We have just gained #planningpermission to transform a modest hipped-roof bungalow in Fareham into a spacious family home.
By subtly raising the ridge & extending, we will add 102m² of additional living space over two floors, carefully reworking the existing footprint to unlock its full potential.
Great interview explaining among other things how China has an engineering culture when it comes to building compared to the USA and UK that has a lawyer approach that stifles development.
We have just gained #planningpermission to transform a dated property which sits in a conservation area within the countryside. Our design replaces wide flat roofed dormers with a series of gables that soften and elevate the entire design resulting in a more characterful home. spaceandstyle.co.uk
Housebuilding in England has slowed to its lowest level in nine years, with the number of homes built falling by 6% to 208,600 in the year to March 2025
news.sky.com/story/figure...
UK Government poised to take a retrograde step by cutting heat-pump support, restricting subsidies only to those on certain benefits. This risks slowing the energy transition and raising the cost of #Retrofit for existing homes
For a short period until 24th November 2025, Lloyds bank is offering UK customers the chance to get a #heatpump installed for free when they take out a new Lloyds mortgage or switch deals. #retrofit
www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/press-releases/2025/lloyds-bank-2025/get-a-heat-pump-on-lloyds.html
Progress update: Reimagining a 1960s split-level home.
From new insulation to floating rooflines, the makeover on one of our recent projects on a mid century house takes shape.
#retrofit #midcenturyhouse
www.spaceandstyle.co.uk/journal/progress-update-reimagining-a-1960s-split-level-home/
Heat pumps could halve UK heating bills with energy system reform www.theguardian.com/environment/...
British homes are overheating in the summer, with nearly 5.5 million children living in homes classed as high risk. Yet the Government charges VAT on #retrofit insulation. www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r7d7vzrkjo
Some impressive new data from Ember today on the UK's solar boom and how it compensated for lower than usual wind power generation during the first half of the year. www.businessgreen.com/news-analysi...
It makes no difference whether the insulation is applied to the inside of a building or the outside. When on the inside the only issue is possible cold bridging where internal walls or partitions meet the external walls. If your "efficiency" expert does not understand that he/she is not an expert.
Check out our latest Journal post, The art of bathroom design.
#interiordesign #remodelling #bathroomdesign
www.spaceandstyle.co.uk/journal/the-art-of-bathroom-design-style-comfort-and-clever-planning/
I am a bit rusty on this issue, but even in the diagram 5.3 It makes it clear that if the cavity is completely filled with insulation a cavity closer is not required at the top of the wall. As it states "Close cavity at top of wall (unless cavity is totally
filled with insulation)".
Page 138 of the Merged ADs (page 54 Part B) states where cavity barriers are needed. Unless your builder has an integral garage or more than 2 storeys, he doesn't have Compartment walls.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6717d2...
One from our archive, Four ways to achieve an open plan kitchen. www.spaceandstyle.co.uk/journal/four...
Sales of electric heat pumps are growing quickly, up by more than half last year, according to the The independent Climate Change Committee. #Heatpump
yearwww.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjqzj8rnvyo
Builders will be required to fit solar panels to the "vast majority" of new build homes in England under changes to be published this year, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has said.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0j728gvp94o
The #Victorianhouse that we worked on in 2018 is for sale with Fenwicks Estate Agents. We designed the new extension which replaced a UPVC conservatory to open up to the house, forming a 47m2 kitchen living space, as well as other changes to improve the layout. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Other northern European countries manage to build & #retrofit houses to high standards. But here with an unskilled workforce barely reading plans or manufacturer's instructions, scam spray foam installers & the media running scare stories of heat pumps that don't work, it is an uphill struggle.
The rafters sitting on the ceiling joists is very unusual. Usually the rafters sit on the same wall plate as the ceiling joists, or a pole plate above the the ceiling joists. Importantly, you will get a good level of insulation over the old wall even if reduced to 70mm near the external insulation.
You actually have a much better situation than the majority of UK houses. By having the rafters cantilevered beyond the wall like that, you won't end up with the roof insulation being heavily reduced / squeezed at the eaves.
The airtightness of the ceiling meets the inner face of the wall.
Adding 75m2 of living space to a small property in the countryside is never easy & turning it into a contemporary flat roof house just increases the obstacles. So we are very pleased to have gained #planningpermission to extend, #remodel & carry out a full #retrofit on an old bungalow in Guildford.
Because, it is a political issue.
Policy sets the direction of travel, regulations coerce builders, installers and manufacturers and incentives encourage home owners. Those things cannot happen without a political will.
I like a lot of what you say, but sadly what a lot of people will take away from your article is that heat pumps are nonsense.
To me the crux of the issue is that UK homes are generally poorly insulated, that is what should be the full focus of Government policy.
Back in 2000 we gained permission to extend this 16th Century Grade II Listed cottage in Fareham UK by 74m2.
Gaining Listed Building consent is always tricky, but our proposals were well received.
Now for sale you can check out this property here. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/159967775
All large car parks in France now have to be covered by solar panels.
Where is the chronically backwards UK on this?
Agreed, we can't have developers using unimaginative templates for max profit, but planning system & new changes reward it. Generally UK housing is:
Poorly insulated
Smallest in Europe
Lack good design
Overly repetitive
With faster processing of schemes, how could building 1.5m homes go wrong?
How reassuring it would be right now for the UK to be a member of some kind of supranational political and economic union…
What more evidence do we need - Drill Baby Drill is for the fantasists, the real economy is the green one - the sooner we get there the better for all of us (other than oil barons and petrostate dictators..:)
Wow, is this what the UK Government meant when they said they were going to cut planning red tape.
Householder applications for alterations/extensions will roughly double – From £258 to £528 + plus planning portal service charge of £84.
#UKPlanning