Posts Tagged ‘Archive Article’

ARCHIVE ARTICLE THAT INCLUDES THE ONLY SURVEYOR JOKE I COULD FIND ON THE INTERNET:

MAN : This house is a ruin. I wonder what stops it from falling down.

SURVEYOR: I think the woodworm are holding hands!

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Who/What does the most damage to a home?

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Woodworm: Rot: Leaks: Frost: UV radiation: Acid rain: DIY: Cowboy-Contractors: Ground movements: Occupier neglect, ignorance & lack of maintenance: Poor design: Inappropriate materials: Storms: Damp/Condensation ?

Woodworm: Multiple forms of woodworm exist – some are “notifiable hazards”. Not usually treated until well-established. Can be costly if ignored for many years or you have Death Watch Beetle.

Rot: Basically only two main forms – Wet & Dry. Wet rot – treat/repair what you see. Dry rot – add a “0 or two” to what you think it might cost!

Contractors: Some are brilliant, some are not! Always get a recommendation – find out what is excluded/included. Always find out when payments are required.

Health & Safety is vital but it can also cause increased costs. Ignore standards and codes and YOU will be in trouble. Even simple low-costs repairs sometimes need massive access costs. Lives are lost needlessly every year because we ignore H&S!

Architects choose materials and designs that Builders must be familiar with to construct your dream home. Any mismatch of skills and understanding and the Surveyor will detect them when they become a problem later on (or advise you that XX may become a problem due to YY).

Suns rays degrade certain materials. Over-heating (thermal gain) can cause dimensional instability and cracking and inappropriate environmental standards.

Frost causes many materials to degrade or to de-laminate. Water pipes/drains can freeze and split/leak. Choose the wrong materials and early failure can occur. (Other materials within land and buildings also cause problems in differing weather or land conditions).

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The real answer to this riddle is “lack of, OR inappropriate monitoring and/or maintenance” causes the biggest problems. Any and every problem has a solution but the best answers always exist if problem diagnosis is both early and correct.

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This throws the spotlight on the -

(1)  common sense of the home owner/occupier (often DIY or Bob-the-Builder solutions make matters worse).

(2)  whether adequate insurances exist (under-insurance means your claim or claims will not be met, or only in part).

(3)  the experience and range of diagnosis tools of the Architect and/or Surveyor.

(4)  the knowledge and experience of all contractors and professionals employed to rectify the problems.

Nothing is perfect, all things degrade but the right choice of maintenance methods, choice of alterations and improvements, the choice of materials used, etc…. are all central to the quality of what you achieve with a property.

• Do you cut corners to meet your restricted budget?
• Is the cheapest contractor the best contractor?
• What alternatives to your needs may exist?
• Which is the best choice – basic repairs or green improvements to cut fuel costs?
• Have you pursued those alternatives to see if grants are available?
• Have you taken cost-v-value advice?
• Is it worth doing analysis OR would it be better to move to a better home?

The property cycle =  BUY  -  MAINTAIN  -  ALTER OR IMPROVE -  MAINTAIN  – UPGRADE & RENEW ELEMENTS  -  MAINTAIN  – MAKE A PROFIT OR LEAVE AN INHERITANCE

Your actions and decisions throughout the above property cycle will determine the eventual outcome of your initial investment in buying a home. Recessions come and go but, over the longer term, housing remains a good investment if you treat it wisely.

If you make the right decisions during your ownership of any home you will have a smile on your face: if you opt for DIY or bodged-solutions to problems, or, even worse, ignore problems or complete no maintenance at all, you enter a potential spiral of decline that may see your investment become a millstone around your neck from which you never financially or environmentally recover.

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Things to consider when investing in your next home.

• Can it be bought within budget?
• Have you the budget to maintain it?
• Have you commissioned and understood your own Surveyors Condition Report?
• Can and should you occasionally improve it to current green standards?
• Can you enlarge it if your space needs increase?
• Is there a price tone ceiling in your district (beyond this improvements may not add any value!)?
• Have you seen and understood the EPC on your potential new home?

• How exposed to frost and prevailing weather patterns is your potential next home?
• Is it within a known flood-plain?
• Does adequate, effective site/surface drainage exist?
• Has it been built upon, or next to, contaminated or filled ground?
• Can you obtain Buildings Insurance and at reasonable premiums without high excess payments?
• Is it traditionally or system built and is that method of construction mortgageable?

Do you need help in fully understanding the answers to the above information? CALL PROINSPECT.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE MAY 2009

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How green should we go?

Taken from, based upon, May 09’ article at RICS Website at www.rics.org

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The Government’s announcement last summer of a renewable energy strategy was a welcome step in the right direction however we should not be fooled into thinking that this will be the answer to all of the UK’s future energy generation issues.

Seven thousand wind turbines may well change the face of our landscape and the colour of some of our energy but it is not a universal panacea, not least because they have to be built and operate to full capacity to achieve anticipated targets – both build and performance are not yet certainties.

The UK has been far too slow in waking up to the need not only to consider green energy but to take key decisions that give a clear direction and stability to the UK’s future energy production.  The resultant uncertainty deters rather than encourages the major investment needed to update and move forward. Both here and worldwide we already face an energy gap – where demand will outstrip supply both in terms of power and the raw materials to generate it unless we move to new technologies.

In the UK, we have major power stations (coal, gas and nuclear) fast approaching decommissioning dates without suitable replacement. Back in 2004 Jack Straw, as then foreign secretary, recognised publicly that by 2020 we could be importing three quarters of our energy needs. However despite this, and international recognition that security of energy supplies is becoming ever more critical, any debate on an indigenous energy policy remains absent.

Our politicians have to be brave and decisive in their policy making. We need an energy strategy that recognises and commits to a broad mix of energy sources and we have to harness our planning system to enable timely delivery of new power stations. It is hoped that the proposed Independent Planning Commission will assist in this and whilst fossil fuels are demonised because of carbon emissions and nuclear continues to be an unpopular option in this country, we cannot rule them out. Nuclear could be attractive given that it does not emit CO2. We also still have significant untapped seams of coal in the UK that could be developed, particularly if clean coal technology was given proper investment.

Undoubtedly solar, renewables, wind and water power all have an increased role to play. Solar currently tends to be at micro-generation level in the UK yet we should look to the research and experimentation happening on the continent.

Lower levels of sunlight are required for the newer technologies and there are grand schemes and exciting ideas ahead. Combined with predicted climate change we will no longer be able to claim that we don’t get enough sunshine to make this viable! (PROinspect comment = Solar systems not only heat water but create power : many people don’t know this!).

Power from water, or waves to be precise, is subject to several studies at the moment with both wave hubs and the Severn Barrage on the agenda. They are potentially very valuable contributors to our future energy generation but have yet to be fully developed and proven.

For both strategic and local energy generation great challenges lie ahead. Strategically government must firmly lead the way and take decisions regardless of political outcomes. Locally we must offer incentives to encourage micro generation where appropriate but also persuade people to take responsibility for their own energy consumption to make what we do have go further.

In the time it took you to read this article the world used 1,000,000 barrels of oil!

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PROinspect comment =

So, will you, will all of us, begin to take Domestic housing EPCs more seriously? Will we begin to at least rebut Public cynicism of such initiatives? Are you capable of becoming positive about Energy?

The Government are hedging their bets in that “the powers that be” are beginning the process of introducing new qualifications – such as Domestic Energy Adviser – somebody who can tell you how to go about making energy savings in environmentally favourable, effective and practical ways.

Energy issues will not go away and whatever the future of HIPs it seems inevitable that energy will remain part of the selling and letting process: personally I see nothing wrong with this but remain staggered that the Public remain unconvinced on this issue, as well as on the issue of private surveys – it certainly seems to me that property condition advice is more important than detailed energy advice.

Perhaps I am bias but the number of times that I see clients eyes being opened up when a call them to talk about condition issues they knew nothing about is alarming.

As I pen these comments I have just taken two calls – both from Purchasers who have seen my EPCs on their purchase home and wanted to ask questions! Although this doubles the number of calls I have taken since HIPs went live, it does hearten me to a small extent. Our collective task must be to work on this stat to raise public awareness – on both condition and energy issues.

I watched BBC Countryfile on Sunday – Sheep farmers not immunizing their herds because no blue-tongue problem exists “at the moment”: you can be right some of the time, but not all the time. Shouldn’t we change our views NOW, not later? The choice is yours. Hope-for-the-best or make an educated decision based on fact and knowledge?

ARCHIVE ARTICLE 2009

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Vapour Permeable Paint

http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/vapour/vapour.htm USE THIS LINK NOW.

Gareth Davies outlines the role of traditional lime-washes and modern alternatives.

PROinspect strongly recommend anyone involved in Building Conversation, including owners of Listed Buildings, read this web article AND Bookmark this web-address (above).

Often, within Building Surveys of dwellings, we stress the importance of allowing Period buildings to breathe, to not obstruct airflows etc…. Indeed this choice of whether to seal or to protect with a microporous covering strikes at the very heart of good, appropriate maintenance.

Where the underlying material is particularly vulnerable to decay, such as soft brick, friable stone, render and cob, the need to achieve a permeable coating is paramount. Therefore the greater the knowledge we all have of the exact decorative processes involved, and our options, the better.

Take the time to read and study this great article.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE MID-2009

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Clients waiting to afford to buy?

Most people were surprised to discover they could actually afford to buy their own homes through shared ownership or new Build Homebuy schemes.

Google the following products –

1- New Build HomeBuy  ——  Formerly known as Shared Ownership (25%-75%).

2- My Choice HomeBuy equity loan product  ——  Government / Chase Consortium 15%-50% funded.

3- OwnHome equity loan product  —— Via Places-for-People & Co-Op Bank (20%-40%).

4- FTB Initiative  —— 50% via Housing Communities Agency + your own Lender

5- HomeBuy Direct  —— 30% funded jointly by Developer & Government

6- Social HomeBuy  —— Don’t have RTA status – scheme to help you buy outright or via joint-ownership.

7- Right to Acquire (RTA)  —— Social tenants to acquire with discounts £9K to £16K, either outright or via shared means.

8- Rent to Purchase (HomeBuy) ——  Assured Tenancy with 3-5 year RTB shared purchase option.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE FROM NEW YEAR 2009:

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What is Value?

I got a new iPOD Touch for Christmas. 16GB. 3,500 songs 20 hours of video. It really is brilliant, stylish and both functional and user-friendly. How did I live and work without it?

Just before Christmas I also began to consider moving home again. My wife and I had seen another home that we both liked and it set our minds to thinking……….

One result was that I had a chat with a local Agent about our own home. That Agent naturally asked about what we were looking for. I thought for a moment and then realized this was difficult to express. Yes, we had a budget “top price” we could afford, we wanted something nice but after that I realized that I couldn’t give much more guidance. When we saw the right house it would shout at us. Why?

It’s a bit like the iPOD: we have basic needs at the practical level but above that and anything extra is a luxury; for us, it doesn’t really matter if it has only 4GB or 32GB, 2 bedrooms or 4. I could use my computer to upload daily selections of differing songs to my iPOD so why is it so important to have your entire library to choose from? Do I really need something that is not essential?

I love housing: I genuinely have a passion for inspecting for defects and then briefing the potential buyer (or seller). I have a passion for picking up the scent and being able to diagnose whether the evidence is serious or not. But, when it comes to my own home, provided I can relax without wind, rain and neighbours interfering with my life then I am happy. So, why must I have “detached” or “two spare bedrooms” or “three reception rooms” etc….. They are not essential.

