YOOP Architects -talk & guests

Planning Applications UP

2011-07-19T08:42:00.000+01:00

Planning applications submitted in the UK are up January – March 2011 from same period last year after a dip in October – Decemeber 2010.

Also interesting to note is approvals are down. This would perhaps represent the increase in complexity and and changes in the planning policy and local authorities. Areas of complicity could be changes in Permitted Development Act in 2008. Also changes to Environmental Agency flood risk requirements.

Other possible factors;

Developers looking to increase density to recoup cost of land from the height of the market.

Lack of clear and quality pre application advice from local authorities

We suggest getting good advice from your architect and planning consultants early in any project to manage expectations and achieve best development potential coupled with the best process possible.

New Interior Furniture Showroom comes to Stanmore

2011-07-19T08:40:00.000+01:00

Mac and Mac Contemporary Furniture showroom has come to stanmore on the high street. YOOP welcomes a high quality furniture shop with its designer furniture for the home and office.

We quite like the magis me too puzzle carpet children’s toy by s. pakhalé

Cash & Carry Family Business Celebrates 35 years!

2011-07-19T08:34:00.003+01:00

Dhamecha Cash & Carry Group celebrated its 35 years of successful business. Five hundred guests filled London Marriott Hotel to help Dhamecha celebrate in style. Food from around the world was mixed with stilt walkers, belly dancers and a snake charmer.

YOOP Architects are proud to have worked on many of their cash & carry sites and congratulate them on their success, we look forward to continuing our good reltionship.

Cost Benefit of Home Improvements

2011-07-18T11:36:00.002+01:00

When homeowners are looking to undertake works on their properties they always ask how much it will cost. Just as important is how much value will it create.
Here is a quick summary as reported in the Financial Times July 16, 2011.

Loft Cost £30-50k Value £60-70k
New Bathroom Cost £3-5k Value £4-7k
New Garden Room Cost £10-20k Value £20-30k
New Kitchen Cost Cost £20-30k Value £25-30k
Kitchen Extension Cost £30-50k Value £75-100k
New Kitchen Cost £20-30k Value £25-30k

So the biggest winners are if you actually add space, ie the rear extension and loft, which seems to have a value of twice what you spend.
The surprise is the garden room. These can be achieved under permitted development, so you can just do it. These rooms become hobby rooms, play rooms or just storage to free your house from clutter. For any further advice on the above, call Gordon 02089546291 ge@yooparchitects.co.uk

New Website & Blog Location

2011-01-25T17:29:00.003Z

The Blog has moved to our updated website also.

www.yooparchitects.co.uk

Affordable Housing Scheme in for Planning

2010-11-24T16:02:00.003Z

Affordable Housing Scheme is Now in for Planning.

The new build scheme in Harrow of 10 flats and 4 houses is now in for planning.

The scheme will incorporate Lifetime Homes, sustainable principles and will regenerate a site that currently occupies a vacant building that attracts much anti social behaviour.

Permitted Development iPhone App Coming Soon

2010-11-24T15:48:00.004Z

First Look!

A new iphone is close to completion. The app will advise home owners on how to maximise the size of their home without the need of planning consent, and its legal! DesiHouse developed by YOOP Architects should be availible soon on the itune app store.

see the website

See our previous blog on permitted development

Quality Foods opens their latest and largest supermarket to date.

2010-11-24T15:20:00.012Z

The new Quality Foods supermarket in Hayes is setting the standard for Asia food shopping.

Further to their short listing of 'Best National Food Retailer Award at the World Food Awards 2010', Quality Foods has established a further exemplar store.

Located close to the M4, off the A312 Hayes by pass, it avoids the high traffic volumes of in town Southall. The store offers easy access and safe parking for over 150 cars, motorbikes and bicycles, they even have 2 charging point for electric cars, which all help to bring back stress free and relaxed shopping.

With over 4000sqm of shopping floor, wide aisles and plenty of light and space to choose from the vast selection of products and over 10 check outs responding to a more customer focused shopping experience.

The store was previously a B&Q Warehouse and had been vacant for over 5 years. Planning consultant Alex Abbott of CGMS, had been perusing an application for a change of use which the local authority had been strongly resisting for over the past year. Finally consent was granted with over 30 conditions which were discharged by YOOP Architects and CgMs planning consultants. A major part of the project was the installation of a new external canopy to cover the fresh fruit and vegetable sales area. This canopy covers over 800 sqm of floor space with the structural works undertaken by Structural Engineers, Whitehouse Design.

The principle contractor, Vascroft Contractors over saw the whole project, along with DGT who supplied and erected the steel work for the new external canopy, Control Electrical and Watch Dog looked after all the electrical services, fire control and security, while Butler & Young were appointed as the building control inspectors.

YOOP Architects would like to congratulate Quality Foods and all involved.

Budget, Budget, Budget!

2010-06-25T09:35:00.004+01:00

I attended a network meeting on Thursday where an accountant delivered a great breakdown of the Budget, Selwyn Foreman of Bradley Forman Accountants kindly shared his speech for our blog.

A 10 minute 2010 budget speech

I’ve got 8 minutes plus questions to explain the new Chancellor’s 60 minutes and make sense of it.
Chancellor George Osborne has delivered his first Budget of the new coalition government - outlining plans to ''balance the books' by 2016.
He said tough decisions had been ''unavoidable''.
Key tax changes include: a rise in the main rate of VAT from 17.5% to 20% from January 2011; Capital Gains Tax for higher rate taxpayers will go up from midnight to 28%.
Mr Osborne stressed that he wanted to help those on lower incomes. From April 2011 the personal income tax allowance will go up by £1,000 to £7,475.
A major shake up in benefits has also been announced. Tax credits will be reduced for families earning over £40,000 next year; child benefit will be frozen for the next three years. A maximum limit of £400 a week will be introduced on Housing Benefit.
On pensions: From 2011 the Government will accelerate the increase in state pension age to 66.
There were also measures aimed at helping business. Corporation tax will be cut next year to 27% and by 1% annually for the next three years.
The level at which the higher rate of tax starts to apply has been lowered by £1,500 and will now be levied on any income above £42,375, as opposed to £43,875 previously.
Taking into account the £1,000 rise in the personal tax-free allowance, the basic-rate tax band has shrunk by a total of £2,500. This means that £34,900 of a person’s income is now taxed at 20 per cent, as opposed to £37,400 previously. This means the estimated three million existing higher rate taxpayers will also be worse off as a result of the changes, which will take effect from the start of the 2011-2012 tax year.
The new thresholds will be frozen for three years.
Losers
PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS
There will be a two-year pay freeze for public sector workers earning more than £21,000, although the 1.7 million lowest paid will get a flat £250 pay rise each year. Limits will be put on the salaries of the highest paid public sector workers.
FAMILIES
Child tax credits will be withdrawn for families earning more than £40,000 a year, rather than £50,000, while child benefit will be frozen for the next three years.
The baby element of the tax credit – known as Sure Start, which is a one-off payment to help towards the costs of a new baby – will be abolished.
The health in pregnancy grant of £150 will be scrapped from April 2011. The Government said it expected lone parents to look for work when their youngest child goes to school.
VAT
The main rate of VAT will rise from 17.5pc to 20pc from January 4 2011. This will generate more than £13bn of extra revenues. Food and children's clothing will remain exempt.
INVESTORS
From midnight, higher-rate taxpayers will see the rate of capital gains tax rise to 28pc from 18pc, while the annual exemption of £10,100 will remain in place. Basic-rate taxpayers will continue to pay CGT at a rate of 18pc.
THOSE ON HOUSING BENEFITS
Housing benefit is to be cut by £1.8bn by the end of this parliament. The measures include benefit being limited to a maximum of £400 per week for a four-bedroom or larger house.
THOSE ON DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE
A medical assessment for new and existing claimants will be introduced to ensure that only those who need it can claim it. Three times as many claim as when the benefit was introduced 18 years ago. It costs £11bn a year.
Winners
INCOME TAX PAYERS
Around 880,000 workers will no longer pay income tax after the Chancellor raised the personal allowance by £1,000 to £7,475 from £6,475. Basic-rate taxpayers will be £170 a year better off as a result. Those earning more than £40,000 will not benefit because they will be hit by a rise in National Insurance contributions, a Labour policy that Mr Osborne has decided to retain.
INVESTORS
Investors who are basic-rate taxpayers can breathe a sigh of relief: the Chancellor has watered down his plans to raise capital gains tax to 40pc or even 50pc. Basic-rate taxpayers will continue to pay CGT at 18pc and the annual exemption of £10,100 will remain. Higher-rate taxpayers will pay 28pc. Mr Osborne said the Treasury believed that any greater increase in CGT would have led to a fall in revenues.
DRINKERS
There will be no new increases in duties on alcohol, while the proposed 10pc rise in duty on cider will now not be introduced.
DRIVERS
Fuel duty is to be frozen.
ENTREPRENEURS
Anyone who sets up a new business outsideLondon, the South East and the east ofEngland will be exempt from £5,000 of National Insurance contributions for each of the first 10 employees they hire.
PENSIONERS
Increases to the basic state pension will be in line with earnings from April 2011. Pensions will rise by at least 2.5pc every year.
SMOKERS
There will be no rise in tobacco duty.

