No doubt many of our members will have seen that parts of London are once again underwater, with tube services and travel being affected across the capital. I’ve previously written that science is indicating the frequency of these events will increase, and the number of times I’ve put pen to Read the full article…
Last week the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) released its “Retrofit Internal Wall Insulation: Guide to Best Practice”. This was designed to provide guidance for designers, surveyors, project managers and installers about retrofit internal wall insulation. A copy of the document can be found via the button below: Read the full article…
No doubt many of our members will have seen the horrific news coming from New York last week where at least nine people tragically died, eight of whom were residents trapped in basement apartments as a result of flash flooding form Storm Ida. I will not pretend for a second Read the full article…
A recent study found that homes in England produce more carbon emissions than all of the country’s cars… and are a greater threat to the climate! The study estimated that there are 25 million homes that produce some 58.5 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. This compares to 27 Read the full article…
Reports of London underwater have been a regular occurrence over the past few months. Pictures of a flooded Sloane Square underground station and the devastation caused to Brian May’s West End townhouse basement, and the irreplaceable mementos it contained, were particularly poignant images. Whilst many of the media outlets have Read the full article…
It has been claimed that as a result of the pandemic, homes that are more ‘adaptable’ have become increasingly popular. One of the areas that provides the greatest amount of adaptability has to be basements. The options for a basement conversion are endless. If you want to create a home Read the full article…
Last week ITN News released a story regarding an increase in the number of complaints (to the housing ombudsman) about Housing Associations, which have risen by 35% in the last three years – from 5,409 in 2018/2019, to 7,316 in 2020/21. Unfortunately news stories like this aren’t uncommon, but currently Read the full article…
A few months back I wrote about my experience when a ‘door to door’ salesman came knocking to let me know I was applicable for a grant to install cavity wall insulation in my home. As much as the above was more ‘pushy door-to-door sales‘, this week a scam has been Read the full article…
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published an interesting report into the prospect of using waterproofing products to allow cavity wall insulation to be installed in properties in areas exposed to wind driven rain. The report is based on a study by Building Research Establishment (BRE) Read the full article…
Dare we say that we told you so…!?!?! For those that may recall, we wrote a number of articles/blogs last year expressing our concerns about how 2020 seemed to bring the perfect conditions for a pandemic of mouldy homes with a cold and seemingly longer winter, where everyone had to Read the full article…
So this is an article about the unsung heroes of the structural waterproofing industry, those that get their hands dirty, those with steel toe capped boots and hi-vis jackets. But to be even more specific, the experienced waterproofing technicians that have helped put into practice the critical waterproofing design countless Read the full article…
Over the last few months I have written a number of blogs about my thoughts on the proposed revision to Approved Document F – Dwellings. I won’t ‘dwell’ (no pun intended!) on the revision for too long here as the deadline for the consultation has now closed, but on the Read the full article…
A couple of weeks ago a story hit the national headlines where a homeowner had been left footing the bill of over £250,000, when a part of their house collapsed during a loft conversion. The family were in the home at the time and two members of the family were Read the full article…
Earlier this week we held our first Spring Regional Meeting for 2021 and we were delighted to welcome representatives from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) to discuss the draft proposal for the revision to Approved Document F (ADF) – means of ventilation of the building regulations. This Read the full article…
It’s funny how things work out! Whilst giving thought to possible topics for a blog for your weekly email, my doorbell rang. I opened the door to a reasonably dressed salesperson and whilst they did have a face mask on, my initial reaction was complete shock that in the midst Read the full article…
A couple of weeks ago we informed you that a revised version of Approved Document F had been released for consultation. This release included a new section on existing buildings which we had been patiently waiting for almost a year. My initial reaction to the document was positive, but then Read the full article…
We have talked about the Green Homes Grant Scheme A LOT recently…but for good reason! Now that homeowners are beginning to take steps towards home improvements with this grant, it is vital to keep reminding them to be cautious. The timeframe to access the grant and complete the works, highlights Read the full article…
The qualifications we as a Trade Association offer have evolved a huge amount, especially over the last few years. It is over two years ago since we relaunched our preservation qualification, now known as the Certificated Surveyor in Timber and Dampness in Buildings (CSTDB). This is now the qualification that Read the full article…
The inspiration for this blog is quite literally, much closer to home than most other blogs! During some proposed renovation works to weatherboarding on the front elevation of my house, it has become apparent that we have bats roosting behind. All of our members will be aware that bats and Read the full article…
We are in strange times. Surely a government announcement with the promise of lowering heating bills and 100,000 (much needed) more jobs to boost the economy could never be seen as a bad thing?! Add to this, it has also been packaged up as a “green investment” helping the UK Read the full article…
