Bungalow demolition

[Russdl]

So, the planning permission is in and we can now demolish the old bungalow...

 

But first I think I've got to sort out the following:

 

I guess I'm going to need an asbestos survey (the bungalow is of traditional construction and dates from the early 60's) and quotes from demolition companies (any recommendations in the Salisbury area?)

 

I'll need to sort out the planning conditions before I start.

 

The CIL paperwork.

 

Get the services moved and/or disconnected.

 

Selfbuild insurance.

 

Herras fencing.

 

There must be plenty more prior to demolition commencing, what am I missing? Any hints, tips, pointers would be very gratefully received. 

 

 

[vivienz]

Congratulations!

 

Yes to all of the above.  Do you need a soil survey?

[Russdl]

Thanks @vivienz.

 

3 minutes ago, vivienz said:

Do you need a soil survey?

 

EXCELLENT question, well phrased and definitely deserves an answer!

 

I have no idea if I do or don't need a soil survey, how do I find out the answer?

 

I'm sure there is plenty more I've not considered, thanks for starting the ball rolling.

[vivienz]

Do you have an idea of what your soil is like? It was pretty clear from the outset that my site is on clay - waterlogging everwhere and local permanent ponds.  It might be worth digging a trial hole and see what comes out of it.

 

Re. the asbestos survey, yes, you will need it and before any groundworker will commence demolition - they will insist on seeing it.

 

Re. services, you probably only need to get a 'service alteration' rather than a disconnection as such.  This will disconnect the supply into the bungalow but then run it onto a nearby box (which you will have to buy, but cheap enough on Amazon) so that the builders can use it.  Similar with water, but I can't speak for gas as we don't have any.

 

Most of all DON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU HAVE THE CIL PAPERWORK SORTED otherwise it could cost you a packet.  Do this first.

 

If the bungalow has asbestos ( likely) be prepared for about £1k of costs - this is what it will cost to get it into a skip, transported to Swindon and then disposed of.  The only way around this is if there are really tiny amounts that you could take to the nearest site that accepts it.

 

Is there any wildlife or ecological stuff you need to take into account?

 

That should do for starters but there will be lots more than this.

 

What sort of build are you planning?

[Hecateh]

19 minutes ago, Russdl said:

Thanks @vivienz.

 

 

EXCELLENT question, well phrased and definitely deserves an answer!

 

I have no idea if I do or don't need a soil survey, how do I find out the answer?

 

I'm sure there is plenty more I've not considered, thanks for starting the ball rolling.

After I got planning permission, the next step was to get the structural engineer on board.  He insisted on bore holes to determine what foundations were needed.  Quotes ranged from less than 1k to over 3k, to do 4 bore holes to determine ground composition to 3 m and soil analysis following this..  

Edited May 28, 2018 by Hecateh

[MikeSharp01]

You will need a demolition order before you start, its paperwork from the council and is designed to make sure you are staying within the rules, you can imaging a self builder tackling a twenty story tower block armed only with the education gained from watching some footage from the Fred Dibnah archive. BEWARE though that we applied for a demolition order and in our councils (Canterbury) workflow this triggers a commencement of the build which then led them to put a stop order on us as we had not discharged one of the planning conditions, we had a bit of time sorting it all out. You can get around this by either discharging the planning condition(s) or just telling them not to trigger a commencement as the demolition work you are doing is just site preparation and not the main build.

[Russdl]

Thanks again @vivienz

 

We currently have all the services, so they'll all need a 'service alteration' (thanks for the terminology) but I'm hoping to bin the gas - that will be the subject of another post.

 

I'll get on with the CIL paperwork tomorrow and I'm aware that it's likely there will be asbestos plus the cost implications of that. Fortunately there are no wildlife or ecological issues to worry about. 

 

Were planning a contemporary-ish 2 storey house, build to a passive level, still umming and ahhing about getting it certified.

 

@Hecateh Those sound like some pretty expensive holes! 

 

[Russdl]

@MikeSharp01 Ah yes, I forgot that in my list but I was aware of the need for a demolition order and I think I recall reading your post regarding your problems with the council a while ago, thanks for the timely reminder.

[Hecateh]

30 minutes ago, Russdl said:

 

@Hecateh Those sound like some pretty expensive holes! 

