Permitted Development Rights Scotland 2012

New rules have been introduced this month (Feb 2012) that will take about 4000 planning applications out of the system each year.

The Scottish Government have introduced the changes so that projects such as some extensions, garages, sheds, garden decking and adding access ramps to properties will no longer require official planning permission.

They hope that this will mean more people will take the opportunity to start these smaller projects generating work for builders and other trades whilst saving the homeowner the time and money previously spent getting official permission.
The exceptions to these new rules will be for listed buildings and properties situated within conservation areas.

So if the thought of having to go through the planning procedure was putting you off that home improvement project then think again, your project might be one of the 4000 no longer requiring official permission. Best to check with your architect, just to make sure…

The Advantages of SIPS Panels

Sips or structural insualted panels save time, money, and energy. They outperform many other building methods in virtually every aspect because of the structural strength, ease of erection, and insulation value of the components.

SIP Panels are a structural composite acting like an I-beam. The skins act like the flanges and the rigid core is similar to the web. In short, the three components work together, rather than against one another. The composite assembly yields stiffness, strength, and predictable responses to loads. Sips panels have an integral tongue and groove system for joining panels together that also helps carry the structural load. Sips resist both compressive forces from above and buckling and warping forces from the sides. Sips panels have been tested to UK standards by UKAS accredited testing facilities, for compression, transverse, and racking loads. Depending on the type of structural test being administered, Sips range between two and seven times stronger than traditional framing.

Four key factors make the average SIP building very energy-efficient.
1. Polyurethane foam provides higher insulating value per mm than alternative insulation materials.
2. There is much less wood framing within the typical panel, which increases total U -value.
3. The foam is continuous and is not susceptible to the commonplace flaws found in average installations.
4. Foam, when bonded directly to the exterior and interior wall “skins,” doesn't allow air infiltration around it.

SIP-made buildings are vastly more energy-efficient, stronger, quieter, and draft free than alternative building methods likes stud framing with lose laid insulation. Man made mineral fibre insulation is sometimes used for furnace filters because air moves through so freely. Polyurethane foam consists of billions of tiny cells with solid polyurethane cellular walls. Air cannot flow from cell to cell or between cells. Rigid foam insulation is used as solid component insulation in almost every industry concerned about heat transfer, such as the refrigeration industry, for its inherent efficiency and prevention of air movement. These attributes are built right into the sips panels. Less air movement or leakage translates into far fewer drafts, fewer penetrations of noise, much lower energy bills, and a significantly more comfortable and controllable indoor environment. You can have a quieter, more comfortable accommodation.

Fire requires three components: ignition, oxygen, and fuel. Sips panels have no "air" within the solid core of the insulation. The fire cannot "run up the wall" cavity, as is the case with traditional stud construction.

For more information on SIPS Construction feel free to contact us.

The above text is provided courtesy of Craig McKillop craigm@gardenlodges.co.uk or feel free to contact Craig via his web page www.gardenlodges.co.uk

New Build vs. Tried and Tested

As with everything in life there are pros and there are cons in every large decision that we face included the purchase of a home. Whether you opt for an older property or decide on a brand new build can hinge on a number of factors, both options have good points and bad points.

New Build Homes – The Case For
A new build home can be very appealing. Everything is new and, in theory, in good working order. You may have the opportunity to choose from a range of kitchen units, worktops and tiling in both the kitchen and the bathroom(s).

The roof, windows and doors will all be in sound condition and compliant with current British Standards. Fitted bedroom furniture is a popular feature and many house builders will give you the choice to have a fire place or not and to choose between French and patio doors.

In essence you have a wide choice and a blank slate to work with. Yes, you will probably have to buy flooring for the whole house but you won’t have to rip out someone else’s and your new home comes with guarantees. These are the pros to a new build, but what are the cons?

New Build Homes – The Case Against
New build houses generally have smaller rooms. Some show homes may even have no doors, giving a false indication of space.

Settling of the property can cause stairs to come away from walls and nails to ‘pop’ out of walls. In extreme cases cracks can appear.

There will be very few light fittings; no window dressings, no flooring and the chances are your back garden will be left resembling a building site.
These are the downsides to a new build but are tried and tested homes really any better?

The Pre-Owned Property – The Up Side
Generally in older properties the room sizes are more generous and the chances are the house will have done all its settling.

