Oz07

Use aircrete blocks or lightweight conc if worried about weight

Digression but have you seen how narrow some of the joints are on some victorian stuff. Very much like 6mm on some houses makes you appreciate how good they were at setting out and cutting.

So the plot we are looking at has planning for a single storey of approx 400m2, around 40m long and around 10m deep. Too big for us but would be handy to do it as 200/250m2 house with an annex to the other side of around 150m2 depending how much we loose on the central hall where it could split nicely. I wouldn't be doing it with the idea of splitting off, don't want to be living next door to a tenant. However it would be good for family who visit for long periods each year. Potentially even move parents in next door as years get on. Are there any gotchas to watch out for when re submitting planning for this? I think i will have to do either s73 or full resubmission because of the external changes I want. I will ask about this in a pre app. Am I best to mention the annex in pre app or will it negatively affect the prospects of application? Is it a case of stating only to be used by family in the new application or pre app? Do others just keep internal layout as 1 unit for planning then split on BR drawings? Seems unethical. Thanks

Not sure how much faith I'd have in any bc dept having a qualified person to check an elec installation. Last time I used them to sign off replacement windows they came and used their machine testing for the soft coat glass on the outside. As above of they did offer this service at all surely it would be subbed out and likely expensive.

Was the solar gain on glazing areas easier to pass under old regs could be one to watch for

I suppose the thermo brick creates a bigger buffer between the slab and outside masonry instead of just an insulation upstand. Sorry i was just thinking of the effect on the door frame. Are these ok to be exposed below ground then or do they still require rendering?

Unless you are breaking the bridge with a continuous course of these on the outside then surely you still have a similar bridge towards the bottom of the door jambs and bottom edges of the cills. Is the cold bridge towards the bottom of the building significantly worse than the masonry at 1m above ground?!

You could just stick to the self build product if the charge was bigger than the coat of switching to standard mortgage. It seems these mortgage providers are concerned with similar things you have to input for insurance quotes on comparison sites. I hadn't twigged that the material your roof was covered in effected mortgagability. Good tip there above @ChrisInKent

How durable are these thermoblocks. That outside render detail looks a right pita. Admittedly you wouldn't have to do this if using them on the inside skin of cavity wall but doesn't fill you with confidence. Is the thermal bridge on the bottom of a door cill that much worse than up the jambs that it justifies a row of these below frames? What about windows?!

Interesting on the cladding. Is it to do with being flammable? Also interesting about the lenders preferring to be on-board for purchase. I had a self build mortgage on my first and bought plot myself before getting a mortgage. Is it the case you can apply for the mortgage when you purchase and have the charge put onto the property then and only draw down funds when needed?

I dont think you need to stop the beads they are not going to wick. Cant they sit on the conc infill? I had dritherm bats so managed to keep 3" off conc with the ties but pretty sure eps could go down to bottom. I did the aircrete blocks kept dry on my current place. You dont nessecarily have to wrap the dpm back in although it would be neat. You will have another dpm at finished floor level anyway

They seemed to be an a standard part of the approval round here but I noticed them being dropped in last few years

I'd squirt some foam in there just to give the filler a bit of backing else you will just keep pushing it up?

With regards to s73 what dies this mean in laymans terms? Does it literally mean only altering the conditions not the plans? There is no statutory limit on the degree of change permissible to conditions under s73, but the change must only relate to conditions and not to the operative part of the permission.

Yes this would be dealt with in conveyancing. Its not been stated upto now so can't see it being the case. Yeh I was going to submit a pre app listing my changes and asking if they could be dealt with under a non mat. Like you say just marking the existing drawings. I will need to use someone for the building regs and pcc though so will eventually need the original drawings playing around with. I would get this double checked in conveyancing but If the agent has said the vendor has permission to use copyright (and presumably sell to new owner) i have to assume i am good? I was just unsure where you stand when you start tweaking. Maybe its a question for conveyancer to explicitly ask during conveyancing. Ie does vendor have permission to pass on copyright to existing plans including making any changes buyer would want to make or something similar?

Can you cut the boards like 15 or 20mm short of the cavity width. Couple of bits of duct tape to hold in place with even gap ea side then just run the foam gun down both sides? I always prefer a bigger gap to foam, smaller gaps always struggle. When cutting pir between joists on floor refurb i did this and just banged some nails half in sides of joists pushed board down onto these. Admittedly I was trying to stop wind washing not get airtight. Might not work in this scenario just a thought

With regards to the plot i am looking at. I have been told the vendors have copyright permission to use the plans. I have done a bit of searching on here and elsewhere but not quite sure where I stand. I like the plot and the shape of the house but would want to make a few changes to apertures on the elevations, outside material finishes and lose the green roof. If I buy the plot and employ a different architect to tweak the design where do I stand with the copyright? Do you become liable for anything? Does the original architect see this as stealing his basic concept and just fluffing it up to change or do they accept this when selling the copyright to the original client for planning? Thanks

Screws are brittle nails are soft. So screws can snap where a nail will bend. Maybe just nail with a hammer for what you need

For face fit masks id say

I prefer electric but personal preference. Elec quieter when you get power

Ive got stop end in redundant one

What model are these units?

I didn't go with fixed line in current place due to OR needing to put a pole in front of my house and i didn't want it. Just stuck with 4g. However i have a duct there to the front and fibre in the footpath so would be an easy upgrade. Why do people advise against a fixed line? Is it the ongoing line rental cost?

Where did you get the 100 per m figure?

I'm not sure if there is a road to cross or not depends what side of the road existing utilities are on. Not too fussed about that as would be within the connection quote. Was more trying to gauge the cost of the work on private land.