What I am defining is that the value we all place on housing is different as we have differing needs, standards and aspirations. We assign differing values to all those components that make “a home”. What one may see as valuable may not be the same generally within the marketplace.

So…..when Valuers, Estate Agents and others are assessing your home for “market value’ what are they really assessing?

Professionally the answer is :  “market value” is the best price reasonably obtainable on an unconditional basis for cash consideration on the date of valuation (Report date if not specifically stated) assuming a willing seller; prior to the valuation date a reasonable period for proper marketing (to agree price and terms) and for the completion of the sale has elapsed; that the state of the market, level of values and other circumstances were, on any earlier assumed date of exchange of contracts, the same as on the date of valuation; that no account of any additional bid by a purchaser with a special interest be considered.

There may also be caveats about the Assessor assuming that the condition of the building is reasonable, that those areas not seen, covered or otherwise inaccessible are free from serious disrepair, that good title can be shown and there is nothing strange from a condition, legal or lease point-of-view: the list is endless.

But, at the end of the day please remember three things:-

(1)    that we all have differing needs, expectations and plans that come together in differing assessments of worth, plus

(2)    that history repeatedly tells us that Mortgage Lenders do not have the ability to accurately assess the true worth of any particular home or the credit-worthiness of any particular individual.

(3)    Although most of us are not bothering to study the HIP and Energy Performance Certificate upon our intended purchase we do so at our own peril in that 2009 may be the precursor year that sees energy costs (carbon footprints) begin to alter the established structure of house prices. To a small extent this process has already started but I am suggesting that a threshold will one day arrive after which poor energy performance seriously penalises the value of your investment.

The old adage is correct – Value is that sum an individual is prepared to pay. But, as most purchasers still buy with a mortgage, the availability of finance could increasingly define value – eg: if differential mortgage rates where introduced according to carbon-footprint assessments then those poorly performing homes would be hit hardest. You have been warned.

Value is therefore not something that can be religiously assessed in relation to comparables sales – so much “per bed-space” or “per metre floor area” etc……

Valuation is an Art, it is not a science –

The latter is a good means to achieve a guide price assessment only. Is this why Estate Agents are termed “Negotiators” rather than Valuers? It is not a function of qualifications but, instead, more akin to levels of experience; knowing how to assess an individuals needs and discovering what such a person is prepared to bid for a home that meets those needs in various disjointed or incomplete ways.

Therefore the best Valuers and Negotiators and those who can analyse the market most effectively but also analyse people the best. Mortgage finance terms and any other “influences” then distort those opinions.

I can give my opinion to a client but that client must then assess whether to ignore my advise, or not. If they do ignore it then what will be the cost of that override decision? Also remember we do not all act rationally, all the time. Provided an individual can assess property and market risks, and put up with all the nonsense thrown at them by Lenders who seek to tick boxes rather than assess the person individually, then all should be well at some point in the New Year as a new equilibrium establishes itself.

At some point common-sense must re-enter the marketplace. Sellers marketing at realistic prices and buyers’ Lenders assessing risks in a more practical, human manner rather than the tick-a-box route to insanity that prevailed for the majority of 2008.

Estate Agents have a major part to play here and Sellers need to trust their appointed Agents to get it right. Those that place a home on the market at inflated prices are doing us all a disservice, a matter than often rebounds badly; part of the 2008 spiral of loss-of-confidence.

I do hope this new equlibrium comes about sooner rather than later, for all our sakes.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE from 2008 IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK FROM A PREVIOUS ARTICLE

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This article is in response to customer feedback on our Update01 feature on replastering “old walls”. The following is based upon a trade article found on the internet which I really cannot better except to say that where Lime Mortars have been used historically then such materials should, ideally, continue to be used and NOT those mentioned below. All materials used must be compatible without each other and with those materials that they bind/attach to.

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Replastering Old Walls – an interior specification:

1. Hack off all old plaster to at least 300mm clear of all signs of damp or salt and at least 1 metre above ground floor level – use a meter to test the walls and remove plaster at least 300mm above the highest level that readings can be obtained.

