John Lewis to build 10,000 homes for rent 

Retailer John Lewis is reportedly set to construct 10,000 homes for rent over the next few years, largely utilising its existing sites. Reports in the Sunday Times said the department store chain’s move into the residential property market is being... View Article

Smooth start, perfect finish

From Peter Wilson, Setcrete Brand Manager Specifying beautiful floorcoverings for a new property can transform the appearance of a room dramatically. Today there are so many options from traditional carpet to wood, ceramic and porcelain floor tiles and, increasingly, luxury... View Article

Designs taking flight

Eric Nicholls of Spiral UK explores the different options for feature staircases available to housebuilders and developers, detailing the benefits of each. Choosing a staircase sounds easy – after all a staircase has only one function – but why should... View Article

Permanence and sustainability

Among the many benefits aluminium has to offer, Andrew Cross of Kestrel Aluminium discusses its ability to forecast the cost of maintenance over a system’s design life. With increasing pressure to specify building systems offering clearly defined sustainability, the use... View Article

Short supply

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), explores how the shortage of construction materials is constraining small builders’ ability to ‘build back better.’ Since the coronavirus pandemic, many small to medium-sized (SME) construction firms... View Article

Steeling yourself for the future

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Stuart Judge of the Steel Window Association considers the performance benefits of contemporary steel frames in terms of meeting the future challenges for housebuilding. Britain can take pride in the way its big pharmaceutical companies and top... View Article

The safe bet for decking

William Hogg of Ecodek discusses the options for blending safety standards and sustainability with striking design when it comes to aluminium decking The specification of non-combustible building materials in the design of high-rise buildings has never been such a prevalent... View Article

Get it right on the tiles

LISTEN HERE 🔊 If you are looking to specify a tiled floor, it is crucial to understand what preparation is required to ensure that new or existing floor substrates are suitable. Stuart Ross of BAL looks at the different likely... View Article

Timber or composite?

Deciding on the best decking option for your garden makeover can be challenging. Tony Hobbs of Southern Sheeting offers some advice to help you choose The trend for durable and premium wood plastic composite (WPC) decking is now firmly established... View Article

Making an impact on noise

Recent research links unwanted noise levels with a heightened risk of mental and physical health problems. Karen Wilding of Forbo Flooring Systems says this shows that architects must adopt tools and materials that mitigate these effects Without effective management, unwanted... View Article

Queen’s Speech centres on planning overhaul

New laws aiming to enable the UK to “build back better and stronger from the pandemic” were unveiled in the Queen’s Speech, including an overhaul of the planning system to increase building rates across the UK. The Government’s new legislative... View Article

The versatility of timber

Scott McAndrew of ITW discusses why timber is not only sustainable, but can also offer desirable flexibility as well as crucial fire safety Alot of information has been circulating about timber being a sustainable material, with fantastic initiatives such as... View Article

Topic: Tips to buying building materials

Most people focus on the kitchen, views, location, bedrooms, and bathrooms when buying a home. Hardly do they consider building materials that were used in constructing the house. Besides the hardwood floors, granite countertops, and other attractive features, a lot... View Article

Why choose composite decking?

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Felicity Hodgkinson of Ecodek explores the benefits Wood polymer composite decking can offer to developers and home buyers alike ‘Kerb appeal’ is a well-used phrase in this industry, and creating an aesthetically attractive facade with an eye-catching... View Article

Moisture Management in Historic Buildings

Lewis Proudfoot of Cliveden Conservation and committee member of the Building Limes Forum, discusses moisture management in historic buildings and why lime should be the default material for the repair of traditional structures The challenge of maintaining and repairing historic... View Article

Top decking choices

Stefan Holmes of Millboard Decking discusses the main considerations for choosing between materials when it comes to specifying decking While timber was once the default option when it came to choosing decking material, that is now far from the case.... View Article