Ferdinand

WHat job is it doing? Consolidation or making it shiny or waterproofing or something else? In 2013 I put a sun room against an 'orribly dusty el-cheapo as built in 1850 old brick wall for a tenant, which brought an outside wall inside. We talked about render and masonry paint and doodah-wotsit miracle coating etc. In the end I gave it a good wire-brushing and a couple of coats of PVA diluted and the T is still happy and likes the character. That is the cheap'n'cheerful solution that worked for us. Should there ever be an issue I can probably just add something else later. Any problems will be indicated by you being forced to do that bit of hoovering ! Ferdinand

Updated above. F

@Ed_MK Update: HAving read a bit more, I think a new dwelling on a new plot is not a Householder Application, and they are correctly charging you £116 for a single request to discharge multiple conditions. The explanation is clumsy, but I think people who got away with the Householder Application fee have been lucky. That, as Cadbury's used to say on their 'describe in 10 words' competitions, is one for you to decide using your skill and judgement ! Personally I would consider challenging it if I thought they were wrong, and might talk to the Council legal department. But you are unlikely to build more than one house, where I hope eventually to build a series. HOwever, unless you challenge it you are committed to paying another 7 of these (6 extra = approx £200 OTT) if they charge 7x34 at the end of the project for the other conditions if this is how they calculate it. At the end may be a more opportune time to clarify. The only way I can see that they got to £116 was either because they cannot add up or if they are treating it as a charge per request (which they have denied) and you as a non-Householder application. THough I have highlighted one way in which I think a new dwelling application may be outside the relevant category. The planner has only cited his own opinion rather than quoting law. Was It the same officer repeating his misunderstanding? YOu could ask for chapter and verse to justify it. Ferdinand

Forgot about the date. +968 on do the deed by the end of Feb. There is an off season for treemen due to les oiseaux. I remember a huge debate about when it should finish - I think in about end of August vs end of September. Ferdinand

I suppose you could prune your inner hedge to 6 inches i.e. twigs, as a middle way, perhaps after explaning why to your tree man if he has a supervisory brief. THough I guess he might flounce. THat would stop the birds and probably reduce the water taken up. Ferdinand

Yes ... pensions aspects are being thought about.

Get the treeman to add an addendum to his report if you need it to say something different. Or you write something weighing it up and coming to your desired conclusion. Do you have a Planning Condition on this hedge? What is the full wording? DO you have to go for an amendment? IF they conflict have you submitted both to the Council? If so, why were you unable to reconcile them first? In either case you need that hedge out before it is full of nests. IF the Planning Conditions do not stop you, do it asap. IF the Plannign Conditions do stop you, then we perhaps need to help you take a view. Ferdinand

There are various posts around about private finance (eg via your solicitor to investor clients or peer-to-peer), but they all come at a cost. Off topic slightly: how secure are those predicted values, given the oil-decline and (not trying to be political) Scottish Government slanting of the tax take towards asset/income-rich people (eg + 1k per year for 50k salary in Band H house from April)? OTOH perhaps builders near Aberdeen are less pricey. One thing that is a huge risk-reducer in self-build is a far wider than expected buffer to absorb the slings and arrows, in terms of contingency %, personal resources and expected value of your project. It can be done on tight buffers, and there are relevant strategies to use, but there is a lot of potential for expensive mistakes which can chomp through contingency before you are out of the ground. One important strategy is to take lots and lots and lots of time to learn if you lack experience. Ferdinand (aka Jeremiah)

Chatting today with friends thinking about sorting out their housing situation before retirement, they are trying to find a way out of rental. The position is that they potentially have a significant deposit (for round here), and are looking to buy/renovate/extend or potentially self-build. The complications are: 1 - He is a self-employed professional driver, aged just over 60. A couple of years of accounts + several years employed beforehand. 2 - She is not gainfully employed at present. State and professional pensions will be along in a few years. The mortgage size is not a problem to manage if they can get a decent length of term, but the first broker contacted commented that the medical tests around being a professional driver would prevent mortgage lenders allowing a term beyond the age of 70. That makes the length of mortgage a problem, as a 10 year mortgage *would* be a strain. Therefore they are looking for lenders who: 1 - Will consider self-employed. 2 - Will consider either pro-drivers beyond 70, or take pensions into account for the latter part of a mortgage term. It is likely that he will continue beyond 70 full or part time, but that does not shift the criteria. Does anyone know of any possibilities? I see that Cumberland Building Society will lend beyond 70, so they are one to contact for a start - but being a (relative) whippersnapper it is not an area I have researched before. Any others? Cheers Ferdinand

They have a 12 week deadline to reply then you get your money back and possibly an auto yes iirc.

@Ed_MK I have spent a bit of time digging into this, and I still think you are right. The bit of law which sets the fees is (deep breath): Section 16 Subsections 1 and 2 say: Clearly this refers to a single request which may contain 1 or umpteen conditions. So I would send it all off in one package with one form, and be ready to have a vigorous but polite conversation if necessary. The reason for the £28 each is because all the fees went up by 20% on ... er ... the 17th of January, having been flat for about a decade. So far, so clear. But reading '"the table set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1", a new dwellinghouse does not seem clearly to me to fall within category 6 or 7 - which if true would mean a higher fee. But they do not appear to do that, and I hope I am wrong. So get that form sent off. Might be worth an email to the RTPI Planning Aid service if you need to absolutely confirm, or a phone call if you short of time. See the RTPI website. Ferdinand

Is it worth considering switching to a treatment plant (do you have space?), since 15k is a lorra lorra money and the local system seems complex and deep enough to have a Minotaur hiding in it somewhere?

