Housing and public sector procurement specialists identify low carbon new homes, major retrofit programmes and an increased use of regional and local supply chains as major catalysts to effective levelling up across England, in a new report from LHC Group. Released on the 30 March, ‘How public sector procurement aids
Vital Energi has partnered with The City of Liverpool College for the second year to deliver bespoke renewable energy and heat network apprenticeship programmes across the country. Scaling up heat networks and generating energy from renewable technologies is at the heart of the Government’s plans to boost the UK’s energy
Two social landlords have joined forces in a newly formed partnership to offer a more locally based repairs service. Platform Housing Group and national housing provider, Stonewater, have signed a contract which will see Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of Platform Housing Group – undertaking repairs on Stonewater homes in Herefordshire
Demand has skyrocketed, but tradespeople have also been hit with a series of challenges because of Covid and Brexit, so Rated People explores the true effects of ‘the home improvement boom’ and looks at what’s in store for 2022 62% of UK tradespeople said 2021 was the ‘busiest year they’ve
Living Space has concluded its third year of physical trading, hitting a turnover in excess of £30m. The Solihull-based affordable housing specialist launched to the market in 2019 and is currently constructing seven residential developments across middle England. 13 additional sites are either in the planning system or being promoted.
Hayfield has appointed Sam Foglia as a Contracts Manager to oversee three of the award-winning housebuilder’s developments, located in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver a turnover of £150m during the current financial year. Sam Foglia joins from Barratt/David
Fast-growing RECOM Solutions has moved to new headquarters to accommodate its expanding team. RECOM, a construction project management consultancy which also acts as a main contractor, fire protection and cladding specialist, has relocated to Salford Quays after acquiring a three-storey building on the Waters Edge Business Park. The 4,000 sq
Housing and public sector procurement specialists identify low carbon new homes, major retrofit programmes and an increased use of regional and local supply chains as major catalysts to effective levelling up across England, in a new report from LHC Group. Released on the 30 March, ‘How public sector procurement aids the levelling up agenda’ calls for focused efforts to unlock levelling up in “left behind areas”. Following the government’s Levelling Up White Paper in February, LHC’s report outlines the key role public sector procurement can play in the levelling up agenda and features leading voices from LHC’s regional hubs, as well as Northern Housing Consortium (NHC), Home Builders Federation (HBF) and a personal perspective on diversity issues by industry campaigner Anjali Pindoria, at Avi Contracts. LHC Group interim chief executive Elaine Elkington says: “Housing and levelling up are inextricably linked as stimulators of UK-wide social and economic opportunity, with programmes to deliver high quality homes also creating jobs and igniting innovation in low carbon and sustainable building methods. “Public sector procurement plays a key role in achieving this by guaranteeing a long-term pipeline of work to drive regeneration across our regions, while also shaping the very fabric of the way suppliers are appointed. It is here where the levelling up can really happen – through improving social value, equality, diversity and inclusion, while offering better access to regional and local SMEs.” In the report, John Slaughter, director of external affairs at HBF, discusses tackling fuel poverty, the contribution of the new homes sector and newbuild standards that will help make homes cheaper to heat. He says: “The relationship between poor housing conditions, high energy bills for heating and fuel poverty is well-known. Unsurprisingly, those affected by fuel poverty also have poorer health than those living in more energy efficient homes. Tackle this, and we start to tackle a host of deeper societal issues.” In the North of England specifically, housing accounts for a quarter of total carbon emissions, with two-thirds of homes requiring retrofit to achieve the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C requirement. Addressing this, NHC director Tracy Harrison identifies the urgent need to train more people in low carbon, low energy retrofit measures and to create localised skills programmes to ignite change. She says: “The housing retrofit market presents an opportunity for 77,000 direct jobs in the North of England alone. Yet we have a chicken and egg challenge where home decarbonising is still emerging and customer demand is latent, but long-term certainty over funding is needed to bring about the confidence and ambition needed in the housing and construction sector.” On the link between diversity, equality and inclusion and levelling up, the report calls on public sector clients and procurement bodies to actively seek out SMEs and suppliers from more diverse backgrounds – an approach taken in LHC’s Architect Design Services (ADS 1.1) framework and now being replicated by the framework provider nationally. Anjali Pindoria, Avi Contracts project surveyor, says: “When I think of ‘levelling up’, I don’t just think of place. True levelling up throughout all parts of the UK is not possible without significant progress to improve EDI. They key lies in education of the sector to embrace EDI naturally and instinctively, steering away from the tick box attitude based solely on satisfying contractual obligations. “But we also need to singularly target schools, because if we want new recruits who are from diverse backgrounds, we need to do more to change perceptions.” MMC is also highlighted as a lynchpin for levelling up regional housing standards, with the report encouraging wider adoption by local authorities, housing associations and social housing groups, and increased procurement of expertise in this area. LHC’s Elaine Elkington adds: “So far, LHC has supported the construction of more than 5,300 MMC-built homes, but the adoption of new build methods really needs to scale up far more quickly. Our role is to step in, connect with social housing providers and the wider homebuilding and construction supply chain and foster more collaboration. This will mean risk is shared and delivery is made more attractive and competitive through longer-term planning.” LHC is a not-for-profit central purchasing body which develops a wide range of construction frameworks in England, Scotland and Wales. LHC’s frameworks are available to all publicly funded contracting authorities to procure works, goods and services to design, construct, refurbish and maintain social housing, schools and public buildings. Read the LHC Group report on levelling up at https://www.lhc.gov.uk/media/b3rc3ynf/lhc_report_levellingup.pdf. For more information on LHC visit www.lhc.gov.uk.
