Ferdinand

TBH I think it should be possible to work with those constraints successfully, and give you something very interesting. I would have have a good look at orienting it NS ie Katy-cornered in the plot, as far down the garden as possible, with non habitable rooms across the back upstairs and working to whatever constraint is imposed by Council Policy on overlooking to windows at an angle if you have an6 such windows. If push came to shove the back upstairs could be a longish landing with bedroom doors on the S side, and a laundry room and the family bathroom on the overlooked side. And if you want it windows designed to minimise overlooking. If you have a 2m fence then downstairs overlooking rules would be scoped out entirely. Then you have as much space as poss on the S elevation with your cars down the side of the house on the plot. If they want an interesting design, give them one. Why not a generous loggia on the S side for your intermediate living? The hoi polloi upstairs on the bus would get intriguing glimpses of your facade from the road and die of curiosity. F

On the HMO front should you go that way all those en-suite mean you risk being assessed as 5 x Band A single units for Council Tax purposes. The VOA have the Power to make this assessment, though it is fairly random and dependent on area whether it happens or not, and most places don’t seem to use the power but it can all change on a sixpence. Longstanding issue. Examples https://www.propertytribes.com/hmo-per-room-council-tax-killing-the-deal-t-127637484.html https://www.property118.com/hmo-council-tax-changed-room/comment-page-2/#comments Renting to students would dodge this as they have no Council Tax Liability ... yet. Also quite a few HMO rules change between 5 beds and 6 beds. Lots to research.

You have your architect backwards. Their particular skill is in concept and design inspiration, and perhaps in doing the application. If you give them a basic design to detail, then you have scoped them out of the part of the process where their expertise will add most value. In those circs I suggest an Arch Technologist, unless you need someone with architect skills to solve very difficult constraints. Ferdinand

(Note to say that I have asked for this thread to be removed in a day or so rather than left forever due to the personal content) So don't be surprised when that happens. Ferdinand

Nothing new that I would call a balance issue. But I've always had 3 left feet.

But if one has Leukemia, Hair6 Cell is the one to have apparently as the vast majority go into long term remission and there is little effect on lifetime length. F

It’s not been a vintage year so far. ?

According to the British Tinnitus Association, about 1 in 7 have tinnitus effects to some degree. The diabetes is currently under decent control (A1c just over 7), but next year is my 20th anniversary of diagnosis so it could just be a matter of time thing, as T is sometimes coincident of D. I also take statins, and T is a (rare) side-effect. Though all my blood counts going out of kilter over the last 18 months following a very nasty chest infection, of which one known issue is A1c tests getting pushed out of whack. At one stage saw a ridiculous fall in just a fortnight that we all thought was impossible. We got to a diagnosis of a form of Leukemia (Hairy Cell) in April / May, and I have been treated since with a monoclonal antibody, and it seems to be going into rapid and hopefully long term remission (the condition is well known with a well established treatment). That is currently front and centre for obvious reasons, but I'll talk to the relevant specialists on the Tinnitus. Cheers for the comments F

We have been at up to 29C today, and inside started at 23 and ran up to 25. I may be able to start a couple of degrees lower if I have the stack venting set up from 6-8am, but 8 am not comfortable.

I think it goes underneath the grill, or there is a dome shaped lid.

If it is so dark, I would be more inclined to go for white, or light (eg cream or pale yellow or blue or pink), render. Or stainless. Or even mirror. Done carfully, you could make it look like a secret garden through a doorway. Though plenty of plants grow in complete absence of sunlight. A photo would probably help us. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/design/lideas/mirrors-in-garden-design.htm https://empressofdirt.net/garden-mirrors/ https://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/blog/11-amazing-ways-to-use-garden-mirrors/

Yes, it does seem to match the heartbeat.

That's a good thought. Will check.

:Perhaps it's something else - but I've too much more serious medical stuff going on at present to bring that forward yet. The sound is a background woosh-woosh-woosh in one ear (like listening to a seashell !), which I first thought to be the central heating system doing something strange. Hopefully it will clear up.

One surprise for me is the extent to which spin speed makes a difference. My usual spin is 1400rpm - I find that if I use a wash with 1200rpm the drying time is significantly longer. That may be because my indoor drying setup is marginal compared to eg a place with MVHR. F

I seem to have developed a measure of tinnitus as (probbaly) a side effect of last winter's lurgy. Unfortunately that means that in addition to struggling to hear the microwave hum and warming drawer click, I am now running TVs and Alexa at nearly maximum volume, with a couple of surprisingly good <£40 bluetooth speakers for when I am outside. When this has all calmed back down I'll talk to a doc about it, but I am also going to need to tweak the sound system, Currently Alexa is an Amazon Echo G3. Can anyone advise on the best upgrade path? I think I want a second base (I think they can pair), or something that will give me a bit more amplitude with little loss of quality, I guess there are perhaps 3 rooms plus outside where it would be nice to have sound at this stage. I am not an audio geek, and all suggestions are welcome. I won't be buying SONOS, due to their previous loyal customer shafting activities. Cheers Ferdinand

On this one I''d say: 1 - Five bed is too busy - study can be optional guest bed. 2 - Move the asymmetrical pair of ensuites towards the master - that can afford to lose more space. 3 - Need natural light on the landing. 4 - Importantly - think about it in the context of the site eg position and arc of sun. Moving smaller shapes around in a bigger outline in mid air awill not give you an optimal place to live. 5 - I have not gone on real detail because I think you are thinking general concepts at present. F

Welcome.

This one? My tactic was to buy a tray that weighed half that...

it gets easier on the second house ?. Or the fifth house. So perhaps practice on the garage.

I think that one of the points of self-build that you don’t have to give a hoot if your requirements are standard or not. I think what I’m saying is just take enough time to be reasonably sure that you develop your ideas enough that you will get something good and you will not have any real Doh! Type regrets later. This thread is a very good thing to do, as you are getting lots of different opinions that you can adapt or consider then set aside. If you are dealing with a designer or architect at some stage, you will have that much more background to ask the right questions.

There's a learning point there. You are doing a sequential process - to fit your normal way of thinking / working. That is fine, but the risk is that you lose the links eg between the plan and how it can vary with different glazing types and positions etc. An architect might work more from a sketched network of room links and positions relative to the aspects etc, and then evolve it as an overall vision. Be sure that you go forwards and backwards enough times to make the links. If you are just a few feet in front or behind your neighbours for part of the width that means that you can get beams of direct sunlight much later or earlier in the day through a tiny bit of side aspect exposed round the end of next door. Ferdinand

Speaking of painting, have you considered spraying your undercoats? May be too late for this time! But worth knowing about as a technique.

Yep. It’s to do with giving appropriate compensation in cash or kind where they feel you have been sufficiently generous whilst you feel you have not been exploited. It might be a payment or eg providing a professionally designed and built shrub border over the bit of garden that your building project has trashed.

Welcome.