Gardens will be more mature and possibly larger depending on location.
Fixtures and fitting may be sold with the property providing a stop gap between moving in and having to replace curtains, carpets and lights. White goods are more likely to be left as well.

Depending on your taste you may find a suitable property that you simply bring your furniture to and you are good to go. These up sides can be more financial than aesthetic in nature but what if you really don’t like the décor?

The Pre- Owned Property – The Down Side
If the property is really old you may find that you are entering a time warp filled with avocado bathroom suites and Paisley patterns carpets. If these are not to your taste they can be hard to live with. You may find yourself faced with the cost of replacing flooring and bathrooms as well as kitchen units and woodchip wall paper.

The older the property the more likely some structural work maybe required if it hasn’t already been undertaken. This is the biggest downside. Many glorious, well-proportioned, large properties that are 100 years of age or more can become money pits.

If you are looking for some practical advice? Think it through carefully before setting your heart on anything. Keen on an older property? There is no harm in consulting a professional like an architect who can tell you about the area, the property and the long term challenges you may face.

Block Energy Services

After much demand we have decided to assist our clients by offering more services associated with the construction industry. This will ensure a faster speedy service and ultimatley our aim is to provide, as much as physically possible, a one stop shop for our clients. To kick start 2012 we have launched Block Energy Services which adds SAP Calculations, SBEM Calculations, EPC certifcates and much more to our portfolio of services.

Here's a little more about what's coming:-

SAP Calculations – What Are They All About?

A SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) is a number of calculations, including heat loss through walls, floors, roofs, heating and hot water, lighting etc, works out how energy efficient a dwelling is, showing a scale of 1 to 100 - from poor to excellent.

It is used to demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations Approved Document L1A by comparing the designed Dwelling Emission Rate (DER) with a SAP calculated Target Emission Rate (TER).

SAP 2005 works on a comparison basis that your house design was built to the 2002 Building Regulations, it will now from 2006 and onwards, have to be 20% more efficient.
So, for example, if the house cost £100 per year to run in 2002, in 2006 onwards it will only cost £80 per year to run.

Block Energy Services operate on an ethical basis, drawing on our consultants many years of experience to get the best results for your design. If required, we will advise on the best construction to suit your requirements.

SBEM Calculations – What Are They All About?

SBEM (Simplified Building Energy Model) is a software tool developed by BRE that provides an analysis of a non-domestic building's energy consumption.

SBEM is used for non domestic buildings in support of the National Calculation Methodology (NCM) and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

The tool helps to determine CO2 emission rates for new buildings in compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) and equivalent Regulations in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Jersey. It is also used to generate Energy Performance Certificates for non-domestic buildings in construction, for sale or let.

SBEM was developed by BRE for the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Energy Performance Certificates – What Are They All About?

Energy Performance Certificates and Display Energy Certificates educate the general public and house buyers on the efficiency of the building they are looking to purchase or use. It is now a legal requirement that all new, recently sold and rented commercial and domestic properties have an EPC.



If you know anyone who is looking for the above services or any advice on similar industry related topics then please contact us so that we can direct your query to our specialists.

I started this in 2011 and finished in 2012 - Here's to your success

I have written this blogpost so many times then deleted it and then edited it and then lost it and now I am starting again. I guess the brain cells have diminished over the festivities.

All of that said I am looking forward to 2012. We all leave the worries of 2011 behind us and look forward to the promises of 2012 and what will hopefully be a great year for all of us.

We are looking forward to a bumper year and hope that the Construction Industry Sector now refuses to participate in the ongoing credit shortage and certainly not to participate in a 'double dip' which we must all try and avoid.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the last day of the festive holidays before we return for the 2012 journey. We have a few existing projects which are steaming along and a few new ones just about to get kick started. We also look forward to the 5th 'property podcast' with the fatbuzz team and our regular guests. You can listen to podcast #4 by clicking here.

So here's to your success in 2012, whatever you do and wherever you may be. Let's all make this year count.

If you have enjoyed this post or the podcast please use the Facebook, Twitter and Share buttons below to share it with your online community, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too. Thank you.

Please also remember you can follow Block Architects on our Facebook Page by clicking here.

