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  • HPH188 : What are Paragraph 80 builds and how do they work? – with Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture

    HPH188 : What are Paragraph 80 builds and how do they work? – with Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture

    Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture tells us about the exceptional circumstances in which planning for rural new builds may be granted.

    *Since recording this podcast, the government has updated the National Planning Policy Framework. ‘Paragraph 55’ (or ‘Para 55’) policy changed in name to ‘Paragraph 79’ and then ‘Paragraph 80′, although the content remains largely unchanged. * 

    We have amended the show notes but the interview will still talk about Paragraph 55.

    Interview with Richard Hawkes

    Richard Hawkes’ self-build, Crossway, helped launch his own practice Hawkes Architecture nine years ago. Before that he worked at a large commercial practice in London.

    As planning is rarely granted for new rural homes, Richard had to learn what circumstances were considered exceptions. His expertise then led to work gaining planning consent for others in similar circumstances. Nowadays Richard even sits on a Design Review Panel, made up of professionals including landscape architects and engineers, that advises planners whether or not a proposal is meeting policy.

    Crossway

    Planning policy allows rural development in exceptional circumstances

    Paragraph 79 has four special circumstances that can permit a new dwelling in the countryside:

    1. An agricultural worker’s dwelling. It’s quite difficult to create a business case for these so they don’t happen very often.
    2. Re-use of a heritage asset, e.g. saving a listed building.
    3. Re-use of redundant farm buildings. Relaxation of permitted development legislation has made this moot for now.
    4. If the dwelling is of exceptional quality or innovative in its nature of design. All of Richard’s Paragraph 79 projects fall into this last category.

    Four tests determine if a design is sufficiently exceptional

    For a dwelling to be of exceptional quality or innovative in its nature of design, it has to pass all of these tests:

    • Help to raise the standards of design more generally in rural areas
    • Be of the highest standards in architecture
    • Significantly enhance the immediate setting
    • Be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area
    Hawkhurst

    Paragraph 79 is an important design-led policy

    Since Planning’s introduction in 1946, there has been a reluctance to approve new homes in the countryside. Green Belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Heritage Coast and other designations evidence this. Even Paragraph 79, which Richard describes as a piece of national policy originally introduced in 1997 to enable landowners to get permission for their “English country house”, states that planning authorities should generally seek to resist new dwellings.

    In 2003 the Labour government sought to get rid of (then) Paragraph 55 which they felt was an elitist policy, but were lobbied by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) who argued the policy would move forward dwelling design. As a result, the policy evolved into PPS 7, Paragraph 11 and actually used the term ‘contemporary architecture’.

    The policy recognises the mediocrity of typical dwelling design, and has a practical significance in terms of architects’ professional development. It encourages them to learn how to respond to a setting and produce amazing buildings. Richard explains that the principles of good design can be looked at entirely objectively, even if people’s responses to design are inherently subjective.

    Sustainability must be factored into the design

    A beautiful house isn’t enough. A house of the highest standards in architecture will incorporate lots of insulation, heat recovery ventilation, triple-glazing, and passive solar gain. Richard describes these Passivhaus principles as just sensible design and something planners would expect to see in a Paragraph 79 scheme, not reasons why they would grant consent.

    The nature of the site and its management will often tie in to the energy strategy they develop for each individual building.

    West Pearroc

    There are different types of Paragraph 79 house

    Some locations suit a contrasting building, like an English country house. Richard describes this as unapologetically “dominating its landscape. Enhancing it but very much in contrast to it.”

    Conversely, one of his own Paragraph 79 houses on a Green Belt / AONB site needed to show sensitivity to the defining characteristics of the local area and significantly enhance the immediate setting. His architecture enhanced the farmstead by reinforcing the positive qualities of stable buildings on the site while removing other buildings that were “detractors”.

    Likelihood of planning consent must first be weighed up

    Richard’s team must first establish whether the site has the right ingredients to get a planning consent. He uses the analogy of a set of weighing scales, and there are several factors weighing down the ‘wrong side’:

    • You’re not allowed to build a house in the open countryside.
    • In Green Belt, there is the principle of openness. If the site has other buildings on it, you can potentially look at “consolidating building form” as a strategy. If there are no buildings there at all, it becomes very difficult.
    • AONB are protected by National Policy. It is possible, but more complex as these are highly protected pieces of land.
    • If it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or on top of a hill, any development is likely to have a big visual impact.

