Q&As

We’ve been granted planning permission to extend our house. Yet our neighbour, whose house is only three metres from our boundary, has stated that if we proceed she will take out an injunction. She believes the work will deny her ‘right to light’. What can we do to resolve this matter?

I have recently gained planning permission to build a house on my garden plot. Do I need to notify my mortgage company?

I’ve bought a tumble-down bungalow for replacement, but am having difficulties with planning. Although it’s tucked away in the countryside, in pre-application discussions the council are being really prescriptive about the design of replacement. They don’t like my designs, and I don’t like their ideas either! Where do we go from here?

I’m about to tackle a renovation project that will involve a fair amount of demolition. I’m a bit nervous of the lumbering powertools so I’m employing a workman to tackle the big jobs, but I would like to get involved on a smaller scale. What tools will I need to tackle tasks such as removing […]

For the past year, I’ve been going through the process of trying to get planning permission to change and extend the front of my home. I have just received a letter that says ‘approved’ on the front, but then goes on to say that this does not constitute approval under the Building Regulations. I’m confused […]

I’m looking in to the possibility of self building, and am attracted by the idea of a timber frame home. However, I’m concerned that I may not be able to secure finance on the same scale as I might expect for a brick-and-block build. Can you tell me whether the mortgages for timber construction differ […]

I want to self build but do not want to live in a mobile-home on site and don’t want to put my property on the market just yet. I have seen adverts for self-build mortgages that say I can stay in my current house until I finish my new one. Given the current economic climate, […]

The ceiling in our early 1900s home is in very poor condition. The plasterer says we should remove it, board over and skim. However, we’re planning to convert the loft in the future, and I’ve heard that double boarding is best for this. What would be our best option at this stage?