Architecture & Building

Architecture & Building

Advantages and disadvantages of Shipping container homes 

4th November 20220

Shipping container homes have become increasingly more popular over the years. This is because living a more sustainable and cheaper life is becoming more people each day.  

What are shipping container homes? 

If you have never heard of this type of home, they are exactly what they sound like. They are houses typically made up of multiple shipping containers joined together.  

Shipping container sizes –  

Shipping containers come in a range of different sizes. The most common types are 10ft, 20ft and 40ft. A 20ft container can hold up to a 3-bedroom home and have enough room to store all of your furniture, boxes, and appliance, too. Also, these storage containers measure 20’ long, 8’ wide, and 8.5’ tall. 

How much do they cost? 

Furthermore, the total average cost of for a DIY shipping container home in the UK is between £20,000- £80,000.  

Advantages of container homes –  

They are prefab –  

Shipping container homes are available as prefabricated modular homes, meaning construction time shorter. Building inspections are completed at the factory, and this simplifies and speeds up the process. Some companies advertise delivery in under 10 weeks. 

Environmentally friendly-  

Container homes are often labelled as being environmentally friendly because firstly, you’re recycling, which is one of the greenest things you can do. Secondly, you are saving metal resources.  

Easy to transport –  

Because shipping container have been around a while there are experienced delivery systems in place to make the move easy as possible. Once they get to your property it is a quick and simple process of constructing them.  

Disadvantages of container homes –  

Structural issues-  

In addition, if you want to stack the containers to create a larger home, you may have to weld them together. So, this process can be costly.  

Safety concerns –  

Usually, you would be unaware of what was once shipped in the containers such as, hazardous materials. The paints and finishes used on containers are industrial, and not for residential homes, so that they could contain toxic pesticides. 

Photo : studiokfa

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Architecture & Building

Revolutionary female architects that shaped the Industry

2nd November 20220

Architecture has often been seen as an extremely male-dominated field. However, there are female architects who are changing the industry and are also working to ensure that young female architects feel inspired to keep going.

Eileen Gray (9th August 1878 – 31st October 1976) –  

Eileen Gray was an Irish architect and furniture designer wo became a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. 

By 1921, Gray was romantically involved with Romanian architect and writer Jean Badovici. He encouraged her growing interest in architecture. From 1922/1923 to 1926 Gray created an informal architectural apprenticeship for herself as she never received any formal training as an architect. 

In 1926, she started work on a new holiday home near Monaco to share with Badovici. The house was given the enigmatic name of E-1027. It was code for the lovers’ names; the E standing for Eileen, the 10 for J, meaning Jean, the 2 for B standing for Badovici. And the 7 for G standing for Gray. 

E-1027 is a modernist villa in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France. It’s an L shaped, flat roofed villa with floor to ceiling windows and spiral staircases. It also had an open plan interior that mixed moving screens with fixed walls.  

Gray only ever completed three more architectural projects. A house for herself near Castellar, a studio apartment in Paris for Badovici, and a final renovation project in St Tropez—before she passed away in the ’70s. 

Getty Images

Dame Zaha Hadid (31st October 1950 – 31st March 2016) – 

Dame Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi-British architect, artist, and designer, recognised as a major figure in architecture. 

For many years, Hadid was a “paper architect.” But during this time, she established her reputation through her drawings, paintings, and by teaching architecture internationally at schools. In the ’90s, her work was finally given the chance to be realised in physical form by way of the Vitra Fire Station. 

More work followed in Europe, each more ambitious than the next. Including the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, Ohio and the Bergisel Ski-Jump on Bergisel Mountain in Innsbruck, Austria. The New York Times called the former the “most important American building to be completed since the Cold War” and marked the first American museum designed by a woman. 

A year after the completion of the art museum, Hadid was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2004. Not only was she the first woman to receive the prize, Hadid began to attract more media attention as well as higher profile clients. 

Denise Scott Brown (3rd October 1931 – Present) –  

Denise Scott Brown is considered to be one of the most highly influential female architects. She was then a partner at Venturi Scott Brown Architects. She shaped most of the 20th century’s architecture. Furthermore, Denise refers to herself as the grandmother of architecture. Some of her highly acclaimed designs are of buildings such as the Sainsbury Wing of the London’s National Gallery, Provincial Capitol Building of Toulouse and Seattle Art Museum.   

image by frank hanswijk, courtesy of venturi, scott brown and associates
main image by robert venturi, courtesy of venturi, scott brown and associates
Advice Center, Architecture & Building

Stilt houses: reasons why you should raise your home 

18th October 20220

What is a stilt house?  

Stilt houses are houses built on elevated platforms. They can be built in a variety of locations. They are usually constructed over water, but they can also be built on dry land.  

Why are houses built on stilts?  

