saveasteading

Has he listed everything included? If he is Chartered then this is likely to be a standard schedule by RIBA. Plus you would want some explanation of his thoughts on your project. Beware of 1. lots of other consultants he appoints and you pay for. (SE, QS, Planning) 2. choice of contractors, as his favoured ones might be great for him and expensive for you. but that also depends on his/your ability to schedule and manage. But if he is good at all aspects, including value, then the fee might be ok.

I think they want to see the drain runs, ie lines showing the pipes to and from the manholes and gullies.

There is a large section of society who genuinely think they can do what they like to their own building. Some of them see rules and laws as unreasonable if it doesn't suit them. This extends to internal works in listed buildings, where walls are taken out without any permissions. 'My house so I can do what I like'. 'busybodies from the council/ neighbours. Of course some genuinely don't understand the first thing about structures/ heritage. Others understand but don't care. I see myself as the current owner of my house.

You must really hate reading the news then, as there is a lot of poor writing about, especially in the online news sites where they spread the story through the adverts. It is a bit of a technicality here though as he clearly has foundations beyond the wall, and used the cemetery land for scaffolding and work.

It is a few years since I used them. They were wary of blurring the line between trade and customer, and it is best to be straight with them. If you explain the relationship they may then tell you if there is any further discount. Not the sort of thing to shout out to the whole shop though. They used to have 2 different price books, so the professional could hide some margin (or realistically allow a sensible margin and risk). That may have changed. Also I once found that there were sudden changes in the discount structure, for example adding a £20 plinth (that I didn't want) caused a jump in the discount applying to the whole order, and the price dropped a lot.

The current owner, from Oregon, as described in the article. ProDave, do you think someone will buy that with building and negotiate with the council? Or someone will buy the building 'as seen' dismantle and take it away. Do you think £150k represent the value of site and the building ?

What a surprise that must have been The opposite presumption tends to apply re Inverness. The rainfall is "low" at 750mm p/a. Hang on I shouldn't be encouraging people.

There are planning applications and long term outline plans for many thousands of houses around Inverness (population 50,000). I asked who was going to be buying them, and the answer came: 'English'. I don't doubt it as the cash benefit in selling the tired 3 bed semi in the SE and buying the same new is hundreds of thousands. Plus you get to live in a much friendlier area....and the countryside...and.....

I wonder how many people and companies have been involved with this, but who have said nothing. Agents, lawyers, builders. Who sold the land and then 'didn't notice'? It appears to be a kit set on timber baulks so perhaps no founds and can be removed or even sold on. Then nature will reclaim the road. Had a quick look for the sales info but can't find any . Again, didn't the agent ask any questions?