Vital Energi has partnered with The City of Liverpool College for the second year to deliver bespoke renewable energy and heat network apprenticeship programmes across the country. Scaling up heat networks and generating energy from renewable technologies is at the heart of the Government’s plans to boost the UK’s energy security and achieve the country’s Net Zero target by 2050. To achieve this, 18% of heat will need to come from heat networks. As it stands today, connections to heat networks represents just 2%, so we need the resource and skills to deliver this infrastructure. In response to this, Vital – which has over 30 years’ experience in delivering heat networks – is joining forces with The City of Liverpool College, which will deliver the curriculum from the £2m state-of-the-art Training Academy located at Vital’s Blackburn headquarters, for two pathways: Craft and Technical. Both pathways will enable apprentices to learn and work within the renewable energy and heat networks market. They will discover how energy is generated and distributed, and how to manage and reduce consumption for residential and commercial clients. Apprentices will also learn how carbon emissions are reduced through Vital’s renewable technologies and the innovative products they have developed. The initiative follows an incredibly successful first year for the programmes, which demonstrate the organisations’ commitments to developing the key industry skills required to achieve net zero and create a sustainable workforce to shape the energy landscape for the future. Liverpool City Region has an ambition to reach net zero carbon by 2040 and The City of Liverpool College is focussed on developing its curriculum around the needs of industry, creating a workforce for the future by developing the skills needed to enter the world of work in sustainable careers. Lindsay Meadows, Head of Apprenticeships at The City of Liverpool College, said: “Our partnership with Vital Energi is built on the knowledge and skills of its engineers and our innovative curriculum leaders at The City of Liverpool College. Working with progressive, exciting organisations such as Vital Energi helps us to continue to innovate and provide our students with the skills they need to enter the workforce and forge successful, sustainable careers. “The apprenticeships will play an essential role in developing the skills needed to deliver our low carbon future, while giving apprentices the skills and knowledge they need to thrive and forge sustainable careers in the industry.” The programmes will be delivered via a blended mix of virtual online teaching and a minimum of 25 days curriculum learning each year within the Training Academy. Apprentices will spend the majority of their time on-site working on real projects, where they will pick up a wealth of skills through hands-on experience and support from Vital’s expert team. During the three-year Craft programme, apprentices will study for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Craftsperson qualification. They will learn a range of key skills from pipework fabrication and jointing techniques such as electro fusion jointing, to welding, the installation of plumbing and heating systems, and more. At the end of the Technical programme, apprentices will achieve a Level 3 Building Services Design Technician qualification, after developing their understanding of building services design principles. On his experience of the programme, Harvey Hudson, Technical Apprentice, commented: “As well as a better understanding of the job and career, spending time in a variety of departments has helped broaden my knowledge of the industry and the many different aspects required for a successful project. I’m also able to gain valuable, practical experience and learn from site-based professionals, which I know will help me to hit the ground running in my career.” Chris Roach, a site-based Project Manager at Vital Energi, started his career journey at The City of Liverpool College when he was 18 years old, where he completed a four-year Mechanical Building Engineering apprenticeship. He studied Building Services Engineering in the first two years before focussing on Mechanical Building Services Engineering in the last two. As well as achieving a HND, Chris won the North West HVAC Student Engineer of the year in 2005, and the National CIBSE HVAC Student Engineer of the year in 2005. His hard work and determination throughout his apprenticeship formed a solid platform for his future career. Chris Roach, Project Manager at Vital Energi, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time as an apprentice at The City of Liverpool College, and as well as gaining a wealth of skills through hands on experience and support from tutors, it allowed me to discover the career path I wanted to follow. “I strongly believe that my apprenticeship formed a great foundation for my career path. Here at Vital, we’re working on exciting projects across the whole of the UK to help our clients reach net zero. We’ve connected over 82,000 homes to heat networks so far and in my opinion, there is no better time to join us!” During the three-year Craft programme, apprentices will study for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Craftsperson qualification. They will learn a range of key skills from pipework fabrication and jointing techniques such as electro fusion jointing, to welding, the installation of plumbing and heating systems, and more. At the end of the Technical programme, apprentices will achieve a Level 3 Building Services Design Technician qualification, after developing their understanding of building services design principles.
