HPH329 : What does a structural engineer do? – with Beth Williams

March 15, 2023 by Lucy Cowell Leave a Comment

Beth Williams from Build Collective outlines the role of a structural engineer and explains what tasks might be undertaken on a house build.

Interview with Beth Williams

Beth had wanted to be an architect since she was a teenager, and graduated from university with a degree in architecture and structural engineering. However, at the time she graduated, the UK was in the grip of a recession and the only job opportunities she found were in structural engineering. Part of the reason she has since gone on to work in the low-energy space, is that she enjoys the close working relationship with the design team.

Beth is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Certified Passivhaus Designer. She is an associate at Build Collective; a bespoke engineering consultancy in Bristol.

Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering

Civil engineering sits at the top of the hierarchy. It covers things like highways and drainage.

Structural engineering is a specialism within that, but can still be quite broad. Structures can mean a focus on things like bridges and masts, or it can be for buildings.

So if you're looking for a structural engineer for your project, you can either opt for a chartered civil engineer (with a specialism in structures), or a chartered structural engineer. Beth explains that there isn't really any difference in terms of insurances and liabilities. The qualifications to look for are: the MICE (Chartered Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers), and the MIStructE (Chartered Member of the Institute of Structural Engineers).

They work as designers, under the principal designer

If there is no architect on the project, such as for a small domestic knock-through, then the structural engineer may take on the required role of principal designer looking after health and safety.

For most other projects though, the architect is the principal designer. They coordinate the flows of information between the design team members, and produce a pre-construction pack. That is all of the information from all of the designers, and all the health and safety risks. This is then passed on to the principal contractor to take as their responsibility once the construction phase gets underway.

Small projects might not need a structural engineer

If you are redecorating or moving an internal wall that isn't structural then you probably don't need a structural engineer.

Part A of the Building Regulations gives a generic outline of the structural principles, which could be used by an architect to design a very limited building such as a garage or an extremely basic house.

It used to be the case that people doing architectural work would have cover in their professional indemnity insurance for designing small structures. However, since Grenfell and a number of basement collapses in London, a lot of them have lost those insurances so the work has come back to the structural engineers.

Domestic clients will usually pay a fixed fee

Larger projects tend to be costed up on a percentage basis, whereas domestic clients are likely to pay a fixed fee for the defined scope of works. Beth's advice is to always check what is on the scope of works, and the number of passes included.

A lot of engineers base their fee on responding to a set of drawings once. Build Collective however, do a two-stage pass. This involves some rough sizing and layouts as a preliminary design. The architect uses that to develop their details before returning to the structural engineer for their detailed design. Having that extra pass allows for tweaks to be made based on new knowledge that might be acquired during the process, such as ground conditions for foundations.

Many factors impact on the structural system

Corner windows, fancy overhanging roofs, and flat roofs are just a few elements that will impact the structural system. This all feeds into the “Have I got enough wall?” question, which is for the structural engineer to answer. Things like large glazing and an open plan design will all obviously limit the amount of wall that they have. So it's about how much wall there is to make the structure stand up, and evenly distributing it throughout the building. Large stair openings and double-height voids mean there is less floor area to be able to distribute the loads.

Where there aren't walls, it might mean putting in portal frames or goalpost frames to give stability.

It's not just the vertical loads that need to be considered either. They also need to factor in whether the walls can withstand the horizontal load when wind is blowing on them.

Local structural engineers may have better knowledge of ground conditions

One advantage of hiring a local structural engineer is that they will be familiar with the area and its challenges.

For example Beth says that there are many cheap building plots in Bath because the ground conditions are often horrendous. It has a lot of historic landslip material that is volatile to work on. And Bristol has lots of coal mining areas and slope stability issues that will prove challenging.

Beth suggests a good use of money would be to pay a structural engineer for a few hours to look at geographical maps for your site and provide advice.

She would also recommend having a proper geotechnical survey for a new build, which costs around £3,500-£5,000. This involves a specialist geotechnical engineer doing bore holes or trial pits. They will log the findings and send samples away for lab testing, and report on the different structural and chemical properties of the ground.

If you can get a good ground investigation early on, you mitigate a lot of potential risks that could occur later on.

Your foundations will depend on your ground conditions

There is a range of sizes of ground particles, from large rocks down to gravels, sands, and clays.

Rock – For rock at depth, you might be able to pile down onto it, and lock onto the top surfaces
Gravel – Can be very flexible and have good bearing capacity
Sand – These can be good because they don't have the same volume change potential you get in clays
Clay – Clay heave can be an issue. The clay will swell and shrink over the seasons as it takes on more or less water. To get around that, you dig deeper to where the clay isn't affected by the heave. That may then be too deep to dig safely, so would need piling

Concrete may be something that you're keen to avoid but it does have its place.

Beth uses a lot of insulated raft slabs on low energy projects. It's a good solution for timber frame projects because you need some weight in the building to hold it down. If you are going to use concrete the important thing is to use it efficiently.

Another foundation option could be screw piles. They have some tension capacity in order to do the uplift for a timber frame. However, they're not going to be possible in every scenario, and Beth warns against clients fixating on them before knowing whether their ground conditions will be suitable.

(AECB members can access a webinar recording of Beth discussing alternatives to concrete foundations.)

The design starts with the roof

Beth uses a top-down approach, starting with the roof design. This is followed by any suspended floors, then the walls and lintels in the walls.

Even before she does these vertical load takedowns, she will look at overall stability. This incorporates the wind and snow loads.

A surprising level of information is needed to do the structural design

There are lots of things that feed into the structural design that may not be immediately obvious.

Staircases are a good example. Where there's a stair opening going up through the floors there needs to be a stair trimmer. There may also be a balustrade to prevent falls. What that balustrade is made out of will impact the structure. Glass obviously has more significant limitations on the deflection it can take before it cracks, than a lot of other materials. It has different fixing requirements too. Another consideration is how the balustrades for the stair itself join onto the rest of the balustrade.

When clients arrive with a specific product that they want to use, Beth sources all the data from the supplier in order to do the design. She has developed her foreign language skills because often the technical information isn't supplied in English!

Don't be afraid to involve an engineer early on!

