"Foundation Services was very knowledgeable in all aspects of repairing our home. They did an excellent job." -- David F., Ocala, FL
"We have been very impressed with the quality and reliability of your work force." -- Herb & Barbara O., Gainesville, FL
“Put your foundation back on solid ground… Whether your foundation is stone, concrete block or poured concrete, the ECP Steel Pier™ provides a superior choice for your underpinning solution. It’s durable, fast, with advanced technology, minimal disruption and the highest safety factors.”
The 9 Step Pier Installation Process
The following nine steps provide an overview of the typical pier installation process. [See the detailed ECP Specifications for the company’s specific installation requirements.] For a point of reference, let’s start with Figure 1, which shows a structure with a spread footing.
Site Survey: The job site is evaluated to determine Pier placements and verify the locations of underground utilities.
Footing Excavation: Access to each placement location is gained by digging small excavations. The space required at the foundation is usually about 3 feet square. (fig. 1)
Foundation Preparation: The footing is notched (if required) to place the pier bracket under the stem wall, preparing the bearing area under the footing to a smooth and level condition, and adjusting the face of the stem wall to vertical (plumb) at the point of bracket attachment. (fig 1)
Utility Bracket Attachment: The utility bracket is secured to the footing using anchor bolts. Attachment of the drive stand and the hydraulic cylinder that is used to force the pier pipe into the soil is mounted on the drive stand. (fig 2)
Pier Pipe Installation:The pier pipe is advanced into the soil using the structure as the reaction force with a 10,000 psi quiet, vibration-free hydraulic pump and cylinder combination.The piers may be installed from outside or inside the structure. Pier installation continues until rock or suitable bearing-strata is encountered below the unstable soil near the surface. (fig 2)
Load Test: Every pier is load tested by increasing the force on the pier to insure the rock or bearing-strata will support a load greater than needed to guarantee a factor of safety.Typically an engineer will determine the load of the structure and the desired factor of safety before the load tests are performed. (fig 3)
Preparations for Restoration:Once all piers have been installed, load tested, and the installation data at each placement recorded, lifting head assemblies and hydraulic lifting rams are placed on the piers.The lifting cylinders are connected with one or more manifolds and operated using a hydraulic pump. (fig 3)
Restoration: Under careful supervision, the load can be immediately transferred from the existing failing strata under the foundation to the load tested piers.The structure is transferred gently and evenly lifted to as close to the original elevation or to the recommendation of the engineer.The nuts at the pier caps are secured at each placement and the lifting equipment is removed. (fig 4) There is no time wasted waiting for concrete to cure.
Clean Up:The soil that was excavated at each pier placement is now replaced and compacted. There is no soil to remove from the site. The site is left clean and neat.Find out more aboutECP Steel Piers.
Foundation repair or underpinning projects are usually completed in days, not weeks. Should conditions change, the piers can be easily inspected, tested and/or adjusted. The process is technologically sound, efficient, safe, fast, minimally disruptive, long-lasting and guaranteed.
In England and Wales, the Building Regulations apply to defined building work and they set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure the safety and health for those in or about those buildings. The building regulations do not stop there but also include requirements to ensure that fuel and power is conserved and facilties are provided for people, including those with disabilities, to access and move aroudn inside buildings.
Is Building Regulations Approval the same as planning permission?
Building Regulations approval is a separate matter from obtaining planning permission for the work you may wish to carry out. In certain cases, you may not require planning permission but will require meeting building regulations. For example, if you need to underpin your foundations or wish to install double glazing.
Do I need Building Regulations Approval?
It is of paramount importance to check at a very early stage to establish if the project you intend carrying out requires the benefit of building regulation approval. What you must remember is that certain works that may not require planning approval but may actually require building regulation approval. If you are intending to carry out “Building Work” as defined in Regulation 3 of the Building Regulations, then it must comply with the Building Regulations. If that is the case, you will then need to seek approval from a building control body (who doesn’t necessarily have to be the local authority).
Who and what is a Building Control Body?
You are required to use one of two types of Building Control Service:-
Local Authority Building Control Service or
An Approved Inspector.
Approved Inspectors are private sector companies or practitioners and are approved for the purpose of carrying out the Building Control Service as an alternative to your local authority. Approved Inspectors can provide a service in connection with most sorts of building project involving new buildings or work to existing buildings, including extensions or alterations to homes. They should all be registered with the Construction Industry Council.
If you are employing a builder to do your work you should be clear from the outset whether they are taking responsibility for ensuring that the building work complies with the Building Regulations, and also whether they are taking responsibility for liaising with the Building Control Service you have decided to use. In the case of some minor works, the contractor (if approved to do so) may be able to self-certify the work, meaning you will not need to seek approval directly - the contractor will notify the Building Control Body of their work and that it has been done in accordance with the Building Regulations.
What is DDA and how can it affect my building work?
DDA is the Disability Discrimination Act which was replaced by the Equality Act in 2010. It applies to all organisations that provide services to the public and aims to remove barriers from disabled people's participation. In order to avoid significant fines imposed by the government, you may need to consider installing a platform lift to provide access to upper floor areas of your building.
What Projects amount to Building Work?
Within the meaning of Regulation 3, the following projects must comply with the Building Regulations
If you intend to erect or indeed extend a building. As we set out above, in certain circumstances, planning permission may not be required.
An alteration project involving work which will temporarily or permanently affect the ongoing compliance of the building, service or fitting with the requirements relating to structure, fire, or access to and use of buildings. For example, if you are intending to change the means of access to your home, you will require building regulation approval.
When installing replacement windows using a builder or window company not registered with the relevant Competent Person Schemes. For example, a company affiliated to FENSA (Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme) will mean you do not need to seek approval from a building control body.
