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Over the years there has been an increase in the recommended thickness of loft insulation by the government. Obviously, the reason behind this is pretty simply - the thicker the layer of your loft insulation the bigger your savings. The UK government is very keen to every house in the country to have loft insulation fitted where possible as it helps to minimize the heating demands of these properties. Households get to benefit from loft insulation in so many ways which includes reduced energy energy bills as well as having a home that stays at a more comfortable temperature for longer.

Generally, for the government energy efficiency is crucial as it implies that the highest demand ( which is usually the time of the day when gas or electricity use is at its peak ) reduces, since each building requires slightly less energy. Overall, that ultimately implies that new power plants don’t have to be built which is some nice cost savings for the government.

In the 1980’s, any thickness of loft insulation from 25 mm to 50 mm was considered the standard. But then, building regulations stated that homes should have as much as 100 mm of loft insulation. Over time, this gradually increased to 270mm for new builds and also recommended for other properties, although not essential. As a result of this, there’s always a need to check how much insulation you currently have in your loft before you decide to purchase more. You may discover that you already have something within the range of 20 mm to 200 mm up there and knowing this and the insulation values will assist in determining how much more you’ll need to purchase, if any at all. You should also note that some modern materials can offer the same thermal insulation whilst not being as thick.

Are you about to start a new construction job when it’s a heavily rainy period? Or perhaps you’re just interested in knowing how bricklayers work. Well regardless of your purpose, one thing you should know is laying of bricks has a few rules and one of them is not to lay a brick wall when its raining. This is mainly because your structure’s quality and integrity would be heavily compromised if water comes in contact with the mortar before it gets the time to dry. However, with the help of a concrete protective tent, you can prevent water from coming in contact and damaging the mortar. So let’s look at the procedures to follow to work in the rain!

lDetermine The Concrete Protective Tents Required

• Concrete protective tents come in various sizes so you have to know what’s required to get the job done.

• Firstly, calculate the amount of space required to lay the brick wall

• Then, incorporate the appropriate size and number of tents.

lSet Up The Tents

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction to set up the tents

• Once installed, the tent should extend past the location for the bricklaying and slope downwards.

l Access The Area

• Inspect the location during rainfall to ensure water is not sneaking through.

lBuild a Lumber Frame

• Use 2 to 4 pieces of lumber to build a frame.

• Set it into the ground depending on the size of your wall

lApply Concrete or Mortar

• Fill up the frame with either concrete or mortar.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction to allow the mixture to cure.

lPrepare the Brick Wall’s Mortar

• Mix the mortar for the brick wall construction

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction for the process.

When you’re done laying the bricks, you can remove the protective tents once you’re certain the rain has stopped. Exposure to sun and air will speed up the curing process, which is quite important to protect the integrity of your structure.

Have you been advised by a structural engineer or a surveyor that your building needs to be underpinned? Well, this might just have you wondering what underpinning really is and how long it lasts. In this post, we’re going to tell you more about underpinning to help you make the best-informed decision possible moving forward. Let’s take a look!

Basically, underpinning refers to the incorporation of one of various methods to reinforce or repair the old foundations of a building or structure mostly to remedy or avoid subsidence. Now, subsidence can be caused as a result of poor soil quality, increase in the load on the foundation like adding a new storey, excavations below the building as well as inadequate foundation which is more common in older buildings. When an underpinning remedial work is carried out, there are a plethora of benefits that comes with it. It’s preserves the structural integrity of your building by strengthening it, make it a lot more attractive, increases the property’s value and makes it a lot safer for both you and your loved ones. So how long does underpinning last?

Well, many underpinning contractors will offer you a 10-year guarantee of its underpinning solutions for defects. Primarily, there are two reasons why underpinning can fail which is poor installation and fresh issues arising or unforeseen circumstances. While the first is an issue that can be avoided by employing the services of an expert contractor who possesses vast experience and knowledge in the field, the second can not be avoided. However, in the absence of the unforeseen issues, underpinning is expected to last for the natural life of the building, so far it has been expertly installed.

Some individuals who have been in the construction department for many years may not be qualified, that is, they may not have undergone an apprenticeship and/or trade certificate courses, but they might still be very skilled at their work. However, anybody can pick up a sledgehammer and demand themselves a builder lacking any skills or training. The wise thing would be to ask the builder coming to your house about what qualifications they have and what training they have undergone.

Licensing of building practitioners

You can now check if your builder or tradesperson is a licensed building practitioner by using an electronic public register which has a record of every registered builder. Being licensed provides you with an assurance that the builder who is about to do your work has proven his shill to the government and earned his right to be a practitioner. If you wish for certain important building and design work on your home it is imperative that you hire a licensed practitioner, the act is very common when you compare the scenario with when you have to call a plumber or an electrician regarding any work.

