Energy efficiency in residential dwellings

One in every five UK households are currently in fuel poverty. Coupled with the fact that energy providers are continually raising their prices, this issue is becoming increasingly prominent; the basic necessity of keeping warm can no longer be taken for granted. It is estimated that a minimum of 5.5 million people within the UK are living in houses that are inadequately heated

Source: www.eco-uk.co.uk

Fuel poverty occurs when a household spends 10% or more of its income on fuel; figures show that one in every five UK households are currently in fuel poverty. Coupled with the fact that energy providers are continually raising their prices, this issue is becoming increasingly prominent; the basic necessity of keeping warm can no longer be taken for granted. It is estimated that a minimum of 5.5 million people within the UK are living in houses that are inadequately heated due to self-rationing, made necessary by insufficient funds (The Guardian 2011). Modern new build properties benefit from legislation such as Part L of the Building Regulations, which ensure that construction is adequately insulated. Efficient methods of heating property are also being implemented more regularly; this however, provides no relief for the millions of people living within existing housing stock. 

While there are ways in which home-owners can improve thermal efficiency, methods often require financial investment (sometimes substantial), and exhibit long payback periods. Improving thermal efficiency, using external wall insulation for example, can result in payback periods of 12 years and cost as much as £65 per square metre (Oxford Solar n.d.). This can mean that while people may want to improve their homes, the same financial concerns which mean they are subjected to cold living conditions, prevent steps being taken to make improvements.  In addition to financial benefits, increasing efficiency will also result in fewer carbon emissions. The Climate Change Act 2008 has made the UK the only Country which has introduced a legally binding framework intended to address climate change by reducing emissions by at least 80% by 2050, when compared to the levels seen in 1990 (Committee on Climate Change n.d). Ensuring that existing homes are used efficiently is a cost effective way of contributing towards this target. The former coalition government saw Green Deal as a vehicle for meeting these targets; however Green Deal did not have the effect that the government had hoped. 

A Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) - Source: abodesolutions.com

Daniel Coghlan, a recent graduate of mine at Coventry University, considered energy efficiency in residential dwellings as part of his final year dissertation, and undertook some very interesting research. The purpose of the research was to ascertain whether heating costs could be reduced by using an existing heating system more efficiently. If this was possible then this would allow savings to be made with little or no financial investment. The research involved taking meter readings in a selected residential property both before and after alterations were made to the use and set-up of the heating system. The usage during both periods was then compared to ascertain whether the alterations that were made have affected the efficiency of the central heating system, and if they have, to what extent.  The property selected was a detached 1970’s house with insulated cavity walls. The heating system comprised of a condensing combination boiler which fed a wet radiator array; heat was controlled using a programmer integral to the boiler, a central room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves on each of the radiators.

A meter reading was taken on the 1st October 2011 and one was obtained from the resident for the 1st September 2011. The resident at the property was then left to utilise the heating system as they normally would; repeat readings were taken at the first of each month for a total period of 3 months, ending on 01st December 2012. The purpose of this was to ascertain energy usage over a set period of time prior to any system alterations. Following this, alterations were made to the system. These alterations included:

       1. Bleed radiators to remove trapped air
       2. Balance System
       3. Discuss room use and set TRVs accordingly
       4. Reduce temperature of system slightly
       5. Remove restrictions surrounding TRVs
       6. Set a programme timer suitable for general daily use
       
The results from the case study showed that alterations made to the set-up and use of the central heating system within the property resulted in a reduction of 18% in energy usage. It is understood that there were a number of limitations to the research, however this result  provides a strong indication that considered use can improve efficiency. In addition to the case study a questionnaire was devised to establish the levels of understanding of the use of a central heating system. Of the returned questionnaires, only 14% of those who responded used their central heating systems efficiently. Therefore, the combined result of the research shows that the efficiency of a central heating system can be improved by altering use, and currently, there is a deficiency in understanding or common practice of incorrect central heating system use within the UK.  

Limitations with the research were; 

Within the case study, monitoring was undertaken for three months in each period consecutively. This meant that varying weather conditions will have affected the boiler efficiency and the consequential energy consumption may not be completely representative of the alterations made. 

Another consideration is gas usage within the case study property as gas is not used exclusively for heating; the cooker hob is also fuelled using gas. This means that, while the same number of residents were residing within the property during both periods, varying eating patterns may have introduced further inaccuracy into the results. December for example is a time when residents are off work, and likely to entertain, again resulting in more cooking, higher gas usage and less reliable results. 

Different families are likely to have different comfort requirements and eating habits for example. In addition to this, differing windows, doors, thermal insulation, boiler type and radiator sizing for example would all make data obtained from different properties less directly comparable.  In addition there are a number of potential limitations commonly associated with observational information gathering techniques, such as when individuals or groups of individuals are aware they are being watched, they can sometimes change their behaviour, a phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect (Kumar 2005: 120-121).

Despite these limitations the research demonstrated that energy and consequently cost savings can be made by educating and encouraging people to use their heating systems more efficiently.  Notwithstanding the fact that buildings also need to be made thermally efficient in the first instance, otherwise all of the heat created is likely to disappear through the walls.

(The above article is a summary of research undertaken by Daniel Coghlan BSc(Hons) as part of his final year dissertation at Coventry University and is published with the express permission of Daniel)

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog. 

House hunting? - Look beyond the decorations!

No matter what the condition or quality of the decorations and other finishes, most people will usually re-decorate to their own taste anyway.  It is important that your mind is focused on looking beyond this, which will allow you to focus on the condition and layout of the building

Source: www.ibtimes.co.uk

Throughout my career as a Building Surveyor I have been lucky enough to have undertaken many different types of surveys of all types of buildings both large and small and in varying degrees of condition. This experience has given me the ability to identify 'possible issues' in a building without undertaking an intrusive inspection. In simple terms if you know where to look and what to look for, you can quickly establish issues that may need much closer attention.

Whilst house hunting fairly recently and viewing properties for the first time you may be surprised to learn that even as a Chartered Building Surveyor I am in the same boat as everyone else. Most properties that my wife and I recently viewed were both occupied and furnished and for a first viewing most sellers would expect a quick tour of the building followed by few questions. I think they would be a little shocked if I walked in with my surveying equipment and then started to systematically take their house to pieces so that I could decide if it was worth returning for a second visit! Something tells me that even if I wanted a second viewing the seller is unlikely to want me back! Even though my natural instinct is to be more intrusive I have to extend the same courtesy as anyone else.

Source: www.repointer58.com

When undertaking the viewing (notice the term 'viewing' and not 'inspection') there are some key things that I look for which will give me a good idea of the general condition of a building. Although I would always advise anyone to have an inspection carried out be a qualified surveyor I also thought it would be worth sharing some tips, so that those with limited or indeed no knowledge of buildings may at least be able to identify issues that they could question and bring to the attention of their advisers. This basic knowledge could also be a deciding factor which may lead to a decision not to pursue a particular property and to focus your attention on others.

Externally, I will always look at the condition of the external walls for signs of cracking, distortion (possibly bulging) and also the condition of the materials generally.  Cracking and/or distortion can occur for many different reasons and the consequences can sometimes be very serious.  It is however worth noting that if cracking or distortion in an external wall is noted that it could be historic and less significant than the damage may suggest.  There is a natural reaction by many people to panic when they see cracking in a building, however in many cases the problem can be rectified reasonably quickly and cheaply.  If you do identify cracking in a building it is always worth obtaining professional advice to arrive at an accurate prognosis.   Also, look out for signs of 'new' pointing.  Pointing refers to the horizontal and vertical mortar joints that 'bond' the masonry units together.  If you see a slightly lighter (in colour) or a different colour, area of pointing, particularly if this is in a vertical stepped position, this would suggest that recent cracking may have occurred and the cracking has been infilled.  Again, bring this to the attention of your professional advisor.