Budget day is steeped in political tradition and symbolism. Here are some of the quirky and interesting reasons to see more behind the day than perhaps meets the eye:
• Since May 1997, Chancellor's have delivered two big economic speeches a year. The main Budget in the Spring (usually March or April) and the less significant pre-Budget report in the Autumn (usually November).
• The word 'budget' is derived from an old French word 'bourgette' which means 'little bag'.
• The 'Budget box', or 'Gladstone box' as it is known, in its traditional scarlet leather with satin lining, has been used to carry the Chancellor's speech to the House of Commons from Number 11 (the Chancellor's residence on Downing Street) since 1860.
• The tradition was broken by James Callaghan in 1965 and 1966, when he used a brown case bearing the monogram 'EIIR'.
George Osborne used the old briefcase box for the last time on Tuesday.
• There is only one Chancellor who has failed to deliver his speech. The Tory Chancellor, Tory Iain Macleod, who died soon after his appointment in 1970.
• In a quirky piece of history, Chancellors are allowed to lubricate their vocal chords with alcoholic drinks during the speech; no other member may do this.
• When Norman Lamont was Chancellor in the early 1990s, the famous red briefcase contained a bottle of whisky. The speech was carried separately.
• Chancellors who have drunk alcohol when giving the speech include Winston Churchill, Hugh Dalton and Selwyn Lloyd.
• Gordon Brown opted for Scottish mineral water.
• One of the best Budget lines goes to Derick Heathcoat-Amery: "There are three things not worth running for - a bus, a woman or a new economic panacea. If you wait a bit, another one will come along."
• In 1986, Nigel Lawson's speech was suspended after the Scottish Nationalists intervened and caused furore in the House of Commons.
• In Chancellor R A Butler's 1953 Budget, he announced that the sugar ration would be increased from 10oz to 12oz a week so that the nation would have enough to make celebratory cakes for the Queen's Coronation that year.
• The longest Budget speech was delivered by William Gladstone on 13 April 1853 and lasted four hours and forty five minutes.
• Benjamin Disraeli is said to hold the record for the shortest speech, at 45 minutes in 1867.
Osborne said he would be reducing the small companies’ corporation tax rate by 1% to 20%.
Cider increase to be reversed.
Lloyd George's voice ran out of steam after the first three-and-a-half hours of his 1909 People's Budget, arguably the most unpopular budget speech in history. He was allowed 30 minutes to refresh his dulcet Welsh vocal cords. In the first instance this Budget was thrown out by the Lords, after having endured 549 divisions which occupied 90 hours of voting time.

Compiled by
Selwyn Foreman - Bradley Foreman Accountants Limited
07958 127 925
24th June 2010

Selwyn is an accountant of high standing and provides specialist accounting services to the media industry as well as general

More information on Bradley Foreman Accountants

GP Surgery Final Pictures

2010-05-28T15:38:00.008+01:00

Final pictures of the surgery fully functional.

Pictures courtesy of Construction Element

Shop Signage - Are you getting your message across?

2010-05-26T11:09:00.002+01:00

Have you seen your shop sign lately, looking a bit tired? Maybe its time for a change.

A new shop sign can be one of the first and easiest steps to re-branding and giving your premises a face lift.

In most cases a new shop sign will require planning consent from the local authority. The main issue to consider when considering a new sign are, colour, size location and luminance.

Most local authorities will have produced a guidance document laying out their preferences of colours and type of signage. For example, for internally illuminated shop front signs or, fascia signs most local authorities will require that only part of the fascia is illuminated, this could be the letters themselves or the logo, but not the whole face. There will also be a limit on the amount of illumination, this will be measured in Candelas or Lux per msq.

The location can also be a major factor, to the acceptable size and position of a sign. Currently YOOP are proposing an illuminated shop sign consisting of individually letter of up to 1.8m in height to an industrial type building located next to a major dual carriageway which would regarded as acceptable in this context. On the other hand an illuminated sign to a high street bank branch in a conservation area in Kensington & Chelsea, opposite a Royal Park had to meet strict criteria, the overall size, luminance levels and hours of use, by working closely with the planners the application for a new sign was approved and the sign installed. In some cases such as listed building the proposed signage has to be sensitive to the building, this can mean the sign has to be externally illuminated with spot or trough lighting.

Another important aspect to consider is obtaining Landlords consent. If you are not the freeholder of the property, in most cases you will be required to obtain consent from the Landlord.

At YOOP we can deal with all these matters for you from design, to landlords consent to planning applications and working with the suppliers.

YOOP work closely with a number of signage manufacturers such as the team at SSW Signs in Park Royal who are highly experienced in the supply and installation of all types of signage systems .

Quality Foods - New Retail Superstore

2010-05-26T11:05:00.004+01:00

Quality Foods are to open their fourth and newest retail super store in Hayes West London specialising in fresh fruit and veg and ethnic foods direct to the public.

Located on the site of the old B&Q warehouse on the Hayes Bridge, the site has been derelict for a number of years and somewhat the victim of vandalism.

YOOP have been appointed as project

Architects for the reinstatement works to the new Quality Foods super st

ore.

The site is now being extensively refurbished by the Contractor, Vascroft Contractors Ltd. All the services are being brought up to date to meet the current building regulation standards, a new ceiling system to reduce heating requirements a new durable Terrazzo floor, new shelving and racking and display systems and a redesigned car park with bike stands, ample disabled parking and even charge points for electric cars.

The clients aim is to create a one stop shop for all your food shopping needs, quick access, easy parking, fast service.

As well as the internal layout design, YOOP are overseeing the discharge of a host of planning conditions with planning consultants CgMs, new shop signage, building regulation approval as well as acting as CDM Coordinators and as usual all building control matters are being dealt with by Butler & Young Ltd.

Insulation & Ventilation for a Healthy Home

2010-05-24T11:35:00.008+01:00

Now that things are heating up insulating your home or office can keep you cool in the summer, warm in the winter and save money on resources.

Summer is a good time to install insulation, your more likely to be out and about, the day is longer for working. Loft insulation can cost just a few hundred pounds and save almost as much in your first year with a typical payback of two years.

Insulating walls can also be achieved with insulated plasterboard on the inside of properties that has solid walls or flat blocks that

suffers condensation on walls. The condensation is usually all the air moisture condensing on the coldest parts of your home. Which is typically windows but can also be parts of walls. Other methods of filling empty cavity walls are common and achieve good results.

Moisture within the home can also be an issue. Having a healthy environment means a moisture level from 50-70%. More than this can promote mould growth. The moisture is created by breathing, cooking, drying clothes etc. With air tight windows and minimal ventilation in winter this soon creates a home with a high moisture content. Quite a common sight in winter is open windows to alleviate the moisture proble

m but also this increases heating bills. A solution to this is heat recover ventilation

Heat recover ventilation is a vent which brings fresh air from out side but is pre heated by air from inside. This reduces the moisture content of your home with out losing the heat.

Energy Saver Trust for More Info

Example of Heat Recover Unit - Single Room

Inheritance Tax, New Government & You

2010-05-17T12:11:00.002+01:00

An early casualty of the new coalition government is the Conservatives’ planned increase in the inheritance tax nil-rate band to £1 million. Instead, the current exemption of £325,000 will remain in place for the lifetime of the current parliament.

