Industry leading multi-disciplinary bridge works specialist Spencer Group has come up with a unique method to carry out essential works on an historic structure. Spencer Group is carrying out the design, construction, installation and maintenance of a temporary walkway for Grade II listed Connel Bridge, in Scotland, ahead of major
MAY MEANS CONSTRUCTION SAFETY THIS MAY, Construction Safety Week will join global businesses from across the sector to inspire everyone in the industry to be leaders in safety. James Pecz, global solutions marketing manager at Ramtech, discusses how technology is helping to support the construction industry to raise fire safety
Vehicular access to CGX Connect site is now complete Flagship Gloucestershire development has the potential to deliver new jobs Works supported by £1.885 million Growth Deal funding through GFirst LEP CGX Connect, the flagship commercial development at Gloucestershire Airport has reached a critical delivery milestone with access to the site
BCI Industrial Services, the quality and inspection services specialist, has relocated to the Energy Development Centre (EDC) on Moorfield Group’s Aberdeen Energy Park in Bridge of Don, in line with the company’s ambitious growth plans. BCI has agreed a five-year lease for Unit 8 of the EDC, comprising 1,500 sq
Country-wide vacant property and site security specialist, VPS UK Ltd, is celebrating after being cited as a finalist for an internationally-recognised award for a transformative approach to health and safety for its staff. The British Safety Council International Safety Awards has selected VPS as the only UK representative on its
Keepmoat Homes, one of the UK’s leading partnership home builders has completed the purchase of land at French Street, Dalmarnock, which will see 48 new energy-efficient homes built over the coming months. The range of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses will have enhanced insulation and solar PV panels, as well
Stanhope and Cadillac Fairview are delighted to welcome 800 ITV staff to the Broadcast Centre building as part of their move and consolidation to the creative campus at White City Place, W12, alongside the BBC and other creative businesses. The White City Innovation District is home to some of the
Nottingham-based luxury home developer, North Sands Developments, has begun construction on its second prestigious residential development on the exclusive and sought-after Cow Lane in Bramcote, Nottingham, with the first look revealed. The development, which is located in the sought-after Bramcote Village Conservation area near Beeston, is to be named The
Buying a house is one of the largest investments for many people. Housing prices are high, and many regular people have to save for a down payment for a few years before they can purchase a house. When they start looking for properties, they also realize that there are closing
In uninsulated homes, roughly a quarter of all heat escapes through the roof. That’s a large portion of your energy bills that’s potentially going to waste through preventable heat loss. Insulating your roof is an effective way to reduce the amount of heat your home loses and reduce your overall
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Industry leading multi-disciplinary bridge works specialist Spencer Group has come up with a unique method to carry out essential works on an historic structure. Spencer Group is carrying out the design, construction, installation and maintenance of a temporary walkway for Grade II listed Connel Bridge, in Scotland, ahead of major deck replacement works. The walkway, which will be cantilevered off the east side of the bridge, will allow for pedestrian and cyclist access during the works to replace the entire deck, which will take place over the course of the next two years. The walkway is expected to be completed in four months, with the possibility of retaining the facility depending on a feasibility study and full public consultation. The walkway construction has been programmed to cause minimal disruption to traffic and the local community. The A828 Connel Bridge was the second largest cantilever bridge in Europe when it was built by Sir William Arrol in 1903. It links the villages of Connel and North Connel, close to Oban. Originally a railway bridge, it was used for both rail and road traffic from 1914, until the railway closed in 1966. The new steel walkway design will be in-keeping with the heritage of the bridge, with Spencer Group also self-delivering integrated street lighting. Spencer Group is carrying out the project for BEAR Scotland, a service provider in the Scottish roads maintenance sector, on behalf of the national transport agency for Scotland, Transport Scotland. The temporary walkway is part of the critical enabling works ahead of the deck replacement scheme and Spencer Group, which specialises in providing innovative solutions to complex engineering projects, is mitigating the impact the walkway works will have on traffic and the local community. Luke Fisher, Sector Lead for Bridges and Structures at Spencer Group, said: “We’re delighted to have been selected to carry out this important project, which is the latest in our growing portfolio of heritage bridge works. “During the tender process, we focused our proposals on a sympathetic walkway design and methodologies that reduced traffic management during the construction works. “Our designers proposed a traditional steel walkway