The British Association of Landscape Industries has unveiled its new look ahead of its 50th year in business in 2022, marking the start of a new chapter in the Trade Association’s prestigious history. Spearheading the brand is the Association’s fresh, contemporary new identity, boldly updated for 2021 while celebrating its
The UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is soon expected to deliver its strategy for heat and buildings decarbonisation. Today – 31 March – BEIS Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Climate Change, Lord Callanan, joined an expert panel to discuss the beginning of the journey
Leading national brickwork, scaffolding and drywall firm, Phoenix Brickwork has just completed its part in the £21m development of the University of Lincoln’s new School of Medicine, providing essential infrastructure for the new facility. The three quarters of a million-pound contract saw a 12 strong team from Phoenix deliver specialist
Associated British Ports (ABP) has appointed ByrneLooby as lead engineering consultant to provide the design phase of the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF). This project will provide significant re-engineering of the existing quayside in the outer harbour, creating a modern port that supports the renewable energy industry. ByrneLooby’s marine team will deliver
National Housebuilder, Keepmoat Homes, has completed the purchase of the land on the outskirts of Wellingborough, with outline planning permission from Wellingborough Council to deliver 238 new homes. The new development, Glenvale Park, located off Niort way, is the company’s first site in the area, and will provide a mix
Wakefield’s Marygate House has been acquired for residential development, with plans to add a new storey to the building and create 36 high-specification apartments for rent. The developers, IP Marygate House Ltd – a joint venture between Priestley Homes and DI Properties – purchased the site for £650k, with funding
Whether you are renovating your home for yourself or for a future investment opportunity, it’s understandable that you may be excited. You get the chance to create your dream property and can really spend time making it perfect. However, many people tend to get in over their heads. Renovating is
While many Brits enjoy a bit of DIY at the weekend, and painting is a popular choice for easy home renovation projections, it doesn’t mean that you can improvise becoming a pro painter-decorator overnight. If you ever feel tempted to tackle your next painting project yourself, make sure you avoid
The British Association of Landscape Industries has unveiled its new look ahead of its 50th year in business in 2022, marking the start of a new chapter in the Trade Association’s prestigious history. Spearheading the brand is the Association’s fresh, contemporary new identity, boldly updated for 2021 while celebrating its heritage. Following a three-year development cycle which saw the team at Landscape House carry out research and analysis, a series of stakeholder interviews and a brand positioning exercise, several significant changes were decided upon to improve the Association’s continued efforts to promote, support and inspire its members, the wider landscape services industry and the public. From 1st April 2021, Association members who have passed its stringent vetting procedures will be referred to as Accredited members, replacing the previous ‘Registered’ name. The team at Landscape House, supported by its board of directors, felt the replacement term was a more suitable choice for explaining the process companies went through in order to attain accreditation. Affiliate, the label used to promote members offering trade and public-facing products and services has been dropped in favour of Supplier, a word that better describes that category of membership. So, in simple terms, a Registered Affiliate will now be known as an Accredited Supplier. The brand refresh has also brought with it changes to the way the Association communicates, including a focus on high quality content to inform, educate and inspire. It will use its position as a thought-leader in British landscaping to draw attention to issues affecting the industry and lobby government, as well as developing its technical support offering. The rebrand will also bring a new approach to the Association’s identity, dropping the acronym ‘BALI’. Often confused with non-industry terms, the Association’s new identity advertises a greater public-friendly position, simplified so it only displays the full company name that better describes the service offer. Chief Executive Wayne Grills commented, “This is an important moment for our Association and its members. We recognised, through talking with key stakeholders, that we needed to make changes to our brand to continue to build on our strong foundation and provide the high level of customer service our members expect. Next year our Trade Association celebrates 50 years and we wanted to be in the best shape possible to take full advantage of what that special milestone will bring. Expect further announcements of what we have planned later this year.” To support the launch of the new brand the team at Landscape House have refreshed all marketing and promotional materials for members, with the website bali.org.uk, suite of newsletters and popular journal Landscape Newsall receiving major design and/or functionality updates. Members can login to their member’s area bali.org.uk/login to download the new Accredited logo and brand guidelines (if their membership category permits), order vehicle stickers, download Use the Professionals leaflets and access their membership benefits portfolio which have also been updated.
The UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is soon expected to deliver its strategy for heat and buildings decarbonisation. Today – 31 March – BEIS Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Climate Change, Lord Callanan, joined an expert panel to discuss the beginning of the journey to zero emissions, on which the heating industry and its customers are about to embark. A key theme and outcome of the panel discussion was the pressing need for government and industry to engage consumers and influential heating installers. The widely-held view was that it was becoming essential to explain the benefits and transition path to new forms of low-carbon heat, namely hydrogen boilers, heat pumps and heat networks. Karen Boswell OBE, Managing Director of Baxi UK & Ireland, opened the virtual seminar by outlining the company’s plans to lead a sustainable heating revolution. This included Baxi’s ongoing research and development of low carbon technologies and its own role educating customers and installers. The expert panel was also attended by Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of Energy UK, Ian Rippin, CEO of Microgeneration Certificate Scheme and Mike Thornton, CEO of Energy Saving Trust, who explored the imminent need to begin decarbonising heating with current low carbon technologies, while future technologies and solutions are developed. The panellists highlighted that, although there are known technologies and solutions that will help in this process, there are still challenges. This includes upskilling heating engineers to be able to install new low-carbon heating and hot water technologies. Although the mix of low carbon technologies and its implementation has much further to go panellists agreed it was critical to deliver clear-cut solutions to meet the energy needs for the wide variety of buildings in the UK. To be successful, it was emphasised that now is the time for action in order to deliver a sustainable future for generations to come. Karen Boswell says: “We are pleased to have started the first of many discussions which demonstrate Baxi, the Government and key industry organisations are fully committed to plans for the decarbonisation of heating and buildings. “Making low carbon solutions readily available, ensuring there is a rich body of professionals to install them, and engaging the general public will be key to starting this progress. We can’t wait for a single, clear-cut solution that will likely never arise. Right now, we must get consumers and industry professionals on side to support the solutions, training and new services that are needed long into the future. “Baxi is committed to leading the low carbon heating revolution. All products we manufacture will from 2025 work with low carbon energy sources and we have pledged that, by 2030, we will be net zero across our operations in the UK. In the meantime, we’re eager to get the conversation started with our industry partners and customers to ensure we make the transition that is coming is as smooth as possible.” To find out more about Baxi Heating’s sustainability commitments, visit: www.baxiheating.co.uk/sustainability
Leading national brickwork, scaffolding and drywall firm, Phoenix Brickwork has just completed its part in the £21m development of the University of Lincoln’s new School of Medicine, providing essential infrastructure for the new facility. The three quarters of a million-pound contract saw a 12 strong team from Phoenix deliver specialist brickwork, insulation and fire safety services for the hi-tech, environmentally efficient building, with the 24-week project completed on time and on budget. Phoenix was selected by main contractor, BAM Construction for their expertise in health and research projects. The new facility will feature a range of laboratories including a clinical skills suite, anatomy suite and a category two science laboratory, alongside state-of-the-art lecture theatres and teaching areas. To aid medical students’ learning, it will also provide a clinical skills suite with mock consultation rooms, helping students by simulating a working hospital ward or a GP surgery. Site Manager, Sam Humphries said, “While we’re a firm that works on projects across the country, it’s always especially pleasing to be able to contribute to such a great regional initiative, and we are proud to be doing our bit to support the NHS.” Operating from its Derbyshire and Northamptonshire offices, Phoenix recently celebrated a ten-year trading milestone of £18m and recruited six new members of staff to help the business grow into London. “Projects such as this are incredibly rewarding for the team,” said Christian Watson, Managing Director at Phoenix Brickwork. “Not only can we be proud of delivering the project on-time and in budget, in the light of the current pandemic and the heroic efforts of our NHS, we are delighted to have played our part in the creation of this cutting-edge facility for the University and supporting tomorrow’s doctors and nurses.”
