garrymartin

Only time and the decisions you make will tell 😉 I always keep a really long CAT6 cable around for exactly this type of testing. 1. Re-terminate connectors. If still the same issue... 2. Buy a long cable. If the issue has gone, then the *cable* in your walls is likely damaged and you'll potentially need to replace it. If the issue is still there, it's not the cable... If you get to the point where you have determined it is damage to the cable and it is difficult to replace it, then I'd be looking at where I could get a cable to for a better wireless access point - perhaps a ceiling-mounted one.

+1 - almost certainly the issue unless the cable has been damaged in some way. Assuming everything else is constant except the cable, then logic says it has to be the cable. Just make sure everything else is constant and you're not connecting to different ports. Albeit unlikely nowadays, older routers used to have a mix of 100mbps and 1000mbps ports. For your sanity, the other option is to buy a long cable from Amazon/eBay and test with that.

Most of the people who discuss a single ground-floor UFH zone will combine that with electric underfloor heating or electric towel rails (or both) in first floor en-suites and bathrooms, and perhaps fan coils in the first-floor bedrooms.

I can't help with a location where you can see the floor buildups, but I'm keen to understand more about the loving area. I've not got one of those in our plans and feel I may be missing out... 😉

I don't understand the requirement for the 6 feet clearance underneath for a child of that age; even for you, you can bend! Bear in mind also that that means they will be quite high up with the potential for a fall... Both of our kids used a raised bed with a desk and storage underneath until about the age of 10 or so, but it had nowhere near that clearance - it just wasn't needed. The beds had a ladder and a slide. I'd suggest the best thing to do would be to go and see some and try them out in practice before making any decisions.

As mentioned above, LDC=Lawful Development Certificate and PD=Permitted Development

I don't have any quotes for the BR work, but my quote from my preferred architects for Stage 4 is more than that 🤯 That's why I'm struggling to see the value in this Stage. Having said that, the work they expect to complete as part of Stage 4 is more than just the BR plans and submission; it includes putting together the building specification to a level of detail that would "enable a competent contractor to price and build from". Obviously, given the route I'm proposing to take, that wouldn't necessarily be required...

I've not spoken directly to anyone other than MBC at this point, but in their case, they don't do that work so I would need someone else to do it. Doesn't have to be my architect though - an architectural technician would probably be sufficient and significantly cheaper. This is the area where I'm not sure my architect could add additional value that would justify the cost differential. I should say that I intend for various specialists (mechanical, electrical, ecological, landscape, etc.) to be involved through Stages 0-4 and they may continue through further stages where I'll likely add to their expertise (SE for example).

In my head, based on our potential build route (timberframe package), I'm not sure I'd get a huge amount of value from continuing to Stage 4 with the architects. I can clearly see the value for Stage 0-2 and Stage 3 (which is how the work packages are split) but after that I'm not so sure.

I feel like I'm in the minority here with regard to the value an architect can and should bring to a project. It sounds like a lot of you have had bad experiences which is a shame. I hope to be able to report a more positive experience should I ever get planning approved!

Only from my limited experience of all the quotes I received from architects and my research into how architects charge, what for, and how to get the best from your engagement with them (i.e. how to be a good client). All my quotes were a stated charge per RIBA stage - none of them came back as percentage fees.

Not all architects. I feel at this juncture I should point out I am not an architect and I have no friends or colleagues who are architects, but they do seem to be getting a bit of a bashing 🤣 Having worked my whole life in IT Consultancy and IT Managed Services though, I see parallels though. Make sure that "value engineering" is a thread running throughout the work of any architect you engage, that your design brief is clear, and that there is clear agreement about your budget, your requirements, and areas where you are prepared to be flexible. For example, one of our golden rules is that we're happy to pay a little more for something up front where whole-life running costs and future maintenance are significantly reduced. If your architect designs something that doesn't objectively meet your stated and agreed requirements and is not achievable within your budget, then don't pay them. They've failed to deliver what you contracted them to.