Fortunately that is not the case yet ... though eg in the past the BMA supported helmet compulsion. Arguably they were mugged by enthusiasts, and have edged away from the policy. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet_laws_by_country https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/nov/24/no-plan-to-make-cycle-helmets-compulsory-in-safety-review-minister AIUI it is more a case that people running activities enforce it for alleged H&S reasons (which my sceptical head says may also be liability reasons and may be a condition of insurance policies), and ban kids who do not wear helmets. Though Theresa May does not have a good record on resisting emotion driven single-issue campaigns. IMO 'sensible school' is a better term than 'old school' (said the giraffe, sticking his neck out). Ferdinand

Are there any modular / rigid GRP systems available that come on the back of a lorry that would be suitable? If they can make GRP boats or roofs for bay windows (as we used to do) it should be straightforward ... though in 2018 costs might kill the idea. (Persuades himself not to post vintage Aldi advert for gin) Ferdinand

The principle is cost-recovery. I think they are mistaken in asking for £136 given the multi-option, so I suggest you challenge that. Just be glad you aren't a commercial bod at £234. I wonder what charities pay? Locally at the moment near here there is a portaloo tied to a lamp-post on the old A38. F

I have ended up creating accounts with many of the chains and sheds, except Jewsons who are miles away. I have found a few things cheaper at TP on the day, and they do deliveries for a fiver which can outbalance small orders from others.

Needs a comment from @SteamyTea, who has professional experiresponsibility me with GRP but perhaps not under concrete. I would be suspicious about GRP as it is brittle at the joints. Need to be sure no one walks on one, and that it is protected by the concrete. Presumably you are casting drains into the concrete surface. F

@Jml It is two storey in the op, and as I read it bullet point 9 or 10 on your link says max 3m eaves height within 2m of boundary. Your England note is a good point. F

PErmitted development is 3m max eaves height within 2m of a boundary, and then you need to watch for gutter overhang etc. See this link. So yes they would need planning. I think they will also have the right to insert reinforced foundations under your garden. You need to understand that PP does not give them the general right to encroach on your property without your permission eg you can charge them rent for placing scaffolding in your garden. And as it is so far down your garden I think they will get planning permission. One area you need to work out is who owns the hedge and where the boundary is and make sure it is clear, though it looks like their hedge on their land. NOt sure about Party Wall Agreements. But no Council will enforce anything until they have actually DONE something unlawful, and they may just give retrospective permission, and most of the enforcement will be down to you protecting your civil rights if it comes to that. Things to do. 1 Talk to your Council Planners and work out exactly where you stand, or consult the Planning Advice service from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, RICS. See their website ... they will only give general law and policy advice not specific cases. 2 - Talk to your neighbours and explain the limitations with evidence. Always the practical place to start. Don't make any rash black and white statements. 3 - I would consider building something on your side up to the boundary if you want to discourage them from building to the boundary, such as a garage, workshop or shed. Or a 4ft deep carp pond all along that side up to the boundary would make their attempted insertion of foundations more interesting. 4 - In your position I would be looking at outline pp for a small house or bungalow on your land at the bottom if feasible and then selling off the plot. Ferdinand

If you are planning cast-in-place then I would advise against. I had a leak in one that had been built into a student house 16-17 years earlier, and we had to dig up the whole bl**dy thing. Nightmare. Ferdinand

You may well get a good price if you buy the materials with the tiles, especially if buying from an independent. If so, talk to your tiler about what to get. Generally the powdered type that binds chemically rather than the premixed stuff in a bucket is the better option.

@epsilonGreedy 'Wise-owl' is a good phrase. I shall steal it and stop talking about HOGs.

@daiking Looking at those piccies further thoughts are: 1 - Some sort of fence or gate level with the end of the extension which can be closed when you are away. Not particularly elegant, but would make it more awkward for housebreakers. Could be relatively low or the full 1.8m or 2m. 2 - A hinged security grill / gate eg wrought iron attached to the house wall on the left as you look out of the French Doors. To be closed when necessary. You could probably get away with that not being the full 2m .. 1.5m would Perhaps suffice. 3 - The ideal solution would perhaps be a built in electric roller shutter, but I think this is not part of your extension so would not have been possible. And those things are quite expensive. 4 - You could put a surface mount roller shutter in, and hide it under some kind of vestigial "porch" roof .. with the 'purpose' of the roof being to avoid dripping water or as a shelter for eg outside toys and bikes etc. If it were me, I would prefer 3 subject to cost and feasibility, but 2 and 4 would be acceptable. To me 1 would feel too much like a prison unless a secure outside storage area were required. Ferdinand

You could put a security film on the French Doors if you are concerned, such that it is more difficult to smash the glazing units. Or make one side of each unit laminated? Perhaps get into the habit of removing the key from the lock in the French doors and putting it out of sight. F

This is a close up of one of my Oak Veneered doors. It is a Todd Doors Cottage Oak style done with Osmo Satin Polyx Oil. I will have to crop and rotate when on the right computer.