    No one can guarantee planning consent, so Richard tries to manage that risk. To “balance the scales” he carries out a rigorous analysis of local and national policy to find benefits that could come with a scheme.

    The landscape and architecture have to work together

    Assuming there’s a robust enough case to proceed, Paragraph 79 applications are not for the faint-hearted; they represent a big investment on the client’s part and are about the land as much as the house. It takes months before Richard will even know what they’re designing.

    Time is spent with landscape architects and commissioning reports and surveys to adequately understand the ecology, biodiversity and resources of the site. This long process uncovers minute details about animals, sun, prevailing wind direction, climate and geology.

    Richard explains that involving a landscape architect right at the start helps them to lay down some rules about the site: sensitivities to avoid and opportunities to embrace. The ‘master plan’ is holistic and everything included in the plan can be justified.

    Examples of ways to enhance the landscape might include:

    • Binding the site together with areas of woodland
    • Linking habitats
    • Bolstering woodland edge
    • Introducing wildflower areas and a proper mowing regime to increase biodiversity
    • Putting management plans in place
    Flight Farm

    Designs reflect a rigorous understanding of the site and client

    The practice’s design framework originates from Richard’s self-build experience. He developed the design for Crossway using two distinct, parallel processes. Firstly, responding to the client (his wife) meant considering the “mechanics of a plan”. These are things like securing the best views, ensuring low running costs, opening up the house to the south, etc. A client lifestyle analysis is done, including everything from what time they wake up to how often they entertain.

    The other process is analysing how the landscape changes as you approach the plot from different directions, to determine what the house needs to do sculpturally to respond to each of the views. This was something Richard did intuitively with his piece of land: “For me, the context of any site has got rich things for you to respond to. You’ve just got to find them.”

    The design then emerges from these two processes. Crossway’s distinctive arch grew from a desire for the house to sit in amongst the ecology and the biodiversity of the land. And the design for one client project interpreted the qualities of the local flint to respond to the “defining characteristics of the local area”; the building is sharp and crisp outside, like the inside of flint but the white, soft-flowing curves of the courtyard evoke the outside of the stone.

    Crossway

    We need to keep pushing house design forward

    As well as acting as a good training mechanism for architects, Richard has a philosophical argument for protecting Paragraph 79. “If the policy weren’t there, I’d find that quite a sad reflection on where we are with design, where we are as a country with architecture. Look at all these houses going up with no aspirational policy there. I’d find that quite a sad place to be and quite short-sighted.”

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Hawkes Architecture

    Follow Hawkes Architecture on Twitter

    Follow Hawkes Architecture on Facebook

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Richard Hawkes

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  • HPH187 : What keeps a self-builder awake at night? – with Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant

    HPH187 : What keeps a self-builder awake at night? – with Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant

    Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant shares the key results of a survey the company ran to find out what self-builders worry about most.

    Interview with Will Kirkman

    Will didn’t actually get a PAYE job until his 40s. Assorted pursuits over the years, including farming and metalwork, eventually led him to civil engineering. He now runs Ecomerchant, a sustainable building materials supplier.

    Will says that self-building is a unique and new experience for most people who do it, so there can be a lot of uncertainty along the way.

    In an effort to find out a little bit more about the market, the company surveyed customers and identified the top five worries.

    1. How much should my project really cost?

    Total build cost is made up of many components. It can be hard to work out what proportion of the total should be on various upfront fees and professional services versus the construction itself, let alone establish actual costs. As dreams become reality, controlling costs can also prove tricky causing anxiety levels to rise.

    Will acknowledges that there is a sliding scale depending on how ‘standard’ the build is and how hands-on a self-builder plans to be, but suggests an indicative cost of between £1200 and £1800 per square metre.

    When it comes to build cost, trusting the professionals is important. Will suggests the core three team members would ideally be client, architect and builder, and recommends engaging with the building materials supplier as soon as possible.

    Will says there are ways to prevent the budget being blown by unforeseen problems. If a builder is doing something for the first time, the quote is likely to take into account this increased risk. So it is wise to choose an architect and builder that is experienced with your preferred build system.

