ETC

A very quick sketch.

The original reports you commissioned will only relate to and should only be used for the site they were prepared for much in the same way a set of plans prepared by an architect for a certain site should only be used by the client for the site they were prepared for and not used again and again. Although some aspects of the original reports may have relevance for the new site I would be wary of recycling them not only because a few years have passed since they were prepared and the information contained within them may have changed but also because the original consultants may not be too pleased that you have recycled the work they prepared for a particular site only for it to be used again without their consent on a totally different site a few years later. This is similar to asking and paying an architect for a set of plans for a house for one site and then running down to your local copy shop, running off another set and submitting an application for a totally different site. You may wish to ask the consultants if you can use their reports for your new site.

Norn Iron all the way!

Thanks for the reply - I do like to do a sketch or two from time to time - keeps me from going stir crazy. I have no doubt that your own designers will come up with a fabulous design but If you don’t mind I’d like to do a symmetrical version for you - just for fun - what’s the width of the site? FYI - just watch the distances of your external walls from the boundary - the closer you are the less “unprotected area” (openable non-fire-rated windows and doors) you can have.

All copyright ETC.

Just need to look at the amount of glazing to the side elevations where the boundary is quite close to the house.

And a quick image.

My attempt at a narrow house below. I’ll upload an image later.

Sorry for being negative but I think you’ve missed an opportunity to do something quite out of the ordinary with the plan and massing of the house rather than just plonking a rectangular block onto the site. Just because you have only got light from the front and back (albeit with roof lights to the sides) doesn’t mean that with a little design flair light and views cannot be achieved to most if not all rooms. I agree with a number of posters that some of the rooms are rather large - but I also think that the ground floor bedroom for the grandparents is a bit on the small side. A master suite with adequate storage would be more appropriate. I also think that if you are trying to future proof the ground floor bedroom (and en-suite) for possible wheelchair access you may wish to consider how a wheelchair will access the bed, the wardrobes and the en-suite. I also think the Kitchen is in the wrong place and is taking up prime space that could be used for the lounge which on your plan will never get sunlight. I’d also move the staircase centrally rather than having it to the side. It will give you more space an perhaps allow the building to be shortened. From a BC perspective the porch walls will need steel and you will need to make the WC wheelchair friendly. I presume you have thought about having limited access to each side of the house. What would happen if you needed to bring a large piece of furniture to the back garden, a hot tub, ride on lawn mower not to mention any large piece of plant or equipment? It’s also very tight to wheel your bins through. I’d also be interested in seeing how the roof and elevations work. Rambling thoughts.

You don’t need a step. The AD says you can fall the floor away from the door between the garage and the dwelling. You will however need a self-closing fire door between the two spaces.

I’m no expert and your Approved Documents are slightly different from our Technical Booklets but: Approved Document A – Structure Provide structural design and calculations for all aspects that fall outside the scope of ADA, to include, openings over 3m Can’t see the dimension of the rear opening but if it’s over 3.0m it’s outside the scope of the approved document. Simply reduce the opening to 3.0m but make sure that the opening is less than 2/3 of the rear wall length measured from the centre of the cavity to the centre of the cavity. Your agent can do this. and return less than 665mm for the store room There is a wind post there. You won’t need a return pier. Double check that the upstairs front and rear corner external piers are not less than 665mm. Your agent can do this. floor joists Your agent should be able to size these for you. Your approved document do have span tables - ours do. mid span noggins to flat roof Should only be required for floors not flat roofs but I could be mistaken. Just need to get your agent to specify timber struttting to the flat roof joists (and timber floor joists) if that’s what the BCO wants. A couple of rows at 1/3rd span should do. Your agent can do this. and the foundation design due to drainage being deep to rear elevation. You might need to pile the foundations if the site is fill. If this refers to new drainage then fill the drainage trench with concrete from the top of the drainage pipe to the underside of the foundations. You may need an SE but I’d try the BCO with a note stating that the design of the foundations will be a contractor designed item with the design forwarded to BC once trial holes have been excavated on site. Worth a try. You should also see what your existing foundations are by asking the BC Department for records or excavating a trial hole. 2. Existing beams will need to be uncovered to confirm adequacy, no application has been submitted for the opening into the existing conservatory. Sounds like they may be referring to an opening that they never knew about, do not know what type of lintel was used and are concerned that the lintel will not support the additional flat roof loading. They may also ask you about fire protection to this lintel. You will need a SE to look at this for you. 3. Confirmation required for the proposed lintel to be installed at first floor for the extension. Specify a new lintel across both openings. Your agent can do this. Most of the queries from the BCO can be answered by your agent. There are however a couple that an SE will need to look at.

