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Our Building & Project Consultancy department recently arranged for the restoration of period features to a property in the picturesque village of Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
The property was constructed in the 19th century and is Grade II listed with distinctive leaded windows that are important to the special nature of the listed building. The ability to adapt or change the windows was very limited without harming the special character of the building.
Prior to repair of the leaded casements, the windows at the property were in quite poor condition, most did not function properly, and a number had been temporarily repaired making them unusable.
Given their prior experience and expert knowledge of traditional building techniques, our Building & Project Consultancy department reached out to their extensive list of contacts and obtained quotes from specialists for the overhauling and repair of the leaded window casements. A specialist was appointed and the windows were removed from the property and refurbished, before being returned and refitted.
The works have been successfully completed on time and within budget by tradespeople with traditional heritage skills.
For more information or to find out how our Building & Project Consultancy department can help you, please contact us 01234 352201.
Robinson & Hall has recently completed an exciting project to offset carbon and reduce the financial cost of the significant power consumed by The Shuttleworth Collection, workshops, shop, restaurant, visitor centre and collection of historic aircraft by installing 263kwp of roof-mounted solar panels.
The Collection was founded in 1928 by aviator Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth. While flying a Fairey Battle at night on 2nd August 1940, Richard fatally crashed. In 1944, his mother formed the Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust ‘for the teaching of the science and practice of aviation and agriculture’.
The project was initiated by the Trustees as a consequence of crippling energy costs. We were appointed to advise in respect of the planning, practical arrangements and the contract administration for the installation of solar PV panels to the roofs of the Collection’s buildings.
These buildings are a mixture of portal frame and truss roofed hangars dating from the 1920 – 1930s era to 1998. The hangars are close to a conservation area but sit outside the designated area.
We commissioned engineers to assess the loadings on the buildings and to confirm that they were capable of carrying the additional imposed loads. The calculations confirmed that the two hangars proposed to receive the panels were capable without requiring reinforcement.
We reviewed the proposals and noted that the panels were permitted development subject to prior approval (on the basis that they were roof-mounted and not higher than the 200mm prior approval limit).
The site is close to the Collection’s airfield with views of the hangars from the public highway, so to satisfy the local authority officers that there would be no safety hazard for the airfield nor road users, a glint and glare assessment was commissioned. The assessment was prepared by independent consultants and had a satisfactory conclusion.
A prior approval planning application was therefore prepared and submitted and approved after due consultation.
David Sawford, Partner & Head of Planning, Building and Project Consultancy, said, “We were delighted to obtain planning consent for the solar panels, which will significantly reduce the Charity’s costs and go a long way to reducing the operations’ carbon.”
The provision of the solar panels required electrical upgrades to the Collection’s infrastructure including its fuse capacity to be able to export the electricity produced at times of little usage.
Robinson & Hall managed the tender process, contract administration and project supervision for the electrical upgrades and installation of the PV system.
The electrical upgrades were carried out during May with one planned out of hours power shutdown to enable connections and fuses to be upgraded, and the solar PV systems were installed in late May and early June.
At the time of writing this article (one month into the production of power), the 263kwp system has offset power usage to the tune of £28,400.00 based on the current commercial price, and has reduced CO2 emissions over the same period by 6,530kg.
It is estimated that the simple return on investment is 43% based on the current fixed commercial contract electrical rate.
If you have a high electrical usage and are considering renewable technology, we will be pleased to assist with the planning process and procurement/contract administration.
For more information, please contact David Sawford.
Robinson & Hall’s building and project consultancy team has been busy advising several clients on energy efficiency to be incorporated into refurbishment schemes, particularly bearing in mind the Government’s commitment to reduce carbon and increase efficiency of domestic and commercial buildings. The following case studies are typical of our involvement and the types of properties that make up a large proportion of the country’s building stock.
Commercial refurbishment
When the tenant of our client’s commercial property, located on the Elms Industrial Estate in Bedford, vacated, our client wished to refurbish the property to future proof it and update the property’s offering. Their aim was to also improve the D rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to ensure that they could continue to let their property.
The property, which offered a mix of office and warehouse/ manufacturing space, was surveyed and data analysed from service records and the EPC to generate an overview of the current situation, before designing the enhancements.
A draft EPC was produced to determine the quantitative impact of the proposals and a scheme was generated to incorporate the following:
The works required planning consent and our in-house planning team prepared the full planning application and saw the application process through to receiving the approval.
