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Downsizer Forum Index -> Energy Efficiency and Construction/Major Projects

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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 10:34 am Post subject:
Oh, yes, planning. There will be problems with the planning department. What I think of them is not printable. This is highly unusual for me. Planners are like toddlers that need an early night. They're awkward, petulant and work at cross purposes to everyone's bests interests ALL THE TIME. Because they can.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 10:50 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

vegplot wrote:

We're in the process of a new build using highly efficient thermal insulation. Unless I had a love for the house or it had historic value I would be tempted to start again.

And it could be cheaper to newbuild rather than renovate

Indeed.

Subsidence doesn't have to be a problem or a worry. A new build can sort that from the start and if you build the right type of house that can cope with ground movement e.g. oak timber frame and strawbale it's much less of a problem.

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 11:24 am Post subject:
Womble - love the input, thank you, it made me laugh in an 'I know you are right' kind of way.... Thanks to all for input and insight

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 12:03 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

Oh, yes, planning. There will be problems with the planning department. What I think of them is not printable. This is highly unusual for me. Planners are like toddlers that need an early night. They're awkward, petulant and work at cross purposes to everyone's bests interests ALL THE TIME. Because they can.

I had no problem with planning.
I designed house myself in a couple of evenings on some cad freeware. Gave it to architect to re-draw and submit, and it was only 5 months from submission to full approval.
The Highways dept. gave me the most grief. I was already living on-site and wanted full planing asap, so after a small compromise I reluctantly agreed to the Highways demands. Apart from that, it wasn't at all stressful.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 12:11 pm Post subject:

onemanband wrote:

The Highways dept. gave me the most grief.

Ours wanted a 123 metre splay onto the lane on a road frontage of 23 metres. That meant we would have to buy 50 metres of land either side. Bearing in mind this was an existing entrance which has already gone through a previous planning exercise before we bought the plot.

We argued that it wasn't a motorway and they were being silly. They agreed.

A few years later we needed to reapply for full planning as the proposed location of house needed to move. Highways kicked in again this time demanding a 45 metre splay. We politely showed them their previous decision.

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 12:29 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

onemanband wrote:

The Highways dept. gave me the most grief.

Yep that was like my issue.
Over the top vision splay requiring rebuilding stable wall 2 foot further back. They didn't request it done before work commences, so it is at the end of my to-do list. The vision splay is based on a car leaving forwards - I have been reversing my truck out for 2 years and nobody has even bibbed their horn.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 1:03 pm Post subject:
Start again otherwise you will always be propping up previous generations mistakes, grump, grump. 'Course if life and love is bound up in the current house...

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 1:18 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

We argued that... they were being silly. They agreed.

How many miracles is it to become a saint?

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 2:02 pm Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

vegplot wrote:

We argued that... they were being silly. They agreed.

How many miracles is it to become a saint?

Miracles and saints? They're religious things. Let's not go there.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 2:03 pm Post subject:

Cathryn wrote:

Start again otherwise you will always be propping up previous generations mistakes, grump, grump.

'Course if life and love is bound up in the current house...

You can always restart life and loves and you'll still have memories.

Piggyphile

Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 891
Location: Galicia

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 3:28 pm Post subject:

Also look at house values around you, some areas have a ceiling value because of the value so building a 4 bed detached in the middle of a rough council estate can be pointless if the area will hold back the value. I don't know if you have kids but have you considered buying a cheaper one to do up and rent it out for an income/pension and poss for kids to live in in the future? You could spend a bit on making yours more comfy and fixing subsidence if house insurance doesn't cover it.

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 5:41 pm Post subject:

henchard wrote:

Remember that new build is zero rated for VAT. Refurbishment/extensions aren't.

Yes, but only VAT on materials, not labour, waste disposal, scaffold etc

New build is also subject to S106 contributions / development tax / community infrastructure levy (or whatever it's called) This will roughly wipe out your VAT reclaim.

IIRC existing buildings (that are in use) are exempt from S106. Don't know how it applies though if you demolish and rebuild.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45427
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 9:02 pm Post subject:
We didn't have any s106 issues

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 10:34 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

We didn't have any s106 issues

You mean you were exempt cos you knocked down and rebuilt ?

I had issues - it was daylight robbery

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 14 10:59 pm Post subject:
To be fair tahir had just about all other possible issues. Just not s106 ones.

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