Cost of LBC application

[Penners]

Could I advise posters to erase the names of their properties on photographs, or any other clues to geographical location, especially if you're planning to post interior shots at a later stage of renovation.

That's good advice. But I'm not sure that posting a link to the full Zoopla details has helped.

 

[Pford75]

Personally I feel there is a general sense of paranoia about the availability of information on the internet. Most of this information is readily available from many other sources. I have nothing to hide about the location of my house and I refuse to 'live in fear' of burglars etc. (Most of whom are opportunist anyway).

It's this same irrational concern about photos of children on the internet which now means I can't take photos of my son in a football tournament or my daughter learning to swim. Maybe it's a generational thing...i've grown up with the internet and really don't see it in the same way as some others?

Besides, my local authority will make my planning application (including photos, address, full name etc) available online.

by biffvernon on Fri 21st May, 2010 10:14

Lovely porch. Can't imagine why anyone would want to remove it.

Have to disagree Biff. It's a fletton brick 1930's addition...cuts across the original Georgian fanlight. Our CO (and PPUK'er) agrees that it is out of scale, not pretty and that returning to the original stone steps, flanked with railings/baluster would result in a simpler facade.

 

[Penners]

by biffvernon on Fri 21st May, 2010 10:14

Lovely porch. Can't imagine why anyone would want to remove it.

Have to disagree Biff.

Me too, with knobs on (like the porch). It looks like an exceedingly ill-advised and unsuccessful attempt to "grandify" the house - which certainly doesn't need any grandifying anyway.

 

[lordmulberry]

Silly me! I thought Biff's post was tongue-in-cheek.
Cheers

 

[biffvernon]

Personally I feel there is a general sense of paranoia about the availability of information on the internet. Most of this information is readily available from many other sources. I have nothing to hide about the location of my house and I refuse to 'live in fear' of burglars etc. (Most of whom are opportunist anyway).

Absolutely. Don't give in to paranoia. Burglaries are really, really rare. News is biased. You just don't hear about all the houses that didn't get burgled. Running a bed and breakfast means it's quite useful if a great many people can know what your bedroom looks like and where to find it.

And I still love the porch. There's an 18th century farmhouse down the road from us that used to have a porch but was removed with LBC. The house now looks mean, merely what the original builder could have afforded, rather than a reflection of progress afforded by a later generation. My own 18th century farmhouse will be keeping it's later porch.

And from the practical point of view, a substantial porch makes energy saving sense and somewhere to put one's wellies.

 

[LadyArowana]

And from the practical point of view, a substantial porch makes energy saving sense and somewhere to put one's wellies.

I think you have captured the point about this particular porch, to me it doesn't look "substantial" because of the way it cuts the original fanlight. If it was a little larger then it might have been more successful, and all the better for the storage of wellies.

 

[Moo]

But I'm not sure that posting a link to the full Zoopla details has helped.

Oh, I dunno. I looked up my house on that site and was pleased to notice how low its current estimated value is. Makes it pretty clear to would-be burglars that they'd find very slim pickings indeed chez nous.

 

[Joiner]

Oh dear, Moo. I’m not suggesting that anyone get paranoid. The proud British bulldog stance is commendable. But having seen the effect on two friends of what is considered a very rare occurrence by regular contributors to this forum, I’m still of the opinion that it’s not a nice thing to have happen to ANYONE. All anyone is counselling is caution, not dread. I certainly didn’t expect such an overwhelmingly facetious response.

http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/bathroom/bathroom.htm

From that link…

'Period' bathroom fittings are now enormously popular and there is a vast range to choose from. However, take care who you buy antique fittings from. The high prices commanded for the finest antiques encourages the theft of originals. Historic houses left vacant during building works for example are occasionally ransacked for their chimney pieces and bathroom fittings in particular. Whole staircases have even been known to vanish over night. Many of the larger dealers including those that subscribe to the SALVO Code, take care to ensure that they buy from established sources only.”


http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B7D337E5-C7F2-4C7E-BFCD-8B6F263F68D1/0/principles_04.pdf

“Theft
The risk of theft must always be considered during construction . Items ranging from fireplaces to door furniture have been stolen in the past. Large fittings such as fireplaces can be boarded up to protect
against damage or theft.”


http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/A0B00ED6-19C2-4444-98BD-791194D2DD23.htm

“Theft
The theft of architectural features (fireplaces, panelling and doors, for example) is lucrative and listed buildings in London are vulnerable to this sort of crime “


And not just London. But the eastern counties are obviously a special case.