Associated British Ports (ABP) has appointed ByrneLooby as lead engineering consultant to provide the design phase of the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF). This project will provide significant re-engineering of the existing quayside in the outer harbour, creating a modern port that supports the renewable energy industry. ByrneLooby’s marine team will deliver state-of-the-art infrastructure that accommodates the next generation of offshore support vessels and provides facilities supporting O&M (Operations and Maintenance) and construction support activities, vital to the growing North Sea energy sector. When complete, the project will offer 360m of berthing space for simultaneous use by three SOVs and deliver up to eight acres of flexible storage and marshalling area. In addition, it will enable the development of around 5,000 sq ft of new office space with direct quayside access. Building on its long history of servicing offshore energy customers, the Port of Lowestoft is close to one of the most significant clusters of offshore wind farms in the UK. It provides a convenient marine hub for offshore wind customers to maintain operations, repower, and construct offshore wind sites. In 2019, Scottish Power Renewables opened an Operations and Maintenance building in Hamilton Dock to support the 714MW East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm. The port is also home to the O&M base for Scottish & Southern Energy’s (SSE) Greater Gabbard Offshore wind farm, located 23km from the Suffolk coast. Ian Dobson, Head of Marine UK at ByrneLooby, said: “We are delighted to be awarded the design of LEEF for Associated British Ports as part of the realisation of the port masterplan. “Our focus is on delivering this strategic project with sustainable and innovative solution-driven design that will realise the highest possible value for ABP. It will play a vital role in supporting ABP’s five-year-masterplan, re-invigorating the port, the locality and the region and providing its customers with a transformed next-generation port.” Project Video
National Housebuilder, Keepmoat Homes, has completed the purchase of the land on the outskirts of Wellingborough, with outline planning permission from Wellingborough Council to deliver 238 new homes. The new development, Glenvale Park, located off Niort way, is the company’s first site in the area, and will provide a mix of two, three, and four-bedroom homes for open market sale along with a mix of 50 shared ownership plots and 24 affordable properties, in the first partnership with Legal & General. The development is part of a consortium being built in conjunction with housebuilders, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Homes and Lagan Homes, and in total will deliver 3,000 new homes to the area. Construction has already started on site, with work expected to complete in 2025. In addition to the new homes at Glenvale Park, a brand-new business park providing 3,000 new jobs to the area has been planned, along with a new community centre and hub with retail, food and drink amenities, two primary schools, a nursery, a public square and a family play park, as well as parkland covering more than 200 acres. “We’re delighted to have completed contracts on the purchase of the site at Glenvale Park. Our ethos is to build quality new homes to provide a range of options for first time buyers, as well as those looking to up or downsize in the area, and we can’t wait to transform the site into a thriving inclusive community and make our mark in the area,” said Michael O’Farrell, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “As a company, we’re driven to creating better places for people to live and we’re excited to contribute to a development of this size that will enhance the local area greatly, not only by providing quality, energy efficient and adaptable homes, but by also working with local partners and creating new job opportunities in the area.” The announcement comes after Keepmoat Homes relocates its regional office from their current premises in Luton to Northampton, which marks another positive step for the developer’s ambitious growth plans in the area.
Wakefield’s Marygate House has been acquired for residential development, with plans to add a new storey to the building and create 36 high-specification apartments for rent. The developers, IP Marygate House Ltd – a joint venture between Priestley Homes and DI Properties – purchased the site for £650k, with funding provided by Together Finance. Marygate House benefits from permitted development rights to convert the upper floors of the four-storey building into residential units. A planning application was submitted to Wakefield Council in March 2021 for the construction of an additional storey to maximise the site’s development potential. The 36 apartments will be retained solely for private rent, managed jointly by the Priestley Group and DI Properties. The £3 million refurbishment scheme will be a premier development in the city, helping to set a new standard of rented accommodation for local residents. All apartments will be finished to the highest standard, with luxury furnishings in an open plan living and dining area, including large windows, spacious bathrooms and up to 1GB fibre broadband. Existing ground-floor retail spaces will remain, and the developer is designing a new street scene, including upgraded shop fronts and canopies to improve kerb appeals and create a thriving mixed-use scheme in the heart of Wakefield city centre. Located on Marygate in Wakefield’s main shopping district, the 1970s commercial block is close to the town’s historic Civic Quarter, which is subject to major regeneration plans back by the council. Westgate rail station is a five-mute walk away, for easy commuting into Leeds. “As a Yorkshire-based business, we continue to see the huge potential in our smaller towns and cities, such as Wakefield. Wakefield is a city on the rise, driven by a council that is committed to bringing its ambitious regeneration plans to life. You only have to look at the scale of redevelopment in the Civic Quarter and the transformation of Rutland Mills into Tileyard North, an exciting, new creative hub on the waterfront,” said Nathan Priestley, chief executive officer of Priestley Homes. “The confidence in the city is peaking. We are thrilled the council approached us to give Marygate House the jolt it desperately needs. We are known for delivering these kinds of quality residential developments; this will help drive interest in urban living in the area, boost the local economy and support many of the city’s businesses for years to come.” Priestley Homes is a multi-award-winning developer renowned for high-quality refurbishment projects across the North of England and London, including Bradford’s Conditioning House – 153 luxury ‘New York-style’ apartments set in a meticulously restored Grade-II listed mill. IP Marygate House Ltd secured funding from UK-wide specialist lender, Together, to help purchase the site. A decision on the planning application is expected in Q3 2021. Priestley Construction will then begin work on a 12-month build programme in Q4 2021.
