Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer March 2021

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HOUSEBUILDER WWW.PHPDONLINE.CO.UK

MARCH 2021

ON THE MOVE Will one of the longer lasting effects of the pandemic be a shift away from the city?

ROOFING & CLADDING

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

Up top and around the sides – what you wrap your building in has never been more important.

What makes these rooms so special? Harness your selling power with the two most stand-out rooms in the property.

LAST WORD: WHY A FABRIC FIRST APPROACH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE SUSTAINABILITY FIGHT

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CONTENTS

PHPD MARCH 2021 VOLUME 15 NUMBER 2

REGULARS 5

First Word

6

News

8

Developments

42 Product Focus: Norbord 43 Last Word

SPECIAL REPORTS 10 Company Profile: Dynamis PHPD finds out about the latest energy solution from Dynamis

ROOFING & CLADDING 12 Q&A: Ibstock Tim Wright explains how Ibstock’s roofing division has taken the opportunity to innovate.

15 Battling the Elements Cedral Sidings discuss some of the things you need to consider when cladding your next project.

16 The Elephant in the Roof Paul Trace from Stella Rooflight discusses the practicalities involved in specifying large rooflights.

18 Expert Comment: Roofing Supply Shortage PHPD investigates potential roofing materials shortages.

ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

15 |

All about cladding

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS 27 At the Click of a Button Bathroom designer and manufacturer, Geberit, has launched its first virtual showroom in the UK.

31|

Let’s talk kitchens

28 The Personal Touch Hamilton Litestat’s Gavin Williams argues the power of personalisation in the home.

31 Q&A: Franke What makes kitchens so special? Chris Gallagher, Franke Kitchens, explains all.

32 Product Spotlight: Showers We round up the latest in showers 34 A Splash of Colour Nick Graville, Sales & Marketing Director from British showering manufacture Kudos, explains why the trend for coloured enclosures is set for growth this decade.

19 |

37 The Year in Store Dave Mayer, Sales and Marketing Director of Reginox UK, discusses what the year could have in store for sinks and taps.

38 Kitchen Essentials Caple’s Product Manager Luke Shipway discusses the importance of highperformance appliances when specifying a kitchen.

40 New Products

Doors & windows: The masters

Quickslide Doors & Windows 19 Front Cover 20 Company Profile 22 Case Studies 24 Factory Tour 26 Product Round-Up

Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer March 3

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WANT TO KNOW MORE? TO HELP YOU FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ANYTHING YOU’VE SEEN IN THIS ISSUE, WE’VE INTRODUCED A NEW DIGITAL INFORMATION SERVICE. RDR.LINK IS DESIGNED TO GET YOU FASTER ACCESS STRAIGHT TO THE EXACT ONLINE PLATFORM THAT HAS THE SPECIFIC INFORMATION YOU WANT. FROM VIDEOS TO TECHNICAL GUIDES, PDF’S TO PODCASTS – RDR.LINK WILL TAKE YOU STRAIGHT THERE.

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FIRST WORD

Editor Kieran Nee phpd@hamerville.co.uk Group Advertisement Manager Craig Jowsey 07900 248102 craig@hamerville.co.uk Advertisement Manager Samuel Shannon-Tinsley 01923 237799 stinsley@hamerville.co.uk Northern Area Sales Ian Duff 07810 353 525 probuilder@sky.com Digital Group Manager Stuart Duff Digital Assistant David Molloy Design Adeel Qadri Group Production Manager Carol Padgett Production Assistant Kerri Smith Managing Editor Terry Smith Circulation Manager Kirstie Day Publisher Bryan Shannon Printer Wyndeham Group Published by: Hamerville Media Group Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts, WD24 4YF. Tel: 01923 237799 Email: phpd@hamerville.co.uk Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer is a business magazine for firms and individuals involved in all aspects of the building industry. The publishers and editor do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors, nor do they accept responsibility for any errors of translation in the subject matter in this publication. © 2021

Subscriptions to Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer are available at the following rates: UK: 1 year — £30 post paid Europe and Overseas: 1 year — £50 post paid Airmail: 1 year — £65 post paid To be removed from this magazine’s circulation please call 01923 237799 or email circulation@hamerville.co.uk

An end to city living?

It is rare for a country to be able to take a collective pause and openly have a think about the best way forward on any given subject, be it healthcare, transport, the economy or, indeed, housing. Extracting the one positive from a sea of negativity, the pandemic of the past year has at least given policy-makers time to pause and allowed commentators to speculate calmly on the future of housing going forward.

The big change in housing today compared to a year ago is essentially the amount of time we are spending at home. What might seem a small change on the surface has led to more profound changes in the way we think about our homes and how our homes should be built in the future. Just how far mindsets have changed in the past year is up for some debate.

Much has been written about the new focus on the home and a plethora of products have been launched or rebranded in order to meet the new requirements. The new home must be a full-time workplace, quite possibly for two working adults at the same time. The new home must offer space for socialising in the evening, a place for children to play and a place for home workouts. Cooking, of course, needs to be accommodated but in ways never before seen. We are cooking more and every second home has produced a lockdown Gordon Ramsay in need of two ovens and a kitchen island. Gardens are a must – beat the Covid blues with a patch of green and a BBQ area. In short, we need more space. Lots more, apparently.

A quick run-down of the inverse list – the things we no longer need i.e. access to an office location, proximity to museums, restaurants, galleries and everything else which is now closed (for good?), traffic and pollution – and the conclusion is obvious: expect the coming exodus from the cities. Millions of young professionals will evacuate en masse to the countryside and small towns, leaving high rents and restrictive parking behind them and discovering a world of reasonably priced bars, friendly neighbours and, most shocking of all, gardens.

Perhaps my vision of the future is a little exaggerated; the story of the city has been thousands of years in the telling, after all. However, the renewed emphasis on the limits of city living and the re-evaluation of the potential of the town is worth taking note of. It’s not unthinkable that the high quality, locally-driven developments, the kind which we feature in our pages every month, would be enough to tempt city-dwellers away from cramped, crumbling, rented flats and into spacious, well-designed, characterful homes. Indeed, it’s highly probable. Covid-19 will go down in history as a kind of bogeyman, a lingering fear in the back of our minds that nothing is permanent – our liberty least of all. But if it makes us rethink our homes as a nation, and pushes us to put quality and well-being at the forefront of our decisions, then at least we will come away with one positive to benefit generations to come.

The big change in “housing today

compared to a year ago is essentially the amount of time we are spending at home

”

For more information from PHPD visit www.phpdonline.co.uk @phpdonline

Total Average Net Distribution 13,310 1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020

Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer March 5

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NEWS In Brief ■ A new Proptech online engine has been launched to help eliminate the growing problem of development finance for SME developers by providing a Sales Guarantee to purchase new homes built by SME housebuilders.

■ JCB is recruiting more than 400 additional UK shop floor employees as the company gears up for a surge in production. In addition, JCB is giving permanent contracts to up to 300 existing agency employees.

■ Sunbelt Rentals has announced that its new 60,000 sq. ft. equipment hub is now open near to Heathrow Airport. As a result, 25 new local jobs have been created, a number which is set to rise to over 50 as operations expand throughout 2021. Investment in the refurbished facility topped £3million, making it Sunbelt’s largest UK specialist depot.

E-mail your news & views to phpd@hamerville.co.uk or tweet us at @phpdonline

EAU Energises its Embedded Generation Connection Service

I

nvestment in renewable energy schemes is tracking the government’s Net Zero commitments, but the emergence of hybrid systems combining solar, wind and battery storage is now accelerating demand for specialist grid connection engineering services.

Energy Assets Utilities has been tracking this growing trend and has established a dedicated design and engineering team to provide the technical expertise that supports the market movement towards larger schemes that can connect to 132kV networks.

“Historically, renewable investment focused on relatively small-scale single

technology schemes, such as solar arrays on farmland as part of a diversification strategy, but today developers and investors are thinking on a much grander scale,” says Mike Ash, Business Development Manager at Energy Assets Utilities.

Read more at www.rdr.link/dv001

Housebuilder helps apprentice fulfil ambitions

T

o celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2021 earlier this year, Jacob Mortimer reflects on his time with Harron Homes as he comes to the end of his Technical Apprenticeship with the Leeds based housebuilder. The 20 year old from Huddersfield finished his college course in 3D Design and Applied Science in 2018 and immediately started looking into apprenticeships.

He said: “After college I didn’t fancy further formal education and felt an apprenticeship would be an ideal way of progressing my career while continuing to learn in a more hands-on environment.”

Tony Lee, Managing Director at Harron Homes Yorkshire, says “At Harron we’re really focused on developing our team and providing them with the opportunities and qualifications to do their job the best they can. In January 2021 alone we

dedicated 140 hours to external training.

We’re really proud of Jacob and his progress, and look forward to seeing him develop further with us at Harron!”

