NATFEN Awards Magazine Edition 8

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GENERAL

CLIPPINGS AND MUSINGS BY HELEN DUVAL - MAY 2018

T here seems to be continuing issues regarding the supply and demand for housing, despite mutterings that the housing market is still buoyant, it would seem that UK millennials must brace themselves for the possibility of a lifetime of renting. The supply and demand for housing remains at best fragile, despite initiatives that have been launched over the years which promote more ecologically built homes. The numbers seem to show that figures are down regarding enquiries from new buyers, which combined with the fact there are fewer properties coming onto the market, according to RICS UK earlier this year, means we are still in a state of continuing flux. Although under current conditions the probability of house prices crashing is highly unlikely, a property boom equally seems even further out of the question. There is good news on the horizon for those in the owner-occupier sector but helping first timers

onto the property ladder doesn’t seem high on many agendas at the moment.

As it stands, landlords have a greater buying power than first time buyers as they are well established, and so, with the competitive edge now virtually diminished in the first time buying sector, the void will continue to get bigger. The duel problems of too few houses at too high a price continue to restrict many, certainly the first time buyer sector. Even if interest rates remain low however, the idea of a huge property crash still seems highly improbable, with little expectation that house prices will rise. Property itself could remain a big temptation from a taxation point of view. MORE THAN JUST GRAND DESIGNS Substantial and modest designs are still being encouraged across the building sector though, for those inspired by eco-friendly renovations with glass continuing to be a premium material for many reasons.

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GENERAL

While some housing issues have moved progressively forward, and greener issues filter their way into our vision, there still seems to be a real lack of high profile support. Self-building looks like a sensible and popular option as the footfall for the Grand Designs exhibitions will no doubt attest. Good news for the suppliers if this takes off. It certainly makes a lot of financial sense, with this type of project worth around 25 percent more than the cost of building and land once a property is completed. The problem here is finding suitable land where a first time investor or self builder can start to look at real term benefits, as building land continues to remain a premium outlay. It certainly would seem to be an area of great possibilities for installers and suppliers however, who would be able to answer the call of the niche home designer who lacks the technical skills to build it himself.

For the glazing sector, glass extensions still continue to be the growing trend, as conservatories and glazed canopies offer a competitively priced solution to adding more luxury and value to an existing home. Architects and designers create more stunning concepts and the glazing industry rises to the challenges those bring, with innovative solutions. High specification glasses, continue to be a cost worth making, with home-owners enjoying the benefits of style and performance combing beautifully. When it comes to new and self build properties then renewable energy will continue to be a focus as the popularity of exhibitions such as Ecobuild and Grand Designs continue to increase. Installers and builders have never been in a better position to add viable benefits to their core skills, by training to become renewable energy installers and educating consumers on ways to reduce their energy bills and and their carbon footprints. Higher profile support for these types of products would make a great start for everyone.

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