The installation or extension of a service or fitting which is controlled under the regulations.
The insertion of insulation into a cavity wall.
The underpinning of the foundations of a building.
When you want to change the building’s fundamental use.
Do I always need Building Regulations Approval? Say I wish to have my windows replaced or new heating installed for example. Would I need Building Regulations approval then?
In certain circumstances, if the work consists of only installing certain types of services or fittings (such as re-wiring a house, installing a new boiler, air-conditioning, replacing your windows, toilet or shower for example), you may not necessarily need to involve a Building Control Service. This will only apply if you employ an installer registered with a relevant Competent Person Scheme. However, this is strictly restricted to that specific type of installation and does not cover any other type of building work.
Do I need Building Regulations for fitting, replacing or altering a flue?
If you wish to install a flue, building regulations apply. You should take into account factors such as ventilation and general safety. Installation should be carried out by a suitably qualified installer.
Do I need Building Regulation Approval to Decorate the Exterior of My House?
If you want to re-render or replace timber cladding to external walls, building regulations may apply depending on the extent of the work.
Where 25 per cent or more of an external wall is re-rendered, re-clad, re-plastered or re-lined internally or where 25 per cent or more of the external leaf of a wall is rebuilt, the regulations would normally apply and the thermal insulation would normally have to be improved.
Do I need Building Regulations to replace or decorate the fascia or soffit boards on my house?
A fascia board is attached to the end of the rafters/truss at the eaves, where the guttering is attachedfor the roof rainwater drainage. These are also placed at the ends of gable roofs to cover the rafters/truss.
A soffit board is placed on the underside of the eaves where the roof overhangs the walls. This is where the ventilation holes are generally provided.
Replacing fascia or soffit boards will not normally require building regulation approval. However, you need to check that the replacement work does not reduce the ventilation provided to the roof void as this could cause condensation to occur within the roof void, which can then lead to damp on timbers. If you have ventilation built in to your soffit boards, you will need to replace like with like.
Do I require Building Regulation Approval if I wanted to create a Patio?
The answer to this is no you do not need approval if you wish to create a patio. What you do need to consider however is that if you carry out any works and as a result, you make access to the property less satisfactory than it was before, you would be in contravention of the regulations. Say for example you changes levels and introduced stairs that were not there before, you would then be in contravention of the regulations.
Do I need Building Regulations to either build or remove an internal wall?
Yes, Building Regulations will normally apply.
What is the Competent Person Scheme?
Competent person schemes allow individuals and enterprises who are competent in their field, to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector and thus incurring their fees.
The work of organisations or individuals accepted as members of a scheme is not subject to Building Control inspection. Instead, the competent person self-certifies that the work is in compliance with the Building Regulations.
In all schemes, the competent person reports the work to the scheme organiser, who in turn informs the local authority or Approved Inspector that work has taken place and issues a certificate to the customer. This reporting process must be completed within 30 days of the work being finished. For example, if you are having your windows replaced, that competent person may belong to FENSA (Fenestration Self-Assessment) or if you are having work carried out to your plumbing, heating or hot water system, you may equally employ a person who belogs to CORGI (which is the national watchdog for gas safety in the United Kingdom).
What should I expect when having this work undertaken?
As set out above, any work you have carried out must meet current Building Regulations and must not make other fabric, services and fittings less compliant than they were before or indeed dangerous. For example, if you were having your windows replaced, the installation must not make compliance worse in relation to means of escape, air supply for combustion applicances and their flues and ventilation for health.
Do I need Building Regulations to repair or re-cover my roof?
If you wish to carry out repairs on or re-cover less than 25% of the area of a pitch or flat roof, you will not normally be required to submit a building regulations application. You will require approval if:
You intend to carry out structural alterations.
The performance of the new covering will be significantly different to that of the existing covering in the event of a fire.
You are repairing or replacing more than 25% of the roof area, in which case, the roof thermal insulation would normally have to be improved.
Kitchens and Bathrooms
If you intend to refit a kitchen or bathroom with new units and fittings, this generally does not require building regulation approval. However, any associated drainage or electrical works that form part of the refit may require approval under the building regulations.
What is a Party Wall and how may this affect any work I may wish to do to my Property?
Essentially, The Party Wall Act exists to make it easier to undertake building work on or near a boundary with a neighbouring property. It extends common law rights to allow a building’s owners to undertake work that will affect a party wall or structure shared with one or more neighbours.
Its intention is to prevent disputes between owners by allowing independent assessment of the risk from construction work and by agreeing any action necessary to prevent damage. The Act also provides an agreement for access to carry out works, monitoring, and for resolution of disputes.
If your building work is either on the boundary of a neighbour’s property or on or up to the neighbouring wall, you will need to observe the terms of the Act. You may also need to comply if you are excavating on, or within 6m of the boundary, depending on the depth of your excavation.
These define how a new building or alteration is to be built so that the building is structurally safe, protected from risk of fire, energy efficient and has adequate ventilation for its purpose. An application for Building Regulations approval is not advertised and only the person applying and the Local Authority are involved.
Building Regulations approval may be required even if Planning Permission is not.
Building Regulations approval is granted by the building control officers of local authorities, they are generally separate from the planning officials. Once approval has been given and work started, the local building Inspector will attend the site at specific stages to inspect the work, and they may change the requirements as the work progresses. The most common change is probably at the foundation stage when the Inspector will see the subsoil before the concrete is poured. If the inspector deems that the planned depth is insufficient, they can demand that the foundations be deepened before the concrete is laid (and you have to pay for the extra concrete).