When I was still working I spent time securing old buildings and fitting security measures to historic properties. The people paying me to do the work all seemed a pretty balanced lot who just appreciated a sound sleep and a worry-free holiday whilst their house was empty, not wishing to be phoned by the housekeeper/gardener and told that they’d arrived at the house to find a broken window and items missing; or phoned by the builder renovating their property and told that he’d arrived to find the house flooded because some scroat had nicked the bathroom fittings.

All I was saying was, don’t make “their” job any easier. Seems a simple enough message requiring very little effort.

 

[skier-hughes]

I like the style, but agree it is the wrong size, can't you take the top off and increase it's height a little?

 

[biffvernon]

I have a theory that is nobody ever locked their house doors the number of burglars or the number of burglaries would not rise. It's a sort of tragedy of the commons type thing.

(There's a flaw in my theory - there would be a lot of unemployed and very cross locksmiths about.)

 

[Pford75]

Wow Biff...I think we've found a topic where you and I are completely aligned

Furthermore, I feel there is a huge tendancy to 'demonise' the internet. People don't think twice about giving out information to lots of other sources, yet baulk at the idea of it being on the net. I'll probably be slated for stereotyping again, but I suspect that your average housebreaker isn't prone to spending lots of time researching and is perhaps less likely to be an IT afficionado.

Besides, there are far more effective ways of casing a joint (we had a series of 'workmen' call and offer everything from some 'left over gravel' to 'a bit of tree lopping'). Their vehicle registration was reported to the police by no less than 5 different villagers!! (welcome to Norfolk :wink: )

 

[LadyArowana]

Wow Biff...I think we've found a topic where you and I are completely aligned

Furthermore, I feel there is a huge tendancy to 'demonise' the internet.

I agree, I almost felt I was doing something daring agreeing to meet up with Nigel and Joce in London last Friday! Naturally they are both completely charming and delightful company and very much like I imagined them. We got to visit Nigel's lovely house and it is even nicer in reality than in the pictures. Joce and I went for a look in the shops afterwards too, so it was a splendid day.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, we were just lulling you into a false sense of security. We'll chop you up into little pieces next time and hide you under the floorboards. :wink:

Fab to see Nigel's house though, it's beautiful - those curtains! It's all even more stunning in reality than in the photos, as Lady A says. And wonderful to meet Lady A too, and see a really expert shopper at work!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Going back to the whole security thing, I probably flatter myself but I'm far more scared of an Enduring Love type scenario and a nutcase stalking me, and then killing me, than burglary.

I know it's not very likely but sometimes it makes me so scared I hide in the attic. For that reason I sometimes go through my old threads and erase "Beacon Cottage" - I swing between rashness and caution. I've done extarordinarily rash things in my life, generally got away with it but had fingers badly burned on a few occasions - so I urge caution too.

 

[LadyArowana]

Oh, we were just lulling you into a false sense of security. We'll chop you up into little pieces next time and hide you under the floorboards. :wink:

If you do that I will haunt the place in the worst possible way :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: ! and no doubt smell extremely nasty too :lol:

 

[biffvernon]

Wow Biff...I think we've found a topic where you and I are completely aligned

Blimey, you'll be telling me global warming is man made, peak oil will end civilization and we're all off to Hell in hand cart next.

Just got an email from a certain little lady up north recalling some comments here about Heathrow and Stansted extra runways a long time ago. How times change.

 

[Pford75]

How times change.

What?? Someone sniping at others on PPUK in a desperate attempt to ignite an argument?? No change there :wink: