What will you
build?
Steve Bendle– Enterprise Fellow, Community
Finance Solutions
Breakout session at 11.30am
• Land and planning
• Engaging a professional team
• The build process
o Working with a developer
o Self-build
o Project management
o Sustainable methods
Handout –
LAND AND PLANNING
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Local Development Planning Framework
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Benefits for current owner
Affordable housing requirement
Commuted sums
Community Right to Build
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Community Consultation Plan
Local Plan
Affordable Housing Policy
LDP policies
Development boundaries
Exception policy
Departures
?Neighbourhood Plan
Inclusion of homes for sale or for down-sizers at 80-90% open
market
Community Right to Buy
Inclusion of workspace, shops etc
ENGAGING
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A
PROFESSIONAL TEAM
Brief: no set format – what you want and what’s important to
you
Make cost an issue alongside design
Architect as key early appointment; or building surveyor if
refurbishment
Fee scale, time or estimate
Importance of references
Favour actual experience over confidence
Tasks and possible stages
o Feasibility, site investigation, design, specification,
planning requirements
Cost consultant/quantity surveyor
o ?focus on exceptionals
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer, Structural Engineer,
Landscape Architect, Planning Consultant, Wildlife and
Ecology Consultants
SPECIFICATION
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Areas for decision
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sizes
layout: dining/kitchen or dining/living room; separate
wc, room shapes)
amenities (second wc, storage, )
“quality”
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May be easier to require agreement on choice of kitchens, bathroom,
tiling, doors, ironmongery etc but choice may affect price
choices of external materials
sustainable building code
any others: but need to decide which
Handout –
SIZES
• Standard sizes not necessary for HCA
• Good use of space can make smaller dwelling acceptable
• But larger generally better!
1bed 2p 2bed3p
2bed4p
3bed5p
4bed7p
47m2
77m2
93m2
115m2 120m2
66m2
5bed8p
Specification exercise
The architect has included everything you asked for but the
scheme is now too expensive. Where do your priorities lie in
the specification?
• Exercise – 10 minutes
• Seek to agree what priority you would
accord each item
• Handout – specification
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
METHODS
 South-facing
full-height conservatory, with
thermal mass holding heat; heat recovery
ventilation system
 Timber frame, low thermal mass
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e.g. Arco2 model for BNCPT: insulated floor, wall
and roof panels using straw and wool insulation on
“glulam” frame
 Conventional
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Miller Homes scheme Codes 3-6 at Basingstoke using aircrete blocks
not timber frame: heating system is main differential
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£98,000 to building regs
£104,000 Code 3 with air source heat pump
£113,000 Code 4 with ground source heat pump
£128,000 Code 5 with biomass boiler, triple glazed windows
£148,000 Code 6 with 14m2 photovoltaic panel
Scheme includes grey water recycling to achieve Code
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
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Hempcrete
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Natural material, no outgassing, very solid
Straw bale
 Rammed earth
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Particular features/elements
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UK/local timber; FSC certified timber
solar water heating
avoiding use of chemicals which out-gas
water-based or natural paints
“green machine”; reed-bed water recycling
car club: electric car chargers from solar panels
Sustainable construction
exercise
How much do you leave to the architect and when do you
express your own views?
• Exercise – 10 minutes
• Try to agree what you would say in
instructing the architect
• Handout – sustainable construction
methods
CHOICE:
 Choice
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YOURS OR THE ARCHITECT’S?
based on
Local circumstances/opportunities
What you think important
How much detail you want to be involved in
How innovative you want to be
Is there a low cost, low impact solution?
Avoid: building conventionally and trying to bolt on
Grant availability
Complex range of programmes
 Feed in tariffs make many generating elements economic: under
consultation – see www.decc.gov.uk and various private sites such
as www.fitarriffs.co.uk
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BUILD PROCESS
 Professional
team
 Procurement - builder or
developer
 Project management
FORMS
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Contract arrangement affect degree of control
Is control necessary?
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OF CONTRACT/PROCUREMENT
Could be best to let develop choose dimensions and materials to
minimise cost
May not want architect to have opportunity to add cost
May want to avoid having to take too many decisions
Three main options
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conventional
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design and build
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control of all aspects via architect
but still need to decide what to decide
performance spec.
can still be specific where wish
off-the-shelf
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Changes around margin
Handout – diagram showing different routes
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
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Project management role
Choosing/appointing professional team
 Agreeing specification and design as client
 Securing finance
 Obtaining financial approvals
 Ensuring the scheme will meet the identified needs
 Problem solving
 Progress chasing
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Options
Designated CLT Board members
 RSL or DT partner for fee
 Appointee
 May depend on architect or employer’s agent capabilities
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SELF-BUILD
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Key issues
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must have suitably enthusiastic individuals (& local housing authority
must agree selection process)
Scheme should be designed appropriately: Walter Segal method
provides best chance of success
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www.communityselfbuildagency.org.uk/
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Experience not essential
Aim to mix of building experience
Self-finish
Potential for 30% cost reduction so 2-bed home costs £85,000
Site layout and appearance may be unconventional: speak
early to planners
Options
Affordability improved for self-builders; but affordability of resales less good - £85k 2-bed becomes £110k on resale if £25k
sweat
KEY ISSUES
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Get the right team
Recognise what’s important to you
Decide early in procurement route
Have some options around project management
Handouts – extract from “So you want to build a house…