Electrics
With effect from 1st January 2005, Part P (Electrical safety) of the Building Regulations came into force, these mean that only very limited work can be carried out by non-certified people without notification to the local Building Control authority.
Work which can be carried out by a non-certified individual without notification consists of:
Replacement of fittings such as sockets, switches and light fittings.
Replacement of the cable for a single circuit where it has been damaged.
Work that is not in the bathroom or kitchen and consists of:
Adding additional lighting, light fittings and switches, to an existing circuit.
Adding additional sockets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial main.
Installing additional earth bonding.
All this is conditional upon the use of suitable cable and fittings for the application, that the circuit protective measures are unaffected and suitable for protecting the new circuit, and that all work complies with all other appropriate regulations.
All other work must either be carried out by certified individuals/companies or notified to the local Building Control before work begins, this includes:
All new or modifications to the electrical wiring within bathrooms or shower rooms.
Installation or modification of electric underfloor or ceiling heating.
Garden lighting or power installation.
Other specialist electrical installation, examples being, Photovoltaic Solar and micro CHP power systems.
If in doubt, check with the local Building Control. These rules DO apply to DIY activities, anyone carrying out DIY changes which are notifiable will have to submit a building notice to the local authority before starting work and pay the fee to have the work inspected and tested. Problems may be encountered when trying to sell a property which has had notifiable electrical work carried out but for which the appropriate certificate cannot be produced.
It is a contemporary scandal of monstrous proportions. There are about two million families in this country who need homes but who are priced out of buying or renting because of a lack of supply. Yet there are thousands upon thousands of houses lying empty – nearly three quarters of a million in England alone.
In the Midlands, North East and North West, great swathes of perfectly sound Victorian terraces, in better condition than ones in Fulham or Putney that change hands for over £1m each, are standing derelict; boarded up, their roofs stripped of lead, the elements slowly doing their destructive work.
In the past few years, 16,000 period terraces have been bulldozed to the ground and only 3,000 new homes have been rebuilt to replace them. Thousands more stand empty: design classics with airy front rooms flooded with light from their bay windows and ingenious split-level floor planning going to dry rot and black mould.
Next month, the designer George Clarke will bring this to the nation’s attention with a new television series, The Great British Property Scandal. The preservation group Save Britain’s Heritage and the architect Mark Hines have also been working on a solution to the problem and next year will produce their first demonstration projects of how these Victorian houses can be brought back into use and be good for the next 100 years.
The solution involves “bolting on” prefabricated highly insulated two-storey rear extensions, which will create more living space and an energy-efficient back wall.
Combined with improvements to the existing houses such as extra roof and floor insulation, LED lighting and a new boiler, these refurbished terraces could be transformed into low-energy low-bill starter homes at a fraction of the cost of building a new house from scratch.
The bolt-ons, plus improvements, will cost between £10,000 – £60,000, depending on the range of extras that are installed.
“We have developed about 10 different rear extension types,” says Hines. “Some have first-floor balconies, others ground-floor porches; they come prefabricated with all services and, by providing extra space for two good-size bedrooms plus a bathroom upstairs, will give these homes a new life.”
He says the beauty of this solution is that because streets of period terraces – some several hundred houses long – are all identical, it would be simple and cost-effective to refurbish entire streets en masse.
The extensions are made from timber frames filled with a lime and hemp mixture. Hemp has a high thermal mass, so is an excellent eco-building material and grows extremely fast, sucking up carbon dioxide as it grows. Its potential as a low-cost green building material has led to hemp making a comeback to British agricultural land, with more than 3,000 acres, mostly in East Anglia, now under cultivation.
Civic leaders in areas where there are a large number of period terraces requiring updating in local authority control are supplying homes to be demonstration projects. One such area is Mansfield, which still retains hundreds of period terraces.
“There are, of course, times when there is no alternative to demolition,” says Tony Egginton, Mansfield’s Mayor. “However, we also have some Victorian gems that we never want to lose. We need to see how, in practice, it will be more cost-effective to refurbish, so we’re giving Mark and his team a number of houses he can experiment with.” Other areas involved in the demonstration projects will include Brighton and Manchester.
Will Palin, the secretary of Save Britain’s Heritage, says that in recent years the scale of demolition of sound homes has been akin to the widespread destruction of the Sixties, yet because it has been happening in poor areas, much has gone unnoticed. “These homes form real communities and have stood for 200 years. It is scandalous, quite apart from the sheer waste of bulldozing and starting from scratch. These eco-solutions will provide low-cost starter homes for young families and allow these houses – many of extremely high building quality – to survive into the next century.”
Does Building An Extension Add Value To Your Home?
Unless you carry out the right kind of improvements you’re unlikely to see add value to your home. By all means, indulge in a swimming pool or a garden makeover – they may add immensely to your quality of life – but don’t expect them to boost your home’s value. And even if you choose the right sort of improvements, if the work is done badly, or in a style that is unsympathetic to your property or the area, they may actually reduce it.
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Some points to consider
Location is the most important factor in deciding the value of your property and, therefore, how much you stand to gain from improvements. Never develop a property out of its neighbourhood, externally or internally. Spending £30,000 on a new kitchen in an area where the maximum selling price is £150,000 is clearly a poor idea from an investment viewpoint.
Pinpointing the sort of buyer you will be targeting when you come to sell is a good way of ensuring you don’t get carried away. Before you knock down that wall to transform two small rooms into a larger, open-plan living space, consider: if your target market would be young families, double doors might be a better option. Seek advice from a local estate agent.
Some improvements, like installing a security system or restoring period features, won’t add appreciably to your home’s value, but may help make it more saleable.
Our 10 top tips to add value to your home
Predicting the future is a tricky business. There are no guarantees, but here are some ideas for improvements that should increase your property’s value.
