Catapulted into Construction Phase. What have I missed ?

[Canski]

Hi all,

 

I have spent a few days at my site ( 2 virtually identical plots) bird and bat spotting over the last few weeks and it looks like I am clear of creatures so I spoke to my ecologist and have arranged a destructive roof survey for 19/06 and lined up the Demo guys for 21 /06.

 

I am now in that stage of what have I forgotten. It has a been over a year of pain since I first bought the site. Due to :-

Ecology survey needed before application for PP

Bats discovered in the last 30 minutes of 4 surveys (The only time that I wasn't present for the survey)

Application for PP

Bat mitigation licence required. Bat pole and  multiple temporary bat boxes required as part of the mitigation process

Section 106 agreement required for affordable housing (this was an unexpected £13 k surprise)

10 weeks delay caused by the section 106 which led to ...

Nesting birds and a further 6 week delay

Requirement for an extension of the mitigation licence 4 week delay

DNO multiplying their quotes for connection by 3.5 x ( this is ongoing)

 

But now it looks like we will get the go ahead subject to a destructive survey on 19/06

 

So I need to go ahead with my warranty application a couple of weeks before construction. I'll get this sorted this week coming.

Section 80 and Section 81 Demolition applied for and received. Asbestos survey completed.

Building regs approval obtained with LABC

HSE informed of construction works

Service Connections applied for but electric not finalised, Water and openreach are fine

Foul & surface water sorted with Severn Trent. ( a most helpful company)

All quotes in for the build that I can think of. concrete, floor beams and oversite concrete,UFH will be installed by my buyer of the other plot, bricks and blocks, insulation, joists, scaffold, roof trusses, windows are in progress, garage doors, All brickwork ancillaries are in my container ready

Demo guys set up to go

Engineer for setting out on stand by

Digger driver and machines on standby. To crush on site or remove and re deliver to be confirmed

Temporary electric connected from a nice neighbour

Site insurances in place

Welfare ( porta loo) in place. first aid box and accident book in place. Garden office ( site office 50 % instructed but had to halt in case the demo guys get over excited.

 

 

I can't help feeling that there is something that I have forgotten. All comments are welcome. 

 

Does everyone go through this phase of anxiety before the build ?

 

I can't wait to see the back of this ugly building and get cracking with my new residence. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Canski

[Mr Punter]

4 minutes ago, Canski said:

I can't wait to see the back of this ugly building and get cracking with my new residence. 

 

I have seen far worse.  It looks a decent size.  I seem to recall that it sits awkwardly on the plot though.

 

You covered your bases and are experienced on construction sites so you should find this easier than most.  Good luck!

[Temp]

Existing services disconnected/turned off in the road?

Any planning conditions that say "Before work starts..?

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Temp

[Canski]

1 minute ago, Mr Punter said:

 

I have seen far worse.  It looks a decent size.  I seem to recall that it sits awkwardly on the plot though.

 

You covered your bases and are experienced on construction sites so you should find this easier than most.  Good luck!

Thats right it's in the middle of a new housing site and set at an awkward and wasteful angle. ( See photo) This is why the site is ideal for two new builds that fit in better and will be pleasing to the neighbours and far more economical to run. I hope I have all the ducks in a line but this is the first build for myself and you guys in here who have already gone through the self build process have more experience in this area than me. I have been in the industry for 40 years as a brickwork contractor but I feel that I have learned more in the last year ( much credit to this site) than the 30 previous years. I am never usually on site after the roof coverings go on.

[Canski]

6 minutes ago, Temp said:

Existing services disconnected/turned off in the road?

Any planning conditions that say "Before work starts..?

 

Thanks. Yes existing electricity supply disconnected. I hope to be able to borrow the existing water supply until I get connected and the stop tap has been found about 200 m away in the middle of the new park. I tried tracing the pipe to the boundary but it shoots off in an illogical direction from the house so will wait till I have machines on site to trace it to the boundary and erect a 'stand pipe'  No nasty planning conditions thank God. My planning consultant says that Ian his 30 years of the job he has never seen a permission granted with so few conditions.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Canski

[HughF]

I’m sure you’ll breeze through this. I know what you mean about the stress of the unknown, and although my project is a drop in the ocean compared to yours (rear extension), the fact that the digger is on site and the builders are starting today, has given me lots of stressful days arguing with the wife 🤣

 

This isn’t your first rodeo, sounds like you’ve thought of everything and it’s all falling into place.

 

Mine is my first rodeo 🤦‍♂️

[Canski]

Well here we are again. The previous survey was cancelled by the ecologists who now want 2 further surveys. Tonight is a survey to see if the swift that they claim to have seen enter the roof last April ( it didn’t and I know because I was there) returns. Also to see if all the bats have returned and formed a roost. The only bats spotted were in the 30 mins I wasn’t there. Nothing in the previous 12 hours of surveys but 25 mins after I left the site they reappeared. 
 

if I’m all clear tonight we move on to a nesting bird survey and a destructive survey for bats tomorrow and hopefully can progress to full demo after this. 
 

Fingers, legs, arms and even my nads are crossed for tonight. 

[joe90]

3 minutes ago, Canski said:

Well here we are again.

Just printing money (IMO).don’t talk to me about bats or any other beast out there, they have more “human rights” than we humans 🤯.

[Canski]

16 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Just printing money (IMO).don’t talk to me about bats or any other beast out there, they have more “human rights” than we humans 🤯.

My thoughts exactly. Potentially housing for 12 humans but because of 4 bats we can’t live in these 2 houses. Absolute madness just like the planning procedure when bats are involved. 

[CalvinHobbes]

Why are bats so protected? They host the most goddamn awful disease.  I thought ebola came from bats in equatorial guinea and bats near wuhan harbour ebola. 

[Canski]

It’s time to Par teeeeeeee   I’ve had 3 G and T’s now . All ready for tomorrow …the digger is sharpening its teeth. 2 swifts sighted overhead  on a fly past and a few passing bats. 🕺🏼🕺🏼🕺🏼🕺🏼🕺🏼Both ecologists were accompanied throughout the survey.I’m so happy to have all this shit behind me  Call me cynical if you like 😂😂😂I’m £7k down and counting.I can progress now, I can plan things !