The UK Construction Blog

The volume of new build sales saw a remarkable surge in the capital during the final quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, Knight Frank has revealed.

According to figures from the London Residential Development 2010 review, sales of such houses in Central London grew 214 per cent in the last three months of last year.

The statistics even overshadow the impressive 68 per cent rise in transactions throughout the entire London property market.

Commenting on the findings, Liam Bailey, head of residential research, said: “Factors such as interest rates remaining low, the weak pound stimulating international interest and government supported schemes targeting the new build sector and first time buyers in particular have all contributed to this strengthening market.”

However, he added that a major issue in the London new build market is a lack of available supply.

Knight Frank was formed in 1896 and today is a residential and commercial property estate agent.

Self-builders and homeowners who want to take advantage of the Easter holidays and spruce up their properties have been given some advice by George Clarke.

The television personality and architect commented that the best way people can revamp their home quickly is by painting a room white, which will “instantly give it a fresh new look”.

He added that it is best to strip back old wallpaper first and get it skimmed by a plasterer if the underlying surface is in a bad condition.

In addition, Clarke explained that this job could be perfect for people worried about introducing too much vibrant colour into their home – something that fellow TV presenter Linda Barker recently explained is in fashion at the moment.

“Your personal pictures and belongings can add the colour you need,” he suggested.

Clarke currently presents Channel 4′s the Homes Show and is set to speak at the upcoming Ideal Home Improvements section at the Ideal Home Show 2010.

The UK’s leading provider of Graeberts Sitemaster software and Mobile CAD Solutions, Mobile CAD Surveying this week announced the launch of another  dedicated surveying site Mobile CAD Surveys.co.uk

This new site is designed to facilitate a growing numbers of customers who just want information on Measured Building Surveys rather than having to wade through their massive main site which has hundreds of additional products, from a Samsung Q1 ULTRA stylus pen, to software and on to surveying equipment.

Mobile CAD Surveys.co.uk will help customers find what they are looking for quickly and allow them to contact them with their requirements much faster.

So anyone interested in having some survey work carried out, take a look at their site and view some of the floor plans and elevational drawings they have produced for all types of customers.

Taken from their site:

When you need a measured building survey, a measured building surveyor or a full programme of surveys and floor plans, we can help you.. If time scales are tight, or clients time constraints are limited on site, we can work with you.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your project is, from just one house plan of a few square metres up to tens of thousands of square metres or several house plans, we can meet your requirements. We have large experience of  Measured Building Surveys, floor plans and elevational drawings, everything from private dwellings/homes, house plans and domestic premises, apartments and flats, to  supermarkets and shopping malls, churches and public buildings and have carried out Measured Survey programmes encompassing hundreds of properties,  so we can provide a schedule to suit you!

Floor Plans can be produced and required for lots of different reasons. Let us know why you require them and we will be able to provide you with an accurate quotation.

Self-builders who are hoping to sell their property this year have been urged to do so before the general election.

Property expert and television presenter Phil Spencer recently explained to the Daily Telegraph that conditions in the housing market are likely to decline in the near future, as a result of rising taxes and public spending cuts that he expects to come about following to the general election.

“It’s a confusing market right now,” he said.

“Despite the frenzy of rising prices in many locations in the last quarter of 2009 and early this year, don’t bank on the housing market roaring ahead in 2010.”

For that reason, he suggests selling up as soon as possible to get a good price and waiting to buy until after the voting is over to pick up property on the cheap.

Spencer is the co-presenter of Channel 4′s Location, Location, Location and has written property columns for publications such as Night and Day and the Sunday Times.

Proposals brought before the Scottish government are expected to improve the standard or Scottish private rented housing.

The state is currently consulting about the Private Housing (Scotland) Bill, which looks at the condition of the sector, the licensing of mobile homes, standard security rules and 20-year residential leasing.

In addition, it focuses on refining the landlord registration system, altering the system of licensing homes in multiple occupancy and tackling overcrowding issues.

And according to housing and communities minister Alex Neil, the plans could make a big difference.

“This bill proposes changes that will lead to landlords and tenants having a better understanding of their rights and responsibilities,” he said.

He added that its target is to “improve standards and crucially, deliver a better deal for tenants and landlords”.

It was recently revealed that a new building scheme is underway, which will allow a further 100 first-time buyers to purchase a new shared equity home.

Construction companies find conditions tough for a second month, index of activity in sector shows

A nascent recovery in the construction sector suffered a setback last month after poor weather conditions and uncertain economic conditions hampered growth, according to industry figures.