Reason – This is to ensure that the residual ‘salts’ do not climb above the new plaster in the future.

2. Brush the walls to remove all plaster residue, particularly around angle beads.

Reason – old plaster will have ‘salt’ in it and will cause damp spots to appear in time.

3. Repair any holes or poor joints with sand and cement (4:1) using washed, sharp (means slightly gritty) plastering sand (sometimes called screeding or rendering sand). Do not use fine, unwashed sands.

Reason – fine, unwashed sands often contain salt and the fine particles are too numerous to find enough cement particles to bond together tightly – these two problems make for a weak render, prone to the easy passage of ‘salts’.

4. Special Note – walls made with non-porous stone or brick, like granite or blue brick, will require an adhesive to help stick the render coat to the wall – use SBR concentrate)

Reason – normal renders and plasters stick to the wall by suction – the surfaces need to absorb some water. Without this suction the render or plaster will not grab the wall and may become loose and hollow as it dries.

5. Damp the walls lightly (to reduce ‘suction’, which can cause excessive drying and cracking) and apply a thin coat (maximum 1/2 inch, 12.5mm) of render consisting of 3 parts sand – dry, washed, sharp (means slightly gritty) plastering sand (sometimes called screeding or rendering sand) with 1 part of fresh (free flowing – no lumps) Portland Cement.

Reason – thick coats are more likely to slump down the wall during application and crack during drying out.

6. Scratch the render surface liberally all over with a nail board, trowel, metal float or similar object.

Reason – without these scratches the natural drying shrinkage will cause cracking, crazing and hollowness to develop – the next coat will probably pull the first coat off as it dries.

7. Use only Renderproof water proofer/plasticiser in the water that the render is mixed with, at the rate of 1 part Renderproof to 40 parts of water. Do not use fine, unwashed or wet sands.

Reasons – Renderproof binds the sand to the cement and prevents liquid water passing through. It also makes the mix stickier (plasticising) which help to hold the render together. Wet sand weighs more than dry, so it will make your mix weak. Fine sands produce a weak, powdery render, which will not resist ‘salts’. Do not allow the plasterer to add plaster (usually ‘browning’) or washing up liquid to the mix.

8. When the render surface is firm enough (but not bone dry, or it will need re-wetting) apply a second coat to exactly the same specification – if further coats will be needed to reach the desired thickness don’t forget to scratch liberally. In hot weather spray the render surface with water to slow the drying process.

Reasons – excessive drying out increases the suction and can prevent one coat sticking to another. Rapid drying always increases shrinkage, which gives rise to cracking of the render or finish plaster.

9. Whilst still damp (or re-wet again) apply a skim coat of Universal or Board Finish. Do not polish or add water.

Reason – this will produce a shiny, glazed finish which looks good, but is prone to condensation, black mould growth and poor drying.

10. Delay any decoration for at least one month and then only apply a thin coat of breathable emulsion paint (not a heavy vinyl). Do not repaint or wallpaper for at least three months.

Reason – the paint or paper will fall off the wall due to the water vapour that will be trapped underneath in the new render.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE from late 2008

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Should You Disclose Hidden House Defects OR Is Ignorance Bliss?

“Let the Buyer Beware” is an established legal principal in our beloved Country but, in some circumstances, this is a minefield and you may best declare defects to intending purchasers.

It’s illegal for a home seller to knowingly conceal major defects. If you are unsure about whether you need to say something or not, speak to your Solicitor BEFORE you contact your Estate Agent or begin marketing.

If you are a purchaser we at PROinspect suggest you ask the Sellers specific questions – not “is anything wrong with xxxxxx” but instead something like – “The cracks to the rear wall – are these recent, have you informed your Insurers, are these getting worst or are they of a long-standing nature, how long have they been there?”