design that was in-keeping with the heritage of the bridge, clamping to the existing structure where possible, to minimise invasive construction works to the bridge interface points. “A key element of the project is also to minimise the impact on local residents and traffic, both on Connel Bridge and on the A85 below. “The original design intent was to install support brackets over the side of the masonry viaducts that would require rope access for installation, meaning traffic management would have needed to be in place on the A85. “We’ve come up with an alternative design solution that mitigates this, with brackets that can be installed from the confines of the bridge parapets. In addition, we’ve developed an installation methodology that allows our teams to install the new walkway progressively from the leading edge, almost eliminating the requirement for traffic management on the bridge during the works.” Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “We appreciate the historical importance of the A828 Connel Bridge and the vital transport link it provides to local communities. “This project will allow teams to install a temporary footway on the east side of Connel Bridge, in advance of the deck replacement works which are scheduled to take place next year. The temporary walkway will maintain a route across the bridge whilst the bridge deck is replaced, as we will need to close the existing footpath and carriageway. “Alongside Transport Scotland, we are currently considering making the walkway a permanent facility and will carry out a feasibility study of the options available, which will include consultation with all key stakeholders.” Spencer Group delivers innovative engineering and construction solutions in the transport, infrastructure, materials handling, energy and industrial sectors. For further information about Spencer Group’s extensive bridge project capabilities, visit https://thespencergroup.co.uk/our-work/bridges/.
MAY MEANS CONSTRUCTION SAFETY THIS MAY, Construction Safety Week will join global businesses from across the sector to inspire everyone in the industry to be leaders in safety. James Pecz, global solutions marketing manager at Ramtech, discusses how technology is helping to support the construction industry to raise fire safety standards. The first week of May plays host to some of the biggest events and awareness weeks for the construction sector, including Construction Safety Week 2022 (2 – 6 May) and the UK’s largest construction event UK Construction Week’ (3 – 5 May). With the spotlight firmly on the sector, it is a good opportunity to review the importance of continued progress and excellence in construction. A big part of this success is reliant on safety, which should underpin everything. Ensuring that all construction workers can return home safely and that under construction sites are well protected – from start to project completion – is paramount. At Ramtech, Internet of Things (IoT) wireless technology plays a key role in our approach to keeping construction sites safe. While there are many different safety risks on a site, our work for the construction industry primarily focuses on temporary fire safety and security solutions. Fire protection Busy workers on construction sites operating machinery are often close to sources of ignition, such as highly combustible materials and solvents. On top of this, fire could also happen during the construction phase as open sites are often more vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and arson. Further adding to this risk is the fact that typical building protection systems such as sprinklers, fire walls and wired detectors are not always in place until the final stages of construction. These issues are not unique to just one area and the global construction industry all face the threat of fire. Taking global action The common risk of fire means that as a sector we should all be raising standards by utilising the technology available to us. Relying on manual and outdated methods, such as using an air horn or shouting to raise the alarm is still a concern. In the US, many sites still choose to use air horns as an evacuation method on construction sites. However, this does come with disadvantages. Namely, an air horn cannot provide site-wide evacuation as it isn’t able to tell you where the fire is located, merely that there is a fire somewhere on the site. It can also be hard to distinguish the noise of an air horn above other background sounds on a site. Similarly, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) still advises that ‘on small low risk sites the alarm may be raised by shouting’. The HSE does advise that ‘on high risk or larger sites a fixed and interconnected system (wired in or wireless) of call points and sounders will be required to provide an effective warning system’. Typically, a wired solution is usually the best form of protection on a completed site, due to the layout of the building being fixed and the access to power sorted. For construction sites that are constantly changing and that also do not have a reliable power source yet, the ability to have a flexible fire alarm solution that does not rely on a fixed location and can be moved or added to as needed is the ideal solution. Wireless solutions and IoT When considering the best ways to protect construction sites, it makes sense to use the best that technology has to offer. Our world is more connected than ever before, and