building

Taking an holistic approach to the changing seasons

Joe Bradbury of Housing Association Magazine discusses the importance of protecting tenants from the extremities of our climate.

Last week saw the hottest day on record. As Britain (and most of Europe) was steeped in sun, temperatures rose to as high as 38.1C (100.6F) in parts of the country.
Whilst most of us saw that as a chance to don a pair of shorts and sit outside, it cannot be dismissed that extreme weather in either direction can spell disaster for vulnerable people.

Preston-based family business Readyfix has experienced steady year on year growth and as a result have further invested in a second warehouse at their premises on Croft Street. The business, which employs 35 staff, added an extra 350 pallet spaces, equivalent to the size of a football pitch, allowing the 27-year-old firm to hold onto their ‘huge stocks’ promise as they continue to grow.

Started in 1992 by Richard Burwood, Readyfix supplies construction site materials, fixings and consumables to some of the country’s largest housebuilders and contractors as well as sub-contractors and independent tradespeople throughout the North of England. The company sets itself apart by offering impeccable customer service and next day/same day deliveries by their own drivers.

By Dr Gavin Dunn, Chief Executive of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

The construction industry has long grappled with the challenges of closing the performance gap between as-designed and as-built building performance. From air quality to ventilation, fire safety to occupant wellbeing; how can we improve buildings and ensure we are getting the best performing building both now and in the long-term?

Housing Association magazine editor Victoria Galligan asked Chris Stanley, Housing Manager at Modern Masonry, about why specifiers should be choosing concrete blocks…

There’s obviously a lot more to concrete blocks than meets the eye! How long have you worked for Modern Masonry, and what are the best aspects of your job? 

I joined fairly recently, but I think the name of the association, Modern Masonry embodies the best aspects of the job perfectly. Masonry is an essential set of materials which (quite literally) run through the fabric of society. The current media and policy focus on housebuilding really allows us to champion its benefits and promote our highly-skilled members. It is also a forward-thinking organisation, always looking to new methods and solutions which will have a positive impact on the masonry manufacturing industry and, by association, the wider UK construction industry. I’m excited to see how, as my role develops, I’ll be evolving alongside the Modern Masonry brand.

The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show takes place from 28-31 March 2019, at The NEC, Birmingham.

Providing a wealth of industry knowledge from more than 500 exhibitors and 16 free daily seminars and masterclasses, the event is a premium showcase of cutting-edge products and services by specialist companies from a wide variety of industries including kitchens; bathrooms; doors and windows; extensions and conversions; eco and heating; architecture; design; financial services; planning permissions and many more. People can also interact with real case studies to find out the most common obstacles they might face during their self-build and renovation process.

The Advice Centre, a drop-in clinic for personalised, impartial guidance, is open to people who are keen to run ideas past industry leading specialists with years of experience in their fields. This section will see the return of the Ask the Builder area, where members of the Federation of Master Builders will offer tips to visitors on hiring accredited, highly skilled construction workers. 

According to the housing white paper published earlier this year, the Government intends to utilise offsite technologies and build around 100,000 modular homes across Britain by 2020. This call for a quick and sustainable solution to the current housing shortage has created a unique opportunity for offsite construction to become a key building method to meet the demand in the housing industry.

The UK finds itself in the midst of an acute housing crisis. Current annual construction levels are typically less than half of the estimated 250,000 new homes this country needs built every year through to at least the 2030s. With only 63% of projects delivered on time and only 49% delivered to budget, it’s clear to see that traditional building practices, whilst still integral, are falling short of meeting major challenges on their own.