This is especially the case if there is a specific product or system that you want to use. Get advice early to see how that might impact what the structure looks like, where the windows might go, and how many walls you might need inside. Beth would then do preliminary rough structural layout markups, ahead of planning, to show where the beams and frames could go. The architect can feed this back into their designs.

Find out more

Visit the website of Build Collective

Follow Beth Williams on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Beth Williams

Calling future engineers

Water expert Cath Hassell has featured on the podcast several times before (discussing topics such as saving water, rainwater harvesting and dealing with sewage). However she is also the creator of the Frankie the Flamingo series of books for children. So if you have a budding engineer on your hands perhaps The Mysterious Case of the Elephant that Forgot is a good place to start.

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HPH298 : Do I need self build insurance? – with Andrew Reardon

March 10, 2021 by Lucy Cowell Leave a Comment

Andrew Reardon from ProAktive explains the insurance options that are available to anyone carrying out a self build or renovation.

Interview with Andrew Reardon

Andrew Reardon is a Senior Account Handler at ProAktive, a company that specialises in insurance and risk management. He works in the self build department, providing insurance for new builds, renovations and extensions.

Self build insurance has similarities with standard house insurance

It covers many of the same things as traditional house insurance would, such as cover for theft, accidental damage and fire, but also covers you through the construction phase. The biggest difference between the two comes from the types of claims involved. Many of the claims they receive are related to thefts from the construction site, because they don't have the same level of security that a larger developer would have and therefore tend to be targeted. They also receive many public and employer's liability claims, where injuries occur to workers on site, or to members of the public who may have wandered onto it.

Employer's liability and public liability are covered

The employer's liability provides cover for if you are held negligent for an accident that occurs on site. If you have hired a main contractor or have sub-contractors on site, then they should all have their own public liability insurance, but your self build insurance will be a fallback in case that fails or there are any grey areas. It also covers for claims related to casual labourers, or friends and family that might be helping out on the site who wouldn't carry their own public liability insurance.

Check your contractor's insurance cover

Rather than waiting until there's been an incident on site and asking your contractor for their insurance details, it's far better to get that information in advance of starting and steer clear if they can't provide it. Even if you've employed a main contractor to run the job, you're relying on them to make sure they have contract works cover, are keeping up with their payments, and have the right limits to cover the value of your project. If they don't have the correct levels in place then their insurance won't be sufficient, which is when your own cover can provide the fallback.

Theft is by far the most common cause for a claim

Andrew says that they don't have too many claims for accidental or malicious damage, but the most common ones after theft tend to be for damage caused by storms, leaks and frozen pipes.

Theft tends to be of machinery and tools, rather than materials, so quite often a self builder will build the garage or other outbuilding first in order to keep these things more secure.

Other things that can help to reduce the incidence of theft, is to use fencing to keep people off the site, which also helps in terms of public liability, and CCTV if possible. Having a sealed container on site will also help with security, as will keeping deliveries of boilers and kitchen items out of view or away from the site as much as possible until they're installed.

Keep your invoices and receipts safely together

This will help in the event of needing to make a claim, as you will need to provide evidence of your purchase. Having quick access to these will help speed up any claim too. If you don't have a traditional receipt for things like eBay or other second-hand purchases, then make sure you keep copies of emails or take photos of things to prove what you have bought and that they have arrived on the site.

Andrew gives the example of one claim which was for the theft of a £20,000 roof which had only been delivered the previous day. In that case, the delivery driver had tipped someone off that it would be there and unsecured. His advice is to be fully aware of everyone who is on site, and even take note of IDs. Most importantly, secure the items whenever possible, ideally by installing them straight away.

One point to note is that you can only insure things like machinery and tools that belong to you or that you hire in your own name. A contractor or other tradesperson on site will be responsible for insuring their own tools and equipment.

Renovation projects might not be covered under your standard household policy

People often assume that their standard house insurance will cover them throughout a renovation project, but often that's not the case. It may depend on the level of work that is being undertaken at the property, and particularly if the work involved is structural.

Your first step in this situation should be to contact your household insurance provider and advise them of the works to be carried out, to determine what cover they can provide. Your existing standard policy wouldn't cover for the new elements of the work, such as the fixtures, fittings, and materials once they arrive on site, so a policy should be taken out for this. Your existing insurer also would reject a claim for something like a fire caused by a tradesperson on the property, if they haven't been notified in advance of the works.

Carefully consider what your renovation policy needs to cover

The main thing to consider when selecting a policy for a renovation project is that it will cover your existing structure, as it will often be unoccupied during the build. Also notify the insurers of any intrusive work that will be carried out, such as deep excavation or piling which have the potential to cause damage to neighbouring structures. Depending on the nature of this work it can also be worth considering an additional non-negligence cover, which is designed to cover you in circumstances where there is damage to neighbouring structures through no fault of you, your contractor, or architect. It can be quite an expensive policy, depending on the proximity and value of those neighbouring buildings, but definitely worth considering if you're doing intrusive work like retrofitting basements.

The next thing to ensure is that it will cover your fixtures, fittings and materials when they arrive on site.

The employer and public liability elements should have adequate limits, so £10 million is standard for employer's liability, and £5 million is the minimum for public liability. Councils and utility companies generally won't attend unless you have at least that minimum, so it would be pointless to have less than that.

It's worthwhile doing a Schedule of Dilapidation

This is a survey of neighbouring structures which is worth doing if you're going to be carrying out intrusive works that have the potential to cause them damage. Take photos and keep this schedule to show any existing damage to them before you start, to ensure you have proof if these are claimed for later on down the line.

Even keeping photo and video documents of your own progress can be a good idea for if you need to make a claim at any point, such as for total loss due to fire. The more you are able to evidence the better.

The cost of a policy will depend on 3 key criteria

Primarily this will depend on how long you require the policy for, whether it be 9, 12, 18 months or more.

The second factor is the sum that it is being insured for.

And thirdly, the construction type might influence the premiums. A typical brick and block construction would be fine, but something like ICF or SIPs, which insurers might not deem to be a standard construction type, may incur a higher cost.

There may be some projects which insurers will refuse to cover

These would typically be projects of a non-standard construction, which perhaps have combustible elements to them. Particularly since the Grenfell tragedy they have been nervous around projects with polystyrene and wood cladding, forcing self-builders to change their plans or pull out of projects altogether.

Insurance isn't a legal requirement

Although it's not a legal requirement it is something which Andrew wishes people would think about before they even start building. There might be reluctance to take a policy out right at the beginning as people think there won't be many materials and tools around, so it's not necessary. But actually, even at that early stage it's important to have the cover in place for the employer and public liability elements. If left too late into the project, a self builder may find they can't get cover until it's been signed off by building regs, because until that point it won't be considered by a normal household insurer.

Find out more

Visit the website of ProAktive

Check out ProAktive's YouTube channel

Read ProAktive's Guide to Insuring Your Project

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Andrew Reardon

Passive House Accelerator Podcast

Ben Adam-Smith recently featured on the Passive House Accelerator podcast, hosted by Zack Semke and Matthew Cutler-Walsh. You can listen to the episode here.

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HPH285 : Developing plant-based building materials – with Judith Thornton

July 29, 2020 by Lucy Cowell Leave a Comment

Dr Judith Thornton of Aberystwyth University explores how plant-based materials are being used in the building industry, and why they are so important for our future.

Interview with Judith Thornton

Judith works within the Department of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University. She specialises in projects at the interface of plant science and material function, with her main interest being the use of plants as building materials.

It's about more than just building with straw or hempcrete

Judith says that, historically, because of the finely honed skills required for each approach, there has been a tendency for the natural building industry to divide off into those that build with straw, and those that build with hempcrete. There are of course many other plant types that can be used, depending on the design criteria.

She explains that we shouldn't assume that we could build the whole project out of plants either, and nor should we assume that only one plant type will be suitable for each of the different building elements.

Judith uses walls as an example, where because they provide the dual functions of structure and insulation, it might make sense to separate those elements out and use different materials. She says that otherwise, wherever you're trying to get a particular product to perform multiple functions, you may well end up with significant compromises.

Do your research

Even within strawbale building there are different types of straw that can be used, but Judith says people rarely demand a particular variety, and generally just accept what they're given.

“I have yet to meet a strawbale builder who knew what wheat variety was in their building!”

Historically the tendency is to use wheat straw, within which there are also a number of varieties, but sometimes barley straw is used. Barley straw however is far more prone to rotting than wheat straw, which Judith says should be a bit of a red flag when thinking about building with it.

In Wales they have tested out building with miscanthus straw, which is a grass that can grow to three metres high, so is much tougher than wheat or barley, and presumably should be more resistant to breaking down.

Judith says that there tends to be an assumption that strawbale buildings are inherently low energy, but that's not necessarily the case. If they're not built properly they can be leaky and rot, not very airtight and have high energy bills in the same way that any other building can.

There is a lack of aspirational standards

“We’ve got a regulatory system where we’ve got a fairly ineffectual stick and absolutely no carrot. So, ‘this will comply with building regs’, and people will say that as if that’s a good thing. Well, complying with building regs is as bad as you’re allowed to be before you get prosecuted. That isn’t an aspiration, is it?”

Judith believes that there is a lack of incentive to build to the Passivhaus standard using low impact materials. She sees it is a combination of lacking aspirational standards and not valuing building enough as a trade, when it's actually a very skilled profession and a challenging undertaking to build to Passivhaus standards.

One of the key challenges with Passivhaus is getting the airtightness, and particularly concentrating on the junctions between different materials. It can be as problematic for man-made materials as it is with plant-based materials though. Particular care needs to be taken when designing details at junctions between timber and straw for example, where you might get some shrinkage in the plaster when it's butted up against a timber frame.

There would be no sense in trying to build an entirely plant-based building

Judith thinks it would be ludicrous to even try. Using airtightness tapes as an example, she explains it as the law of diminishing returns: where a small amount of a very high tech materials provides a massive benefit. She says there is no point in obsessing about whether your strawbales are tied with polypropylene string or whether your airtightness membrane has got formaldehyde glue in it.

“Partly because it makes almost no difference to the total carbon in the building and partly because it’s based on this completely false premise that natural things are safe and manmade things are dangerous. That simply isn’t true. But it’s a very commonly held environmental world view.
“We do this weird moral balancing in the UK where we say, ‘I’ll fly abroad on holiday, but I did do my plastic recycling’. The whole plastic debate for me is seeking to shift blame to manufacturers as an alternative to examining our own behaviours.
“It’s not rocket science. As individuals, we need to eat virtually no meat, we need to stop flying on holiday, and we need to insulate our houses.”

Establish what the building industry needs

Judith thinks that academics can have a tendency to come up with solutions for problems that don't necessarily exist. So part of her role is having conversations with the building industry and the plant scientists to work out the areas that need new materials, and how the plant science community can contribute.

One example is of insulating solid wall houses in Wales and doing that with vapour permeable materials. She says that hemp lime or another material mixed with lime is an excellent way of achieving internal wall insulation whilst minimising risks of interstitial condensation. It then becomes a question of analysing what it is that the plant material is doing in that mixture, seeing whether other plant materials are available, and then carrying out testing.

Prevent biodegradable building materials from biodegrading!

There are significant differences between various plant materials in how easily they biodegrade, and this will impact on the longevity of a building. The key thing is to stop moisture from getting in.

Plants contain variable amounts of silicon and lignin in their cell walls which are protective against being broken down by microorganisms. Even different wheat straw varieties will contain different levels of lignin, which would impact on how quickly an individual piece of straw would rot if it were exposed to moisture.

So one of the initial decisions to make when planning your build is as to how you plan to deal with moisture, and whether for example you have a vapour-permeable construction where moisture can diffuse into and out of the wall, or whether it will be a completely sealed envelope that relies on mechanical or window opening systems for moisture management.

We will need to move to a plant-based economy

Before fossil fuels we had a plant-based economy, and going forward this is something that we will need to revert to once again.

Judith is involved in the university's BEACON project, which looks at plants as products and how biorefining can help us move to a natural feedstock-based economy.

“Everything we use on a day-to-day basis, be it building materials or plastics or everyday items, is going to need to be made out of plants and it’s a question of how we best do that.”

Online Learning Resources

Check out these sites for online resources, including webinars and training:

Find out more

Learn more about the work of BEACON

Read Judith's Blog

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Judith Thornton.

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HPH258 : Using a turn-key design and build company to deliver an ecological home – with Neil Sutherland

July 18, 2019 by Lucy Cowell Leave a Comment

Neil Sutherland explains how using a design, manufacture and delivery company can give you a better quality of construction.

Interview with Neil Sutherland

Neil didn't take a conventional route into architecture. After leaving school at 16 he undertook a technical apprenticeship with an engineering company for a few years. It was only after finishing his apprenticeship and going travelling around Europe that the wonders of Florence turned his head to architecture. He returned to Scotland, completed his degree and promptly set up his own practice, MAKAR, an architect-led, ecological design and build company.

Makar House, Kinloss, Morayshire, Scotland.

A unique entity focused on the delivery of great places

Neil summarises MAKAR as not being an architectural practice, builder or manufacturer, but a combination of the three.

His first ten years in business were spent working out how best to develop and design buildings, and was disappointed by the options available to him on the delivery side of things.

When he moved to a live on a farm with his family around 16 years ago, he had land available where he was able to develop and grow his business to include the manufacturing. He now has a couple of large workshops and employs close to 50 people.

Their unique offering means they are currently working at capacity producing homes mostly in the Scottish Highlands, but are also looking to mainstream what they do and make it more widely available.

Certainties can be provided to clients

Neil is able to offer certainties to clients, around design, programme, workmanship and cost. With the alternative being to work with a number of consultants and a builder, he says it can be difficult to find a company who are motivated by ecological progressive areas of working who are able to take on an architect's idea and make it work.

“As I’ve learnt over the years, the intention is the first stage but one has to figure out how to get things delivered. The execution of things is perhaps far more challenging than coming up with bright ideas.”

There are three aspects to a successful project outcome

The first is having a thorough understanding of the client's brief. This involves taking time to sit down with them and really understand their needs.

The second aspect is the site analysis. Every site will have constraints and opportunities, but there's always context; things to respond to, things you want to exemplify or even perhaps reduce.

The third element is a flexible delivery approach.

Neil believes as long as none of these three aspects are compromised, as he suggests happens in the standard approach to the design and delivery of housing, the customer will end up with a wonderful outcome.

Scotland has an abundance of quality timber

Scotland's forestry cover has an unusual species mix, dominated by pine, fir, larch and spruce.

Neil's company is looking to develop progressive ways of utilising that timber, from a structural perspective right through to insulation. They use the common characteristics of those species for different applications and avoid using chemical treatments wherever possible.

Spruce and Scots pine for example can be used for the carcassing of a panel type construction, Douglas Fir for large section exposed beams and posts, and larch is used extensively on the external applications of buildings, such as cladding and decking.

“There’s enough there to do everything we want to do, to do it without chemical treatments, and to work in anticipation of the circular economy, in anticipation of the idea that timber buildings are uniquely adaptable in the sense that they are repairable and you can change them. You can take them apart and put them back together again.”

They work closely with sawmills

In other parts of the world, and particularly in Europe there are many small to medium sized mills, which relate to their local resource and how it's used. In Scotland, many of the small to medium sized mills haven't survived so MAKAR tend to use a few large sawmills along with a small number of smaller ones.

Rather than the usual design approach of designing something and then looking for what you're going to use to build it, in normal situations they would look at the resource available and respond to that, buying the timber directly from the sawmill.

They use a lean process

Lean process improvement is largely used in manufacturing to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

Neil's interpretation is that it's about people; what motivates them to do things carefully, and with a lot of attention to detail, getting things right the first time and really enjoying what they're doing.

“It’s when you go about making things, when you connect the theory and practice of things together, you get a third thing that comes out which is a kind of tangible, pragmatic capability which is not held up as important as it is, in actual fact.”

And Neil believes it is the people who are making things who are the best people to ask about how to improve the process.

An ecological approach to engaging with the world

MAKAR use the term ‘meaningful work' to explain their working methods. It's about their work being respectful to everyone involved, and respectful to things beyond themselves.

“Every time we build a house, we know that it’s going to impact on people’s lives in a very profound manner. MAKAR exists because we believe that great buildings and places change people’s lives.”

The aim is for quality, not speed

The main constraint that MAKAR have with building the houses is the transportation. Their standard panel size is around three metres wide so that it can be transported by road relatively easily.

Such off-site construction methods may be more expensive than other alternatives, but they will be better and more consistently made and speed and cost reductions will come about over time.

The pieces of the house are made in sequence: first the floor, wall and roof panels, then the post and beam elements and finally the modular elements which are the parts of the house that have the plumbing, ventilation and electrics in them.

They try and do as much of the servicing within the modules at their workshop as possible as they believe this to have the best outcomes.

“But the future is about having less and less equipment, more and more fabric first, more and more simplicity around buildings really. But use the word optimisations. So, what equipment you do have you have to make sure it is working well and it’s optimised.“

Find out more

Visit the website of MAKAR

Follow MAKAR on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Neil Sutherland.

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HPH233 : How to choose a construction system for a house build – with Mike Hardwick

December 14, 2018 by Lucy Cowell Leave a Comment

Self build consultant, Mike Hardwick, explains the pros and cons of different construction systems.

Interview with Mike Hardwick

Mike hasn't followed a typical path into the industry. He actually worked in the RAF for 26 years, and with all the different postings came many different house moves for him and his family. Deciding to settle in one place they selected a location (based in the middle of where possible future postings could potentially be), bought a plot of land and built their own home.

Mike often found himself propping up the bar in the Officers' Mess answering questions about how to build your own home. When he came out of the Services in 2005, he realised that what he would really like to do was get more people interested in building their own homes, and at that point decided to make a business from it.

The first series of Grand Designs – copyright Channel 4

Mike's house build coincided with the first series of Grand Designs

They bought the land for their self build in 1999, got planning permission in 2000 and in 2002 were able to move in. Doing the build in parallel with the first episodes of Grand Designs often left them able to empathise with the self-builders, pick up a few tips or wonder why they were doing things a certain way.

Mike credits Grand Designs for redefining the scope of self build, making people realise that it doesn't have to just be for the very wealthy. Although he does concede that the TV programme “Sensible Couple with Reasonable Budget Build Modest House On-time and On-budget with a Competent Builder” is never going to get commissioned!