this has helped to influence the next generation of wireless connected solutions. In fact, the IoT spans nearly 100 billion physical objects allowing them to communicate with each other. Due to this progress, wireless fire alarm systems have advanced greatly over the past few decades. Take our fully EN54-25 compliant WES3 24/7 fire alarm monitoring system for example; it can connect to our REACT platform, which is a cloud-based solution that raises alerts in real time, and is sent straight to the people who can act on them via a simple to use mobile app. Because the protection offered by technology like the WES3 is constant, this means that no matter the time or place the fire can be detected and communicated to personnel via the use of secure radio frequencies. With an unlimited number of units able to be used per site, more units can be added as the build progresses. Repeater units ensure the signal gets a boost on especially large sites. An emergency signal can be triggered automatically or manually from anywhere. This is all possible without wires or cables and without having to rely on the presence of workers to detect and extinguish fires. Technology like this is a gamechanger for the construction industry and will reduce risk and prevent incidents from occurring. As we consider how to better protect the safety of our sites from the risk of fire, I urge global professionals who are coming together in the name of construction safety and awareness this May to think carefully and look to embrace technology in a bid to raise industry safety standards. For more information about Ramtech’s construction solutions, please visit www.ramtechglobal.com
Vehicular access to CGX Connect site is now complete Flagship Gloucestershire development has the potential to deliver new jobs Works supported by £1.885 million Growth Deal funding through GFirst LEP CGX Connect, the flagship commercial development at Gloucestershire Airport has reached a critical delivery milestone with access to the site now complete and future development unlocked. Karen Taylor, Managing Director, Gloucestershire Airport, has described this as a “significant” step toward delivering the final scheme which, when complete, will provide around 30,000 sqm of flexible floor space in a prime location for businesses operating in the logistics and industry sectors, while also potentially creating up to 1,500 employment opportunities. Montel Civil Engineering, instructed by Gloucestershire-based project manager Vitruvius Management Services as principal contractor, has delivered the work to date. This has included building a new entrance into the development, the diversion and protection of existing and new services, and the widening of access to the B4063 to allow a dedicated right turn for those coming from the west, alongside enabling works to clear the site, construct pedestrian refuges, and put in place new streetlights, signage and road markings. GFirst LEP provided £1.885 million in Growth Deal funding to support the infrastructure work needed to deliver CGX Connect. Karen Taylor, Managing Director, Gloucestershire Airport, commented: “These are exciting times for Gloucestershire Airport and CGX Connect. We’ve already seen strong interest in CGX Connect from businesses in Gloucestershire and the West Country, as well as those with national operations. “Now that there’s vehicular access to the site, we expect things to move quickly. Before now no one could access the site to build. This access road will unlock future development and brings us one step closer to realising a landmark development with the potential to unlock so much growth for the region.” David Owen, Chief Executive, GFirst LEP, said: “We’re proud to deliver Growth Deal funding for such an ambitious project in the county, delivering up to 1,500 quality jobs. It’s an exciting time for Gloucestershire as this project nears fruition.” Mark Price, Managing Director, Vitruvius Management Services, said: “Vitruvius would like to thank civils contractor Montel and our wider consultancy team for completing the construction of the park infrastructure works. Unlocking development at CGX Connect marks a significant milestone in delivering this project.” Simon Turbutt, Managing Director, Montel Civil Engineering, said: “This was an exciting opportunity to work with both Vitruvius and Gloucestershire Airport on the infrastructure for CGX Connect and a great example of how infrastructure improvements can be an enabler and catalyst for significant economic growth within the region.” Karen Taylor concludes: “These are transformational times for Gloucestershire Airport. CGX Connect, along with ongoing work to upgrade the airport’s runways, will elevate the quality and status of the airport as a ‘gateway for growth’ for the many significant developments being brought forward across the region.” Alongside CGX Connect, work to upgrade the airport’s runways is well underway and due to complete this summer. The airport’s crosswind runway (04-22) has already re-opened. Work is currently ongoing to resurface the main runway (09-27), install new lighting, upgrade signage and drainage, and install below ground infrastructure. For all commercial enquiries, contact Gloucestershire Airport by emailing communityrelations@gloucestershireairport.co.uk or calling 0800 062 2985. Montel Civil Engineering has a dedicated 24-hour helpline for any issues relating traffic management measures for CGX Connect: 07795 415752.
