Smug to Mug

[newhome]

Are you selling both the old house and the new house? Or living in the new house? Do you need sign off before selling the old house? Surely you could do something temporarily and then complete the drive once the old house is sold and some cash is freed up? 

[Nickfromwales]

29 minutes ago, newhome said:

Are you selling both the old house and the new house? Or living in the new house? Do you need sign off before selling the old house? Surely you could do something temporarily and then complete the drive once the old house is sold and some cash is freed up? 

Good point. A temporary certificate of habitation ? That may leave the drive until after the sale of the old house? Has this already been suggested ?

[Hecateh]

1 hour ago, newhome said:

Are you selling both the old house and the new house? Or living in the new house? Do you need sign off before selling the old house? Surely you could do something temporarily and then complete the drive once the old house is sold and some cash is freed up? 

 

43 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Good point. A temporary certificate of habitation ? That may leave the drive until after the sale of the old house? Has this already been suggested ?

 

Selling the old one.

 

That is what I am thinking of doing.

 

The following post summarises where I am now - And what I think I need to do to move in and what can wait until afterwards

 

Edited April 18, 2018 by Hecateh

[Hecateh]

This is the current situation. - Can anyone point me in the direction of a schedule of work that will tell me what order things need to be done in internally from now.  I don't want to get one job done to find that I should have done something else first.  

PDF finance April.pdf

[Trw144]

@Hecateh I m not sure you have to have your final drive covering in order get to obtain sign off (I m assuming this is building control we are talking about)? The downside to getting signed off is it puts a deadline period for your vat claim - so some of the unfinished items you would nt get your vat back on. The plus side is it might get some pennies back in your pot.

 

And also, my plans showed permeable suds driveway and I ve put down gravel with no issues from anyone.

[Hecateh]

25 minutes ago, Trw144 said:

@Hecateh I m not sure you have to have your final drive covering in order get to obtain sign off (I m assuming this is building control we are talking about)? The downside to getting signed off is it puts a deadline period for your vat claim - so some of the unfinished items you would nt get your vat back on. The plus side is it might get some pennies back in your pot.

 

And also, my plans showed permeable suds driveway and I ve put down gravel with no issues from anyone.

I'm not sure on that either.  The drive is specified on the plans and in the council's conditions, it's one of the things that I hope to get completed before sign off but not before selling this house and moving into the new one.  

As far as materials are concerned it specifically states in the conditions that I cannot use loose material.  However, I think there may be a case for reducing the size of the drive that is solid bound and using loose fill at ends and sides.  I need to get someone in to discuss options with.  I am now told that the roof and everything will be finished for Friday and the scaffolding down on Saturday.  Then it will be easier for me to get to grips with what is and isn't there.  I am going to discuss with with building control.

 

 

Quote

The parking/manoeuvring facilities, indicated on the submitted plan, shall be surfaced in a solid bound material (i.e. not loose chippings) and made available for the manoeuvring and parking of motor vehicles prior to the development being brought into use, and shall be retained for that sole purpose at all times.

Reason: To ensure that satisfactory off-street parking/manoeuvring areas are provided, in the interests of highway safety and the free flow of traffic and in accordance with Core Strategy Policy CSP 26, New Development and Highway Improvement.

 

Edited April 18, 2018 by Hecateh

[Hecateh]

Does anyone know the regulations about fire escape.

Specifically - does there need to be an escape route from the bedroom which is only up 4 stairs from the hallway and then 5 metres to front door.

If I do need one. Can it be the French Windows.  I seem to recall something about it not being lockable, but I cannot leave French Doors permanently unlocked.  

[newhome]

1 hour ago, Hecateh said:

This is the current situation. - Can anyone point me in the direction of a schedule of work that will tell me what order things need to be done in internally from now.  I don't want to get one job done to find that I should have done something else first.  