Read more at www.rdr.link/dv002

Independent body to champion quality in new homes

T

he New Homes Quality Board, a new independent body that will champion quality new homes and better consumer outcomes for buyers, has today officially been launched.

The Board, chaired by Natalie Elphicke MP OBE, will over the coming

6 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

months oversee the consultation on and introduction of a comprehensive new industry code of practice that will place considerably more responsibility on developers to deliver quality homes and better consumer outcomes on all; and the appointment of a New Homes Ombudsman Service that once operational, will provide much

needed support for buyers in the event of a dispute.

Its permanently-appointed board members include representatives from consumer bodies, housebuilders, warranty providers, the finance sector and independents – with a constitution that ensures no one body is dominant.

Read more at www.rdr.link/dv003

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Grohe digital platform launched

T

his month, LIXIL EMENA will launch a digital platform enabling visitors to experience exclusive Grohe brand insights and product news first-hand. Whether a trade customer wants to know which global trends are impacting the sanitary business, an installer is looking for how-to videos to make their working day easier, an architect

is seeking inspiration on the latest design trends, or a consumer is searching for state-of-the-art product innovations to make their dream bathroom a reality – Grohe X provides something useful for everyone.

Read more at www.rdr.link/dv004

Dutch modular builder launched in UK

J

an Snel UK has now launched.

Dutch company JanSnel BV, a pioneer in modular building, is bringing its commitment to “smarter, swifter and more sustainable” construction to the UK market.

From their new waterfront offices in Swansea, Wales, the team at Jan Snel UK will focus on the residential market but work across the sectors to provide healthcare, education and commercial solutions. Ben Pemberton has been

Facts & Figures…

■ The value of all UK construction contract awards in 2020 was £57 billion, a decrease of 4.7% on 2019. Contract award values held steady, but the number of awards declined by 16%.

Residential building accounted for 36% of all contracts awarded. Read the full Barbour ABI at www.rdr.link/dv006 ■ Demand for homes is up 13% on the same period last year, with an 8% increase in new sales agreed. A drop of 6% in available properties means demand is outstripping supply. As a result, average prices have grown 4.3% to hit £223,700, the highest in almost 4 years. Read the Zoopla House Price Index Report at www.rdr.link/dv007 ■ January’s IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index showed housebuilding standing at 57.1, whilst overall construction activity stood at 49.2. This is the first decline since last May. Read the report by going to www.rdr.link/dv008 ■ Sales of construction plant in December were 15% above the same month in 2019, bringing overall sales for the year to 24.5% below the previous year.

appointed as the UK manager, bringing over 25 years’ experience in the construction industry. The company has described him as the ideal person to shape the company’s further UK growth.

Read more at www.rdr.link/dv005

■ According to the ONS figures covering October to December, construction job vacancies stood 8% higher than the same period the year before, with an estimated 28,000 vacancies. Read the report by going to www.rdr.link/dv009

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DEVELOPMENTS

Buckinghamshire…

Deanfield View by Deanfield Homes – sixteen homes ideal for young families.

2021 has got off to a positive start for Deanfield Homes with work well underway at its new development, Deanfield View in the attractive Buckinghamshire village of Marsh Gibbon and the anticipated launch of the show home at Deanfield Place in Cholsey, Oxfordshire.

With 60% already reserved off plan, Deanfield Place features a collection of sixteen quality, two, three and four bedroom homes which are ideal for young families, first time buyers and downsizers alike. The new Government Help to Buy scheme will also be available on specific plots, subject to Ts and Cs. Annette Gaskell, Sales and Marketing Manager for Deanfield Homes comments, “2021 is already proving to be a busy year for Deanfield Homes with the launch of our show home at Deanfield Place in Cholsey, set in one of South Oxfordshire’s most desirable village, with the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the east and the North Wessex Downs to the west. Interest has already been extremely high for this development and we look forward to welcoming people to see it for themselves in early March.”

Cholsey is perfect for those looking for a traditional village setting with all of life’s essentials on offer along with good

commuter links to Oxford, London and Reading, courtesy of the village train station. Cholsey station, in the heart of the village, provides regular and reliable services, with high speed rail line via Reading delivering a Cholsey to London Paddington service in less than an hour.

Train services also stop at Oxford and Maidenhead among other destinations.

Travel by road is equally straightforward with Cholsey lying eight miles from the A34, 12 miles from junction 13 of M4 and 13 miles from the M40, junction 6.

The village has everything you need, with a local store, post office, pharmacy and village pub. These facilities are also complemented by Cholsey Pavilion community hub, a pre-school, two primary schools and two churches. The market town of Wallingford is also close by offering a wider range of facilities and stores, including a Waitrose, farmers market, gym, theatre and swimming pool.

Annette continues, “Work is also progressing well at Deanfield View and there is already a great deal of anticipation building ahead of the show home launch set to take place later in the summer.”

Deanfield View will feature 10, two, three and four bedroom homes as well as a brand new village shop to serve the local community.

Deanfield View sits in the heart of the picturesque village of Marsh Gibbon, which is approximately four miles east of Bicester and 11 miles north west of Aylesbury. It is also conveniently located with good commuter links to junction 9 of the M40 and Bicester North and Bicester Village train stations, with connections to Oxford, London Marylebone and Birmingham.

Deanfield Homes is an experienced housebuilder specialising in small to medium sized residential developments in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. It is committed to building new homes that integrate into established communities, which are sympathetic to the environment and local architectural styles.

With high quality workmanship and specification, every Deanfield home is built with passion, the result being a home that anyone would be proud to call their own.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv010

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E-mail your latest developments to phpd@hamerville.co.uk One Lampton Road by Addington Capital – an office-toresidential conversion.

Europa Capital and its partner, Addington Capital, the property investment and asset management company are completing the redevelopment of One Lampton Road, Hounslow. This is a mixed-use office/retail building that has now been converted into a new PRS residential scheme of 118 residential homes, ready to launch. The building, which was acquired by the joint venture in 2018, has been converted under permitted development rights to create new studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv011

DURHAM… Fairway View by Avant Homes – 59 three and four bedroom homes.

A 12-acre parcel of land in a desirable suburb of County Durham will feature high-quality homes across a selection of Avant Homes’ design-led three and four-bedroom housetypes. There will be 13 house designs for buyers to choose from and 15 per cent of the homes across the development will be affordable.

The £16.3m development received planning permission from Durham County Council in February. Work on the development, which is named Fairway View, is set to commence imminently.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv012

LONDON…

Warton development by Anwyl Homes Lancashire – 96 new houses and apartments.

The acquisition of a nine-acre site in Warton, between Preston and Lytham St Anne’s, marks further expansion for Anwyl Homes Lancashire. With plans in place for 96 new homes, the development will be builder’s first in Fylde and the eighth active outlet for the firm’s Chorley-based Lancashire operation. The development will include 30 affordable units of mixed tenure, with the remaining properties to be sold on the open market.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv013

FYLDE…

Frogpool Manor by Lipton Plant Architects – 13 new homes in the green belt.

Lipton Plant Architects has submitted plans for a development of 13 new homes in Chislehurst, near Bromley, South East London.

‘Frogpool Manor’, located in the greenbelt, has been designed to preserve the character, appearance and openness of the surroundings, as well as enhance the setting of the adjacent, Grade II listed manor house.

The new scheme replaces under-utilised commercial and storage buildings on the site and will provide much needed repairs to the listed house. In addition, the existing listed cottage will be extended and upgraded, and the existing gatehouse replaced.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv014

BROMLEY…

Church View by Ashberry Homes – 184 homes, open space and play area.

Housebuilder Ashberry Homes is continuing its expansion across the North East with a new development on the western edge of Newcastle.

The developer is delivering 184 homes, public open space and a children’s play area at Church View in Callerton, part of the larger Callerton Park residential project.

The first properties to be completed at Church View will be two showhomes equipped to demonstrate the standard of build and design of the houses being delivered at the development.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv015

NEWCASTLE…

Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer March

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SPECIAL REPORT: DYNAMIS

Source of Inspiration With the residential building industry expected to make huge changes in the way homes are built and heated in the next few years, one company has devised a novel approach to make it work for all parties involved. PHPD caught up with Leigh Goodman from Dynamis to find out more.

10 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

W

hen it comes to heating homes in the UK, currently gas is king. However, the long reign at the top is coming to an end – and sooner than many had anticipated – as Government has proposed banning gas boilers in new homes by 2025. This has put the country at a crossroads as many of the difficult decisions facing homeowners and housebuilders alike are still to be answered. From the perspective of the homeowner, installing a low-energy heating system requires a huge initial outlay to build up the insulation necessary and install the considerable equipment needed.

From the perspective of the housebuilder and developer a totally new approach may be needed, one that involves rapidly acquiring new knowledge and skills that are unfamiliar to them.

What’s more, the impact of switching from gas to electric goes beyond the four walls

of the house itself, and a mass movement towards electricity could have momentous consequences for the country and its power supply. These are distinctly modern problems, and modern problems require modern solutions. This is where Dynamis enter the picture.

Not only does the team at Dynamis possess the knowledge needed to facilitate a switch over to heat pumps from gas, but they have brought a whole new approach to the problem at hand. What they essentially propose is to bring the flexibility and assurance of a service approach – such as leasing a car – and apply it to home heating. For the homeowner, this means the OFGEM-approved firm will install the necessary equipment free of charge, removing the cost barrier and leaving homeowners only with lower fuel bills, whilst Dynamis recoup their losses through the Government’s Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

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For the developer, who won’t benefit directly from the Government’s incentive scheme, Dynamis takes the hassle out of heating. Developers can hand over the heating concerns to the experts, allowing them to install the right units in the right way across all of a developer’s portfolio. More importantly, Dynamis can harness the power of numbers, collecting the data generated by each heat pump installed (regardless of who it was installed for) in order to optimise the performance of each individual unit.

What’s more, heating homes through a service allows the eventual homeowner to save money, as Dynamis is also developing its own proprietary platform that will allow for full remote monitoring and control of all the heat pumps they install – this will provide further savings to the homeowner as the system will be able to switch between tariffs automatically to always provide for best

value. It will also be able to automatically notify the team should the pump need repair or maintenance. Having an element of control over large numbers of home heating systems has the added benefit of being able to alleviate high demands on the power grid.

The company has a current full time staff of 30 working out of its main depot in Warrington and plans on hiring more than double that before the end of the year. All the installations are completed by its own trained engineers – in fact there is a training centre based at the Warrington depot. All aspects of an install from its specification and system design all the way through compliance and installation is completed by the team, with no third parties used.

What’s more, the company also maintains its installations for 7 years from date of installation and use only quality heat pumps.

Developers can “hand over the heating concerns to the experts, allowing them to install the right units in the right way across all of a developer’s portfolio

”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv016

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ROOFING & CLADDING

Time to Innovate

Tim Wright, Managing Director, Concrete Products at Ibstock Concrete, which includes the market leading Forticrete and Supreme product brands, discusses the biggest challenges of 2020 and what opportunities are in store for the industry throughout 2021.

12 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

How did Forticrete adapt to the onset of the pandemic?

Did the company have to change its plans?

I think it’s safe to say that the last 12 months have been extremely difficult for the industry.

Initially, like all manufacturers, we ceased production last March and furloughed 80% of our workforce in line with Government restrictions. We worked extremely hard to restart manufacturing once it was safe to do so, with the wellbeing of our employees, suppliers and customers our first priority.

As part of this, we implemented stringent Covid-safe working practices across each of our manufacturing sites, with our

experienced team of engineers working around the clock to meet tough market demands created by a backlog in orders and increased demand. This included the application of tactical shift pattern changes throughout the factories, which optimise every single hour to increase manufacturing output in the safest way.

Are you anticipating a strong year ahead for roofing tiles?

The government has already indicated that the housing sector is a key element of its recovery strategy, so there are reasons for optimism with regard to roof tiles in this area of the market.

That said, there are also a number of factors that are generating a level of uncertainty throughout the industry. This includes the impact of the recent Brexit deal, combined with the end of the Stamp Duty Holiday on the 31st March and the upcoming closure of the government’s current Help to Buy Scheme.

However, the government’s confirmation of its Affordable Homes

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Programme from April is a positive incentive that will boost consumer confidence and support the continued and sustained growth of the housing market. As a result of this, we are currently in a position of cautious optimism for how the market will perform throughout 2021.

However, we are well placed to support the UK housebuilding industry and are working closely with our key customers to deliver an assured supply of roofing products when they require them for current and future developments.

Will the events of 2020 have any lasting effect on the roofing industry?

The one positive I think the construction industry will take from the last 12 months is that a new trading environment has been created, one that encourages and supports closer collaboration between all parties.

Ibstock Concrete has taken “significant key learnings from the challenges we experienced in 2020 and have made strategic updates that will ensure the right levels of capacity flexibility to deliver assured supply across all product ranges.

”

Collectively as an industry, a significant proportion of manufacturers have reviewed their operational procedures and processes to adapt to the new climate, which has ultimately led to the sector becoming more efficient and productive. I believe a number of these new ways of working will continue to be embedded and help the industry to gain ground for a number of years to come.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv017

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ROOFING & CLADDING

Battling the elements Cedral Sidings discuss some of the things you need to consider when cladding your next project.

When installed “correctly, a fibre cement cladding system prevents wind and rain from having a detrimental effect on a building

”

W

hen choosing cladding options for a project it’s important to look at elements such as weather resistance and maintenance but it’s possible to get these benefits and also greatly enhance the overall aesthetic of the building.

In areas more exposed to the elements, houses need to stand up to more frequent and heavier rainfall which may start to wear away at the pointing if left unchecked.

Cladding on houses can provide a number of useful benefits. Primarily it protects the structural walls from moisture ingress and external temperature changes, but if the right cladding system is installed with insulation it can also help to regulate the temperature inside the house.

There is a wide range of cladding systems on the market designed to meet specific design brief challenges, from renders to traditional materials such as timber-based cladding through to more modern PVCu and fibre cement based systems.

The use of cladding systems can provide an additional protective layer to the exterior of a building. When installed correctly, a fibre cement cladding system prevents wind and rain from having a detrimental effect on a building.

Fibre cement panels are resistant to mould, rot and bacteria much like PVCu. The difference with fibre cement is that it is more thermally stable and less likely to warp – it also requires little maintenance beyond the occasional cleaning with soapy water.

Using fibre cement weatherboard cladding is also preferable to using materials that may have a much less comforting fire-resistance rating.

Cedral Facades for example have an excellent reaction to fire classification

rating of A2-s1, d0. This means that in the event of a fire they will barely generate any smoke and will not spread fire.

When applying the finishing touches to a spectacular former gatehouse, in Scotland, Cedral fibre cement cladding was the optimum choice for both architect and homeowner.

Architect Graeme Andrew, of ataSTUDIO in Glasgow, was commissioned to design the family home in the village of Kilmocolm. Split over three levels, at the top of a rocky hill, it was a complex project built over a steel frame structure.

The two-year build was challenging but, the final piece of the jigsaw was a simple choice. Graeme and the homeowners opted for Cedral Click Woodgrain in the Mineral range.

The Cedral sidings gave a finish that was both in-keeping with the surroundings and with the modern design of the home.

Graeme said: “We like the colour choice with Cedral and the fixing method is well resolved for our style of building.

We chose Cedral rather than stained cedar due to the low maintenance of the sidings and its reliability for not shrinking and expanding over the lifetime of the building.

“We have built a few houses clad in cedar and there has been more movement that expected as well as ongoing staining to maintain a good visual appearance – this seems to be an issue that we won’t have with Cedral.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv018

Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer March

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ROOFING & CLADDING

The Elephant in the Roof Paul Trace from Stella Rooflights discusses the practicalities involved in specifying large rooflights.

The reality is that “when you scale things up even the simplest plans can start to become complex

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16 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

A

s a bespoke rooflight manufacturer we often see grand plans with expansive areas of roof glazing, as architects continue to seek innovative ways in which to exploit natural daylight. As much as bespoke rooflights can certainly help bring these designs to life, there are some important factors that need to be considered when the glazing is turned from drawing to reality.

In recent years we have noticed a trend towards larger rooflights, with sizes regularly exceeding 2,500mm in width, height or both. While Stella can certainly accommodate these, one has to appreciate the practicalities of weight, transportation and cost.

It stands to reason that the larger the rooflight, the thicker the glass will need to be, therefore as rooflight sizes get bigger their weight can increase exponentially. In context, our double glazed units comprising 4mm thick glass weigh 20kg/m2 and those using 6mm are 30kg/m2. Triple glazed units are 30kg/m2 and 45kg/m2 respectively. Add the stainless steel frames and hardwood liners into the equation and you can start to see how even a modest sized rooflight can weigh something akin to a small elephant! Indeed it’s not uncommon for us to produce rooflights weighing in excess of 200kg.

The reality is that when you scale things up even the simplest plans can start to become complex – a truth that should be all too familiar to developers. But before drawing that large rectangle on a roof plan, it is important to consider how the rooflight is going to be lifted from the ground to roof level and what the weight implications might be for the structure.

Stella can weld stainless eyelets to the rooflight frame to aid the lifting process and we would suggest doing this on frames which weigh in excess of 100kg, which is the point where we expect a crane might be required. However, does the site have suitable access for any specialist lifting equipment, and has this additional cost been budgeted for?

The weight of an opening rooflight will also determine whether it is manually operated or requires electric actuation. We would suggest that our largest manually operated rooflight be around 1,000mm wide or 1,400mm high. Anything over this size will generally require electric actuation to lift the weight and in the case of wider casements, to provide a tight seal.

Manual operating casements are less expensive than electric so there is a cost element that also needs to be considered when specifying larger opening rooflights.

There is no maximum size in terms of what is possible to manufacture, although it is worth keeping in mind that a single piece of glass with an area over 5m2 becomes significantly more expensive.

Fortunately there are alternatives to using large expensive single panes of glazing, such as introducing glazing bars to reduce the unit sizes, linking frames, and having more than one casement. This not only makes the rooflights easier to transport, lift and install, but can also reduce the price.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv019

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ROOFING & CLADDING

Roofing Supply Shortage Concerns have been raised that a lack of supply of roofing materials may hold the housebuilding industry back this year. PHPD investigates.

the moment “weAtview Brexit as a complicating factor rather than the main area of concern.

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John Newcomb, CEO, BMF

18 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

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hilst a trade agreement with the EU was ultimately signed before Christmas and ahead of the end of the transition period, supply chain disruption was becoming a major concern as the industry contended with a triple threat of seasonal demand pressures, Brexit and the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the BMF, the current issues mainly relate to goods imported from the Far East in addition to timber products imported from Scandinavia, where supplies of soft wood are under pressure due to increased demand worldwide.

BMF CEO, John Newcomb — who cochairs the Construction Leadership Council’s working group on product availability and the movement of goods and materials following Brexit — was reported to be in regular dialogue with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to share intelligence with relevant parties across Government. BEIS has relayed these discussions to the key relevant Departments including the Department of Transport, which is monitoring the issue and increasing its engagement with the shipping industry.

Speaking on the shortages, John said: “Pretty much all the availability issues at the moment are Covid-related and the result of factories closing and reopening, along with the shortage of container capacity, which also flows from Covid. At the moment we view Brexit as

a complicating factor rather than the main area of concern, but we have also raised the issue of the preparedness of UK ports and customs post-Brexit with our contacts at BEIS.” He added: “While shortages are not reported to be impacting sites yet, there are a lot of suppliers and merchants already flashing warning signs. It takes only one material to be unavailable to impact work on site.”

According to a recent report from the NFRC, when asked to rank their top three concerns for 2021, almost half of roofing and cladding contractors put material shortages at the top of the list.

Roof tiles were the most common material shortage reported by roofing contractors in the final quarter of 2020, with almost half of firms struggling to get hold of them. Roofers also listed timber and battens (17 per cent), slates (14 per cent) and insulation (5 per cent) as other materials in shortage.

Shortages are having a knock-on impact on material prices, with three quarters of firms reporting inflationary pressures in the last year, and two thirds of roofers saying that prices have increased even on the previous quarter.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv020

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PROFESSIONAL

HOUSEBUILDER WWW.PHPDONLINE.CO.UK

MARCH 2021

WINDOWS & DOORS THAT MEET STRICT BUDGETS, GUIDELINES AND DEADLINES! Pages 20-21: We take an in-depth look at Quickslide Pages 22-23: Real world examples of Quickslide products in action Pages 24-25: Behind the scenes at the Quickslide factory Page 26: The latest products!

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

A company always looking to push things forward, Quickslide takes a moment to tell its story to PHPD.

Quickslide: ‘Enough’ is never enough…

“T

here is always a better way of doing things, to improve the efficiency in the way something is manufactured, the way it travels through a factory, in the way technology processes the information supporting that product, how customers are dealt with, the communications system used… everything can be sharpened, improved, made better”, so says Adrian Barraclough, Chairman of Quickslide Ltd. This inherent instinct towards and commitment to continuous improvement

20 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

was one of the founding concepts of Quickslide almost 20 years ago, when the owners looked at the market for vertical sliding, box sash windows. With an estimated six million homes built using this traditional type of window, the majority of which were installed in normal, modest homes, the choices for the owners to replace poorly performing, failing windows were limited to expensive, largely hand-made timber framed windows that were way beyond most budgets. Quickslide is credited with popularising affordable replacements,

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We work with “developers and

manufactured on a large scale and using modern materials, with short lead times and national distribution.

Since then, Quickslide has developed the vertical sliding sash window in terms of its efficiency, quality of manufacture and authenticity of design. The company has also added a full range of casement windows and residential, bi-folding and sliding doors, in PVC-u and aluminium, all manufactured to the same meticulous standards. Quickslide is now regarded as a key supplier of all types of windows and doors, for all applications.

builders to find the right combination of glazed elements for a property, from design and specification to the provision of supporting marketing materials and displays for show homes

Why housing?

The windows and doors and other fenestration elements of a property play a great part in defining the character and personality of a home, as well as its performance, and the safety, comfort, convenience and wellbeing of the residents. The influence that windows and doors can have on the desirability of a property is often underestimated.

We work with developers and builders to find the right combination of glazed elements for a property, from design and specification to the provision of supporting marketing materials and displays for show homes. In providing this service we are echoing the importance that established homeowners place on the choice of new windows and doors for their homes. And whilst developers attach more importance now than ever on this

”

detail, we believe that a great deal more can be achieved with the right supply partner, one that can share a deep understanding of the subject.

Quickslide has more than 15 years’ experience supplying new build projects, from small developments to multi-home sites. We understand the needs of developers and demands placed upon them, from local authorities to homebuyers and all points between. We work strictly to budget and deadline and understand the specific logistical requirements of new-build including sitesafety and protocols; and have the knowledge, experience, systems and capability to supply to site on-time, every time to agreed schedules.

Our award-winning PVC-u and aluminium windows and doors are consistent in quality, specification and appeal across every market that we supply, designed to meet the most rigorous challenges of Building Regulations as much as the discerning eyes of potential buyers searching for the perfect home for them and their families.

In short, we are the perfect supply partner for your windows, doors and fenestration products.

K E Y FA C T S Established: 2004, Privately owned Location: Brighouse, West Yorkshire Size of factory: 150,000ft2 No of Employees: 162 Production volumes: 60,789 products in 2020 Distribution: National, via own fleet of six 18-tonne lorries and four vans

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv021

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

PHPD takes a roam around the country to spot some Quickslide doors and windows in their natural habitat, installed in eye-catching new builds.

Quickslide was “really supportive every step of the way, making the whole process easy from start to delivery.

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Kevin Huxley, Procurement Manager, Appletree Estates

22 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

A Case in Point The Beeches

by Appletree Estates

Luxury homes designed by awardwinning architects call for only one type of window and door supplier.

Located on the edge of the medieval village of Malpas, The Beeches is a development of over thirty executive homes for the discerning buyer, ranging from stunning new builds to elegantly renovated period properties.

Developed by Appletree Estates, each home has been designed by awardwinning architects and individually tailored to complement the historic surrounds while blending high-spec contemporary chic with traditional country charm. So, when it came to selecting the perfect windows and doors for the buildings, choosing the right supplier was vital.

“Our array of distinctive and prestigious properties offers a blend of both the traditional and the contemporary, coupled with exceptional attention to detail and unrivalled workmanship,” said Kevin Huxley, Appletree Estates’ Procurement Manager. “So Quickslide was the obvious choice to supply our windows and doors, as their products share all these same qualities.”

Appletree Estates, who have been buying from Quickslide for three years, purchased windows, composite doors and French doors for the project. They

commended Quickslide’s range and quality of products, in particular praising its heritage flush fitting casement windows, as well as the straightforward purchasing process.

“Both the products and the supplier are very easy to work with,” said Kevin.

“Quickslide was really supportive every step of the way, making the whole process easy from start to delivery.”

Featherstone Hall

by Brebur Ltd.

Redeveloping a prominent local site is always a huge responsibility, and even more so when it is one steeped in over a millennium of history.

Over the past two years, Featherstone Hall and its surrounding grounds have been transformed into fifteen beautiful and contemporary family homes by Brebur Ltd., each reflecting the prominence and grandeur of the historical area.

In total, Quickslide provided 117 products for the development, including PVCu sash windows, sliding patio doors, bi-fold doors and composite doors – all in anthracite grey for a contemporary twist on the period look. The result is a stunning collection of quality windows and doors that perform as well as they look, offering unrivalled security and energy efficiency.

Brebur, who knew of Quickslide’s reputation as a supplier of heritage windows, chose the award-winning fabricator for the project because it offered the best quality products within the right price range, when compared to similar products on the market. The developers particularly commended Quickslide’s sliding sash for being robust and exuding style and quality once installed. Brebur also praised Quickslide’s easy and helpful buying process that, they said, was a credit to the company.

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Private build

by Frithsden Construction

“A project like Featherstone Hall showcases all the things we excel at,” said Tom Swallow, Quickslide's Sales & Marketing Director. “Quality, contemporary windows and doors that bring all the benefits of modern PVCu to the traditional, beautifully aesthetic window designs of the past.”

“We launched our flagship Legacy sliding sash window in 2019 – a window that set new standards of authenticity and quality for PVCu sash windows – as part of our £2 million investment programme to ensure we can continue to look forward to offering our customers more of the innovative, stylish products that home owners will delight in.”

A project like “Featherstone Hall showcases all the things we excel at Tom Swallow, Quickslide's Sales & Marketing Director

”

When it comes to heritage windows, attention to detail is a must-have.

A five bedroom brick-and-block Georgianstyle new build, built in Hertfordshire, was created over three floors using Flemish handmade bricks for the outer wall – just one example of the attention to detail paid to the design and build by Frithsden Construction’s husband-and-wife team Anthony and Julie Hayes. The pair readily admit they are obsessed with not only the details but also practicality, which is how they came to choose leading fabricator Quickslide for their full-height period-style sliding sash windows.

Quickslide supplied heritage wood grain-effect vertical sliding sash PVCu windows for the project. The company originally wanted timber windows, before discovering the wood grain effect PVCu sash made a great, energy efficient, secure and low maintenance modern alternative. In particular, they praised the authentic look of the wood grain effect and run-through horn details.

Frithsden Construction have been buying from Quickslide for five years, having first discovered the leading fabricator after researching extensively for a quality supplier that was both competitively priced and offering good aftercare and warranty. Frithsden highly recommended Quickslide on completion of the project, not just for its quality products, but for the whole buying process, which they commended as being straightforward and easy – particularly praising their project manager, Jess, for being very helpful and always available for any queries or advice.

“Our customer service is as important to us as our products,” said Quickslide’s Chairman Adrian Barraclough. “Since we established and popularised the PVCu sliding sash window as a real alternative to traditional timer sash windows, more and more customers are discovering our heritage windows give them exactly what they need – authentic, traditional looks coupled with low maintenance, comfortable modern living.”

Our customer “service is as important to us as our products

”

Adrian Barraclough, Chairman, Quickslide

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

Behind the Scenes Quickslide brings you behind the scenes at its manufacturing facilities in West Yorkshire.

We offer a live “quality control process, meaning that after each stage in the production process, the operative will check and sign to confirm they are entirely happy with the quality of the workmanship.

”

Ben Weber, Managing Director, Quickslide

24 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

World Class Manufacturing In the West Yorkshire town of Brighouse, Quickslide manufactures its products according to the principles of World Class Manufacturing, with standards compared with best manufacturing standards anywhere in the world, not simply the window and door industry. Our integrated approach ensures that we meet everincreasing customer needs and expectations by continually improving our processes. This ensures that we are able to maintain optimal product quality, whilst maintaining competitive pricing.

Overseeing operations is founder, chairman and former cabinet maker Adrian Barraclough, who in 15 short years has transformed a humble local window fabricator into a renowned national supplier, employing more than 160 staff and producing over one thousand doors and windows a week in a huge array of shapes, sizes and materials.

Total Control Our policy is to retain as many of our peripheral processes as possible inhouse, including insulated glass unit (IGU) manufacture; Foiling/colour bonding; and shaped and arched frames. This enables us to control both the flow of production and quality of manufacture.

Ben Weber, Managing Director, Quickslide details what is needed to ensure Quickslide remain at the top of the game quality-wise: “It’s really all about understanding how the builder works and what he needs to satisfy his customers.

It’s drilled into all of the staff, from the guys on the frontline in the technical department fielding installation queries, to the fabricators on the shop floor, who are ultimately responsible for upholding the quality behind the brand.

“We offer a live quality control process, meaning that after each stage in the production process, the operative will check and sign to confirm they are entirely happy with the quality of the workmanship.

“When it leaves here the product is absolutely pristine and call backs for the installer are kept to an absolute minimum.

The newly created Quickslide academy for fabrication will ensure a constant flow of skilled operatives who can work with a variety of materials and complex designs in the future.”

Continuous Investment We continually reassess the needs of our customers and invest in the systems, technology and training required to deliver the products that they require, supported by the service levels that enable them to deliver a first-class service to their customers. Since 2018 Quickslide has invested more than £2 million in systems and our people.

The result, we believe, is a range of products produced to a consistently high quality and backed by service levels which combined are the finest in the UK window and door industry.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information on this item go to www.rdr.link/dv022

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

The Range…

What products can Quickslide offer housebuilders & developers?

PVCu

PVC-U windows and doors are more advanced than ever in terms of design and performance and provide the most effective value and return on investment.

Legacy PVCu Sliding Sash Windows The Legacy Vertical Sliding Sash Window is available with elegant run-through sash horns, woodgrain end-caps, fully mechanical timber-look butt joints, a deep bottom rail and an ovolo shaped weatherbar that matches the sash and frame.

PVCu Sliding Sash Window PVCu Casement Window

PVCu Flush Windows The Flush Casement is the latest addition to our range of heritage windows. This window style has become a favourite in recent years as it provides simple, clean period styling.

PVCu Casement Doors PVCu Doors are attractive yet still robust solution that requires minimal maintenance. The doors are available in a wide choice of moulded panels in an array of colours and hardware.

PVCu Flush French Doors Flush French Doors provide the traditional look of a timber door with the benefits provided by modern materials. This product matches the range of Flush Casement Windows.

Aluminium Manufactured using the latest, modern profiles to provide a modern, like-for-like alternative to timber and PVCu, aluminium windows, entrance and garden doors are

26 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

especially popular in upmarket developments and homes with a more contemporary design.

Aluminium Sliding Patio Doors Aluminium Sliding Doors are characterised by the slim frame and large glass units allow maximum light into a property. Aluminium framing provides immense torsional and linear strength without further strengthening.

PVCu Casement Windows Our sculptured Casement Windows are flexible, versatile and suit contemporary and period properties alike.

PVCu Sliding Patio Doors Available in 4 different configurations ranging from 2 to 4 panels, each panel is available in a span of 3 metres enabling a stunning feature to be created on new homes.

PVCu Flush French Doors

Classic French Doors

Aluminium Sliding Patio Doors

Aluminium Casement Windows Aluminium casement windows can provide many solutions for residential applications.

The windows feature slim, thermally-broken profiles and are available in several formats.

Aluminium Flush Windows The Quickslide contemporary Aluminium Casement Window comes in a traditional classic casement and flush design.

Aluminium Glazed Doors Enjoying robust construction with ease of maintenance these doors are manufactured using the same slim-line aluminium profile used on the company’s Bi-folding Doors.

Aluminium Bi-fold Doors Quickslide’s Aluminium Bi-fold Doors are manufactured using a modern, robust profile system that has been designed to give strength and durability.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv023

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

At the click of a button Bathroom designer and manufacturer, Geberit, has launched its first virtual showroom in the UK.

W

ith uncertainty still looming large over the country due to the pandemic, the building industry is having to adapt and manufacturers and housebuilders are finding new ways of reaching out to potential buyers. Just as housebuilders have had huge success with virtual showrooms, so too are manufacturers looking to the digital world to showcase their wares. Not only has it proven a big hit during the pandemic, but it’s allowing brands to maximise their value and bring their customers’ experiences into the 21st Century.

Filmed in the company’s UK headquarters in Warwick, the new Geberit showroom is designed to offer designers, clients and end-users with an immersive experience of the showroom space. The initiative also means that users will have the opportunity to get indepth view of more than 14 product ranges across Geberit’s Aspire and Select ceramic collections, as well as its range of behind-the-wall products including supply and drainage.

Mark Larden, Managing Director UK & Ireland, Geberit said: “We want to help our customers’ growing needs for userfriendly, digital technology and that means continually innovating and rethinking how we can help customers access our products. Developing a virtual showroom experience now means our customers can get up close with our products and experience our full product range at the click of a button.

“But it’s not just about experiencing the products themselves. This experience will also help make our

customers’ specification and buying process easier. For instance, we’ve incorporated hotpots into the showroom’s design which enables users to access specific brochures, landing pages, online videos or even CPDs for the different ranges.

We want to help our “customers’ growing needs for userfriendly, digital technology and that means continually innovating and rethinking how we can help customers access our products.

”

Mark Larden, Managing Director UK & Ireland “This is the start of something very exciting for us and we look forward to seeing how our customers engage with this.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv024

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

The personal touch G

Allowing home buyers to personalise their electrical wiring accessories could reap huge rewards.

Gavin Williams, Sales and Marketing Director, Hamilton Litestat discusses.

28 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

iving prospective homebuyers the option to hand-select wiring accessories and electrical solutions at the earliest possible stage of development provides a way to engage with the potential buyers. It invites them to envisage living in the space, putting their stamp on it, and making the property their own.

We’re entering an era where the ability to tailor and personalise solutions to meet your exact needs is normal, even expected.

And the perceived value of being able to do this is incredibly high. While we all expect to choose paint or wallpaper to decorate our homes, extending options to decorative wiring accessories creates a sense of added luxury.