BCI Industrial Services, the quality and inspection services specialist, has relocated to the Energy Development Centre (EDC) on Moorfield Group’s Aberdeen Energy Park in Bridge of Don, in line with the company’s ambitious growth plans. BCI has agreed a five-year lease for Unit 8 of the EDC, comprising 1,500 sq ft of high-quality, flexible office space. The new office will serve as BCI’s headquarters and initially accommodate five staff, with BCI looking to recruit additional staff later in the year. BCI offers quality and inspection services, including non-destructive testing (NDT), vendor inspection, expediting and quality auditing. BCI’s team of experienced coordinators is supported by a database of over 3,000 independent inspectors & expeditors, enabling BCI to deploy manpower both locally and internationally to support a worldwide network of clients with all their project quality requirements. Stuart Beveridge, Director of BCI, said: “Location and quality of space were the determining factors for our move to the Energy Park. We needed more space within a prestigious location, and the Energy Development Centre ticked all the boxes. It provides a great base for our staff and will help facilitate our future ambitious growth plans.” Hugh Canham, Head of Asset Management at Moorfield Group added: “BCI aligns well with the current occupiers in the Energy Development Centre, which is generating strong interest and has now achieved 80% occupancy, with only two available units remaining. “Occupiers are focusing on securing the highest quality workspace as they welcome staff back to the office. The Energy and Innovation Parks offer a great solution that provides BCI, and all occupiers, with an efficient and flexible office within a high-spec environment in a prime location.” Commenting on the market, Daniel Stalker from Ryden said: “Positive sentiment is now returning to the north east property market, with occupiers seeking high-quality flexible space in strategic locations like Bridge of Don. The EDC provides the ideal blend of hybrid office and industrial premises which is suitable for a range of occupiers.” Aberdeen Energy & Innovation Parks comprise 200,000 sq ft of multi-let office and industrial space for more than 80 companies and a workforce of nearly 2,000 employees. The Parks offer a varied mix of office solutions, including leased offices, serviced offices and coworking space, catering to the needs of occupiers of all sizes. The Parks are conveniently located approximately three miles north of Aberdeen city centre and close to the Third Don Crossing. Knight Frank and Ryden are joint agents for Aberdeen Energy & Innovation Parks, which is managed by Avison Young. @AberdeenEIP
Country-wide vacant property and site security specialist, VPS UK Ltd, is celebrating after being cited as a finalist for an internationally-recognised award for a transformative approach to health and safety for its staff. The British Safety Council International Safety Awards has selected VPS as the only UK representative on its shortlist for organisations that have significantly transformed an aspect of health, safety or wellbeing, through the use of information. The other five companies include a Chinese construction conglomerate, one of the world’s Top 500 companies, and a Canadian multinational. Now in their 64th year, the International Safety Awards recognise and celebrate organisations from around the world which have demonstrated to independent judges their commitment to preventing workplace injuries and work-related ill health. The awards also acknowledge commitment to wellbeing and mental health at work. They span all sectors with significant representation from the construction, manufacturing, oil, gas, mining, power and utility sectors. Carolyn Smith, VPS Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, said: “To gain this recognition in such an incredible international field is a fantastic achievement, and demonstrates the hard work of all our staff to ensure that we operate to the highest safety standards. VPS has an unwavering commitment and passion for keeping people safe at work. Building a safety platform and umbrella for all is critical, not only for our staff, but for our customers too, as we partner with the construction and utility sectors for providing safety and security services.” Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, said: “The vision of British Safety Council is that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work – anywhere in the world. Achieving this requires more than complying with legislation; it means people committed not only to health and safety but also more and more to workplace wellbeing and impelling others to follow suit. Effective management of health and safety risks is a business growth enabler, benefiting not just employees, but organisations and wider society. The International Safety Awards encourage other organisations to adopt this approach and place employees’ health, safety and wellbeing at the core of their business.” For more information about the British Safety Council Awards visit https://www.britsafe.org/awards-and-events/awards/international-safety-awards/isa-2022-additional-awards-shortlist/
