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Hi all, I apologise if this isn't in the correct area but I need some advise on the type of roof system used at Piccolino in Alderley edge. It's a retractable system but its very modern and not just a general slide across roof (at least not how it looks). Does anyone know anything about the design or mechanics of this? I am a part of a project where the owner is keen to include a similar design as he is trying to keep part of the existing roof for character, so something like this would work perfect. It's a long shot and not an easy question to answer, but any help is valuable. I've attached a few images to show what I'm on about. However, I can't show images of our current project as requested. Many thanks, E

Hi All, has anyone had any experience with submitting planning permission for an end terrace? Had the planning officer round last week to run through our proposal and he said it was an awkward plot; putting another 3 bed house on the end would make sense and looks right from street side (already a single story garage in the footprint of the proposal) but the main detractor was that as the rear gardens of the neighbours all look onto one another building up another story above the garage may be over bearing to the adjoining garden. I'm planning to push back on this due to a number of reasons; -Privacy; all the back gardens look onto one another from the outset and if it comes to it we could use obscured glass on the top floor - Light doesn't seem to be a problem -View; the garden within the closest proximity cant actually see the open air view from the window, can only be seen when in the garden. Additionally he said a extension ( half house = 3m) would probably be allowed but the difference between this and allowing the new build really would seem negligible. Looking at other submissions in the area new infill houses and extensions have been built although not in the exact same situation apart from one up the road which was given planning permission due to an administrative error! The refusal was printed on a piece on paper which said PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED and so had no conditions which is an interesting case. Does anyone have any advice on what to emphasise in the application? Pictures attached, thanks for any help given

Hi I've recently purchased a 1bed "colony" house in Edinburgh. For those unfamiliar with colony houses, these were homes built throughout Victorian Edinburgh and were designed as homes for the skilled working class, more details about them here if you are interested. Mine is a 1 bed ground floor, 45sqm altogether, with a small front and back garden. It's currently fitted with electric storage heating that I am hoping to remove and replace with a small air source heat pump and install underfloor heating throughout. I found this forum through my ASHP researching and have found it really useful so far. I also want to change the internal layout, so the largest rooms are for the kitchen and living room. I wish to move the bathroom to the opposite side of the house and turn the current kitchen (small, narrow) to a very small double bedroom! This requires a couple of walls knocking down and rebuilt. I won't have the keys to the property until late November so works can't start yet but I'm trying to do as much research before then. Thanks all, looking forward to asking lots of questions as I have them...!

I thought I would post a plan of a terraced house I ran across recently. The small estate of houses was built in 2004. Typical but pleasant modern houses, but this 2.5 storey terrace has a notably efficient layout. In the overall footprint of 5m by 9m (including external walls) includes 1047 sqft, and includes: Large lounge 12' x 16'. Dining room 8' x 10' attached to 10' x 7' kitchen Three double bedrooms (one ensuite) Family bathroom Small utility A reasonable amount of storage Here is the Plan: I like: That circulation space is minimised to around 10%. That each bedroom has space for bed + chair + desk, even though bed 3 at 9' x 11' is tight. That there is space for a workdesk on the middle landing should it be needed. That the layout is reasonably flexible. Should it be desired, bedroom 2 could be made into 2 singles of 8'5" x 8' each, which is still larger than most 3rd bedrooms even in semi-detached houses, or could have its own ensuite included. Looking at the plan a decade later, I think there are only three things I would change: Remove the wall between the kitchen and the dining room to create an open space, and insert a small breakfast bar. Add a roof window or two to the rear aspect of the Master Bedroom. Make changes necessary to comply with more recent regs - especially around disabled access. What do you think?

A bit of a spinoff from my other thread. I am replacing a back galley kitchen in a 1900 terrace house due to damp over a decade having stained the back of 2 base units. Date is approx 1960-1970 (based on different bricks from house and knowing when my local council did grants), so probably a mix of solid wall and cavity. The plan is to strip out the kitchen, and do some protection against what I expect to be rising damp ni the walls. I can see 2 options: 1 - Strip plaster at bottom and Inject DPC. 2 - Do not strip plaster, and attempt to seal with eg "Damp Seal". My inclination is to do both 1 and 2, but I will not have the option of leaving the walls exposed inside for more than 24 hours to dry out as it has tenants in situ. I get a clear week to work but more will be awkward. Potential problems: 1 - One wall is external, one is party. Are there difficulties injectnig a DPC into a party wall? Do I need to do a PWA notice etc? 2 - I would like to insulate the external wall as much as is practical, but what is the method? I reckon I can lose only perhaps 25-30mm off the kitchen width, and I really don't want to take it all back to brick even on one side. Can I bond PIR or PUR backed plasterboard directly to the existing plaster? Any comments are welcome. Ferdinand (Aside: may be off line for a bit due to antipodean holiday, or may check in if the marsupials are boring).