Unpleasant Discharge!

[Ian]

@Ed_MK

no, there’s no down side to using a locally based Approved Inspector instead of the LABC.

Prices will be the same or cheaper

Comms will usually be better too as will timescales for responses etc

[PeterW]

59 minutes ago, Ian said:

@Ed_MK

no, there’s no down side to using a locally based Approved Inspector instead of the LABC.

Prices will be the same or cheaper

Comms will usually be better too as will timescales for responses etc

 

+1 to that ..! Mine is fab ...! LABC round here get very mixed reviews ...

[Ed_MK]

12 hours ago, dpmiller said:

Surely the groundworks you need permission for are any commencements. Any precommencements (clearance, site levelling and land drainage) are F-all to do with BC.

 

i would have thought so..

..but then i have never built anything before.

 

Its just the conditions use the term "any building work" and has a LOOOOONG list of what that means, which if you read it means basically anything "including site clearance"

but as you say thats from planning

 

the problem i have is the site is currently NOT open, and has no access to the road. So before i do anything i need to clear away a few bushes and make entry over a grass verge "20ft long" to the road.

 

then there is all this talk of EXISTING and FINISHED floor levels. So as the site is basically flat but with a few humpies and bumpies it varies about 70cm at lowest and highest ...so i was hoping to get the machine in and level it out prior to anything else, also finish the hardcore base for the entrance and later traffic, But apparently altering site levels can affect drainage and trees and God knows what else ..so in essence thats BC.

 

Its all very confusing for me (maybe I am naive) ..I dont disagree with ANY of the conditions at all, honestly. I just want to best utilise the time (especially Spring and Summer) to get the job done ...I left my job in Manchester, and the plan was to focus on this project and then once almost finished get a job again ...

 

..I woefully underestimated the amount of waiting and thumb-twiddling involved, though, and the different information i would get when asking the same question. If it wasn't for the BH Forum, i think I would be back on the happy pills!

Edited February 21, 2018 by Ed_MK

[Ed_MK]

12 hours ago, Ian said:

@Ed_MK

no, there’s no down side to using a locally based Approved Inspector instead of the LABC.

Prices will be the same or cheaper

Comms will usually be better too as will timescales for responses etc

 

I never realised that ...I guess I thought it was like, you know an "agent" or something and by going direct I would save time and money.

Well i haven't paid LABC/Council yet, although they are asking for money ...as i filled out an online application without realising what it was as i thought 

it was the correct way to discharge planning conditions ....mind you i was TOLD to do that by someone on the phone ...so its not ALL my fault.

 

If i choose to go with someone else, would i still need to fill in the same application, or is it done separately (via the company)

Edited February 21, 2018 by Ed_MK

[Ian]

@Ed_MK

if you would like to see if it’s not too late to switch you will need to discuss your situation in detail with an Approved Inspector as there are certain technical requirements in their appointment which need to be met however from what you’ve said you should be okay.

 

I’d start by asking if there’s anyone else on the forum who is building in your area of the country who could make a recommendation.

[Temp]

Ed, Sorry if this is obvious but....Planing an Building contol are totally separate things. You must get planning conditions discharged by the planning department at the council but you can choose who does your Building Control Approval.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Temp

[Ed_MK]

thanks Temp,

 

i guess i "presumed" that if i used the council BC dept it would in some way be part of planning 

and it would make things simpler, on reflection I should have looked at it a little more

 

@Ian

I suppose i have not REALLY committed to LABC. i DID fill in an application on the website,

but that was in error as i was advised thats where i needed to go to clear conditions for my planning application,

basically do it online via a BC reg application, so i completed an online form

 

Which i now know to be wrong ..

 

Well, wrong for now, as i cant complete it as I am still waiting for the Frame Builder to give me their bit
for building regs

 

I fear I have now entered the "infernal loop"

[Ed_MK]

on that note ...is there anyone local(ish) to me that could recommend an alternative?

I am in Mk/Bucks area 

[Ian]

@Ed_MK

if you don’t get any recommendations from the forum you could try the Milton Keynes branch office of an Approved Inspector called Assent Building Control.

I’ve worked a lot with the guy that runs their Cheshire office who Is excellent but I have no direct experience with any of their other offices so can’t say how good they are.

Address:

Regus House

Fairborne Drive

Atterbury

Milton Keynes

MK10 9RG

 

[Edit. Make sure you tell them how far you got with the LABC appointment paperwork and the fact that you haven’t paid them anything yet. The appointment process of an Approved Inspector is strictly governed and there are rules they have to follow]

 

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by Ian

[HerbJ]

We used Assent Building Control on the recommendation of a builder/developer contact. My BCO was based in Dorset but seemed to work all over the southern counties.  He was  good and I was able to communicate with him regularly by email and photos of progress.

 

Strangely enough and after we completed, i noticed there was an Assent Office in Sunninghill, just a couple of miles away from my build. I have no idea if that office would have been easier or more efficient???

 

[Ed_MK]

On 2/21/2018 at 11:56, Ian said:

@Ed_MK

if you don’t get any recommendations from the forum you could try the Milton Keynes branch office of an Approved Inspector called Assent Building Control.

I’ve worked a lot with the guy that runs their Cheshire office who Is excellent but I have no direct experience with any of their other offices so can’t say how good they are.

Address:

Regus House

Fairborne Drive

Atterbury

Milton Keynes

MK10 9RG

 

[Edit. Make sure you tell them how far you got with the LABC appointment paperwork and the fact that you haven’t paid them anything yet. The appointment process of an Approved Inspector is strictly governed and there are rules they have to follow

 

thanks Ian ....next job on the list!

 

Well i finally heard back from planning today ....

any chance of the ground getting broke in 2 weeks is gone ...

I have had to let the builder know 

 

Apparently Drainage and site level conditions go through BC, even though the conditions are applied via 

the planning dept..

 

BC have at 21 day period ...but it will be more than likely 4-6 weeks currently .

And until i get sign off on the preconditions ..NOTHING can be done on the land 

 

...i would start crying, but my polystorm crates wouldnt holld the volume

 

On 2/21/2018 at 11:56, Ian said:

 

 

[Ed_MK]

Hi All,

 

My Frame builder is due to deliver the building reg documents any day ( I am told)
Although I am still waiting for the Discharge of conditions so I can start the groundwork ....(soon as well i hope)

 

I did take the advice of a few on here, and contacted "Assent" Building control, originally I was going to go with the LABC/Council one.
I must say though, the quote i got from Assent was a little heavier than i thought ....about 30-40% over LABC, perpahs

there are reasons

...it does seem to mention a lot of "stuff" ....which i didn't think i would get, and to be fair probably don't want.

What do you guys think?