Ferdinand

I refer my Honourable Friend (and all the other Honourable Friends) to the calculator I mentioned some time ago ?. Yes... by the lorry. It was me started on bulk bags, as I happened to have the numbers in my head.

That is interesting. I wonder if other factors are at play? Perhaps the thing they are avoiding is the 3% Supplementary SDLT for a second Property?

One of these might help http://www.pavingexpert.com/calcall.htm However, I make it 8m2 per bulk bag at 50mm deep which is approx 10m2 at 40mm, so that gives the quantity ish of bulk bags. On driving over pavers, is it possible to do something really simple like start at the other end? Alternative might be to get 90% of sand, and accept barrowing the rest .. or have project B waiting for any leftovers. Ferdinanf

This is potentially relevant to Buildhub users who have purchased, or are purchasing, existing properties (derelict or habitable), in order to repair or replace them. It concerns whether you pay the Residential Rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax, or the Non-Residential Rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (which are lower). (Gird your loins - slightly - for this, and get a cup of whisky plus a couple of Jaffa Cakes.) This post is General Information only, and does *not* constitute advice in any form. It is about a Court Ruling from January 2019 in the First Tier Tribunal Tax Chamber called HMRC vs Bewley, which changed the Liability for Stamp Duty Land Tax in England in one case where the property was found to have been unsuitable for use as a dwelling, and so the (lower) non-residential rate should have been applied. This level of Court is not automatically precedent-forming though decisions may 'be taken into account' by other Courts; the Upper Tribunal, where a case goes when Appealed from the First Tier Tribunal, is precedent-setting. For two groups of Build Hubbers, it could affect people who buy buildings on plots to demolish, or perhaps people who want to pass a plot or building-on-a-plot on for the purposes of developing more than one dwelling. There is potential, for example, for the vendor to sell the property in an uninhabitable state by doing various things, and the price varying to allow for the lower amount of Stamp Duty which may be due, or perhaps for an indemnity against a higher tax bill considered (if such an agreement is lawful). The status of a building would be changed by an application to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). On Buildhub we have had conversations about what makes a property uninhabitable in connection with liability for Council Tax, for example the absence of a potable water supply. This conversation is similar, and eventually will be about what prevents an empty or derelict property from being suitable for use as a dwelling. I am not launching into my own discussion of that, beyond noting that factors that may end up coming into the future guidance which may eventually be published by the Tax Authorities if necessary may include things such as "is there a kitchen", "is there a bathroom" (both of which affect 'mortgageability'), and potentially "does it have planning permission yet". I will simply post the summaries of the Ruling. What about the potential impact? The difference between the Residential rate of SDLT can be substantial. The potential savings for people buying expensive plots look to be quite tasty. Note - these rates quoted below are basic, partial information for illustration; there are exemptions and special cases by the bucketload - and you do need to check properly. Residential SDLT Source :https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates Non-Residential SDLT Source: https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/nonresidential-and-mixed-use-rates HMRC vs Bewley Summary and Resources: The full decision is here: http://financeandtax.decisions.tribunals.gov.uk/judgmentfiles/j10915/TC06951.pdf The existing VOA Guidance relating to Council Tax Liability for Properties in Disrepair or Derelict is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/council-tax-domestic-properties-in-disrepair-or-derelict/council-tax-domestic-properties-which-are-in-disrepair-or-are-derelict Some notes from a 2018 meeting of Tax Authorities on the meaning of "residential property" subject are here: https://www.tax.org.uk/sites/default/files/SDLT Section 116 FA 2003 meeting 11 June 2018 summary points FINAL.pdf (document itself) Winding Up It would be useful to have some of the Buildhub hive mind on this, especially as this is not an area of specialist knowledge for me. We have discussed this issue wrt Council Tax, and mainly at the end of the build, for example in this thread by @vivienz. But we have not - that I am aware of - considered so carefully unsuitability for use as a dwelling at the start, and with respect to Stamp Duty. Another category I am not aware that we have discussed is Stamp Duty liability on properties gifted. In general this is one to be aware of, and then probably discuss with advisers. The difference in SDLT liability in the case discussed was £6k. I have discussed this wrt England (and probably Wales if they have not changed that bit yet !), but the "Notes form a 2018 Meeting" link above shows attendance by Tax Authorities UK-wide. For example: Has anyone successfully applied to have derelict properties defined as unsuitable for habitation and removed from the 'register' at the VOA, and subsequently reduced their SDLT liability on that basis? Has it been done with kitchen and bathroom removal, rather than roofs and windows?

That’s the one. Watching people cope with tricky situations is a good way to learn. ? I think the lesson there is planning and don’t try and cut corners or innovate on things that can go very wrong very easily. Eg When playing shinty, skimp on your socks not your support strap. F (* Shinty is a Scottish Highland game superficially similar to hockey, except you are allowed to use both sides of the stick, tackle with the stick, play balls in the air, and shoulder barge, for a start. Field Hockey is for wusses.)

