urgent advice required/width of extension

GwylimT

rabialiones wrote: »

the foundations are 12" into our property
building of walls above foundations will be starting today after dpc has been passed.

Have you thoroughly read the party wall links to ensure you don't need one? How far are your neighbours foundations from any excavation for your new foundations?

teneighty

The builder has got it wrong...simple.

Tell him you have taken advice and there is no legal requirement to leave a 12 inch gap for maintenance. He should make good his mistake at his own expense.

theonlywayisup

rabialiones wrote: »

I feel like telling him to stop unless he extends the boundary

Do it then.

You are having doubts about the size now, imagine how you will feel when it's done. It will be there for years. Get it right at the outset.

Furts

My sympathy goes out to the building Inspector. On a human level why should this person have to intervene because a consumer has chosen a useless builder and then failed to control the actions of this useless builder.

To move matters forward be aware the foundations are not simply "extended", or "altered". The work to form this change will in itself have to be approved by the Building Inspector. Which raises another thorny issue. If the builder is not competent to read a drawing I fail to see how they are competent to construct an altered foundation, be this by half lapping, or drilling and dowel bared using epoxy resin, or whatever other detail is put forward.

Aylesbury_Duck

Furts wrote: »

I fail to see how they are competent to construct an altered foundation, be this by half lapping, or drilling and dowel bared using epoxy resin, or whatever other detail is put forward.

:eek: I fear the next sound we'll hear is the OP spontaneously combust!

mishkanorman

So is the OP wanting to build ON the boundary ? Is that not the reason the builder has said there needs to be a gap ?

Mojisola

rabialiones wrote: »

we are having an extension, plans have been approved showing full width of house to rear extension.

mishkanorman wrote: »

So is the OP wanting to build ON the boundary ? Is that not the reason the builder has said there needs to be a gap ?

If that was the case (or there is another good reason), the builder should have talked it through with the OP before taking on the job and explained why he is right and the other professionals involved in drawing up and passing the plans are wrong.

Waiting until the foundations have been put in smacked of screw-up, not reasoned argument.

rabialiones

well building inspec. been and architect and they think I am just creating a fuss over 4-6 inches difference, I have explained that its the gap that's going to be created if next door build as well, but no-one seems to be taking me on board

casper_g

rabialiones wrote: »

well building inspec. been and architect and they think I am just creating a fuss over 4-6 inches difference, I have explained that its the gap that's going to be created if next door build as well, but no-one seems to be taking me on board

Wow.

It's YOUR extension. You wanted the wall built where it is shown on the drawings. You contracted with a builder to build the wall where it is shown on the drawings.

Did the building inspector and 'architect'* agree with the builder that there was any reason not to build what was shown on the drawings? If not, ask the builder what he intends to do about it.

Without knowing how big the extension is and what you intend using the space for, it's not possible to know, but I can certainly imagine situations where 6" of space would make a big difference - e.g. to how comfortably you can seat people round a table, whether you can fit a wall of shelves in, etc.

*Doesn't sound like any architect I've ever worked with!

Mojisola

casper_g wrote: »

Without knowing how big the extension is and what you intend using the space for, it's not possible to know, but I can certainly imagine situations where 6" of space would make a big difference - e.g. to how comfortably you can seat people round a table, whether you can fit a wall of shelves in, etc.

Even just aesthetic things like a window that was on the plans to be central now being off-centre would make me want to stop the build - or is the builder going to keep making changes at every point along the way whenever he thinks his idea is better?