When planning a project self builders should adopt a fabric first approach to the construction. Zero carbon homes are at the top of the government agenda, and combined with the energy crisis it’s never been so relevant to build with energy efficient materials.
Fabric first refers to the building fabric that creates the envelope of your built home, including the materials used to create the frames, structure and insulation, and specifically in relation to heat retention.
Choosing high performance materials, such as Structural Insulated Panels (‘SIPs’) means you are building with energy efficiency from the start. All other decision, such as heating and cooling systems, start from this fabric first approach.
A fabric first approach should consider:
Specialists SIPS@Clays, which designs, fabricates and installs the Kingspan TEK® SIPs Building System, shared their insight with the Self Build Portal as to how this approach can make all the difference to the final home, with the example of building with SIPs
Ian Clay of SIPS@Clays explains that as one of the most sustainable methods of construction available, the popularity of SIPs is soaring for environmentally conscious self builders.
These high performance panels are made up of sandwiches of boards bonded together with insulation, with different configurations and thicknesses available for different applications and performance.
The structure can be finished to look like a conventional build, clad in timber, brick slips or render, depending on the customer’s design (as shown in this SIPS@Clay home, clad in sheet metal and burnt larch teamed with render).
The advantage of SIPs is that, because they are structural, they can be used to build the floors, walls and roof. Plus, they have the the added benefit of not needing roof trusses, which maximises usable loft space.
“There are so many benefits of building with SIPs including speed of build, increased living space, flexibility of design, predictable build programme and exceptional versatility. However, amongst the most important are the thermal efficiencies, low energy living and green construction credentials the system provides. This is why SIPs lend themselves so well to the fabric first approach.
“The ‘built in’ thermal properties of SIPs and reduced thermal bridging, the low U-values and the increased airtightness that the system offers, can reduce the amount of energy used to heat or cool a room by up to 50%.
“In most cases it removes the need for additional technologies or conventional heating entirely, relying on the natural efficiency of the fabric of the building. Of course, additional sources of heating or cooling can be included if desired.”
“Add into this, the off-site manufacturing, minimal waste and low environmental impact, SIPs are the perfect construction solution for all self-build projects, including those being built to achieve Passivhaus accreditation.
So, if you’re at the start of your self-build journey and want to build a low or zero carbon home, ensure you adopt a ‘fabric first’ approach from the outset.
Window and door specialist Kloeber has expanded its aluminium entrance door range with the launch of UberFront (main pic: Madison UberFront door).
Your front door is the defining feature in your new home, the first thing that greets every new visitor, so making an impression is important for many self builders.
The new addition to Kloeber’s bespoke door range comes in a range of choices:
The UberFront is the perfect choice for a contemporary build, with flush door panels that come with a low-maintenance, thick-textured powder-coat finish and a multi-point locking system.
The robust doors come with an insulated core, advanced weather sealing and quad glazing (where relevant), which achieves a U-value of 0.8W/m2K. Prices start from £2,695+VAT.
Matt Higgs, Kloeber’s Managing Director said, “We are excited to launch UberFront, our top of the range, aluminium entrance door. We are a company that focuses on continual evaluation, research and development of our product range and we know that UberFront will appeal to those desiring a high performance, aluminium door with WOW factor.”
To experience the range of Kloeber’s windows and doors visit its showrooms in Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, West London and West Sussex or its stand at the NSBRC in Swindon.
Planning appeals are starting to be won on the basis of the self build registers, proving their worth at a macro level when many feel they fail to deliver for individuals.
While the National Custom and Self Build Association would like to see more positive outcomes for individuals as a result of signing, it welcomes the decisions where inspectors find in favour of a planning appeal because of a lack of action around the registers.
As many self builders know, anyone in England has the right to sign up to their local council’s self build register, individually and as part of a group. Read about the situation in regards to Wales and N. Ireland and Scotland.
However, despite this many people remain unaware of their right. Last year our joint survey with the National Self Build and Renovation Centre (NSBRC) found that 21% of people surveyed were not aware of the ‘Right to Build’ legislation, and 51% had not joined a register. This is surprising, as the interviews were conducted with people in the NSBRC database, so had an active interest in self build.
Councils also have the right to put tests and/or charges in place which prevents or discourages some people from signing up – find out more about these in the FAQs on our Right to Build page.
The registers are starting to prove important in planning applications and appeals as they represent a form of demand of people wanting to self build, that councils must have consideration for. The legislation does not require them to create plots, but they do have to consider applications, and any permissions granted, in light of this demand.