External ground levels should also be looked at closely, particularly at the junction of external walls. A damp proof course is installed in external perimeter walls to prevent moisture rising through masonry by capillary action and into a building.  Current Building Regulations require the damp proof course to be installed 150mm above external ground levels. The importance of the damp proof course is often not appreciated and you will often see raised flower beds installed abutting external walls, new driveways installed at a higher level that previously and render being applied to walls.  All of these have the potential to 'bridge' the damp proof course and provide an easy path for moisture and damp to find its way into a building.

When viewing internally it is important to look beyond the internal decorations and furnishings. Everyone has different tastes and often the conversation after the viewing can focus on 'that hideous room' or 'those awful carpets'!  This however is missing the point.  No matter what the condition or quality of the decorations and other finishes, most people will usually re-decorate to their own taste anyway.  It is important that your mind is focused on looking beyond this, which will allow you to focus on the condition and layout of the building. Try to focus on the potential of a house and this will open your mind up to think about what you can do rather than what you do not want to do.  In the whole process of buying a house, decorations and furnishings should be the least of your concerns, given that there are so many other serious problems that could arise.

Internally, you should look closely at the internal wall surfaces for signs of dampness.  This will include visible damp patches, peeling or flaking paint or possible peeling wallpaper. Dampness can occur in a building in many ways such as rising damp, penetrating damp and also condensation. In ground floor rooms pay particularly close attention at low level especially on the inside surface of external walls. Any damp identified above a metre and a half above ground level, will not be rising damp and may be a result of leaking plumbing or possible damp penetration from poorly maintained gutters and downpipes.  It is not uncommon for condensation mould to be present, especially in kitchens and bathroom.  This is due to the activity and subsequent high concentrations of water vapour in these rooms. Condensation could suggest poor ventilation, poor thermal insulation to external walls or possibly inadequate heating, or a combination of these.

If you identify dampness or cracking during your visit then bring these to the attention of your professional advisers. Hopefully the above information will help those who are unfamiliar with buildings to identify some warning signs that would suggest further investigation.  A Surveyor will undertake a detailed and comprehensive survey, if instructed, and this will provide you with an explanation of the condition of a building together with the likely cause and recommended remedial works.  So if you undertake a viewing and you identify some of the issues discussed above you may decide not to pursue that particular house any further or to seek further professional advice.

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog.

Modern House or Older House? – ‘Quirky’ can come at a cost!

Opinions are often divided between those wanting to live in an older building, compared to the relative comfort that a more modern building can offer.  That is not to suggest that older/quirky buildings cannot be warm and comfortable, however in these types of buildings this can come at a cost. 
  

Source: theirishaesthete.com

‘Quirky’ is a word often used by people to describe features in a house that are unconventional compared to ‘the norm’, particularly when compared to modern houses.  The term is used frequently by those viewing or living in cottages, Tudor or medieval houses or in fact any house that exhibits unique features or characteristics compared to the more standard features of modern houses.  These features could include things such as low ceilings, narrow doorways, exposed timber beams, out of plumb walls, uneven and creaky timber floors, inglenook fireplaces, window seats and so on…… Opinions are often divided between those wanting to live in an older building, compared to the relative comfort that a more modern building can offer.  That is not to suggest that older/quirky buildings cannot be warm and comfortable, however in these types of buildings this can come at a cost.  

It has been a requirement for many years under UK Building Regulations to construct buildings with high level of thermal efficiency and this is something that is constantly being amended to make buildings even more thermally efficient and air tight than ever before.  So, the decision to live in a more ‘modern’ building will often revolve around this higher level of thermal comfort and modern facilities that these buildings offer.  Many people seem to be prepared to accept these, sometimes characterless, standardised houses, with perfect right angles and flush plastered walls, which seems to be the conventional ‘norm’ which is referred to at the beginning of this article.  Accepted, there will always be some exceptions where those constructing new houses will try to incorporate architectural and period features however these are few and far between.  The reason this is so rare is usually because of a desire to cram as many plots onto a site as possible, to be built as cheaply as possible and to therefore maximise profit.  There is also a general reduction in traditional craft skills, which are being lost as older craft workers retire and colleges fail to teach new ‘apprentices’ these types of skills.

