Ferdinand

I tend to agree. However...

There are some that can use 13A sockets. eg http://ao.com/product/oif22300x-beko-electric-single-oven-stainless-steel-16973-45.aspx

There is the title for the next Carry On film.

Let us know how long Council Services continue after it is up for demolition. I know of one where the collections continued for months after the demolition notice was served, used by the neighbour, but stopped within a month once it was an empty plot.

Any AGA should be worth money on EBay, and AGA specialists will turn up and collect it. It is a very finely tuned secondhand market. I think. As far as I know AGAs use Vermiculite insulation, and your assessor may be being cautious. Perhaps ask them. We got bang on £500 for a rust bucket 195x small coal burner AGA in 2012. They are designed to be moveable by one man. Find out what model it s and sell it, perhaps to a specialist service or as Buyer Collects no reserve. Even the latter will save you a day. Ferdinand

You will need their sig on the form.

You will need Building Control approval to take out structural and there may be something in your lease. You may also need to comply with Party Wall requirements. Probably no PP. In England we also have a Building Notice, where rather than asking Building Control for approval, you just tell them what you are doing. This might be appropriate here. The difference is that you do not get an external sanity check, so you take responsibility for not getting anything wrong. You proceed quickly, but bear that additional risk. Tends to be used for simple and clear cut situations and where people are experi need and confident. You could build a house under a Building Notice, but it gets expensive when you get it wrong and they tell you to add another 45cm to the bottom of the foundations you just built to ground level. Do they have Building Notices in Scotland? Not convinced that 70 sqm is especially large for a 3 bed, but financial return it may be very dependent on area. Run it past an estate agent? Ferdinand

I think you should be having an avatar demonstrating your healthy eating status by using a bag of Hula Hoops rather than a huge bag of crisps.

If it is a sycamore (check) that close and still that small I would want it out anyway - perhaps after the build having listened in above, provided the new foundations are specced to stand the potential heave, and insurance etc is in place. In due curse (deliberate typo!) it will possibly become a 60-80 ft weed which could be 50-60cm closer to your house, unless there is something severely restricting its growth. The difference in cost between removal now and in 15-20 years could be 300-500%. At the very least it will be a concern to any future purchaser, and may end up with a TPO if someone wants to put one on it. Replace with something interesting in a suitable place instead imo. Ferdinand

To me it seems to be a fairly limited application relating to basements under London terraces which has been a controversial area for a long time. eg Developers may be required to apply for PP for this type of operation. Judgement: http://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/userfiles/documents/Eatherley Judgment.pdf and Summary from Landmark Chambers: http://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/news.aspx?id=4483 Ferdinand

Perhaps we had better get back to topic...

No. Power is delightful so absolute power is absolutely delightful. Copyright LJK Setright. THat double capital ( <<--- example) is Apple's fault. The very occasional lack of correction is my laziness. F

Yep. 5 degrees is too steep. I have a sunroom roof at that angle roughly and when pottering around on it for maintenance it is very obviously sloping. Ferdinand * checked and certified typo free

Typose. Moi? *innocent face* (Sorry .. I thought that was an abbreviation, and I do appreciate your sorting out my variations.) Ferdinand

Tgis ? Terrapins Got Into my Socks? Thank God I'm Scottish? Therapy Goes In Spurts? Clarification would be welcome so I can be culturally enriched :-) . Cheers F

Considered rising butt hinges? Perhaps not applicable. That may help to minimise the area of adjustment to your slab.

It was a new roof put on about 8 years ago. The walls are brick and mortar, with joists across about 4.5m at ceiling height, and the glulam along the spine above. I think you just have to run the numbers and see what comes out. These chaps keep 12-15m lengths in stock, for an example: http://glulambeams.co.uk/about-glulam/specifications Ferdinand

This studio bungalow of mine has an approx 14m Glulam Beam as the ridge beam. It has intermediate support, though no idea whether this is necessary ... the longest span is about 9m. Presumably at some length road transport considerations come into play ! Ferdinand

SHeffield is actually only 40minutes for me, but for me the guarantee on a new one etc would mean that it would have to be just what I want and at least 40% off new price after all costs.

LOoking at these. The stung is 15% buyers premium plus VAT which is another 35% plus. There are bare brushless drill and impact driver Marita sets at £60 start, but for about 280 you get that plus 3 batteries plus a case plus a charger from a shop new. Saving may only be 50 to 100. THen you have to fetch from Sheffield. But there are a number of SK102Z laser levels from Marita RRP approx 100 starting at 60 ukp. ALso prob very marginal. Ferdinand

You get the answer to that question when the build is finished . Or not .

I do not think it is property backed. It is finance for land acquisition and upfront expenses. Not sure if it is a good return, however they have something of a track record and no scandals related to the previous cash raising they did in 2013 afaik. It is not clear whether this comes within your £1000 tax free allowance for interest. Ferdinand

Worth costing piled foundations? https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/foundations-cost-guide/

Thanks for the comments so far. So .. supplementaries :-). I can see that that would work. That implies internal blockwork and a 'cavity' type structure - or a rainscreen (eg cladding or render over insulation) or similar on the the outside so that the joist ends do not protrude too far towards the outer surface, which may not be ideal (cold bridges, rotting). I expect that can be detailed appropriately with ease. Joist hangers :-). I have been looking into this a little. As far as I can see from a cursory survey of what is on sale, joist hangers for blockwork require to be inserted into the blockwork itself, while those for timber seem to be attachable to the surface. For a conservatory roof where access was required for maintenance I dealt with this by putting a chunky - perhaps 8"x4" wall plate on the blockwork with appropriate bolts then mini joist hangers on the wall plate to support the roof. But are there surface attachable joist hangers for use with blockwork? (Though I guess that the blockwork itself could be slotted if necessary). That is an attractive idea. I had mused about if eg ordering a timber frame from MBC and having the floor cassettes for the future inserted floor supplied initially, which could simply then be added in with a block and tackle from the Ridge Beam at some point in the future. The geometry would work. I like exposed tie beams especially as they age, but the numbers vs span vs spacing would have to be thought about carefully to look OK now and meet any likely spec for the future. Type of Blockwork Is there much of a constraint on types of blockwork which can support joists for an upstairs eg I am limited to higher density blocks rather than some of the lighter ones that we can use for walls ? Timber Frame Are there any problems doing this with timber frame? I expect not provided that a conversation is had with the designer. Cheers Ferdinand

Thanks. The intention I am thinking about is to allow flexibility later. One of my inspirations as to the form was the Grand Design known as the "Modest Home" (modest for Grand Designs - 1500 sqft build budget 200k iirc), Hoo House in Woodbridge, which is part 1.5 storey and substantially http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/visionary_family_home_a_work_of_love_1_658404 http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grand-designs/on-demand/46761-019 Ferdinand