House alterations and extensions

[collywobble]

I'm sure the builder will have it right.

Trust me - after 41 years in the industry as an architectural technologist I have yet to find one that understands!!!!! Yes they can build but when it comes to technical specifying they have no idea and often go by 'the builders merchant said it's good stuff' as being ok! I've lost count of the number of times I've been on site and found construction wrong and not always spotted by the BCO. Best 'U' value calculators are on Kingspan and Celotex websites although you have to register on Celotex but that's easy.

I couldn't agree more Jim, I specialise in private foul drainage systems and Suds design and the building trade has unfortunately become  a dumping ground for people who can't do anything else and builders merchants staff don't have a clue either. Building Inspectors are not much better either as they have to know about every aspect of construction which in my opinion is impossible to do.

[sgould]

Having a discussion with the Building Inspector over the soakaway.  We have to use one for the run-off from the new paved area.  Our plan was to use the existing one that was built in 1983 for the flat roof extension the we had.  But I'm having some trouble convincing them that the existing one is OK.  It's only OK in my opinion though.

I used to design main drainage systems for whole villages and towns, so a soakaway is a bit of a new area for me, my old work colleague at the next desk was the SUDS man.   

A couple of years ago my neighbour complained of some flooding in his garden and blamed my roof drainage.  To test this, we ran a hose into the drain that goes to the soakaway at full bore for 48 hours.  There was no sign of any water anywhere, so I reckon that the soakaway works.  The Building Inspector wants a new soakaway for the side extension and the paved area in front, but this could easily be connected into the existing and the total area is 24 sq m.  of which one third is covering existing paved ares which just ran onto the grass.  So effectively 16 sq m of new hard surface.  And even that isn't really new.  The old garage roof drained onto the neighbour's path!!   but I don't fell that I can continue with that.

We shall see. 

[Norfolk Jim]

Exactly Will

They now have great difficulty in making a decision based on good knowledge and experience - they are simply jack of all trades and masters of none. I have only one BCO in Norfolk that I trust and she is the head BCO of one of the local authorities and they do Approved Inspector applications as well. I was partnered with her for jobs all over the UK and it worked a dream. I have one small private job I've done for a friend and really took my time detailing it. The local BCO visited site and couldn't understand the drawing and how it worked so asked for it to be changed to how he thought it should be which was sh**e - I refused point blank as it had been fully approved under the Plan Check carried out by my BCO lady and told builder to carry on. The local BCO went ape at me so I told him speak to my lady and I'll submit a complaint to his head BCO - got a letter of apology from him!!!!! Perhaps I shouldn't have said i'd been detailing brickwork and waterproofing on big shopping centres including Hempstead Valley Centre while he was still in nappies! OOps. Job went ahead smoothly then.

Colly - I have to know a bit about everything as well but i did spend over 7 years at college with last 3 day release and learning from working professionals - how about land surveying being taught by an Irish lecturer with degree in unstable chemistry!!!! He used to be a mining engineer - amazing comical chap and one who we learnt so much from to be competent land surveyors as well - loved my time there.

[Geoff1951]

The two things they don't teach building inspectors and planning officials these days are common sense and customer service.

In my experience.

[fka]

We elected for private BC for both our loft and rear extension and it worked in our favor in some respects. We got out of needing a soak-away for the rear extension, citing the garden was prone to flooding (It's not) which was accepted on the grounds of a photo showing a small puddle after a rain shower. And for the loft we've been signed off with an interlinked fire alarm system, as apposed to fire doors throughout the property, which our LA BCO would never have signed off on.
But we have wondered if the private BCO we've used is in the pockets of the local contractors? Both local contractors we've used have requested their 'preferred' private BC company. And for both builds it's been different companies but the same BCO. Last builder told us they no longer like working with company "X" can you use company "Y". And hey presto it's the same BCO who'd just moved to company "Y". This is the BCO who told me on the phone that the minimum requirement for the timber framed walls was 90mm rigid foam insulation with foil taped edges to maintain the VCL. When he turned up for the final inspection I raised this with him as the 25mm insulated plasterboard with VCL was missing and none of the joint's/ edges of the foam insulation had been taped. He totally changed his tack and stated that since the rigid foam insulation was tight fitting between the timbers (It wasn't in all areas) taping was not required. So what happened in between my phone call with him and the final inspection is anybody's guess, but I have my suspicions!

[Norfolk Jim]

You can always raise a complaint - always write to them rather than phone or e-mail (you could pdf letter and send via e-mail message).

There should always be a continuous vapour control layer and I'd challenge him even if it was tight fit!!!! Was the plasterboard foil backed a taped seems? He might be using that instead. Insulation, VCL's and breather membranes are quite a complex subject and often best referred back to the manufacturers - the location of VCL's in flat roofs keeps changing and no-one can make up their mind where to put it.................... all the same challenge him but don't forget they are 'Approved Inspectors' and may be linked to various companies around the UK.

[fka]

To be honest, at this stage I'm going to let the VCL question lie. As it stands we have a build that is signed off. The thought of going through that process with the builder and the subsequent upheaval to have it rectified, is not worth thinking about. Yes it's possible we could have a damp issue at some point in the future, however the roof is a cold flat roof so well ventilated and the walls have a breathable membrane under the hung tiles, so again has ventilation ..

[wrighar]

1st floor joists went in Friday as it was too cold to brick.

Coming on, but slow.

[sgould]

The cold is slowing up my work too.   The rendering may not happen until next week.

Roof tiling is planned for tomorrow, then the internal plasterboard, if the building inspector turns up.  He was supposed to come today, but didn't.   Don't know if they will build the garden wall.  We will see.  They've been using rapid hardening cement to generate more heat.  It might work.

If the building inspector turns up we should be able to discuss the soakaway.

[wrighar]

Yay!  Bricks and blocks are being laid again.

Must be warm our there

[sgould]

The assistant building inspector came, said the insulation was OK.  But had to go away and ask his boss about the soakaway...

But the side roof is complete and the garden wall progresses.

[wrighar]

Cold start, but walls going up.

[wrighar]

So, it didn't thaw all day.

We need 2 days to get to just below roof level (5 rows of brick), for the 2nd stage of scaffold, then another day 1-1.5 days bricking to be at roof level.

After that roof trusses and some level of water tight (excluding windows and doors).

All I need is a week of dry and above freezing....even a little sun.

Forecast says no for the next 7 days...

[sgould]

We managed to get the roof on just in time.  The guys spent the day inside the extension doing the insulation and adding the plasterboard. Probably all finished tomorrow.  The doors were fitted yesterday, but without the centre panels and glass.  Once those are fitted, the perimeter can be secured and the door from the extension cut through into the house.  We are looking forward to all the dust!!

Still no contact from the building inspector about the soakaway.  Maybe my "slightly technical" e-mail has panicked him...

[fka]

Cold start, but walls going up.

2 stories, very nice! I wish we;d had the cash to do that when we did the rear extension. Being a narrow house, it would have meant knocking the whole of the first floor rear outside wall out but would have probably negated the the need for a loft conversion..