Generally, you’re responsible only for serious defects you knew about or should have known about. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have your home inspected prior to putting it on the market to figure out what needs to be repaired or replaced. But, when was the last time you knew of somebody who actually did such a thing (except for perhaps redecoration and minor issues)?

However, if you are convinced that selective repairs could cause a greater return on money spent then commission your own Surveyor to tell you what repairs are necessary and what improvements will increase the selling price. Often the good Estate Agent could tell you these secrets!

Don’t be fooled into thinking that every penny you spend will give you back two pence – often, unless you do only the right things, your spend will not affect value at all and therefore taking professional advice is a must!.

While it’s always best to disclose serious defects, it would be wise to disclose the following problems to the buyer: these are “in use” issues that perhaps would only come to light once a person starts living in your home (as opposed to matters that should surface during a Surveyor inspection):-

• Plumbing and sewage issues
• Water leakage of any type, including in basements
• Termites (rare in the UK) or other insect infestations
• Heating or air conditioning system issues
• Property drainage problems
• Foundation instabilities and/or claim history
• Problems with title to the property
• Neighbour issues that aren’t obvious (including Party Wall Act notifications/awards)
• Lead paint, asbestos, hazardous glazing, radon gas, etc……
• Homes registered under the Defective Premises Act (usually “system built” Homes).

If you disclose a defect and the buyer decides to purchase the home anyway, the seller isn’t then responsible for the consequences. A seller who doesn’t disclose known serious defects can be sued by the buyer after the defect is discovered. The seller may then be responsible for the costs of repairs and other damages resulting from the undisclosed defect.

A seller may also be ordered to take the property back if a judge “rescinds” (invalidates) the sale because the seller didn’t disclose defects. You can also be held responsible for the buyer’s claim/court/purchase costs and fees.

If the Courts decide you have been fraudulent, you may also have to pay “punitive damages” that can be very high.

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The case for buying Non-New Homes: New Home Defects Cost £30m a year!

Although many homebuyers readily pay a hefty premium for a new home to avoid the hassle of renovation when they move in, it is costing £30m a year to put right defects discovered in the first ten years after the completion of a new home.

This figure, the highest in the last few years, emerges in a report from the National House-Building Council (NHBC) which supplies the ten year warranty on the great majority of UK new homes.

Of £30m paid out in 2003-4, NHBC says £11m covered claims made within two years of moving in, while £18.3m went to owners of homes between three and ten years old. The figures appear at a sensitive time – for builders have come under fire in recent TV consumer reports for their failure to maintain building standards, or to correct defects fast enough when buyers complain.

In theory, builders should correct most defects found early on. NHBC tends to get involved when problems are longer term, or when agreement cannot be reached with a customer.

If your new home hits big trouble, there’s a one in two chance the problem is underground. Nearly half the money paid out – 49% – went on repairs to foundations, substructure and underground drains. Around 30% was needed to put right load bearing walls and floors, while 9% – about £2.7m – went on roof repairs.

NHBC also reveals that in 2003-4 a total 29 complaints went to independent arbitration and 34 were reviewed by the Financial Ombudsman Service. Of those 34 cases, the NHBC won 23 with five partially in its favour, while three were won by the complainer and in three cases a settlement was agreed.

In the last five years, the highest previous annual payout was £28m. NHBC, holding insurance reserves of £1.24 billion to cover 1.6 million homes currently protected by warranty, says complaints are “taken very seriously”.

Critics of the NHBC warranty have claimed for years it fails to protect homebuyers against building botch-ups.

But the soaring cost of putting things right comes despite the fact NHBC has 330 inspectors across the country making a total of more than one million site inspections every year.

NHBC itself thinks the weather could be partly to blame. In a statement, it said: “New homes are one of the few remaining hand built products, made up of thousands of elements and constructed outdoors in all weathers. Where a problem does occur and NHBC is involved, NHBC’s 10-year Buildmark warranty is in place to protect the homeowner and ensure the work is carried out”.

