RogerThat Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Hi all We've just had our plans approved for a new home and hope to start the build soon. This is our first new build so please forgive me if I ask any stupid questions, I trust the learning curve will be a steep one but I hope to glean a lot of info off this excellent forum which I wish I'd found earlier! So much reading to catch up on... Where to start? I'd really welcome any suggestions or ideas on our plans from some experienced eyes before we start the build. Thanking you all in advance. 1137_02A_Proposed_Block_Plan.pdf 1137_04D_Proposed Ground Floor Plan.pdf 1137_05D_Proposed First Floor Plan.pdf 1137_06C_Proposed_North_and_West_Elevations.pdf 1137_07C_Proposed_South_and_East_Elevations.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Welcome indeed! Ahhh, Offa's Dyke country! Sunsets and spectacular dawns round there - from somewhat romanticised memory - , so I'm glad to see you making the best of the South and West aspects. Might there be an argument for (say) a larger terrace round the Eastern aspect so you can watch the gales go past you in the shelter of the house. Just a minor thing you can do at the end of the build... Welcome anyway Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerThat Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 2 minutes ago, recoveringacademic said: Might there be an argument for (say) a larger terrace round the Eastern aspect so you can watch the gales go past you in the shelter of the house. Just a minor thing you can do at the end of the build... Absolutely agree with you Ian. The architect hasn't given the landscaping much thought so we're planning to change a few things, that east corner being one of them. We were tinkering with the idea that corner might be good for some kind of kitchen garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 (edited) Welcome to the club. I spent 6 months living in a place called Llansilin, which was small but perfectly formed, on the edge of the plain. Lovely area. I think your architect supplies nice-to-understand plans. Ferdinand Edited March 19, 2019 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC45 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Hi, great plot & I like the house. The plans are easy to look at. We are aiming to move over the border into Wales with our next one. Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerThat Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 Thankyou all for the warm welcome. Unfortunately we seem to have missed the boat a little. The architect neglected to tell us that we should have netted the roadside hedge in February in order to cut the main access so it looks as though the build start date has already been pushed back until September. Perhaps we should have known this but being new to the self build we're a bit like rabbits in the headlights at the moment. Lesson learnt. We do have access to the field via the pub carpark and while it's not ideal it may have to suffice. Looking on the bright side it does give me more time to research specifications etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 4 minutes ago, RogerThat said: [...] The [....] neglected to tell us that we should have netted the roadside hedge in February in order to cut the main access [...] My direct experience of ecology as a sector is, that those involved in a professional capacity - while very keen on their subject specialism - are not good at communication. That's a sample size of 8 ecologists. I am not in the least surprised that an architect doesn't mention ecology. The only defence we have is to be fully informed ourselves. That rather reduces the value of employing an ecologist . I now think their value extends to the mere possession of a valid licence to practice. The customer needs to follow up every other detail. As my mate @TerryE says : welcome to skiing in front of the avalanche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, RogerThat said: Thankyou all for the warm welcome. Unfortunately we seem to have missed the boat a little. The architect neglected to tell us that we should have netted the roadside hedge in February in order to cut the main access so it looks as though the build start date has already been pushed back until September. Perhaps we should have known this but being new to the self build we're a bit like rabbits in the headlights at the moment. Lesson learnt. We do have access to the field via the pub carpark and while it's not ideal it may have to suffice. Looking on the bright side it does give me more time to research specifications etc... AIUI the issue is with disturbing nests. So if the section you needs to work on does not include any active nests, then you may still be able to move ahead. The procedure I am used to is that work can start, and they have to stop if they find anything. I think that is OK, but check carefully first. I see no problem with chatting to the Council about that - even if they have a blanket "noooooooooo" policy for simplicity, you may well be complying with the law. It is not as if you are flying under the radar to remove obstacles before applying for PP. Alternatively you could create a narrower access to let you start, or a temporary one somewhere else. If that side road is level with the plot, and not classified, and there is not anybody else's land between you and the lane, and there is a chunk with no nests, you can possibly just create an entrance there. Obviously get photographs and ideally a quick look from an eco-ologist to make sure you are not disturbing anything and to cover your backside. A suitable individual (probably a certified tree-man) needs to look at it, certify in writing that there is no issue, and then you need to prove that you did the job immediately - or if they did it. It should not be too expensive, as you would perhaps only need half a day of their time, and it may be worth it to get your build going. I think that that might generate a couple of blue fits in locals or barrack room lawyers, and a visit from a Council chappie, but if you are complying with policy it may be feasible to do. If the Council are aware first, then the teeth will have been pulled from the shark before you went for a swim in the custard. I would be interested in @PeterW's comments on this, as a proper tree man. Ferdinand Edited March 20, 2019 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamHouseDreamer Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 As another newbie to this whole topic, welcome to self building and this very helpful forum. We got our full approval as a Christmas 2018 present and started to get a move on in late January, with site clearance commencing on ground worker arrival mid Feb. They had an unexpected gap in their schedule so arrived and got stuck in. We too knew nothing about nesting regs and hedges and got all our hedges cut down in the nick of time. Why nobody told us about that, I have no clue. When we spoke to anybody afterwards and mentioned it, everybody in the building trade knew the rules but nobody had thought to mention it to us. Had the ground worker not started until into March as originally envisaged, we'd also have been stuck for months. Our planning app went in first week October, but again by a stroke of luck, somebody had thought to mention bat surveys as a throwaway line - in the context of costs, not timing - while we were prepared plans and complaining about all the fees and that you cannot duck the VAT charged on them. So we got eco and bat surveys done just in time. Perhaps had we found this forum sooner, somebody would have mentioned any of the crucial dates, but mostly these important things if you are building in the countryside are just throwaway remarks. We are learning on the hoof - far, far more than we ever imagined you need to know about self building - and we don't even really plan to get our hands dirty! Good luck, lovely plan there. DHDreamer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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