PDF finance April.pdf

 

I can’t help in terms of the order of events but others can help with that. What I can say is that we concentrated on getting a single room and the downstairs shower room completed so that we could move from caravan to house. So the electrics for example don’t all have to be completed for you to do that. You will need all of the first fix wiring to be done (I imagine!) for example but the second fix work certainly wasn’t completely finished when we moved in. It was all complete in the room we were living in (kitchen / family room and at the time was a bedroom too!). My hubby was doing much of the 2nd fix work so it got done as he was able to get to it. 

 

Here is one one of the upstairs rooms at the point that we moved in. As you can see, still lots to finish including the electrics. It’s messy living like that but it’s doable and you need the art of the possible more than avoiding inconvenience really. 

 

If you can get the outside finished and a temporary drive put down it won’t seem like a building site when you come to market the old house which could put people off. Even if the inside has had practically nothing done to it. And don’t ever feel that you would be stuck without somewhere to stay. I have loads of space in my house that I never use and you’d be more than welcome to stay for a while if needed to get your head together or whatever if you have sold the old house and the new one hasn’t progressed enough to move in to. The offer is there anyway. 

 

You will get there, it just might take you a bit longer than you planned. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2018 by newhome

[newhome]

15 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

The drive is specified on the plans and in the council's conditions, it's one of the things that I hope to get completed before sign off but not before selling this house and moving into the new one.  

 

Is that a planning condition? I don’t know how much building control will be bothered about planning conditions. There was a planning condition here re number of parking spaces. I’m not aware that building control even looked at that. In fact I didn’t even know it was there myself until I printed off the PP to send the vat claim. It was fine however as there is enough parking space to comply. 

 

[Trw144]

I don’t think build control care about planning coming conditions (admittedly it may depend on your BC officer). I certainly don’t have a cycle rack in my garage for instance

[Ferdinand]

29 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

Does anyone know the regulations about fire escape.

Specifically - does there need to be an escape route from the bedroom which is only up 4 stairs from the hallway and then 5 metres to front door.

If I do need one. Can it be the French Windows.  I seem to recall something about it not being lockable, but I cannot leave French Doors permanently unlocked.  

 

I think it will be that there must be an escape route from the bedroom to outside without going through a likely source of fire eg a kitchen. So you can have it down the hall past the kitchen door but not through a room which includes an open plan kitchen. Five stairs are not .. I think .. a problem. Alternatively there are things you can do to make such a route acceptable such as sprinklers in the open plan area.

 

Alternatively I think you could provide a direct escape route from the bedroom which could be French windows or an escape window. And I think that locks with keys are acceptable, though you could always provide eg thumbturn locks if required or possibly even some approved rapid window-smashing device if such exists.

 

There are many options.

 

Ferdinand

[Mr Punter]

36 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

Does anyone know the regulations about fire escape.

Specifically - does there need to be an escape route from the bedroom which is only up 4 stairs from the hallway and then 5 metres to front door.

If I do need one. Can it be the French Windows.  I seem to recall something about it not being lockable, but I cannot leave French Doors permanently unlocked.  

 

Thumb turn on the inside?

[Mr Punter]

The planning condition regarding the driveway materials is often to stop gravel on the public road so you may be able to have just a tarmac apron, the rest gravel (and don't lay it thick!).

[Hecateh]

44 minutes ago, newhome said:

 

Is that a planning condition? I don’t know how much building control will be bothered about planning conditions. There was a planning condition here re number of parking spaces. I’m not aware that building control even looked at that. In fact I didn’t even know it was there myself until I printed off the PP to send the vat claim. It was fine however as there is enough parking space to comply. 

 

 

33 minutes ago, Trw144 said:

I don’t think build control care about planning coming conditions (admittedly it may depend on your BC officer). I certainly don’t have a cycle rack in my garage for instance

 

20 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

The planning condition regarding the driveway materials is often to stop gravel on the public road so you may be able to have just a tarmac apron, the rest gravel (and don't lay it thick!).