Whether you are renovating your home for yourself or for a future investment opportunity, it’s understandable that you may be excited. You get the chance to create your dream property and can really spend time making it perfect. However, many people tend to get in over their heads. Renovating is a tremendous job, and there are things that you need to be prepared for. Below, we are going to talk about some things that no one tells you about renovating so that you can start this new journey in the best mindset possible. Want to learn more? Then keep on reading! It will take time Many individuals go straight into ripping apart their homes without thoroughly considering how long the process will take. While it does depend on what you are doing, certain aspects can take weeks or even months to be finished. Make sure that you evaluate the time frame and match it to what’s going on in your life. If you have any big plans, you may wish to move things forward or back. It gets messy Your home is going to look like a bomb zone during the time of reconstruction. No matter how much you try and clean, you won’t be able to get it back to normal until everything is finished. That being said, you need to keep things tidy to minimize hazards and reduce the risk of accidents. Do you plan on renting out your home after the renovations? Check out these end of tenancy cleaning London prices for more information. They will be a great contact to recommend to your tenants! There will be mishaps and accidents You can have a perfect plan laid out for each renovation you will make, but there are still going to be mishaps and accidents that happen along the way. Some changes may need to altered, the paint you wanted to order may not be in stock, and your new supplies may have come damaged. Instead of stressing about everything, make sure you plan for the unexpected and always have a backup solution. It’s better to interview multiple contractors You may want to get moving as soon as possible, but trust us when we say you want to spend some time interviewing different contractors. The last thing you want is to employ someone that overcharges you or has a bad reputation. Search around until you find the company that is right for you. It may take a few extra weeks, but it will be worth it. You want someone that is experienced, professional, and will listen to what you have to say. Sticking to a budget can be hard Sticking to a budget is an essential part of renovating; however, it isn’t as easy as it may look. There will be things you fall in love with that you can’t afford, and mishaps that we mentioned above may require you to cut costs in other areas. Remember to stay strong and work around things as best as you can. It may be challenging, but you don’t want to end up putting yourself in an extreme amount of debt. There are many hidden costs You may think that you have all the areas of your expenses covered, but there are still going to be hidden costs that you’ll want to prepare for. Here are a few you want to take into consideration: – Council fees and insurance – Rubbish disposal – Storage fees – Extra electricity and water (increased bill) – Garden reboot (it may become damaged during construction work) You can check out the real cost of renovating a home by clicking the link. You can’t do it all yourself DIYing can be a great way to reduce costs during the building process and can be very satisfying. However, it is important to know that it is impossible to do it all yourself. Some things such as plumbing and electrics should only be handled by professionals. Clearing junk should be done by a reliable company who offers rubbish collection in Chiswick. Doing them yourself will not only cause further damage but may also injure you in the process. You can click here to see a list of things you should and shouldn’t DIY. You will need somewhere else to live (for part of it) You may try and get away with living and renovating on the same property, but there will be one time or another when you need to move out. We aren’t just talking about if your bedroom is being under construction either. Paint fumes, dust, debris, and other material can be harmful to breathe in, and you will want to wait till things have settled down. You need to be aware of specific hazards Houses can have many hidden problems, and some of them can be highly hazardous. Before you go destroying anything, you need to get your home checked and make sure you have the appropriate safety gear. Certain pests, mold, and building materials such as asbestos are toxic, so be prepared and bring in professionals to clear the area. If you don’t have the right equipment, leave everything untouched! There will be times when you may want to give up Lastly, it’s important to remember that there are going to be times when it is very stressful, and you may want to give up. It’s hard to imagine the completed picture when there is dirt and building supplies everyone. However, you want to make sure that you power through and try your best to stay motivated. Once everything has come together, it will all be worth it. Final Thoughts And that’s it! These were the things no one tells you about renovating your home. While it may seem a bit scarier now, it shouldn’t turn you off starting this journey. We just want to help prepare you for the things that are yet to come so that you can build your dream home. So, what are you waiting for? Get your tools ready and see what you can
