flanagaj

That's very helpful. Thanks I think I'll investigate private inspectors as probably easier going than labc

@MortarThePoint @mjc55 can you tell me what the associated costs are for LABC and a third-party provider?

But what do most self-builders do?

We received our mortgage offer today from Hanley BS. One of the conditions that is stated on the mortgage offer is as follows. Subject to your Solicitors confirming which of the following will carry out Building Control: a) Local Authority b) Approved Inspector (full details required) The use of Approved Inspectors to carry out Building Control is allowed subject to them being registered as approved on the GOV.UK site We will be using Protek for our structural warranty provider, but I don't understand the question. I thought Building Control was always carried out by the LABC team and the inspections carried out by Protek are completely separate and solely to satisfy the warranty provider?

Thanks for the link. I'll drop them a message with my requirements.

Interesting. I hadn't considered a local Smart Systems manufacturer. In fact, I haven't even heard of the term before you mentioned it.

I agree with your first point. We have visited Norrsken and really like the product, but just wanting to see whether there were options to try and shave 5-10k off the price. We are most likely going to require solar glass too, so that is only going to increase the price further.

I know it was a rookie error.

I have had quotes from the mainstream window suppliers (Norrsken, Velfac) for ali-timber clad windows, but I haven't really looked at aluminium window suppliers. Has anyone else had like for like quotes, eg same glazing and is able to say whether you are looking at 5% / 10% .... cost saving. I did have one quote for aluminium doors and windows from a top end supplier and was rather annoyed to discover that there quote was basically my max specified budget. I won't name names, but lets just say, I won't be going back. Just some recommendations to suppliers that I might not have considered would be useful.

But if you also have MVHR fitted in the rooms, doesn't that mess with the airflow as you have now introduced a temperature differential to that of the supplied air to the room? Or does that negate somewhat due to said airflow moving throw the building a rising in temperature, before being ducted out in the kitchen or bathrooms?

Can anyone explain to me the options for fan coils? If I am correct, fan coils are coupled to your ASHP system and depending upon whether your ASHP is in heating or cooling mode they can provide heated or cooled air. There doesn't seem to be much info online when I search for fan coils, but I have found images of both radiator type options and also units that look like they are fitted inline to an MVHR system? If I am correct and you can fit them inline to MVHR or have them installed as a radiator based offering, why would you choose one options over another? I suspect that a radiator mounted offering with it's own internal fan, mitigates possible condensation forming inside the pipe of an inline MVHR system and designs in the associated condensation traps. By incorporating fan coils, can you remove the need to install UFH upstairs?

One other question I have regarding the venetian or roller blinds is how they perform when it's windy. Ideally, we would use them to black out the room and remove the need for curtains. But this obviously only works if they don't rattle when it's blowing a gale straight at the window.

I will look at the Venetian offering. Given it is just for the bedrooms, having them closed during the day is ok. For us, it will come down to cost.

I came across these last night. They look very good for bedrooms and are exactly what they fit on the continent. External Roller Shutters | Enviroblinds

The valuable lesson. Save the +£80 fee and submit directly to the LPA.

Yes. I screwed up! Topic closed

Interesting product, but keen to understand the build up for a traditional masonry build with timber cladding. The vertical timber cladding sits on two 25mm battens, so to have the blind hidden when open, will require an interesting and unconventional opening?

It's a long story. Due to a previous incorrect householder submission. So I think the fees got messed up and were not correctly added.

Good question. My CC statement clearly shows I paid £297 and planning received £85 less than I paid

All of these suggestions are great, but they all seem to come at a ridiculous cost and given we are already struggling to balance the numbers it just keeps spiralling. We have been told that Solar glass is an 8% uplift so that is probably the cheaper option than fittings the blinds or AC/PV

Does anyone have a link to fan coils as I have never heard of them before.

It's a nasty shock, given that for said £85 they basically forward the application onto the LPA. As a software dev, I wish I could write an app that charges £85 to do very little.

Just got a nasty shock and wanted to make sure others are aware too. I had no idea that the Planning Portal charge an £85 fee on top of the Planning departments fee. I paid the £297 fee to discharge conditions and the planning department then write to me telling me I have only paid £227. The portal is not very transparent when it comes to how much they are deducting. LPA have informed me that you can discharge conditions directly and avoid the extortionate fee.

Given we are installing vertical timber cladding, these could in theory be added. without changing the appearance of the property. Downstairs could be achieved using some sort of sun shade.