Decorative wiring accessory options are vast, suiting any taste, design scheme and budget. From classic designs and traditional finishes to contemporary materials and colours, there are options to make any potential buyer feel at home. At Hamilton we’re recognising a few recent trends amongst our wide range of designs, finishes and functions. Metallics are currently in vogue, and we’ve seen sales of our Brass and Bronze finishes soar. Additionally, wide rocker switches are becoming extremely popular. Initially a design trend in Asia, this has now proliferated through to the highend hotel sector, making it a desirable option in the home.

While providing a range of options will make most clients feel valued, there is no limit to the personalisation options. For example, Hamilton’s Paintable service ensures no colour is out of bounds. Switch plates and sockets in key collections can be pre-painted to exactly colour match a provided sample; whether that’s to match a shade in a mural wall, or to add a ‘pop’ of contrasting colour. And if this isn’t quite personalised enough, there’s the option of a fully bespoke design service to engage with prospects that have a clear design vision for their property.

With so many design options available, it’s important for the specification process to be simple and seamless between the buyer and the often timepoor developer. In response, we have created an intuitive wiring accessory configurator that allows the potential homeowner to easily review the design, finish, and functionality of the solutions in just a few clicks. When a decision is made the configurator automatically generates a product datasheet, which the developer can download for a quick and simple sign-off procedure.

entering an “eraWe’re where the ability to tailor and personalise solutions to meet your exact needs is normal, even expected

”

With more people working from home in kitchens and dining rooms – and the routine of a daily commute to the office unlikely to return for some time, if at all – potential buyers need to envisage how these spaces would fulfil their needs, now and in the future. This allows property developers to make a stand-out impression with their offerings across wiring accessories, smart lighting, and audio, which deliver significant value and can future-proof homes for technology to come.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv025

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Q&A

Kitchen Variety PHPD’s Kieran Nee talks kitchens with Chris Gallagher, Sales Director for Key Accounts & Projects for Franke.

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

Are homebuyers looking for high quality kitchens in the homes they buy?

Homebuyers aspire to higher quality but don’t necessarily understand that it means higher upgrade costs. That’s why it’s important housebuilders look to invest a bit more in their standard kitchen offer than they might have done in the past. A show-home with a great kitchen sticks in the mind of a potential buyer and one of the successful rules of retail is that people buy what they see.

Kitchens are the beating heart of every home, never more so than now where they are showing their important role as a multi-functional space to fulfil our practical and emotional needs.

What are some of the latest trends that builders should be paying attention to?

Mixtures of texture and materials are very important – whether that’s on kitchen doors, sink or worksurfaces, down to details such as the handles or the finish on a kitchen tap. Consumers want something that elevates their kitchen from the ordinary, whilst at the same time not deviating too far from safe design principles.

A consequence of the pandemic is how we can adapt the kitchen space to make it work harder and be even more multi-purpose to include an office workspace. That means well thought-out design and choice of products that optimise the space and make it a pleasure to cook, eat, work and relax in.

That translates into quiet and efficient appliances, more storage space, waste disposal products and clever solutions in important workspaces such as the sink area – all of which allow the kitchen to transition easily through the different living modes required of it, and make life at home easy and happy.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv026

Conversely, what are some of the age-old principles that will always hold true no matter what?

There’s always going to be a place for white kitchen doors and neutral design.

Whilst over time homebuyers might want to put their own design stamp on their kitchen, in the first instance if the kitchen design is clean and modern with good functionality and adequate cabinet space for storage, most homebuyers will be happy. Guarantees and warranties are also important – our sinks carry a 50 year warranty for example. Brands in the kitchen matter, they indicate quality but also offer peace of mind for homebuyers.

Is it possible to create really great kitchens with less space?

Yes it is and at Franke it’s been a real focus for us in recent years. Just because you have to compromise on space doesn’t mean you should compromise on quality. If anything, having less space is an opportunity to introduce products with great design and functionality that will elevate the kitchen environment. A perfect example of this would be the Franke Box Center sink, it’s beautiful, yet functional, saves space and reduces clutter on the worktop, whilst at the same time operating as a multipurpose workstation.

Why should our readers turn to Franke when designing their next kitchen?

Franke stands for innovation, attention to detail, and above all of that, a passion for great kitchens going back over 100 years.

Whatever your product or cost requirement we have a wide range of options that reflect market trends and consumer needs.

And we love taking a consultative approach with builders and developers to really listen to your needs but also at the same time sharing with you solutions that we know work. Service is in our DNA – whether that’s dealing with our sales team, the supply of product through our nationwide distribution network, all the way to our dedicated consumer service technicians who will solve any problems should they arise. That’s my promise to you all - that dealing with Franke will be a wonderful experience.

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

The Shower Experience PHPD rounds up the latest showers.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv027

32 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

Bristan Bristan has invigorated two models within its bar shower range – Buzz and Craze – with a customer inspired upgrade that is perfectly suited to the housebuilder market. The newly updated showers are packed with a host of new features, including the award-winning Wallmount 12.

Bristan’s Wallmount 12 fixing kit is now included as standard with Buzz and Craze bar showers and has been engineered to enable front of wall isolation, meaning the connectors can be installed first, and the bar shower itself doesn’t have to be fitted until a later stage, protecting it from potential damage during full bathroom installation.

When ready, the shower valve simply attaches to the connectors. The innovative fixing kit also makes maintenance a breeze, allowing for front of wall servicing if required – saving time and money.

Buzz and Craze are thermostatic and also include Safe Touch technology, which shrouds the hot water feed inside the valve with a layer of cold water, to keep the bar itself safe to touch.

Wider than the original designs, the new and improved Buzz and Craze shower heads have a ball joint connection for adjusting the angle of spray. With dual outlets engineered to deliver maximum performance: a large, drenching rain head and a separate three-mode handset, the new and improved showers also boast an integrated two-way 180-degree diverter valve. New homeowners can rotate the flow control one way for the handset and the other way for the deluge head to create their perfect showering experience.

Grohe Rain showers remain a desirable feature of the modern bathroom with more than half of British people keen to have a large shower head that offers full body coverage when showering.

With its full-face Rain spray and a generous diameter of 250mm, the new Grohe Tempesta 250 head shower, which is manufactured in the brand’s own shower competence centre in Lahr, Germany, is designed to impress in every aspect. Thanks to its slim, minimalist form and elegant chrome finish, it is an ideal solution for any modern bathroom design. Additionally, it offers developers lots of installation flexibility thanks to the availability of many different product variants. From both round and square designs, the Tempesta 250 is also available as a single head shower, in a set with shower arm or as a complete shower system.

Equipped with the water-saving EcoJoy technology, which uses a flow restrictor to reduce the water consumption to a more sustainable 9.5 litres per minute, Tempesta 250 promises showering comfort with a good conscience, and a perfect shower match for the Brits who would like a shower that could assist them in being more sustainable in their day-to-day life. At the same time, the perfect geometry of the nozzles on the shower head ensures that the water flow remains powerful.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv028

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: SHOWERS

Methven Focusing specifically on the bathroom, developers have the opportunity to create visually and functionally dynamic spaces that enable potential occupiers to tailor their showering experience to meet their personal preferences, regardless of the potential size of the space.

As the average UK family bathroom is 2,500 x 2,500mm, it may initially appear problematic and costly for developers looking to achieve a functional space that can also transform into a high quality, relaxing sanctuary for prospective buyers.

shower head create a stimulating spiral of water entirely controlled by a simple sliding switch. This enables homeowners to transition the spray from a firm, invigorating blast, to a gentle, enveloping spray, depending on the type of showering experience they are looking for.

The VJet spray technology also maintains a water-saving flow rate, delivering 9 litres per minute with wide-spray coverage. This significantly conserves water, without compromising on performance.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv029

PJH PJH’s own-brand of shower enclosures, RefleXion, has been enhanced with the addition of a new In-fold Classix Enclosure, perfect for compact bathroom spaces due to its very small footprint and opening mechanism.

The space-saving In-Fold enclosure, where the door cleverly slides into the enclosure area, taking up less space in the room, is a style and model typically found at the higher end of the market with a

price to match. PJH however, has created and added this enclosure to its successful RefleXion own-brand collection, and at a highly competitive price point to appeal to the middle market.

Featuring an ultra-smooth opening and closing mechanism, the new In-fold enclosure door is manufactured and designed to the same high quality standards as the whole RefleXion Enclosure Collection, making it extremely appealing to consumers looking for a durable and space efficient design.

Toughened 6mm safety glass, concealed fixings, ‘Easy Clean’ glass, optional side panels and an exceptionally smooth door gliding action, this In-fold model comes in three versatile widths, 760mm, 800mm and 900mm, and all with a minimal door opening intrusion into the room of just 200mm, 320mm and 370mm respectively.

At a height of 1850mm, the RefleXion In-fold model is suitable for recess and corner applications, has a reversible door and comes with a Lifetime Quality Guarantee as well as CE Approval.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv030

However, the latest advancements in showering technology offer the ability for housebuilders to create bathrooms that can be tailored to meet the needs of each occupier, without having to significantly reconfigure the layout or the types of systems specified.

