Planning application ridge height (part 1)

[akist]

My planning application mentions ridge height at 6400mm. However on the engineer's plans they take the "ridge" to be where the rafters form an apex, without calculating the actual rounded ridge tiles, which add another 100mm. Because I am building rooms in the loft, every mm of headroom counts. It seems the engineer has taken an (artistic) liberty to calculate total ridge height below the actual ridge tile.

Can the council be complete **** and force me to take it down if the ridge tiles exceed the approved ridge height? The planning application does not show ridge tiles, just a perfect apex where the two rafters meet.

 

[^woody^]

Yes.

I can't wait for Part 2

 

[akist]

OK I will have to make sure that nothing sticks above the 6400mm...

There is no part 2

 

[tony1851]

If it is only 100mm, I fail to see how the council could reasonably enforce on it. The official guidelines on enforcement issued to councils states that enforcement "may not be appropriate for a minor or technical breach where no harm has occurred"

100mm height on top of 6400mm is relatively minor; would the council even be aware of this transgression?

 

[akist]

100mm height on top of 6400mm is relatively minor; would the council even be aware of this transgression?

I am sure the neighbours will be calling in to complain. They already have called the council on multiple occasions.

 

[mrrusty]

100mm? from what datum? On my planning applications I have put dims are +/- 100mm and it's never been queried.

 

[^woody^]

It matters if it sticks up from the ridgeline next door

 

[tony1851]

Because I am building rooms in the loft, every mm of headroom counts.

Can you reduce the depth of the floor joists?

 

[^woody^]

As an aside, why is so much going wrong with your building work?

 

[akist]

It matters if it sticks up from the ridgeline next door

There is no near by next door and we are on a hill.

Can you reduce the depth of the floor joists?

The floor is littered with steel beams, I just counted 30... I cannot make any changes there now the walls are almost up to ceiling level. The floor joists are 225x50.

As an aside, why is so much going wrong with your building work?

Bad builders. I thought I was unique in having so much bad luck, until I spoke to other clients and trades same builder (and other builders) have defrauded. Basically they pack up and leave, don't even pay their own trades. If their company gets charges they simply start another one. If they have printed logos on their T-shirts and vans, they simply change a letter in the new company's name, so they keep their previous vans etc...

 

[akist]

In addition, they work on multiple projects, and not only they do not turn up for work on your project, for weeks on end, they also take your funds and spend them elsewhere. Paying for anything in advance is a terrible mistake.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If it is only 100mm, I fail to see how the council could reasonably enforce on it.

What about 150mm or 200mm?

 

[mrrusty]

Personally I think 100mm is about the limit for acceptable tolerance on building height. It isn't a figure plucked from the air, but the sum of the tolerances on the various elements - e.g. there are industry acceptable tolerances of a ~10+ mm on plan position, slab, vertical walls, floor levels, truss dimensions etc etc. If all the tolerances are in the same direction there may be a deviation from the target dimension even if everything is on-spec.

And, as before, particularly on sloping ground, measured from what datum?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What about 110mm or 125mm?

 

[^woody^]

There is no tolerance in planning, whatever you write on any plans. The plans must be accurate and the work built in accordance with the approved plans.