    2. Am I getting good value and good quality?

    Will says, “I think this is about being sensible about what your expectations are and also understanding what people’s skillsets are.”

    He argues it is reasonable to want a house to perform in the long term and therefore expect it be built to a high standard. Unlike the volume housing market, self-builders are in more control of this; but success relies on the entire build team sharing a common understanding of what they’re trying to achieve.

    Will recognises that people can be tempted by short-term savings, especially if their project is going over budget. However, these savings will often cost more in the long run; some examples include:

    • A relatively inexpensive paint can peel off or fail in other ways;
    • Plastic baths will always move, leading to gaps along the silicone, and possibly leaks and damage;
    • Internal doors contribute massively to the acoustics of a building and cheap ones won’t insulate noise well.

    Aesthetics can also distract from a product’s core function. Will reminds us that “value and quality are different things to taste.” Concentrate on how something needs to perform, when weighing up options and prices.

    3. Am I paying too much?

    Being new to the build process can mean people worry they are paying too much. Whatever your budget, you will want to feel that you spent your money wisely.

    While a huge budget may make some decisions easier, Will thinks you are better off being wise than being wealthy in terms of the build; of course money is critical, but getting the job done the way you want it is important too.

    A good way to better understand the process, without adding costs, is to network within the self-build and construction environment. Asking how people have used products and materials will help and you can even learn from other people’s mistakes.

    4. How can I find a reliable supplier?

    While big builders’ merchants might compete in terms of service and special deals, they tend to offer a similar selection of products driven by industry standards. Keeping things simple makes life easy for everybody concerned, but this means self-builders typically encounter problems when it comes to getting more in depth advice, especially on less common building techniques. Will explains, “What builders’ merchants are generally not keen to do is to invest an awful lot of knowledge at the counter front or in the branch, because they don’t see a return for it easily.”

    Will argues that there is a need to promote local builders’ merchants, who are more likely to support regional build systems or non-standard construction methodology.

    5. Who do I turn to for help and advice?

    A good starting place is looking at case studies and finding out what other self-builders are doing. For general help and advice, Will says it’s best to talk to someone who has done what you want to do.

    For technical or professional help, he suggests that a sympathetic architect who understands your ambitions can help find tradesmen with the right experience. However, Will also notes that when he has supplied some building companies with new materials, such as lime plaster for the first time, they realised it wasn’t too difficult and were happy to offer this new skill to customers.

    Other avenues of research include the Internet and roadshows. Will points out that this stage of the process doesn’t have to cost much, so it’s well worth testing the water before you spend a lot of money.

    Some of the relevant information might be too technical for the ‘average punter’ and this is where you might have to abdicate responsibility to the experts. For those wanting an eco-home, it can be hard to work out what that might even mean and the right questions to ask.

    Sustainability can mean different things to different people

    An eco-home could be summarised as: benign in construction, use and potentially in disposal. As Will says, “It benefits occupants’ health and wellbeing, it doesn’t pollute the environment and demands very low levels of energy.” He adds that most buildings built using eco principles feel like really nice houses!

    Some people worry that they aren’t creating the best possible eco-home, but self-builders need to set their own realistic goals. Will compares the desire for an eco-home to healthy eating. “Doing something is better than doing nothing. One salad a week is better than no salads a week. And we’re not expecting everybody to be vegan. There is a happy medium that is entirely personal to every single person.”

     

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Ecomerchant

    Follow Ecomerchant on Twitter

     

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Will Kirkman
     

    The Future of Housing

    During our interview with Will he mentioned our documentary The Future of Housing.

    This explored the quality of housing in the UK and how we might improve the situation.

    There’s also a chance to see some exemplar projects.

     

    Please connect with me

  • HPH163 : How to create an effective basement – with Andrew McInulty

    HPH163 : How to create an effective basement – with Andrew McInulty

    Andrew McInulty from Ready Made Basements explains the main reasons people install basements. He also shares the challenges of building below ground and how they are best addressed.

    Interview with Andrew McInulty

    Andrew’s entire working life has been in the construction industry, from tradesman up to contracts management. His work has involved basements since 1975, and he understands how modern methods have helped reduce the problems previously associated with basement construction.

