Dormer loft conversion. Ridge height. Rock & hard place.

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Hi all,

I've been losing sleep and feeling very ill trying to think of how best to tackle my predicament.

In a nutshell:

I Put my dormer loft conversion out to tender and attracted several quotes.
Received quotes/advice/info etc. Everyone agreed it is within permitted development and ticks those boxes. My own research and a householder enquiry submission confirmed this.
A builder I know was chosen and work progressed.
The dormer is on and looking great. The roof done and ridge tiles have just gone back on.

It has emerged that, due to a construction decision along the way, that the ridge has increased in height a little.

To try and give this some point of reference, the new ridge tiles are almost a full brick higher up the chimney stack (60-70mm?). they are also at a bit of a different pitch to the main roof.

The house is an end terrace house and has a chimney stack on each side, so the ridge line isn't linked to next door. While it is not directly comparable in that sense, it IS visibly higher.

Up until this point I was protected by permitted development legislation. Now, I'd be in a sticky position should any case be opened for any reason.

Sorting the ridge out is tricky and the builders won't want to do it, simple as that... So what do I do?

My options seem to be:

1) demand the builders sort it out now while scaffold is still up (won't go down well, stress is inevitable).
2) accept the slight height increase and hope it's fine until the 4 year mark. Can anyone really live like that??
3) call the planners out to assess the situation, explain things, and pile some 3rd party pressure on the builders to sort it (force them, but also 'turn myself in').

Information that might be of relevance is:
- not in a conservation area
- the ridge isn't visible in the general street scene due the house height, unless you walk down a private back alley and get a full view.
- the planners are aware of the development and that it is being built within permitted development guidelines (I consulted with them in the first place). It's possible they may do a spot check in the future?

This could cause huge trauma right now, or a big blow-back in the future. Or it could be totally fine.

I'll be on site with the builders tomorrow morning. I don't know what to do... I don't know how to handle them.
 
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that's the ideal outcome I suppose. Not sure how easily I'll sleep wondering if we'll get a knock from a planning officer though.
 
My thoughts. So does your ridge look higher than the other houses? From what you said it seems it looks higher due to comparing it to the chimney stack?

If this is correct, could you not put a course or two on the chimney to "lower" the ridge back down?
 
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My thoughts. So does your ridge look higher than the other houses? From what you said it seems it looks higher due to comparing it to the chimney stack?

If this is correct, could you not put a course or two on the chimney to "lower" the ridge back down?

Nah that wouldn't work. Firstly it would be a sizeable job I imagine, but also the height/ridge is visibly different. It's quite clear cut once you notice.
 
In that case paint the lower part of your house a puke green colour to draw the eyes down low.
 
Planning officers rarely come out to check on permitted development work, unless someone (eg a neighbour) complains.
If the issue was raised by anyone, 60-70mm is hardly a significant amount, particularly if the ridge is bounded by a chimney at each end.
The worst outcome is that the council finds out and considers enforcement action. However, there are government guidelines on when and how councils should
enforce breaches of the planning rules.
This is an extract from the rules:

Enforcement action should, however, be proportionate to the breach of planning control to which it relates and taken when it is expedient to do so. Where the balance of public interest lies will vary from case to case.

In deciding, in each case, what is the most appropriate way forward, local planning authorities should usually avoid taking formal enforcement action where:


  • there is a trivial or technical breach of control which causes no material harm or adverse impact on the amenity of the site or the surrounding area;
  • development is acceptable on its planning merits and formal enforcement action would solely be to regularise the development;
  • in their assessment, the local planning authority consider that an application is the appropriate way forward to regularise the situation, for example, where planning conditions may need to be imposed.

Paragraph: 011 Reference ID: 17b-011-20140306

So if the council found out, you could suggest 60-70mm is hardly material.
My guess is that nothing will happen. Don't call the planners; leave it as it is and, as per Thomas above, you will wake up one morning and suddenly remember that you started this thread 'years ago' - (or at least 4 years ago!).
 
So if the council found out, you could suggest 60-70mm is hardly material.
It's material when the neighbours start saying "Well he has done it, and so I want to do it" And it becomes prevalent, and 60mm become 100mm and then 150mm. This would be material, and planners will enforce on this risk to the locality alone, and it will be in the public interest to do so.

The builder wont care once they leave site and will they even be around to sue if the time comes?

Relying on no busy bodies and no neighbours doing a planning app. That's 1460 nights of sleep to loose, not counting afternoon naps.
 
Two scenarios to consider. Are you likely to want to sell the house in the next 4 years? Do you have any neighbours who are likely to complain or local busy bodies who snoop around looking to dob in local building work? If neither of these apply sit it out for the next 4 years and stock up on valium.

Edit: Great minds think alike or is it fools seldom differ?
 
It's material when the neighbours start saying "Well he has done it, and so I want to do it" And it becomes prevalent, and 60mm become 100mm and then 150mm. This would be material, and planners will enforce on this risk to the locality alone, and it will be in the public interest to do so.

The builder wont care once they leave site and will they even be around to sue if the time comes?

Relying on no busy bodies and no neighbours doing a planning app. That's 1460 nights of sleep to loose, not counting afternoon naps.
On this basis, you could argue that even a 'minor or trivial breach' should invite enforcement, in which case the official guidelines should have said so.
Where would you draw the line Woody? 50mm? 30mm? 2.65mm?
As for it setting a precedent, we all know that councils can trot out the line that 'there is no precedent in planning'.
 
On this basis, you could argue that even a 'minor or trivial breach' should invite enforcement, in which case the official guidelines should have said so.
Where would you draw the line Woody? 50mm? 30mm? 2.65mm?
As for it setting a precedent, we all know that councils can trot out the line that 'there is no precedent in planning'.
I was careful to use 'prevalent' and not 'precedent'. :p

Not a precedent, but it can turn in to a persuasive argument which then creates prevalence to an area. It's more of a concept of how seemingly small things may seem immaterial, but can be material in a wider context.

Altering ridge lines can have a significant impact on an area, massive dormers are bad enough but may not be visible from the front of the house say. But then imagine how the ridge alters, crested feature ridges are removed, and the neighbour lifts their ridge to match and it goes on an on. Then a nice level terrace roof line becomes a hodgepodge mess.

It comes down the the planners attitude, and more to the locality. If the OP is in the stockbroker belt then the planners may be more strict than on the plain broke estate.
 

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