Source: www.ctge.co.uk

When undertaking surveys of older houses I was always disappointed when someone had refurbished an ‘older’ house and in the process removed many (sometimes all) of the features and characteristics that gave it its character and identity.  Once refurbished it would look like any modern house and it made me wonder why they had not purchased a modern house in the first place and just left the original features alone.  Seeing a building treated in this way could be likened to watching your grandad trying to rap – completely inappropriate, uncomfortable and just not right Nowadays many of our older buildings have been given listed status and are protected.  There are however many others that do not have this protection and are vulnerable to the army of future property developers who are likely to pay little regard to maintaining the original features and place more priority on simplicity and profit.

If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to live in an older house and want to maintain it and enjoy it for the purposes it would have been originally constructed for, then there are a number of things you need to be aware of. Firstly, find out if the building is listed (protected) and if so what type of listing it is.  It is against the law to undertake any work to a listed building without first obtaining permission.  The type of listing will determine what type of permission you need and also the type of work you can do to the building.  You can contact your local authority to find out this information.

I recently moved house and purchased a cottage.  The main entrance to the building leads directly into the old cottage and at the rear there is a large modern extension.  It is quite fortunate that we have a modern extension at the rear, as the main front entrance door is fairly small.  Also, the stairs in the cottage are quite narrow as is the head height on the stairway.  On the day of the move we soon realised that our wardrobes would not fit up the stairs and that our three piece suites were not going to fit through the door openings. It was necessary to bring everything through a large set of patio doors at the rear and leave them in our kitchen.  The following day I had to dismantle the wardrobes, piece by piece, carry then upstairs and re-assemble them in each bedroom.  In order to get one of our three piece’s into our front lounge it was necessary for us to pay a glazier to remove half of our UPVC double glazed bay window and then put it back when we had lifted the three piece through. This may have cost us £120, however the three piece was fairly new and it was much cheaper that having to buy a new smaller one!

The timber floors in the cottage are creaky, we have a log burner in the front lounge and the cottage have a real sense of history too it.  Having lived in a modern house, I honestly would not swap this new one for the world. When I undertake any work to the cottage I have no intention of taking away its ‘quirky’ features, in fact it is these features that makes it what it is! I appreciate that not everyone will have the same taste as me, however, the more people that can understand the significance of the heritage of our older buildings and also appreciate the craftsmanship that is part of the fabric and structure of these buildings, then the more people that will experience the same privilege as I do by waking up each day in such a quirky house! 

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog. 

Condensation in Buildings - Part 2 – How to reduce the risk!

There are a few very simple, but nevertheless very effective ways we can reduce the risk of condensation, just by simply being aware of some of the activities we would normally undertake without even thinking

Source: thevideo.biz

In order to understand how to reduce the risk of condensation it is important to first understand how it occurs. If you have not already done so I would recommend reading last week’s article (Link), ‘How condensation occurs’, before going any further. You will then understand that the ‘ingredients’ necessary for condensation to occur are moisture vapour and cold surfaces, which are exacerbated by poor heating and poor ventilation.  The cold surfaces could be present due to thermally inefficient walls and surfaces, particularly in older buildings.  In fact there are a whole host of reasons why the internal surface temperature of the internal fabric of a building may be cold (walls, windows, ceilings etc.,) including poor maintenance of external walls, rising damp, penetrating damp due to leaking rainwater guttering or downpipes, leaking roofs, single glazed windows, poor weather sealing around openings and cold bridges, which are areas of the building fabric which are less thermally efficient than the surrounding construction.

