If you have been thinking about purchasing a property abroad for a little while now, why not consider buying a plot of land and building your own instead? After all, constructing your own dream home will not only ensure it fits the exact size, design specifications and purpose you require
One of the UK’s leading construction companies caused a stir this year, when it announced that it was planning to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Galliford Try, an Uxbridge-based firm that is one of the largest companies in the industry, revealed that it had ‘pledged to achieve Net Zero carbon
Construction companies are quick to embrace new technologies, although the paper work order stuck around in the industry a lot longer than many anticipated. Thankfully with the rise of work order software, firms of all sizes are embracing the digital revolution and enjoying improved efficiency, productivity and cost-effectiveness as a
Every homeowner must make it a priority to maintain the appearance of their home- both inside and out. If you’ve been beautifying the interiors, now is the time to do the same for your outside space. Depending on your goals or objectives, you can make modifications or upgrades to your
If you have been thinking about purchasing a property abroad for a little while now, why not consider buying a plot of land and building your own instead? After all, constructing your own dream home will not only ensure it fits the exact size, design specifications and purpose you require – whether that be to let it out, set it up as a second holiday home or your permanent residence – but it could also increase your total profit when selling in the future. However, while this may all sound well and good in principle, without the right time, dedication and investment, it could wind up being a whole lot easier said than done. Therefore, before you rush into designing your dream home abroad, it’s important to consider a few things in advance. From your total budget to the legal rules and regulations you’ll need to abide by, join us as we run through the key questions to ask yourself in preparation, highlighting some of the biggest mistakes property investors tend to make when constructing property overseas. Is now the right time to buy? In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the housing market has become more and more difficult to predict. Some experts say it’s a buyer’s market, whereas others say it’s a seller’s, so it can be hard to know who is right. As with any real estate investment though, it’s imperative to do your research in advance. That way, you will give yourself the best chance of not only finding a good construction agency to carry out the work but you will also be able to identify the best countries – or areas of countries – to invest in. Panorama Properties’ Property Market Report 2021, for instance, highlights how frugal Marbella currently is for sellers, with house sales seen to have increased by 68% this year when compared to 2019. At the same time, however, the price of construction has also increased by 8.56% since April 2021, thus highlighting that Marbella may not currently be the best area to build a new property in. Do you have enough of a budget? Building a new property isn’t always as simple a process as it may appear and will often comprise a number of caveats and hurdles to overcome along the way. As such, it’s important not to throw all your eggs into one basket, investing every penny that you owe into creating your dream home. Instead, you need to plan ahead and ensure you have both the time and money available to complete the project. What’s more, you should also assume that it will cost more and take longer than you think it will as, most of the time, this will be the case. Do you know what type of property you are looking to construct? One of the hardest components to building your own home abroad is knowing exactly what you want to achieve. Just because you love the look and feel of your home in the UK, that won’t necessarily mean that you will have the same materials available to you when building abroad. Likewise, it’s important to consider the context of your build. If, for example, you are building by the coast, discuss with your architect in advance about how much toll the sun and sea are likely to take and which materials are best suited to the location. This advice, in turn, should help shape a lot of your decisions, making it easier for you to understand how much of an outlay to expect come the end of the build and bringing me onto an important point. It’s imperative to only ever work with an architect you can trust. While you may be able to save a fair bit working with a less well-known architectural firm, you could also run into many more expensive issues should anything go wrong later on down the line. Do you trust your contractor? If you have decided to bite the bullet and self-build your own holiday home, take the time to research and investigate the track record of the contractor you are thinking of working with. Look at their reviews, previous work and scrutinise their architectural plans – from the window frames to the quality of screws – with a lot of detail. Your contract agreement is only worth as much as the person with whom you enter into it, so it’s imperative to only ever work with someone you can trust; something that is especially true if you are unable to oversee the work regularly yourself. Final thoughts… When done right, constructing property abroad can be an extremely astute investment decision, providing you with a home that – as seen in Marbella – could generate thousands over time. However, before you get going with it, it’s imperative to do your homework in advance. That way, you will give yourself the best possible chance of creating a property that is as beautifully designed as it is highly profitable.
