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Improved access to material markets needed now to aid building

In a quarter characterised by political uncertainty, the Construction Products Association’s Construction Trade Survey shows that despite a strong Q2 the industry’s supply chain are more pessimistic for the year ahead.

The survey of main contractors, SME builders, civil engineering firms, product manufacturers and specialist contractors found that all reported increases in sales, output and workloads in the quarter driven by increased demand. Notably however, order books were sustained by private housing and R&M work, but fell in sectors such as commercial and industrial. This was echoed throughout the supply chain, with net balances weakening for enquiries, orders and expected sales among SMEs, civil engineering contractors and product manufacturers compared to Q1.

After Sterling’s depreciation since the EU Referendum, the strongest cost pressures for the construction industry have been rising prices for imported materials. On balance, 88% of main contractors, 87% of heavy side manufacturers and all light side manufacturers reported raw materials costs rose in Q2. In spite of this, almost half of main contractors and specialist contractors opted to keep tender prices unchanged, leading to a fall in margins.

Commenting on the survey, Rebecca Larkin, Senior Economist at the CPA, said “This was the 17th consecutive quarter of growth for the construction industry, but a cautious stance over future expectations is not surprising. Another quarter of slow GDP growth, rising costs and a near-term outlook clouded by Brexit uncertainty have led to a fall in orders in privately-financed sectors such as commercial and industrial, and this pessimism has also spilled over into infrastructure.

“Perhaps more conspicuous in the survey data is the squeeze on margins for main contractors and specialist contractors. Strained margins had already been acute for some time given skills shortages pushing up construction wages. Now there’s the added pressure of contractors trying to avoid or delay passing on the full cost of higher raw materials prices to clients when tendering for upcoming construction projects.”

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said “Despite rising material prices and a period of political uncertainty, it is encouraging to see the SME construction sector continuing to grow. The industry is demonstrating significant resilience, especially when we consider difficulties in recruiting key trades such as bricklayers and carpenters, and shortages in other trades, such as plumbers and plasterers. Furthermore, there are real challenges ahead for the sector. The possibility of Brexit exacerbating already severe skills shortages and the continuing upward pressure on wages and salaries this brings, means construction SMEs will be cautious in their optimism”.

Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders said “Although SMEs have found more work, project viability seems to be increasingly stifled by spiralling material costs. Construction SMEs are reporting a tightening of profit margins, which may impact productivity in the coming twelve months. The NFB’s house building members appear more confident about their immediate future, despite not having an assured work pipeline. The Government must enable constructors – particularity SMEs – to establish a pipeline of work either through more streamlined procurement or by reforming the planning process. However, the weakening pound shows that, in the long term, constructors either need improved access to material markets or short-term financing for project completions. The Government must deal with the impact of a weaker exchange rate and Brexit more urgently. It must work with industry to understand and navigate more unpredictable and potentially difficult times.”

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One of London’s largest excavations has now completed

With five storeys below ground and a depth of 28.5 metres, it is big enough to contain the Royal Albert Hall. This basement will be home to one of two world-class NHS high energy proton beam therapy centres.

Proton beam therapy is a form of radiotherapy used to treat cancer which can be targeted extremely precisely, causing minimal damage to surrounding tissue.

Together with the Department of Health, NHS England is funding the development of two world class centres at The Christie in Manchester and UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) for NHS patients to be treated in the UK. Patients are due to be treated at The Christie from summer next year, with UCLH following in summer 2020. When complete they will each treat up to 750 patients every year.

Fabienne Viala, Chairman of Bouygues UK, said “This is exactly the kind of project we relish. The complexity of undertaking London’s biggest excavation within a tight site at the heart of central London enables us to add value through our technical knowledge and the infrastructure expertise of our colleagues within Bouygues Travaux Publics. This is no ordinary project: as well as being an innovative and complex build, the finished development will have the potential to improve and even save the lives of those suffering with blood disorders and complex cancers.”