Keepmoat Homes, one of the UK’s leading partnership home builders has completed the purchase of land at French Street, Dalmarnock, which will see 48 new energy-efficient homes built over the coming months. The range of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses will have enhanced insulation and solar PV panels, as well as energy efficient designs for a lifetime of low energy bills. The development, Arrolbridge, will also be connected to a District Heating Network, and will be the first residential properties to connect to this network. The development is located in the heart of Dalmarnock and will encircle a central green providing public open space, with play facilities. It is based less than three miles from the bustling city centre of Glasgow, with many historic public parks located in the vicinity. Named after Sir William Arrol & Co, the developments pays tribute to Dalmarnock’s industrial past. Derek Wilson, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes said: “We’re thrilled to have secured this site, which is an exceptional location for homeowners, just a couple of miles away from the City Centre of Glasgow. We are looking forward to providing much needed family homes to the area. All of the homes have energy saving and environmentally friendly features for our customers, as well as being connected to the wider district heating network.” “Our Arrolbridge development has been designed for a new era of living, with innovative and flexible home office spaces included in each property.” The land was acquired in March 2022 by Keepmoat Homes from urban regeneration company, Clyde Gateway, on a partnership basis, enabling the homes to benefit from its District Heating Network that will be connected to each home. The District Heating Network is a new system that will supply low carbon heat to the full Central Dalmarnock area where the site is located. Ian Manson, Chief Executive of Clyde Gateway said: “We are pleased to be able to meet the growing demand for homes in the Clyde Gateway area with more and more people recognising the East End as a desirable place to live and work. “Dalmarnock is perfectly located for local communities to have quick access to the city centre and first-class green spaces right on their doorstep. These quality new homes from Keepmoat Homes are a very welcome addition and we are particularly pleased that they will be connected to our new district heating network.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Stanhope and Cadillac Fairview are delighted to welcome 800 ITV staff to the Broadcast Centre building as part of their move and consolidation to the creative campus at White City Place, W12, alongside the BBC and other creative businesses. The White City Innovation District is home to some of the world’s most dynamic businesses with a cluster of creative organisations, including the BBC, Publicis and ITV. ITV has taken 125,000 sq ft of office space across 3 upper floors, and some of the ground floor, of the Broadcast Centre, campus previously occupied by the BBC. A further 1,200 ITV staff will move in next year so that by mid-2023 the whole ITV London team of more than 2,000 staff will all be in one location together for the first time. ITV staff arriving will find a thriving and lively ecosystem of other businesses, cafes and restaurants, amenities, activities and services second to none. The additional 800 ITV staff moving in today will join those from ITV Daytime and Drama who are already based in the WestWorks building at White City Place and in the studios at Television Centre where flagship shows like GMB, Lorraine, Graham Norton and Jonathan Ross are filmed. ITV is relocating all their London staff from their existing offices in Gray’s Inn Road and Waterhouse Square to White City which has traditionally been mainly a BBC site. The BBC retains space in the Broadcast Centre and other buildings in White City Place, and Television Centre includes the HQs of BBC Worldwide and Publicis, along with 3 studios run BBC Studioworks and a club, restaurant, gym and hotel run by Soho House. Ian Jones, Director of Workplace Services and Estates, ITV, said: “Over the next 12 months we will be moving all our London teams to ITV White City, joining ITV Daytime and Drama, who are already located in WestWorks, and our Studioworks team at Television Centre. It’ll be the first time we’ve all been together, creating a real hub for ITV in west London, and delivering new, smart ways of working for all our colleagues. We’re excited to be joining such a vibrant, creative community and bringing our distinctive ITV vibe to W12.” Jenny Hammarlund, managing director, Head of Europe, Cadillac Fairview said: “The decision by ITV to move all their staff to west London is an endorsement of the vitality and success of White City Place in attracting high quality and innovative world class businesses. White City Place is truly establishing itself as a creative innovation hub, with the likes of BBC, ITV and other media companies, alongside a growing cluster of leading life science businesses, including Novartis and Autolus. Cadillac Fairview is committed to the long term success of White City and its Innovation District and we look forward to its continued growth, alongside our broader commitment to London and the life sciences market as demonstrated by our recent investments in Oxford North and 70 Gracechurch Street.” Claire Dawe, Director, Asset Management, Stanhope said: “White City Place is already a fantastic creative campus with the BBC, ITV and other media businesses currently on site but the decision by ITV to relocate all their 2,000 staff in London to White City will increase the buzz and critical mass to make it a real centre of the media industry in London. Stanhope and Cadillac Fairview, the owner of White City Place, welcome the new ITV staff, and they will be in good company with a range of other leading creative businesses both at White City Place and Television Centre.