| Author | Message | ||
     Bob UK Unregistered guest Posted From: 94.197.121.120 |
In the UK before one builds anything bigger than a garden shed then one must have permission and the structure has to pass building control or code. Two bits. One without the other and the council will demo it and charge one for it. To me its all straight forward. I have just watched a TV show where a guy had permission for a mobile home bit built a large log cabin instead. Because the kit came from Canada the owner told the council that its a mobile home. There is a legal definition of what a mobile home is. And a log cabin 10 times the size of a mobile home or trailer is definitely not a mobile home. The owners always seem gobsmacked when the council tells them it has to be demoed. Stupid people. My man cave. Orignally it was a ramshackle double garage with a badly made extension. Foot print of 7m by 7m. The council was happy for me to demo and replace with proper building. One of the engineers in building control redesigned my drawings complete with roof loading calculations for nothing. And then approved the design. what nice people. Get the wrong side of them and they can be nasty. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Prolific User Username: soviet Post Number: 270 Registered: 2-2013 |
I absolutely hate Councils. I see them as a public pest best extinguished with a flame thrower. I pay $1,100 AUD a year for the rates bill. The council provides nothing at all for this. However, they keep out of my hair so I can erect anything I want because they are loath to come out to our remote town probably because they would get scalped alive. Nobody in the area has a good word to say about them and the large farmers who pay hundreds of thousand of dollars are much more savage than me. Possibly this is why I like the country lifestyle. Living in the cities is an invitation for these morons to pester. I want them all abolished forthwith. | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 3207 Registered: 4-2003 |
Well, Vladmir. You pay the lowest rates in Australasia. That must be the advantage of living in a remote location. A bedsit in Wilcannia has higher local rates than yours. | ||
| Bob of Dorset Unregistered guest Posted From: 188.29.164.117 |
My rates £1100 per year. My council can be nasty they have more power than the Police. Plus they often short cut due process. I simply cannot understand why people break the law knowing they are going to come unstuck. Every body knows that there are laws about building. If they don't then they are really stupid. Other countries are lax about the laws. I notice that Asians are liable to ignore. Although it sounds good to do as you like. Without laws the guy next door could build a 10 storey block of flats in his garden. Which could collapse and demo my place. It happens in Asia. But in Vlad's case the remoteness means build what you like in reason and as long as no one complains its Ok. If there lots of room most buildings are single storey I have changed my handle because I registered and the system won't accept Bob UK. I am awaiting activation code. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1618 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Bob, I noticed the name change when approving today's posts but didn't expect this would be as a result of joining the forum. Don't forget to check your email spam and bin folders for the activation email from this forum as it often ends up there because of the activation link in the email. Hope you can master the posting of attachments so you can include illustrations and reference material in your posts. If you need any help, please let me know. | ||
| richard george yeaman Prolific User Username: richyrich Post Number: 285 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi Bob that's good you are registering you should have done that years ago. Wonder what David is going to do with all this spare time he is going to have LOL. Richard. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 404 Registered: 5-2009 |
Yeah, BOB! Vladimir: in rural Louisiana we got the "International Building Code" after Katrina wiped out that ghetto known as New Orleans. I represent my district on what you would probably call a council, in Louisiana it is the Police Jury. County in LA is a parish; 12 districts, I am one of 12.I say it in meetings when it comes up: I resent having to ask permission of the government to spend my money to build something on my land. period. it's my business. Government will take over if you don't resist. Tyranny is human nature and the natural progression of things. | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Prolific User Username: soviet Post Number: 271 Registered: 2-2013 |
Hell I thought I would really stir the possum with that post of mine re: flame throwers for dealing with the local council. My experience is that councils provide a venue for nosy neighbours with nothing better to do than make hideous complaints about what they see in their neighbours yards. Having to apply for permission to put up a garden shed appears to be an overkill to me. Is it better just to scatter the shovels and other gardening implements all over the back yard? Now here's a council tale and I doubt any of you will believe this one. Almost a two decades ago I lived in a large Australian city and knock knock on the door. A well dressed chap then indicated to me that he was from the council and that he had a complaint from my Asian neighbour across the road who had stated that one of my twenty year old Jacaranda trees was dead in line with his front door causing him much grief because of his 2,000 year old belief in Feng Chui. Mr Asia wanted the tree gone as he believed it was bringing him bad luck. I immediately thought one of my mates was trying to play a practical joke on me. I demanded identification from the well dressed council man and was surprised that he produced the correct council identification. He informed me that the council had to check out all complaints regards of the level of stupidity involved. I blasted off a right stern letter on my law firm's letter head informing Mr. Asia that Australians in general don't