Alan Ambrose

Thought this was quite well written: The huge sums energy firms get to not provide power - BBC News

I guess they're all just middlemen for a small number of factories. I wonder to what extent they add some design value and/or which have their own aluminium profiles. @craig - any thoughts?

FYI we had a planning condition saying that the PP was only valid for self-builders. Bit of a cheek, as there was a previous PP which didn't have that condition. That's the doc though we send to suppliers though to demonstrate that we are self-building.

re: 21 degrees - any one a bit put off by the fact that they don't look like window specialists? That is, they do heat pumps, PV, MVHR etc. Impressed that they supply PHPP numbers though.

Thanks v interesting. I take your point about a bit of extra heat loss.

Yeah, that's why I was looking for somebody who knows what they were doing... On a different subject: anyone want 90mm BT duct free - I have 3 x 6m lengths and a bunch of connectors? Also, some UKPN 'tile tape' - that is, the stuff that UKPN put over their ducts as a warning.

And … out of the ground. Congrats.

Thanks for the offer - I was aiming though for a bit of paper signed by an ‘expert’ to wave at BC.

p.s. anyone know of someone local who does drain pressure tests?

@G and J that’s under the other bit silly. Glatthaar are being less efficiently Germanic than I assumed they would be when I first contacted them 9 months ago. Right now have me in a sales Catch 22 that they say they don’t know their own way out of….

>>> catastrophes Successes are interesting too . You're welcome to IP17 if you can drag yourself there. Should have my raft done by then. July that is.

I think you’ve identified the problem. The solution is probably to move the entry pipe and add a bend before the inspection chamber a little so it’s working in the straight-through direction. It’s worth checking the falls to other ICs before and after if you can see them. Hire a drainage consultant and/or some groundworkers to do the job?

Any takers for next Thurs?

>>> Given that you’ll have a bloody great shed No shed on the PP, but hope to build one under permitted development I guess part of the rationale for self-build is doing stuff that pleases you. It would please me to be able to survey stuff that's there accurately and lay out stuff accurately (say within 5mm) whenever I chose. But I have spent a lot of time on youtube watching machinist guys on how to get 10 micron accuracy.

>>> for being so square about this i.e. petrified or is this a fee grab? The logic is (from Grenfell) that the Gov wanted people to take responsibility for the work they did. Duh. Which means now, that they either want to be paid handsomely for routine paperwork / or run a mile, because responsibility was never and still isn't their thing. I'm PD on ours, which lots of people would thing is stupid of me. The main contractors as they rotate (groundworkers, timber framers etc) will be PC while they have control of the site - and mostly only have their own people there. >>> I would hate for your site to be shut down, you sued etc etc if something went wrong, so there is a real urgency in establishing who is the Principle Designer A bit of deliberate scaremongering, which suggests a fee grab.

>>> Out of interest why did you need a surveyor for Given I'm a bit 'attentive to detail' I made a note on the way home today that I would buy myself a total station for the next build . Re the VAT thing - so surveyor marking our plot is VAT, builder marking out plot before doing something else is 'no VAT'. Perfectly sensible.

Just found this, but I think it only applies above 50mph: 8815 Safety at Streetworks v1_12.indd

My experienced helper says we should not work within 1m of the road. This is a single track country road but does have occasional traffic. One planning condition tells us we must construct a driveway apron with concrete edging installed by us next to the road side before our driveway starts: Do we need a road closure? Interestingly Essex & Suffolk Water ignored this 'rule' but UKPN are insisting on it.

OK I just paid my surveyor's invoice with VAT for laying out the dwelling on the plot. Sounds like that should have been zero VAT. Presumably, that was 'closely connected to the construction of the building'. >>> It’s not possible to produce an exhaustive list of services that are closely connected to the construction of the building, and each case not included in (a) and (b) must be looked at on its own merits. OK maybe I should use my own judgement then.

>>> The line is quite simple, a professional service provides advice, expertise, design, and reports/documentation. A contractor makes /modifies stuff. So an electrician or drainage guy doing a design for you is 'professional'. The same guy installing stuff is not? p.s. I'm not being argumentative, just trying to get my VAT right.

I looked out our numbers: 54 & 52 weeks file-to-decision for full planning; 41 weeks for PD reinstatement. The full planning appeals took 21 & 23 weeks from file-to-'start'; PD reinstatement took 13 weeks. These were filed in 2023 & 2024.

I see that Artisan Electrics are installing Sigeenergy equipmwnt currently - which is a good sign as Artisan generally install high-end. Their content is a bit light as they don’t fully explain why. Am I right in thinking that with the rate of innovation and the inevitable industry consolidation that choosing a brand based on, say, their current app features is a bit fruitless? Has anyone done the homework or have the experience to be able to differentiate well between the brands?

With the possible exception of tiny changes, I think changes to footprint and/or area always require new PP applications rather than amendments.

… so surveyors are ‘professional’ but electricians, plumbers etc are not (in the eyes of Customs & Excise)?

@zzPaulzz I’m interested in what approach you plan to take with that.