ETC

Absolutely- great way to totally destroy two lovely houses.

Look into this very carefully and read the fine print from the installer closely. From the previous poster the system seems to need to have the DPM overlap the DPC and totally encapsulate the proposed insulation in a DPM/DPC barrier - not easy in a refurbishment project. Building Control will want a BBA Certificate for the system and will want to ensure that the system has been tested and will not contribute to any future deterioration of the existing building fabric. Why on earth is there no insulation in your existing floor? You might want to look into: Laminated or solid timber floor planks on a VCL on 50mm floor insulation (Kingspan OPTIM-R or other high performance insulation).

No - just no. Don’t do it. You will completely devalue your house. Look at internal insulation, a new up-to-date heating system and renovate the windows with draught stripping or secondary glazing. Failing that put a coat on.

Why do you want access? I presume you’d be cutting through the screed, insulation and DPM?

Don’t forget the thickness of a door stop and the hinge.

Might be asking for a detail where the pipe passes through the DPM. Just tell him you’re sealing all pipes to the DPM.

Why would you bed it in mortar? I would normally see the wall plate bolted to the top of the beam and not mortared. Check with your architect/SE but I would expect the bolt fixings to be staggered.

Try this: Dig a small (foundation) trench - say about 4m long - possibly a couple of metres from the correct location of a gable wall. The BCO will inspect the trench and deem the works to have started and will record that the foundation trench does not comply (insufficient amount of foundation trench excavated to warrant compliant works). The fact that it is in the wrong location is immaterial - BCO couldn’t care less where you build it as long as it’s in the same general location. Once the BCO has left the site fill the trench in. Job done - application commenced. PS - Expect to get an Inspection Fee Invoice in the post if your fees were split into plan fee and inspection fee.

You need to give it a bit of a “wow” factor. Change the external finish and make it appear a bit lighter on the roof.

Fill with water and make it a pond. The English do like a pond.

Fill it with concrete.

In my view BC shouldn’t be getting involved in how the works are completed - unless they are following the recommendations of the structural engineer for the works - their remit is to ensure the works are carried out in accordance with Building Regulations and are not responsible for ensuring the site is safe. If however a BC officer comes across an unsafe site it would be prudent for him or her to leave the site and to contact the HSE as soon as it was prudent to do so. Can you post some photographs of the works. I’d like to see exactly what is going on.

Just wondering what you need to know?

What’s the question?

I cannot understand why this is deemed a dangerous structure by BC. Their remit only extends to areas that the public have access to so if this is a private residence the legislation will not apply. If I’m reading this right the back of a semi-detached house is open, a boiler is running and foundations have been excavated. If you are merely concerned about health and safety I suggest you contact the HSE who may wish to have a quiet word with the occupant of the dwelling in relation to health and safety on site.

Although you may discuss it with BC they will still insist that the house complies. Think of it this way - if there was a fire in the kitchen and smoke filled the staircase you have effectively ruled out escaping from bedrooms through the staircase. Yes - there are EEWs but if you have small children there is no way that you are going out the EEW without collecting your children from their bedrooms. Ultimately the Regulations and the Approved Documents/Technical Booklets are there to protect you and your home. To ignore them can be dangerous and foolhardy. I do not agree with those posters who advise you to put a door in temporarily and remove it once the Completion Certificate is issued. It’s dangerous. Having said that you might wish to seek legal advice in relation to the liability for the cost to make the works comply. Good luck.

Fill the side gaps with gravel.

Looks like you have a protected staircase in which case all doors to habitable space need to be fire doors.

It is yes. Basically it says that guarding should be provided to a sunken area within 3m of the building ie to a drop within 3m of the building. By extension if it’s beyond 3m guarding is not needed. It’s not what it says but what it doesn’t say. TBH paragraph 5.2.

Listen to your wife.

The old cliches really are the best - painting the architect as the “Arfur Daly” type in his Jag on the golf course with his Rotary friends in his sheepskin coat charging a shed load of cash to draw a pretty picture or two. You must’ve had a really bad experience with your “architect” - if he or she was actually an architect. Get the right professionals and contractors on board who have the right experience and who can deliver your project on time and within your budget. There are plenty of people like this about - not on Instagram or TikTok - who will save you money and give you a great design.

Who’s asked for the fire doors? Can you post a plan?

As other people have said fit a restrictor stay or stays to the balcony doors.

Yes they can. 28 days.

Paint it black.