    Basements offer a way to gain consent for increased habitable space

    Planning mainly concerns itself with the impact of a structure on its surroundings above ground. Many factors will risk your planning application being rejected, such as: ridge heights, privacy issues, or building in green belt and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

    However, many planning departments take a much more liberal view of basements as the visual appearance of them has no impact; they don’t increase the height of buildings yet allow property owners to maximise the use of their plots.

    So with new builds, if you can only get planning permission for a bungalow, a basement will double the habitable space that’s available. However, an initial application for a new build may be rejected if you mention your basement, as the planners might say you don’t need all the space proposed above ground. Andrew suggests you first apply for the maximum footprint obtainable above ground, and then make a subsequent application for the basement.

     

    Building a watertight basement demands intricate detailing

    Basements became very common in Georgian and Victorian times when labour was cheap and the increase of urban populations meant space in cities became more valuable. After the First World War, basement building decreased as the population began to move out to outlying towns where land was plentiful. As basements became less common, so did the expertise required to design and build them. Andrew likes to help architects and structural engineers with proper detailing and waterproofing methods.

    In principle, basements of one or more storeys can be built anywhere and used for storage or habitable space. The method of construction depends on surrounding areas and boundaries. A proper interpretative ground investigation report is invaluable and will tell you:

    • Soil characteristics
    • Soil type
    • Plasticity levels
    • Ground bearing pressures (how much the ground will carry per square metre)
    • Level of ground water
    • Anticipated movement of soils (e.g. a clay soil will rise more than a sandy soil once the hole is dug)

    Using this report, structural engineers can then design the most economic structure to suit the ground conditions, detailing the junctions, the joints and where the structure sits on top.

    The severity of ground water level can impact on cost

    Ground water level is of course a major consideration for basement construction. Levels vary seasonally and geographically; in the southeast it’s not uncommon to find natural water levels only a metre or two below the ground.

    The art of basement construction includes preparing the ground and keeping the water at bay, so that once it’s backfilled and finished, you can walk around inside without giving a thought to the water that could be above your head height!

    Concrete is the best material for building basements

    Based on Andrew’s forty-plus years of experience, he believes concrete to be the most robust, reliable, consistent product for basement construction. The many reasons for choosing this material include:

    1. It has the minimum number of joints, which is required for working underground
    2. Concrete itself can be made watertight
    3. It’s the most enduring material
    4. If it does fail, it is totally and permanently repairable

    Even with waterproof concrete, vapour can be an issue. Either natural or mechanical ventilation is always necessary in order to prevent build up of moisture internally, as vapour can still be transmitted across the wall.

    Passive basements are possible but require specific insulation

    From the point of view of passive basement construction, Andrew says there are no additional technical requirements for the structure itself, just more insulation.

    Specifically, to bring the whole basement structure to Passivhaus standard, 250-300mm of insulation is required underneath the basement plus 200-250mm for the walls. Specialist extruded insulation is needed to take the load of the building, and is therefore more expensive.

    Quality workmanship is needed to realise the design

    Andrew says the most important thing in basement construction is quality control; it’s all about detail, supervision and the quality of workmanship. For example, the exact concrete mix is crucial and the spacing of the reinforcement needs to be precise to prevent cracking. Most defects are caused due to issues with workmanship, although design flaws can of course also lead to ingress of water.

    A guarantee is no guarantee!

    Andrew strongly advises clients to take professional legal advice regarding the small print of basement guarantees, commenting: “It’s a fact that many of the guarantees have a limited value”.

    One of the problems with guarantees offered by the contractor is they often rest on a particular product guaranteed by a supplier; however, the liability of the supplier only stretches to the cost of their material. Andrew adds: “There can be any number of contractors involved; there can be a long line of people who won’t accept responsibility for it”.

    Another issue is due to the recent surge in basement construction, which has resulted in many people in the industry not having the experience required. Hundreds of owners of basements constructed in the last ten years have pursued claims worth millions of pounds. These days, Andrew is aware of only one third-party warranty provider who will actually insure against the ingress of water.

    Building underground is more expensive but adds value

    The additional costs of building underground include more excavation, ensuring safety and the price of concrete. However, the basement gives you a habitable space as well a foundation for the house above. So the cost of foundations for a conventional house should really be deducted from the overall cost of the basement. This means the basement actually offers excellent value for money.

