think about at the moment. But, all that aside we are progressing Trench filled First layer of foundation blocks 2nd layer of foundation well underway with the brick level lower to allow for the level thresh-hold doors DPM put down , with blocks on to stop it blowing away as it doesn't stick to the mortar, another thing I didn't know that it's just held down by the wall above. This one also doesn't show the 2nd membrane for the inside which is now there and rolled up. Two of the temp door frames in situ, built from old wood from the barn and last for now, the start of the internal wall, the right hand end carries on to join another wall which needs underpinning and a padstone, hence just keep out the way for now. Next steps are more frames as 4 doorways along this wall, Carry on building the internal wall up to lintel height Then insulation as the external wall goes up. And the cavity closers of course and lintels. This wall (wall A) has been very straightforward as it never existed, it was the open side of the barn, there are also no drains here, just 4 doors. This carries on around the corner (wall B1) which is also new, but that then comes to wall B2 which already exists and needs underpinning. Progress should be quicker now, until we find out what we have forgotten and we get to the existing walls.

Hi Alan At the moment they have water issues at Fram, too many houses no really water sources. So, the story is that they are going to run the water through the Alde valley from Sax to Fram, digging up the whole valley on the way. They will get it done, but I'm not sure how long it will take and what effect it will have on anyone looking to build in the near future. Hope your plans are coming on well. Jill

The different ground levels is something that we are working on, but the existing barn had 4 different internal levels, but on digging this out, not usable, it's very odd with 3 - 5 different layers of concrete all on top of each other. They do all seem to go down to the same level at least. We can only assume that whoever built it (long gone) had a cheap supply of concrete because of how much there is. No rebar, no insulation, no DPM except for one area. These days it would be about 50k worth in my estimation. And, it's not attached to the 200mm wall foundations, just laid inside so not a raft.

We have done everything ourselves, except drawings from architect, SE and for BC. I even submitted my own planning app after 2 refusals and got it approved. If you look at my blog you will see what we've been through so far. It's a very very slow build, just got the first wall to DPM level. BS officer (private) was very happy with our trenches and said the others can just be photos. We do have SE drawings which specify the depth, in our case it varies between 1m on sandy soil and 2.4m on clay / roots. The trees were cut down, most of them dead already a few years ago, for various reasons hence the trench depth. That said when BC came out for our 1st trench (1m) he said there was no need to go that deep on our soil and 450 would have been plenty, we are single story. We have digger, dumper and every other tool known to man, well it seems that way, 7 sheds. The main reason we decided to do it was because we had 4 groundwork companies out to quote and not one of them even bothered because of the depth where the clay / roots are and underpinning needed (barn conversion). Too many easy jobs out there. We are now tackling the build in 4 sections starting on the easy one to gain experience. So, perfectly possible with the right tools, learning (books & internet), build hub and taking it steady. I would also recommend private BC because they are working for us, not the council. Still the same checks, but more flexible. The SE did say that the trench depth can be approved by BC so we are going to do step trenches and just dig down until on 'good' ground and not just dig to 2.4 around half the walls. Our build is 240m2 on one floor with 87m of wall that needs trenches or underpinning. where the existing walls are they are single skin so we are building a 2nd skin that needs it's own foundations.

our build is single story, but we are also planning to put mortar on top of the DPC We were just surprised that it was didn't take at all. Well, now we can carry onwards and upwards.

Our DPM has been laid on a bed of mortar on blocks. This was done Mon / Tue and was left with loose blocks on top to weigh it down. But, the DPM hasn't adhered at all to the mortar, should it or will the weight of the walls just hold it in place and keep the walls stable. See below how it looks when we took the block weighing it off. It's the same all along Standard 5:1 mortar

no, block / block

depends on what ?

I thought I might find this on the interweb easily. But, now up to DPM Where do we put the first row of wall ties, I know the width requirements and the height requirements, but where do I start. TIA

Hi Selfbuild, welcome, there is a forum specifically for newcomers which might be a better place to post this. For my 2p worth, I wouldn't plan ICF without the architect on board as they need to be involved with your actual building control plans which will be different depending on the build method. You may be able to get an SE (structural engineer) to take the architects drawings and do the SE drawings for ICF, but I don't really know. The arch drawings are what you need for planning as planners are only interested in the final size /shape / look etc, not what it is constructed of. This is where you would be best placed to post, on the front page of the forum.

I do 🙂

I'm just ordering my lintels, catnic, but which is better These or these Our cavity is full filled 150 block / block. What I'm wondering with the 2nd one is about the strength and the 'water' I can see on the first one that any moisture will hit the lintel shell and exit stage right But, with the 2nd one where will it go and does it then require DPM above. I can see how the 2nd one will be more thermally efficient. TIA

of course, thanks, head exploding with all the questions I have to answer.

how does the angle of the roof affect this, what is the optimum slope for PV compared with the roof. If your roof is too shallow then can you get away with having a tray and 'anglers' ? (not men fishing) to get this right