 

 

You are not kidding.  Choose your SE wisely.  Mine (due to my inexperience) was attached to the Architect I used (who turned out not to be an architect at all.  The SE is the architect, she is a tehnician, all her work is supposed to be check Ha! Ha!)

 

He didn't visit, insisted on the 'ground investigation' and then insisted on foundations that the building inspector said could support a 10 storey hotel.  (Which cost me an extra 13k, so, yes, they were very expensive holes

[Russdl]

@Hecateh  As I'm inexperienced I'm very grateful to be able to learn from your experience (I've already fallen out of love with my architect so I'll avoid an identical trap!)

[willbish]

@Russdl

 

This thread is worth a read.

 

With regard to SE chose one who is experienced with the type of construction you are going to use. Im building with ICF and have gone with the ICF company's recommendation. So far so good... SE doesn't have to be local either which was news to me but makes sense. No need for expensive site visits if not necessary

Edited May 28, 2018 by willbish
typo

[Alexphd1]

12 hours ago, willbish said:

@Russdl

 

This thread is worth a read.

 

With regard to SE chose one who is experienced with the type of construction you are going to use. Im building with ICF and have gone with the ICF company's recommendation. So far so good... SE doesn't have to be local either which was news to me but makes sense. No need for expensive site visits if not necessary

 

 

Wish I had that advice before employing a engineer. A few £k wasted using a local one in Aberdeen recomended from my architect (who turned out to be a architectural technician) who was as useful as a chocolate fire gaurd.....

[Hecateh]

12 hours ago, Alexphd1 said:

 

 

Wish I had that advice before employing a engineer. A few £k wasted using a local one in Aberdeen recomended from my architect (who turned out to be a architectural technician) who was as useful as a chocolate fire gaurd.....

SNAP

[Russdl]

@willbish

1 hour ago, willbish said:

This thread is worth a read.

 

Now why couldn’t I find that thread! Thanks.

[Ferdinand]

10 hours ago, Russdl said:

@MikeSharp01 Ah yes, I forgot that in my list but I was aware of the need for a demolition order and I think I recall reading your post regarding your problems with the council a while ago, thanks for the timely reminder.

 

Also wrt the demolition order, that process itself will involve a period of notice (6 weeks?) to the Council, so have your schedules such that that is not totally on your critical path.

 

On soil samples, if you know a man who can play a tune on a digger, you could bring it in and dig half a dozen deep holes to find out what is there in the places that matter. Record and probably sample, then refill. 

 

When we sold our field for a housing estate the first thing the developer did was to dig about a dozen 3m deep holes for soil samples. They did the whole thing in a morning. Our Phase 2 soil survey had cost 5 figures.

 

It might also be an opportunity to remove any known minor contamination spots (eg where the previous owner stored lead paint).

[Russdl]

@Ferdinand Thanks, yes I'm aware of the time frame from submission of the demolition order and hoping I can get everything else lined up while that clock ticks, it's knowing what needs to be done - thank God for Buildhub!

 

52 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

if you know a man who can play a tune on a digger

 

As it happens, I do. A grave digger so he's used to digging deep narrow holes...

 

54 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

remove any known minor contamination spots

 

I'm not aware of any but thats a good point.

[Nickfromwales]

Get a sparky lined up to put a temporary CU in ( a 'garage' CU with 2 x 20a MCBs and a 40a RCD up front will suffice ). Get that made off to 2 x metal clad 13a double sockets for site power, all contained in the meter box. 

[Nickfromwales]

 

 

Good point here here about the meter and the fuse being moved by different bodies . 

[MikeSharp01]

14 hours ago, Alexphd1 said:

Architect (who turned out to be a architectural technician)

technically they were breaking the law if they claimed they were architects as the word 'Architect'(s) is a professionally reserved word and you cannot call yourself one unless you are registered with an appropriate professional body.

[Russdl]

@Nickfromwales Thanks for your input Nick.

 

Sadly there won't be any garage until after the the new house is completed (on the advice of the planning consultant who managed to get  the Conservation Officer back in his box, so we'll take her advice on that) but I was hoping to do something along the lines of what @JSHarris did with his supply, I'll need to re-read his blog to refresh my memory and then try and work out where everything will go on my plot.

 

That will be a host of questions for a separate thread - standby...

 

6 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Good point here here about the meter and the fuse being moved by different bodies

 

Several good points on that thread as well, plus I've learnt what a water boundary box is (even though I had read that thread before!). Every day's a school day.