To reduce the risk of condensation occurring there are two things we should consider. Firstly, dealing with the cause of the condensation and secondly, looking at the way we use a building and trying to find ways of reducing the amount of moisture vapour we emit.

In order to rectify the problem, we first need to establish the cause. This is where you may need the advice of a Building Surveyor, who will be able to undertake a thorough inspection and establish which factors or combination of factors are contributing to the condensation. This is important because if you do not deal with ALL of the contributing factors, you may slow down the amount of condensation occurring, however you will not actually solve the problem. For example you may decide to improve the heating system, but if you do not deal with the thermally inefficient walls, then all of that increased heat will just disappear through the walls, and will have a limited effect. So depending on what is established as the cause, it may be necessary to increase the internal surface temperature of the walls by either insulating internally (dry lining) or externally (insulated render system), replacing windows, improving ventilation (possible a mechanical extractor fan) and upgrading the heating system. As you would imagine, this could become very expensive, which highlights why you may need the advice of a professional to ensure that the correct remedial measures are undertaken. All buildings are different and the way we use buildings will also be different, therefore we cannot assume that the cause of condensation and the remedial works required will be the same in every situation.

After dealing with the building we must also consider ways in which we can reduce the amount of moisture vapour we emit in buildings.   There are a few very simple, but nevertheless very effective ways we can achieve this, just by simply being aware of some of the activities we would normally undertake without even thinking.

Source: www.prokil.co.uk

Bathing, washing and cooking are activities that we cannot avoid however all produce large amounts of moisture vapour. We must undertake these activities on a day to day basis, however when showering/bathing, try to not leave the shower or bath taps running more than you need, switch them off as soon as you can.  If you have extractor fans, ensure that they are working, adequately sized and switched on when needed. Although it may be cold outside, when you are leaving the bathroom, open the window to let fresh air in, which will soon clear the moisture vapour and prevent it condensing on the walls and windows.

If you are using a tumble dryer ensure that it is vented to the outside.  I have undertaken a number of previous inspections where I have seen the flexible tumble dryer vents extracting into a room, rather than outside.  This was due to in both cases to lack of thought of the location of the tumble dryer and a general lack of understanding on the part of the occupiers. Also, when drying clothes try to avoid placing them on top of radiators.  This is usually done for convenience, however again produces large amounts of moisture vapour.  Whenever possible washing should be dried outside, or if weather conditions do not permit this then consider using an appropriately vented tumble dryer, or maybe a trip to the launderette.

When cooking use an extractor hood if you have one above your cooker and keep lids on saucepans as much as you can.  Avoid using bottled gas and paraffin heaters these produce large amounts of moisture vapour. 

Finally, but very importantly, try to ensure you have a regular flow of fresh air around your house/buildings.  This effectively dries out any moisture vapour and prevents it reaching concentration levels where condensation may become an issue.  Granted, nobody wants to release all of that lovely heat from a building in the depths of winter, however, opening windows for a short period of time may result in the internal environment becoming temporarily cooler, but it will also significantly help to reduce the risk of condensation.

Hopefully, now that you know how condensation occurs you can start to thing about ways in which you can help to reduce the risk.  In future articles I will discuss other forms of damp in buildings such as rising damp and penetrating damp.

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog.

Condensation in Buildings - Part 1 – How it occurs

If left untreated condensation can become a significant problem so it is important that people understand how it occurs and how to deal with it.  Due to the fact that condensation produces water/moisture it can also act as a catalyst for a number of other defects that can be found in buildings

Source: www.biocraft.co.uk

Most people will have seen damp in their homes in one form or another, and in fact damp is one of the most common problems encountered in houses.  Damp can manifest itself in a number of ways including ‘wet patches’ on surfaces, mould growth and sometimes a musty smell.  If left untreated damp can lead to deterioration of internal surfaces and finishes, provide a very unsightly appearance and in certain circumstances lead to health problems, particularly for vulnerable user groups such as the elderly, young children and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma. There are a number of different types of damp that can occur in buildings including rising damp and penetrating damp, however for the purposes of this article I want to focus on condensation.