That's reassuring.  I think a tarmac apron and then gravel may well be the way forward initially.  I wonder how likely it is that the planning officer will visit to see if I have met the conditions.  I wouldn't think it very likely unless there was a complaint from someone - after all they are so overworked already.

24 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

I think it will be that there must be an escape route from the bedroom to outside without going through a likely source of fire eg a kitchen. So you can have it down the hall past the kitchen door but not through a room which includes an open plan kitchen. Five stairs are not .. I think .. a problem. Alternatively there are things you can do to make such a route acceptable such as sprinklers in the open plan area.

 

Alternatively I think you could provide a direct escape route from the bedroom which could be French windows or an escape window. And I think that locks with keys are acceptable, though you could always provide eg thumbturn locks if required or possibly even some approved rapid window-smashing device if such exists.

 

There are many options.

 

Ferdinand

 

22 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

 

Thumb turn on the inside?

It doesn't go through an open plan area, the corridor is just between the spare bedroom and the boot room.  However there is an open staircase down to the kitchen also off the corridor.  Would a thumb turn on the inside of an external door to the bedroom  meet insurance requirements.  I think the BC guy is reasonable and I'm sure he'll put my mind at rest - or at least tell me what he expects.  

50 minutes ago, newhome said:

 

If you can get the outside finished and a temporary drive put down it won’t seem like a building site when you come to market the old house which could put people off. Even if the inside has had practically nothing done to it. And don’t ever feel that you would be stuck without somewhere to stay. I have loads of space in my house that I never use and you’d be more than welcome to stay for a while if needed to get your head together or whatever if you have sold the old house and the new one hasn’t progressed enough to move in to. The offer is there anyway. 

 

You will get there, it just might take you a bit longer than you planned. 

 

That really is what I am planning to do.  I am slowly getting my head round it all

 

Thank you very much for the offer of somewhere to stay.  It would be a bit far to be able to manage the situation from there but, if the offer stands I would love to come for a weekend in the not too distant future.  I think I really would benefit from a total break for a few days and, unfortunately, family - much as I love them - don't fit the bill at the moment

[newhome]

3 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

if the offer stands I would love to come for a weekend in the not too distant future.  I think I really would benefit from a total break for a few days

 

You would be more than welcome. 

 

[PeterW]

1 hour ago, Hecateh said:

Does anyone know the regulations about fire escape.

Specifically - does there need to be an escape route from the bedroom which is only up 4 stairs from the hallway and then 5 metres to front door.

If I do need one. Can it be the French Windows.  I seem to recall something about it not being lockable, but I cannot leave French Doors permanently unlocked.  

 

Quick way round this is to ensure that the doors are all fire doors and the frames have intumescent strips. Sounds daft, but fire doors can be cheap and they stop sound better. Intumescent strips can be fitted to frames before they are fitted for £2 each, so its not a bank breaker.

 

You can also have doors made with no handles on the outside - again, not a big issue although your problem will be the juliet balcony. It will have to be a min of 1100mm to meet regs for falling, but that makes it too high for an access window from memory.

[PeterW]

2 hours ago, Hecateh said:

Can anyone point me in the direction of a schedule of work that will tell me what order things need to be done in internally from now

 

Doors and Windows - make it watertight

Internal walls

First fix plumbing, heating and wiring

UFH (depending on method...)

Screed (depending on UFH)

Wall and Sloping ceiling insulation

Board and Skim

Loft insulation

2nd Fix Doors / Archs / Skirts

2nd Fix plumbing

2nd Fix Electrics 

 

Has (CH)BB given you the exact make and model of the boiler yet..?? that will influence first fix... and is gas connected anywhere..?

[Hecateh]

7 minutes ago, newhome said:

 

You would be more than welcome. 

 

Thank you. Maybe early May - 

Electric is being done over weekend of 22 and 29 and I think it wise to be here for that.