Where the value of an estate exceeds the nil-rate band, the excess is chargeable to inheritance tax (‘IHT’) at 40%. As house prices are starting to rise more families are being caught in the IHT net.

There are many options available to mitigate one’s IHT liability. The first step is to make a will to ensure that your estate does not face an unnecessarily large IHT bill. There are also reliefs which can be used in one’s lifetime. If a gift is made and the donor outlives it by 7 years (and does not take any benefit from it) the value of the gift is outside of their estate for IHT.

The 7 year rule does not apply in all circumstances. For example, up to £3,000 can be given away in any one tax year and the donor need not survive by 7 years for it to be IHT free. Further, excess income can be given away and is immediately exempt from IHT if it can be shown that the money gifted did not materially affect the donor’s standard of living. It is imperative that the donor does not derive any benefit from such gifts for them to be effective for IHT.

As with any advice of this nature, professional guidance should always be obtained. For more information please contact Geoff Dennis of Brightstone Law LLP on 020 8731 3080 or email: gd@brightstonelaw.co.uk.

THE ELECTION: A SPLIT DECISION THE POTENTIAL EFFECT ON THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY AND CLIENTS OF ONE WEST END LAW FIRM

2010-05-17T10:37:00.005+01:00

Without doubt a feeling of confidence in the new coalition will be the best prospect for the property industry as a whole and we expect the same to be true for our clients.

Uncertainty creates a state of stasis where clients hold back from buying; lenders don’t lend; the public sector freezes up and money becomes more expensive. The hung parliament was in danger of exacerbating this and the swift conclusion will be well received.

The effects of the election result on this firm’s law practice and our clients attitudes to the new Government remain to be seen. Our principle business is in the property sector which has enjoyed resurgence of late and whether this continues will depend in part upon the confidence that this coalition Government can engender in business, investors and end users alike, as well as the effect on lending that their policies for the reform of the banks may have. Many of the Government’s first policies will reflect the fragile state of the economy and an emergency budget, expected within the first 50 days, will signal their intentions for the duration of the Parliament to come.

Whilst the Liberal Democrats have dropped their proposals for a “mansion tax” on properties costing more than £2 million, Capital Gains Tax paid on “non business” assets such as shares and second homes (currently at a flat rate of 18%) is likely to rise close to the 40% rate of Income Tax. This is of course set against the proposal to raise the Income Tax exemption to £10,000, the Liberal Democrat election proposal. The Conservative proposal to scrap HIPS may also have an impact on the residential property market.

Many of the Government’s forthcoming policies will influence property development, in particular regeneration and planning. The planning system at present is widely perceived to actively prevent developers from meeting consumer demand for property, which is at variance with the aggressive housing targets that the outgoing Labour Government set. A simplification of the procedure would undoubtedly lead to a greater appetite for developments to be advanced.

The role of the banks will equally be important, not less as a result of the Taxpayer now owning £150 billion worth of property through the state owned banks. The argument for the return of empty rates relief will no doubt also be strongly made in the coming months.

Day to day we have heard commentary from some clients that they are keen to understand the future implications of Government policy before committing to long term projects. The CGT rise in particular could lead to a flood of property onto the market, as buy-to-let investors look to avoid the rise, the expectation that such properties will fall within the definition of “non-business” assets. The scrapping of HIPS could also give a fillip to prices, as may the suggestion that VAT is likely to rise. Foreign investors are equally looking for signs of stability before committing to investing in the UK.

We expect that now the new Con/Lib Government has been formed clients will continue their business activities, some of which may have been put on hold during the election process, confident that there is a Government in place that will support business in general, with a view to returning the economy to strength.

Written by Daniel Abrahams, Partner at Philip Ross Solicitors.

13^th May 2010

http://www.philipross.co.uk/

Contact: jane.fisher@philipross.co.uk

David Cameron and your Planning Application

2010-05-12T10:24:00.006+01:00

What will a new Conservative & Liberal Government hold for your planning application?

A quick summary of various stories shows that the new Government will put more weighting on quality rather than time targets. We have had direct experience of planners not discussing an application instead just refusing it thus dealing with it within there 8 week target. A new application will have to be made. If a few extra days were taken then it could have been a better result for all.

Seems that generally that the Lib-Dems are really on the same page.

With new mayors to large centres, this could bring a singular and strong vision rather like New York. Boris Johnson and the like will have will and now extra muscle to tackle housing and planning issues directly.

So if planners are set free of ridged time tables will we get better service, quality of dialogue and better result or will the system become more frustrating, drawn out and ambiguous? only time will tell.

Full Stories Below

“The difference with Labour since 1997 is that the speed of planning applications has been too significant. Eight-week and 30-week targets have over-emphasised the speed and under-emphasised the quality of applications. The speed of planning applications is not the be all and end all,”

Full Story Link

The Tories have also today confirmed plans to introduce mayors to 12 major UK cities, while giving Johnson responsibility for the £1.1bn budget of the London Homes and Communities Agency.

Full Story Link

The Liberal Democrats have today pledged support for the Conservatives’ proposed overhaul to the planning system.

The Lib Dems want to introduce third-party right of appeal where applications contradict local plans and axe quangos including the Infrastructure Planning Commission, according to its 109-page election manifesto, which was published today. These back up policies set out in the Tory manifesto on Tuesday.

Full Story Link

Architect in the House - Shelter/RIBA

2010-05-10T14:47:00.005+01:00

Architect in the House gives homeowners an hour’s free consultation with a RIBA chartered architect in exchange for a donation to Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity.

This year in the UK, 53,000 homes will be

repossessed. Almost 1.8 million households are awaiting social housing. And 1.6 million children are growing up in homes that are squalid, overcrowded or temporary.

Architect in the House Website Link

YOOP Architects are proud to join the effort to improve housing and living standards.

Build with out Planning Consent!: Permitted development

2010-04-22T11:48:00.002+01:00

Achieving the best for your home, maximising space, minimising local authority intervention.

Permitted Development is your right as home owner.

Many builders advise client that planning permission is not required, and they are right. But it is important to ensure that the proposals fall within the rules. If not the local authority will take enforcement actionto make it compliant.

We would recommend that you apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness prior to construction. It does not seek permission but agreement that the proposals fall within the lawful rules of permitted development. This will safe guard the value on sale of the property.

For a great web site on permitted development click here http://www.permitteddevelopment.org/

For any questions on permitted development email Gordon, ge@yooparchitects.co.uk

Taking the Pain out of redeveloping a GP Surgery

2010-04-22T11:32:00.005+01:00

Refurbishment and addition of two new consultation rooms to a south east GP Surgery has been completed.

The design made use of the existing envelope of the building, avoiding a major cost of construction. The internal arrangements where made more efficient via a curved wall. The wall allows enough space for the waiting zone and corresponding administration area while providing a relaxing and fresh environment for patients.

Special grade flooring has been fitted to deliver the highest quality, clean environment for staff and patients. The Surgery management undertook the upgrade to the practice to improve the service to the community but also to maintain their competitive edge as patients can now decide who and where they will get their medical services from.

The works were undertaken in conjunction with Construction Element, http://www.constructionelement.co.uk/

Do you have any questions about GP Surgeries? cost/ time/ funding? email: ge@yooparchitects.co.uk

Residential & Commercial Refurbishment in London

2010-04-22T11:26:00.002+01:00

Refurbishment of 400sqm of commercial retail space and 9 flats in Islington now on site.

Three buildings are being rebuild internally to provide high quality apartments to Seven Sisters Road area. The apartments will have roof terraces for amenity as well as close proximity to Finsbury Park. Internally the apartment will have high quality kitchens and bathrooms.

The ground floor is being remodeled to provide excellent high quality retail space to the very busy Seven Sisters Road. The scheme is an exemplar of a mixed use building providing a sustainable building model for the future.

Click here for more onsite photos

Contractor: Vascroft

Architects: YOOP

Engineers: A E Butler

Project managment: JP Jelly

First Look: New Build Affordable Housing Scheme Northwest London

2010-04-22T11:05:00.006+01:00

YOOP Architects in conjunction with PrestonBennett Land department have designed a preliminary scheme for Origin Housing Group.

The scheme will comprise affordable housing with generous amenity space, private and shared.

