New workshop for 2020

[Sheptonphil]

My only real concern is building it and someone coming along to inspect an disagreeing on where the boundary lies. Myself and my neighbour (who lived here before me and also put the fence in) agree that its the inside face of the fence, but that fence is also in the middle of a bush.

When planning officer came round he wasn’t really too concerned with exact boundary. I’m in a fairly rural town and he just glanced around, took an overview of location and then when I said it was a shame I couldn’t go forward of my front house line but there was dead space left, said it was behind a wall, no problem, just alter the plan and email it to him. Planning officers are quite amiable if you’re not a complete numpty with them.

 

[RogerS]

...or wait for lockdown to end and get it done by him.

No, you don't have to wait. There's no reason why he shouldn't come to you because that is where his work is.

 

[MikeG.]

...or wait for lockdown to end and get it done by him.

No, you don't have to wait. There's no reason why he shouldn't come to you because that is where his work is.

One of the councils I deal with a lot isn't doing any Planning work at all at the moment. No officers are going out, no site notices are being posted, no decisions are being made, no reports are being written. The only thing that happens is that your drawings are validated (or not) and put in a non-moving queue.

 

[DBT85]

.......My only real concern is building it and someone coming along to inspect an disagreeing on where the boundary lies. Myself and my neighbour (who lived here before me and also put the fence in) agree that its the inside face of the fence, but that fence is also in the middle of a bush.......

Don't worry, they're not solicitors or surveyors. They will rely on you to tell them where the boundary is if it ever becomes an issue. My experience is that they really don't give a damn in rural settings......it's only when there is an adjacent property whose interests they have to look out for that the boundary ever becomes an issue unless you absolutely take the mickey.

Yeah I thought boundaries were a bit more hard and fast but it seems as long as you and your neighbour have agreed that the boundary is this side of the hedge or that side of the fence post all is ok. Lucky my neighbour is my wifes father I guess and also the man who put the fence in in the first place 20 years ago.

I think I've decided now not to bother with planning as it doesn't actually gain me anything anyway other than a few sqm of garden that won't be missed in the 300 odd that there are out the back alone. I just claimed about 30 back from hacking a different hedge down!
Sorry to take your thread on a tangent Phil!

 

[RogerS]

...or wait for lockdown to end and get it done by him.

No, you don't have to wait. There's no reason why he shouldn't come to you because that is where his work is.

One of the councils I deal with a lot isn't doing any Planning work at all at the moment. No officers are going out, no site notices are being posted, no decisions are being made, no reports are being written. The only thing that happens is that your drawings are validated (or not) and put in a non-moving queue.

They need to take a leaf out of Northumberland then who are doing "visits "...by you sending in photos.

 

[Sheptonphil]

...or wait for lockdown to end and get it done by him.

No, you don't have to wait. There's no reason why he shouldn't come to you because that is where his work is.

Unfortunately he has elderly parents residing with him and is not working anywhere until restrictions are lifted and there is no chance of him contaminating anyone at home. Will work with him on a solution remotely.

 

[RogerS]

...or wait for lockdown to end and get it done by him.

No, you don't have to wait. There's no reason why he shouldn't come to you because that is where his work is.

Unfortunately he has elderly parents residing with him and is not working anywhere until restrictions are lifted and there is no chance of him contaminating anyone at home. Will work with him on a solution remotely.

Mmmm..I can understand where he is coming from (and his concerns) but his thinking, as you probably already know, is flawed. What does he mean by 'restrictions are lifted'? As I said, he doesn't have any restrictions. The only ones are self-imposed. The risk to him being infected will remain until a vaccine is available. If I were in your shoes, I'd be looking elsewhere for a roofer.

 

[MikeG.]

I wouldn't criticise the actions of anyone who is sharing a household with highly vulnerable people, and who decides that their safety is more important than his/ her job. From the very elderly to cancer and transplant patients on immuno-suppressants, there are an awful lot of people for whom covid 19 would just be a death sentence, and those around them should be doing everything they can not to endanger them. Bravo to the roofer who decides that keeping people alive is more important than nailing on some slates.

 

[RogerS]

I wouldn't criticise the actions of anyone who is sharing a household with highly vulnerable people, and who decides that their safety is more important than his/ her job. From the very elderly to cancer and transplant patients on immuno-suppressants, there are an awful lot of people for whom covid 19 would just be a death sentence, and those around them should be doing everything they can not to endanger them. Bravo to the roofer who decides that keeping people alive is more important than nailing on some slates.

Where am I criticising him ? You have misinterpreted me completely.

 

[MikeG.]

OK. Apologies then.