A build system is the structural element of the house

That is, what it is built from and held up by. “And the confusing bit with a build system is that just because what’s on the outside of a house looks like maybe a brick, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a house made out of bricks structurally.” Most, but not all, houses in the UK are built with a twin-leaf construction, where the inner leaf does the supporting work and the outer leaf makes it look pretty, with timber, brick, tiles etc.

As well as holding up the structure of the house and being the main material used in the construction, it is what the services run through and are bolted to.

As such, getting the right system for you is going to be an important decision to make, and generally it's entirely your choice. Because the building system you use doesn't usually dictate the external appearance, the planners aren't interested. So as long as Building Control are happy that it will comply with regulations then you are free to choose.

Price comparisons aren't straight forward

Mike explains that people will always ask him which system is the most cost effective, but drawing a price comparison is actually quite difficult. He does say that there is a fairly narrow band of cost when it comes to the different build systems, and what influences the price most is actually the detailing and the finishes that go on inside.

What really hikes the price is when you trade in the materials for speed of construction, such as with houses that are pre-fabricated and then erected on site in a matter of days.

Masonry construction

Mortgage companies for example will typically ask whether the house you're buying is of masonry construction with a tiled roof. They like it because it has substance to it, it's a safe thing to invest against, and will be appealing to potential future purchasers.

“It’s the way that we’ve trained our builders, it’s the way we’ve been conditioned to think about how houses work, and it’s what we fall back to. So, they’re easier to insure, they’re easier to mortgage against and they’re easier to sell. Which is why people still do it.”

If you're working to a modest budget, then using brick and block is generally at the lower end of the cost spectrum, so is likely to be a baseline for constructing your own home. They are quick and easy to build, relatively cheap to buy, and are easy to handle and cut up. They tick the boxes for mortgage companies, insurers and builders.

Other positives are the strength they provide, that you can put beam and block floors in. The thermal mass provides a stable temperature throughout the house, and the masonry affords you flexibility of design. You can build just about anything you want in masonry, and combined with steels can give you large, open spans.

Traditional breeze blocks were made out of cement covered cinder. Modern blocks are lightweight and made from pulverised fuel ash, so the detritus from a coal-fired power station mixed with resin and turned into a block. The aerated middle traps air and provides insulation, and also makes them lighter. In the UK there is currently a shortage as there aren't many coal-fired power stations remaining, so the raw materials have to be imported.

Timber frame

Timber frame basically replaces that breeze block element with a structural framework of timber. It is associated with being environmentally friendly, high quality, accurate off-site manufacture. It is efficient, effective and with the speed of construction it makes for an attractive proposition.

Whereas masonry has high embodied carbon in the manufacture, timber frame is carbon neutral in that you plant a tree, chop it down and plant another tree. Timber is also a flexible material in that you can build the walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, stairs etc from it.

Mike is keen to point out to people who worry that building a timber frame system might suffer from problems such as termites or rot, that probably around 65% of what we would call a masonry house is actually made from timber anyway, being the roof trusses, stairs, skirtings and so on.

Mike concedes that, if pressed, he would say timber frame is probably the cheapest way of building the structure of the house. But that would only be if you were doing the most economical and basic timber frame with no frills, and without doing anything to attenuate the acoustics. Most self-builders would want to go above and beyond building regulations and put in good sound-deadening insulation to minimise noise transmitting through the house. When taking into account the extra money on the sound-proofing, you are probably then looking at a more expensive path than masonry.

“Now, if you want the environmental stuff but you don’t want a lot of noise transmission, timber frame with noise attenuation is a good thing but it’s going to cost you more than it will for a masonry house straight out of the box. This is where you need to start doing your homework and making your calculations about what you actually want, how you’re going to live your life, and what you’re trying to get from the home that you’re building.”

The thing to remember with timber frame is that it will last well as long as the moisture content in the structure is kept to a minimum, and allowed to escape so that it doesn't build up. On the inside of the house behind the plasterboard there will be a non-breathable, vapour control layer. This stops any moisture occurring inside the property from getting into the structure. On the external wall, underneath the render or brickwork, is a breathable membrane, allowing any moisture that does get inside to find a way out.

Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF)

These are a type of fire retardant polystyrene foam block. They fit together to create a solid outer wall and a solid inner wall, with the gap in the middle being filled with poured concrete. When the concrete sets and cures, you end up with a waterproof, insulated, monolithic wall which is highly insulated, highly airtight and with the strength and density of a masonry wall. This makes it popular for people building to the Passivhaus standard.

It also benefits from being very quick to construct, you don't need to be too skilled to put it together, and being waterproof is a good choice for flood-prone areas.

Some people aren't keen on this method because of the perceived embodied carbon being quite high. In reality, Mike says, they are mostly made of air with very little actual structure to them. There are other alternatives, such as Durisol blocks which are much the same in principle but use chopped up timber instead of the polystyrene foam as the insulant.

Although there is a lot of concrete used, Mike suggests thinking about the amount of energy that the structure saves straight away with its high levels of airtightness and thermal performance.

It is worth thinking about future use, as putting in more doors or windows for example at a later date is going to be very difficult. Also perhaps a marine ply or a Thermacell type board is advisable for indoors when there might be considerable weight such as cupboards or TVs to be hung from them.

Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs)

These are manufactured off-site and built of two oriented strand board (OSB) sheets that are filled with expanded urethane insulation foam. The panels can be cut, shaped and fixed to other panels to make a complete housing structure. They tend to be accurate, airtight, watertight and put up on site very quickly.

If you were thinking of using this building method, you would take your designs to a SIPs company whose CAD systems would create the plans to feed into the machines that produce the panels to millimetre perfection. These panels work with the other panels around them, and can even have steelwork in there for covering large spans, to give the structural integrity to the house.

Mike explains how the success of a masonry constructed home is very dependent on the quality and skill of the bricklayer. With ICF it's harder to go wrong, as the panels are designed to fit together at 90 degrees, meaning the walls are going to be straight and it will be easier for fitting out afterwards.

One drawback is that you can't later decide to move things about or add doors or windows because the structural integrity will be compromised.