One of the UK’s leading construction companies caused a stir this year, when it announced that it was planning to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Galliford Try, an Uxbridge-based firm that is one of the largest companies in the industry, revealed that it had ‘pledged to achieve Net Zero carbon across its own operations by 2030, and Net Zero across all activities by 2045 at the latest’. There is no doubt that this has to be lauded. It has never been clearer that there is a true climate emergency, and businesses need to be doing everything they can to minimise their carbon footprint moving forward. Construction businesses certainly needed to count themselves amongst this effort. The company claims that it has managed to achieve a 62% reduction in its carbon emissions over the period of 2012 to 2020. But now it wants to push on to the ultimate goal of being carbon neutral. But there is no doubt that this has been controversial in the industry. Some wonder whether it is truly realistic for construction companies to achieve net zero carbon in such a short amount of time. So, here we take a look at what this would actually mean for businesses, as well as the steps that companies across the industry are taking, to establish whether this is a realistic goal. Why construction needs to go green According to the UK Green Building Council, the built environment is responsible for around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. That’s a huge amount, and it really puts a focus on construction companies to do better with the buildings that they are creating. If they can be built to be eco-friendly, it could make a massive difference to the UK’s carbon emissions. But it’s not just the completed buildings that contribute to the carbon footprint. In fact, the building process has a huge toll on the environment. For example, the machinery used in construction actually emits a huge amount. Diesel engines in non-road mobile machinery (such as bulldozers, construction machinery, industrial trucks, forklifts and mobile cranes) alone contributes to 15% of NOx emissions in London. As such, we need to think about carbon neutral construction from two perspectives. The first is the actual methods of construction being eco-friendly. The second is ensuring that the buildings that are constructed do not damage the environment. These are known as ‘carbon neutral buildings’ and it’s important to understand them. What is a carbon neutral building? It’s all well and good talking about carbon neutral buildings as a goal for the industry – but it’s important to actually define what is meant by the term. Indeed, if 2030 is to be a realistic goal, construction companies need to be in agreement in what they are working towards. Carbon neutral buildings should use less energy than their traditional counterparts, that much is clear, but how exactly do you create buildings that don’t damage the environment? There are actually a number of factors in creating carbon neutral buildings. The first is something known as passive design, which is a method of using the natural surroundings of a building to the best possible effect. For example, it could involve drawing energy from solar panels or wind energy – but it might mean utilising natural shade to minimise heating in the property. How can it be achieved? Carbon neutral construction will take effort on the part of construction companies and will naturally involve some change in operations. Galliford Try, the company that has committed to carbon net zero by 2030, has provided insight into what it is doing to achieve it. Some of the measures that the company is taking have included: The use of renewable energy sources Encouraging the use of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles The use of electric and alternative fuelled plant equipment A focus on connecting sites to the grid as soon as possible to minimise the use of diesel generators Maximising the use of technology to reduce travel So, is carbon neutral construction realistic by 2030? Ultimately, it has to be said that with a combination of changes in business practice in terms of working on construction sites, alongside smarter eco-friendly building design, carbon neutral construction can be rolled out quickly. As with all green efforts, it will take businesses being motivated to change their ways. But given the improving technology across the industry, 2030 could certainly be possible.
Construction companies are quick to embrace new technologies, although the paper work order stuck around in the industry a lot longer than many anticipated. Thankfully with the rise of work order software, firms of all sizes are embracing the digital revolution and enjoying improved efficiency, productivity and cost-effectiveness as a result. If you are not familiar with work order software, this guide will bring you in on the ground floor and demonstrate why it has been so transformative in construction in particular. What is work order software? As the name suggests, platforms like Fiix work order software are designed to replace physical work order systems, providing the same basic functionality but making use of digital documents instead. While work orders are more genetically intended to allow duties to be assigned in a range of commercial contexts, for construction companies this means that customers can clearly define the jobs they want done, and details of things like costs, materials required and timelines for completion can all be included. Digitizing this process means that work orders can be issued with greater ease, stored and accessed in the cloud, reviewed in an instant from any location and tracked to keep up to date with project progress. Similarly if work orders are issued for maintenance tasks, this allows managers to ensure that routines are adhered to and best practices for safety followed, all within the bounds of a predetermined schedule. So downtime due to equipment issues or construction machinery failures can be minimized with the help of work order software. The advantages of automation Aside from the aforementioned conveniences that software-based work order management brings to the table, the other key perk is afforded by automation. Rather than having to manually issue work orders for a given project, or in line with the desired schedule for a specific day’s work, software can automatically send out work orders to the right people, apprising them of their responsibilities and synchronizing large teams so that they are pulling in the same direction. For construction companies and their customers, this is a boon whether it applies internally within a single organization, or also includes third party contractors. The unifying power of the software, coupled with its automation potential, irons out all sorts of kinks that used to be an accepted part of the industry. The implications of integration Like all good software solutions, digital work order platforms do not operate in a vacuum, but can be integrated with other services to expand upon their basic functions. For example, they might be needed to operate as part of a broader enterprise asset management package, or combine with project management software to allow top-level decision-makers to oversee vast, complex construction projects without being bogged down by paperwork. At a time when material costs are high and set to remain so, these small but tangible efficiencies can have major implications for construction firms and their customers. The wonders of the workflow Another point to make about the revolutionary quality of work order software in construction is that it forms part of a wider workflow, and more importantly means that completed strands can be neatly concluded, rather than the results being open-ended and uncertainties plaguing a project. Work orders that are issued digitally can also be closed digitally, so you can say with confidence that a task has been done on-site, and use this to dictate subsequent orders and planning. In short, modern work order software is responsible for the ongoing digitization and streamlining of the construction industry, and this technology is available to small and large operators alike.