Adding space is by far the best way. This includes building an extension or converting something that’s already there (for example, the loft) or possibly a garage conversion. The main thing is to add new space add value.
Convert your loft
One of the most popular ways of adding space, a loft conversion can increase a property’s value by as much as 20 per cent. In some cases, the work can be carried out without planning permission, under what are known as permitted development rights (see Obtaining Planning Permission).
Before calling in the builders, consider whether your property will benefit in investment terms from the extra accommodation. If not, a loft conversion could be an expensive mistake. You cannot transform your three-bedroom house into a desirable five-bedroom one just by converting the loft into two bedrooms; chances are that the downstairs rooms, and perhaps the garden, will not be in proportion. In the longer term, you might be better off moving now.
Consider also whether you have the right kind of roof. The steeply pitched kind commonly seen on Victorian or 1930s houses is ideal. And both the construction of your roof and the type of access available may limit your prospects of converting your loft into a proper room, rather than just a ‘loft room’.
Convert – or construct – a basement or cellar
Converting cellars into living space, and even digging out new basements, is fast becoming the in thing in some metropolitan areas, owing to pressure on space. Older properties are usually the most suitable candidates for this.
Such undertakings are very expensive, often requiring reinforcement of foundations and extensive damp proofing. Like other major works, they can also be disruptive and stressful.
Building an extension
Provided it is well built and in keeping with the rest of your property, a house extension can add significant value. It will almost certainly be an easier (and hence less expensive) option than a basement.
Home extensions can be built without planning permission, subject to restrictions on height and volume, and certain other conditions.
Build a garage
A garage, particularly a double, will almost always add value – as much as 15 per cent in a busy urban area. The desirability of garages often makes it a mistake, if adding value is your goal, to convert a garage into living space.
Add a bathroom
Here, we have in mind converting a bedroom into a bathroom, rather than building a new bathroom as part of a loft conversion or ground floor extension.
Use common sense when deciding whether this is a viable option for you. If, for example, you have a five-bedroom house with only one bathroom, it may be wise to turn a bedroom into a bathroom. However, from an investment point of view, it would be a poor idea to transform a three-bedroom house with one bathroom into a two-bedroom house with two bathrooms.
Update your kitchen
While a new kitchen may not add greatly to value, it will certainly add hugely to appeal, provided it is well fitted, of reasonable quality and as timeless as possible in design.
As with any home improvement, resist the urge to save money by fitting a kitchen yourself, unless you are confident of doing it to a professional standard.
Improve your bathroom
Gone are the coloured suites of yesteryear; today, the only colour is white. Avoid fancy taps, lurid tiles and anything gold-plated.
If you’re tempted to go for a fashionable wet room, consider whether this is something your target purchaser would be likely to want.
Install central heating
Many older homes still lack central heating. Install it and you’ll make your property more saleable. Be sure to choose an energy-efficient system.
Fit double glazing
Double glazing is a must for many potential purchasers. Replacement windows should be in keeping with your home, in style and materials; they can detract from its value otherwise. If you have a period property, secondary glazing may be a better bet.
Obtain planning permission
Since a property with planning permission usually commands a higher price than one without, obtaining planning permission, even if you do not intend to use it yourself, can be a great way of maximising your property’s value for minimum outlay – although, of course, unlike our other suggestions, it won’t add to your quality of life in the short term.
Whether you are likely to get planning permission depends on the nature of the project, the type of property and the location.
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Which home improvement or extension adds most to your house price?
House extensions – such as this conservatory – will be easier to erect; but will they boost your house price?
Which home improvement or extension will add most to your house price? That's a pressing question for hundreds of thousands of families living in homes too small for their current needs who are being offered a potential solution to their predicament by government proposals to ease planning restrictions.
So the desire or need for bigger accommodation is like many personal finance decisions; it’s often more personal than financial. Regardless of interest rates or the fate of the euro, wives require more space than girlfriends, young mothers more rooms than brides.
Now the solution for many families is to improve not move – and government proposals should make it easier to do so. Almost 200,000 households apply each year for permission to make improvements such as conservatories, rear extensions and garage conversions. Application fees are typically £150 and professional fees often cost thousands more.
The process can leave home owners mired in red tape for months, even though around 90 per cent of applications are approved eventually. The new rules, intended to take effect next month, will make it unnecessary to obtain planning permission for single-storey rear extensions and conservatories extending up to six metres from the back wall of semi-detached properties and up to eight metres from the back of detached properties.
Both limits are double the current “existing permitted development” rules – or de minimus waivers from planning consent – and are temporary facilities, due to expire in 2015, with the intention of stimulating economic activity as soon as possible.
But which kind of home improvement is most likely to pay for itself in terms of raising house prices or the saleability of your property? Terry Holmes, a director at estate agents Beresfords, was emphatic: “An additional bedroom gets my vote every time over a kitchen extension or conservatory as it can increase the asking price by much more.
“A huge proportion of the UK’s housing stock has three bedrooms but few have four. A fourth bedroom extension will be sought by buyers looking for a property suitable for older children or elderly relatives. “However, it is important not to make any additional room too specialised. It may suit you but it could deter some buyers who might think that they are paying more for a space they would not use.”
That raises the important point that ‘living room’ means different things to different people. While many might value an extra bedroom above all other home improvements, other homebuyers will have different priorities. Carl Davenport, a director of estate agents Chesterton Humberts, said: “An open plan kitchen or breakfast room would allow you to gain permanent square footage, which is something that a conservatory on the back of a property would not necessarily be able to provide as this is a seasonal room.”