The low down

  • The deepest point is 28.5 metres below ground and the basement measures 87 metres long by 67 metres wide.
  • 80,000 cubic metres of ground has been removed from the site. This is the equivalent of around 640 London buses.
  • With five storeys below ground and six above, the height of the building (including below ground) is 57 metres, making it equivalent to London’s Tower Bridge.

Below ground there will be:

  • A multi-storey gantries for the proton beam therapy equipment.
  • Two Mechanical and Electrical plant levels
  • Two floors for patient proton beam therapy care,
  • Eight surgical theatres.

Above ground there will be 6 floors which include Europe’s largest centre for the treatment of blood disorders.

300 people have been involved the excavation so far, with 3000 expected to participate in the construction works overall. Interestingly, more than 12% of the staff working on the site live in Camden.

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£7.2m refurbishment plan announced for iconic brutalist building

One of London’s most prominent brutalist residential blocks, Trellick Tower, is set for a major £7.2m restoration programme with the appointment of leading social housing maintenance provider, Wates Living Space, to deliver extensive external works.

Carried out on behalf of Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), the work marks a major investment in the preservation of the historic tower in Kensal New Town.

Following extensive planning and liaison, work on the programme is scheduled to commence immediately and will include the repair, renovation and replacement of the Grade II* listed building’s concrete, cladding and approximately 1,000 windows.

Trellick Tower was designed by Hungarian Modernist architect, Ernö Goldfinger, and was built in 1972 as part of the Brutalist architecture movement that arose from the 1950s to the mid 1970s. The tower became the inspiration for JG Ballard’s novel ‘High Rise’, which was made into a film starring Tom Hiddlestone in 2015.

Wates will first commence work on the six-storey Block B, which will be followed by the external refurbishment of the 31-storey Block A in June this year. Overall completion is expected by summer 2018.

As part of the mobilisation of its team, Wates is currently making arrangements for a range of community initiatives that will be delivered throughout the programme. This will include a series of training and employment opportunities for local people as well as engagement with local social enterprises.

The project follows from a framework agreement between KCTMO and Wates, which began in 2015, for Wates to carry out internal and external works in the north of the borough.

David Morgan, Managing Director of Wates Living Space, said “It is a huge honour to be entrusted with the refurbishment of such a historically significant London tower block. This project will involve a meticulous balance of ensuring we preserve the building’s iconic status while, most importantly, delivering the vital work with minimal disruption to Trellick Tower residents. We very much look forward to continuing our work with KCTMO and to getting under the skin of what is a landmark piece of post-war architecture.”

Robert Black, KCTMO Chief Executive, added “We’re very pleased to be working with Wates on such an important project. Both ourselves and Wates are working closely with residents to ensure that they’re fully informed and we’re committed to supporting them throughout the project. This iconic building is a favourite to many and this work will help ensure it stays that way.”

In addition to its importance as a Grade II listed residential building, Trellick Tower has featured heavily in popular culture since its construction. This includes its appearance in a series of music videos throughout the past two decades.

Standing at 98m high, the building’s unique shape and structure was also the inspiration for Channel 4’s famous reinforced concrete ‘4’ that is used to link between its programming.

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Construction figures on the increase across February

Spearheaded by strong performances from the housing and hotel, leisure & sport sectors, overall contract value for the construction industry in February reached £6.4 billion based on a three month rolling average, a 15.4 per cent increase on the same month last year.

According to the latest edition of the Economic & Construction Market Review from industry analysts Barbour ABI, contracts for housing projects reached £2.7 billion in February, the same figure as January 2017, which are the best performing months for residential building since the economic downturn. Coinciding with the strong housing figures, the hotel, leisure & sport sector construction contracts reached £736 million (see figure 1.1) on the month, a substantial 105.3 per cent increase compared to February 2016.

Barbour ABI

Looking across the other sectors within construction; Infrastructure accounted for £1.48 billion worth of construction contracts on the month, a 20.8 per cent increase on January. Commercial & retail projects also increased month on month by 17.5 per cent – the highest since September 2016, although values in the sector remain lower than previously when viewed over the longer term.