While many Brits enjoy a bit of DIY at the weekend, and painting is a popular choice for easy home renovation projections, it doesn’t mean that you can improvise becoming a pro painter-decorator overnight. If you ever feel tempted to tackle your next painting project yourself, make sure you avoid these common mistakes, so you never end up wasting time and money. No prep before painting Preparing the area you’re going to paint isn’t the most exciting part of the process, but it’s an essential step if you want to see the best results. Too many people just skip ahead and start painting without preparing the surface or the area they will paint. Needless to say that if you have wallpaper or old paint, you’ll need to strip the wall to ensure you have a smooth surface to paint on. If your wall has a lot of asperities (it’s a fancy word for roughness), you may need to do some plasterwork or some light sanding so that the texture doesn’t come through. Ensure the walls are also clean to avoid painting over dust particles or anything else that can get stuck over time. You can do so by vacuuming the walls to remove all dust and washing the area with warm water and vinegar for a deep clean. Don’t skip corners and baseboards! Finally, make sure that anything that doesn’t need painting will be protected. That includes the floors and nearby furniture. It would help if you also were wrapping doorknobs and use painter’s tape along the edges of your surface (the baseboards, for example). Taking the time to set up protection will ensure you have a clean finish, and you won’t stain precious furniture or other areas. Using the wrong paint This might seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised to see how many people buy paint before realising they didn’t choose the right one. Not all types of surfaces react to paint in the same way, so you will need different products depending on whether you are painting metal, wood, tiles, concrete, plaster etc. Make sure to double-check that the paint you are selecting will be appropriate for your surface area. In doubt, many specialist retailers like The Paint Shed are happy to provide guidance and help you choose the right products for your project. Once you have the right type of paint, don’t forget to check what finish you’re buying as well. It may seem like there wouldn’t be much of a difference between a gloss and semi-gloss finish, but anyone who has ever painted a whole room in gloss will tell you otherwise. Using the wrong tools If the tools don’t make the craftsman, having the right tools for the job will certainly help you achieve the results you want. If you are painting walls or large surfaces, swap the paintbrush for a roller which will avoid creating lines or streaks (which is caused by the brush bristles). Not all paint rollers are created equal, though, and you will have to select the right one depending on the type of surface. Generally speaking, thicker roller covers (also called nap or pile) are more suited to rougher surfaces as they can apply thicker layers of paint. Thinner roller covers will be better suited for smoother surfaces that require a more delicate finish. Make sure you’re not over saturating the roller when painting. Applying too much paint in one go can lead to uneven application and drips. The nap should be saturated with paint but not dripping. You can use a paint tray to ensure the paint is spread evenly on the roller and remove excess before applying it to your surface. Using trays is also highly recommended rather than dipping your tools straight into the paint can, leading to contaminating the paint with dirt or dust. Ignoring the weather Exterior projects are particularly concerned with the weather, but it could also apply to some inside work. If the weather is too humid and cold, it will affect the time needed for water-based paints to dry. If the weather is not going to be in your favour, consider delaying your project until it is warmer or drier. The wind is also something to think about. If you are painting outside, strong winds could ruin your work or just make it extra difficult for you. Now that you’re armed with these tips, I hope you feel ready to tackle your next painting project! If you enjoyed this, you’ll find more articles like this in the painting and decorating section of our website.