“The advice I would give to anyone contemplating building in SIPs is to spend a really long time thinking about what you want and what’s going to go into your house, and the design of your house, and then say, ‘that’s it, no more changes. We’re happy with this. Go and provide this house.’ Because once it goes into the computer and they pull the handle, then that’s what you’re going to get. If you suddenly say, ‘about that wall there, can we have another one here or another window here? Can we have that door moved to the left?’ that’s going to be expensive, it’s time consuming, you’ve got to start again and recalculate the whole thing in the worst cases.”

In terms of cost, Mike says ICF and SIPs used to have roughly a 10% premium on them because there were new factories to be paid for, but as they are becoming more common-place the prices are more competitive. Some manufacturers are even assuring that they can produce a house for about the same cost as brick and block.

Straw bale

Previously seen as something you wouldn't consider for mainstream building, nowadays the increased focus on energy efficiency, natural materials and environmentally conscious building has given straw a greater appeal. Mike explains that structural straw bales, as opposed to ones you would buy direct from a farmer, are processed and compacted to form dense blocks.

“When you encapsulate this within a lime water and plaster that you would normally be using with this build, you’ve got something which has got no oxygen. So, it doesn’t catch fire. It doesn’t. It’s just a really good carbon neutral method, environmentally friendly way of getting all that insulated wall which looks really good as well.”

Straw bales do mean that you end up with thick walls, but for some people that is a positive feature. The deep window and door reveals combined with the lime plaster make it look and feel like a solid house with a natural, rustic feel.

Mike concedes that some mainstream lenders and insurance companies might not be keen to deal with these, but others like the Ecology Building Society see the benefits and will lend against them.

Prefabricated system builds

Most of these factories tend to be in continental Europe where the prefabricated kit is made and then brought to your plot to be assembled. This method probably won't suit those on a smaller budget but for projects on a grander scale, or at least a grander budget, they will be rewarded with superb, quality finishes.

“And for those people who want to be hands-off with the self-build rather than actually getting involved and really worrying about how the bricks go and how the timber frame is constructed, they can sit back and basically say, ‘here’s the house I want. Build me one of those. Here’s where I want it.’ And somebody else goes and does it for you. You pay for the privilege of doing that, but the stress levels are going to be a lot lower than somebody who’s actually project managing their own build all the way through.”

Again, this is a system where decisions need to be made up front as any changes later are going to be extremely costly.

Steel frame

A steel frame self build house wouldn't be commonplace in the UK. They tend to be more popular in warmer climates. If you have a steel structured house and are trying to stop cold-bridging then you're starting from a losing position.

However, recent changes in planning regulations, where permitted development allows people to take farm buildings and convert them into residential dwellings with less of the hassle, has made extensions and renovations of steel-framed farm buildings more common.

Thin joint

The masonry industry has recognised some of the problems of building with blocks (weather dependent, speed of construction, reliant on quality of the builder) and come up with a variation on the masonry theme called Thin Join. They use over-size versions of the cinder blocks and instead of using a 10mm sand and cement mortar base, they are held together with a type of glue adhesive.

“But by taking out things like the mortar bed, you’re taking out two things. One is a passage for air to get through, and when air can get through, noise can get through. So, by taking that mortar bed out, you’re putting better airtightness into it, putting more insulation into the wall and you’re taking away some of the need for skilled construction to put it together”.

It's also a cleaner system, using a bucket of adhesive instead of having piles of sand and cement spreading around the site.

Which system to use depends on what is right for your circumstances

“So, if low cost is your priority then you need to be looking at the traditional masonry or the timber frame setup. If you’ve got family and you want a bit of peace and quiet, you want some separation of noise, acoustic attenuation, then the masonry end is probably the way you want to be looking at.

If you want energy efficient, you’re environmentally aware, then you want high efficiency and low running costs. Then timber frame is probably where I’d be looking at. That’s at the lower end of the spectrum on there.

And as you go up the performance scale, that’s when I’d start looking at the ICFs and the SIPs panels. They might cost you a little bit more to build but again, there’s a trade-off there against the cost of the materials and you need less labour to put it all together.

At the very top end, if you really are a hands-off builder and you want the sort of quality which just comes with that continental standard, then these system builds that we spoke about, hand over the money and let these guys come and build it. You’ll have a house which will be good enough to feature in the magazines. But you will pay for that privilege.”

Additional resources

Build It Magazine

NaCSBA

National Self Build & Renovation Centre

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Mike Hardwick.

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HPH215 : 10 things I’ve learned during construction – with Ben Adam-Smith

April 27, 2018 by Ben Leave a Comment

Ben Adam-Smith reflects on what he's learned so far during the construction phase of his self build.

The project is halfway through and the finished house will meet the Passivhaus standard.

1. Things move quickly

If you're a first time self-builder I'd wager it's taken you a number of years to get to the build!

You've probably spent time dreaming and then looking for land and then going through the design process.

For all this work you have nothing physical to show.

So when it actually gets to the build and you have a team turning up on site every day, the progress is marked.

Yes, you've got this all in a schedule but sometimes things don't register until you see them!

I visit site two or three times a week and I'm always amazed what they've achieved.

2. Your team is probably bigger than you think!

Hiring a local contractor may give you the impression that you are hiring a small team.

However, building a house requires a great many skills. That means your core team will use sub-contractors where they see fit.

Sometimes this might be for speed. For example, brick-layers were drafted in when the superstructure was going up (even though the core team could have done this).

Or it could be a specialist skill is required such as electrics, plumbing, laying a screed, etc.

3. The flow of supplies is half of the progress

You can’t do anything without the materials. They need to be on site in the right order and ready when needed.

Sometimes a lot of progress can be made in a single day.

For me, a great example was when the beam and block floor went down.

Organising the precast concrete beams and filling in the blocks happened in a short space of time.

Watching this process you see people with their different roles. One person will be operating the telehandler and just bringing new packs of blocks. Another person might be distributing these blocks, while another person is technically doing all the building (and laying them)!

4. The quality of the build is a team effort

Watching the construction phase unfold before you it is clear that everyone is contributing to the finished product. Perhaps more so on a masonry build like mine, because there are so many little elements that come together.

Whether it's mixing cement, laying blocks, putting in insulation, or the thousands of other little jobs, everyone must be putting in 100% to have a high quality finish.

5. As a client, you need to keep ahead with the decisions

When you take on a self build you are aware that a lot of decisions are coming your way.