We also project managed the construction works which included preparing the detailed specification, managing the tender process and acting as the Contract Administrator and Principal Designer under the CDM 2015 regulations.
David Sawford commented: “We are delighted that our efforts have allowed the rejuvenation of a dated, inefficient D rated commercial unit to an efficient and desirable property, which achieved an EPC rating of B.”
Residential refurbishment
Our clients purchased their dream house near Baldock in early 2022 following our detailed building survey. The attraction of the property was the rural location within a convenient distance of a railway station giving direct access to London. Although the property had some significant issues identified in our report, not least a faulty septic tank system, despite assurances given by the seller of a working system, they then embarked on a scheme of refurbishment over several phases under our project management.
The property is a 5 bedroom ex-farmhouse, mainly constructed in the Victorian period, but with a dilapidated and disused 1970s extension with a linked outbuilding. Firstly, immediate repairs were attended to including a new sewage treatment system. Following discussion on a revamp of the property, a phased scheme was devised to allow our clients to continue to inhabit the building while work was carried out. The house, located in a remote location, had an oil-fired central heating system so the view was taken to introduce energy saving measures during refurbishment. In the second phase, a ground source heat pump and underfloor heating was fitted to the useable living space. This area was fitted with improved floor, wall and ceiling insulation and a combination of internal and external wall insulation. The heat pump installation took advantage of a government grant of £6,000 under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. The works were completed in December 2022.
The third phase ran from June to December 2023, including full upgrade to the 1970s extension. This area had a new pitched slate roof to complement the main house. Advantage had been taken to install solar PV panels on this roof and linked up to a battery storage system, part supplying the requirements of the heat pump system. To complement the underfloor heating system, we designed and specified a significant thermal upgrade to the dilapidated 1970s extension. The works also included new thermally efficient windows and doors, insulated drylining, replacement ground floors and underfloor heating. It is anticipated that the original EPC ‘E’ rating of the house before work started will now become at least a ‘B’ rating. A more modest refurbishment of the linked outbuilding was also undertaken to provide a garden room and home gym.
Stuart Brown commented: “As the cost of energy continues to grow, we are seeing more people turn to renewable technology to generate their own energy and heat at home. We are pleased to assist our clients in reducing their dependency on fossil fuels.”
EPC legislation has been in statute since 2008 and there has been a progression of more stringent regulations to cajole property owners to do their bit for the Government’s net zero 2050 pledge via the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).
A summary of the current legislation and those expected is detailed below.
The items highlighted in yellow are not yet set into statute and are pending Government announcements.
For advice, please contact David or Stuart.
A Grade II listed timber frame farmhouse was vacated by a farm tenant and handed back to the estate owners in a worn out and unlettable condition.
Robinson & Hall’s building surveyors were instructed to advise and assist the client with obtaining statutory consents. We were also tasked to project manage the refurbishment works to make the property suitable to let again.
The initial inspection revealed several concerning defects including:
Following the initial inspection, Robinson & Hall:
Once the statutory consents had been obtained, including building regulations consent, a full specification was prepared and the construction works were tendered to contractors with traditional repair/building skills.
A family run building contractor was appointed and the repair and alteration works were carried out from August 2022 through to June 2023.
The works were contract administered by Robinson & Hall utilising The Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Contract, which we always recommend in order to ensure that the parties’ responsibilities and obligations are fully understood.
Upon practical completion, the JCT Contract included a six-month rectification period. During this time, the contractor was responsible for defects associated with the works or materials utilised.
David Sawford attended at the end of the rectification period to check if any works were required prior to the end of the contractor’s responsibility and was thrilled to meet the new tenants who were loving the property and had made the house a home.
Upon the completion of the project, a set of as-built documents and maintenance recommendations were provided as, particularly with traditional historic buildings, a level of continual maintenance is required to prevent deterioration.
If you have a listed building or historic structure in need of refurbishment or require maintenance advice, please contact David.
If your property has been affected following the recent inclement weather, it can be a very traumatic and stressful experience.
For any significant claim following a flood or structural damage, your insurance company will appoint a loss adjuster and their own surveyors to investigate the details of the damage and manage the claims process.