Many people have been building homes on stilts since the prehistoric times. Elevating homes can protect them against flooding and keep animals out. Which is why these types of homes are very popular in tropical and coastal regions.  

Are stilt houses safe?  

Even though they may seem unstable, houses built on stilts are normally secure. Builders traditionally use wood, bamboo, cane, or rattan for stilted houses. However, steel is now more commonly used as a construction material.  

Steel usually holds well in the ground and is less likely to break than other materials. Steel stilts will hold up adequately even if you want to build your house on an uneven surface. Although, like any house the structural integrity lies within the hands of the builders.  

Benefits of stilt houses –  

  • Maximise the view. By elevating your home your house will typically stand higher than other houses in the area. This will provide you with amazing views and far-reaching perspective of the surrounding environment.  
  • Extra space and ventilation beneath the house. With the house being raised you have a load of free space under the house, many people use this area as a car port. It also improves ventilation because the cool air can flow under the house. 
  • You can build on uneven ground. Because the house is off the ground you can build above uneven ground. This is good for the environment because the land is facing minimal damage. 
  • Can build over water. This not only makes for an unusual living space, but it also lessens the house’s mass and footprint on the fragile shore. 
Image: Shutterstock

Architecture & Building

A guide to all of Queen Elizabeth’s beautiful homes/ Castles

9th September 20220

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll, Passed away on September 8th 2022 at her cherished Scottish Estate, Balmoral. 

 Her Majesty was our longest reigning monarch and will be remembered for a remarkable lifetime of service. As a company we are deeply saddened by the news. 

 We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family.  Our thoughts are with them at this time.  

Here is a story about Queen Elizabeth’s many treasured homes.  

Buckingham Palace –  

London, England 

Firstly, Buckingham palace is London’s royal residence and the headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in Westminster, it has become a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.  

The palace contains over 830,000 square feet of floor space. There are 775 rooms, including 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms, 52 principal bedrooms and 19 state rooms. It also has a post office, cinema, swimming pool, doctor’s surgery and jeweller’s workshop. 

Diliff – Ain wirk

Windsor Castle –  

Windsor, England 

So, Windsor castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the county of Berkshire. During the second world war the king and Queen and their children Elizabeth and Margaret lived in this castle for safety. This castle now serves as a country home, and the Queen frequently visited this location as a weekend retreat.  

Additionally, Windsor Castle grounds cover 52,609 square metres (13 acres) and combines the features of a fortification, a palace, and a small town. It also has 1,000 rooms, making it the largest occupied castle in the world. 

Original image by Mike McBey.

Balmoral Castle –  

Aberdeenshire, Scotland 

Balmoral castle has been the Scottish home of the royal family since purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. Balmoral is a private estate owned by the queen. Its where she spent many weeks at the end of each summer, it was believed to be her favourite residence.  

The Balmoral Estate has been added to by successive members of the royal family, and now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres. Also, the grandeur of Balmoral is said to be slightly overwhelming for first-time visitors.  

With turrets, 52 bedrooms, draughty corridors, tartan rugs and walls mounted with antlers, it can be an intimidating place. “There is a certain fascination in keeping the place as Queen Victoria had it. Nothing very much has changed,” the Queen said.   

Stuart Yeates from Oxford, UK – Flickr

Holyrood house Palace –  

Edinburgh, Scotland 

Furthermore, this palace was the Queens official residence in Scotland. The late Queen Elizabeth ll, spent one week at Holyroodhouse at the beginning of each summer, where she carried out a range of official engagements and ceremonies.   

In Addition, the Palace of Holyroodhouse covers 87,120 square feet of floor space and contains 289 rooms. The private apartments of The Queen and the other members of the Royal Family are located on the second floor of the south and east wings. 

Sandringham Estate – 

Norfolk, England 

Like Balmoral, Sandringham Estate was the Queen’s private property. Also, like Balmoral, it was a place of personal significance to her Elizabeth’s father, George V, called it “the place I love better than anywhere else in the world” and would eventually die there on February 6, 1952. 

Queen Elizabeth II‘s custom was to spend the anniversary of that and of her own accession privately with her family at Sandringham House, and, more recently, to use it as her official base from Christmas until February.  

Furthermore, the house stands in a 20,000-acre estate in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the house is listed as Grade II*. 

Photo: Getty Images

Hillsborough Castle –  

Hillsborough, Northern Ireland 

Similar to how the Queen stayed at Palace of Holyroodhouse when officially visiting Scotland, the Queen lived in Hillsborough during her visits to Northern Ireland. Hillsborough Castle is not a true castle, it’s a Georgian country house built in the 18th century. In addition, the home is surrounded by 100 acres of green gardens. 

 © Richard Lea-Hair/Historic Royal Palaces

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Architecture & Building, Planning Permission

Will you need planning to build an annex?  

8th September 20220

What are annexes used for? 