The good news is that these don't come all at once. There are definitely moments when the decision-making intensifies. One of those is during specification. The second peak is during construction.

As we put a lot of detail into our tender documents we thought there wouldn't be that many decisions to make during construction. Wrong!

If you've left any PC sums then get to work as soon as possible. Your contractor is not going to want to be delayed and may apply pressure accordingly.

The whole way through we've been asking our contractor what is next, what is next? Thus we have stayed ahead of the curve so far.

6. As a client, there’s a huge benefit to regular site visits

I try to get to site every two to three days. Why? Well, firstly I love it. I've seen so many other houses come to life that I want to make the most of seeing progress on mine!

It's also a great way to build relationships. I always aim to know the name of everyone working on site and find out a bit about them. When you're knee-deep in emails and texts, I like to balance that up with real life contact.

The other reason it's useful is that you can often answer questions or pick up on little things.

Finally these site visits are good for understanding your house. I may have stared at plans for hours but everything becomes clearer when you can see it in practice.

7. Problems that arise can generally be solved

Throughout a self build issues will arise. At the time it can feel like the end of the world. Of course, with a positive mindset there's a way through. Normally a bit of discussion and a few decisions can get you back on track.

8. Best-made plans might need to change

I've tried to embrace the philosophy of not changing my mind too much during the construction phase.

This is sound advice because there can be ramifications to changes (which will translate to delays, additional cost and crushing morale).

However, some aspects are not set in stone and can evolve without much or any extra work.

I guess it's about catching those things in time.

One example of this on my project was the nagging thought that we'd put too many bathrooms in upstairs! Initially I vowed to live with it. The thing is that it hadn't happened yet. And the more we thought about it, the more we realised this space could still be useful, just with a different purpose. So, for now it's for storage. Who's to say it doesn't transform as we need it.

9. Masonry construction feels old-fashioned!

My build is a masonry cavity wall construction, which is both traditional and popular in the UK.

It's often chosen because there's a solid skill base available and it's cost effective.

However, sometimes it does seem quite manual.

There's a lot of cement to mix and blocks to arrange. String lines are used . . . the tolerances are not as good as other build methods. Not forgetting there's a lot of embodied energy wrapped up in this approach

All that said, it is still the main way we build things in the UK. Who knows how you change an industry?

10. Being a client is a full time job!

We have hired an architecture firm and have a main contractor. It doesn't get much easier than this.

Even so, it's still been exhausting at times!

So don't overstretch yourself. If you're planning to project manage, for example, make sure this is within your skillset and you realise what you're taking on.

I cannot fathom what it would have been like with extra responsibility on my build!

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HPH180 : Where to live during your house build – with Ben Adam-Smith

June 8, 2017 by Ben Leave a Comment

Ben Adam-Smith runs through the main options of where to live while your new home is under construction. While there's potential to save a lot of money it should not impact significantly on your comfort, state of mind or key relationships.

Money spent on temporary accommodation is not necessarily wasted

A lot of this depends on your personal situation.

With sufficient funds the decision becomes so much simpler, but if your self build is only going to happen with you living in a caravan on site then make sure you're not romanticising what this will be like.

Consider who is involved and how they might be effected

Here are a few questions that might be useful to run through:

Who will this impact?

If it's just you then you are likely to have a realistic sense of which route is right for you. With a family, there's a lot more to balance . . . and a lot more at stake!

What are your needs?

Whenever you buy (or rent) a house the location, price and availability are at the heart of the decision.

Consider proximity to work, schools and all importantly your building site.

What is your mental attitude like?

If you're someone who needs luxuries and space just to survive then sleeping in a campervan may be easy to rule out. However, even if you go camping every weekend would living this way for a year be viable?

How long will you be living in temporary accommodation?

Even with the best intentions projects can overrun. So envisage yourself living in your chosen accommodation for double or triple the time you have in your head!

And do you still feel good about it when it’s cold, raining, and it's been a bad day on site?

1. Stay where you currently live

With the funds available, by far the easiest option is to stay put in your existing property. This minimises disruption with just one move (from current house to completed self build). It's also likely that this is a comfortable environment.

Other than the cost implications, the only other down side is if your existing property is a long way from your plot.

If you anticipate being on site every day then this reason alone may be cause to move.

2. Move into a rental property

Although this is likely to involve you moving twice – once from your existing home and then again into your new build home – it shouldn't be too disruptive once you're settled and in a level of comfort that suits your needs.

You'll also have the ability to get closer to your land.

The downside here is that money is going out on a monthly basis and if your project is significantly delayed this will soon add up.

It also might not feel as homely because the landlord may not be open to excessive personalisation (painting walls, adapting spaces, etc.).

Don't overspend on the rental property

The cost of rental properties will vary hugely. It's worth visiting a number of properties to get a grip on the market and what is good value for money.

If you are selling your existing home, also be aware that you may not have much time to make this decision. We found that the choice of houses available in our price range was far more limited than we expected.

3. Move in with family or friends

Potentially this option could save you a lot of money. However, it really comes down to how strong that relationship is with the person you intend to impose upon.

If the house is large enough then maybe there is room to have your own space. Even then, perhaps there will still be an element of being on your best behaviour!

Other things to consider is the distance to your plot and the fact that if things do go wrong you are probably in danger of damaging a valuable relationship.

4. Erect temporary accommodation on your site

We've all seen it on Grand Designs . . . the family that thought it would be a good idea to stay in a beaten up caravan on their plot for the duration of the build! Hmmm.

Well staying on your site doesn't have to be primitive: you have a few options.

There are considerable savings to be made by doing this but one other benefit is that you can keep an eye on the site as work progresses. This is of course a double-edged sword! You won't have a retreat away from site and will have to endure the noise.

If you have young kids it is entirely possible that they may have an accident somewhere. Yes, the site will be fenced off but kids have an uncanny ability of gravitating towards things/areas they shouldn't!

An outbuilding

Where your project has permission to construct an outbuilding, such as an office or garage block, if it offers enough space this may be a good option for staying on site. You'll also be confident with the specification of the building (during the depths of winter!).

A caravan or static home

Living this way does not mean it has to be damp and dingy. They come in all sizes and to all levels of comfort.

The question is really whether to rent or buy.

Buying could be cheaper . . . but only if you are confident you can sell it on afterwards.