Aspirations are all very well but the English weather often delivers a cold douche of reality; conservatories are not much fun in the bleak mid-winter or indeed any month with an ‘r’ in it. Estate agents experienced in the art of selling property tend to favour brick and tile extensions over glass and PVC conservatories.
Before spending thousands of pounds on any home improvement it makes sense to conduct a cost/benefit analysis. Precise details will depend on the location of your property and local building costs – two factors which are often closely correlated.
Jamie Lester, head of Haus Properties, a south west London estate agent, describes how a cost/benefit analyis might look in his neighbourhood: “The average cost to build a rear extension around here is approximately £150 to £250 per square foot and properties here are selling for in excess of £600 per square foot, so you will always add value by adding a good quality extension.
“For example, a good extension on a 600 square foot two bedroom garden flat with access via the side, currently worth about £550,000 to £650,000, would be to add an extra bedroom and ensuite bathroom, and extend the kitchen or living area into a large open plan area with bi-fold doors onto the garden. This would cost approximately £50,000 or £60,000 but the property would now be worth in excess of £700,000 or £750,000.”
Clearly, the cash values for costs and benefits will vary from area to area. But it is worth remembering that, wherever you are, any increase in the value of your home will be tax-free. Even so, do try to keep a sense of proportion and resist the temptation to get carried away. Lindsay Cuthill of Savills, explained: “It’s important for an extension to be in keeping with the existing property and my advice is to avoid overbuilding.
“An extension that eats significantly into a tiny garden will not achieve optimal value. And in response to concerns that a relaxation of planning controls will open the door to cowboy builders, there will still be the safeguard of building regulation and controls.”
While the government’s proposals remain open for consultation and details have yet to be finalised, it is understood that the changes will not affect loft extensions because the new exemptions only apply to single-storey buildings. This restriction is intended to minimise disputes and litigation between neighbours and planning authorities about higher extensions that might affect the privacy of nearby properties and gardens.
Picture almost any iconic building - the Gherkin in London, the Burj al Arab tower in Dubai, and Frank Gehry's museum in Bilbao - and the chances are it will be a part steel construction. But it's not only engineers building commercial buildings that utilise the material. Increasingly, steel is used in the construction of residential homes both by housebuilders and self-builders. Why should you choose it?
By Gordon Miller
Why Choose Steel Frame?
Chris Kane, build director of Greendale Construction(opens in a new window), a medium sized general building contractor that was established in Poole, Dorset, in 1989, says, 'There are many good things about steel which makes it a fantastic choice for building with. For example, construction of a steel frame on site can be very quick because the fabrication is all done beforehand. Steel is also lightweight compared to masonry or brickwork. Another huge advantage of steel is that it is a lot more flexible in terms of design which means that the architecture of the building can be a lot more interesting and unusual.'
A prime example of just what can be done with steel that can't be undertaken with a timber construction is the aforementioned Gherkin - properly known as the Swiss Re Tower at 30 St Mary's Axe. Given the soubriquet the Gherkin because of its tall, rounded, pickle-like shape, the steel and glass tower won the Special Steel Award (Detail 2004), as well as several other awards, including the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize in 2004.
Kane says, 'A design concept that is growing in popularity is to use glass with steel - as in the Gherkin but also in many homes too - which again is perfectly possible because of the flexibility of steel. The Gherkin proves that there is no one way a steel building should look. Steel is like the skeleton of a building so the outside can look however the architect wishes in terms of brickwork and cladding.'
One example where Greendale Construction has built a house using steel is a modern two-storey extension to an existing farmhouse in Fordingbridge, Devon. Forest Brook Farm is a minimalist design building with oak floors, aluminium curtain walling, zinc and slate roof coverings. A part-refurbishment with the construction of balconies with curved glass, the large house has extensive decking and a new outdoor heated swimming pool.
Q. Why steel framing? A. Very simply, a steel frame is a high quality product. It represents value for money and brings peace of mind. A steel frame is light and strong, it will not burn, it is termite, borer, and fungus-proof, and it will not shrink or warp. It is environmentally responsible, low on life cycle energy usage, recyclable and saves valuable timber resources.
Top of the Page Q. Is steel framing expensive? A. No. Steel framing is very competitive on price, particularly when you consider its quality. A steel frame gives value for money. It is a premium quality product that sets the benchmark. Steel has many advantages over timber, even the best quality timber. The fact is that discerning buyers are increasingly demanding steel frames. A Steel Frame Solutions frame remains straight and true, even if exposed to the weather for an extended time.
Top of the Page Q. Will my builder charge more for building a steel frame? A. Competitive pricing is generally available from progressive builders for standard house designs. Progressive builders are aware that steel frames are the way of the future, and are generally prepared to quote competitively. A premium product at a competitive price.
Top of the Page Q. Have steel framed buildings been proven over time? A. Yes. In Australia steel framing has been used successfully in housing since the early 1950s. The Australian steel framing industry has a well-earned reputation for being highly innovative. Today's framing represents the results of years of research, testing and product improvement. It is a thoroughly engineered product. In responding to the needs of the Australian customer, the steel framing industry in Australia leads the world with its technology. Don't forget that steel frames have been used in commercial buildings for many years because of their superior attributes.
Top of the Page Q. What underlies the quality of a steel frame? A. The TrueCore steel in a Steel Frame Solutions frame is produced by Bluescope Steel, a quality-accredited producer to appropriate National Standard Specifications. The components are precision manufactured and assembled to very tight tolerances using advanced techniques. Computer-aided design, computer-controlled manufacture, and advanced engineering, ensure the home buyer gets the design he or she wants, and that installation is quick and easy. Strength and performance are engineered into the frame.
