Has the church found a solution to the housing shortage?

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance discusses the recent moves by the Church of England to unlock its land for housing developments. In a dramatic change of policy, the Church of England has signposted... View Article

A difficult picture for SMEs

Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) takes a look at the challenges facing smaller builders this year, and what the Government can do to help. As the lockdown gradually lifts, and a semblance of normal life... View Article

Why is MMC not more common?

A new NHBC report on Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has just been released which looks at the benefits to industry, as well as current reluctance to adoption. The organisation’s head of standards, research and innovation, Richard Smith, explains. Prefabricated... View Article

Has Covid-19 been a catalyst for modular?

Lockdown and all the subsequent restrictions have seen greater emphasis placed on the utilisation of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Wayne Oakes, director at engineering consultancy firm Dice, looks at how this is breaking the stigma that still persists. The... View Article

Material change needed in 2021

The FMB’s Brian Berry takes a look at the changes that must be seen in Government policy to allow SME builders to thrive in these uncertain times. 2021 has started on a positive note. Only a matter of hours into... View Article

New roofing concept achieves prestigious verification

Ultrapanel Technologies has become the first ‘room in the roof’ specialist in the UK to secure both BBA Certification and the prestigious NHBC Accepts mark for its offsite manufactured Ultrapanel® roofing system. Ultrapanel is a totally new precision engineered patented concept in roofing... View Article

2020 sees rise in demand for UK furniture

With every economic crisis, there tends to be some winners among the many losers, and with the coronavirus pandemic being so unique in nature, there have been some unique winners to come with it. One of the major beneficiaries of... View Article

Experts encourage construction to embrace new energy assessment

Building consultancy, C80 Solutions Ltd, has teamed up with electric heating manufacturer, ThermoSphere, to launch TalkSAP10, a new initiative helping the construction sector to understand and embrace a major change in the way energy performance is assessed in residential developments.... View Article

A crisis of supply

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and Housing, Management & Maintenance news editor, says the tiny increase in overall numbers of low rent housing is masking a growing affordability problem in England Further evidence of a crisis in the supply of affordable... View Article

Challenging the Government in 2021

The FMB’s Brian Berry considers the state of the housebuilding industry as the new year begins in a time of national crisis, and what the Government needs to do to ensure its recovery. What a year 2020 was. I applaud... View Article

Letting agent fees and services

Every letting agent offers different fees and services. Some agents charge for very specific services with little else. For example, they may charge tenant finding fees for doing just that — finding a tenant. That means no referencing, no drafting... View Article

Undertaking a home renovation

Deciding you want to renovate your home is an exciting time. Whether you’re looking to extend the living, kitchen or bedroom spaces, renovating can add a lot of value to your home. As with any home improvement project, a renovation... View Article

Home improvements boosting construction work, says FMB

Repair and maintenance work is supporting recovery in the construction sector, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to today’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The recovery in the construction... View Article

Joining the fight for increased diversity

Brian Berry explores how a different kind of diversity – housing diversification – is vital to meeting housing targets, and why the FMB has co-founded a new action group. The Government cannot meet its ambition of building 300,000 new homes... View Article

Is wood flooring really a good investment?

If you are thinking of replacing your floor with something a little different from before, maybe you should consider wood flooring. With many choices of patterns and materials to suit your budget, wood flooring is the favorite choice of many... View Article