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Nottingham-based luxury home developer, North Sands Developments, has begun construction on its second prestigious residential development on the exclusive and sought-after Cow Lane in Bramcote, Nottingham, with the first look revealed. The development, which is located in the sought-after Bramcote Village Conservation area near Beeston, is to be named The Grove and will comprise of three luxurious, large five-bedroom family homes, each with a white render finish and expansive windows. Priced between £1.5million and £1.7million, each exclusive home will boast a clean, contemporary look and feel with high end functionality, and will offer large open plan living, kitchen and dining areas, ideal for modern family living. The development is surrounded by a protected woodland and two of the homes feature their own private share of the woodland, offering a countryside oasis that reaps the benefits of having an address associated with the popular area of Bramcote; just 4.5 miles from Nottingham City Centre. Having already cleared the site, North Sands Developments has started works on these dream homes, due to complete in Spring 2023. A key feature of this unique development is that the purchasers will have the opportunity to tailor-make their home to meet their exact requirement by working alongside the North Sands Developments design team. The purchasers will be able to select their own bespoke features such as high-quality kitchen and bathroom interiors, floor finishes, internal doors and tiling, to name just a few. The new owners will have the ability to be involved as much or as little as they would like to. James Hartley, director at North Sands Developments, said: “Following the success of our first Cow Lane development, we are extremely excited to be building more exclusive, executive style homes once again in such a stunning, leafy, sought-after location. We always ensure to design and build our homes to a high specification and ensure they seamlessly fit in with their surroundings. “What I love most about this site is that it sits in such a peaceful, breath-taking, mature woodland setting on Cow Lane – each home will feature large windows that will frame these surroundings and prospective buyers can get a real feel for what this will look like in the new imagery we’ve released. “We already have one of the homes under offer prior to any formal marketing through our new ‘Northsands Bespoke’ offering; this means that early purchasers will be able to design and choose the internal finishes themselves and have the North Sands team there to hold their hand through what is such a unique and special experience of having their dream home built for them. “Interiors and finishes play a huge part in purchasing decisions; in short, the purchasers don’t have to compromise as everything can be bespoke to them, which is not something you can always say when you purchase a home. “Having such a setting to call home and so close to Nottingham city centre, Beeston, Boots, QMC Hospital and the University, it’s incredibly quiet and one of the most desirable locations in Nottinghamshire. Beeston in particular is really evolving – with plentiful shops, retail outlets, restaurants and the brand-new cinema, it has everything on the doorstep without even having to go into town, though town is incredibly accessible by road, tram and train. Major road routes including the A52 and M1 are also in close range. “We have had a lot of interest in The Grove already with one home already under offer. North Sands encourage anyone interested in purchasing to contact our agents, FHP Living for more information.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Buying a house is one of the largest investments for many people. Housing prices are high, and many regular people have to save for a down payment for a few years before they can purchase a house. When they start looking for properties, they also realize that there are closing costs that must be paid for at the time of closing the deal. Even though many people are aware of the costs, some may be surprised how much exactly they are charged for the closing costs. Especially when moving from one state to another, it is important to be ready for the changing fees that will affect the costs of closing on a deal. For this reason, calculating closing costs may be very beneficial for buyers to estimate and prepare for the payment. On average, a buyer should expect to spend 2% to 5% of the house price on the closing costs. On the other hand, this may be a large range in dollar amount if a buyer is looking for a property in a high-density area such as New York or San Francisco. For example, if a buyer is looking at a property for $800,000, then they should expect to spend on closing costs from $16,000 to $40,000. Finding an extra $26,000 for closing costs in a short time frame may be problematic for many buyers, so it is important to estimate how much they should expect to pay for these costs more precisely. Because of this, it might be beneficial to understand what closing costs include and see how a buyer can save on the items listed in them. Closing Costs Breakdown The items included in closing costs may be categorized in different ways. For the purpose of this article, which is to understand how much a buyer should expect to pay in closing costs and whether it is possible to save on some of these costs, the costs can be categorized into negotiable and non-negotiable. The negotiable part of the closing costs usually consists of the services that third parties provide to buyers and sellers during the deal process. These services may include the following: title insurance, lawyer fees, loan origination fees, home inspection fee, etc. These fees are charged by private companies that compete with each other. The presence of competition allows the buyers to have some power over the price they charge, so if a buyer feels like the price for a certain service is too high, it might be possible to negotiate the price down. This allows a buyer to lower the final price by negotiating closing costs. There are also a few non-negotiable fees that a buyer will have to pay regardless of whether they think it is a fair price or not. These fees include an appraisal fee, prepaid interest on a loan, property tax, and HOA fees when applicable. The good news is that these fees usually take up around 30% of the total closing costs, which means that around 70% of the closing costs can be negotiable. Who Pays the Most Closing Costs? Even though many fees can be negotiated with