However, many policyholders do not realise that they can employ their own surveyor to manage the reinstatement works on their behalf. If you choose to employ Robinson & Hall to act on your behalf, our costs, along with all other reasonable expenses, are included under your claim. Assuming you are adequately insured, it will not cost you a penny to get impartial, qualified advice and management for the duration of the insurance reinstatement works.
We are professionally obliged to undertake projects diligently and must have the resources and capacity to fulfil a project. Insurance companies often have many claims on the go at any one time over a large geographical area. Therefore, they do not necessarily have the time to provide a tailored, bespoke service to each project. Consequently, they may not be able provide the same attention to detail for individual claims, which could lead to them missing important elements critical to the smooth completion of your claim.
We have a vast array of experience dealing with all types of property, including historic and unique buildings. We can advise upon local contractors to tender for the reinstatement works. As long as the contractor’s bid is competitive, the policyholder is able to appoint the builder they feel most comfortable with.
As experienced chartered surveyors, we arrange appropriate inspections and contract administration services to reinstate the damage. If you are adequately insured, our fees will be included in your claim. Typically, you will only be responsible for any excess under the terms of your policy.
Robert Franklin, Head of Architecture & Building Surveying, comments, “If you choose to appoint Robinson & Hall, you can be sure that you are using a qualified local professional, who understands the reinstatement claims process and has you and your building’s best interests as the primary concern. If your loss adjuster has asked you to find a surveyor, or if you would like to exercise your right to appoint your own surveyor to work on your behalf, we can help.”
If you would like to find out more information about the services we offer or to discuss your recent insurance claim, please contact Robert.
Falls from height is one of the most common causes of death and injury on farms. Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a press release stating it intends to increase visits to farms across the country throughout winter 2023 and into spring 2024 to focus on this continuing issue.
Autumn and winter are traditionally a time when farms may need to carry out building maintenance, e.g. repairing leaking roofs or replacing ineffective rainwater goods. This always brings some level of risk and it’s critical to always think carefully about the job first. Before carrying out any work at height, stop and think:
Unsafe work at height really is not worth the risk so make sure that all risks are controlled on your farm. You have been warned!
Please refer to the Farmwise, your essential guide to health and safety in agriculture found here.
If you would like some help and assistance on how best to improve your agricultural buildings or you require a building surveying, then please contact Robert Franklin, Head of Architecture & Building Surveying.
Whilst the Government’s announcement last week had a dramatic impact for domestic properties, there was no such U-turn for commercial property landlords.
If you are a commercial landlord, the legislation has not changed. Since April this year, it has been unlawful to receive rent for a property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of F or G. There are financial penalties for landlords not complying with the legislation, therefore it is critical you carry out a review of your property portfolio to ensure all your properties exceed the minimum EPC rating of E.
We also know that the Government’s future target is for all commercial property to be upgraded to an EPC grade B by 2030. It is therefore still critical for all commercial property owners not to rest easy and still investigate ways of futureproofing their assets.
Please refer to our previous articles for details of how to review your EPC, various potential exemptions and the measures you can easily take here.
We know that both the requirements for EPCs and the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards legislation is very challenging and confusing to some landlords.
Please contact us to ensure you plan ahead to review how energy efficient your buildings are and to agree how best to ensure the minimum grades can be achieved. We can’t always predict future legislative changes, however we can help to ensure your buildings meet the minimum standards, not only for now but also futureproofing for years to come.
For more information or to find out how we can help, please contact Robert Franklin.
According to the Government database, the first half of 2023 has seen a boom in renewable energy installations, with more heat pumps and solar panels being fitted than any six-month period in previous years.
Ofgem has found that over 20,000 households installed solar panels every month of this year so far, whereas heat pumps reached a peak number of 3,000 household installations a month for the first time. June 2023 alone had more renewable energy installations than in any six-month period in recent history. Battery technologies, allowing storage of energy generated by solar PV panels, also exceeded previous numbers.
One of our clients has taken this on board while refurbishing their home near Baldock. The house is a 5 bedroom former farmhouse, mainly constructed in the Victorian period, but with a dilapidated and disused 1970s extension. The house, situated in a remote location, had an oil-fired central heating system. In the first phase of works, a ground source heat pump and underfloor heating were fitted to the useable living space. This area was also fitted with improved floor, wall and ceiling insulation and the works were completed in December 2022. The heat pump installation took advantage of a Government grant of £6,000 under the Micro Generation Scheme.