Construction companies, which employ around 2 million workers and account for 6% of national output, found the conditions tough for a second month after a fall in growth during January, adding to fears that the UK will struggle to emerge from the longest and deepest recession since the second world war.

Housebuilders also suffered a fall in growth after six months of slow and painful recovery.

Persimmon, Britain’s second largest housebuilder, said the outlook was uncertain with an election on the horizon and continued restrictions on mortgage lending by the major banks.

An index of activity in the sector showed that business fell back slightly to 48.5 and refused to break through the critical 50.0 level that indicates increased activity.

Sarah Ledger, an economist at Markit, said employment, which has already fallen by more than 250,000, continued to drop in February.

She said: “The recovery of the wider UK economy is yet to filter through to the construction sector, with February data showing a sustained decline in activity levels over a two-year period. Poor weather conditions also had a detrimental effect on the sector.”

Persimmon said it built almost 9,000 homes last year and hoped to build 10,000 in 2010, but was unlikely to match the 15,000 it constructed in 2007 for several years.

Profits also remained depressed as margins remained tight, said finance director Mike Killoran. Profits of £78m were boosted by £75m of writebacks from provisions booked earlier in the year.

Persimmon builds mainly family homes on private estates. Much of the collapse in new-build house prices has affected flats in multi-occupancy blocks in city centres.

Killoran said much of the larger sites, those with thousands of plots, remained mothballed, while smaller plots were in the process of being completed and sold.

However, £900m of forward sales were only 50% covered by contractual obligations to buy homes.

Economist Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight said the overall impression from the figures was that the construction sector had stabilised.

“Nevertheless, the construction sector still faces a very challenging environment and it is likely to be hit by the government’s need to significantly rein in its spending for an extended period as this is bound to hit expenditure on infrastructure and public buildings,” he said.

The surveyors’ body RICS said margins in the industry would remain depressed for some time: “More needs to be done in the coming budget to unblock bottlenecks in the system to help bring forward new housing completions in the coming years.”

The UK housing market is improving more quickly than that of most other European countries, the latest European Housing Review from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) suggested.

According to the report, which was launched 2nd March in Brussels, Britain was one of only a few countries that saw signs of recovery in the property sector last year – along with Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Norway experienced the biggest rise in prices on the continent in 2009 – by 12 per cent.

Simon Rubinsohn, RICS chief economist, commented: “A combination of extraordinarily low interest rates and a raft of government measures have helped to put a floor under residential property markets in most European countries.”

However, he explained that many countries’ housing markets are still “continuing to labour”.

RICS was formed in 1868 and today boasts more than 100,000 qualified members and 50,000 students and trainees around the world.

Proposals to build low carbon communities in Scotland have been outlined in workshops across the country with the help of an internationally-renown designer.

Andres Duany helped teams draw up blueprints for new projects of differing scales yesterday (March 1st), which could will see new sustainable developments created or existing neighbourhoods altered to meet eco-friendly specifications.

One example of such a scheme is the Ladyfield project in Dumfries, which aims to construct 400 energy-efficient homes along with new business premises that will allow local residents to walk to work more easily.

Deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon commented that it is important new measures are introduced that help the country meet its “ambitious” climate change targets.

“Creating sustainable communities will help us become less reliant on fuel consumption and boost our standard of living,” she added.

Andres Duany co-founded Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company in 1980, which has designed more than 300 new and existing communities globally.

Energy efficiency ‘big priority for homebuyers’ March 2, 2010

British homebuyers are are increasingly interested in energy-efficient property improvement projects, new research has revealed.

According to the Pilkington energiKare MOT Your Home study, recent cold weather, rising costs of fuel and the desire of people to reduce their carbon footprint have all lead to a greater emphasis being placed on eco-friendly home upgrades.

It found that 76 per cent of homebuyers rate energy efficiency as a deciding factor when it comes to looking round properties, with loft insulation and efficient boilers, heating and windows concerning people the most.

Commenting on the figures, architect and presenter of Channel 4′s the Home Show George Clarke said: “What’s important is that people are taking steps to change and recognising the added value greener living brings, such as cost savings and increasing the saleability of homes.”

Clarke is set to speak at the Ideal Home Show, which is taking place from March 20th to April 5th at Earls Court in London.

A Ground Tiller is ideal for cultivating garden borders allotments and vegetable patches. It has been built to the highest standards and is very reliable. Features of the machine include a heavy duty chain case adjustable handlebars individually replaceable tines and full width steel rubber mounted tine guards for operator protection and safety. Also known by many as a cultivator.

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