We got Planning Permission for a large extension on our bungalow in 2014. Through numerous issues and with me being a full time carer for my wife, work progressed slowly, and I was hoping to do most of it myself.
After realising how much work (and time) it was going to take, we have had some trades people in to help with bits that would have taken me even longer by myself (such as digging the foundation trenches and block laying), and we're just up to wall plate level.
A week or so before wall plate level was when our local Council got involved. A neighbour complained that some high up windows were going to be overlooking their garden so a Council planning enforcement officer came out, and told us we didn't use the correct blocks on the exterior skin of the extension walls. The window openings were fine by the way.
Rewinding time to 2014 when we got permission, I put on the application form that the exterior walls were to be made of lightweight blocks, rendered and painted to match the existing walls of the bungalow. The front of the bungalow has white paint on the upper half of the walls, with black paint below, and the side of the bungalow has something resembling magnolia.
Around 2016 or so, my wife found lovely split-faced blocks on ebay for a really good price which put them well into our budget, so we bought them. Delivery from North Yorkshire to Hampshire cost us more than the blocks did. The listing was for a roughly equal amount of two colours, steel grey and ivory white.
We had the walls built last year (every weekend with good weather from the end of September to around the end of November). Our bricklayer didn't know what was on the application form and didn't ask to see it, and we didn't have it to hand to show him, so as far as he was concerned, what we told him was what he did. He used the steel grey blocks first and around half way up switched to the ivory white ones, with steel grey quoins at two corners.
The Council have been in communication back and forth and we submitted a Variation of Conditions form to try to have the blocks remain unchanged. I even admitted that we had unintentionally used the wrong materials, but gave sensible reasons why we used the blocks we did. The comments submitted by our neighbours to the new application were less than pleasant, but they are allowed their own opinions on the matter.
One Council officer who visited could see why we wanted to use the split faced blocks rather than render the outside, but since the visit the Council have asked me if there's any way to disguise the mortar lines (render, more mortar, what else?) and then paint the exterior to match existing colour. Thankfully we've bought Dulux exterior masonry paint with a textured finish in Magnolia, and we reckon 4 off 10L pots should be more than enough, so the paint isn't a problem, but I realise the paint on its own wouldn't disguise the mortar lines, so what do others suggest as a way to disguise mortar lines so the painted finish resembles render without actually rendering the whole thing.
I've tried searching the web for videos or products but just don't seem to be getting anywhere.
Thanks for any suggestions.
The picture I've included shows the far wall of the extension. You might just about make out the rear wall of the bungalow some 10m back.
After realising how much work (and time) it was going to take, we have had some trades people in to help with bits that would have taken me even longer by myself (such as digging the foundation trenches and block laying), and we're just up to wall plate level.
A week or so before wall plate level was when our local Council got involved. A neighbour complained that some high up windows were going to be overlooking their garden so a Council planning enforcement officer came out, and told us we didn't use the correct blocks on the exterior skin of the extension walls. The window openings were fine by the way.
Rewinding time to 2014 when we got permission, I put on the application form that the exterior walls were to be made of lightweight blocks, rendered and painted to match the existing walls of the bungalow. The front of the bungalow has white paint on the upper half of the walls, with black paint below, and the side of the bungalow has something resembling magnolia.
Around 2016 or so, my wife found lovely split-faced blocks on ebay for a really good price which put them well into our budget, so we bought them. Delivery from North Yorkshire to Hampshire cost us more than the blocks did. The listing was for a roughly equal amount of two colours, steel grey and ivory white.
We had the walls built last year (every weekend with good weather from the end of September to around the end of November). Our bricklayer didn't know what was on the application form and didn't ask to see it, and we didn't have it to hand to show him, so as far as he was concerned, what we told him was what he did. He used the steel grey blocks first and around half way up switched to the ivory white ones, with steel grey quoins at two corners.
The Council have been in communication back and forth and we submitted a Variation of Conditions form to try to have the blocks remain unchanged. I even admitted that we had unintentionally used the wrong materials, but gave sensible reasons why we used the blocks we did. The comments submitted by our neighbours to the new application were less than pleasant, but they are allowed their own opinions on the matter.
One Council officer who visited could see why we wanted to use the split faced blocks rather than render the outside, but since the visit the Council have asked me if there's any way to disguise the mortar lines (render, more mortar, what else?) and then paint the exterior to match existing colour. Thankfully we've bought Dulux exterior masonry paint with a textured finish in Magnolia, and we reckon 4 off 10L pots should be more than enough, so the paint isn't a problem, but I realise the paint on its own wouldn't disguise the mortar lines, so what do others suggest as a way to disguise mortar lines so the painted finish resembles render without actually rendering the whole thing.
I've tried searching the web for videos or products but just don't seem to be getting anywhere.
Thanks for any suggestions.
The picture I've included shows the far wall of the extension. You might just about make out the rear wall of the bungalow some 10m back.