Tetlow King Planning has become something of a specialist in planning and applications and appeals for self build, and often refers to this demand where it is unmet, in its argument for the application.
And the results show that this can be very effective. For example, in some cases it has resulted in a positive outcome for the applicant.
It did this on the basis that the authority was falling short in meeting the demand on the register with sufficient permissions. The inspector gave “significant weight” and and passed the application. (Weight refers to how important one or another principle is in the overall argument over whether or not development is acceptable.)
Tetlow King also won an appeal for four custom build homes in the Greenbelt, with the argument that the council had failed to meet self build demand being instrumental in the final granting of permission.
This led the inspector to find that there were “very special circumstances” that justified the edge of village plots.
These cases are important for the wider self build world, as they emphasise the importance that inspectors can place on demand and a lack of activity from local authorities.
This also means that would be self builders should always sign up to the their local self build register, even if they feel that it won’t benefit them personally by securing a plot where they want to build.
New research from The Eco Experts finds that solar panels have moved from an eyesore to an asset in people’s perceptions. The research will be welcomed by self builders debating the merits of solar and their visual impact on potential future resale value.
NaCSBA knows that self builders stay in their projects for far longer than average home owners, but eventually move on, often due to personal circumstances, such as downsizing, or to embark on another self build project. So it is reassuring to know that eco-measures that individual’s invest in could well add curb appeal to a project when the time comes to sell.
The Eco Experts’ National Homes Energy Survey found that over two thirds of people (69%) in the UK would be ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to buy a property if it had a solar panel array. This figure is is up from 65% figure from 2022, possibly reflecting a changing mindset as a result of the ongoing energy crisis.
Undoubtedly, the energy crisis has many people reassessing green and micro-renewable technology, and considering the costs in terms of including them in their own project, both in terms of installation and payback.
The US online property portal Zillow reported that, in the USA, installing solar panels on your property could increase its value by around 4.1%. This fact could help self builders make the decision of whether or not to invest in such technology.
Self builders have traditionally been the pioneers for new products in these markets, with many of the leading suppliers working with owners of one-off projects that pave the way for uptake by the wider housing market.
Charlie Clissitt, Editor of theecoexperts.co.uk commented: “It’s magnificent to see solar panels swing from neighbourhood eyesore to a property desirable. The energy crisis has had a big part to play in this, but solar panels have also come a long way aesthetically.”
Grand Designs: The Streets returns for its third instalment for 2023, kicking off at 9pm on Tuesday 16 May on Channel 4. Hosted by self build champion Kevin McCloud, the series is spin of the one-off houses of the regular Grand Designs show, instead concentrating on mult-plot sites.
For Series 3, the show visits a new self and custom build site in York, while returning to previously visited ‘streets’ at Graven Hill in Bicester, and Mary Hill in Glasgow, the pilot scheme of the local council.
Grand Designs: The Streets follows people building with a far more realistic approach than the mega-houses that tend to feature in the main series, with real people building on real budgets.
In York, Kevin follows former schoolteacher Nicola as she project manages her brick build (below), while steelworker Mark and partner Maryellen (main picture) work on a Brazilian-style home on the same street.
In Glasgow, Natasha Huq catches up with the Glasgow project, where the last homes are going up. the final few homes go up.
Self builds going up on the multi-plot site in York.
NaCSBA member Tapco Roofing Products has been supplying roofing materials for self builds and renovations for over 10 years, and in this time it has learnt a lot about helping its clients secure the right contractor for their project.
Here’s Tapco’s tips for selecting a contractor – which work just as well as a guide to securing a range of contractors for your build, and your starting point should always be trusted members of the National Custom and Self Build Association.
Before you hit the internet, there are a few local sources you should consider for finding contractors, and you should aim to talk to a few different ones to help you make your assessment.
Local community: Ask around with friends or local people in the neighbourhood, especially if they’ve recently completed a project that you feel looks good. Just make sure you’re sensible and safe if you’re knocking on doors.
Material suppliers: Roofing materials distributors like Tapco Roofing will know many good – and bad – contractors locally. In particular they’re usually happy to pass on tips about reliability and which are prompt payers, and many will have notice boards for local contractors.
Local officials: Strike up a relationship with a local building control officer in your area, as they will know which firms go above and beyond and comply with building regulations from the very start.
