Ferdinand

How do the rest of is live witho all these contraptions? Perhaps a visit to the Blue Peter show at the Edinburgh Fringe is indicated?

Since it is more than 10 years, I think you can also apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development for the Change of Use. But once you start talking to the Local Authority it may compromise your ability to get an Indemnity Policy due to possible prior knowledge of the outcome, so perhaps do that first and if it needs an extra push agree to supply a package of evidence to the purchaser if they need more persuasion on a (cannot remember the legal word) no outcome guaranteed basis. There-is also an aspect that certain trades/professions ave an established practice of being allowable from homework. Ferdinand

Have been using these for a longtime - maybe a decade - to allow mum to do the gardening as the continued to get older. Started off with a battery on the belt one, and now have a Bosch purchased about 3-4 years ago from B&Q of all places. But since them lawn has now been abolished it hardly gets used. If you can align with your tool system, that will be a good idea. I think that huge batteries may be a red herring for this - 3 hour sessions may not be a requirement. My watchword would be make sure that the smallest person who would use it is comfortable. F

Brilliant ! Good job I was indisposed at the weekend or I would have suggested Dove Grey grout which would have meant an extra line of sample. Your mistake was not to make an executive decision at the point one was deemed approximately acceptable, and do the bathroom there and then.

I am not convinced that it is possible to own a locked in PP on somebody else’s land and enforce a charge against the owner. Is there any law that allows that to happen without an explicit agreement? That is unless your neighbour signed a contract which bound him in those terms, which means that it would at least partially be his responsibility. That may seem a blunt thing to say, but was he by any chance playing in the big boys’ game without making sure the necessary specialist legal advice was available to him? Given that he was approached that might be an easy mistake to fall into unawares. Essentially they should have been kept from doing development as opposed to due diligence until the mone6 had changed hands, or a really tight agreement was in place. In our case with our land sale we had so much runaround and buggeration that we demanded a walk-away-clean offer from developers and took a reasonably significant hit on the price. But at least we could move on and by then i5 had been several years. In any case, a cautionary tale and he has my sympathy. Ferdinand

I get the feeling that that digger is going to run away and chase some deer.

You could point out to your neighbour that their covenant will not stop it being a private family dwelling with 2 or 3 lodgers, and perhaps replace with a covenant for max number of adults. Or potentially via the rent a room scheme, which could potentially override te covenant through being explicit Statute Law. That one is me slightly shooting from the hip, though. Maybe. F

I would say that the Trustw ant to be able to use it eg as a half-way house or similar, or perhaps rent out to 2 or 3 staff .. which is an HMO now or may be defined as one in the future for the 2 people. There would be no problem renting as a single private dwelling. F

That's how I do it. But I would not normally wash the decorative stuff on top - why do that? The Franch Drain is there to take the water away.

The reason for wrapping up your clean gravel in landscape fabric in a French drain, including over the top, is to help prevent it getting clogged up with small particles and maintain better performance for longer. F

There arE couple more options. This is a single handed 7.2V device from a Company called Terratek. £30. Weighs 1kg. Comes wIth a 5 inch hedge cutter and a 3 inch trimmer. Can get an extendihandle, and a longer hedge cutter. 1hr run time. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terratek-Lithium-Cordless-Trimmer-Cultivation/dp/B071ZSZQKP or a Wolfgarten ACCU60 Comfort. Similar but 800g. http://www.carryongardening.org.uk/shop/battery-powered-handheld-shears-efe6c6ed/default.aspx Or depending on whether It is serious hedge cutting or eg fettling privet or box, then something more like a set of manual sheep shears could work, since they spring back and have 15-20cm blades. Also depends on your dad’s hand strength. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005GCT6CU One place to ask advice might be Age U.K.? Best of luck. Ferdinand

150 here.

Perhaps a gentle power wash or hose finger across the face of the roof first?

Good excuse to get the IPA in ?.

What measurement units? Above we have talk of Calcium Carbonate, but for water hardness I am more used to TDS .. Total Dissolved Solids, for which I need a meter costing about £4.14. Could someone clarify. Cheers F

How do you make sure it is all ou5 pre-cleaning? What will stop it staining again? F

Interesting. The people who owned the farm where it was built put in fishing lakes.

Is this mid-century? Our neighbours 194x bungalow had an 18" thick sweep driveway with the same washboard finish. The new purchasers had to dig it up. Like you Russell, he was in the heavy game .. in this case demolition. F

Good spot. Pah. I'm ALDI for my lower end tools. Final answer, I'm afraid, Chris.

Welcome to the forum. Looks like a lovely spot. Starting as we will doubtless go on - what are those lovely wires and do they cross or go alongside your plot? ? Ferdinand

I have had some success in particular circs persuading the Local Authority to speed this up, which came down to talking to the right person nicely and supplying a good reason. Frankly I am surprised there is not a more expensive express service; I have had occasions when I would have paid £200 or £250 for a service in days not weeks. F

Cold frames for all your friends ?.

Cold frames, if they have small panes?

I think an electric shutter may be the easiest, as they may be sized to match windows. They will come with motors, remote control wires etc. Though one of those advertising signs made from triangular prisms might be an interesting base to use for a DIY project. F

Agree there - quite good summary, though they are watching the main chance! There is an official Govt explanatory paper around somewhere, too.