We are now embarking on the next phase, including a full upgrade to the 1970s extension. This area will have a new pitched roof to complement the main house. Advantage has been taken to install solar PV panels on this roof and it will be linked up to a battery storage system which part supplies the requirements of the heat pump system. To complement the underfloor heating system, we have designed and specified a significant thermal upgrade to the dilapidated 1970s extension. The works include new thermally efficient windows and doors, insulated drylining, replacement ground floors and underfloor heating. This phase commenced in May 2023 and is due to finish in autumn 2023. It is anticipated that the original EPC ‘E’ rating of the house before work started will now become at least a ‘B’ rating when complete.
Stuart Brown, Chartered Building Surveyor, commented “As the cost of energy continues to grow, we are seeing more people turn to renewable technology to generate their own energy and heat at home. We are pleased to assist our clients in reducing their dependency on fossil fuels. There are still Government incentives available to phase out oil and gas boilers, replacing them with heat pumps. We need to continue to push this expansion to meet Government ambitions to reach net zero by 2050.”
For further information or to discuss your renewal energy project with our team, please contact Stuart Brown.
Although the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 has been active for more than 25 years in the UK, there is still confusion over when it applies and to what building projects it covers.
The Act covers not just occupied buildings but any structure with a foundation and so it can include barns, outbuildings and boundary structures such as walls.
The situations when property owners of buildings would come across the Act are:
The principle of the Act is to protect next door from damage caused by the notified works, and if damage does occur then there is a mechanism for resolving it without resorting to Court proceedings. It also allows the building owner rights of access to carry out the work where required.
Own a listed building?
Due to age and construction of a listed building, proposed building works need more detailed thought and consideration. Of course, any intended work to a listed building will need consent of the local authority.
As a reciprocal to the listed building owner carrying out the work, it may be incumbent on the neighbour to serve Notice under the Act for their work.
The procedure
The designer needs to assess the effect of the proposed work and the implications on the building and neighbouring property. At this stage, an experienced party wall surveyor should be consulted to obtain advice on what parts of the Act apply. Assuming the work does fall within the scope of the Act, the procedure is briefly as follows:
An Award sets out what work is intended, timescales and any access requirements. It will include a schedule of condition recording the state of the adjacent property before the work starts, relevant drawings, structural calculations and method statements.
Action
When you have a building project, or your neighbour notifies you of their project under the Act, an experienced party wall surveyor will be able to advise you on the risks to your property and whether a simple consent to the work should be given or an Award is required. Under the Act, all surveyors are required to be impartial in their advice and see that the terms of the Act are properly implemented. In many circumstances, this allows the party wall surveyor to act as an agreed (joint) surveyor for both owners.
Choosing a suitably qualified party wall surveyor will involve selecting a surveyor in membership with either the Pyramus & Thisbe Society or the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors. Those familiar with Shakespeare may recognise where the link between party walls and Pyramus & Thisbe comes from. Pyramus and Thisbe were separated by a wall in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, there was a crack in the wall; Pyramus and Thisbe would meet and speak to each other in secret, using the crack in the wall to communicate with each other without their parents finding out. Sadly, the story did not end well. Fortunately, most party wall matters resolve amicably, but the role of party wall surveyors is to give technical input and see that rights and duties of each party are dealt with fairly in accordance with the Act.
For more detailed advice on specific projects please contact Stuart Brown.
It is fair to say that armed with your title deed, everyone thinks they know where their boundaries are. But do you completely understand all the information on your title plan and is it accurate?
Title Plans can be misleading
Usually the red edging on a title plan is a good guide of ownership. However, you cannot always rely that the lines drawn on the plans are an accurate representation of the boundaries of the land involved. Many people are not familiar with the ‘general boundaries rule’ and are surprised as to the levels of inaccuracy a title plan can highlight.
Common issues that arise with Title Plans
How can we help?
No one likes to be embroiled in a boundary dispute. They can be extremely time consuming, costly and lead to an irreversible falling out with the neighbour. We regularly deal with boundary disputes and see how relatively small matters can easily spiral into heated arguments where neither party wishes to back down.
We always advocate good communication between neighbours to try and resolve disputes swiftly and amicably. However, if communication has broken down, we often find that a good starting point is to survey and prepare a plan of the features which currently exist on site.
If you would like more information or advice on your property boundaries, please call Robert.