However it was the industrial sector that accounted for the most disappointing figures in February, with a 35 per cent year-on-year decrease and its lowest monthly total since October 2014.

Whilst the value of construction contracts remained very strong on the month, the number of projects saw a decline of 19.6 per cent compared with January. Larger, more valuable projects were commissioned in February, including projects such as a £400 million Port of Dover job and the Trafford Park Metrolink extension, valued at £350 million.

Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, Lead Economist at Barbour ABI, said “After recent slumps in the infrastructure and commercial & retail sectors, it was encouraging to see both bounce back and produce encouraging figures in February, alleviating some of the pressure away from housebuilding.”

“With the hotel, leisure & sport sector recording its highest construction contract value in years, it will give the sector a well needed confidence boost, thanks greatly to a £400 million holiday resort, another major project given the go-ahead in February, a trend that made last month a positive one for construction.”

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70% of builders report material price hikes, report FMB

70% of UK builders have seen an increase in material prices due to the depreciation of the pound, new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has revealed.

Sarah McMonagle, Director of External Affairs at the FMB, said “thousands of smaller building firms are grappling with the rising cost of materials caused by the depreciation of sterling since the EU referendum. More than 70% of smaller building firms have experienced increased costs as a result of the weakened currency, with additional increases of 10 to 15% expected as the new year unfolds. Anecdotally, construction SMEs are already reporting an increase of 22% in Spanish slate and 20% increase in timber. A quarter of all materials used by the UK construction industry are imported – this is significant and underlines the vulnerability of the industry to sudden fluctuations in the strength of our currency. The combined pressure of higher material prices and the rising cost of skilled labour represents a serious challenge to builders.”

“What this means is that home owners could start to see the cost of their building projects increase. It also means that consumer choice may be reduced as some home owners face having to compromise on aspects of their project due to the fact that certain materials have become too expensive. There is also an added headache for the builder, as material price rises can come at short notice and if they are mid-project, the original costing is no longer accurate. This makes pricing jobs problematic and leads to construction SMEs having to cover themselves against sudden price swings. Some builders are attempting to mitigate this by introducing larger contingency funds when pricing for a job, or by stipulating in the contract that the overall contract price will change in the case of material price hikes, making client budgeting more tricky.”

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UK’s largest brickmaker scoops trio of prestigious awards

Image: Courtyard House Photography Tom Gildon & David Butler

Ibstock, the UK’s largest brickmaker, has further cemented its position as the industry-leader by winning three awards at the 40th annual Brick Developers Association’s (BDA) Awards, which celebrate excellence in design and construction using brick.

This latest success takes Ibstock’s total award wins since 2005 to 77 – more than any other brickmaker. The stunning builds feature bricks from Ibstock’s wide-ranging portfolio of colours, textures, sizes and finishes to achieve a huge variety of aesthetic effects.

Projects using Ibstock bricks picked up the top accolade in three categories, including: Best Individual Housing Development, from Dallas Pierce Quintero for Courtyard House, which showcased a creative application of Staffordshire Blue Umbra Sawtooth and Standard; and Best Large House Builder for Linden Homes by Stride Treglown, which used Audley Red Mixture and Commercial Red to achieve a striking impact.

The distinctive arched pavilion of the Brentwood School Learning Resource Centre in Essex, designed by Cottrell & Vermeulen, won Best Education Building, using brick façades to harmonise with existing buildings using the distinctive Heritage Red Blend.

In addition, Ibstock-Kevington products were also used in Newport Street Gallery, which picked up the Supreme Award. The innovative project used precast lintels and beams, together with CNC cut brickwork, all of which were manufactured by Ibstock-Kevington.

Andrew Halstead-Smith, group marketing manager at Ibstock, commented: “As brick continues to retain its position as the number one construction material of choice, what we are seeing is more innovative and creative applications of brick, which really showcase its tremendous design capabilities.

“Architects, specifiers and contractors are pushing the boundaries when it comes to application to create breath taking designs, which these award-winning projects really demonstrate. We congratulate all those involved.