Two social landlords have joined forces in a newly formed partnership to offer a more locally based repairs service. Platform Housing Group and national housing provider, Stonewater, have signed a contract which will see Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of Platform Housing Group – undertaking repairs on Stonewater homes in Herefordshire and surrounding areas. Leon Storer, Assistant Director of Homes – Capital Investment at Stonewater explained: “I’m really pleased to say that from 1 April this year, Stonewater’s repairs in this area will be delivered by Platform Property Care. Platform already has homes in the same location as ours and by working with a partner that is based geographically closer to our customers there are a host of benefits. Not only does this bring together two likeminded organisations, with shared values, it ensures that customers across this area receive fantastic services that demonstrate true value for money.” The work to be carried out at Stonewater’s homes will include home repairs and maintenance, and repairs to empty properties that are due to be re-let to new customers. It is hoped that in time Platform will also take over responsibility for on-going maintenance projects, like the fitting of new kitchens and bathrooms. Lee Vernalls, Assistant Director at Platform Property Care said: “We are delighted to announce this new partnership with Stonewater. We share the same social values and will ensure excellent service delivery.” Platform Housing Group has a similar arrangement with Rooftop Housing; the Worcestershire based social landlord that is a charitable association and focuses on provision of affordable housing for all household types and needs. Stonewater customers wishing to report a repair can do so through the usual ways, either via MyHome or by calling 01202 319 119. Tenancy agreements and repairs standards will remain the same.
Demand has skyrocketed, but tradespeople have also been hit with a series of challenges because of Covid and Brexit, so Rated People explores the true effects of ‘the home improvement boom’ and looks at what’s in store for 2022 62% of UK tradespeople said 2021 was the ‘busiest year they’ve ever had’ and 86% expect to be ‘very busy’ in 2022 Carpenters, painters, tilers, handypeople and builders were the most in-demand trades last year Nine in 10 (89%) tradespeople say their costs increased in 2021, 84% experienced material supply issues and 62% had to cope with staff shortages 43% of tradespeople experienced increased stress last year, and one in four (25%) say they suffered with exhaustion Bathroom fitters, tilers, roofers, plumbers and plasterers are set to be the top five most in- demand trades in 2022 New research from the find-a-tradesperson platform, Rated People reveals homeowner desire for home improvement went through the roof in 2021. Nearly half (49%) of UK residents improved their homes and demand for tradespeople increased by 32% in just one year. Almost two in three tradespeople (62%) say last year was ‘the busiest year they’ve ever had’. In fact, compared to the start of the pandemic in 2020, demand for home improvement has gone up by 50%. The findings are taken from the 2022 Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report, and the study shows that 77% of UK tradespeople experienced increased customer demand in 2021. Carpenters/ joiners are the trade that’s reported to have experienced increased consumer demand the most, with almost nine in 10 (89%) saying demand went up in 2021. The top 10 trades that say they experienced increased homeowner demand in 2021: Carpenter / Joiner – 89% (say they felt demand increase in 2021) Painter and decorator – 83% Tiler – 82% Handyperson – 81% Builder – 78% Roofer – 75% Plasterer / Renderer – 74% Gardener / Landscape gardener – 73% Electrician – 73% Plumber – 72% Opportunity in a Challenging Time The surge in demand since the start of the pandemic has brought about huge opportunities for tradespeople. But they’ve also been hit with a series of challenges – almost nine in 10 tradespeople (89%) say their costs increased in 2021, 84% experienced materials supply issues and just under half (44%) had workforce shortages. As a result, four in five tradespeople (83%) had to increase their prices and almost two thirds (62%) had to delay or cancel jobs. More than one in three tradespeople (43%) went on to say the challenges from last year led them to feel an increased level of stress, and a quarter (25%) say they felt exhausted. But, one in three UK tradespeople (34%) did also say that the opportunities resulting from increased demand meant they felt an increased sense of motivation, and a quarter (27%) said they had increased job satisfaction and an increased sense of achievement last year. Material and workforce shortages Unsurprisingly, Covid was