Sounds like the walls are drying out into rather out of the building due to a sealed wall or lack of ventilation causing condensation. Try ventilation and/or an isolated metal stud internal wall.

Looks like a larder vent to me. Usually have them to vent an internal cupboard to store food in and usually blocked when fridges and non-perishable goods were introduced.

Aha….apologies…..I’m still a fan of keeping an air gap along the eaves using over fascia or soffit vents with rafter roll.

Great debate. I suppose we all have some valid points to make. In my professional life I have seen some very, very good Building Control applications that can be built from and some very, very bad applications which are that terrible that a contractor would never in a month of Sundays be able to mark out from never mind build from even though the application may comply with the Building Regulations. My question about what BC drawings are for was rhetorical - I know that they are to show compliance with the Building Regulations but there are varying degrees of BC submissions. Some are good. Most are not. However, in my experience the good BC drawings can be built from. Just as a matter of interest what is the difference between your BC application drawings and your construction drawings. I’d be interested to know what additional information you provide that wouldn’t have some reference or relationship with and to the Building Regulations. It’s unfortunate that you have experienced clients who wouldn’t pay for a measured survey. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be happy going forward with a project without one. As I said before I’m not getting at anyone - we all have different experiences in our professional lives - different experiences of interacting with consultants, clients and the statutory agencies. Thank you.

I think this is a debate where we are going to agree to disagree. If drawings prepared for a Building Control submission aren’t capable of being built from - what is their purpose?. A good set of Building Control submission drawings should be capable of being built from. They may not be Tender Drawings but should be able to be built from. As I said, they may not list finishes, sanitary ware, ironmongery or PC or Provisional Sum items - although many commercial submissions will do where there is a requirement for the submission to comply with facilities for the disabled and visual contrast but they should be detailed enough to build from. I agree that the accuracy of a survey may depend on the type of building to be surveyed and how much of the existing structure and construction is visible - if this was a large listed type building or structure it might not be possible to determine the make-up of all elements of the structure and construction - but that’s not being debated. However, it should be totally possible to locate walls, floors and roofs in relation to each other even when they are not in the same plane. I do agree that things can change when a building is opened up but the overall dimensions measured shouldn’t change from the survey to the start on site - unless of course the survey was inaccurate to start with or the elves were in over the holidays and started moving walls and floors around - sorry for being facetious. In my experience inaccurate measured survey drawings and the knock-on effect for other disciplines can cause additional unwarranted and unnecessary cost implications for a project, can make professionals look incompetent and can incur the wrath of clients. I’m not getting at anyone and yes we don’t know the situation of this particular project but I do expect a measured survey - at least for a small domestic project - to be accurate. Thanks.