“The calibre of builds shortlisted at this year’s awards was incredibly high; so to have three projects where Ibstock bricks were used receiving awards, in addition to playing a part in the Supreme Award winning entry, really is testament to the versatility of Ibstock’s wide-range of options.”

A further project which also used Ibstock bricks received the judges’ commendation in the category of Best Education Building, for Merchant Taylors’ School Design Centre designed by Architecture PLB.

For more information visit www.ibstock.com.
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Work begins on tallest religious structure in the world

Construction has begun on what will be the world’s tallest religious skyscraper – a 213 metre Hindu temple in Uttar Pradesh, India.

This article was originally published by The Spaces, a digital publication exploring new ways to live and work.

Once completed, the earthquake-proof structure (called ‘Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir’) will cover more ground than St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and will be taller than Ulm Minster in Germany, which is currently the tallest church on Earth at 162 metres.

The building, designed by Indian practice InGenious Studio and structural consultant Thornton Tomasetti , will also include a theme park within its walls. It will comprise 70 stories in tiered formation towards the top.

In an article published by ‘The Spaces’, a digital publication exploring new ways to live and work, Project Director of the temple Narasimha Das said “Attractions planned in the theme park would be like park rides, animatronics, light, sound and special effects as well as the Vraja Mandal parikrama shows and laser shows.”

A capsule elevator will take visitors up to a viewing deck, where they can admire the 30 acre of forest surrounding the temple. The lift will also double up as a tourist attraction in itself, serving to take people through the planetary systems of the universe in sound and light.

Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir will be dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Sri Krishna – who, according to scripture, is said to have grown up in Vrindavan.

Social and residential facilities will also be built as part of the project, which will be sold off in order to help fund construction, along with donations from religious devotees.

Work is currently concentrated on the building’s impressively deep 55 metre foundations.

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Economical ways to build a luxurious home

Building a home of your very own is the ultimate dream for many families. Recently, there has been an addition of the word ‘luxurious’, right before home, in the aforementioned sentence because why not? Each of us wishes nothing but the best, the most comfortable, and the most pleasant for our families. And even though it has become fairly easy to buy such a house, thanks to ready-made luxury properties, building one from scratch still tops the list of aspirations of many.

However, luxuries don’t come easy these days. It can be hard to find a luxury property on sale; building one, even harder. That is why we have made this list of all the economical ways to build a luxurious home and make that dream of yours a reality for your family. Here we go:

1. The Shape of the House

The cost of building a house varies greatly for differently shaped pieces of land. For example, a 2,000-square-foot single-story rectangular ranch-style home will be way more expensive than a-2,000 square-foot two-story square colonial because the colonial’s foundation is based on a smaller piece of land.

The rooms built on the foundation of the colonial will be simpler and rectangular cutting down on overall construction costs. Therefore, preferably go for square shaped homes if you want to save the buck from the very start.

2. Cost and Quality of the Materials

When it comes to materials, you have to make the difficult choice of compromising durability over costs. The standard ‘builder-grade’ materials for homes are least durable and fairly inexpensive. The prices as well as the quality and durability of materials increases as you move on to quality-grade, custom-grade, and ultra-custom-grade home building materials.
Using the builder-grade materials may not be as long lasting an option as the other three, but it will cut down costs by a good notch.

3. Flooring Shenanigans

Ceramic tile or hardwood flooring can really be a cherry on the top, no denying. But, they also cost quite a lot. One way to maintain a balance between your wallet and dreams is going for vinyl flooring, while construction.

Vinyl floors cost less and can be made to look very aesthetic and luxurious with the right furnishing. Also, they make sturdy underlayment for tile or wood if you wish to install either of the two at a later date.

4. Ultimate Affordable Homes

You can get one of those ‘tiny homes’ ranging from 60 to 900 square feet that are delivered to site by the providers or built from scratch. Now there are several options and a vast variety of companies selling these tiny homes. One such company offers models with complete exterior furnishing and upgrades for as little as $12,900. That’s very reasonable! How luxuriously you decorate and utilize the space depends more or less on you!