Online resources: As well as NaCSBA’s members, there are many trade sites for finding contractors, such as Checkatrade, MyBuilder etc that use reviews for work done. Ditto, Forums and Facebook groups, will often lead you to local people who have built who may be able to share their leads. But always do your research beyond this.
Essentially this is the research that will help you ensure your money is well spent. Try to choose a reputable firm, ideally with a few years in the business. Remember the company must be trading if you’re to rely on the warranty it gives you for its work, and a trusted, long-operating contractor will be a better bet than a start up.
Not all of them will have a website, but they may well be on social media such as Facebook, and this can indicate how professional they are. You should also check to see if they are registered on Companies House, which may have reports and any former bankruptcies.
Again, chatting to distributors and building regs officials will also help you make your decision. As well as references from clients, consider asking for a trade reference from the supplier where they buy their materials from.
Get a shortlist and then consider the following:
Communication can break down on any project, so try to maintain good terms with your contractor at all times. Be firm but fair and listen to what they have to say as difficulties often arise, such as material delays or increases.
NaCSBA members all sign up to its Code of Practice which can be a useful first level of arbitration if things do go wrong.
Politely encourage your contractor to tidy up the project daily as they leave, as this makes the process much easier on everyone. Remember that ladders and materials must be secured daily.
The National Self Build and Renovation Centre Show returns on Friday 12 to Saturday 13 May, bringing with it its usual offering of insight and inspiration for anyone planning a self build, custom build or other major home project.
A new offering for this show is the introduction of VIP tickets, which includes a range of benefits. Most useful is the ability to engage 1-2-1 as VIP ticket holders have preferential access. This includes the opportunity to pre-book consultation appointments with experts, as well as an exclusive Q&A with one of the NSBRC’s own specialists.
Tickets for the show are free, while the VIP tickets cost £40 per couple (or £25 per person) – book here for Friday and here for Saturday.
The VIP ticket includes:
• Guaranteed parking space in front car park
• Exclusive Q&A with an NSBRC experts
• Pre-booked consultation appointments with experts
• Free tea and coffee
• VIP Lounge
• Complimentary buffet lunch (served between 12 and 1pm)
There’s plenty on at the show for whatever stage you’re at, whether you are trying to get an overview of the entire build process or drill-down detail.
Repeated on both days in the Build It Theatre is a six part overview of the stages of entire build process, including: Finance & Funding; Finding Land; Planning Permission; Design Principles; Building Control; and VAT Reclaim.
In addition Friday has Natural Environment Surgeries, including: bat conservation and ecological surveys; landscape design; wildlife-friendly borders; and, wildlife habitats, while Saturday has a focus on Energy and Cost Saving Technology, including: draught exclusion; performance assured insulation; water conditioning and sustainable window shading.
The Sustainability Theatre is also returning with over 20 talks, led by companies well-established in their fields, from MVHR to insulation. This will inform would-be self builders with practical measures and plans to enable them to create a sustainable and energy efficient build.
Plot sales are now live on an exclusive five-plot custom build development in Hailsham, East Sussex, for homes between 3-5 bedrooms.
The Paddock is the result of a partnership of Custom Build Homes and development partner and NaCSBA member Landström, with planning permission in place for five substantial properties of up to 252-396m² on plots up to 1/3 acre. The plots start from £230,000, and the homes, which have enough space for garages, are ranged around a shared central courtyard that provides each individual access.
Plots come with flexibility in terms of house design, size and specification, and purchasers will be able to design and create their home with Chartered Architect and Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine expert, Head of Architecture Allan Corfield, who is also a NaCSBA member. A design code and Plot Passports are in place to frame what can be created, as part of the planning permission from Wealden District Council.
This process includes a collaborative design process that will explore how purchasers want to live, culminating in a digital design with a fixed cost, that includes planning and technical design.
Tom Connor, CEO & Founder of Custom Build Homes said, “We’re excited to launch the development to market. The Paddock offers people in East Sussex the unique opportunity of creating a new home exactly as they wish it to be, while being supported by the experts at Custom Build Homes.
“I look forward to seeing the unique designs homebuyers create and the development becoming
an exemplar for future sites.”
DLUHC’s latest data for custom and self build in England shows that while the number of individuals and groups on the register has grown modestly, the number of permissions fell.
In addition, the number of planning permissions granted for plots for custom and self build was 6,374, a reduction of 23% on the previous year.
In total, there are 63,662 individuals who have signed their local self build register, as well as 807 groups. But the numbers for the last 12 months until 30 October 2022 were overall down on previous figures. This showed a 34% decline in individuals and a 37% fall in the number of groups signing up.