In order to understand how we can deal with condensation it is important to first understand how it occurs.  All air contains a certain amount of ‘invisible’ water vapour.  You may not realise it, but as a human beings we are emitting water vapour constantly, you may not see it but it really is happening. Water vapour is also emitted by the activities we undertake in the home including washing, cooking, drying clothes, using portable heaters such as calor gas etc.  Basically, there are large volumes of water vapour being emitted in your home and the amount of water vapour that is emitted is determined by the activites that we carry out and the number of people in your house at any particular time.  Condensation occurs when this water vapour comes into contact with cold surfaces and the air no longer has the capacity to hold any more water vapour.  In order to understand this we need to first understand relative humidity, which is a generally poorly understood term.

Source:m.google.com

Relative humidity relates to the actual water vapour present in air to that which could be present and is routinely expressed as a percentage. The reason we refer to ‘relative’ humidity is because air has a varying ability to hold moisture vapour depending on temperature.  Warm air can hold more water vapour than cold air.  Once relative humidity reaches 100% it no longer has the ability to hold any more water vapour and it will start to condense on cooler surfaces (something referred to as ‘Dew Point’), which is the physical change into a liquid (condensation).

As an example, think about your bathroom.  When you have a bath or shower large quantities of water vapour are produced.  Sometimes this will develop into a ‘fog’ in the room until you open the window or turn on an extractor fan.  Have you ever noticed that you get water developing on your windows and walls?  This is condensation.  Have you ever wondered why this happens more readily on cold days, and in the warmer months it is hardly noticeable?  This is because the air in your bathroom on colder days has less capacity to hold moisture than the air in your bathroom during warmer temperatures (remember warm air can hold more water vapour than cold air).  Windows, particularly in older buildings are generally less thermally efficient than the surrounding structure such as the walls.  Therefore the internal surface temperature of the windows will be a few degrees cooler than the surface temperature of the walls.  This will mean that once dew point occurs (100% relative humidity), it will start to condense on the cooler surfaces first, i.e the windows, before it starts to condense on the surrounding walls.

Condensation can occur in any room in a house or within the structure of a house (interstitial condensation), including roof and floor voids, basically anywhere, where there is water vapour and cold surfaces.  If left untreated condensation can become a significant problem so it is important that people understand how it occurs and how to deal with it.  Due to the fact that condensation produces water/moisture it can also act as a catalyst for a number of other defects that can be found in buildings, namely timber decay such as wet rot or dry rot, as well as causing mould growth and potential health problems.

You do not need to be a damp specialist or building surveyor to be able to deal with condensation or at least reduce the risk of it occurring.  There are numerous products on the market that claim to reduce or remove the risk of condensation in homes including paints and sprays.  These types of products may temporarily remove condensation mould that may have already occurred, or cover over damp mould, however the only certain way of removing the risk of condensation is to understand the root cause, which will vary from building to building, and to rectify these root causes.  The usual factors that result in condensation are poor thermal insulation, inadequate heating and inadequate ventilation, or a combination of these.  In the next article I will explain how you can reduce the possibility of condensation in your home and if you already have problems with condensation I will tell you how to deal with it.

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog.

The Use of Timber in UK House Construction - A short history

Timber has proved itself to be an adaptable and flexible material throughout history, and with the ability to replenish the wood that we use, there is nothing to suggest that its popularity will reduce

Source: http://www.gallica.co.uk/

Timber is a lightweight, adaptable and recyclable material that has been used in construction in the UK for many thousands of years.  The use of timber for construction can be traced back over 3000 years to the Celts who constructed quite simple, but nevertheless effective 'round houses', which provided shelter and security albeit at a rather basic level. The image on the right shows a roundhouse under construction. As the years moved on the use of timber became more widespread with the Romans, the Anglo Saxons and the Vikings using and adapting timber to create larger and more expansive buildings. 