An annex is a self-contained living space, usually including a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. They are used because they provide more living space in a home. They can be built as an attached extension to your home or built as a separate building.  

What is the difference between and annex and an extension?  

An annex requires there to be at least 50cm of space between the boundary and the building. Whereas, an extension can be built closer to the boundary, when attached to the main building. In addition, even if the building is self-contained, if it’s attached to the main house, it will be classed as an extension.

Will you need planning permission? 

Just like any building work, you do need planning permission before you start building your annex. You would either need planning permission or a lawful development certificate from your local planning authority.  

If the building is considered to be a separate dwelling, you will need to apply for planning permission.

If you are converting an outbuilding into an annex, you would not require planning permission. You would just need to apply for a change of use.  

Do annexes add value to your property?  

Recent information from checkatrade reveals that on average, and annex will raise the value of your property by 20-30%.  

Where can I place my annex? 

If you are building a separate annex or as an extension, planning authorities usually insist on it being as close to the main house as possible. You also need to factor in amenities: electricity; water and sewerage, as these will also define your location. 

Can you turn your garage into an annex?  

Yes, you can turn your garage or other outbuildings into an annexe space. However, it is best to consult an architect as the building will need to be updated to adhere to the building regulations for a habitable building. 

Image: https://the-green-room.co.uk/blog/two-bedroom-garden-annex/

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Architecture & Building

Learn all about the cost of building 2022 

15th August 20220

The build cost inflation has been increasing at a rapid rate. The factors of Brexit and covid 19 have made the costs of both materials and labour increase massively. They have contributed to supply issues and the volumes of delays to imported goods have had an impact on construction costs.  

How much does it cost to build a house?  

The cost to build a new house in the UK will depend on a number of factors. Some of the big ones include the size of your property, the materials you use, and the number of trades people you decide to hire.  

So, because every project is different and each client has different wants and needs it is almost impossible to get a standard quote for a build project. However, averagely to build a house in the UK in 2022, you can expect to pay anything from £1,500 – £3,000 per m2.  

How much has building work prices gone up? 

Prices have increased over the past 2 years for several materials, due to lead times and growing demand. Year on year prices for all building work rose by 27.2% from May 2021 to May 2022. 

Some materials which continue to be affected –  

  • Timber – timber was up 30% in April 2022. 
  • Roof tiles – prices of roof tiles have risen 24% in a year.  
  • Steel – fabricated steel rose by 52.7%.  
  • Bricks – brick prices increased by 12%.  
  • Concrete – concrete bars are 64% more expensive than a year ago.  

Will the building cost go down in 2022?  

Furthermore, these higher material costs have led to rising inflation costs. Meaning it is unlikely for construction costs to go down in 2022.  

Is it a good time to build?  

Although, the costs and interest rates are rising it would be better to build your dream home sooner rather than later. It is likely that the cost will keep on increasing. So, it is an investment to start your build project now.  

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Architecture & Building

What are MEP plans? And why you might need them  

13th July 20220

What is am MEP in construction?  

MEP stands for mechanical, electrical and plumbing. MEP engineering is the science and are of planning, designing and managing the MEP systems of a building.  

  • M – the mechanical design elements of a property, such as the heating and cooling system are important because they make the inside comfortable. This makes it so you can live in buildings in all weather conditions, hot and cold.  
  • E – the electrical system keeps all the lights and power going, it also powers the other systems. Architectural lighting plans are key component of the electrical engineering process.  
  • P – finally, the plumbing system provides fresh water for cleaning, drinking etc. They also take storm and wastewater safely away.  

What’s in MEP drawings?  

These types of drawings are created by combining architectural, structural, and civil shop drawing for a project. These types of drawings smooth out the manufacturing, installation, assembly and maintenance of the MEP in a building. Contractors use these drawings to get precise specifications and identify faults before construction starts.  

The drawings provide construction cost saving approximately 30%, along with the improvement in the building delivery schedules to over 40%.  

Benefits of using a MEP engineering company –  

Working with an experienced MEP engineering company has several benefits:  

  • It can optimize material needs to lower installation costs while maintaining excellent performance and code compliance.  
  • Because of the high level of interaction between MEP systems, they are usually built jointly. This unified approach eliminates equipment collisions, prevalent during the separate building of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems separately. 
  • Joint designs enable the effective utilization of space. 

What is the importance of the drawings?  

Furthermore, they provide important systems of checks and balances during the construction phase of a project. The purpose is to ensure the end result keeps to the design shown in the construction documents, and meets the expectations of the owner.  

Architecture & Building, Interior Design

Learn all about Architectural rendering and what it’s used for

27th April 20220

What is architectural rendering? 

Architectural rendering is the process of creating images that illustrate the planned design of a building or space. The goal is to make a highly detailed, lifelike experience of how the project will look before it is built.  