Tree Survey by David Clarke Chartered Landscape Architect, info@dccla.co.uk

New Build House Wins Approval

2010-04-08T14:38:00.003+01:00

YOOP Architects has successfully gained planning consent for a new build 3 bed house in Middlesex. The design overcame some challenging planning situations to achieve the result. The potential uplift in value being over 500%.

One of London's Leading Cash and Carry Opens New Depot at Hayes

2010-03-26T15:58:00.009Z

Dhamecha Cash and Carry open store No 6.

The Dhamecha Group is the largest partner in the Today buying group, which is one of Europe's biggest buying group.

This new cash and carry outlet in Hayes is Dhamecha’s sixth outlet. The new depot is over 8000sqm of spacious aisles with over 200 parking bays and 14 tills, reducing your paying and exit time.

YOOP worked closely with the client to maximise available sale floor space while still providing staff offices and amenity space.

The site was previously a warehouse and distribution centre for a leading high street retailer, who unfortunately didn’t make it through the recession.

The scheme required the replacement of all the existing mechanical and electrical services, including fire detection systems, internal demolition of mezzanine floors and redundant plant machinery.

The team at Dhamecha took the bold decision to renew all the ageing services bringing them up to current building regulation standards. Working closely with building inspectors Butler and Young Ltd (Colin Winton and Alan Hills), and the principle contractor, Vascroft Contractors Ltd (Shashi Vekaria), the whole project was turned around in less than 5 months from issuing the F10, to the opening celebrations last week.

YOOP dealt with all planning issues, building regulations and also undertook the role of CDM Coordinator.

YOOP Architect's Bashir Khwaja with Pradip Dhamecha CEO

Refurbishment in Islington

2010-03-26T15:42:00.003Z

Extreme refurbishment of 400sqm of commercial retail space and 8 flats in Islington now on site. Most of the walls and floors in the Victorian terrace will be replaced.

The site is located along the busy Seven Sisters Road. Works are to be completed by the end of the year. The development will provide a number of 2 bed high quality flats, some of which will be duplex with private terraces.

Consultant team

Contractor: Vascroft Contractors Ltd

Engineer: AE Butlers & Partners

Building Control: Butler & Young Ltd

Clients Agent: JP Jelly Ltd

Architects & CDM Co ordinators: YOOP Architects

Contact Bashir for more information. bk@yooparchitects.co.uk

GP Surgery reception desk

2010-02-20T10:59:00.002Z

New reception desk allows visual surviellance of both entrance and seating area.

Bashir inspecting low energy/low maintenance LED downlighters.

El yoop

GP Surgery pre hand over

2010-02-20T10:29:00.000Z

Construction finished, clean up time before handing over to the client.

El yoop

GP Surgery Takes Shape

2010-01-16T15:35:00.006Z

The curved wall in construction which will establish a new waiting area and treatment rooms.

Medical Centre

2009-12-18T10:35:00.004Z

YOOP Architects have been appointed to design the new facilities at Sherard Road Medical Centre in Eltham South East London a new look for 2010. Working alongside Construction Element Contractors we will be creating a fantastic new revamp which will providing patients, practitioners and receptionists with a fresh inspiring working environment. Watch out for February completion.

Contractors: Construction Element

contact Bashir for more details or advice, bk@yooparchitects.co.uk

Alliance with Compliance

2009-12-03T11:41:00.003Z

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has now drawn its two year campaign on risk assessments to a close.

The campaign examined the risk assessment attitudes and behaviours of organisations of various sizes across Europe. The findings are somewhat surprising - between 10%-15% of SMEs do not carry out risk assessments despite this being a legal requirement!

And the reasons why? A large percentage of companies just do not deem this necessary and simply do not conduct risk assessments or even documented general workplace checks. This may indicate that SMEs have fewer problems than larger companies, or that they lack awareness and knowledge.

The campaign also bought to light some of the main issues that companies are concerned about in the workplace: accidents, musculoskeletal disorders and stress being the top three - all of which can be less of a concern with a documented risk assessment.

www.westminstercompliance.co.uk

'Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.'

2009-12-03T11:39:00.000Z

'Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.'

2009-12-03T11:37:00.000Z

'Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.'

Improve your Surgery - Dentists & GP's

2009-11-30T14:39:00.009Z

New sterilisation rules for dentists and patient choice for GP's have made the market more competitive.

Improve your Surgery to keep and extend you market share and customer satisfaction.

Dental Surgery

New sterilisation room

Organise the admin/ reception area - Proper area for patient files

Add a relaxation room

Add a alternative therapy room

Add additional treatment rooms

New audio-video service with TV and patient choice

GP Surgery

Organise the admin/ reception area - Archive the paper patient files

Improve floor surfaces for cleaning & Hygiene

De-clutter waiting room signage

Make waiting rooms less institutional

Improve legibility to Doctors rooms

Improve patient call systems - install Doctor panic alarms

Improve staff facilities

YOOP Architects can quickly and easily help you achieve your improvements, advise on PCT grants and help you improve your facilities and service.

Call Gordon or Bashir now on 0208 954 6291 or 07920 426 254 for a friendly chat.

ge@yooparchitects.co.uk bk@yooparchitects.co.uk

www.yooparchitects.co.uk

London property developer fined £10k for safety breaches

2009-11-25T16:16:00.006Z

A London property developer and landlord has been fined £10,000 at City of London Magistrates Court after workers on two of his developments were put at risk. The court heard how Mr Mohamed failed on both sites to appoint a competent contractor and failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that proper arrangements were in place for work to be managed safely - putting workers and neighbours at risk. Open flames were used at Chingford Mount Road site, which is close to a petrol station, but there were no fire extinguishers on site. Inspectors also found that scaffolding at the property was substandard or missing and had insufficient guard rails, while 240 volt power tools were used in areas where the cables were likely to be damaged, creating a risk of electrocution and fire. Domestic quality cables were also run through damp areas. HSE inspectors ordered works to down tools after visiting the site.

Building.co.uk

Rush is on to complete property deals before stamp duty holiday ends

2009-11-23T14:52:00.002Z

The government's temporary stamp duty exemption for homes priced under £175,000 expires on 31 December

First-time home buyers have just weeks to complete their deals before the government's temporary stamp duty exemption expires. Househunters seeking properties worth between £125,000 and £175,000, who are midway through the buying process or in the early stages, should urgently chivvy along solicitors, estate agents and vendors to ensure they meet the New Year's Eve deadline.

Full Article

Harriet Meyer

The Observer 15 Nov 2009

Sustainibility and SIPs Panels

2009-11-05T09:06:00.003Z

An energy efficient home was built using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) – chosen for their fast construction time and airtightness – ensuring the property is superbly insulated, despite its extensive use of glazing.
Source: Home and Building Renovation Magazine Online

The Designers platform.co.uk

2009-09-15T14:04:00.004+01:00

New venture to bring customers and professionals together brought to you by Begin Design.

Whether you are new to Design or someone who has been in the field forever, The Designers Platform has much to offer. TDP members work in many settings and come to the association with a variety of experience and educational backgrounds. What we all have in common is a passion for beautiful design, a thirst for knowledge and a resolute commitment to help clients create the home of their dreams.

http://www.begin-design.com/
http://www.thedesignersplatform.co.uk/documents/calendar.php

Housing minister also gives green light to biggest council housing programme for two decades

2009-09-12T18:30:00.001+01:00

Housing minster, John Healey, has released details of £250m to build 3,400 homes and create around 5,000 jobs.

The bulk of the money comes from the National Affordable Housing Programme budget, but has been boosted by extra money as part of the housing pledge announced in June.

The money will be shared between 43 housing associations and other bodies across 97 local authority areas throughout the country.

11 September, 2009

By Michael Willoughby

Planning fee scrapped

2009-09-07T14:44:00.000+01:00

01-Sep-2009 10:29:03

With more and more people staying in their own homes, Hertsmere Borough Council has scrapped some of the charges made to residents who ask for advice about home extensions.

Fees for other bigger developments have also been frozen in a bid to boost the local housing market and offer a helping hand in a difficult finance climate.

Cllr Hannah David, portfolio holder for housing and planning, explained: "Whenever anyone is thinking about building or developing, we do encourage them to make early contact with planning officers so that we can work together on projects. That way developers can know early on what is acceptable, and what is not, and this can save a lot of money and time in the long run.