The data is published annually by the Department of Levelling-Up, Communities and Housing, and is based on council returns for 2021-2022, running annually from 31 October to the next 30 October.
There are numerous reasons why the numbers are down, but logically a significant factor is the current economic environment. With inflation and prices skyrocketing, all housebuilding and planning applications across the board have slumped over the last 12 months, to their lowest figures in 16 years, as reported by the Department of Levelling-Up, Communities and Housing.
Repeated government commitments to overhaul planning have created uncertainty, with many local authorities freezing their local plan making process until a clearer picture emerges. This means that many fewer policies supportive of custom and self build have emerged as a result.
This has got so problematic that the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has forecast that housebuilding will fall to its lowest levels since the Second World War unless the planning system starts to support housebuilding in England.
The National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) is also aware that more councils than ever have applied tests to limit people signing up to the local self build registers, which act as a deterrent.
However, the register remain a vital tool for the sector, and must be used by the public to raise their profile. Research in 2022 found that 21% of people were unaware of the Right to Build legislation, meaning that many more people want to self build. In addition, a lack of activity in terms of permissioning enough plots to reflect demand for people wanting to custom and self build is now starting to gain more weight in planning appeals.
NaCSBA urges anyone interested in building to sign up to their local register because of this. If your authority places charges or tests that you deem unfair it has provided template letters of complaint that you can fill in.
These have a two-fold effect – they should act as secondary evidence beyond the register that you want to build locally, and highlight where you, as a resident, feel that your local planning authority’s rules are prejudicial to you in your ambition in regard to housing.
You can find and sign your local register via the Self Build Portal, access the template letter or get answers from our FAQs about what the Right to Build does – and doesn’t – deliver on this website.
Peter Johns, CEO of NaCSBA said, “The latest data is disappointing and reflects the obstacles put in place to registering by many local authorities (be it registration fees, local connection or financial tests).
“NaCSBA continues to challenge authorities where they are putting road blocks in the way, but also supporting authorities through the work of its Right to Build Task Force. We know that the numbers underestimate the level of demand by some margin – NaCSBA is currently undertaking research and analysis to demonstrate this and expects to report on it later in 2023.”
Andrew Baddeley-Chappell, Policy Director, NaCSBA said, “The drop in numbers joining the registers is a disappointment and we are in the process of undertaking a deep dive into the data. We do not believe the fall off is as a result of any reduction in the underlying desire of people to have a home built to their design and specification.
“We continue to see challenges from a proportion of planning authorities, that are contrary to the spirit and letter of the legislation – legislation that is being tightened to address some of the poor practice that have been identified. Factors such as covid, inflation and cost of living challenges may also have had an impact.
“We continue to strongly believe that low public support for new homes is closely linked to the lack of desire for the homes that are currently being delivered and that greater customer choice is the key to more and better homes.”
Orchard Farm in Kent has submitted a detailed planning application to Ashford Borough Council for the first phase of 25 self build plots, which it hopes to bring to market in Autumn 2023.
The site, which will ultimately have 122 plots if planning is successful, is the result of a partnership between specialist developer and NaCSBA member Steenvlinder and local developer Urbanise.
The application follows extensive public consultations with local communities and other stakeholders, with interested parties able to visit the site.
Many approaches to custom and self build are quite distinct, and Orchard Farm is using a model where it is applying for detailed planning permission as a mechanism to get the serviced plots through planning, by providing lots of clarity around building and design regulations for the self builder.
This will be used to create Plot Passports for each plot, that sets out what the selfbuilder can build, covering such details as maximum height and volume, roof pitches, external material choices and parking areas.
Hans Sparreboom, Founder & CEO at Steenvlinder, said: “As a developer, our overarching purpose is to empower self-builders to be able to shape their environment: not only as individuals but also as part of a wider community. We will encourage them to express their unique identities, by offering freedom of choice, within a framework of specific regulations which will help them create a cohesive and distinctive neighbourhood.”
Adam Roake, Owner at Urbanise, said: “Our aim is to create a community with a distinct sense of place and our inspiration in shaping the Orchard Farm community has been informed by the distinctive characteristics of East Kent.”
Speaking about their ‘landscape first’ approach, Adam said: “Our application is different – its focus is on the green public spaces and not the houses. Our future self-builders will design these, and each will be subject to a further submission to demonstrate compliance with the masterplan and relevant plot passport.”