The Good, The Bad and The Downright Mad – Self Build Homes

The term self build homes is a bit of a misnomer. Very few people actually roll up their sleeves, start mixing concrete and invest in a nail gun. The truth is most self builders will hire an architect and only get their hands dirty when it comes to the final decoration.

There are many arguments for and against self building and the main one is cost versus hassle. There is no doubt that building your own home is cheaper than paying a premium to a house builder and if you truly go down the DIY route its even cheaper. However the stress involved in finding land, laying foundations and creating a home far out weighs the stress of simply moving into one.

That said we are still curious about those who take on the challenge of self building. Over three million of us regularly tune into Grand Designs and watch the ups and downs of self build projects. As a nation we lag behind many other countries with amount of actual self building that we do. Only 10% of homes in Britain are self builds compared to 80% in Austria and 60% in other parts of Europe.

Taking on a true self build project can be as daunting as it is exciting. If clambering up an A-frame brandishing a nail gun is your thing then DIY self building is for you. If however you want the ability to ensure that your new home fits your lifestyle as much as possible but brandishing a paint brush is your limit then hire an architect.

When it comes to self build projects an architect can be worth their weight in gold, time saved and hassle avoided. They will project manage all the other construction professionals required and keep you updated regularly. Engaging an architect prior to selecting your plot of ground can reap great dividends. That gorgeous bubbling stream that you see meandering through your back garden could translate as a genuine flood risk come the April showers, when seen through an architects eyes.

So before your project gets off the ground, weigh up the good points (lower cost), the bad points (loads of extra stress) and decide if you are of the DIY variety of self builders (you get to use a nail gun) or if you want an architect to protect you from all of the stress. Whatever you decide, happy self building!

If you found this topic interesting then you can read more on self build here.

If you have enjoyed this post or the podcast please use the Facebook, Twitter and Share buttons below to share it with your online community, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too.  Thank you.

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Block Podcast Edition 4 now available - Working from home vs the office - The work/life balance and much more...

It's early December and we are now at Block Podcast No.4, we've been very encouraged with the response and feedback from the initial podcasts.  We are continuing to look for people to take part in future podcasts and, for your suggestions of topics you would like us to discuss on future episodes.  If you would like to take part or suggest a topic please contact Kenneth Martin who will be happy to chat through your ideas.

Episode 4 of the Block Podcast was recorded on the Thursday 1st December 2011and we were delighted to welcome back some guests along with one new one - here are the participants:

• William Hume, Director, Terrenus CDH
• John Stobbs, Director of Operations, Sap Service UK

Also on the podcast we have Kenneth Martin, Managing Director, Block Architects and Gordon White, Managing Director, fatBuzz Ltd

As usual, we covered lots of topics during our open and lively conversation and we hope that there's something in the podcast for you.  To help you decide, we've listed some of the topics/questions that were asked and answered during the recording.  We began by looking at the issue of home working as opposed to working from an office, here are some of the key topics:

• Flexible working
• The benefits of collaborative working
• The ease with which you can open branch offices
• Serviced offices and meeting room facilities
• Is there any stigma in working from home?
• Trust issues - will your employees give 100% if working remotely
• Work/life balance
• Is there too much negativity around?  
• Has the current climate been a wake up call for many businesses?
• Loyalty in business - Is there still loyalty in business?
• Investment - Is it being affected by uncertainty because of the independence issue?
• Is investment too heavily weighted in favour of energy projects?
• Solar energy and the tariff changes
• Lack of investment in the communications infrastructure
• Is the planning process affecting investment?
• The costs associated with the planning process
• Does the planning process lack a certain amount of judgement or are the planners bound by too many regulations?
• Grand Design - Has it become a bit of a circus?
• The passive house
• The increasing demands on the built environment

We hope you enjoy the discussion on this podcast and remember if you would like to take part in a future episode please email Gordon White or Kenneth Martin for a chat.

We would also like to get some feedback from you about the podcast and suggestions for topics you would like us to cover; you can either leave them as a comment here on the blog or, on our Facebook Page.

Play the podcast here:

Download and subscribe to Block Podcast on iTunes HERE

If you have enjoyed this post or the podcast please use the Facebook, Twitter and Share buttons below to share it with your online community, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too.  Thank you.

Please also remember you can follow Block Architects on our Facebook Page by clicking here.