I know everyone is interested in planning refusals and tough rulings. I hadn't seen this before so is probably new news. Highlands house with no planning permission has to be removed. I have cut and pasted this from the Mail website so you don't have to go in there and turn off all the ads. An American businesswoman who built a £200,000 eco-home in the Scottish Highlands has been ordered to tear it down after breaching strict planning controls. Developer Eve Wilder, from Oregon, had the wooden property constructed on the banks of Loch Migdale in Sutherland before putting it up for sale on the property market. Described as the 'ideal' Highland getaway, the one-bedroom eco-home was built to the 'highest standard' and every material used was 'non-toxic', according to a sales brochure for the property. However Highland Council has now ordered Ms Wilder to have the building demolished within four months after the 'unauthorised development was carried out without the knowledge or permission of the local planning authority'. The eco-home was put up for sale by the developer before being removed from the property market when the demolition row emerged. +5 The £200,000 eco-home (exterior pictured) was constructed on the banks of Loch Migdale in Sutherland, Scotland +5 The property's owner Eve Wilder, from Oregon, has now been ordered to demolish the site within four months. Pictured: The interior of the property The council have also said the development affects the natural scenic beauty of the Dornoch Firth. A council spokesperson said: 'This unauthorised development was carried out without the knowledge or permission of the local planning authority. 'The planning authority believe that the unauthorised development was completed whilst the appellant was residing in the United States of America, therefore it can be reasonably expected that the development be removed as there are no guarantees that the appellant will return to the UK and therefore the unauthorised development would remain in situ for an unknown period. 'That being said, the planning authority are keen to have this matter resolved and would be open to the appellant providing a detailed plan of the timescale and works to be completed for the removal of the development as required by the enforcement notice.' Ms Wilder was initially told she would need to take down the one-bedroomed property within three months but after appealing the council timeframe she has now been granted four months. +5 The eco-home is described as the 'ideal' Highland getaway and every material used is 'non-toxic', according to a sales brochure for the property +5 The council said the development affects the natural scenic beauty of the Dornoch Firth and construction was 'carried out without the knowledge or permission of the local planning authority' +5 The one-bedroomed property in the Scottish Highlands will now need to be take down within four months She also claimed the issue could be resolved by altering plans and seeking retrospective permission for the house. An appeal letter on her behalf read: 'It is considered that the requirements of the notice exceed what is necessary to remedy any breach of planning control or indeed any injury to both immediate and wider surrounding amenity caused by that breach. 'In this regard, the site property could be physically amended in design terms to meet the policy design requirements of the planning authority and, as a consequence, such matters could potentially be resolved through a retrospective planning application as opposed to serving a notice requiring total demolition. 'Given the appellant's residence, it is considered that it is unreasonable to expect the appellant to comply with the terms of the notice within a three month period and falls short of what should reasonably be allowed. 'The appellant would suggest that a six month period would be more appropriate given the logistics of instructing and managing such an operation at distance.' Government reporter Steve Field said: 'I uphold the enforcement notice but allow the appeal to the extent that I vary the terms of the notice by changing the time period for compliance to four months. 'I have considered all the other matters raised but there are none which would lead me to alter my conclusions.' Unfortunately it is necessary to do into the daily mail website and turn off all their avertising but her it is: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10328871/American-businesswoman-built-200-000-eco-home-Highlands-ordered-tear-down.html

Are there any cooker hoods with an automatic opening/closing shutter so that the pipe is closed when not in use? Like in some of the flashier wall extraction fans.

For clarity I think it is zero rated on new-build and 5% (reclaimable) on conversions, renovations and change of use. Also that if you don't tell the builder that this will be reduced rate, then it would not be fair to then insist on the zero rating as it is a big hit on their cash-flow and risk. You might argue that a concrete pump supplied by the supplier is part of the delivery, instead of the chute attached to the lorry. But I don't think I would try it with HMRC, unless the invoice simply showed supply of concrete.

Your contractor, who is responsible for this, will have one, but what are you thinking of doing with it?

Worth doing. Builders seem to make a point of leaning tools and materials against new windows and walls, and splashing mortar around. I would think the easy solution is the cling-film protection usually used internally for floors and kitchen surfaces. better than that, found this Product code: 20527Blue Window Protection 600mm x 20m £6.29

Benefits Of Specifying Cemfloor Liquid Concrete Screed • No shrinkage, cracking, or curling. This quote is from the Cemfloor website. Therefore it seems that there should not be any cracking, and that this has been laid wrongly. I have not used this screed but responsible for thousands of m2 of concrete. With concrete, (which always shrinks) uncontrolled cracking is mostly down to 3 things. 1. too much water in the mix, for the ease of the workers. 2. absence of crack control 3. reflective cracking from a slab beneath, or some other weakness. 1. Is the likeliest in your case as it has happened so quickly and very wide cracks in the time. 2. Almost certainly, and would have allowed the cracks but in a more controlled fashion. 3. I don't think applies as you have poured onto PIR (?) As Nod and others say, this could come through any tiling /vinyl flooring you may install. I predict that your installer will say it is a) normal: refer to Cemfloor statement above. I'm surprised at other comments that this is normal. But normal is not the same as right. b) not a problem. In which case why is it a selling point with Cemfloor. c) easily remedied by filling with some cementitious stuff. I don't think so: other cracks may come later too. It is impossible to fill a rough crack unless it is wider, and they will likely just smear some stuff on the top. (Fill should mean to the whole depth. The cracks are extremely rough and jagged and liquid or paste will not pass through.) At the door, this cracking could almost have been guaranteed. The screed shrinks away from all the walls and of course fails across this weak line. The UFH pipes will be helping somewhat as a light weight reinforcing mesh, so it would probably have been worse without it.