For example, Methven’s Tūora highgrade stainless steel showers feature unique patented spray technology, VJet, which allows individuals to tailor their showering experience to their own personal taste.

The range delivers a variable spray pattern that can be adapted to each user’s personal preference as discreet channels located across the entire

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

A splash of colour Nick Graville, Sales & Marketing Director from British showering manufacturer Kudos, explains why the trend for coloured enclosures is set for growth this decade.

34 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

I

t’s true that many interior design trends work in cycles and just like fashion they never come back quite the same the next time around. One cycle that’s taken some years to return is the demand for coloured bathroom fixtures, most latterly in shower enclosures and panels, but this time with a difference.

For many years homebuyers were nervous to return to coloured fittings, bitten by the completely co-ordinated and coloured bathroom suites, like avocado and shell pink, of the 1970s that remained far too long, maybe due to the cost to change the full suite. Today, a plethora of different materials are available for basins, baths and wall coverings and furniture is now prevalent with both modular freestanding and fitted options.

The result is that housebuilders are now selecting various, almost ecletic, items for the room. Gone are the days of a three or four piece suite of basin, bath, toilet and bidet all carrying the same design and therefore fitted together. A room could have a resin basin sitting within a vanity unit and the bath a freestanding solid surface option so only the toilet is ceramic. Colour can therefore be added within one fixture or fitting instead of across all items in the room.

There has also been a resurgence in the sales of coloured tap and showering control finishes. Chrome was the top seller for a long time but today you are as likely to see Brushed Nickel, White, Brass, Gold, Black and even rose gold as the choices of on trend finishes expand.

Due to the obvious link between bathroom brassware and any shower enclosure wall profile finish, these too can now be specified in different coloured finishes too. Thus allowing the designer to match or contrast finishes,

adding further customisation to a room design, a trend that is forecast to grow rapidly during the 2020s.

The difference this time round however is the ability to change individual products without having to rip out the whole bathroom and this is being considered at the design stage. Individual products are now the trend, so swapping them out to change a colour in the future is much easier.

Shower Panels It is certainly a reassuring feature of our Kudos Ultimate profiles, which are sold separately to the glass, that it’s possible to replace them easily as they have the same drilling configurations. So, don’t be afraid to install on-trend Matt Black taps and enclosures now as the homeowner will be able to change to a different coloured tap or profile, in say chrome, in a few years without making changes to tiles or redecoration. That’s definitely a lesson learnt from the past, be encouraged to go for the colour you want without the concerns that future home owners may be stuck with it much longer than required.

Next time you’re considering the bathroom for a project, remind yourself of the difference to the past, replacement isn’t the same problem it once was and largely due to this the trend for coloured enclosures is set to grow at pace over the next decade.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv031

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

The year in store Dave Mayer, Sales and Marketing Director of Reginox UK, discusses what the year could have in store for sinks and taps.

Sinks…

Granites are more interesting than ever before with creative designs and colours that are likely to fit well within the multitude of today’s ‘mainstream’ coloured kitchens. Ceramics are now almost as likely to be found in contemporary settings as they are in ‘farmhouse kitchens’, with modern designs and colours lending themselves well to the consumer looking to add ‘something different’. However, our never-ending love affair with stainless steel continues, probably due to steel’s good looks, longevity, ease of maintenance and ability to look good in any style of kitchen. There are now some stunning contemporary steel sinks available, often with eye-catching features such as square wastes.

We’re still seeing a steady growth of coloured sinks manufactured from all three materials, as developers look to coordinate the sink area with the worksurfaces or kitchen units. Neutrals such as white, cream, beige, grey and black are staples within the kitchen and we are now seeing more sinks becoming available in these colourways, whether manufactured from granite, ceramic or even coloured stainless steel.

In terms of design, sinks are mirroring the overall trend for minimalism in the kitchen. Slab-sided sinks with clean modern lines, softened by gentle curves, are continuing to grow in popularity, in line with the trend for linear kitchens featuring curved end units. The emphasis is on simple but striking designs that are easy on the eye.

Taps…

There has never been a greater choice of taps available for developers to choose from and there is no doubt that an aesthetically striking tap can really help to

draw attention. Once merely a commodity item, the kitchen tap has been elevated to a position of much greater standing and, as a result, there is now a vast selection of taps available for consumers to choose from, many of which deliver far more than just water.

The single lever Monobloc tap remains the most popular choice by a long way, although boiling hot water taps are proving to be a real growth market. The market for taps with pull-out sprays and LED lights has never really materialised; these taps are, of course, still available, but they have remained very much a niche market.

emphasis is “onThe simple but striking designs that are easy on the eye

”

Boiling hot water taps are currently undergoing massive growth, with consumers increasingly looking for 3-way taps that offer instant hot, ordinary hot and cold water. No longer a luxury item, boiling hot water taps are starting to almost become the norm in the modern kitchen and, as prices continue to fall, they will become even more accessible.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv032

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

Kitchen Essentials Caple’s Product Manager Luke Shipway discusses the importance of highperformance appliances when specifying a kitchen.

T

he quality a house buyer expects from kitchen appliances can make or break a purchasing decision.

So, it’s important for housebuilders and developers to consider their choices wisely. Appliances will always play a key role in the potential for a property sale.

You can instantly save time and money with a brand you can trust if you choose a complete appliance collection at affordable prices. And, if you’re working on a variety of properties targeting different demographics, look for a brand with more than one range to cater for varying price points.

At Caple, we have three collections – Classic, Sense and Sense Premium. Our Classic ovens, hoods and hobs are particularly popular due to their value for money and high-performance credentials, making them the perfect choice if you’re looking for good-quality appliances at reasonable prices. Our Sense range is ideal for those who are looking for a little extra, such as more programmes and functionality, with smooth black glass and stainless-steel finishes. Sense Premium provides an unrivalled cooking experience with appliances, which include smart ovens, and all have been designed to the highest specifications.

Checking the credentials We offer a complete appliance portfolio from good quality, stylish fridge freezers and wine cabinets to high-performance

38 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

cooker extraction, ovens and hobs. It's so important to provide models, with great credentials and the latest features, which are cost-effective too. Buyers will be looking at specifications, which will suit them, and how they look will also play a key role in the buying decision. We have everything the housebuilder and your buyer needs, including a comprehensive selection of kitchen cabinet styles and an extensive range of sinks and taps which complement our entire appliance collection.

Our Classic ovens, hobs and hoods are particularly popular due to their value for money and high performance, because they cater for so many needs at reasonable prices. From multifunctional to pyrolytic ovens, we have something for everyone at prices to suit you. Even our wine cabinets have become part of the standard homebuyer's package. We offer perimetrical extraction in our cooker hoods, with improved motor performance, which cuts down sound levels and is particularly important in an open-plan scheme.

Our wine cabinets make a perfect addition to a new kitchen as they feature our signature compressor cooling systems, which maintain a precise temperature. We have a comprehensive collection, which ranges from built-in to freestanding and from single to triple temperature zones. What sets them apart is that they mimic the conditions found in an actual wine cellar so the house buyer can be guaranteed perfectly stored wine,

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We already work closely with “small and large housing developments to help builders deliver fully-fitted kitchens with entire sets of matching appliances

”

which retains all its flavour. Wine cabinets are used to up-sell and may not be available as standard but an aspirational additional extra which, when seen in the show home, becomes a necessity.

White goods deals If the brand you choose offers a highly competitive white goods package, you’ll benefit from making a good sales margin and you’ll be in a position to offer the buyer a highquality appliance collection within a simpler buying process.

At Caple, we offer these deals with a complete appliance portfolio of more than 200 models available, from wine cabinets, laundry and refrigeration to combination steam ovens, hobs and extractors.

We already work closely with small and large housing developments to help builders deliver fully-fitted kitchens with entire sets of matching appliances. This is the best way to sell a home, because the house-buyer can walk into a new development, see the kitchen and all its appliances and instantly imagine living there.

It’s important that the housebuilder considers how the appliances perform and their innovative features. This gives them the perfect opportunity to reveal the functionality, style, quality and value for money each appliance has, to the buyer which will ultimately encourage them to make their purchase.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv033

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

BATHROOM SURFACES MINERVA With almost 35 years of experience in the manufacture and supply of solid surface worksurfaces, Sylmar Technology has demonstrated once again that décors developed for the kitchen can look better in the bathroom. This was recently proved by the installation of minerva Calcutta White solid surfaces in a recent bathroom near Manchester.

12mm thick sheets of minerva Calcutta White were fitted as full height floor to ceiling wall panels on all 4 walls, thus ensuring that the entire bathroom and shower enclosure are completely waterproof, hygienic and easy to clean. Glued to an existing drywall, the panelling system provides a seamless finish without the mess of grouting.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv034

BLACK BATHROOM FURNITURE KEUCO When it comes to stylish modern furnishing black surfaces and finishes catch the eye, offering a luxurious appearance especially in the bathroom. If black is destined to be a key colour in your bathroom, Keuco has an extensive range of products within their Black Concept collection.

