LSB

I guess the charger technology is going to change quite a lot in the future as the government will start pushing this more and more. I run a gas guzzling diesel twin cab pickup as I tow my horse trailer a lot. I'm already thinking that if this has to be done by an electric vehicle I will only get to the end of the road, and heaven forbid I have to go up a long steep hill.

We are having 3 phase electricity, as we do now, will it be sensible to leave a phase just for these.

It hasn't really occurred to me that they might not be checked, but if it has to be done at some point then I certainly want to install wires so that we don't have to do any more digging in the future. We are planning to have a cart lodge and I would like to have it there, but that won't be until we have recovered some money after the build. Thanks for your prompt reply. At least the bike locks are simpler to install. The other thing I want is a sensor when a vehicle enters the driveway as the road is 120m from the house.

As part of our planning approval we must have 2 car charging points before completion. Even though we have zero chance of affording an electric car by the time we have paid for the build. Do these have to have independent wires with their own trip switch, can they both go on the same wire and do they have to be independent of the building rather than attached to the outside wall of the dwelling.

14th Oct 20 I have spent less time than usual in the last week looking at the build and layouts, probably a good thing. But, I still worry when other commitments get in the way, it doesn't really matter at the moment, but it will do once the action really starts. Once thing we have done is look at buying a digger rather than hiring. The issue we have is the back of the barn only has a very narrow passage way between the existing wall and a steep bank, so this need a mini digger for access to dig drains, but then digging holes for treatment plants, soakaways, drains and all the other things needed will be very slow with a mini. What have others done, hired, bought and sold again, and if you buy what have you got and where from. A friend of mine bought a new mini digger recently and paid less than we were thinking of paying for a 2nd hand one, he bought it from North Norfolk Vehicle Solutions, has anyone else used them. Hubby is now looking in China to see how feasible it is to buy one there and ship it over, something he does a lot for work, although not for diggers. But, it will only end up about 1k cheaper by the time you buy the digger, ship it and pay the duty and you have no support if there is a problem. We are definitely going to get a 2nd hand dumper though. The next big step is estimating, I think I've seen a comment about an online estimator so I'll look at that first. I've been looking at what is needed, such as sockets, lights etc and have only managed one room so far, who knew there was so much stuff needed. And, that is without walls, doors and windows etc. It is exciting (really) doing practically everything yourself, but having only done renovations and extensions before, do the whole 240 m2 is a huge step up. In the past I've allowed builders to make decisions about sockets etc and it's definitely not how I would like it so I'm being OCD about this as it's likely to be our last house. Once we can start, after the phase 2 contamination survey, our first task is to strip the barn, inside and out and I'm really looking forward to doing something physical. Although, the storage shed is still minus a roof after the old one collapsed, this doesn't bode well for getting the barn converted as the shed alone has taken many months. Note to self, don't forget the CIL starting notification.

how disappointing but, thanks

your roof looks fantastic and I'm really impressed that you have done this all yourself. We are also doing everything we can ourselves, but as our roof will be metal in sheets that has to be done by the pros. Good luck as you carry on and keep your entries on here so we can follow.

Is it possible to claim back the VAT on a digger if bought from a commercial supplier

I had very similar re planning officers, our first 3 apps were with one who, on digging, seems to hate class Q, then a couple of apps slipped through because the LPA didn't respond within 8 weeks, one in particular that I was really surprised about, so I think some of the class Q were passed over to another officer. Then on our 4th app with the different officer, she contacted me after 1 week saying that she would like a phase 1 contamination survey which I was able to get within 2 weeks, thanks to Covid and the company being quiet, then she approved 1 week after, so only 5 weeks in total rather than the usual 8 weeks. Also, surprisingly with only 1 condition which was the phase 2 survey, which at 5k is quite a kick in the teeth, but we were happy not to have anything else. A barn 1/2 mile from me was approved last year with 16 conditions. I was particularly glad that PD rights were removed as we would really like an orangery on the side with the views. Ironically, I really like our layout and we want single story due to health issues after a major accident, the only thing I would change is the max ridge height as it might be a bit oppressive at only 3m over a large open room. I might ring the officer who approved and try and talk to her directly and ask what she thinks. They were really quiet during Covid, but now are getting all the planning app backlog. As a parish councillor and 'friend' of our local councillor I can easily get any app we make processed at committee so that might be a good idea. I thought all the decisions would be about the build, not at this stage.

we are seriously considering this path, the VAT is not so bad as we only have to pay 5% The first think I'm going to do is check for precedence and see if others have done this locally. Also, investigate the new planning changes, which to my understanding will make building in the countryside more difficult whereas building in infill areas easier.

I have looked into getting full planning, but have been told that this means it is a new dwelling in the countryside and therefore totally impossible. There was someone local that then went to appeal and won with the argument that there was going to be a house anyway, but I'm not sure I want to risk it.

any thoughts more than welcome, but as planning is for a pitched flat roof this would be a change to a gable roof, albeit with the same pitch. I've been drawing such plans this evening to see how it looks. I would definitely have to go back to planning for the change, by that might just get through.