Every homeowner must make it a priority to maintain the appearance of their home- both inside and out. If you’ve been beautifying the interiors, now is the time to do the same for your outside space. Depending on your goals or objectives, you can make modifications or upgrades to your outside space to make it a more welcoming extension of your home. It can be used to entertain family and guests or serve as a personal space to unwind and enjoy the outdoor scenery after a hectic day. If you’re still undecided on how to improve your property’s outdoor space, here are several valuable tips to consider to create the ideal alfresco area. 1. Select The Right Outdoor Furniture Adding the right outdoor furniture can set the right mood for your alfresco space. If you want to create an extra dining area with a beautiful view of your garden or yard, consider purchasing an outdoor dining set. You may also look for an outdoor sectional couch with a coffee table if you intend to use your outdoor space for leisure or relaxation. It is also best to choose furniture that can withstand the elements and last for a long period. Aside from comfort, the furniture you select should be washable for simplicity and ease of maintenance. 2. Choose Matching Outdoor Blinds Another element to consider when improving your outdoor space is installing patio blinds. Often referred to as cafe blinds, outdoor blinds, or alfresco blinds, they make a lovely addition to your outside space and are readily available in various materials such as PVC, canvas, or woven mesh. Installing café blinds protects your space from year-round weather conditions and even harmful UV rays. Although there are numerous options available, selecting the best one for your home can be difficult. One place to begin is to decide on the style you want to bring about in your outside space. The colour of the blinds is also an important factor to consider. If you don’t want your blinds to look out of place, you should choose a colour that complements your outdoor furniture. Don’t forget about the blinds’ mechanism. You can pick between a manual and a motorized variant. Motorized blinds are a good option if you want a hassle-free operation. 3. Include A Grill If you enjoy hosting parties for your family and friends, a grill is an excellent addition. When you have one, you can easily prepare steaks or hotdogs and serve them to your visitors while they are still hot. You can go for a small or large grill, depending on the amount of available outside space you have. 4. Integrate Proper Lighting Lighting is one of the most important aspects of your alfresco area. With the right outdoor lighting, you can simply transform and turn it into an extension of your house. You can also install path lights around the seating area to impart a cozy vibe, while wall lighting such as sconces can create a more relaxed ambience. Spotlights can be used to draw attention to any outdoor features in your yard or garden, such as sculptures or a water wall. String lights can also bring an exciting element by lighting up the trees. If you have a food preparation area or an outdoor kitchen, you may also want to consider installing dimmable LED downlights. Adding decorative lighting to illuminate steps and pathways does not only add visual appeal and aesthetics but also as a safety measure for you and your guests. 5. Select The Right Accessories Your outdoor area won’t be complete without having the right accents and accessories. If you haven’t purchased them yet, think about the colours you want to use as they affect the overall atmosphere or mood of the place. You may opt for delicate hues for sheer elegance or bold colours for a pop of fun and personality. Throw pillows and a boldly-patterned outdoor rug makes versatile accessories that could complement any outdoor furniture. It’s also a good idea to add a large planter to your patio to highlight your plants and provide dimension to the room. In addition, a decorative wall feature, such as a large-size artwork or an accent wall in a contrasting colour or textured finish, can also make the space more inviting. 6. Add A Fire Pit During cool evenings, everyone can still enjoy the outdoors when you have a fire pit in place. Whether you enjoy hosting outdoor dinner parties or spending time with family on weekends, a fire pit as a focal point for your outdoor seating area is a fantastic addition. Final Thoughts Creating the ideal alfresco space in your home is easy, and you don’t have to spend a fortune. If you want your outside area to make a good impression, keep it modest by only including the essentials and items you actively use. With these suggestions, you’ll be able to effortlessly create the perfect alfresco setting that everyone will enjoy.