Top of the Page Q. Can a house frame be erected by the customer? A. Our system can be installed by the customer. Panels are easily handled and are clearly identified for assembly, with pre-punched electrical and plumbing service holes. Roof trusses are easily identified and easily secured to support the walls. Ceiling and roof battens are easily fixed to the trusses.
Top of the Page Q. Can I extend or renovate at a later date? A. Yes. Additions are relatively simple and pose no problems. Furthermore the existing steel structure will remain straight and true regardless of its age, making the job of lining up the extension easier than for conventional timber framing.
Top of the Page Q. How much flexibility do I have with design? A. Freedom of floor plan and architectural style is practically unlimited. Steel Frame Solutions can produce almost any one or two-storey home design seen in the Australian market today. Furthermore, it is possible to produce designs in steel that are difficult with other materials. By taking advantage of this feature the owner can often build with less expense than by using more conventional materials.
Top of the Page Q. Do homes with steel look different? A. Yes, they look better. Walls, ceilings and roofs do not have ripples or bumps in them and there are no "nail pops" in the plasterboard linings. Roofs of steel-framed homes do not sag over time, even under concrete tiles, so the finished job keeps looking good. In fact because of steel's strength you can design your home with larger open spaces whilst the exterior looks like any normal home.
Top of the Page Q. Will a steel frame perform in any climate? A. Yes. Not surprisingly steel is the preferred framing material in the extreme climate of North West Western Australia, for example, where temperatures can vary more than 40 degrees Celsius in a single day.
Top of the Page Q. Steel expands and/or contracts as the temperature changes. Is this a problem? A. In a properly constructed and insulated home thermally induced movement is not an issue. Steel framing expands and contracts at rates not too dissimilar from the other materials used in building, which means it is unlikely that there will be noise or cornice cracking problems.
Top of the Page Q. Why won’t a steel frame rust? A. Steel frames are made of steel protected against corrosion by a hot-dipped metallic coating of a zinc-aluminium alloy. These coatings conform to the appropriate Australian standards or their equivalent. In external applications such as roofing these products are exposed to the elements and have excellent durability, so in less exposed applications such as inside the building envelope they weather more slowly. Where there are cut edges the galvanic action, or sacrificial protection, of the coatings protects the exposed steel edge against corrosion.
Top of the Page Q. Does lightening strike affect a steel framed home? A. No. Because steel creates a positive earth the lightning has less effect. The energy is conducted straight to the ground and is not released destructively within the frame as in conventional framing or cladding.
Top of the Page Q. Is a steel frame safe when exposed to a live electric wire? A. Yes. Steel frames are safe because they are earthed. It is a requirement that all new housing be fitted with circuit breaking safety devices, so there is little chance of you touching anything live. A broken or pierced wire in a timber frame can remain live and leaking current can cause troublesome faults and fire risk.
Top of the Page Q. How does a steel frame perform in a fire? A. Smoke and heated air and/or asphyxiating gases are responsible for about 75% of fatalities in house fires. A steel frame will not burn. It will not therefore contribute to the fire or its spreading, and will not release smoke and carbon dioxide. Electrical faults cause many fires in wall cavities. An electrical fault cannot ignite a steel frame. If fire gets into the ceiling and ignites timber trusses it can spread very rapidly to the rest of the house. In a bushfire the point of ignition is often the roof cavity when burning embers are blown in under the eaves or tiles. House fires have been known to break through ceilings into the roof cavity. A steel roof truss cannot be ignited in either of these ways.
Top of the Page Q. I am a builder. Why should I build in steel? A. Steel frames represent the future of house framing. Continual product improvements and consumer awareness means that demand for steel-framed homes will keep increasing. People are more conscious than ever of the ever-increasing threat from termites. You can build the major termite management into the building, rather than add it on. A steel-framed house is a quality product that delivers to the customer long-term peace of mind and cost savings. Call backs are reduced and your reputation can be enhanced.
Although steel frames require slightly different techniques they are quick and easy to erect. Because steel has consistent strength and complies with strict standards and tight tolerances, every stud is a good stud. Steel frames are lightweight and easy to handle, time is not lost sorting to select suitable pieces, there is no need to straighten framework on-site, and wastage of material is reduced.
Top of the Page Q. Does a steel frame interfere with radio or television reception? A. No. Electro-magnetic waves can diffract around steel as easily as timber. Waves pass through the spaces between the studs, allowing the use of all household appliances without any interference.
B&Q loft pod - environmentally friendly and simple to install?
DIY chain B&Q reckons it has created one of the UK's most environmentally friendly properties with a revolutionary new type of loft conversion.
Its 'loft-pod', which uses NASA technology, has been brought to a humble end of terrace in Eastleigh to create a sustainable home. What's more the instant loft conversion took just half a day to install.
The loft was built off site in 21 days and delivered early in the morning as the B&Q Innovation experts got to work. A crane was used to lift the loft into position as residents looked on and by the end of the day the home had gained an extra room.
Rooms in a pod could be available to homeowners of the future as such new build techniques prove to be easier and faster than current industry practice (though presumably the cost of hiring a crane etc wouldn't be cheap).
The converted loft came fully wired, insulated and painted with B&Q's recycled Home Eco Paint. The roof has Photo Voltaic panels so that the house can produce its own hot water. As well as the loft-pod, the house received a pre-made garden-pod which is the energy hub of the home.
With the combination of NASA space technology and expert design, the new loft and home of the future plays host to a range of unusual products that B&Q claim will be the norm in years to come in a bid to create sustainable homes. This is the first time such technology has been combined under one roof, making it one of the greenest houses in the UK.
