Alan Ambrose

>>> Can you not discharge under the general binding rules No, otherwise I wouldn't have put the application in. It's actually a bit hard for the uninitiated to navigate when and when to not use the rules. As I looked at them back in May, I don't remember which bits didn't fit when I sent the application in, but I'm sure the EA would have pointed it out if they thought I didn't need to apply. As far as I can see, the general binding rules came in in January 2015. My neighbours have houses ranging from hundreds of years old to ones built in the 1940 to 1960s - so there will have been little if any paperwork for them to do then. They kind of get 'grandfathered in' - which is usual but a whole topic in itself. On reflection, the system seems a bit bonkers - someone's designed something to 'cover all bases', but it's hugely inefficient at processing simple applications, both for the applicants and the EA.

>>> how I might be sure Only by confirming with BC. It will originally be there for fire regs I expect - so you'll need to be sure it isn't needed. BC are usually lots more accessible than planning, so you may get an email answer quite quickly or a quick visit to confirm.

For anyone else in this situation, I thought I'd document my experience with the EA applying on form EPB B6.5 for an application to drain a STP to the culvert at the back of my plot. This should be fairly straight-forward as my 5 neighbours all drain their PTPs to the same culvert, duh, and the nearest villages with actual sewers are a couple of miles away... + I sent in my 24-page EPB Part B6.5 form and block plan back (and payment) in May and got a receipt for the payment about a week later. I got a call from an EA drainge person last Friday ... that's 5 months. I have asked for status updates by email a couple of times and those were ignored. I called about 6 weeks ago and they told me (a) we can't find your application, send it again and (b) it'll go on the top of the queue. + FWIW (a) I think there's something dodgy with their email receipt mailbox and (b) they don't seem to reconcile the applications with the payments. + About a week ago, I sent in another status request by email and was told that my application would, in fact, go at the back of the queue. I asked them to start a formal compaint. + An EA guy called me late last Friday with a few extra questions - he wanted grid references for everything and a description of the flow all the way to the first named watercourse - which is a river 3.6km away. Gave me 5 days to reply. Yeah right. He said it might take another 4 weeks to approve the application assuming everything was good. So, that'll be end-November, 6 months. BTW I found this reference https://gridreferencefinder.com/ - which is good for converting one style of grid ref to another and also for getting grid refs from maps.

@G and J Stating the obvious - but you do want to be able to get at those easily. I see lots of bathrooms where that isn't the case. I thought I allowed for it in my present place, but it's not as easy to work on them as I'd thought - 2 to 3 hours of buggering about to change the tank or valve.

Sounds like expansion noises due to ... heating. Is it bothersome? Radiators sometimes make this noise - probably from the manifold fixings?

Apologies, I'm bit slow getting to this (I'm a bit slow getting to most things) :). Just watched the programme. Congrats, a v. nice build. A couple of misc questions: + what wood is the pergola? + which company did your corten steel cutting?

Reckon. "Normal floor box" as in office-style?

Err, I'm not sure I understand. How can the elevations not implicitly indicate the ridge height? How was the ground level marked so it was incorrect - from a datum level maybe? What kind of adjustments could you make to the ridge wthout affecting the elevations? Are you thinking of bumping the whole house up? I guess as the sectional drawing wasn't mentioned in the decision notice, it is largely irrelevant to the planners.

Is this the base of a former cattery or am I mixing things up? If something like that then suggest it’s not very deep with minimal reinforcing. You could dig down the side of a bit and look. Then belt a corner hard with a sledge hammer and lever with a big pry bar. If that’s easy then smaller, if you made no impression, then larger. Do you need to remove/move any hardcore that’s underneath?

>>> There is currently a concern amongst many LAs of applicants falsely claiming self-build status in order to avoid BNG. That's been said before and I don't think there's any basis for it. In fact I suggest it's complete nonsense. So, there's a bunch of developers in many LPAs (enough to warrant an actual policy for) who develop single dwellings, not as limited companies, and try to swindle their LPAs out of BNG? Yeah right, how many LPAs have more than a handful of self-builds every year? How many get sold before 3-years is up? The developers do the entire complex Everest-like self-build journey for the purpose of saving some BNG? And they sell before 3-years for this scam rather than for instance dying or divorcing? It would be easier and safer and more lucrative to be an internet scammer I think. CIL has a whole mechanism to verify self-build status -- self-build mortgage, self-build VAT reclaim etc etc etc. Why would LPAs need another mechanism?

You could transfer the risk by getting someone in. Less than a £1K including disposal / or crushing if you can use the hardcore? The LV line is actually under the slab? You may be able to get free shrouding on the HV line: https://www.ssen.co.uk/our-services/existing-electricity-supplies/shrouding/

Ah don't quite follow (and resolution not good enough to read key): + "existing LV in ... blue" is actually show in yellow? + straight red line is exising HV? + pole to be moved is the one in the wavy blue circle? to be moved ot the boundary shown in red wavy? My data point is one new LV pole installed / ~50m o/h line removed / replaced with ~50m underground in trench - added up to £16K (all by UKPN). (There was no attempt at negotiation afaik - wasn't my shout). Are you actually payng for the new HV pole, or is that at their expense? Looks to me like probably a new span of LV line is required (if the move results in a slighly longer route) plus a pole move. That's what the short written summary says. If you go ahead, it's worth watching whether they actually use new LV line. Ditto the HV pole. They do tend to take the piss (for what will be a leisurely 1/2 day's work) although some on here have either been lucky or negotiated based on common sense. Probably 4 people on site - the pole guy with the machine to swap poles, a couple of riggers with a lift and a guy to put up red plastic 'safety barriers'. None are probably needed, but he'll probably put them up anyway. Easy for them to get their lifts and machines where they need them? Have they proposed traffic management or road closure? That's expensive.

>>> It states ‘no added formaldehyde’ - does this mean totally formaldehyde free?? Maybe in the sense that smoothie makers say ‘no added sugar’ but the product contains plenty of fruit-based sugars.

Personally, I think it’s important LPAs (and other public institutions) stick to the ‘rules’ and not try to circumvent them. This can’t be an official policy as there just are not that many self builds. In the first instance, take the ‘policy’ issue up with councillors, head of LPA, MP etc?

That sounds a lot, did they give you a cost breakdown, drawing etc? They should do otherwise it’s just a ball park not a proper job estimate. What does the job involve? Post up the quote & drawing?

Thanks for that, v interesting.

We've noticed that noise from neighbours we like is a lot less annoying than from neighbours we don't much.

I like the idea of ply over, say PIR, insulation.

>>> When a contractor quotes for piling it's an assumed depth just like most foundations. Can I ask - does this also work if they have to go less deep than they thought i.e. they give you a reduction?

@Tony L Thanks for that - that does look a bit tricky - but congrats on handling the problem. How big a pump did you need? I've been talking to some basement guys (Keller) over the past few weeks, and they said they don't mind clay as the inflow of water is normally fairly slow, unlike sand. >>> I did some research - it's usually at its lowest during the first week in October That's interesting - did you find some stats somewhere?

Concrete into a former to get the shape you might have had if you had started at the beginning? Or a stack of marine ply, ditto? >>> Any suggestions for what I should dress the raised edge with? Matching cut floor tiles? Stainless strip? It's an aestethic decision, so personal choice. Post up a photo maybe?

Can I ask - are there any other 'legal' considerations for operation of that kind of machine yourself on site? Loler, training, CDM stuff?

Someone like these guys can probably make you what you want. There's a bunch of them (fabricators) on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265716170596 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304667947333

This is percentage of applications approved within 8 weeks. The 'top 5' should be special measures as they fall below 70% Richmondshire 55.6 Bristol, City of 57.8 Scarborough 61.7 St Albans 67 Halton 69 Harborough 73.4 Fenland 74.1 Herefordshire, County of 74.5 Teignbridge 74.5 Slough 75.9 Castle Point 76.1 Thanet 76.1 East Devon 76.4 South Lakeland 76.6 East Suffolk 76.8 Hyndburn 77 Westminster 77.3 Exmoor National Park 77.9 West Northamptonshire 78.1 Stafford 78.2

Hi, I want to put in land drainage in to make the back of my plot less wet in the winter. This area has fruit trees in atm and will eventually become garden. This is in clay and to feed into a 300mm culvert that's already there ... + what depth would you put the drains in? + what diameter? + how far apart? + would you have a silt trap? Would you use fabric or sand somehow for filtering around the pipe (as well as 20mm stone)? Would you expect this to get clogged over time? Any other tips?