[Hecateh]

10 minutes ago, PeterW said:

 

Quick way round this is to ensure that the doors are all fire doors and the frames have intumescent strips. Sounds daft, but fire doors can be cheap and they stop sound better. Intumescent strips can be fitted to frames before they are fitted for £2 each, so its not a bank breaker.

 

You can also have doors made with no handles on the outside - again, not a big issue although your problem will be the juliet balcony. It will have to be a min of 1100mm to meet regs for falling, but that makes it too high for an access window from memory.

I think I am going to have to wait on Building Control for this.  Fire doors are ok but there is an open plan staircase from lounge/kitchen to entry level corridor )8 treads) and then the and then another 4 treads to bedroom where there is a landing and door.  

4 minutes ago, PeterW said:

 

Has (CH)BB given you the exact make and model of the boiler yet..?? that will influence first fix... and is gas connected anywhere..?

Thanks for the list - that makes it easier to know where to start.

 

Boiler --- hhmmmm.  I asked him again to take it off and he agreed.  Took off £315.  I told him I was surprised at the price and he said he could show me the price online.  I guess you can get boilers that cheap but I wouldn't be wanting one in my house and it's certainly not what he was talking of fitting when he still thought he had the whole job.  i'm biting my tongue, and not saying anything because he throws his teddy at the slightest thing and I want my roof finished

 

[newhome]

6 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

Thank you. Maybe early May - 

Electric is being done over weekend of 22 and 29 and I think it wise to be here for that.

 

Just let me know what suits. You can come and see the things I wouldn’t have done the way they were done too 

 

 

 

[Hecateh]

Thanks that may be be useful 

[PeterW]

25 minutes ago, newhome said:

 

Just let me know what suits. You can come and see the things I wouldn’t have done the way they were done too 

 

 

 

 

Yeh and how not to find a nice new spare programmer when you need one, just by hunting in a box.... 

 

But it is good to get the basics sorted - and that is relatively easy when you can see what your up against with a fresh pair of eyes !

[Ferdinand]

2 hours ago, Hecateh said:

I'm not sure on that either.  The drive is specified on the plans and in the council's conditions, it's one of the things that I hope to get completed before sign off but not before selling this house and moving into the new one.  

As far as materials are concerned it specifically states in the conditions that I cannot use loose material.  However, I think there may be a case for reducing the size of the drive that is solid bound and using loose fill at ends and sides.  I need to get someone in to discuss options with.  I am now told that the roof and everything will be finished for Friday and the scaffolding down on Saturday.  Then it will be easier for me to get to grips with what is and isn't there.  I am going to discuss with with building control.

 

 

 

 

I think this is the one:

 

The parking/manoeuvring facilities, indicated on the submitted plan, shall be surfaced in a solid bound material (i.e. not loose chippings) and made available for the manoeuvring and parking of motor vehicles prior to the development being brought into use, and shall be retained for that sole purpose at all times.
Reason: To ensure that satisfactory off-street parking/manoeuvring areas are provided, in the interests of highway safety and the free flow of traffic and in accordance with Core Strategy Policy CSP 26, New Development and Highway Improvement.

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, Hecateh said:

Does anyone know the regulations about fire escape.

Specifically - does there need to be an escape route from the bedroom which is only up 4 stairs from the hallway and then 5 metres to front door.

If I do need one. Can it be the French Windows.  I seem to recall something about it not being lockable, but I cannot leave French Doors permanently unlocked.  

Only BCO can tell you as he / she is signing it off. "Not lockable" refers to a thumb turn on the inside eg no looking for mislaid keys to get out in an emergency. 

 

1 hour ago, newhome said:

 

You would be more than welcome. 

 

But your house is tiny and cramped. How will you ever manage ?!?

[newhome]

13 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

 

But your house is tiny and cramped. How will you ever manage ?!?

 

Lol, we all managed not to kill each other so I’m sure it will be fine. Maybe @Hecateh fancies bacon and beer!