the service providers, if there is not a lot of competition for providing these services on the market, the fees may be very high and very difficult to negotiate. Because of that, different states may have different closing costs, so a buyer should consider market conditions specific to the state they are planning to buy a house in. Of course, it is also important to understand that the fees charged for many services are based on house characteristics such as house price or square footage. Since there is a large difference in house prices between the states, it is important to look at how much closing costs a buyer should expect to pay as a percentage of the sale price. Below, there are 5 states listed that have the most expensive closing costs as a percentage of an average house price. Most Expensive Average Closing Costs by State: Delaware – 5.9% The surprising part of this list is that Delaware is considered the most expensive state for closing costs as a percentage of the sale price. This is due to high taxes applied at the purchase of the property. Taxes associated with buying a house may account for up to 80% in Delaware. Pennsylvania – 4.21% Pennsylvania usually has the second-highest closing costs in the country which are lower than the average closing costs in Delaware by around 1.7%. It is important to note that it is only the average value. Some people may pay much more if they do not shop around for a better price. District of Columbia – 4.13% A similar story with Washington, DC. They also have high state taxes applied to the buyers during the closing process. In addition to high closing costs, their properties tend to be priced much higher than the national average. To counter high taxes, DC has one of the lowest appraisal costs in the USA which is almost half as much as the highest paying states pay for such service. Maryland – 3.3% Even though Maryland’s average closing costs are lower by quite a bit compared to the District of Columbia, the reason for such high closing costs is the same. The state government takes up a large portion of closing costs through taxes. New York – 3.01% New York is also heavily taxed when it comes to the purchase of property. It is important to note that these taxes may increase very dramatically when a property price surpasses a certain amount. The tax itself also depends on what region an individual buys a house in. A property that is worth less than $700,000 in Manhattan may have to pay more in taxes than a property worth over a million dollars in the Bronx simply because they are located in different tax regions. Regardless of where you live and where you decide to buy a property, there will
In uninsulated homes, roughly a quarter of all heat escapes through the roof. That’s a large portion of your energy bills that’s potentially going to waste through preventable heat loss. Insulating your roof is an effective way to reduce the amount of heat your home loses and reduce your overall energy costs. If you’re considering installing insulation in your home – or hiring someone to do it for you – you’ll want to know the best practices for roof insulation and factors to consider. Factors to Consider When it comes to roof insulation, there are several things you’ll need to consider before you will know which is the right option for your home and circumstances. First, you’ll need to think about the type of roof you have and the type of roof insulation you want. Is your existing roof flat or pitched? And do you want Cold Roof insulation or Warm Roof insulation? There are pros and cons to both these options, and which one you choose will depend on your specific requirements. You will also want to consider whether you intend to use your existing loft space for storage. If so, you’ll need to fit loft boarding but typically this won’t be raised enough to allow adequate quantities of insulation without compressing it. To create flooring and storage space in your loft and still adequately insulate your roof, you’ll need to create a raised floor using wooden battens or loft legs. Ventilation is also a crucial factor to keep the air in your home circulating and healthy. When fitting roof insulation, it’s important to ensure adequate airflow to prevent a build-up of condensation, which can damage property. If your loft space is inaccessible or has other issues such as damp, for example, then you may want to consult a roof insulation expert for advice on how best to proceed. Insulation Dos When insulating your roof, there are a few ‘dos’ to bear in mind. Do check your home’s existing insulation, even if you think you already have it, it may not be in adequate amounts, especially if your property is older. Do use a qualified professional or ensure you have the adequate knowledge and experience to do it yourself. Do ensure your insulation meets the government’s recommended minimum depth guidelines (270mm for glass wool.) Do follow building regulations to ensure your insulation will meet the correct standards. Do check to see if you’re available for grants or incentives for improving the energy efficiency of your home. Insulation Don’ts Don’t underestimate the savings you might make from adequate roof insulation. The upfront costs of insulation will be quickly offset with reductions in your energy bills. Don’t skip safety measures. Ensure your loft space is adequately lit and has safe, clutter-free flooring with no trailing cables or loose boards that could be a trip hazard. Don’t use incorrect materials. These can potentially endanger the integrity of your home – and even your life – if you chose insulation materials that don’t meet fire safety regulations, for example. Don’t ignore regulations. Inadequate insulation in terms of quality and depth is unlikely to prevent measurable heat loss and may prove a waste of time and money. Don’t lay insulation over electrical cables as this presents a fire hazard. Don’t DIY if you don’t know how!