    Find out more

    Ready Made Basements

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Andrew McInulty.

    Please connect with me

  • HPH001 : What Makes a Successful Builder of Traditional Homes? – with Simon Lewis from RW Armstrong

    HPH001 : What Makes a Successful Builder of Traditional Homes? – with Simon Lewis from RW Armstrong

    Ben Adam-Smith explains his motivation for creating this podcast and there’s an interview with Simon Lewis, Managing Director of RW Armstrong, a residential builder in the South East of England.

     

    How This Podcast Came About

    Ben Adam-Smith talks about his passion for certain historical buildings and a dislike for a few recent housing developments in his home town of Hertford, UK. Ben wants to build his own house in the next 4 years and find out first-hand what this will entail, increasing his knowledge with each expert he interviews.

     

    Interview with Simon Lewis

    Simon explains how he got into the industry, initially studying architecture before deciding he preferred the construction side. Even with all the qualifications, it took a lot of years of hard graft to work his way up through the ranks.

    Simon Lewis

     

    You Get What You Pay For

    The industry is driven by cost and most of the contractors are trying to bid for the work cheaply. However it is then difficult to produce the best quality work for the minimum amount of money.  Tradesmen on low wages thus lack focus and dedication. Of course, there are good individuals, but they tend to charge more than the lowest going rate.

     

    Quality Construction Can Exist With Smaller Budgets But…

    Nice commercial buildings and public sector projects do go on, but they are often pre-fabricated and built in an industrial warehouse, brought to site and put together. Simpler forms are easier to get right. Simon went on to say that RW Armstrong’s sector of market is much more bespoke – it’s traditional, labour intensive and uses skilled craftsman.

     

    Factors That Make a Successful Builder

    Dedication to producing high quality construction, providing a good level of personal service. Support your clients and make sure you can understand their expectations and deliver the construction project to meet them. The logistics of finding the right sub-contractors mixed in with their own direct tradespeople and management team is one of the key skills.  If you don’t get that right you become inefficient and then you don’t deliver the service the clients are expecting.

     

    Energy Efficiency

    There’s a huge drive on energy efficiency due to rising fuel prices and that it’s up to you to consider how much to invest to get above the building regulations threshold (where you live). Simon also pointed out certain renewable sources haven’t been through a full life cycle to see if there are maintenance or reliability issues.  A lot of the bigger mechanical and electrical systems need to be designed into projects from the outset in order to minimise expense.

     

    Complications of Listed Properties

    There are limitations as to how much you can and can’t do. If you’re not doing a full strip out and refit of a listed building then you are restricted to how much insulation etc. you can put in a building. Simon gave an example of how the listed building officer may or may not let you change from single glazing to double glazing… and how this may impact on the project.

     

    Budget

    Control your budget carefully. It’s very easy to appoint an architect, tell him or her the budget, and that architect will design the biggest house for the amount of money you’ve got. Then you’ll find the build cost will increase and you start going over budget. At that point the only way to get back on track is to reduce the floor area of the building so that you can afford to put in the right products and build it the right way.

     

    Tips For Choosing a Good Builder

    1. Get a list from the CIOB – The Chartered Institute of Builders

    2. If you have someone in mind, drive by a site to see how organised it looks. This should help you gauge how efficient they are.

    3. Contact those contractors, the architects they use, and get references from existing clients. It will take time but it will be worth it.

    4. Check out their financial status. You don’t want the contractor going bust in the middle of a project.

     

    Don’t Believe Everything People Say

    Listen to what people have to say and then evaluate it and make your own mind up. There are lots of people who will tell you what they think you want to hear and aren’t totally truthful, be it budgets, timescales, quality etc. If you don’t think somebody has told you the truth, ask the same question to someone else and see what they say.

     

    RW Armstrong Portfolio

    R W Armstrong is a residential builder in Hampshire, UK, providing high quality building services for the county as well as for most of south-east England. Its traditional ethos and expert craftsmanship has built a reputation for high class refurbishments and renovations of country homes, as well as period town houses and listed properties. The company also constructs bespoke new houses for private clients, both contemporary and traditional in style.

     

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Simon Lewis.

     

    A Big Thank You

    A special thanks to Mike Russell of Music Radio Creative for some great advice in getting this podcast live. He is a very knowledgeable man!

     

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