"A costs award, where justified, is an order which can be enforced in the Courts. It states the broad extent of the expense the party can recover from the party against whom the award is made, and it sets out that settling the amount is for subsequent agreement between the parties. In the event of a failure to agree, the successful party can apply to the Senior Courts Costs Office for independent assessment." So I think you'll need to agree your costs with the LPA and then if they don't agree, you'll need to take them to court... Is that what your Costs Decision letter says? Thought I'd ask ChatGPT what it thought as we were discussing its abilities in another thread, but rather than your costs, I asked about the LPAs typical costs as surely if yours are in line they cannot disagree with them? ----- Q: When local planning authorities are successful in an award of costs at planning appeals, what is the average hourly rate they claim? A: When local planning authorities (LPAs) are successful in an award of costs at planning appeals in the UK, they often claim costs based on the time spent by their staff and any external consultants or legal representation. The hourly rates claimed can vary depending on several factors, including the seniority of the staff involved, the complexity of the case, and regional variations in costs. However, there is no fixed or standard hourly rate across the country, as it can depend on local policies and the specifics of the case. For internal staff (such as planners or legal officers employed by the LPA), rates might be lower compared to those charged by external consultants or solicitors. As of recent years, the following general ranges might apply: Internal Local Authority Staff (e.g., Planning Officers, Legal Officers): Typically between £30 to £100 per hour, depending on the staff member's grade and the complexity of the work. External Consultants (e.g., Planning Consultants, Expert Witnesses): Rates can vary widely but often range from £100 to £200 per hour or more. Legal Representation (Solicitors, Barristers): Rates are generally higher, ranging from £150 to £300 per hour for solicitors, and significantly more for barristers, depending on their experience and seniority. It is important to note that the award of costs is intended to cover the reasonable expenses incurred due to the unnecessary or unreasonable behavior of the other party. Therefore, the LPA would typically need to justify the rates they claim as reasonable and reflective of the market rate for the services provided. For precise figures or specific cases, reviewing the costs schedules submitted in recent appeal cases or consulting with the relevant LPA would provide more detailed information. ----- Can't disagree with any of that!

It says it should be "limited to those costs incurred..." in relation to the "additional issue..." so just be mindful that if your statement of case covered other areas as well, you might want to consider a percentage reduction accordingly. If you were taking a case to court, you'd be looking at around £150 for a paralegal or trainee solicitor - the lowest grade working on a case. Government guidance here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/solicitors-guideline-hourly-rates So I don't think there will be much argument with the hourly rate, it will just be how long would be reasonably spent on the "additional issue" that was highlighted in the partial award of costs.

Perfect solution!

Percentage pricing seems to be much more a commercial building thing than a residential dwelling.

Depends on how good they are, what their qualifications are, and where they typically work (and on what). Usually something in the region of £150 an hour and up from there. You'll see some threads on here where people have paid £75 an hour (£4000 total) and some where people have paid double that but in different regions. Don't make the mistake of thinking about salaried hourly rates - they are not fully loaded costs for businesses and typically you'd have to at least double them to get anywhere near and then have to assume that you won't be getting that hourly rate for 40 hours a week as you'll have other things you need to do. I'd say £150 an hour would be difficult to argue with.

As you can see from my previous messages, our fees will be more than that. It's difficult to do direct comparisons because we don't know the details of your scheme, but it sounds to me like you understand the value you are looking for and what an architect will provide. Like us, you don't have a clear picture of the design. We have information about how we want to live, and the rooms we want along with their interaction with each other, but we are leaving it to our architects to do the hard work of interpreting those requirements and coming up with a design that makes the most of the plot and is sensitive to the surrounding area (we have three listed properties nearby). Our quote also creating some options in the early stages, and also includes all the PH design and modelling. It isn't just the drawings, it's a Design and Access Statement for planning too as well as a bunch of other stuff. @Dave Jones We're going to have to agree to disagree on your view of architects and the value they can bring I'm afraid. Personally, I'd say it's a reasonable quote. I don't have BR drawings experience yet, but that does feel a little on the high side though.

The forum search isn't the best. Here, try this https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=aerobarrier+site%3Aforum.buildhub.org.uk

I've had it reference case law that doesn't exist, detail planning appeals that never happened, and suggest book titles with authors for books that don't exist amongst others. It's a fantastic tool, but as @JohnMo notes, you should check absolutely everything. With the book titles, I let it know it had made them up and it apologised and then gave me another five make-believe titles!

Do you have a photo? It sounds like you might be able to put a screw in so that the head is exposed, then use your claw hammer to lever the stud back into place before securing with more screws, but a photo would really help to explain the best options.

As an example, excluding any research time, my Statement of Case total editing time was 297 minutes. It contained 9 pages of text, with one half-page diagram.

It's going to be subjective based on what you needed to do to put your appeal together. What applications did you use to create the documents? You can often look at the properties to see how many hours were spent editing documents. How much time went into researching any case law or previous examples that you used in your case? You might try looking at your browser history to figure out what days you visited various sites and could then estimate a time for each day based on your research. Did you look at any other appeals? Did they have costs awarded? What were the costs? You need to be able to demonstrate how you got to a number, not just what the number is. Don't be afraid of valuing your time. You could have been doing other things, earning other income, missing out on opportunities etc. It all adds up.

Doesn't the WC door need to open outward for Building Regulations (Approved Document M)?

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