self build extension...

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Essex
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Hi everyone,

first of all my names Lee I live in Essex. We've owned our house for approximately 3 years and are going to be adding an extra room to the rear of the property as a play room for our little girl. I will be doing the work myself as I have an understanding of most building work and where I don't I will employ someone who does. The extension is a single story room with a lean to roof from the existing house which will be 3.2m by 3.2m, one window, one internal door (where window currently is), one light fitting, one rad and two double plug sockets. Sounds simple enough (I hope).

We've decided to use a non council building inspector who has been recommended through a friend. The drawings and spec have been drawn up also by a friend. they aren't the most in depth drawings but they should do the job as far as building control are concerned. We've been told we don't need planning as the size fits in to permitted development.

SO THE QUESTIONS...

1) How do I go about speaking with the council about starting the build. Do I just give them notice that I'll be starting on X date and away we go or do I need them to approve it before I start?

2) The extension will be timber frame with a skin of brick work on the outside. obviously the roof rafters will sit on the timber frame so do the uprights need doubling up as, I'm assuming, it would be classed as load bearing?

3) We'd like to run the ceiling level with the roof line. how would I go about this ie would I just do without the ceiling joists and ceiling wall plate.

4) the drawings provided have specified a proprietary ventilation gap between the insulation and the roof rafters but if I weren't to have a ceiling would I need to have this?

I think that's it for now. Any info or advice would be great. This is all pretty new to me but I'm determined to do it myself.

Thanks in advance, Lee
 
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The drawings must be a bag of ol spanners if they don't already show that info, it's no good them just scraping through with an approval with your BC, they need to tell you how to build it.

Its down to the owner to be sure you don't need planning, your house is detached then? As a self builder you should familiarise yourself with the Building Regulations and the Planning criteria by which you need to abide by.

You contact the council and tell them you are starting and that you're using a private inspector.

The timber frame will be load bearing.

You would avoid having additional ceiling joists if the roof is flat if you possibly can.

So is the void under the roof finish going to be ventilated? Maybe Google 'cold versus warm roofs' and see what's what.

Re-post in the Building section.
 
1) How do I go about speaking with the council about starting the build. Do I just give them notice that I'll be starting on X date and away we go or do I need them to approve it before I start?
Phone and ask THEM what they want as do it wrong and it could get expensive, big time.
 

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