SeaSocks

Hello all, Am after some advice please on how to fix the really quite bad damp that is 'flowing' through our walls in certain spots. The build - we have a 1980's conversion with 450mm external stone and cement pointed walls, vapour barrier and timber dry lined with about 50mm of rockwool between. On a North facing external wall we have noticed a wet patch develop on a horizontal bit of plasterboard within a window reveal, it has bowed the plasterboard in what has been an extremely wet month. I put a pad saw through it today and got a bit wet from the collected water. there was a nailed on piece of vapour barrier above the plasterboard, and extremely wet lintels and stone above it. I'm pretty sure it is coming through the external wall and am wondering what options are, I think: 1. Check chimney flashing, pointing and cowel wich is above and about 2-3m lateral away from the inside leak. 2. Check external pointing and repair as necessary, it is cement, so will repoint with cement. 3. Some kind of porous masonry sealant?? Or will this ruin it forever? Kingfisher Stormseal or similar, though their technical datasheet says not suitable for 'dense stone' we're close to Aberdeen, the granite city... 4. Re-point and install an MVHR system. 5. Re-point and apply a lime render / harl. Any advice would be extremely welcome!! Many thanks in advance and happy 2024 all!

Hi, I'm refurbishing a house, have an EPC certificate, and am wondering where best to spend to get the rating better. There should be some kind of online EPC calculator, where you can enter your current details (house type, existing EPC rating, insulation etc) and then to be able to tweak it to see what effect it would have. Anyone know of anything? Buggered if i can find anything... Cheers all.

Anyone looking further into this can see the results of Lands Tribunal decisions, along with arguments etc here: https://landschamber.decisions.tribunals.gov.uk/Aspx/default.aspx?__EVENTTARGET=PagerControl&__EVENTARGUMENT=&__SORTCOLUMN=decision_datetime&__SORTDIRECTION=DESC&PagerControl_PageIndex=1&__VIEWSTATEGENERATOR=F8649389&drpCategory=3&drpSubcategory=-1&txtDecisionDate=&txtPrefix=&txtCase=&txtYear=&txtFromDate=&txtToDate=&txtClaimant=&drpCommissioner=-1&txtReported1=&txtReported2=&txtReported3= Which I filtered for Restrictive Covenants

Interesting reading that! Thank you @Temp

@Temp Do you know how long a 'T379 - Application under Section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925 to discharge or modify a restrictive covenant (01.16)' can take to process?

We're in a similar-ish position. Buying a bungalow with a large plot, vending solicitors (of the deceased estate) have revealed at the very last minute a restrictive covenant forbidding the alteration of the bungalow, the addition of another dwellinghouse (why we're buying it) or even a caravan on the plot... Maddening!! The original beneficiary of the covenant died in 1988 and now need to know whether to proceed with the purchase or not. It is s significant opportunity for us, but is it a punt too far!! I also hear that the beneficiary of the covenant could be passed to a company and not just a descendent.... We are currently letting the solicitors discuss it, and have asked for either a Deed of Release (from the covenant) or a 10% reduction in purchase price... We will see what happens....

This may well have been asked elsewhere, and @ZacP's table is an excellenct comparison of differnt ICF types, but could anyone point me to a table comparing this to more other construction types, SIP's, rendered Block insulated cavity, rendered block with insulation and internal timber frame etc? I'm trying to weigh up the different cost and u value benefits... Many thanks in advance peeps!

thank you @Ferdinand I have done the drainage search. Any idea where i do the electrical and mining etc searches? Other than a conveyancer....

True, it has been a thought...

Thanks @Temp Sage advice... and food for thought. If I can accomodate enough people, you're on the list for the housewarming... ?

Yeah, didn't think this was straightforward!! Thank you all @nod, @PeterW @Temp for your sage advice, think I will seek some expert advice on this as it sounds increasingly like it will be money well spent! If anyone knows of a decent accountant specialising in this kind of thing please tell... I don't think CIL in the area is too crippling (circa £2k for a 100sqm build). Interested though @Temp to know why you say ' I would avoid returning to the bungalow unless you can find a good reason'? We intend the house build to be a fairly small one, and the converteed bungalow to be the main draw, or where we want to live eventually. But do then intend to sell that to move on to our final project somewhere, hopefully near mortgage free.. Mebbe wishful thinking...

Hi all! We are right at the start of this... Have seen an opportunity for a bungalow on a large plot with access to where there's ample space for a new build. Drainage won't be a problem either. Our aim is to do both projects resulting in a major financial benefit for our future. Our quandary atm, is about what order to do things in to be as efficient as possible. I'm leaning towards: live in bungalow, develop plot. Move into the plot and develop the bungalow then sell the plot, move back to the bungalow/house and maybe sell that.. Financial and tax implications to the above or a better way of doing it would be very welcome and helpful!

Congratulations! We'll hopefully hear this week whether we get our bungalow... nails are taking a hammering... We'd just assumed we'd remodel, build upwards and not demolish, so would be very interested to hear about reasons for knockdown and replace and why the struggle with planning?? Cheers!