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A garage conversion doesn't always need planning permission as it often falls under 'permitted development'. But it's important to check permitted development rights still apply before starting any work, even if just for your client's sake.
Converting a garage will always need a building…
Increasingly extreme weather conditions mean we have to adapt our building practices to weatherproof our roofs by ensuring they stay in place in severe winds.
Changes in weather patterns have already led to a change in the wind loads used to calculate the fixings required for roof coverings.…
In the current economic climate homeowners are naturally more cautious about investing their savings or borrowing to improve their home.
The media is full of horror stories about cowboy contractors and consumers are becoming savvier about their rights and protecting their assets.
Increasingly…
Pebbledash render was primarily used to protect buildings from the elements.
The term is used to describe external rendering where smooth pebbles are thrown or "dashed" onto the topcoat of render before it dries so that they stick to it and provide a weathering surface.
Spar is a close…
Construction dust isn’t just a nuisance; it can seriously damage your health and some types can eventually even kill. Regularly breathing this dust over a long period of time can cause life-changing lung diseases.
The Health & Safety at Work Act says you must conduct your business…
As the Government announced the first of the new garden villages, a new report ‘Small is beautiful: Delivering more homes through small sites’ published by FMB looks at ways smaller scale developments can contribute to the demand for new homes.
Gary Lewis, National President of the FMB said…
Whilst conservatories are lightweight and sometimes, where they're small and thermally separated from the main house, don’t need a formal Building Regulation application, the detailing, quality of work and construction should still be fit for the job.
Common issues with conservatories…
Designing and constructing wide enough foundations is crucial to ensure that the building loads are safely transferred to the ground. This is particularly important as the construction of masonry walls with wider cavities is now commonplace to accommodate the required thickness of insulation to…
The above photograph was taken by one of our building control surveyors carrying out a site inspection, and shows how attention to detail (or a lack of!) can lead to future problems. This extension will suffer from moisture problems, but there is not one reason why – there are three.
Look…
Shortlisted Finalists East Lodge, LancasterProject Team: FPA Architects, MH Stainton HomesLocal Authority: Lancaster City CouncilRegion: North West High Street, BerkhamstedProject Team: Contour Architecture Ltd, Equibuild UK Construction LtdLocal Authority: …