Owning your own home

Didn't you have to show providence for that 180k?

I'm sure you're on this, but just in case you haven't used packers before - make sure you do a couple of boxes before they come of things you will need immediately you arrive in the new place - kettle, chargers, bit of cutlery/crockery + any valuables + bag of overnight clothes. They go through so fast that you lose track of where anything is in the pile of boxes.

Our utility room is pretty unfunctional (cant move in there with a modern size fridge, washer dryer, belfast sink etc) and the layout makes no sense. The room however adjoins the garage.

We want to hire an architect(?? or for this size job someone else??) to draw up some ideas where we can rearrange, extend it into the garage, potentially even go for a most of garage conversion into a more useful utility and office spaces.

but we're clueless and need handholding. Theres also all the utilities come into the garage on the wall between utility and garage to contend with.

Who do we contact? In Croydon.

Can you try these guys and let me know if they're any good
https://thetwoarchitects.com/

they're this agency, but seemingly a short consultation type spinoff
https://b-vds.co.uk/

And my sister has started using Arkiplan. No building done, pre-planning stage
https://arkiplan.co.uk/

Her feedback so far was
'It really depends on the project I think, if you know exactly what you want and don’t want tons of interaction/thinking, I think they’re a good deal, but they don’t really offer advice…'

So maybe more of a Resi type service? (shots fired, @amey)

I love Resi, gonna use them again for loft after remortgage in 2023.

We're doing a hybrid of TTA & Resi, think I'm pissing Resi off a bit but getting the best from each system.

I'm pissing Resi off a bit but getting the best from each system.

pls share these #lifehacks

ah, actually using TTA or a similar service? Certainly interested to hear how that goes

Actual TTA. Only had one meeting but we're getting Ewald to develop design sketches and layouts and using his drafting / architectural technician to produce the drawings for planning, building control and builder.

Resi's measured survey & existing drawings are about half the price of any other quotes we got. They've told me I can use their Connect service to find a builder even if I provide my own drawings.

The larger ones do anyways.
Remember watching a safety case video on system housing (concrete slabs, bolt together, profit) of the 50-70's in central Scotland. Was a stark comment by the chief safety guy toward end of it about the general scumbaggery of the large house builder contractors. i.e.
'System house builders ltd'. Big company, been going 20 years and whilst they have their 'rep' they havent' gone bust yet, so must be reliable. Passes all local authority bid/contract stuff as they are existing and big.
'System house builders ltd' wins the local contract, but sets up 'system house builders small scottish town west area phase 1 ltd' and runs under that flag. As soon as they are done, or they close that company and then build phase 2, or the eastern side of the town project under the appropriate title. All pretty standard. Would save money as much as poss, jobbing staff, use as few bolts and fasteners as poss, quality control of the slabs, rebar and bolt holes was shocking.

His message also echo'd fears about cheap vanity cladding on the exterior of the buildings causing a fire risk (bridging between fire zones on external of structure), this was in the late 70's and the guy had been seeing it done wrong for decades.

Anyway, back to now. Seen it loads, maybe upto 7 of my mates have gone new build in last 10 years, each has a story more bizarre and rage inducing than the last. But basically the 'new house,british housebuilders 10 year piece of paper', is just that, a piece of paper, usually stating incredibly high excess values until they will put any money toward anything, and you'll have to pay for your own surveys to prove known problems. Again standard stuff. But suggest reading the contract/putting infront of a legal person

but we're clueless and need handholding

Go for traditional architectural advice. You really get what you pay for with the cheap "standard price" websites that do a few generic drawings.

Subbed

That is one compact house, pretty sure my office I barely ever use is half the size of the ground floor. Not seeing parking for potentially 6 cars though lol.

If you can chimney up between your house and neighbours, it isn't detached IMO

In house payment stupid news, I've been on hold to Santander for 45 mins to try and get my account unblocked.

Our solicitor will have their fee docked for undue stress. £500 seem reasonable?

£5k. Always.

What is the status of your cat?

How'd I miss that one!?

Stressed.

There's a pretty good chance of triggering some automated AML account lock if you try that.

EDIT: Ah yes, like that.

Dear Sir,

Please transfer me the money £150,000 and I will make it into special house purchase crypto payment - the government cannot track you and save money on taxis.

My bank details are;

Alfred the cat is currently living like a baller in a 4 bed house on his tod. He's basically living his best life. Better than being In a shoddy cattery in romford.

As an asides its been another stressful few days. On Friday it was all off again (this time by the sellers of septic tank towers) but this morning I am told its all on again.

I might, just might, exchange today. Will feel like an enormous weight has been lifted from my shoulders if so.

So after nine months of trying to sell my place, I've finally accepted defeat, and the flat we were going to buy is now on the market for another buyer. Every single time we tried to sell, the sales pack we got from our old managing agent (which was full of nonsense) blocked the sale. It just spooked the hell out of our buyers.

We are going to wait until May when we can sell without using that sales pack. But christ I am in mourning for the sheer amount of effort we put into this, and absolutely furious with our old managing agents.

Sorry to read this. What on earth is in the sales pack?

i have a queries about shared access alleyways.
I have a terrace house, the access to the garden is shared.
Neighbour has built a drive over the path to the shared access while I have been away.

What can I do in this situation?
Am I allowed to push my drive over my half of the shared access?

They are already quite hostile neighbours as the previous years they thought they were allowed to cut down trees in my garden without permission.
Very frustrating as I work away from home a lot and they are landlords with lodgers and spend most of their time at home.

I have attached a screenshot of land markings.

Any help on this would be amazing, I am a fairly new home owner

Thank you

1 Attachment