14/12/12 - Green Deal to help millions with rising energy prices

The British householder has another cost to worry about as the festive season approaches; the ‘Big 6’ utility providers have confirmed that their gas and electricity prices will have significantly risen by the end of 2012.

 
We hope the Green Deal, due to launch officially to homeowners in 2013 will alleviate fuel poverty in the UK. (Fuel poverty is the term used when a household spends over 10% of their annual income on energy bills.) The Green Deal is designed to help property owners finance improvements to energy efficiency and insulation through the 'Green Deal Loan'.

What is important to remember here, is that the loan will be attached to the property, not the person. Further, the Green Deal improvements will be paid through monthly instalments that are added on to a property owner's energy bills. The Green Deal 'golden rule' is that these charges will never be allowed to be more than the money saved on energy bills; so the property owner should experience no financial strain.

Returning to the extremely worrying increase in energy costs, it can now be seen why this scheme should be welcomed with open arms come early 2013. These rises are not small and will affect families significantly. Compared to 2011, it can be seen that the average annual bills for British Gas customers have risen by 22%. Further, a shocking 3 million EDF Energy customers will experience an average rise of 11% on their bills from 7th December 2012*.

The kinds of green home-improvements that will be undertaken as part of this scheme will be things such as Green Deal Double Glazing, Green Deal Insulation and Green Deal Boilers. Double glazing could save a bill-payer around £165 a year on their energy bills. We are investigating whether heat recovery ventilation could be included in these measures, as we have abundant evidence of its efficacy in saving energy and improving air quality inside homes. Here at ADM Systems, we welcome enquiries and questions from home owners of both new and old properties, and advise on how we can help make savings.

The Green Deal is a major scheme that incorporates both the environmental and economic concerns of the country. It is not going to be a speedy process but will hopefully establish itself over the next few decades, helping the government reach its carbon emissions reduction target of 80% by 2050.

We will watch the progress of the Green Deal in the coming months and keep you up to date with developments. Meanwhile, keep warm and cosy!

(*source: inspired economist)

07/12/12 – Homebuilding Awards Announced

The property world is a grim place at the moment, with a stagnant housing market reluctant lenders and a shortage of affordable homes for first time buyers. As the season to be jolly is almost upon us, we are taking an upbeat tone in this week’s blog. ADM Systems are celebrating the successes of the small corner of the construction industry that is still buoyant.  Last week the Telegraph Homebuilding and Renovating Awards were announced, applauding the self builders, who despite these hard times, have shown exceptional creativity, ingenuity, determination and passion.

Winners have been chosen in 10 categories. Each has created or modified a building to be true to their vision of how to live. “When it comes to pushing forward housing in the UK, self-build is the place to be,” says Jason Orme from the Homebuilding & Renovating magazine. “Whether it be radical designs or highly energy-efficient building standards, I admire the commitment entrants put into their homes, and the risks they take.”

Chris Taee, who has won this year’s Most Innovative Project, worked on Downley House, Hampshire, for more than two years. “This kind of project, where the elements are unique and likely to change, is hard to cost. So I took everything on myself. There are always issues; for example the glass was made incorrectly the first time and had to be redone. But there were no serious disasters.” The finished home is divided into three parts; the back of the house has two guest bedrooms, the kitchen and all of the maintenance rooms; then the family’s part of the house, with three en-suite bedrooms, two living rooms and a playroom. At the house’s centre is the spectacular dining room, or foudre. An airy, arched space finished in oak and copper, it takes its name from the large barrels used in the winemaking process – a reference to Chris’s previous career in the wine industry.

Mixing new features with existing architecture was also a challenge faced by Dan and Jocelyn Ahmad, who won Best Renovation. Both solicitors, they wanted to give their detached five-bedroom Victorian home in Crouch End, north London, a modern revamp. They hired Phil Coffey, an award-winning architect who specialises in sleek spaces with clean lines and plenty of glass. The result is an eye-catching addition to the street.

Neither the Taees nor the Ahmads, however, had to put up with the Herculean stresses which faced this year’s Overall Winners. Tim and Ceridwen Coulson, from Monmouthshire, wanted to build a stylish new home in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Eventually they got it. Their new property, the work of Gloucester architects Hall and Bednarczyk, is a stunning three-storey, four-bedroom contemporary house Judges were impressed by its combination of style and local materials. Despite its modern design, it blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

As well as the self-build initiatives, there are signs that the Government is planning to relax laws to help self-starters like the Coulsons achieve their dreams. In September, David Cameron announced proposals to let homeowners undertake major renovations without seeking approval from the council.

Two decades of these awards have offered compelling proof of self-build’s advantages. This year’s crop is a timely reminder that self-builders are not only pushing boundaries for eco-friendliness and sleek contemporary design, they are also responsible for some of the best homes being built in Britain. In 20 years’ time, hopefully, homes like these will be the rule, rather than the exception.

If you’re building your own home and are interested in the energy savings possible with heat recovery ventilation, send your plans to our expert engineers for advice, guidance and a no-obligation quotation.

 26/11/12 - Self-builders keen to spread the word

We found this article in the BBC Business News by Brian Milligan that we thought was very interesting.

Which of us hasn't fantasised about a new house, exactly as we want it?

You know the sort of thing: swimming pool in the garden, 'his and hers bathrooms', or even a home cinema. Well, such dreams may not be as far-fetched as you think, because around 15,000 people a year are now building their own homes.

Most buy a plot of land, then hire architects and builders to do all the physical work for them.
By avoiding the large profit margins of developers, they can save tens of thousands of pounds.
And it does not need to be a grand design. Most self-built houses are perfectly ordinary homes, which would not be out of place on a modern housing estate.

