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All new to this, and already frustrated. Got our dream plot with the ugliest broken down house on it and i have submitted a design which is different to the 1970s house here. The Hamlet is not particularly thought out planning wise and as the village dates back to domesday I thought it would be nice to insert an appropriately proportioned 17century farmhouse design. Well, they want a dormer and I dont want one as its not in keeping with the farmhouse of 17 century, apart from losing floor space and the blooming maintenance, that together with there is not one dormer in the road. What on earth?? Architect says we will have to give them one. Well thats like hanging a chandelier in a toilet cubicle, it just isnt right. Can they insist, it seems mean given this house is falling down and trust me its ugly and 70s and yet they seem to want another eyes sore to replace the already hated house in the hamlet by the natives. Any tips how I can stop this silliness? TIA FF

Hi All I'm at the early stage of planning a loft conversion and have a question regarding the ridge board. Is there any way to have a shed (pitched roof) dormer going to the existing ridge board rather than having to install a ridge beam. I recall reading somewhere that it could be done if the pitch was a minimum of X. Many thanks in advance Mike

Hi everyone, I am looking for cost effective ways to transform the outside of our ugly house. We are going to remove the current porch which is totally out of proportion with the house and would like something very modern. At the back, ground floor, we now have grey aluminium windows / doors and white render but the box dormer above it and also the whole of the front needs a complete make over. We are on a budget but would like something low maintenance and striking. We also plan to re do the steps and front wall by drive to fit. Any advice welcome - thank you.

We are now homing in on our final design. We have pushed the roof up so it is 1-3/4 storey and have a number of dormers (8-in total!) see below. The house is about 50m^2 bigger than I had hoped (which i underestimated, and now want this size) hence I am in a bid now to simplify construction where possible but retain the size ( not because i want it to be big, but because it is the right size). The dromers look not bad, and I like the idea, but i know they add significant complexity and hence cost. Would it be better if these were simplified to Velux style that cross the wall/roof threshold? (picture below) is it a cheaper option?

good morning all ! We have the roofers starting next week (fingers crossed) and the chippys are just finishing the exterior battening to get teh render board on ....and its got me thinking about window detail (as you do!) now our house is almost IDENTICAL, to the image below ...which is one build around 7 years ago ...except Instead of a course of tile creasing on the plinth ....we have gone for cant plinth brick (3.1.1) As you can see (and its the same at the rear ...but the side doesnt have many windows (for planning happiness!) SOME of the windows on the lower floor will finish just above plinth brick ,,,and some of the windows upstairs will basically be flashed to the roof (dormer) and some will have to meet the rendered area (2 will) ... what would you suggest should be the window sill detailing ?... bearing in mind our plinth does not have an overhang but is finished FLUSH with external course (to avoid chipping) I mean i suppose i need to work out some way of the brickwork MEETING the render area ? as the flush plinth course doesnt really create a protruding sill ....someone suggested slanted "brick on edge"...hmmm with a tile crease, a plinth and a brick on edge ....LOL. I am thinking it could look "bitty" and non-consistent ... anyone got any suggestions? as usual it is appreciated

Hi All, I've been reading this site for a couple of years, and now decided it's time to make my first post. My partner and I are currently looking at a building plot (a garden plot divided from the current owners) which has full planning permission for a 3 bed dormer bungalow. A bit about the plot: The current plot has a south facing garden, with 2 storey houses to the rear, right and on the other side of the road. To the left of the proposed dwelling is a bungalow. The proposed dwelling is 4.6m from the bungalow and the house to the right hand side, and 16 meters to the houses at the rear (they only have small yard, no garden). The current planning permission sets an eave height of 3.8m and a ridge height of 8.3m. The current proposed roof schematic runs so the eaves are only 3.8m by the bungalow (so in affect the roof is long). Currently the master bedroom only has a small window and two roof windows, but if we were to increase the eave height we would like a full sized window at the back of the property. Previously, the rear houses but in a object saying the window would over look there houses, (which are 16 meters back). Questions: Do you think we would have much success in putting in the a new planning application to increase the eave height to two storey? (From my reading, I don't think this would increase the ridge height) How much of a headache do you think it would be to a get a full sized bedroom window at the rear of the property? I've attached a link to the planning application. https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=NOLKXCTD0HG00 We thank you for your help. We would of course put in an offer subject to new planning permission, but would be useful to find out experiences before we do so. I hope that is clear, if not ask away and I will answer any questions. John

The super sharp lines of @Trw144 roof line (See here: has prompted me to make a design detail decision about the flat roof on my dormers. My died in the blood old boy roofer friend says "Got to have 50mm overhang from the face and sides of the dormer. Nothing less". But that's not exactly going to produce a contemporary sharp looking roof is it? My intention is now to use GRP/fibreglass with the minimum depth of edge I can get away with. Which is my first point of annoyance as all the pre-formed edging strips are min 100mm depth. So what's peoples thoughts on the overhang issue? Can it only be less if you have some form of internal gutter to stop run off?

Hi all, me again looking for yet more of this wonderful forums collective knowledge. Weve got a dormer which is now going to be clad in horizontal timber cladding. So onto the frame will be a 25mm vertIcal batten and then the horizontal cladding. Its seems (from reading) that conventional wisdom is to slate the roof first with the appropriate front lead apron and soakers. Then add the timber cladding. However, the disadvantage to this plan is that I will need access across the slates to do the cladding which will risk damaging my 5mm thick nailed slates. I mentioned this this to a roofer I know today and he said (in something of a hurry as he was heading off to a job); "definitely clad it first, add a lead apron over the vertical battens, set off from the roofing battens (using a piece of timber) and then when you slate tuck your soakers under that apron". At the time that seemed to make sense. Now I've thought about it, I'm not really sure I understand the detailing Can anyone shed any light or suggest another way? A picture for clarity: Thanks