I have been following class q applications in East Suffolk for a long time now to get experience before we applied. In my experience they will give permission for old pretty barns 'heritage assets' whether they have 4 walls or not. If you have a perfectly structurally sound modern barn then in 9 cases out of 10 they seem to find a reason to refuse. The most common reason seems to be where it is and the sustainability issue. We did get planning for ours in the end, but it took years, 4 applications, contamination surveys, ecology surveys, structural surveys, archaeology surveys, it got to the stage where we had spent so much money that we just had to keep going. In the end I think they got bored of me applying again and again and asking lots of questions in between. Our barn is modern, built in the 60's, does have 3.25 out of 4 walls, is sound and is 100m from our house, so many of their objections were unfounded because it is classed as near other dwellings. It is ugly, certainly not an asset, that was noted in the approval, that it would look much better converted. But, going back to your original point, I don't think a dutch barn, 4 poles and a roof of modern construction has much chance.

Another week of not really achieving anything. Due to our class Q PD planning we have to keep the dimensions exactly as they are, well I guess we could be smaller, but definitely not bigger. This is up, down and side to side. I have been looking at the roof, the main one as we have 2, which is huge at 24m x 10m and a single roof, i.e. not a pitch. This is how the barn looks now, we want a zinc or at least metal roof, but the minimum pitch is 8 degrees and I hadn't realised, and obviously neither did the architect, that the current roof is only 2-3 degrees. If I slope it more for the roof then the pitch is 34cm higher than the max we are allowed of 3.015m. My brain has had a real stretch this week working on tangents, sines and co-sines to try and get a solution. As the back wall is already rather low at 2.075m it's not feasible to reduce that to increase the pitch as we will lose too much liveable space. So, I guess I'm going to have to go back to planning and ask for either a higher max ridge of say 3.5m or change to a pitch roof which isn't converting as it is. The other option is to have part of the roof flat, I quite fancy sedum, but hubby won't hear of that, he is worried that a roof 24m x 5m runs the risk of too much weight with sedum and if we every get snow. Last weekend we also have a groundworker out as we need the floors levelling which means digging out some raised bits which are just floating on the main floor, I'm not sure why the farmer put them there originally. This is also causing concerns around foundations. Anyway, he took one look and then came the sharp intake of breath and "That's a huge job". Of course when I said we would look for someone else then he decided it wasn't too bad, but to get a quote I need to measure and photograph what needs doing and send to him, which I haven't done yet. He did come recommended, so it will probably be even worse getting someone blind. We have been let down before with shoddy workmanship, rising costs and unreliable timing so I'm planning on being more careful this time. It is so much easier to build from scratch, but the LPA have said that despite having conversion planning meaning there will be a house on site they would never agree to a new build. Hubby is threatening to take it down wall by wall dig deeper foundations and build it back up with a lower floor to give more roof height. I pointed out to him though that this would involve BC inspections and they would realise that it's not part of the plans. We do have one 18m wall that needs building from scratch. This really is one of those times when it is tempting to get in the estate agent and sell the plot, but as it is in my field I don't think I could bare to see someone else doing it. I'm sat in my 'site office' AKA' the caravan with the dog, who keeping passing very very smelly wind ? This doesn't help my brain either. Maybe this week will be the one where I make some progress on getting plans ready for structural drawings.

very true, but being married for 25 years has it's advantages, I'm not worried about getting out there dating with covid.

We are converting an old barn, with the existing walls build from block. But, the barn was built in the 60's so the blocks are imperial. Does anyone know what is the difference, yes I could go and measure, but it's dark, wet and cold. We have to partially knock down and rebuild some of them, we would do it all, but the LPA say no. Can anyone foresee any issues with walls have mixed blocks. The walls are going to be plastered inside and cladded outside.

that sounds really good, would suit us well. our current sewerage system is 3 tanks and a soakaway, never causes us any problems, but although that passed a check for regulation changes earlier this year it's not allowed for new installations.

we are pretty limited, as a class Q barn conversion we can't change anything external and have to leave most of the existing walls, that is what's driven the size of the utility, bedrooms 2 & 3, bathroom and ensuite /wardrobe. It took us years to get planning as the LPA don't like conversions of 'modern' barns so we had to jump through lots of hoops. I think they got bored of me in the end and gave in just to get rid of me ?

not heard of that, something else to investigate. all the magazines and articles say that there are huge numbers of decisions and I'm finding that now, and we don't start anything until next year. I'm trying to plan in advance, but for every decision I make 10 more crop up.

oh gosh, I'm only 25 years so I have a way to go

you are right, I do need whole house, sounds like you know more about this than I do. I have 240m2 to cover.

thanks, I will have a look

thanks, I shall have a look over the weekend

good idea, but won't work as the house is right at the very top boundary of the site, at the top of the hill. we really don't want a tank on the roof if we can avoid it, but it may have to go back to the old farming days and we build one on a brick plinth and then hide it somehow.

AKA clean room, we have dogs, cats, horses so we are always getting dirty and I really want a room where only clean people and animals are allowed. We will have to get used to keeping the family room clean, at the moment we have a tendency to shut the kitchen door and leave it a mess. And, my husband sits in the lounge to watch the telly with his grubby clothes and even his boots at times.