In general a step up to a raised area of bedroom floor or raised en-suite will be easier than cutting holes in the floor itself, since the former will be less disruptive to the structure. Ferdinand

So what price (ish) is sapienstone? I will be after (possibly) a piece approx 1200 x 450mm for my new bathroom, to be mounted on a vanity unit. I am losing the battle between sngnle-piece integrated sinks and bowls-on-a-board. Ferdinand

I think you need a London basement not just a basement. There are a few on Grand Designs, including the chap with a movable tiles floor that went down and turned into a swimming pool (Kensington or Chelsea, next to the railway iirc), and another chap (2018?) who did a real budget build in the East somewhere near the DLR. Ferdinand

Alternative: shift loo through 90 to be on the other wall, and use a side-exit soil pipe if needed. Ferdinand

This to me looks horribly complicated. As it stands I would say your sales prospects will be substantially damaged just by unknowns. Or if this is your consortium then they all need to be on board. Aiui It is the nature of things that any sales taxes you impose eg an overage will just come straight off the price. If you face them with an unknown risk eg if it depends on them they applying for PP then it will be really difficult to determine values. IMO Take some weight off the overage; it is perhaps too much of a one club golfer as it stands. Personally I think that attempting to apply a sanction to people building an extension in 2069 is rather outrageous. I would perhaps suggest limit the max size of plots you can sell in the agreement, or use an option agreement. You could put such a limit in the deeds. Do you have good legal advisers on this? Overage agreements are notorious for unintended loopholes. They should have wordings in their desk drawers. A further area of uncertainty is how your council deals with planning gain, S106, affordable etc for Self Build projects of several houses. No one has a reliable or predictable model of process for that, yet. Ferdinand

Why is this thought to be unusual? Cities are full of them due to eg neighbours or conservation areas or overlooking. The Healthy House in Grand Designs last year S18 Ep3 had this arrangement, as you could also say for the early Passive Haus in the Cotswolds built under that barn etc. The design key is to put it in a big enough landscaped hole to give a two level garden, such that it does not feel as if you are a shrub being planted in a flowerbed ..rather than use a conventional basement. https://www.granddesignsmagazine.com/grand-designs-houses/397-grand-designs-third-episode-2018 But doing one for the sake of doing it would seem a little eccentric. If it is for privacy reasons then there are probably better above ground ideas such as the interesting parallel view windows invented for the GD chap who built his house in Southwark in the ‘inner space’ of about 30 houses in a block of streets, and around an inner courtyard. If you are talking earth sheltered then that is a different type of ballgame. Ferdinand

Auto opening on the Passive Cat Flap. They usually come with remote as well as RFiD control, so it should not be that difficult. Simples. (This is a suggestion not what I do, since my former cat is pushing up bamboo. I open windows manually or turn up the PIV setting, which can shift a lot of air.) Ferdinand

Thanks. Good comments.

Does the 28 day exemption apply to lakes? I would expect it too, so you could split it into 13 different ownerships and move it every 4 weeks. A bit extreme. (?) Ferdinand

Bugger. Forgot that it was a Thursday again. F

I think you want to pay very careful attention to your building envelope, but also the overheads of building it, I would be looking at: - Building a half basement in combination with rooms in the roof ... that could give you your extra floor without digging such large holes, and disturbing your neighbours so much, whilst using less material. Half basements are a trad London form. You will still a Party Wall Agreement, But there should be less risk of serious objection. - The potential trade offs between the extra floor area for a terrace vs te extra value of a detached with an adequate side path. I lived in about 5 areas of London and detached did have a significant premium. - But do a gap at least wide enough to get down and build, rather than a cat-trap gap. - Consider things like minidigger access to the back, and avoiding if possible any requirement for needing anything from third party property owners or the council. If you end up with 2 side paths, make one minimal (scaffold min size), and one as generous as possible. i would probably want some sort of advice once I had explored my options, as a sanity check and because in London small things make big differences. Ferdinand

100m2 is at the upper end of the 84sqm to 102sqm requirement under the London space standard (which tries to be generous) for a 2 or 2.5 storey, 3 bed, family house. It says 84sqm for 4 people, and 102sqm for 6. https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/london-plan/current-london-plan/london-plan-chapter-3/policy-35-quality-and 100m2 is a reasonably generous 1930s semi. More is nice, but that could be OK - dependent upon your expectations, unless you are the chap coming from St Ives. F

I am still not clear whether this is for you to live in or to sell:-).

Welcome. It s not clear whether this is self build may for what you want to live in, or potentially to sell. I think that you probably need to cost up your basic core structure (not poor quality, but perhaps to second fit without the gold plating finishes and gadgets you would like in an ideal world), and expect to build to that then consider the rest depending what happens. Ferdinand

Why do you require 1.5 brick thick - I thought up to 2m was 1 brick (ie 225 mm)? Ferdinand

Yes - if you can justify (photos!) "Repairing my Wall" then you are safe. Ferdinand

£2-3k like that? You could save up to about half of the work by building it out of in-out panels where each pair of panels overlap at the ends to make posts. A 9m fence would be - what - about £700 if done by a fence-man? Ferdinand

And there will be elements of politics in it - if the subbie is not in the room, who will get the blame? And the blame makes a lot of difference when something changes. I think that perhaps what is needed is clarity, and then to let other elements adjust. Yet if regulation is not thoughtful and considered, then there *will* be extra costs on the customer. How to avoid simplistic answers because simplistic answers are easy? Is there a 'judge lead' enquiry going on yet? Ferdinand

Or if the battery did a Samsung.

The one Alpha I would have liked to have would have been the Zagato, but funds etc. Had to look up the Brera ... had nevr heard of it and it made me think about rabbits.