take lightly too neighbours complaining to councils prior to have the simply courtesy of discussing their grievances beforehand. Mr. Asia then knocked on my door apologising profusely so I offered to cut the tree down provided his two teenage daughters spent a short time watering the ten other Jacaranda trees surrounding my property. Evidently, they were too busy with their studies Mr Asia announced and with that the profound belief in Feng Chui disappeared too. How amazing. But Richard is right - I have no cause to winge given the small amount of rates I pay for nothing but the right to receive the rates bill each year. People in the larger towns especially on the east coast of Australia are getting far larger rates bills - for what reason I cannot fathom except that wherever you have governments you have massive incompetence and waste. I prefer not funding governmental lunacy. Hence my motto - the best neighbours are no neighbours. | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 800 Registered: 1-2008 |
As I may have mentioned ere now, last year I acquired a used steel sectional garage which I've erected on some hard standing to the rear of my property. Knowing just how anal local councils can be I pre-submitted scale plans (plan and elevation) for building approval. Although the whole thing is braced with baulks of timber it's still classed as essentially a non combustible structure. Despite being 3.5 metres * 7.5 metres there's so much junk in it that I can hardly ever find the tool(s) I'm looking for. This is despite the fact that everything came out of an 8 foot square wooden shed! Mind you: I couldn't actually get in the shed due to the lack of floor space. At least I've now got as much bench space (including a steel one for welding on) as the original shed had in total floor area! One neighbour heard about the structure after it had gone up and immediately told everyone in earshot that it would be coming down again as soon as she could inform the council. Since she lives on the opposite side of the road she can't even see it from almost any vantage point due to my bungalow and several trees blocking line of sight! However, as said, I had the relevant building permission and the inspectors were happy with it. Since then she's kept her big gob shut on the subject. I'm now waiting for my latest automotive excesses to be the subject of scrutiny: A Canadian built Dodge Ram Day Van and small trailer for my camping gear. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington New User Username: bob_uk Post Number: 2 Registered: 5-2015 |
I am Robert Noel Reddington. I have loads of hand tools. I keep one of every thing in a roll cabinet tool box. The rest is on selves in cat litter trays. Otherwise one can't see the spanners for the wrenches. I have over 10 3/4 af sockets. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 406 Registered: 5-2009 |
Rates = property taxes here in Louisiana. In our little rural parish (county) of about 46000 souls, mine is about $1600 US per year. this is for my home and some acreage. All local government functions together in our parish spend about $175 million per year: public schools employ approx 1000; one substantial city of about 20,000; courts, sheriff's dept., rural fire protection; 4 or 5 little villages. Two highest budgets: school board and city each have a budget approx $70 million. where does it all come fromZ? Answer: people. People pay all taxes. A tax is simply a skim off everything that is produced. Louisiana has lots of oil and gas production which is taxed at the state level, so a lot of local money comes from the state. One constituent in my rural area called me: he owned a mobile home on 1/4 acre, and wanted an ordinance passed to prohibit anyone from doing anything he did not like within sight of his castle. Wasn't going to happen,but it already has happened in lots of places. Peoples' mad rush toward tyranny is frightening. during Memorial Day weekend here, when fallen soldiers are honored, I saw a couple of movies and heard an old radio program repeated: all were made after WWII and had the theme of We will never forget, but we have already. Appeasement of Hitler, things that led to WWII the young have no concept of. To them, peace is "quit fighting" which will get you killed as long as there is evil in the world. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington New User Username: bob_uk Post Number: 9 Registered: 5-2015 |
There is a lot of unseen stuff that is essential to the running of a town or city. The money comes from taxes. For instance Christchurch Dorset has big water pumps to stop flooding. Unseen but they have to be maintained which costs a bomb. This money comes from tax payers. If those pumps fail then Xchurch floods. It will cost maybe 1 billion to repair the damage to the town. I am afraid that you have to pay taxes. I don't want to pay but the alternatives are not as good. Such as rubbish piled up here and there. And no police or fire service. | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Prolific User Username: soviet Post Number: 272 Registered: 2-2013 |
The police left my town in 1967 and we have never had a fire brigade, in any case sometimes there is no water anyway. I would pay extra tax not to have either of them and to reduce the present population from 10 to 1 - then it would be a perfect town. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Experienced User Username: bob_uk Post Number: 14 Registered: 5-2015 |
My cousin Ray lives half way up a Welsh Mountain in the Brecons. He likes company for a day or so then wants to be alone. I am a more social animal who likes people. Except northerners that think we are southern softies. | ||
| christopher carnley Unregistered guest Posted From: 86.168.246.160 |
I like Ray! (or maybe not?) (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Experienced User Username: bob_uk Post Number: 38 Registered: 5-2015 |
Ray is known as Big Dixey. He is a retired Rock and Roll Road Manager and security guy. He looked after people like the beach boys. He used to be able to press 400lbs. He's actually a gentle happy bloke and liked by many. He was a mate of the late Joe Cocker. |