“Because officers can spend hours at a time helping people in such a way, historically we have charged homeowners £250 for pre-application advice for extensions to their properties. For bigger developments of homes fees can go up to £1000 for this advice.

“With the country in recession many people are staying in their own homes, rather than moving, so we have decided to scrap the £250 fee for pre-application advice for extensions, while fees for the other bigger developments will stay the same."

In 2008 Hertsmere received around 100 letters from householders about alterations to their homes, while so far this year it is around 100 already, reflecting the number of families staying in their homes rather than moving.

If you want to use the pre-application service contact the planning team on 020 8207 2277 or email planning@hertsmere.gov.uk

Permitted Development FAQ - Is Your development really permitted?

2009-07-08T10:26:00.005+01:00

As a homeowner the idea that you can extend your property without the formal pre-requisite of planning consent can sound very attractive, especially the thought of a glazed rear extension. This is called 'Permitted Development' and was revised and came into effect 1st October 2008.
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115315495577.html

However, ‘Permitted Development’ as clear as the guidelines may appear does not give you carte blanche to commence construction nor should it be treated as a means of sidestepping you local authority planning department.

From our recent experience with Permitted Development we present some typical questions and situations a home owner should be aware of before calling a builder.

Q: My neighbour says his builder told him that 'with Permitted Development Rights he doesn’t need planning permission for an extension', is this true?

A: Yes, under the rights for ‘Permitted Development’ (PD) you are allowed to build an extension without formal planning consent but you will need to get retrospective permission after construction is completed. This means making an application for a ‘Certificate of Lawful Development’. In this way it is your responsibility as the homeowner to ensure that the building works carried out meet the conditions of ‘PD’ and building regulations. Should the works not comply, you will be liable for any enforcement action by the council which means you will bear the cost of any remedial or demolition works to bring the works up to standard, not the builder.
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115314762605.html

Q: Can I just copy my neighbour’s extension; my house is after all exactly the same?

A: It may not be that simple. Any extension you propose may fall over a sewer access point or storm drain in which case Thames Water would need to get involved and you may need to arrange a ‘Build-Over’ agreement. Any works that build on a party wall which is jointly owned by yourself and your neighbour would be subject to a party wall agreement; there would be fees attached to both of these.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partywall

Points to consider.

- You still have an obligation to inform the council of any building works you planning or indeed have already built.

- Advice from a neighbour or builder may not always be reliable, neither of them are qualified to give professional advice nor are they liable for the cost of remedial or demolition works should things go awry.

- Always consult your local architect prior to approaching a builder and where possible engage an architect to make an application for a ‘Certificate of Lawful Development’ for you. This will cost but is the safest course of action for a homeowner looking to develop their property.

If you would like any further advice on Permitted Development, Party Wall Agreements please call Bash on 0208 954 6291 or 07961 319 721 or bk@yooparchitects.co.uk

The Phoenix of a supermarket

2009-07-07T10:34:00.001+01:00

Kosher Kingdom , a 1200m2 supermarket in Golders Green NW London has been closed since a major fire devastated it last year.

Works began earlier this year to restore it back to its former glory. YOOP Architects were part of the team engaged to raise the store from the ashes. Working closely with the client and the principle contractor (Vascroft Contractor) the brief was to reinstate the store back to its original condition allowing for a few minor internal alterations.

Due to the scale of the works, replacing a number of party walls, a new roof and a new gable end, the new elements had to meet the current building regulations. As well as new electrical, M&E floor finishes and an new fire alarm system. We worked closely with Butler & Young who were the approved building control inspectors. The works were given approval and practical completion will be carried out any day now and the store handed back to the client.

New Parish council Park Maintenance Facilities

2009-06-28T11:12:00.006+01:00

A new facilities building for storage of maintenance vehicles and equipment, workshop and changing/ day facilities for employees.

The building proposed as a lightweight structure sitting lightly on the ground using timber frame and having a sustainable drainage system. Heating is proposed from a solar thermal panel.

The architecture creates a simple cost effective form that can be flexible in use over time and be constructed out of hard wearing materials that blend into the park setting.

Conceived as a low energy, low impact structure that is friendly to its environment and the people who will work in it. The building will give a base of operation to the maintenance crews, providing basic facilities including kitchen, changing rooms etc. Also storing the large equipment such as tractors and cutters. A full workshop is also included to look after the equipment. The building will be low maintenance, robust, cost effective and fast to build.

Contemporary building methods are proposed, using timber frame allows a lightweight structure not to disrupt the heavily wooded surroundings, timber frame also is a carbon neutral and renewable building material. Other cladding material will allow it to blend into the park landscape. Large openings allow maximum light into the people part of the building with sliding doors making the building secure after hours. The use of contemporary materials and methods allows the building to be built very quickly further reducing the impact to the maintenance operation and park users.

Associated low technology sustainable proposals are sustainable urban drainage, where the water from the roof drains into a soak pit and not the main drainage system allowing to help alleviate flood threat. The water can be heated by a solar thermal panel, extra heating in the winter via a contemporary efficient double burning log burner using the abundant natural resource of dead trees from the parks.

Would you like to know know more about building and green issues, email ge@yooparchitects.co.uk or call 0208 954 6291

Local supermarkets near completion - YOOP loves Food

2009-06-11T19:16:00.004+01:00

Two local near completion.

1. Kosher Kingdom: A fire damaged supermarket soon to reopen after extensive refurbishment.

2. VB Foods: A new supermarket created from a commercial building.

Both food outlets deliver quality modern ethnic foods to their respective communities.

Yoop Architects was glad to be involved.

One Stop Shop Interior design Service - Forest Hill, South london

2009-06-11T11:50:00.003+01:00

Yoop Architects attended a great time at the grand opening of Begin Design on the 4th of June. The new premises is awash of soft furnishings, art works, lights and ideas for creating your perfect interior. Contact James and the team for that new interior and storage solutions you have always been thinking of.

James Lambrou

Interior Designer/Director
+44(0)7766 237936
+44(0)20 8699 7750
www.begin-design.com
james@begin-design.com

'A unique and inspiring soft furnishings service. Call us now for a no obligation home visit or visit us in our unique "one stop shop" studio for all your interior needs'

The Building Inspector Is Coming

2009-05-31T11:39:00.002+01:00

This Cutting Edge film joins the inspectors as they investigate anonymous tip-offs, uncover dangerous building practices and enforce the law against reluctant homeowners and dodgy builders, even presiding over demolitions if the rules and regulations are persistently ignored. Particularly contentious jobs are passed on to Mark Harding, nicknamed The Sheriff. He tried to join the police force, but failed the entrance test, and now he approaches each case 'in the manner of a criminal investigation'. The programme also meets the homeowners trying to improve their homes while satisfying the regulations - from the pregnant mother whose builder has left her with a new roof that the building inspectors say 'can't be saved', to the pre-op transsexual who has spent 15 years gutting his terraced house without applying for building regulation approval, and leaving all but one room uninhabitable, because he wants a palace 'fit for a princess'. With the recession making moving house more difficult, more people are extending, converting, digging and drilling - striving to improve their current homes. Although the nation's home improvers may not know it, every change they make has to please the building inspector. Without approval, they won't get the certificate they need when they want to sell...

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/diy-self-build/

Why Timber Frame...?

2009-05-13T13:54:00.003+01:00

In Europe the building sector is responsible for half of all energy use and therefore half of all carbon consumption. According to Corrim (Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials) timber frame houses are better for the enviornment because wood uses less energy and that, results in fewer greenhouse gases than alternative materials. In a life-cycle assessment it found that timber-framing consumes less total energy during its 'lifetime'.The embodied energy of a building is the energy of a building that has been required to extract, process and manufacture it then to transport it to the building site. The highest embodied energy is found in metals. The middle range of materials such as bricks and blocks also require a lot of energy in their manufacture. The lowest embodied energy is in materials, such as building timber, that require only simple processing. Salvaged materials and local materials (straw bales rush matting and mud bricks) require virtually no energy.

What is the difference between timber frame walling and partial fill cavity walling?
The standard timber frame system consists of a waterproof membrane, sheathing board, structural timber frame, vapour barrier and inner lining of plasterboard. The insulation is placed between the timber frame uprights, and the thickness matches the size of the frame.Cavity walling consists of two masonry leafs side by side, a set distance apart but carefully tied together. The bottom of the cavity can drain and the inner leaf should remain entirely dry.However, Joseph Little, Project Architect with Bolton Construction writes in 'Construction Ireland' (Vol. 8, Issue 2) that we are reaching the limits of partial fill cavity walling. Wider and wider insulation batts are pushing the masonry leafs further apart and making wall ties longer, which has implications for the structure.Partial fill cavity walling is not a 'traditional' building method. On the contary, cavity walls have only being promoted in the Post-War era as a technollogical answer to problems posed with the externally rendered (un-insulated) 215mm solid block walls of the Inter-War years. Partial fill cavity walling belongs to a different era, an era when heating fuel was less expensive and the negative inpact of high CO2 emissions was unknown.Little goes on to write that since 1998, 250,000 new homes have been built to the older and less efficent building standards with inherently high CO2 emissions. Studies show that 8 out of 15 houses with partial fill cavity walling are under-performing and since there are too many variables influencing the effectiveness of partial fill cavity blocks, wet walls become a serious problem.8 out of 9 timber frame houses exceed the design requirement, because with timber frame systems, builders are able to compress quilt insulation, raising the insulation levels beyond what is legally required.Unstable rising oil and gas prices mean that energy efficent homes will be much sought after. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that houses built with interior methodologies and/or materials may, in the future, become worthless.

see link above for rest of article

House prices at auction continue to fall

2009-05-13T13:36:00.003+01:00

The prices paid for property at auction still have a long way to fall, but the outlook for the housing market is not quite as dire as a few months ago.
New research suggests that in recent weeks prices of residential properties sold at auction were 25 per cent lower than the same home could have achieved had it been sold through an estate agent.

By Chris Giles, Economics Editor
Published: May 12 2009 00:02 Last updated: May 12 2009 00:02

Tips for eco-friendly computing

2009-05-10T10:12:00.003+01:00

Tips for eco-friendly computing
The average PC takes 1.8 tonnes of chemicals, fossil fuel and water to manufacture and causes the emission of 100 kg carbon dioxide each year, but most of us simply couldn't live without one. Unfortunately, computers are becoming more power-hungry as we expect them to perform increasingly complex tasks for us.

Power drain
Desktop PCs that are plugged in all day are especially power-hungry. Unless you flick the switch on the wall or take the plug out of the wall a PC that is apparently turned off will still be using power. If you leave your computer monitor on all night you'll waste enough energy to microwave six dinners. A PC left running 24 hours per day would use £59 worth of electricity over a 12-month period and create 716 kg of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Small is beautiful
Laptops need to be as energy-efficient as possible so that they can go anywhere. The processors are designed to run on less power, the screens use as little energy as possible, all of which adds up to significant energy savings compared to a desktop PC.

Energy-saving tips
Unplug your PC when not in use, and don't forget the scanner, monitor, printer, broadband box and audio speakers all need turning off too. Use your computer's energy-saving mode: you should be able to turn the brightness of the screen down, or set it to turn off if you haven't used it for 5-10 minutes.

Information provided by Friends of the Earth.

Remember if you buy a cheap laptop, there is a reason! its not sustainable or recyclable and toxic! Choose right.

Environmental status report

The new 13-inch MacBook embodies Apple’s continuing environmental progress. It is designed with the following features to reduce environmental impact:

Arsenic-free glass
Brominated flame retardant-free
Mercury-free

PVC-free
41% smaller packaging
Highly recyclable aluminium and glass enclosures

Apple is most proud of what isn't in MacBook.

What’s common in other notebooks is conspicuously missing in the new MacBook. Take for example, mercury used in CCFL backlights and arsenic contained in the glass of traditional LCD displays. Apple engineers have said no to both of these substances. They’ve chosen LED technology and arsenic-free glass. They’ve also said no to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in logic boards, and PVC in cables and connectors. In fact, Apple has done more than remove these toxins from the new MacBook. They’ve done the same thing for the rest of the new MacBook family, the LED Cinema Display, every single iPod and the iPhone. Sometimes saying no is a good thing.

http://www.apple.com/uk/macbook/environment.html

Save Energy, Cut Carbon, Save Cash!

2009-05-10T10:08:00.002+01:00

We've found this week's great list from BigGreenSwitch.co.uk

Oh dear... we are amongst the most energy wasteful people in Europe according to a recent survey by the EST. 71% of us regularly leave appliances on standby unnecessarily while 67% boil more water than needed in the kettle. In total, the energy we waste as a nation each year is now growing close to the equivalent of powering an additional 7 million non-existent homes! If everyone were to take just a few simple steps to curb our energy wastage, we could have a dramatic effect on cutting the UK's carbon emissions while, at the same time, all saving ourselves a small fortune in energy bills. Do a little, save a lot!

Don't leave appliances on standby
Keep your fridge and freezer full
Only boil as much water as you need
Turn your thermostat down by 1oC
Wash your laundry at lower temperatures
Switch off lights when a room is not in use
Use the washing line instead of the tumble dryer
Unplug chargers and power supplies when not in use
Shower instead of bathing
Only use the washing machine when you have a full load to wash
Defrost your freezer regularly to keep it running at top performance

If we can do just a number of the above, it will make a big difference! Many of the ideas above you'll see in Birchway's Green Charter. More information to follow soon.

Finding your perfect architect

2009-05-06T17:40:00.002+01:00

If you've put off using an architect because of the cost, or fear you'll be ridiculed, check out our guide to affordable, approachable professionals.

Why go to an architect?
Architects cut stress and mistakes by:

Finding the right builders for the job – don't underestimate the valu

e of this!

Suggesting materials you or your builder wouldn't know about or have considered.

Translating your ideas and anxieties into practical solutions, often finding space and light where you didn't think possible.

Guiding you th

rough the dull bits like the regulations and contractual obligations you need to deal with.

New build house in East Dulwich progress

2009-05-06T17:11:00.002+01:00

New build house in East Dulwich progress

03 Dec 2008 - Timber frame construction well placed for 2009

2009-05-04T19:27:00.002+01:00

What does 2009 hold for the housebuilding industry and for the timber frame
sector, one of the UK's most glittering manufacturing success stories of recent
years?

Geoff Arnold, the incoming chairman of the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA),
says:

“Despite the depressed housing market, we are continuing to see relatively strong
demand for timber frame across all market sectors. We expect that the continue
next year. Obviously it will be sometime before we return to previous demand
levels; however, what is already clear is that the Code for Sustainable Homes
is still on everyone’s mind, and timber frame will be the build technology of
choice to deliver energy efficient homes both cost effectively and quickly.

"In 2009, the key for all developers will be market responsiveness. As funding
becomes available on a given scheme, whether in the public or private sector,
what will be critical is a developer’s ability to respond and build out the site.
Timber frame has proven time and time again that where build speed, performance
and energy efficiency are required, it can offer significant advantages over other
methods of build.

“We therefore see the percentage of timber frame homes increasing from 22.1%
in 2007 to well over 25% in 2009 even possibly achieving 30%. Furthermore, these
figures could be pushed higher as the Code for Sustainable Homes requirements
become better understood by developers. It is far easier to attain higher levels
of Code using timber frame than other build methods. Consumers then benefit from
a very comfortable home with small fuel bills.”

The UKTFA offers these top 10 tips to future-focused housebuilders and social
housing developers with an eye on the bottom line in 2009:

hit title above to view tips...

Timber Frame Will Triumph

2009-05-04T19:18:00.002+01:00

"These economic advantages come at the same time as regulatory changes that will hit masonry construction hard, but that are negligible to us. New energy efficiency regulations for the construction of new homes being introduced from 1 April 2006 can be achieved with a simple, highly insulated timber frame solution that is already standard across our industry. This means more timber frame homes that use less energy to run, which is a benefit to home buyers that will continue to increase in importance as domestic fuel bills rise.

"We are nowhere near as dependent upon expensive fossil fuels. In fact, 77% of the energy used in the production of wood products in the UK comes from wood residues and recovered wood. Through recycling our own waste we help to keep our manufacturing costs and environmental impact as low as possible.

- Open panel timber frame construction in England and Wales currently costs GBP798 per square metre, compared to GBP799 per square metre for traditional brick and block construction;

- Timber frame construction (both open and closed panel systems) requires 20% fewer on-site labour days than masonry construction, and ensures a significantly faster construction period overall;

- Timber frame homes are weathertight in almost half the time, leading to important quality, efficiency and health and safety benefits;

- The cost of snagging timber frame homes is a third less than for brick and block homes;

- There are no high risks associated with open panel timber frame, compared to traditional construction which is perceived to be at high risk of price fluctuations, delays due to bad weather, lack of key trade skills, service installation faults, health and safety hazards, construction errors and other defects at handover;

- Multi-storey buildings favour modern methods of construction like timber frame because the costs of complying with stringent building regulations for high-rise buildings increase faster for brick and block construction than for off-site manufactured elements;

- Timber frame systems are also particularly suited to brownfield sites with poor soil conditions (sites that favour lighter buildings), and sites with restricted access.

Tender prices drop as competition for work rises

2009-05-01T09:10:00.000+01:00

Tender price index reveals price of new work fell 2%, with BCIS predicting further 8% fallse 7.7% and wages 4.8%

Rising competition for work has lead to a fall in tender prices, data published today has revealed.
The latest tender price index, complied by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) of the RICS, showed new orders for construction work fell by 8% between the third and fourth quarter of 2008, and 28% from the previous year. In line with this, the price of new construction work fell by 2% in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with the previous quarter. The BCIS has predicted a further 8% fall over the course of the year.
Meanwhile, costs are going against the falling inflation trend, with an annual rise of 7.7% for materials and 4.8% for wage rates.

27 April, 2009
By Sophie Griffiths

Camden house update

2009-04-24T14:19:00.001+01:00

3d modeling to explore the massing and cladding possibilities.

Watford Chamber of commerce Event

2009-04-22T13:18:00.005+01:00

YOOP Architects attended a breakfast event on the 17 April at the new Jury Inn Hotel in Watford. Organized by the Watford Chamber of Commerce, the guest speaker was Mindy Gibbins-Klein. Mindy Gibbins-Klein is an international speaker, consultant and trainer who helps top business leaders get their wisdom into the market by refining their unique message and planning, writing and publishing excellent books articles, blogs, video and keynotes. Her clients have published over 100 books and hundreds of articles. She is a popular speaker who consistently gets superb feedback from audiences that enjoy her warm yet no-nonsense approach.
Mindy presented, "How to Be a REAL Thought Leader" How entrepreneurs can position themselves to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Mindy presented a four point approach based around the easy to remember R (reach), E (engage), A (authority), L (longevity). This was a good boost for confidence and also to focus on the common sense things to do that we sometimes forget. Also how book publishing can be a good way to become an 'authority' in your sector. We like Mindy's company name of 'bookmidwife' (www.bookmidwife.com) We also met some new business contacts and were able to discuss opportunities in the current market. Support and swapping contacts and ideas was great. We look forward to attending future Watford Chamber of commerce events and catch up with the good people we have met and meet more people in our business community.

Yoop
http://www.jurysinns.com/Watfordnowopen

chick inn

2009-04-22T11:07:00.003+01:00

A new chicken grill restaurant in Wandsworth, South London.

Net Curtain House

2009-04-22T11:04:00.005+01:00

A new house, traditional but contemporary. Traditional net curtains protect privacy while affording views and light, this is manifested in a contemporary way by using custom water cut screens to put the net curtains on the outside of the house as cladding.

Mortgage approvals up 4%

2009-04-15T08:51:00.000+01:00

Forecasts remain unchanged as February figures show no increase in total loan value despite increase in approvals

The number of mortgages approved by lenders in February was 4% higher than the previous month at 24,300, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
However the total value of all the loans approved - £3.1bn - was exactly the same as in January, and the number of loans approved was still only at just over half the level of February the previous year.
The CML said that despite the small rise, activity level remained very weak, with the 24,300 figure less than one third the historical average of 76,000 between 2002 and 2007.
February saw 9,400 loans for first-time buyers, an increase of 7% on January but a 46% fall since February 2008.
The CML said that for those able to get home loans, housing was now more affordable than at any time since 2004, with mortgage interest payments now consuming an average of 15.4% of a first-time buyer's income. This is down from a peak of 20.1% in February 2008.
Michael Coogan, CML director general, said that despite the growth, he was not convinced that underlying trends had shifted sufficiently to change the CML's forecasts for mortgage market activity in 2009, despite positive signs for later in the year. “We need further market measures to be introduced by the government to encourage a mortgage market where all types of lenders - banks, building societies and specialist lenders, and large and small businesses - are encouraged, and enabled, to commit more funds to the mortgage market."

14 April, 2009
By Joey Gardiner
http://www.building.co.uk

Ten tips for would-be landlords (clickable link)

2009-04-13T11:09:00.003+01:00

If your house won't sell, how easy is it to rent?

You need to move but do not want to put your home on the market: after all, there could scarcely be a worse time to sell. The obvious solution is to let your home. If you are about to join the influx of reluctant landlords with unrealistic expectations and no idea about tenants' rights, follow this guide:

1 Study the local market
2 Talk to your lender
3 Do your sums ..
4 ...and try to be realistic
5 Head must rule the heart
6 Think about your tenants
7 Spend some money on it
8 Follow the rules
9 Pick tenants with care...
10 ... or pay a lettings agent

From The Times

July 25, 2008 Paula Hawkins

Always vet and get references for tenants.
Don't let tenants pay rent late.
Don't use agents (unless they can get a higher rent).
Expect to be inconvenienced.
Don't get personal about the property, it's a business.
Don't forget what you're doing it all for, eventually you'll own the place.

New Build House in Caribbean

2009-04-02T15:34:00.003+01:00

For UK client with plot in Caribbean,
with special help from Yoop friend and
architect in Barbados.

Signs of life in buy-to-let (clickable link)

2009-03-30T16:46:00.002+01:00

Landlords are buying more properties than they are selling for the first time in two years, suggesting that activity could be picking up in the buy-to-let sector, according to the body that represents UK letting agents.

More than double the number of estate agents reported that landlords were buying properties in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the previous three months, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla), which suggested that sentiment in the buy-to-let market seemed to be improving. A lower number of Arla members said landlords were selling properties.

By Daniel Thomas, Property Correspondent

Published: March 30 2009 02:13 | Last updated: March 30 2009 02:13

New Build House Design in East Dulwich

2009-03-27T14:29:00.005Z

Mortgage approvals up 16% in February

2009-03-25T09:06:00.001Z

Number of approvals rises strongly but total lending only slightly up and still half that of a year ago.
The number of mortgages for new house purchases approved rose by 16% in February on the previous month to 28,179, according to the latest data from the British Bankers Association (BBA).
This figure is also significantly higher than the six-month average of 22,068. In addition, banks approved £7.8bn of mortgages in February, a marginal rise on the January figure of £7.6bn.
However, the £7.8bn mortgage approval figure was still less than half the equivalent for the same month last year, falling by 56.5%.
In addition, the actual amount of money issued by banks on mortgages, which lags the approval of mortgages by around a month, was higher than the mortgage approval figure, at £9.2bn, meaning the overall trend is still for a decreasing amount of lending. The £9.2bn gross mortgage lending figure was its lowest level since June 2001.
Markets reacted positively to the “encouraging” data. Charlie Campbell, analyst for Liberum Capital, said: “This is not the bottom of the housing market, but at least it's the end of the period of freefall, and might mean volumes increase this year even as prices continue to weaken.”
Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at the RICS, said the data showed that the increase in buyer enquiries highlighted previously by the RICS was now feeding through into actual transactions. He said: “Suggestions that the heightened level of interest was just window shopping are clearly misplaced.”
Source:24 March, 2009
By Joey Gardiner
www.building.co.uk

Kosher Kingdom On Site

2009-03-23T17:41:00.005Z

Fire damaged supermarket refurbishment underway.