Keuco Edition 11 bathroom furniture is available with a stylish black metallic-pigmented lacquer finish. The rectangular vanity units, sideboards, high and low storage units in this collection are all designed to be handle-free with a soft-touch closing system.

The black finish on this collection is easy to care for as each surface has antifingerprint protection.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv035

TAP ABODE Giving even more design options to housebuilders, Abode has introduced some exciting range extensions on some of its most popular collections, in the form of a quad spout.

The Atlas Quad and Pico Quad bring a modern elegance to the kitchen, enabling developers to get more creative when using Abode products as part of a complete kitchen.

A best-seller since its launch in 2002 when the company was founded, the Atlas monobloc tap combines sophisticated modern styling and engineering excellence, resulting in a sleek minimal design that maximises on both performance and style. Equally as impressive, Pico from Abode is an elegantly styled monobloc featuring a simple yet stunning handle design that turns the tap into a focal point.

INDUCTION HOBS SMEG Luxury Italian appliance brand, Smeg, has unveiled its all-new range of silver Linea induction hobs. Catering for the demand for high-quality induction cooking, the Linea silver glass hob is ideal for those looking for a sleek yet functional option, mirroring Smeg's Linea built-in oven aesthetic.

The latest additions to the collection come in 60cm and 90cm, perfect for complementing any contemporary kitchen.

Featuring Smeg's MultiZone heating system, it can be used as two independent cooking zones or combined into a single zone, automatically adapting to the size and position of the dishes, only heating where the pan is located. This provides for precise temperature control and ensures safety in the presence of children.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv037

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv036

MULTIGENERATIONAL RANGE HIB Leading bathroom supplier, HiB has launched its latest products to feature in the company’s growing accessories range. The new accessories, which offer stylish solutions with multigenerational features, are now available to order.

Among the products developed by HiB’s in-house product design team are the shower seats including a version with a support leg. Designed to offer users additional reassurance, comfort and an improved showering experience, both products present a foldable system and desirable compact design. The shower seat, available in white, offers a sleek and contemporary solution with strong fixings to hold up to 18 stone (120kg). The shower seat with support leg also offers the same convenience with a choice of white and dark grey finish and can hold up to 23 stone (150kg).

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv038

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PRODUCT FOCUS: NORBORD

CaberDek C Rain, snow, ice? No problem for Norbord’s CaberDek flooring leading the pack for housebuilders.

CaberDek can be left exposed and remains BBA approved for up to 42 days without risk of damage

aberDek is one of Norbord’s flagship quality flooring products designed to ensure that, whatever weather befalls UK construction sites, work can continue cleanly and safely; this is especially important with today’s tighter than ever timelines. It is made from the same moisture-resistant particleboard as the standard CaberFloor P5 and features a protective non-slip film applied to its upper surface.

In most new-build projects, the upper floors of a residential property are installed before the roof goes on, with the inevitable result that the new floor is left open to the elements for days or even weeks.

CaberDek’s protective film prevents rain and frost damage to the new floor surface as well as providing a safe non-slip working surface for the construction team.

CaberDek can be left exposed, and remains BBA approved for up to 42 days without risk of damage, provided it is correctly installed with Norbord’s CaberFix adhesives. Even after the building is weather-tight, the floor surface remains protected while following trades, such as plastering and painting, come onto site.

When work has finished, the protective film is simply peeled off to reveal a pristine particleboard floor ready for covering.

CaberDek comes in easy-to-handle 2400mm x 600mm panels produced in thicknesses of 18mm and 22mm. Suitable for fixing to traditional sawn timber or engineered-timber joists, including metalweb joists, it can be fixed with nails,

screws, and with Norbord’s own speciallyformulated adhesives.

Many housebuilders now employ the CaberFix Pro Kit, a powerful sealing and fixing system for installing CaberDek flooring. This system consists of CaberFix T&G adhesive, CaberFix Joint&Joist adhesive and CaberFix Tape.

CaberFix D3 T&G is specially formulated to produce strong bonds between adjacent panels along the tongue-andgroove joint. CaberFix Joint&Joist is a high-strength polymer adhesive which remains flexible after curing and is designed to fix a CaberDek floor to the supporting joists.

Replacing mechanical fixings, CaberFix Joint&Joist speeds up installation and produces a floor which is guaranteed free of squeaks and creaks. Its flexibility also contributes to noise attenuation, thus aiding in the floor’s conformity with Part E of the Building Regulations governing the passage of noise.

CaberFix Tape seals the joints to prevent moisture degrading the T&G adhesives. For floors which are likely to be exposed to the elements during freezing conditions, Norbord’s special CaberFix X-Treme tape is recommended.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv035

ADVERTISEMENT INDEX Caple ................................................................................page 36 Domus Ventilation ..........................................................page 11 Dynamis Associates Ltd ................................................page 17 Energy Saving Innovative Controls Ltd ......................page 7 Franke ..............................................................................page 39 Hamilton Litestat ............................................................page 30 Harrison Thompson & Co. Ltd ....................................page 13 Marmox (UK) Ltd ..............................................................page 41

42 March Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer

Quickslide Ltd ........................................................pages 19-26 Reginox UK Ltd ..............................................................page 29 Saniflo Ltd ........................................................................page 35 Superglass Insulation Ltd ..............................................page 14 The Electric Heating Company Ltd ............................page 41 TOOLFAIR ..................................................outside back cover Ubbink UK Ltd ..................................................................page 17

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LAST WORD

The way we I build them Chris Stanley, Housing Manager, Modern Masonry explains why he believes ‘Fabric’ is the first word in eco-friendly housebuilding

t will be no news to any reader that the built environment is a repeat offender when it comes to emission levels, and residential properties are no exception.

Housing design must evolve to help ween the nation off the high-energy consuming systems which have proliferated since the 1950s. ‘Going Green’ is something we need to consider universally. Luckily, making that change to become a more sustainable builder is relatively simple and cost-effective long-term.

For me, I think the key lies in passive design and the adoption of a ‘Fabric First’ approach. Essentially, this involves maximising the performance of the components and material which make up a building’s structure and envelope. It will form a central aspect of the changes in Part L of the Building Regulations.

The good news is, if you harness a ‘Fabric First’ approach early on in the design and specification process, it can be relatively easy to replicate across a whole development. However, it does require a good grasp of material performance and building systems which can reduce the need for mechanical solutions.

So, for those who are looking for ways in which they can build to a ‘Fabric First’ approach, here are the recommendations from Modern Masonry:

Build to last

choice “is Material important, and it’s well known that masonry, combined with highperformance mineral insulation will deliver consistent, optimal thermal performance

”

The terms around changes to Part L have been a long time in the making, but are finally being articulated clearly. All new homes will need low carbon heating. From 2021 they will need to produce 31% lower emissions.

Of course, there will be an immediate concern around what will replace current HVAC. Yes, there are low-energy solutions such as heat pumps, as well as AI-backed infrared technologies available.

A more cost-effective, long-term, fabricled solution is to consider a relatively commonplace system, the cavity wall.

Although a time-honoured structural method, we are only beginning to scratch the surface in which these systems can deliver housing which remains warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Material choice is important, and it’s well known that masonry, combined with highperformance mineral insulation will deliver

consistent, optimal thermal performance.

It’s a tried and tested material category, with centuries of application to prove it.

Create space Although an increase in cavity widths to achieve U-Values of around 0.18 or better may not be necessary in the immediate future, it’s worth looking at what this would mean.

On projects where cavity width is a particular focus, the use of full fill PIR or phenolic insulation can deliver a 0.17-0.19 U-Value in a standard 100m cavity. By increasing the cavity to 150mm you can achieve exceptionally low scores of 0.120.14. You can equally achieve optimum results with mineral wool, ranging between 0.13-0.19 depending on cavity width.

Look to the sun Further, to ensure the best fabric performance, guaranteeing a property with thermal consistency in hot and cold weather, we should increasingly consider the advantages of Passive Solar Design.

This is a system approach which fits in line with the increasing move towards the incorporation of photovoltaic solar panels onto a building’s structure.

PSD works best with heavy materials like masonry, which has the required thermal mass to soak up solar gains. On winter days, masonry holds onto the solar gains and slowly releases the stored heat later in the day. During the cooling season, the thermal mass of a building can again soak up excess heat throughout the day and with effective ventilation, releasing the stored heat passively at night when temperatures cool.

Housebuilders have an opportunity to lead the way, particularly as consumers become more eco-savvy and potential buyers now value sustainability within the purchasing decision. Ultimately it comes down to a question of whether your business is going to bury its head in the sand and ignore the sea of change, or hold it up and embrace it. Now is the time to get active about passive.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information go to www.rdr.link/dv036

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