STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS (SIPS)
boring; in fact it’s quite the opposite. The flexibility in design and ease of construction means there are no limitations to what can be achieved and design complexity is no barrier to building your new home with SIPs. One of the many design benefits of using SIPs, and in particular the Kingspan TEK Building System, is that the system will always provide a larger floor area comparatively, than can be achieved when using traditional build methods due to the thinner construction components. This is particularly evident within the roof space where unlike brick and block builds that require roof trusses, SIPs homes rarely require trussing. This obvious benefit maximises living space by providing an additional room in the roof which subsequently adds value to the completed build.
The flexibility and simplicity of SIPs allows for practical amends to architects drawings prior to fabrication and a credible SIPs designer can ‘design in or out’ elements of the plans to enhance your project.
Our in-house design team, for example, uses a 3D CAD system to create geometrically complex structures and we provide interactive imagery that allows customers to see exactly what their new home will look like from every angle. When compared to traditional
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construction where design amends can be costly, time consuming and will inevitably delay the build process if inaccuracies or design errors are identified, the superiority of SIPs really shines through.
SMALL, CHALLENGING PLOTS
For every housebuilding project, the plot will dictate what can be built. It defines size, shape and layout of a dwelling, its orientation, and it can even influence the most suitable method of construction to be used.
Traditional methods of construction may immediately exclude many smaller and difficult to access plots deeming them unsuitable for building, and if you think you’ve found your ideal site this can be disappointing news to bear. Every millimetre of space counts on a small site so construction, storage and waste areas need to be utilised effectively to allow maximum dwelling space and efficiency onsite. The offsite engineering of SIPs means the superstructure of the building is prefabricated in a factory environment then delivered to site ready for immediate erection.
This not only speeds up the build process but reduces the amount of onsite labour and materials required, it minimises waste and importantly means there are far fewer site deliveries when
compared to traditional builds. This is especially beneficial if access to your plot is restricted or you’re building in a conservation area, for instance.
COST
There are many factors to consider when comparing traditional construction with SIPs and while on the face of it traditional materials may appear to be more cost effective than the market leading structural insulated panels; overall project costs cannot be accurately compared like for like.
Shorter build programme, fewer labour requirements and reduced equipment costs of a SIPs project will significantly influence the bottom line. It is also important to compare the life time costs and the energy saving benefits of building your new home with SIPs. There are many factors that affect a direct cost comparison and a holistic and pragmatic approach should be taken. SIPs provide so many benefits – flexibility of design, speed of build, energy efficiency and versatility, all of which are critical factors for today’s self- builders and when compared to traditional methods of construction, offer an ideal solution to building your perfect home.
Ian Clay is a partner at SIPS@Clays september/october 2019
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