"Ever since I was given a Meccano set, I could never stop building things," says Terry Moore, as he watches his five bedroom house take shape on a quiet suburban street in Surrey. The house will have five en-suite bathrooms, an internal garden, and even trees in the hallway. Mr Moore is a design consultant, so had some experience of architects and builders, but this is the first building he has ever been responsible for himself. "Anyone can do it," he says. "There is so much advice out there in the market."

His first motivation was the design. "Every time you look at buying a property, you are compromising. And when you are building your own, you do not have to compromise. You've got a blank canvas and you do exactly what you want."

But he says the most noticeable benefit has been the cost. By cutting out the developers, he estimates that he is saving between 20% and 30% compared to building in the conventional way.
It can also be cheaper to buy your own materials than do it through a builder, with good deals said by some to be available on the internet. One conventional supplier even offers a 25% discount to anyone who is building their own home.

But this approach is not for the faint-hearted. Tales abound of disappearing builders, angry neighbours, and planning nightmares. Some of those who decide to take the plunge are being helped by a community-owned advice centre in Swindon, Wiltshire, which offers advice on everything from finding a building plot to insulation or timber frames.

The National Self-Build and Renovation Centre contains a whole house, and sections of several more under its roof. Above all, there is help here on how to pay for the whole thing.
Rachel Pyne, of Buildstore Financial Services, advises anyone building a house themselves to think very carefully about cashflow.

"If you finish a stage, and you don't have the funds to pay your builder, he's not likely to continue with the next stage. So if there's a big delay, he might go off and get another job," she says.She also advises on specialist types of mortgage, which pay out money in stages. Lenders want to be certain that the foundations have been properly laid, for example, before giving out the next tranche of cash.
But some lenders, particularly the banks, see self-build houses as a huge risk. She says it is often building societies which are more sympathetic to lending money to self-builders.

Experts warn of other dangers too. By being the project manager of a building site, you actually become an official employer. That means you are responsible for the safety of any contractors that come onto the site, so you will need public liability insurance in case of any accidents.

You will also need to take out an insurance policy to cover the theft of building materials or machinery from the site, which could prove very expensive. And that is before you start looking at the structural warranties you will need on the building itself. But it is not only budgeting skills you will need.
Self-builders have to manage a team of surveyors, architects, builders and suppliers, not to mention being a diplomat with the new neighbours.

You do need people management skills," says Kate Faulkner, of the consultancy Designs on Property. "Things go wrong: cars break down, vans break down, stuff gets stolen off-site. And you have to be able to deal with these issues. So you have to be sympathetic, but you also need to be quite motivational."

Despite cheaper land and lower labour costs during the recession, the number of people building their own houses has not increased dramatically. Kate Faulkner puts it at between 15,000 and 20,000 every year. But, according to Garry Dyke, of Lowfield Timber Frames in Welshpool, it has got easier for ordinary people to get involved. "When I first started, 10 years ago, you employed a builder, who sourced all the materials. Now it's an attractive proposition for the average professional couple," he says.

Back in the muddy garden of his new house, Terry Moore says he is hoping to move his family in by Easter next year. And he explains the basic arithmetic that any self-builder finds tempting.
"In a conventional build the land costs 30%, the construction costs 30%, and the developers make a 30% profit," he says.

It probably explains why he has now started using the phrase "next time we do this…". In other words, it sounds like building your own house can become seriously addictive.

Having just returned from the recent Homebuilding and Renovating Shows, and with our permanent stand at Buildstore, in Swindon, we regularly meet self builders with this approach, passion and commitment.

As Building Regulations change and energy bills rocket, increasingly self builders are using this as an opportunity to install technologies from the outset to save money and reduce emissions. Our heat recovery ventilation systems have never been so popular. If you are a self builder with a set of plans, why not send them to us for a no-obligation quotation, or call us for some expert advice on self building.

19/11/12 - Thank you for coming...

It's been a hectic couple of months, but this weekend saw the last exhibition of 2012 for ADM Systems. We had a lots of fun at the South West Homebuilding and Renovating Show, and enjoyed our visit to the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet.

Once again, a huge thank you to all of the visitors to our stand for making the effort to come and see us. Over the weekend we saw some fantastic plans and designs; incredible uses of space and light; exceptional commitment to greener living with the application of latest technologies in energy saving, insulation, rainwater harvesting and sustainable power generation, and overall, lots of passionate people with fascinating stories to tell. 

And not forgetting the ADM Systems team for all their hard work, the long journeys and the late nights... thank you to you all for making the 2012 Show Season such a success. We have made lots of new contacts, and have had exceptional interest in our products. Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems are more popular than ever, and our demonstration units from Zehnder, Vent Axia and all the components and accessories are a great talking point.

We will be having a breather over the winter from the shows, but we'll be busy installing systems all over the country. The autumn and winter cause humidity in houses to rise (not helped by the washing on the radiators? See our blog below...) while the cold outside temperatures induce condensation problems, leading to unpleasant effects such as black mould, increased dust mite activity and poor respiratory health. These conditions are alleviated with heat recovery ventilation systems, so this is often the time of year that the number of our enquiries soar. If you think your property could benefit from any of our ventilation products, why not give us a call? Our team are always on hand to help and give expert advice.

We love getting out and about to the regional exhibitions, as it gives us the chance to meet so many self builders, developers and architects in person. Our next show is the big one - The National Homebuilding and Renovating Show - held in March 2013 in Birmingham. See you there!