a major cause of disruption in 2021, but the main reason for cancellations and delays was actually materials shortages, with 44% of tradespeople saying they had to delay or cancel work because of supply issues. Supply issues were felt across the industry. Plasterers/renderers were the most affected, but nearly all trades experienced shortages. Between 75% and 96% of the top 10 most affected trades found it difficult to get the materials they needed. The top 10 trades that were most affected by materials shortages in 2021: Plasterer / Renderer – 96% (experienced materials shortages) Builder – 95% Gardener / Landscape gardener – 87% Carpenter / Joiner – 87% Painter and decorator – 85% Bathroom fitter – 85% Handyperson – 81% Electrician – 77% Plumber – 77% Roofer – 75% Workforce and contractor shortages were also experienced by many trade businesses in 2021, with the main causes being Covid isolation and a lack of skilled workers. The top reasons why UK trades suffered workforce shortages in 2021: Needing to isolate because of Covid – 29% Lack of skilled/experienced workers – 22% Staff/subcontractors not wanting to work because of Covid risks – 15% Loss of staff members due to Brexit – relocating out of UK – 15% Fewer people getting into the trades industry – 14% Increasing Costs = Increasing Prices For Homeowners This year, nine in 10 tradespeople (91%) expect their costs will increase, and 82% say they will need to put their prices up in 2022. 97% of builders, 91% of heating engineers and 89% of plasterers say they’re planning to increase their prices this year. And when looking at the top 10 trades most likely to charge higher prices, a minimum of 77% from each trade say they will need to put their prices up in 2022 to remain profitable. The top 10 trades increasing their prices in 2022: Builders – 97% (are upping their prices this year) Gas/ heating engineers – 91% Plasterers/ renderers – 89% Carpenters/ joiners – 89% Handypeople – 88% Plumbers – 84% Roofers – 82% Gardeners – 81% Painters/ decorators – 79% Electricians – 77% The Most In-Demand Trades in 2022 This year, demand doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon, as 86% of tradespeople across the UK say they expect to be very busy in 2022. According to the study, all of the bathroom fitters and tilers surveyed said they are gearing up for another year of unprecedented demand, and across the top 10 trades set to be the busiest this year, a minimum of 82% expect to be very busy. The top 10 trades with the most homeowner demand in 2022: Bathroom fitter – 100% (expect to be very busy in 2022) Tiler – 100% Roofer – 89% Plumber – 86% Plasterer / Renderer – 85% Electrician – 85% Carpenter / Joiner – 85% Painter and decorator – 85% Builder – 84% Gas / Heating engineer – 82% Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People commented: “The last two years have been challenging for many reasons, but it’s great
Living Space has concluded its third year of physical trading, hitting a turnover in excess of £30m. The Solihull-based affordable housing specialist launched to the market in 2019 and is currently constructing seven residential developments across middle England. 13 additional sites are either in the planning system or being promoted. The combined construction value of its development portfolio is in excess of £131million, which equates to 890 affordable houses, apartments and bungalows. The company’s land acquisition strategy, active management of its whole supply chain, and repeat business from leading Registered Providers (RPs), have all contributed to the successful year. Paul Breen, Managing Director of Living Space said: “Our turnover has increased by 50 per cent on the previous year, which is a proud achievement, given the number of unforeseen planning delays we are currently encountering across our whole area of operation. While waiting lists for quality, energy-efficient affordable homes are at unprecedented levels, we are continually tackling bureaucratic issues that delay delivery of much-needed new homes. “At each of the seven energy-efficient schemes currently under construction, we are utilising the skills of local supply chains to maximise the benefit to the regional economy. We are now embarking on our fourth year of physical trading, and with 13 sites in our immediate pipeline, we are on track to increase turnover to £50m for the 2022/3 year.” The vast majority of the homes Living Space builds are delivered to RPs for affordable rent and shared ownership. Living Space sources the land, achieves Full Detailed Planning consent and builds the homes for the RP, enabling them to focus on the funding and management of high-quality homes for their residents. Living Space’s clients include Stonewater, The Wrekin Housing Group, Hightown Housing Association, Paradigm, and Platform Housing Group.