Blinds similar to the NASA Space Shuttle have been used on all of the single glazed windows as they keep more heat in than any triple glazed window. The wall insulation is also a lot thinner than most homes in the UK, as technology from cruise liners has been adopted to make the house virtually sound proof.
As well as underfloor heating, the house boasts skirting boards which also act as radiators. Heat is pushed out through the boards to keep whole rooms at a constant temperature. By the time the house is completed, it is estimated that it will have reduced its carbon output by at least 80 per cent.
So far the build is 40 per cent finished with a new roof constructed, and under floor heating installed. The designs for the kitchen and upstairs bathroom have also been finalised and the house is set to be habitable by July. The house will then be open to the public to see what the home of the future looks like.
The transformation of the home came in the same week as the Government announced that it is to offer homeowners a £10,000 loan to help create eco-homes across Britain. B&Q is just one of the retailers which is in talks with the Government to discuss the opportunities surrounding the Green Deal and can offer insight into how the deal might work, as it has just completed a similar trial in the London borough of Sutton.
The Council-run trial included B&Q providing an energy audit of homes to locate which changes would reduce both carbon output and bills, followed by a loan from the Council which is then paid back over 25 years. B&Q then supplied the product to get the job done.
You can find out more information on the project here: www.diy.com/eco
DIY Conservatory Base
If you are not a builder but still want the satisfaction of constructing your new DIY Conservatory base yourself, then we have the solution.
The Durabase advanced base and wall system will save you time and money and should be the only choice when purchasing a steel base. As a nominated supplier of the Durabase product we can supply your “made to measure” steel base along with your DIY Conservatory. Perfect fit every time.
The Durabase steel conservatory base system is a cost effective alternative to the traditional bricks and mortar conservatory base. It is the product of 20 years development by the manufactures and is supplied with a 15 year guarantee.
Brick Finishes
Our modular walls are faced with real brick tiles and mortar. Available in 30+ finishes that will help match your existing house brick.
Manholes need not present an expensive obstruction. Thebase will naturally span the drain and access can be granted via a trap-door and removable floor joist, built in during fabrication.
There are many benefits to choosing a Durabase over a tradiontional base...
Quicker.... The Durabase arrives in kit form, complete with flooring and under-floor insulation ready for quick and easy assembley. The average base can be installed within the a day!
Easier.... Uneven or sloping sites and difficult site access are easily overcome with Durabase.
Cleaner.... There's no need for large scale excavations, which minimises the amount of soil to dispose of and distruption caused to the site
Cost Effective.... No need for expensive relocating of manholes or drains
Straight forward installation.... Durbase is suitable for either professsional or DIY installation. Durabase can be assemled with just a little DIY experience. No specialist tradesmen or bricklayer are required. The modular walls are bricked and motared before they are delivered to site, with just bridging tiles to be fitted on site.
U-Values…. The following U-values can now be achieved with the Durabase system. Walls 0.27W/m²k and Floors 0.22W/m²k.
There are 4 options for the Durabase system
Full Height Glazing
This option is used for conservatories with no dwarf wall. Cill fixes directly to outside beam of the base and is finished off with an insulated floor
Modular Dwarf Wall
An ideal alternative to traditional brickwork. Along with the base system of the Full Height option, the galvanised steel modular dwarf wall system comes pre-clad and pointed with only bridging tiles to be fit on site.
Durabase + Modular Wall/Full Height Conservatory Base System
This system has all the advantages of the standard system but with the capability of achieving an even greater U-value. The specially designed steel base and flooring insulation can achieve an impressive U-value of 0.22 W/m2K. Matched with the modular walls, when insulated and finished off with foil-backed plaster board (U-value of 0.27 W/m2K), the Durabase+ delivers a more energy efficient base. This base is ideal for use in Scotland as it can assist in getting a successful building warrant application.
Selfbuild Traditional Brickwork
This unique option gives the quick and easy solution for alternative foundations, the same as the Full Height Base. However it then allows you to build onto it with traditional brickwork. You can benefit from all the advantages of the Durabase system whilst still building with the exact brickwork or stone that your house may be built from. The best of both worlds!
Assembly of Durabase
After choosing your site, dig out the holes for the pads as per the plan provided. Mix and fill the holes with concrete and allow to harden. Each pad is only 450mm3 Note the minimal mess and disruption to the garden. Please click image to enlarge.
Lay out the outer cill and attach the adjustable legs. Position the rear cill along the house wall then drill and fix using the raw bolts provided. Please click image to enlarge.
Bolt all the outer cill sections together and position the base legs on top of the pads. Check the levels throughout using a spirit level and adjust using the adjustable screw legs. Please click image to enlarge.
Slot the floor joists into the brackets and secure with the nuts and bolts supplied. Position the joist supports and continue to check the base is level. When all is finished, tighten all the fixings. Please click image to enlarge.
Fix the numbered skirt sections to the base as per the plan provided. Please click image to enlarge.
Lay out the damp course membrane onto the base and position the wall sections as shown in the plan provided. Bolt all sections together then screw each section to the steel base. All the screws and bolts that you will need are provided. When secure, finish by placing the spare bricks into place and mortar around using mortar supplied. Please click image to enlarge.
You are now ready to erect the conservatory and lay the flooring and underfloor insulation. Once you have plastered and decorated you can sit down and enjoy your new conservatory with the satisfaction of a job well done. Please click image to enlarge.
Summary of DIY Conservatory Base
No builders required
Made to measure
Minimum site disruption, no large scale building work
Ideal for difficult site access
Quicker and easier installation
No need for large scale excavations
No need to relocate manholes or drains
Can be installed over existing patios, on flat roof or balconies
Can be installed all year round, no bad weather hold-ups
All insulation and chipboard flooring supplied as standard
Framing is known as “rough carpentry”, and is the most important feature of your home. The structure of a house is found in the framework, which reveals a first glimpse of the structure’s final form. It needs to be strong enough to carry the weight of everything attached to it.