Pros of architectural rendering –  

There are many benefits to hiring someone to render your project, and some of them are:  

  • It can develop design ideas more accurately  
  • Keeps the client excited about the project 
  • It can identify problems in the early stages, to reduce costs 
  • It’s easier for clients to understand and communicate design ideas  

Realistic quality –  

When it comes to Rendering images, you can make it so it looks like a photo, with realistic quality. In interior renders the precision for details is vital. For example, furniture, lights, shadows, reflections, views, and also where you locate an object.  

What you can achieve with computer renderings –  

  • Still renderings 
  • 3D Walkthrough and flythrough animations  
  • Virtual tours 
  • Floor plans  
  • Photo-realistic 3D rendering  
  • Realtime 3D render 
  • Panoramic rendering  
  • Light and shadow study  
  • Renovation rendering  

The four main types of architectural rendering –  

  • External 3D visualisation  

 This type of render is one of the most widely used ones in the industry. There is no better way to show the outside of the building to a potential buyer than with realistic images.  

  • Interior rendering  

Interior design plays a crucial role in selling and promoting any interior space. Realistic pictures allow designers to present the ability, unity, and spaciousness of the interior space to the clients.  

  • Panoramas 

 There is no better way to show off a building or place to the viewer, than by a real-life 360-degree experience. this is currently one of the biggest trends in the architectural industry. Although, this may take longer to create, many have said it is worthwhile.  

  • 3D animation  

 In addition, this type of 3D rendering has been compared to be like watching a short movie. The render would be able to smoothly go through different rooms of the project. While being able to see every tiny detail. A lot of clients prefer this type of render because it’s more expressive and real. It also helps save time, effort, and cost.  

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Architecture & Building

The advantages and disadvantages of buying a maisonette

8th April 20220

When it comes to searching for the perfect property, many people are unsure about what a maisonette is. This results in property buyers being hesitant and skeptical about purchasing a maisonette. If this is how you feel, read on to find out the advantages and disadvantages of these buildings.  

What is a maisonette?  

A maisonette is a self-contained living area/ flat, with its own private entrance. Maisonettes are commonly located above shops, offices, garages, or on top of ground floor maisonettes. 

Now you have an understanding of what a maisonette is, let’s get into some of the advantages and disadvantages of the buildings.  

The advantages of a maisonette –  

  • Nice amount of living space  

If you are living by yourself or have a small family maisonette can provide the perfect space. They are usually a bit bigger than a flat but smaller than a house.   

  • They are a more affordable option  

Purchasing a maisonette is usually a more affordable option than buying a house. Similarly, maisonettes share some qualities with flats. If you were to carve out the space of a maisonette in a block of flats, a maisonette would be about 20-25% cheaper than the equivalent space in that block.  

  • Able to have more privacy  

As we mentioned in the definition, maisonettes have their own private entrance, rather than a shared one. Many owners like this because it gives them privacy and personal space. 

Furthermore, the disadvantages are –  

  • Shared facilities  

There are some disadvantages to take into account when purchasing any property. One of the main ones for a maisonette is shared driveways and gardens, with the neighbours. This can cause issues for some people especially when it comes to parking.  

  • Difficult to get a mortgage  

Although it’s not impossible to get a mortgage on a maisonette, it is often not an easy process. The criteria are generally stricter than those of a typical house mortgage. However, if you’re planning to buy with cash, it shouldn’t be an issue.  

  • Noisy neighbours  

If you live in the ground floor maisonette, then there is always a chance of having noisy upstairs neighbours walking above you.   

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Advice Center, Architecture & Building

When is the best time to build a house?

22nd March 20220

Many people wonder when the best time of year to start construction and build a home is. Out of all of the seasons, spring is usually the best time to start your project. However, materials are often cheaper in the autumn or winter, this is because there is less demand.  

Why is spring the best time to build?  

There are multiple reasons why spring is the perfect time to start building your dream home. Here is a list of the reasons:  

The weather is better –  

In spring the weather is getting warmer and the skies stay clear which is perfect for working outdoors. Because of this, there will be fewer issues when it comes to the logistics and building of your construction projects. Whereas, if you start your project in the winter, the cold, wet, and harsh weather conditions can make it difficult for the builders to work. Starting a project in the colder weather is also not ideal for you as a homeowner because you are open to the elements, and it could take longer because of delays.  

The days are longer –  

Due to daylight saving times, in spring you get more hours of sunlight to work with. This is easier for builders because if they get behind schedule, they are able to work later without the worry of it getting dark. The longer the days the faster the project will be completed. So, doing construction in the spring/ summer is beneficial for both the homeowner and the contractors.  

Get a head start on the build –  

Summer is generally the busiest time of year for contractors and builders. So, the longer you wait and put off the construction the harder it will be to find contractors. This is why spring is the perfect time to start scheduling contractors, electricians, plumbers, etc. 

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