their choice. Ultimately by owning or playing an active role in the specification
process, you will get what you want rather than products that simply meet the minimum regulation standards. At the same time, by not getting involved you could risk missing out on a range of products or solutions that could have a major impact on the way you use your home.
Who has the final say on specification?
Ultimately the homeowner has the final say on specification. To get what you want however it may be necessary to combine the following: • An understanding of regulations • An understanding of the implications to a build programme when introducing a new product or system
• A plan that factors in learning time and opting for a builder or installer open to trying new products
• An understanding of what products and systems are available on the market and their cost implications
Many manufacturers that serve the construction sector are increasingly opening the door to the self-build specifier.
How best to handle disagreements over the products being specified?
In short, knowledge is power. To push back against challenges from the builder around specification you will need to know enough to ‘drive your choice home’. This role can be played well by an architect, project manager or designer. If you are taking advantage of a design and build service or even acting as your own project manager you will need to push for your specification. Knowing enough about the product and system to have a reasonable argument versus the standard product is key, so do your research and use manufacturers to support you.
Top notch timber windows and doors
Ventilation gets smart
01283 511122
www.blackmillwork.co.uk Enq. 105
Exhibiting its premium quality timber fenestration on stand 759, Black Millwork’s stand at the Homebuilding and Renovating Show, Sandown from 25 to 26 June is not to be missed. Made from the best knot-free engi- neered timber, Black Millworks exten- sive range of windows and doors will be on display at the company’s stand throughout the two-day show. Black Millwork’s latest range of aluminium- clad windows will also be making an appearance. Available in a variety of
RAL colours and bespoke shapes and sizes, the range delivers U-values as low as 0.7W/m2K – lower than the Passivhaus standard of 0.8W/m2K.
With over 15 million homes in the UK affected by Toxic Home Syndrome, the need to ventilate has never been greater. Airflow Developments has unveiled its Adroit MVHR range. Ideal for selfbuilders, the Passive House cer- tified units are equipped with the latest smart technology that allows air flow settings to be controlled within the home or remotely by PC, Tablet or Smart phone. Utilising MVHR technol- ogy, the Adroit range offers a ‘whole house approach’ to ventilation to help
maintain a healthy internal environment and maximise energy efficiency. For more information on Airflow’s extensive range, visit the company website.
01494 525252
www.airflow.com Enq. 106 Around two thirds of Brits wouldn’t consider working in construction
Construction plays a major part in the UK economy, as well as providing much-needed housing and infrastructure to the country, but is that how the public sees the industry? At a time when the construction industry has a shortfall of talent, with an estimated 100,000 workers needed to cope with Britain’s infra- structure construction demands, the findings of the survey perhaps show the gap between public per- ceptions of the construction industry and the reality. A YouGov poll of 2,000 members of the public, commissioned by Construction United, measured perceptions of a number of industries and found that the vast majority would NEVER consider a career in the construction industry, with just 17 per cent saying that they would give it thought. So why do so many people avoid the industry? The words Brits associate with construction may shed some light on this – when questioned, 68 per cent of the survey-takers described the work as ‘strenuous’, and 58 per cent saw it as ‘dirty’. Meanwhile, only 11 per cent think the industry is ‘exciting’. The industry, however is the driving force behind the biggest investment into British infrastructure since Victorian times. Construction United is a coalition of some of the industry’s leading companies and experts, which flies the flag for all of the great things about the sector, while dis- pelling the myths and outdated perceptions that the public may have about construction.
@ConstructionUtd
www.constructionunited.co.uk Enq. 107 14 selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.co.uk
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