Roundtuit

Other than confirming that your application is definitely in the system, I suspect that there's not much you can do. Many on here have been frustrated with and by the planning system, but there's no choice but to go with the flow really. On the plus side, it's a realisic introduction to the joys of self-building!?

No problem! We fitted the battens when we put the windows in. I've just dug out the installation drawings that show the general principle; hopefully you can get some timber in there to fix to one way or another.

If it helps, ours look like this:

Hi. I've still got this job to do, and I don't think they're supposed to fit in the grooves. All of our windows have a ~20mm batten fixed to the bottom of the frame, set back about 20mm from the Ali face of the frame to screw the cill pressings to.

My brickies spread the best part of a tonne of my (first) 10t heap around the base of the heap/mixing area so that they had a 'clean' area to work on... Not a biggie in the scheme of things, but better to order a bit more than you think you'll need I think! I also used a local quarry and white cement, so couldn't deviate once things were rolling.

I know plans are a bit 'fluid', but you did tell us it was to have no heating...

I think TPO status can be given to trees that have 'amenity value', i.e. they're good specimens, and they can be seen and enjoyed by the general public. If they don't meet that criteria then you're probably pretty safe. As it stands, with no TPO, they're in your garden and you can do what you want with them. We had a lot of poor trees on and around our plot and in the spirit of doing things right I engaged with the local tree conservation officer quite early on (well, after a couple of key ones had ...fallen down). He was really good; came out for a site meeting, shrugged his shoulders and said 'nothing here worth saving' and let me get on with it. As part of our landscaping scheme I'll be planting a load more trees to compensate, but that suits me fine.

OK, after reading the article, it looks like there are two issues. Firstly, the requirement to have permission for a 'dropped kerb' is necessary to stop people creating addditional and potentially dangerous vehicular access points onto the highway, but if you've got permission, then that's already in the bag. The second issue is making sure that the access over the pavement is of the right spec to stand vehicular traffic without sinking (I assume pavements are generally built to a significantly lower spec than roads). It would make the quotes look a little more reasonable if that section of the pavement needs digging out to a greater depth and backfilling with stone.

Ours is similar. I can't really see any benefit it dropping it 30mm or so. Is it just about 'regularising' the access?

No problem for me either. With the VAT reclaim I submitted a list of addresses used for deliveries or invoicing during the build and an explanation of what they were, and nothing was queried (eg, original home address, rented address, work address, plot/planning address, official postal address).

Just checking; when you say 'totally full of condensation', do you mean that there is: a) simply just a lot of it on the outside of the outer pane (as we're all assuming), or b) there is condensation between the two panes?

We did exactly that. When we re-mortgaged to release the cash for the plot, we didn't tell new lender what our plans were (to be fair, they didn't ask), so it was a straight-forward residential re-mortgage deal for them. I suspect many high-street lenders won't be keen to lend if they know you're intending to sell imminently. As it turned out, due to re-visiting the planning process and a slow housing market, it was a couple of years before we sold so didn't get hit for redemption penalties either. We then rented somewhere to live whilst we built.

If you want a reclaimed look, have a look at Hoskins Old Farmhouse blend (now produced by Vandersanden I believe). Not Yorkshire based, but easily available nationally, and look great (in my heavily biased -that's what I used- opinion)!

Did they say why they think it's not possible? Might give some pointers as to who to speak to next.

Normal practice would be to order the windows to fit the openings... From memory, mine (alu-clad timber) were ordered to structural opening size less approx 11mm on each side to allow for fitting/compriband/sealing. No shaving required or possible. Don't know anything about UPVC, but I'd be concerned about the integrity of the frame if it's been hacked about that much. As regarding additional charges, as others say, ignore it. Whilst the money is in your account, you hold all the cards and don't have to part with it until you're happy with what you're paying for. If that means waiting for a BC inspection, then so be it.

Realistically, if you have that problem already, the new, more expensive problem will be waiting for someone to feel like loading/unloading the dumb waiter! Just put up with a load of crap at each end of the stairs (everyone has it ?), count down the years 'till the kids move out and invest the cost in a holiday!

If they've built the 'family home' several times, then I'd say they're 'serial self-builders' rather than 'house builders' (and hats off to their stamina!). Going back to the OP, at the risk of over-complicating things, how about a definition that includes the risk lying with the owner/occupier? I.e you build it to live in, and benefit/suffer from any profit or loss incurred?

I like it, but then, we've got one similar! Our front door opens outwards to avoid any conflict with the stairs, and the front door is only really used for occasional visitors anyway. I've put in wiring for switchable film on the hall windows in case privacy becomes worth more than £2k. So far, no complaints or crowds gathering...

Agree with @Ed Davies. Self-builders build intending to live in it themselves as a home (intent being more significant than duration). If you build (through whatever method) to sell on, surely you're simply a house builder?

Worth agreeing a cavity closure method with BCO; I think the cavity may need to be closed with a fire-stop. A typical method would be to use 50mm batons around the window fixed to the timber frame before the outer skin goes up, set back to allow some insualtion to be fitted in the cavity. You may need to find another method of acheiving the same.

Me too, and 4 delivery addresses. I included a note with the vat claim explaining what they all were (old house, rented house, new house/ plot, work address) and no one queried it, so I'd say do whatever ever suits you best.

I use cable ties, but just pulled up tight enough to grip without cutting in, and aluminium tape around the joints (not sure there's much of a benefit to that, but it makes me feel better!)

Hi @vk108. Done!

I'm pretty local to you I think, and have a local-made timber frame. Happy to share experience by pm if that's preferred.

Assuming you're new-build, then in-roof. Looks better, costs less. If you go for a tried-and-tested system, leaking won't be a concern. We've used Viridian Solar's in-roof stuff, but there are a number of people on here that have used different systems satisfactorily.