Hayfield has appointed Sam Foglia as a Contracts Manager to oversee three of the award-winning housebuilder’s developments, located in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver a turnover of £150m during the current financial year. Sam Foglia joins from Barratt/David Wilson Developments, where he was a Project Manager, coordinating trades, direct labour and materials to meet production programmes. During his five-year tenure with the volume housebuilder, he also closely monitored and upheld quality and safety standards. Mr Foglia was an NHBC Pride in the Job winner two years running – in 2019 and 2020. He has accumulated over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry. Ken Mulpeter, Production Director for Hayfield said: “We are delighted to welcome Sam to the team, as his housebuilding and technical experience – together with his success with the NHBC Pride in the Job Awards – will be a great asset to Hayfield. He has a passion for quality and is well-versed at working in partnership with other departments and supply chains. He will be able to steer our site-based teams to deliver the premium homes we have built our multi award-winning reputation on.” Sam is currently working towards becoming a chartered construction manager with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), which he is looking to accomplish before the end of 2022. Mr Foglia has been appointed to oversee the final phase of construction at Hayfield Oaks in Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire, where the homes will benefit from a zero carbon ready specification. Sam’s other live projects include the £31m Hayfield Park scheme in Bromham, which is within the Borough of Bedford. The development of 80 zero carbon ready homes has recently launched for off-plan sales, with the site due to be unveiled to the public later this year. His third project – also in Bedfordshire – is Hayfield Gate, located in the village of Clifton, where construction is underway for the final phase of 95 homes. Sam Foglia, Contracts Manager for Hayfield said: “Hayfield has quickly developed a reputation for having a fantastic brand and a fantastic team. The specification, design and overall quality of each house really shows, and I hope I can add value to the business by overseeing delivery of many more exceptional homes. I can already see that there is a strong sense of pride in the quality of the product delivered to customers and this will be the focus of everything I seek to do, both with colleagues and the supply chain.” Solihull-headquartered Hayfield is proactively installing air source heat pumps, underfloor heating, EV fast-charging points, and fibre optic broadband into all new and upcoming developments, in line with its strong ESG foundations. The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver 350 homes during 2022. The company is gearing up to deliver 500 homes annually, supported by a portfolio of sites to enable visible production into the future. For more information on Hayfield’s development portfolio, visit: https://www.hayfieldhomes.co.uk/
Fast-growing RECOM Solutions has moved to new headquarters to accommodate its expanding team. RECOM, a construction project management consultancy which also acts as a main contractor, fire protection and cladding specialist, has relocated to Salford Quays after acquiring a three-storey building on the Waters Edge Business Park. The 4,000 sq ft building provides scope to further expand RECOM’s team, which currently stands at a record high of 30 following recruitment across its operations. Its move marks a return to Salford Quays, where it was based until 2020 when it relocated to Trafford Park. RECOM enlisted chartered surveyors Fletcher Bond to assist in the search for new premises after outgrowing its base in Trafford Park. A fit-out of its new headquarters is under way. The ground floor will feature a reception area, showers and changing facilities and three meeting rooms. On the first floor will be breakout areas for staff and RECOM’s new fire protection training academy. The academy will be a live environment for the training of operatives in the latest industry measures, legislation and new products, as well as being a showcase for this specialism to its nationwide client base, in the residential, care home, healthcare, commercial, leisure, education, heritage buildings and industrial sectors. RECOM is an approved contractor under the UK’s Fire Accreditation Scheme (FIRAS) for its fire protection services, which include fire door surveys and installations, repairs and upgrades, fire strategy reviews, compartmentation surveying, penetration sealing, advice and guidance, training, development and support. The company is also a member of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection, a trade association for the passive fire protection sector. The second floor of RECOM’s new HQ on Modwen Road will house office space and the firm’s accounts department. RECOM, which was founded in 2015 by directors Jason McKnight and Joseph Dillon, undertakes construction project management and main contracting work across sectors including healthcare, education, retail and leisure, commercial and residential. It also provides consultancy services to assist in the delivery of high-quality projects. These services include design, risk, quality, health and safety and sustainability alongside passive fire protection and cladding. Clients of the company include Barry’s Bootcamp, Pot Kettle Black, Urban Village Bars, WUKPG, Arrowsmith Investments, The Derwent Group, Fletcher Bond, the University of Manchester and the NHS. Jason McKnight said: “It is the right time to buy a permanent home for the business, and the new premises gives us the scope for further growth in the team across our passive fire protection division and our other services, including our construction offering. “The Quays is an ideal location and is popular with our staff. It has excellent transport links and amenities, and is a desirable area in which to live, with a number of developments springing up offering private rented accommodation. “Additionally, our new building is close to the Manchester Ship Canal and it’s only a short walk to Manchester city centre. “This investment shows our willingness to retain a firm foothold in Manchester and to attract the best possible talent within our sectors. We are currently going through a period of growth and need the best facilities we can provide for our expanding team.”