Take the Romans for example - most would associate Roman buildings as large masonry constructed villas, with painted plastered walls, mosaic floors and running water etc., because when a film or documentary about the Romans is broadcast, this is what is usually portrayed. It is difficult not to admire the skills and ingenuity of the Romans based upon the many wonderful examples of Roman buildings still in existence in the UK and around the world, however these larger masonry structures were inhabited primarily by the rich and powerful, and the reality was that most Romans lived in timber constructed buildings similar to the Celts who preceded them.

Source: Google Images

The Anglo Saxons (c. 420AD to 700AD) and the Vikings (c. 700AD to 1000AD) who followed the Romans, made further use of the vast amount of available timber in the UK and began moving away from the familiar round houses and started to construct square and oblong shaped houses, with some larger ones incorporating a small number of rooms. The Vikings started to increase the length of their houses to incorporate larger internal areas and these became know as 'longhouses'. Many Viking houses were also constructed partly below ground level and although this would require a high level of hand digging, it made the house much more comfortable when completed as it protected the internal environment from draft and cold, particularly in the often harsh weather conditions in the depths of winter.

The Medieval Period followed the Viking occupation of the UK, this period in history famously started following the Battle of Hastings in 1066 (Norman King Harold, arrow in the eye and the bayeux tapestry and all that!) and lasted to c.1500 AD.  In the early part of the Medieval Period, timber was used to construct houses, but more closely followed the square oblong shape of the Anglo Saxons, rather that the Viking longhouses.  As the Medieval period developed timber frame construction evolved, with the main structure of the building being completed and then the walls would be infilled around the frame with a technique know as 'wattle and daub'. This was a method of weaving small branches between parts of the timber frame and then 'plastering' onto the weaved branches a mixture of clay, horse hair and sometimes horse dung (yuck!), with water,  This could be smoothed when wet and when it dries out it provided an effective wall finish that would be reasonably weather tight. The short video below gives an example of wattle and daub construction.

Source: Google Images

There are many wonderful examples of medieval buildings in the UK, where the timber frame construction can be seen. Large timber members fixed together with a combination of timber joints and timber pegs allowed construction to be much larger and bolder.  Houses started to incorporate timber framed windows and pitched roofs that commenced mainly as thatch, but eventually incorporated a clay tiled finish.

Timber continued to be used in construction, although masonry started to become much more extensively used during the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian era for the main structure of a dwelling.  In the 'modern era', timber construction has made somewhat of a comeback with timber frame construction fast becoming the preferred method for many developers.

In conclusion, timber has proved itself to be an adaptable and flexible material throughout history, and with the ability to replenish the wood that we use, there is nothing to suggest that its popularity will wane.  On the flip side, timber is also vulnerable in certain conditions to decay and this needs to be carefully considered when using timber in construction and when a building is in use and this is a topic I will cover in further detail in future postings.

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog. 

Party Wall etc. Act 1996 - It's my party and I'll comply if I want to (or so some think!)

The main purpose of the Party Wall etc. Act is to prevent and resolve disputes, however many of my appointments under the Act occurred when a dispute arose after works had commenced

Source: www.party-walls-leicestershire.com

Anyone who deals with law will know that reading legislation can often be cumbersome, time consuming and sometimes difficult to understand and interpret.  This is not the case however with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (Link) which is one of the less detailed, but most prescriptive pieces of legislation that you could hope to read.   The guidance (link above) from the Department of Communities and Local Government, describes the purpose of the Act as 'providing a framework for preventing and resolving disputes in relation to party walls, boundary walls and excavations near neighbouring buildings'.