The amount NHBC paid out in claims each year should be viewed in context of the number of new homes we cover. NHBC Buildmark currently covers over 1.6m new homes – so £30m paid out last year in claims relates to over £256bn worth of property.

But there are risks the repair problem on new homes could worsen before they get better – for two reasons:-

Firstly, Government policy increasingly obliges builders to re-use “brown” land in urban centres – where risks of foundation problems are higher, depending on what was there before.

Secondly, the fear that builders face a savage squeeze on margins as house prices fall. The suspicion is that Builders can only restore profit margins by hacking back costs. That could be tricky to square with customer demands for higher quality.

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So what is PVCu?

The ‘PVC’ part of it stands for Polyvinyl Chloride. The ‘U’ stands for Un-plasticised, often wrongly called Un-modified. The terms PVCu, uPVC, PVC-U, and PVCU all essentially refer to the same product (European harminisation means most Countries now use the letters PVCu).

Poly Vinyl Chloride, which we know as everyday ‘PVC’ is modified, i.e. softened and can then be used in the manufacture of products such as hand bags, sport bags, shoes and fake leather. It is the use of this material which has made us familiar with the abbreviation ‘PVC’.

Pure PVC-U is not quite suitable for window and door profiles. A small amount of stabilisers and additives are required, the mix of which may vary slightly between different manufacturers of profiles for window and door systems, and is necessary to provide longevity, high weather and UV resistance, and also to achieve a brilliant white colour.

The basic material properties of PVCu make it ideal for window, door Conservatory applications: such properties being:-

• Does not rot or biologically decompose.
• Resistant to weathering with low maintenance requirements.
• Is tough on impact.
• Retains its shape within normal climatic temperatures.
• Fairly good insulation performance.
• Can be stiffened by interior insertion of aluminium or steel reinforcement.
• Can be reshaped at very high temperature and can therefore be recycled.
• Factory fabrication means high on-site installation speed.

PVCu lacks authenticity when it comes to the more traditional designs and note that it is not acceptable to Planning Authorities for use in Listed Buildings, and is not popular with them in Conservation Areas (it could be a criminal offence to replace say softwood windows with pvcu windows in a Listed Building!).

In a low Carbon footprint world many home-owners are now using traditional, but sustainable hardwoods instead of such synthetic materials.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE from OCT 2008

Planning a change without Planning?

October 2008 is the right time!

October 2008 is to herald many changes this year. You and your clients may need to revise action plans to reflect these alterations to the current status quo……..

Planning policies have been relaxed (see below) and all Residential Lettings will require an EPC. However, also all those homes still on the market for sale, but which did not qualify for EPCs, require an EPC. The seller will be under a duty to deliver to the purchaser a valid EPC before Exchange of Contracts. Do you and your clients know this?

The Planning change is that various forms of development will not require any Planning Consent:-

Extensions?

All single or two storey side or rear elevation extensions, up to 3.05m (10 feet) deep, are now exempt. Building Control Consent may be needed and, by the way, don’t upset the neighbours and you may need Party Wall Act notifications to those neighbours.

Loft Conversions?

Also loft conversions are affected. From October these will not need Planning Permission if they are less than 40 cubic metres (1,412 cubic feet) in volume in terrace homes, or 50 cubic metres (1,766 cubic feet) for detached and semi-detached homes.

Don’t forget that headroom height will need to be at least 2.3m to be a habitable room – this is an important consideration when it comes to maintaining or creating additional value in your home.

Driveways?

Another Planning change affects pavings. No permission will be needed to lay a driveway over 5m long, as long as it is laid with porous material such as gravel, permeable concrete block of porous asphalt. Before we all rush off to hard-surface that side/front area of land please consider water drainage and whether planning permission would be needed to create an access onto a highway.

Miscellaneous – freed from the need for Planning Permission:-

• Solar Panels (roof mounted or free standing).
• Replacing or maintaining a garage.
• Fences, walls and gates (under 1m high by a road and 2m elsewhere).
• Porches with a floor area of less than 3 sq. m.