“In a great deal of situations, the tradesperson knows better how to do it.” Lol. I’ve met plenty of “tradespersons” that I wouldn’t trust to sit the right way on a toilet never mind build something properly. Yes there are good contractors out there but very few I would trust to build something without proper drawings. Most contractors I meet wouldn’t know what the Building Regulation requirements are with a “we’ve always done it this way” attitude. “Specialist builders know a great deal about their type of work, whereas Architects will agree to design anything (I mean that, as I am unaware of an Architect ever declining a commission due to lack of experience.” That’s a very cynical out look - are you sure you’re talking about registered architects and not the plan drawer who’ll knock anything up for a few hundred quid irrespective of experience. “Also I have met many an Architect who isn't too great with numbers.” Especially when it comes to fees. Most people would rather spend a few grand on a new tv than pay their architect a decent fee. And I’m talking about an architect not your pseudo “architectural designer”. “No matter the scenario, planning drawings, building regs drawings etc are not construction drawings - there may be enough information on them for a builder to take on to construction but that's not the purpose of those drawings.” I disagree. Building Regulations drawings should have enough information on them to at least build the shell. It may not itemise sanitary ware, finishes or other PC/Provisional items - and perhaps foundations where trial holes have not been excavated - but there should be enough information on the drawings to build from. I wouldn’t accept planning drawings as a BC submission - they’d be sent straight back to the agent. “With any set of drawings they should however be as accurate as possible, but with existing buildings it's absolutely critical for a contractor to do a dimension check as they start to open things up.” I agree completely but getting the contractor to do a dimension check doesn’t excuse a sloppy measured survey - especially one that it 200mm out on a single dimension. “There should be notes on any drawings stating the purpose of the drawing and advising that all dimensions are site checked - no one would ever pay us to go and re-survey a property once it's been opened up and redo all the drawings, it has to be a coordinated effort to report any differences between the assumptions made at the initial survey and the reality on site (although 200mm is quite some way out!!).” if I was paying you to do a measured survey I would expect it to be accurate the first time around - and if it wasn’t and a mistake had been made I’d expect you to redo the survey and any consultant’s drawings that were affected by the error free of charge. “As most self-builders are genuine amateurs, it behoves the professionals to make it very clear what they are doing or not.” Absolutely - and make sure it’s in writing for both parties to agree to and sign. “This may not always be to the liking of the client, and they may not appreciate that they will soon be 'on their own' unless they pay more. They may not be 'listening'.” That’s why it’s critical to put everything in writing and for both parties to agree the extent of the service and the fee to be paid. My honest opinion is that any architect worth his salt will or should provide any client with accurate drawings and should clearly set out the terms of his or her appointment. If that means just doing the planning or just the building control drawings then so be it. Thank you for reading. ETC.

Referring to spray foam insulation, underlays and zinc coated fixings. Check the BBA certificates out.

“BC drawings are rarely accurate and are intended to give an idea of dimensions, materials and construction methods. an accurate building survey is rarely worth the cost leaving most dimensions to be confirmed on site … heights, levels and length of beams etc. Once the existing building/founds etc. Are opened up.” Absolute rubbish! I wouldn’t want your drawings if they’re not accurate. As I said - a sloppy measured survey. “Building Control drawings are intended to satisfy Building Control that the end result will meet the Building Regulations.” Correct. “Architects will happily sell you a set of Construction Drawings that tell the builder what to build.” How else would the builder know what to build? “They may contain more details not required by Building Control.” This rarely happens - in fact drawings more often contain little or no useful or confusing construction information.

Sounds like a bit of a sloppy measured survey if you ask me - if that’s what your agent was paid to do. If not and he was given dimensions by a third party or was for some reason or another using photographs (it happens) then the blame shouldn’t really lie with him/her. On the other hand - and in my opinion - if he/she was paid to do a measured survey then the drawings should have been accurate irrespective of whether or not the beams were to be measured from site dimensions or the drawings. If I was told my survey was 200mm out I’d be gobsmacked not to say very embarrassed. Going forward you should ask you agent to double check his survey and to amend his/her drawings and those of any consultants that have used the measured survey to design parts if the structure. If that is if you paid for a measured survey.

If you do you’ll definitely need cardboard to stop it touching the underlay. Plus don’t forget to prime all metal.

What about some cardboard?

Warm roof all the way. No need for ventilation.

I remember this exact same problem with the flags to the entrance of one of our buildings- got the builder back and he said “sure just drill a few holes in it” - terrible idea and not what we paid for. Got him to relay the flags. Seriously - the patio should have been laid to a fall to grass or some other porous surface. As other posters have said ask him to come back and lift the affected area.

Not that keen on the 45 degree angled walls on the ground floor. Have you spoken to Building Control about the Kitchen being open to the circulation access to the first floor - staircase discharging into the Kitchen. It wouldn’t be accepted where I am especially with the staircase serving three floors.