Neighbouring charity wants to use my plot during their build. What's it worth?

[Dreadnaught]

I have a tricky little negotiation to undertake over the next few weeks. A range of views would be welcome.

 

The question: How much and what in-kind benefit (not money) could I request in exchange for letting a neighbour use my plot during for their build?

 

Background

1. I am soon to buy a small 20m x 20m plot to build my new house. Its a rear garden plot in the centre of a city
2. One neighbour is a rowing club on a river, a charity. They plan to knock down their boathouse next to me and rebuild starting in October for a 9-month build. I will finish buying my plot just as they start. They are influential in the local area so its worthwhile for me to keep in their good books
3. They have nowhere to put their site hut and storage container during their build and have asked to use my plot
4. They are as poor as church mice, despite having found the money to re-build
5. I am in no hurry to start.  I will need to go back to planning anyhow. And a pause will give me time to plan properly

 

The negotiation

I do not expect them to pay me to use my plot (see 4 above). But I would like some in-kind benefit that is fair. What amount of benefit would be fair?

 

Some ideas for what the rowing club could provide, in-kind

• The only thing they have offered is that I could use their welfare facilities during my build (I presume that would mean toilet, washing facilities, drinking water, rest area)
• Other ideas (which they have not offered):
  • Utilities availability. We both need to open up the access road to lay a new electricity cable (my quote for this is £12k). I also need to lay a new water pipe along the same route (they don’t)
  • Some of the tree works are in common between us
  • My plot is not prepared. Its a garden with ruined foundations from an old greenhouse and over growth. They could prepare the site for my development and leave it in a suitable state at the end
• Any other ideas?

 

Comments and thoughts welcome!

 

(I will ask another question later about having a contract with the rowing club for their usage.)

Edited August 24, 2018 by Dreadnaught

[Ferdinand]

Lifetime membership for your family.

 

They leave their welfare faciliti s behind, give you water and lecky during your build, and let you put your utilities in their ditch. All should be relatively cheap or negligible for them.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Ferdinand

[Dreadnaught]

Thanks @Ferdinand. Helpful.

 

3 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Lifetime membership for your family.

Haha, come to think of it they did indeed offer free rowing lessons.

 

 

[Ferdinand]

Just now, Dreadnaught said:

Thanks @Ferdinand. Helpful.

 

Haha, come to think of it they did indeed offer free rowing lessons.

 

 

 

But is there a bar, or do they get tickets for the Boat Race?

[Dreadnaught]

6 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

But is there a bar, or do they get tickets for the Boat Race?

 

There will indeed be a bar. Hence one reason why I am keen on building a sound-proof, thicked-walled passive house, haha! As for for boat race, that remains to be seen. Given the amount of rowing going on just beyond my front gate, I suspect I will probably be immune to its charms by the time it comes around.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Dreadnaught

[Ferdinand]

Just now, Dreadnaught said:

 

There will indeed be a bar. Hence one reason why I am keen on building a sound-proof, thicked-walled passive house, haha! As for for boat race, that remains to be seen. Given the amount of rowing going on just beyond my front gate, I suspect will probably be immune to its charms by the time it comes around.

 

I am imag8ning you with one of those Victorian saluting cannons on your river lawn, keeping them all on their toes.

[Dreadnaught]

Just now, Ferdinand said:

I am imag8ning you with one of those Victorian saluting cannons on your river lawn, keeping them all on their toes.

 

Now there's an idea, haha! I wonder if I need a firearms (or artillery) licence for such a thing.

[Russell griffiths]

Having talked through your plot with you, and a couple of issues you have. 

Is there a possibility of running any of your services through their land. 

[Dreadnaught]

3 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

Having talked through your plot with you, and a couple of issues you have. 

Is there a possibility of running any of your services through their land. 

 

Actually not, Russell. Their boathouse (and the river beyond it) sits on the opposite side of the access road that lies between us, down which will come the services.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Dreadnaught

[Russell griffiths]

What about the drainage. 

[newhome]

I would try for a collaborative deal on the utilities. How much would it cost for both electric connections at once for example. Better for you than your 12k quote? And get the water pipe laid at the same time. The below ground work always seems much more of a nightmare than fixing trees for example, but I would have no qualms about negotiating with them to collaborate over the work in common whether they were using my land or not. It seems like the sensible thing to do. Even if you had to pay for the rest of the site clearance it still might be cheaper for you than going alone. 

[Dreadnaught]

11 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

What about the drainage. 

 

Good question, Russell. The boathouse has shared a drains survey with me. It shows both a foul drain and surface drain in the access road immediately in front of my plot (and next to theirs). I am assuming I can connect in to those. The boathouse needs to put in a new manhole for the surface drain so will be opening up the road for that. Could I ask them to do some works for me while they have it open?

 

7 minutes ago, newhome said:

How much would it cost for both electric connections at once for example.

 

Good point. The boathouse has offered to send both my quote (£12k) and theirs back to the DNO and ask for a combined quote.

 

For joint matters, such as the electricity connection, the tree works, and possible even laying drains to the boundary of my plot, could I ask them to do my works too at their cost, and no cost to me? Is that too much to ask? Would the marginal cost for them be low?

Edited August 24, 2018 by Dreadnaught

[newhome]

Personally I think that would be a lot to ask but you could ask to pay the incremental cost of the electric for the combined quote with them paying the amount they expected to pay and see how you get on. I rather suspect they will be looking at splitting it 50 / 50 though ?. If they can’t afford to pay you rent then I don’t see how they will be able to pay out additional monetary costs to cover work on your plot tbh. 

 

If the welfare benefits are important to you then accept and see anything else as a bonus. If not then work out what the rent might be and negotiate some ‘in kind’ value to cover it. 

[Dreadnaught]

3 minutes ago, newhome said:

work out what the rent might be and negotiate some ‘in kind’ value to cover it. 

 

Good point.

 

What might be the monthly rent for a 20m x 20m for a site hut plus container? How might I go about guess-timating that? Any ideas anyone?