In order to become a builder in the UK, you must complete an apprenticeship or an NVQ. NVQ is another popular route to becoming a builder. You can also get your NVQ even when you are working as an apprentice. You can also make it based on any recognised overseas qualification.

All associates maintain a Code of Practice and Conduct which sets the standards for all stages of the building procedure. The Code requires builders to:

• Submit quotes on projects for which they have time.

• Securing the contract with a sufficient insurance cover.

• Maintain honesty and integrity at all times.

• Obey the law and industry standards of conduct.

All members of the construction association must also follow a code of conduct. As a consumer, if you think your builder has breached the Code of Conduct or the Code of Ethics, you can file a written against him or her.

Driveways usually sink because they haven’t been laid properly. They may not have been dug deep enough, or the installer might not have used the right materials. This will need to be corrected at the earliest opportunity, although in extreme cases, the driveway may need to be completly be relaid.

With the numerous benefits that comes with the installation of an external wall insulation in a building, it’s also important to find out whether it’s also safe before proceeding to fit one in your home. Firstly, to ensure that external wall insulation systems are safe, they must be BBA approved, which means they’ve been subjected to a thorough testing by the British Board of Agrement and therefore, suitable for use in UK homes.

Given the fact that cladding materials have recently generated a lot of debate and negative press about how reliable some particular materials are, questions are being asked of the safety and reliability of external wall insulation. However we must clarify that, although external wall insulation can be classified under cladding, it is very different to rainscreen cladding - which caused the Grenfell fire tragedy.

External wall insulation is completely safe. However, when it comes to fire, the safety of your system depends largely on the insulation type in question. The safest type of insulation you can have installed is the Rockwool insulation boards which are rated as Euroclass A1 non-combustible. The board is specially designed in such a way that it contains fire - preventing it from reaching the other areas of the building. They also do not produce harmful emission or smoke when impacted by fire.

Meanwhile, the Wood Fibre, is also a great insulation which is known to char and not burn. Contrary to many beliefs, it actually burns slowly creating this charring effect which produces an oxygen barrier that helps reduce the spread of fire.

To make your system safer, you can also make use of Fibreglass Mesh for reinforcement. It helps to improve the strength of the tensile which promotes the security of the boards attached to the wall.

Well the reality is, sometimes, neighbours just don’t get along. With several individuals living in close proximity, it’s little surprise they tend to get on one another’s nerves from time to time. However, there’s a difference between having a tiff and being able to transform your house the way you want without having to obtain your neighbour’s approval.

The short and simple answer to this question is, not necessarily. However, you must first educate yourself by thinking about your extension and how it affects the houses around you. We’d strongly recommend you talk proposals through with your neighbour so as to avoid possible conflicts later. There are a number of reasons why your neighbour can protest to your new home extension plans. Let’s take a look!

• In the event whereby your new extension is blocking their view or providing an unwanted shade on their property. Here, they have a legitimate reason to protest as no one would want their once sunny garden suddenly covered or plummet into shade.
• In the event where it leads to a loss of privacy. For instance, if your new extension possesses a window which overlooks the neighbour’s property in any way. This is likely to be taken as an invasion of privacy and that has a little to no chance of being a welcomed idea.
• If it’s a major project and going to take a lot of weeks before completion. The noise generated, especially when your neighbours are enjoying your summer holidays or weekends, can make their gardens not as relaxing as it used to be.

Finding a builder nearby can have enormous assistance when it comes to your build. Period on site, their familiarity of local planning permission, constructors’ dealers and other local trades are all vital bits of knowledge that you’ll welcome on site.

It is always wise to walk around in your local area or drive to a site where any construction work is going on. It’ll give you a proper impression of the constructors who are active nearby. You don’t have to like their style of work or the project they are currently carrying out – after all, a builder can only produce what’s on the plans in front of them.

Find a Builder Other Tradesmen Recommend

If you’ve had to call an electrician before or a local plumber and liked their work, you can always ask them if they have any builders whom they would recommend. Maximum tradesmen get used to seeing the similar acquainted names from one place to another in the sites they are working on and every so often has favourites for who they like to work with — and who they see as a good source of work.

Always Talk to Previous Customers

Once you’ve found a builder you would like to work with, ask them for a list of previous customers they have worked with; they ought to be glad to offer particulars if they’re self-assured they’ve done an effective job.

Look for a builder online

A decent place to start looking for builders online is on sites like the Federation of Master Builders. They have a search tool where you can find precise crafts in your area and look at their situations. All FMB members are assessed and individualistically examined and are checked to ensure that they have the correct insurances in place.