I carefully avoided those words so as to keep the thread on point.

You must live in a very hot place. I can't think I have ever thought a floor indoors, anywhere in the world, was too hot. Or that a British house was too hot indoors. In a very poorly insulated house of lightweight material it might be possible, but control of sunlight and ventilation should sort that. Hottest summer temperature perhaps 30C dropping to only 20C at night, but how often does that happen, and a well built house keeps most of the heat outside.? Thinking of southern Europe, (40C only down to 25 regularly) new houses do have cooling, but the traditional houses don't need it, using the design-as -a cave principle.* I have experience of office temperatures being too high, but that is for a metal building with 100mm insulation and with multiple occupancy. Then the ASHP was used in reverse. Good to have the option but would barely be used I suggest. How often do you use it and do you know it is helping significantly? * In Spain they brought in a law that public buildings could not be cooled to below 22C (???) or heated above 25 (???) as it is a waste of energy.

And the heat from the transformer and surely there is a Makita radio playing constantly too?

I don't think the majority of major developers understand the construction process well enough to have decided this. Anyway, the tests and BCO inspections do not include ventilation, which is approved in desktop assessment, not in site tests. I am certain though that the housing units for test are decided and agreed in good time to ensure a pass, while the rest are left leaky. Then there is the quality and control process itself. I know a council who only gave planning approval on condition of a change of Architect and their own BCO having access throughout. This to ensure passable housing standards after previous experience......It is not possible to find info on the estate they disliked so much.

At leak susceptible junctions such as sole plate to footing or slab, I am wondering what seals are going to last long-term. There is mastic tape that stays flexible indefinitely as long as it is free from light, but that is for installing within the interface of metal sheets, not for sealing gaps. I think anything from a tube will eventually harden or shrink. Off the wall perhaps, but what about denso tape ? Does that last for ever or do bugs eat the Vaseline?

I recommend considering sleeper walls up to the slab level and planks (or beam and block) over. This is then a simple brickies' job. The blocks will probably be laid flat for strength and stability, on normal trench foundations. you can then over clad in stone or whatever. There you are, I've saved you about £10k. (I am not guessing as have done this several times, when the original SE had gone for piling.) Your SE will also consider ground heave because of the excavated area, but that is easy enough too.

I wonder if the existing fan will turn out to be strong enough after all, with an improved duct. 110mm drainage duct is 100 internally. You should also try to make the bend from the fan to the duct as smooth as possible. There might be another plus in that these paper/ plastic wrapped spiral ducts get punctured easily.

Yes, in the same way that drains use smooth pipes, and corrugated are only for sokaways. The roughness causes turbulence all the way. At a proper builders' or drainage merchants. Or buy in 2m / 3m lengths with socket ends, or plain pipes with connectors. Also, the junctions at the hood and the outside louvre will be better joints.

Just an aside. I think that intumescent products are often specified when they are not necessary. This is due to caution by the specifier and encouragement from the publicity of the manufacturers. Of course they are not going to publicise that 38mm timber, or 0.5mm metal, or rolled up rockwool will suffice in some details.

Anything other than replacing that ducting would be a bodge, and defeat the object of the better fan. Changing the corrugated to a solid plastic pipe would make more difference than increasing the corrugated size, or any mix-up of old and new. The new plastic pipe would go in the same hole. Maybe just maybe you could push a new 100mm pipe in from the outside, if there was a gap in the insulation. OR Use a rectangular duct in the kitchen as it looks a bit tidier than round. BUT for a proper job you have to lift the floor, then use a 100 or 150 solid pipe. The hole in the wall is the easy bit once you decide what to do.