Rachel Stinson

We hope the dream of building your own luxurious house seems less far-fetched now. Just be very vigilant about where your money goes and what results it generates. And remember, that no house seems luxurious and comfortable from day 1. It becomes so as you begin to own and liven up the place.

Written by guest blogger Rachel Stinson
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New landmark high-rise in South West London, supplied by Hueck UK

Another successful collaboration between aluminium building systems supplier, Hueck UK, and façade contractor McMullen Facades Ltd, a Lakesmere Group company, has recently seen the completion of one of south west London’s new landmark buildings, The Pinnacle.

Rising 170 feet high, the tower construction delivers 88 new luxury apartments, including a number of penthouses, with impressive views of the City. Developed by St. George PLC, this 15-storey building is the flagship high-rise within its award-winning riverside project, Battersea Reach.

The Pinnacle’s fully glazed curved façade has been manufactured using the high performance Trigon L aluminium system from Hueck. Highly versatile, this unitised façade system lends itself to a wide variety of curtain walling designs.

“We are using Hueck systems extensively across many of our current projects, and have successfully collaborated with Hueck UK on a series of iconic buildings over the past few years,” said Derek Price, operations director at McMullen Facades Ltd.

“The Pinnacle has a complex design, with no flat elevations, and we were looking for a range of high performance systems, not just curtain walling, but also window and door systems, to meet a series of demanding requirements. Hueck’s portfolio is very broad, allowing for great flexibility, and enabling us to deliver a complex design while ensuring the correct building tolerances were achieved.

“We worked closely with the architect, façade consultants, and our supplier – Hueck UK, through the design stage, ensuring a smooth delivery of the project, on time and on budget,” added Derek.

Approximately 1,300 unitised panels shape The Pinnacle’s striking curved envelope. Aside from Trigon L, the building also boasts nearly 180 Lambda 65 windows and doors. Featuring low thresholds, the doors comply with the Life Time Homes standards, and achieve an impressive 600Pa air permeability/water tightness.

Hueck’s popular Volato M lift/slide doors have also been specified for apartments and penthouses opening into private balconies or terraces.

Leon Friend, Project Development Director at Hueck, commented: “The Hueck Trigon L unitised façade system, combined with McMullen Facades’ engineering expertise, delivers The Pinnacle’s wavy appearance, a tribute to the river Thames, which it overlooks. Aside from looking the part, our systems have had a substantial contribution to meeting stringent energy performance requirements and practicality needs.”

For more information visit www.hueck.com or call 0044 121 7671344.
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£5bn Government injection to help small builders

At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham this week, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Philip Hammond revealed that the government are planning to make new money available for builders in the UK.

This will consist of a £2bn Accelerated Construction scheme to make publicly-owned brownfield land available for quick development and the already announced £3bn Home Builders Fund, which seeks to help fund the development of 25,500 homes by 2020.

How it will work

The intention of the new funding is to provide short-term loans for small builders, which will be borrowed from the public sector. This will help them build quicker as public land will be made available with outline planning permission already available to them and money will enable them to undertake any required remediation work on the brownfield sites prior to construction starting.

The ministers are also urge builders to use modular technologies to meet housing demand, as it will shorten the delivery time.

Redevelopment

At the conference the ministers also confirmed that they are also pushing ahead with allowing office blocks to be repurposed or replaced entirely with residential developments. This alone has the potential to create 4,000 homes by the start of 2022.

Chancellor Philip Hammond commented: “There has been a housing shortage in this country for decades, and this Government is determined to take action to tackle it. “We’ll use all the tools at our disposal to accelerate housebuilding and ensure that, over time, housing becomes more affordable. That is why we are committing £2 billion of additional investment towards this.”

Sajid Javid concluded: “Tackling the housing shortfall isn’t about political expediency. It’s a moral duty. And it’s one that falls on all of us. Not just in Parliament, but in business, in local government and in our communities. So my message today is clear: it’s time to get building.”

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