A mobile home or campervan

Slightly different to the last option but again offering varying levels of comfort.

Don't forget about storage

If you are building a new house then hopefully it's got all the space you need.

If your existing home is fairly modest too then just watch out for ‘downsizing' during your project!

Hopefully you'll see it coming but it's amazing how much stuff you can actually have.

And even with the best intentions of sorting through what you need, you may discover – like I did – that time flies by and then you just have to pack up to clear the house.

Secure storage units are usually easy to find, but they aren't always cheap. So factor this in if you haven't got storage space in your temporary accommodation.

When should you move?

In some respects you want to leave this to the last minute! Nobody wants to compromise their living environment until they have to. In reality it is a balance though. You don't want the stress of needing to pay bills and not have the cash flow.

As you won't be paying for services upfront your money will go out gradually during the build.

Just remember that selling your home may take longer than you think. For Mike Coe it took about a year!

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HPH015 : How Content Marketing Could Help to Promote Positive Actions Against Climate Change – with Cesar Abeid

February 12, 2013 by Ben 1 Comment

Ben Adam-Smith shares an idea he has about using the Internet to communicate the need for incremental lifestyle change as an action to combat climate change. This one-off episode focuses on how you could use content marketing to get your message across. Cesar Abeid from The Construction Industry Podcast is Ben's guest and helps explain how content marketing works.

Interview with Cesar Abeid

Cesar Abeid has agreed to share his experience of content marketing. Cesar is an electrical engineer by trade and he works in Canada for his family business called Remontech. They offer a remote monitoring service to the construction industry, installing cameras on site and providing a live feed back to the stakeholders of the projects. Time lapse video is then linked up to the Gantt chart.

Content Marketing Helped Remontech Reach Potential Clients

Cesar explains that because people are not necessarily searching for these kind of services on Google, he had to reach potential clients in another way. Cesar now produces a podcast that is aimed directly at this niche: The Construction Industry Podcast.

Podcasts Are a Great Way to Learn

Content can exist in many forms, with the main channels at the current time being video, audio podcasting and blogging. Cesar explains that he's a fan of podcasts because they are not passive like radio – you choose the topics you want to learn more about and then you subscribe and download them.

Many Niches do Not Have Significant Players Yet

Cesar has recently been a speaker at the New Media Expo (NMX), which is quite a prestigious event. He believes he was accepted to talk at the event because he's used content marketing in a different way, to promote a service to an industry that is not very well versed in these things. While some niches are crowded, such as how to make money online and how to use content marketing, many niches are in their infancy.

Opportunity is There for Those Who Take the Initiative

Although there are around 750,000 construction companies in the US alone, none of them thought to create The Construction Industry Podcast. Cesar took that initiative. It has also really helped his authority in the sector.

If You Enjoy Creating Content, it Will Keep You Motivated

Although Cesar wrote a blog called The Construction Bridge, it was not his favourite way of producing content. When he creates podcasts he loves doing it, particularly as he's interviewed key figures in the construction industry including the architect of The Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest building), the project manager for the Sydney Opera House, and those responsible for the Panama Canal expansion, and so on.

What is Content Marketing?

The aim is to provide content so you educate or entertain people who are in your target market without directly selling the services and products you provide. Over time it creates trust between you and your target market, so that when they are ready to buy what you provide they will trust you and buy from you.

Resources to Learn About Content Marketing

Cesar gives a list of places that helped him learn about content marketing.

Podcasts

Internet Business Mastery – Jeremy Frandsen and Jason Van Orden teach how to set up an Internet business based around a passion.

Smart Passive Income – Pat Flynn shares a lot of ideas on how to create content and help a community.

The Local Method – Albert Hathazi focusses on how small businesses can market themselves on the Internet.

Site Visibility – Kelvin Newman and the team offer insider tips and practical advice on how to get the most from digital and search engine marketing.

Books

Tribes – Seth Godin

Platform by Michael Hyatt

Crush It – Gary Vaynerchuk

Results Take Time

As content marketing is based on trust, it takes time for people to learn to trust you, to know that your information is good and to understand that you have their best interests at heart. Many people get discouraged after a few months if the engagement isn't there or the statistics aren't what they want. However, if you are persistent enough you will reach critical mass, but it takes time and effort.

Your Message Could be on a Secondary Level

Cesar believes that when it comes to environmental issues, there's an opportunity to reach people who are not in tune with these issues. This is probably best if done indirectly so that we don't end up preaching to the converted. If you are producing content that a certain group wants, whatever the topic might be, you could still create influence on a secondary level.

You Must Target a Niche Audience

We live in an age where if you care deeply about something, you can tell the world about it. Cesar suggests to think about what the message is and at whom it is aimed. Imagine what motivates your target audience (the more highly focussed the niche, the better), what compels them and then create content for them.

Find Out More About Cesar Abeid

– Remontech

– The Construction Industry Podcast

– Cesar on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Cesar Abeid.

Ben Found a Voice Through Content Marketing

Ben explains that he is a big advocate of energy efficiency because it's a win win situation. It saves energy and money, and it also leads to a reduction of CO2 emissions. In fact this is why he set up House Planning Help: to try and promote this action, and point people towards the individuals and companies who really know how to deliver energy efficiency. Ben has used content marketing to find his voice online and it's working.

Ben is convinced that he can help his local town in the same way. Read more about what he is proposing for Hertford.

The Internet is Lacking Voices of Change

Ben says that if he has kids he wants to be able to tell them that he did everything possible to avert the effects of climate change. As part of that he believes there are not enough voices on the Internet that are addressing climate change, even if this is indirectly through any subject. That's why Ben wants to devote one episode to sharing the resources you would need to get your voice heard in today's noisy world. Content marketing is very good for promoting individuals if you have either time or resources at your disposal.

A Lifestyle Change Feels Inevitable

Ben talks about how he has become more aware of climate change since starting the podcast and how his concerns have escalated. Having also recently watched the David Attenborough's series on Africa Ben reflects on how every wildlife programme these days seems to end with a whole episode on the reducing numbers of other species and effects of climate change. With a rising human population, fossil fuel depletion and evidence of significant temperature increase, it doesn't take a genius to work out something has to give.

Ask Your Questions or Share Your Feedback

Email feedback@houseplanninghelp.com

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