 

[Lons]

I wouldn't criticise an individual decision either Mike but agree with Roger. If the guy is self employed and continues with that attitude then he's giving up his business as it will be a very long time, if ever before the risk is minimal. If the materials are left exposed and not handled for a few days any remote possibility of contamination is removed.

Had I still been working I would have assessed there is virtually no risk of catching the virus while working alone on a roof, there's much more risk of fall or other injury so I don't see where he's coming from.

His livelihood so his choice of course.

 

[MikeG.]

I don't wish to divert this thread, but that really is over-simplifying the situation, and making some big assumptions.

 

[Sheptonphil]

We have the mother in law with us till it’s safe to send her home alone (she would be round her friends every day, up the supermarket daily for her paper, have neighbours round, it’s only a cup of tea and a cake after all, stand at the gate to chat) she’s a social nightmare. Missus won’t have anyone in the house, or allow my mates round to help, ‘you never know’. Guaranteed if we did get infected, it would have been something I introduced somehow.

I will look at another roofer if my mate can’t come up with a working plan, I have faith in him.

 

[Lons]

I don't wish to divert this thread, but that really is over-simplifying the situation, and making some big assumptions.

Ok I don't want to divert it either Mike, neither of us know the guy or his personal circumstances so I was making assumptions which I shouldn't have but from my perspective it's how I would assess risk if I still was in business which was the same industry and bearing in mind that both my wife and self are in the at risk category.

If my assumption from the OP photos is correct in that although much easier with 2 people it can be a one man roofing job then where's the Corvid risk apart from leaving home and maybe filling up with fuel?

 

[Sheptonphil]

A bit of a tidy up as the verge profile was delayed till late today. It’s looking a bit less like a building site in the garden, at least for a while, the cladding is scheduled for Wednesday delivery.

I’ve shifted 800kg of tiles today, 400Kg are up on the front roof, 300kg on the back stacked ready for fitting. The last few packs are on the scaffold ready to finish the back. They have a bloom of salts on them, but this washes off easily so will leave that for the first rains. They are new slates, but weren’t stored completely dry and as they dried slowly it left the salts behind. I’ve 90 new ones this week, so will put them at the back, it won’t matter they are a different colour cos of the bloom, till they all weather together.

It was a task to get them across the garden, on to the scaffold then up the roof and distribute across the battens on both sides. At least the roof structure is still up, and it’s solid, so that has proven its integrity. Nearly a tonne of tiles and best part as much again of wood would not have been a pretty sight in a heap on the ground.

The verge profile arrived at 5pm, so only had time to plan batten overhang which will leave space for the cladding edging profile to sit under overhang and leave drip strip functioning. 40mm of batten overhang will sit inside the S profile and leave 24mm clear underneath for the cladding edging. It’s in 5m lengths, perfect with no joints an any of the three verges.

 

[DBT85]

Blimey a good days work!

I feel your pain, my site is 30m from the delivery point. That's gonna take me a while to move it all!

 

[Sheptonphil]

Blimey a good days work!

I feel your pain, my site is 30m from the delivery point. That's gonna take me a while to move it all!

It feels achingly like a good days work. At least here the access isn’t too bad and it’s fairly flat, but still 30m from small delivery trucks to build site, then through building to rear roof. Large vehicles, it’s 60m haul like when the flooring turned up on a forty footer with Hiab.

Probably best the profile was late, it gave me a time out to do the cleanup, scarify the lawn under the pallets I put down, and hoover the rubbish up with the mower. Dogs are happy now, they sit in the lounge looking out the French doors, for the past six weeks looking at a big pile of wood that kept getting replenished. With no pile now, the local cats are spotted, and when doors are open, it’s like the start of a greyhound race, except our dogs are no match for the local cats, or squirrels.

If I can work quietly, I should get a chance to put verge trim on tomorrow, but not allowed to tile on Sunday as it would involve banging a hammer all day.

 

[Sheptonphil]

That’s exactly what it is. Over engineered for total peace of mind.

I’ve got the membrane, counter battens, osb and insulation on site so that may be doable, as I can’t do the roof alone.

Looking back through my thought process as the build developed, two comments from the the 1st April seem pertinent.

Over engineered, but after today, and nearly a tonne going on the structure it made me glad I went the extra strength for my own peace of mind, and ‘I can’t do the roof alone’ was definitely proved wrong, it shows we just don’t know our own capabilities until the chips are down.

 

[DBT85]

Yeah I can imagine as you're clambering over the top your were a little happier that you had that double top plate and 400c studs haha.

 

[Lons]

=D> Looking really good now, it's a great feeling when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, hope the weather holds for you as it's not safe when the slates are wet.

Is it the missus stops you working on Sundays Phil?