The amount of Building Owners (a term used under the Act to describe the party who is undertaking the work), who choose to ignore the Act, whether through ignorance (which is no defence in law!) or a genuine desire to cut corners to save on time and expense, never ceases to amaze me. If the main purpose of the Act is to prevent and resolve disputes it seems a contradiction in terms that many of my appointments under the Party Wall Act were usually made when a dispute had already occurred! (at this stage the dispute was in general terms and not a Party Wall dispute). The scenario below from a few years ago was posted on the Building Magazine Forum is typical of situations that I have been appointed to deal with on numerous occasions. The posting is published exactly as it was written by the person who posted it, so the grammar is not perfect;

Source: www.architectcheltenham.co.uk

‘Have lived in current house for 4 years, it's a semi and the other half changed hands last year. New neighbour promptly guts house, relocates bathroom from side of property to rear. Digs deep holes in garden for sewerage but doesn't fill holes in. Moves into home in November.

January applies for planning for two storey side extension, single back extension and front porch. This would take it from 3 beds to 5 beds! Planners refuse but give permission on second application on scaled down side extension with only an a increase to 4 beds. He started 'official' work in April just after receiving permission however had dug front porch foundations before Christmas along with making the 'sewer' holes out the back into bigger foundation shaped holes!

Now my problem. His rear foundations are several feet below my land and right against my fence which is approx a foot from my conservatory. Yesterday I noticed that in fence is leaning and on inspecting it I discover it's floating! as the land my side has started to fall into his excavations. This is happening along about ten foot of the fence starting at the house. He has tied rope to the fence to try to hold it up right but it's not working.

Looking down from an above window I can see gaps appearing in the lead flashing of my conservatory on that side so am worried that his deep excavations, which have been open for some nine months, are damaging my property. First step will be to speak with him but what should I be asking he do? Do I need a Surveyor to check there is no damage?

Also the front porch he's built was supposed to be a lean to roof but he's built it as a ridge roof and water is now pouring onto my house and land. I've spoken to him about this and he plans to put guttering up 'sometime'. 

Can he just change his plans like this’? 

Anyone who is affected by a 'Building Owner's' work as described above, where Party Wall Notices should have been issued, but have not, cannot claim any benefits under the Act, because the provisions within the Act cannot be utilised until correct notification has been issued (the Act is then initialised).  Below is the response I posted to the above scenario:

‘I agree that the Party Wall etc. Act should apply, and your neighbour obviously has not notified you. Seek the advice of a Surveyor immediately. If your property is being significantly affected in the way you suggest then the work next door needs to be stopped immediately and possibly temporary support of your property may need to be undertaken.

If your neighbour refuses to stop work, then you can apply for a County Court injunction to enforce this. Once works are stopped your neighbour should then issue Party Wall notification, for which you will have a number of options. One such option will be that you dissent (do not agree) with the works and in which case you have the option to appoint your own surveyor, who's 'reasonable fees' must be met by your neighbour.

Your surveyor will then work with your neighbour's surveyor and agree a Party Wall Award which will include details about how the works should be completed and what should be done to rectify any damage. The award will be agreed before works re-commence and will give you the comfort of knowing that the works will be completed appropriately and if any damage is caused it will be dealt with.

There is an option for you to select an 'Agreed' surveyor, who will act impartially for you and your neighbour, however when I have been called in, in situation like this I often found that relationships between neighbours had become soured and they wanted to appoint separate surveyors.

I would advise you to contact a surveyor immediately who deals with Party Wall issues, who will go through the procedure with you and hopefully explain the above in more detail’.

My response focused on the Party Wall issues, however there is also a possible breach of planning permission in respect of the porch roof that would need to be investigated. Also, if  the building work is well advanced then retrospective issuing of notices may have a limited effect.  In this scenario a neighbour can always decide to exercise their common law rights, possibly in negligence, trespass, nuisance etc, depending on the circumstances of individual cases.

In conclusion there appears to be a general lack of awareness of the Party Wall etc. Act and it's requirements by members of the public (and their advisers) which through lack of publicity, poor advice or genuine ignorance is not acceptable.  Legislation does not provide a choice, it must be complied with and those who fail to do this must be prepared to face the consequences, so be warned!

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and colleagues who you think would be interested

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog.