ETC

I haven’t met a tradesman yet that I would trust to do a good job without supervision or knew what they should be doing. Dirty cavities, wall ties sloping out, cavity barriers not installed properly, cut trusses with no support, ICs put in back to front, boiler flues too close to windows, oil tanks too close to buildings or boundaries - I could go on - and these people think they’re experts - Christ!

Edited.

I wouldn’t trust a brickie on a priced job to sit the right way on a toilet never mind install cavity wall insulation properly.

Needs good workmanship. Not always achievable.

Have the shower above the bath.

VCL should be above the floor insulation. DPM should overlap the DPC. Build solid to underside of slab. Cavity above.

Posting again now that I have some free time.

I’m not. Feel free to check out any (architect’s) professional services contract - you may see the word “inspect” but never the word “supervise”. That’s not to say an unqualified plan drawer might accept an appointment to “supervise” the works. A Registered Architect won’t.

Architects don’t supervise.

Very poor effort. Not an architect. Let me know if you want me to take a look.

I’d be interested to see the formal policy you mention to not accept restrictor stays. My understanding is that - although not ideal - Building Control in Northern Ireland will accept a restrictor stay as long as it can be operated without a key, in a single operation and reengages when closed. I am genuinely interested in seeing this policy please feel free to pm me.

Ideally physical guarding should be used. However where the cill is less than 800mm above FFL and its an EEW NI BC will accept a restrictor stay that can be opened in a single action and re-engages when the window is closed.

Yes you will but BC won’t be measuring road widths and turning circle dimensions - if you can get a concrete lorry onto and off your site you’ll get a fire engine and an ambulance on and off as well.

Good luck getting the fire service to advise you on access for their vehicles - they’ll tell you to talk to BC.

Take it down and rebuild it with lead trays and flashing.

Shoddy brickwork and the drainage pipes should be bedded in stone. Also where’s the start of the wall ties?

Do you think if there was a fire at your house the fire service would stop to measure the width of the laneway or worry if there was a turning head at the end? They’d just plough - literally plough through the road - and everything in their way - to get to the house and when they’d finished they’d plough on back to the station.

Use two beams.

It’s very simple. 1. You need guarding to a window where the cill is lower than 800mm above FFL. 2. If the window doesn’t open fit safety glass. 3. If the window does open fit safety glass and a restrictor stay to restrict the opening to 100mm. 4. If the window is acting as an EEW the restrictor stay must be capable of being opened without a key and in a single operation.

Your stairs won’t work.

Can you show the stairs and the upstairs plan.

You’ll need BC approval for any “structural alteration” to the dwelling. As Conor says the opening “may” not work - you’ll need restraint to the front wall and bearing for the lintels. If you add heating you will need to insulate the walls, floor and roof. If you insulate the roof you will need to ventilate the roof. If you don’t access the new space from a hall you’ll need an EEW. If you create a new living room you’ll need a smoke alarm within 7.5m - interlinked with any detection in the house. And so on and so forth.