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.

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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.

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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.

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