08/04/14 National Custom and Self Build Week!

Are you building your own home? Did you know about National Custom and Self Build Week? It runs from 3-11 May and aims to teach and help all you Self Builders out there turn your dream into a reality!

The week is organised by the National Self Build Association and supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The main events are taking place in London during Grand Design Live, but there are also local and regional events happening.

Building a house yourself means you really do end up with the home you want and it's often cheaper! Self builders usually make their homes greener by including features such as Heat Recovery Ventilation, solar panels, ground to air heat exchangers, cavity wall or loft insulation - to name a few. It's a surprise then that less than 10% of new homes in the UK are Self Builds compared to 50% in other EU countries. It is hoped that this week will help thousands of people get their builds started and hopefully see an increase in projects this time next year!

We wish everyone luck with their self build projects and hope you enjoy National Custom & Self Build Week.

27/03/14 Labours plans for Self Builders

Emma Reynolds Labours Shadow Housing Minister wants to see more people building their own homes saying they should be encouraged to do so. Speaking to The Independent Ms Reynolds said she wanted to make councils sell off small areas of unused land to people like you who want to build their own homes. The suggestion is that there will be a new land waiting list which will help potential self builders, especially first time buyers, who can't afford to get on the property market as well as helping Labour double the number of homes built across the UK each year.

This sounds like music to our ears, self builders definitely need more encourage to move forward. A lot of people are put off by the unknown as well as struggling to find land, gaining planning permission and a self build mortgage. But by building your own house you can create your dream home and feel such a sense of pride when the project is complete!

In the UK only 10% of new homes are self builds compared with 50% for our neighbouring european countries.

We are looking forward to a self build future and seeing that 10% figure increase to 50% in the UK!

17/03/14 Fancy converting a farmhouse into a home?

New planning guidance is making it easier for Self Builders to do just that! Nick Boles, Planning Minister has set out a number of reforms to the planning system in a new statement, which should be great news for all you self builders out there!

The biggest change from the reform to the planning rules is likely to be about how you convert old farm buildings. This will open up loads of opportunities for both farmers selling their derelict buildings and land as well as self builders wishing to convert into a lovely new home.

Nick Boles says "These reforms will make better use of redundant or under-used agricultural buildings, increasing rural housing without building on the countryside. Up to 450 square metres of agricultural buildings on a farm will be able to change to provide a maximum of three houses."

"The Government wants to enable more people to build their own home and wants to make this form of housing a mainstream housing option. There is strong industry evidence of significant demand for such housing, as supported by successive surveys. Local planning authorities should, therefore, plan to meet the strong latent demand for such housing".

This is exciting news for anyone wishing to undertake such a task and will make the whole process seem a lot easier I am sure.

10/03/14 It's the start of the hayfever season...

The sun is finally shining and 2014 is set to be the hottest summer on record! Which is great news for all you sunworshippers out there but bad news for all the 16 million hayfever sufferers. Tree blossom and beautiful flowers often signal the start of summer but for many the start of ichy eyes and runny noses :(

Hayfever season can last from March to October, with different pollens being realised throughout this period.

NHS UK has put together some tips for reducing the symptoms of hay fever:

• Keep windows shut
• Stay indoors when the pollen count is between 50 and 150
• Wear wraparound sunglasses
• Wash hands and face regularly
• Avoid allergens - such as pet fur, insect spray and tobacco smoke

By minimising pollen, dust mites and other allergens in the home or workplace will greatly reduce the symptoms of hayfever, asthma and other forms or Allergic Rhinitis.

A Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems has a major impact on the quality of air within a building. Our systems remove dirty, stale and damp air and replace it with a constant flow of fresh, filtered air - meaning your environment is healthy for you and your family. Pollen and particles, which affect hayfever and asthma sufferers, are filtered out from the incoming air.

To find out more about how a heat recovery ventilation system can help you survive the hayfever season, contact us.

Hope you have an allergy free season :)