Materials Used
The most common materials for framing are pine wood, hemlock, brick, concrete and steel. For most home projects you can use wood.
Lumber is by far the most popular construction framing material because it’s readily available, easy to work with, and comparatively less expensive than other framing materials. Modern stick frame homes consist of a logical system of upright and horizontal framing members constructed from readily available, standard-size lumber, called dimensional lumber.
Sill Plates and Beams
Although mastering complex framing tasks requires years of study and practice, basic house framing is within the reach of most do-it-yourself builders.
The first step in framing any residential structure is the laying of the sill plates and beams. You should take great care and get these located in the proper place. Squareness and proper dimensions will make the rest of the framing job go more efficient for you and everyone down the line, finish carpenter, flooring installer, and even the roofer’s job will go better.
FRAMING:
Many aspects of home framing are regulated by local building codes, which may specify the dimensions or design of ceilings, doorways, windows, halls, stairs or other elements of your home. There may be codes that require certain framing features be used, or be eliminated. Where building is regulated by code, any framing project will require an inspection and a permit.
There are three basic parts to framing: walls, floors and roofs.
1/ Walls:
There are three basic methods of wall framing:
Platform Framing
-Platform Framing: It is the most common type of wall framing. It is used in residential construction. Its main advantage is that the floor is assembled independently and provides a working surface from which to assemble and erect walls and partitions for the next floor.
Today most two or three story homes are constructed using platform framing. Platform framing involves the construction of walls and floors by using single story wall studs to form the exterior walls, and attaching floor joists to the top of the walls to create upper floors.
To more specifically describe the platform framing method it is best to start from the ground up. The sill above the foundation wall consists of a sill and a header. The frame is built one story at a time. The studs of each story end at the bottom of the top plates.
Platform framing produces a structurally strong home that reduces the risks of fires spreading quickly from the basement to upper levels. And because the walls are shorter and lighter they are less expensive, and easier and safer to construct and erect.
Balloon Framing
-Balloon Framing: It was used from the mid-1800s to the 1940s, isn’t commonly used anymore because the wall studs run the entire height of a two-story house — from the sill to the second-floor top plate.
This method isn’t possible anymore because:
a) Today, lumber that strong and long just isn’t readily available. b) Balloon framing needs fire stopping to prevent fires from traveling from floor to floor through the stud cavity and anyway Platform Framing automatically accomplishes this.
-Post and Beam framing: It is a version of the traditional timber-and-pole style of framing a building, the assembly of framing members that are set at a spacing that exceeds two feet. Pre-manufactured infill wall panels (SIPs) are often used to complete the wall assembly. Its reliance on heavy structural elements posted at long intervals instead of lighter 2-by-x lumber that needs to be spaced more closely. The floors and ceiling rest on large beams that are supported by large posts. The posts are spaced far apart to provide flexibility in arranging the interior of the house.
Post and Beam Framing
There are two types of walls:
-Load bearing walls: Load-bearing walls literally bear the structural load of all construction members and forces above them. Headers, the beams that span across window and door openings, are an essential part of load bearing walls.
The thick beams accept and distribute the load of the structure’s roof and other stresses to prevent structural collapse. Thus, load-bearing walls also require special attention to anchoring at their bottom plates, which securely connect the walls to a floor or foundation.
- Partition walls: Partition walls bear no load, but simply create a partition between separate spaces.
2/ Floors:
Floor framing for residential dwellings must be designed and built to fulfill several functions. Lumber or manufactured beams span the open space of an elevated floor, bear the load of interior wall framing and create a flat, supportive surface for floor decking and finished coverings.
Ground Floor Framing
Floor framing is similar to wall framing, but for a sub-floor (which lies atop the foundation or basement), you will need to surround the area with a sill plate and rim joists (and possibly hang support beams, if spanning a long distance) before creating the floor frame.
First floor platforms (subfloors) cover the floor joists. They are made of different materials including plywood, hardwood boards and particleboard.
NOTE: The parallel boards in floor framing are called “joists,” while the plywood cover is known as “decking.”
The sill or sill plate is the timber (usually made of 2×10 foot wood planks) that’s secured to the top of the foundation wall to form a link between the foundation and the home’s upper structure.
3/ Roofs:
Roof structures consist of several framing units, most notably a ridge board, which forms the peak of a roof and rafters, the sloping members that attach to the ridge at one end and the structure’s walls at the other end.
Occasionally, a horizontal framing member, called a joist, stretches between corresponding rafters.
Gable Roof Drawing
The two basic types of roof framing consist of stick-built roofs and roof trusses.
Roof trusses are very sturdy for their size and weight. In most home designs roof trusses require no load-bearing walls between the exterior walls which provides more flexibility in designing the interior walls. Roof trusses are also cheaper. Their biggest disadvantage is the lack of attic space as a result of the cross members.
Stick-built roofs are more appropriate for high pitches or odd-shaped or contemporary rooflines. They use individually erected rafters, ridge boards, ceiling joists and collar beams assembled on the job.
Once trusses are in place, you can cover them with plywood sheathing and build soffits under the overhang.
Work Quality:
A house frame needs to be straight. The wood needs to be solid, and the construction free of defects. The most important thing, corners must be square, angles must be sharp, and floors need to be flat.
A fascia board is attached to the end of the rafters/truss at the eaves, where the guttering is attachedfor the roof rainwater drainage. These are also placed at the ends of gable roofs to cover the rafters/truss.
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There are many benefits to choosing a Durabase over a tradiontional base...