Original fire story link

We built our own homes (clickable link)

2009-03-19T16:00:00.005Z

Cheap land, cheap labour and accessible funding make this the best time in years to build your own home from scratch

As years go, 2009 is not proving to be a great one for the housing market. Prices have plunged precipitously, repossessions are on the rise and mortgage deals are thin on the ground. Hunkering down and trying to weather the storm seems to be the safest course. Surely, then, to get out the bricks and mortar – or, more likely these days, wood – and start building your own home would be the height of folly?
PlotSearch, a database that enables self-builders to look for suitable land, says that the number of plots on its books rose by 20% during the course of last year – at the latest count, it had 7,628 of them across the country advertised for sale. They are also getting cheaper. “Land prices are down by 50%, whereas house prices are down by 15%-20%, so you’ve already seen a significant differential,” says Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank estate agency.
Obtaining a regular mortgage these days is not easy, but lenders are still keen to finance self-builders – offering as much as 95% of the land and build cost.

Yoop architects could assist in finding plots and evaluating your options, call Bash for advice 020 8954 6291or bk@yooparchitects.co.uk

Also Castleview mortagages 0844 561 7177 for finance advice.

Source:The Sunday Times, Lucy Denyer

March 15, 2009

End to twin tracking planning applications

2009-03-18T16:03:00.000Z

Local authorities can now refuse dual applications for the same scheme.
A common tactic for large schemes where developers where looking to hedge their bets, reduce planning risk and bring pressure to bear on under resourced planning departments.
Source:Sarah Bevan, propertyweek.com

Pidgley: Housing market is 'very close to bottom'

2009-03-18T09:02:00.002Z

Berkeley boss says worst of housing crisis has passed as he braces for 'steady recovery' in 2009
Tony Pidgley, the Berkeley Group chief executive, has said the housing market is “very close” to the bottom.
Pidgley, who gained a guru-like notoriety after correctly predicting the recession of the late eighties, said 2009 could be a year of “steady recovery”.
He said: “I haven’t called the bottom of the market, but we are getting very close. I would say the worst is behind us.”
“It wouldn’t take much to see a pick-up and most of my housebuilding colleagues have seen a fair spike in activity so far this year.”
Asked whether he has begun spending any of the £50m Berkeley had raised in a share placement last month, he said: “A number of deals are being done where people are selling off assets, but I obviously cant talk about them at the moment.”

Source:16 March, 2009
By Tom Bill, Building Magazine, http://www.building.co.uk/

Morrison gains share as recession bites (link)

2009-03-12T13:23:00.002Z

By Maggie Urry

Published: March 12 2009 08:22 | Last updated: March 12 2009 09:07

Wm Morrison on Thursday reported sales gains ahead of rivals as the UK’s fourth largest supermarket group increased market share.

Like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 7.9 per cent in its financial year to February 1, while total sales jumped 12 per cent to £14.5bn.

YOOP Talk Interview: Carla Day of Castleview Independent Mortgage Brokers

2009-03-11T13:22:00.005Z

Up to date insight into the mortgage market from Carla Day, Director of Castleview Independent Mortgage and Insurance brokers (www.castleviewmortgages.com) and with more that 20 years experience in the financial services sector
   
YOOP: So how is demand for mortgages in Feb/March?  

CD: We’re busier than it has been for a long time. A definite pick-up in interest and I’m particularly pleased to see enquiries coming through from first time buyers.  

YOOP: Everyone is talking about remortgaging to a tracker to take advantage of the low interest rate?  

CD: It’s best to seek professional advice from a broker as everyone’s situation is different. Whilst there are some attractive rates out there, the best deals are for those with significant (around 40-50%) equity and it may end up costing you more to move the mortgage, compared to the saving you’d make. Speak to an independent mortgage broker for help.  

YOOP: What about home improvement opportunities, how can a broker help?  

CD: It’s very cheap to borrow at the moment which makes it a good time to look at improving. As long as you have enough equity in your property you may still be able to borrow against it for home improvements. You can talk to your lender direct about a further advance and how much this would cost each month, or seek advice from a broker.  

YOOP: So how does a 'further advance' work?  

CD: Most lenders are still willing to lend up to 90% of a property’s current value, less any existing mortgage. You’d need to contact your existing lender and talk through the options with them to get an idea of what they’ll lend you and what the monthly payments are. Find out what fees you’ll need to pay whether you’ll need to have a valuation or survey done. It’s usually a relatively quick process and sometimes can take just a couple of weeks before you have your money in the bank ready to get the work started, plus its going to add value to your property.

   YOOP: Are there still mortgages out there? Can people still borrow?

CD: Whilst a lot of lenders have restricted their lending, people can still borrow. The government is putting more funds into the banking system so that credit can be more freely available. Even those with some credit history problems may still qualify, although more restrictions, higher deposits and higher rates will usually apply.   

YOOP: Thanks Carla, for all your insight and advice.

If you would like further information or have a question for Carla,
email info@castleviewmortgages.com or blog@yooparchitects.co.uk

Your home is at risk if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. CDFS Limited T/A Castleview Independent Mortgage Brokers is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Falling Costs Boost Small Businesses!

2009-03-09T21:06:00.001Z

Small business benefited from deflation of 2.9%, the main benefit was in petrol and raw material costs.
Source: Metro 9 March 2009

Homeowners turn to Improvements (click me)

2009-03-08T11:17:00.003Z

Unable to move house, homeowners are turning to improvement projects as the next best alternative.

Despite interest rates falling and further rate cuts expected, moving house remains an rare event in current times. House prices have fallen a long way over the past year and opinion indicates that further reductions are very likely. That, combined with the reduced availability of mortgages, the fear of higher unemployment and of course the high costs with moving home have caused many people to pick the option of home improvement as a more savory alternative.

For full story hit title link above

Price of Domestic Building Work (click me)

2009-03-08T10:57:00.003Z

If your thinking of getting some building work done but are unsure to cost, then check
http://www.whatprice.co.uk/building/price.html
This site covers all aspects of current work.
We would recommend this be used as a guide. As always we suggest getting an architect on board early as they can save you money and headaches in the future. You will get the price you want and also the finish and end result you want.
Also consider getting full building regulation approval before work starts to avoid any costly omissions or errors, for example foundations not being deep enough. See an earlier article, a tale of two trees.
Call Bash for further information or advice, 07961319721 or bk@yooparchitects

YOOP Talk Guest: Overseas Perspective-Asia and the new Las Vegas

2009-03-06T17:21:00.005Z

Don’t move, improve! This is exactly what’s now happening in Macau… Billions of US dollars, when they were worth anything, were poured into Macau for the leisure and gaming industry by the main players such as Wynn, Venetian, MGM, etc.

Stanley Ho lost his 40 year old monopoly on gaming licenses, thus creating the largest building site of high end design and construction in the world since the pyramids. Billions of British pounds, Hong Kong dollars and Chinese Yuan soon flooded the market to invest in property, services and new businesses to cater for the industry.
Just as a four bedroom apartment in Macau late last year was selling easily for $7.8 million (11 HKD to 1 GBP) and Sheldon Adelson’s US$7.2bn was looking like a good investment, the stock market crashed and so too did the Cotai Strip project and all associated investments. Many properties were invested in with the hope that they would be leased out to the 60,000 professional immigrants that would be needed to service the Strip prior to and upon completion.
22 high level cranes on the Strip stood idle at the beginning of 2009 and not being able to sell or rent and in most cases not be able to live in, due to new Chinese visa restrictions, many mainland Chinese investors are now choosing to employ local architects, designers and contractors to renovate and improve their properties so when the market does return in what many believe, is imminent, the investors shall resume their faith in property investment, both residential and commercial.
Macau will inevitably become a tourist hub for Asia as London has always been for Europe and anyone that has either invested in property or bought a family home, improving and not moving is the only way forward to look after your investments.
Guest Blog by: Nigel Godden, Resident Architect in Macau. nigelgodden@yahoo.co.uk

Garden House: Camden

2009-03-05T18:16:00.003Z

A Georgian terrace extends becoming a vertical garden to seamlessly become part of the neighbors garden.

The site is the original garages for a large
Georgian house. The concept is to not prejudice the garden to the house by creating a vertical extension to the garden.

The house has a basement plus 3 additional
floors with a roof terrace garden.

18.8% drop in planning applications

2009-03-02T20:48:00.000Z

A survey across 65 planning authorities reveals the drop. Bucking the trend is Watford with a rise of 1%! This reinforces YOOP architects premise of 'don't move improve'
source : inside housing , 27 Feb 2009

Residential Investors out in force for £90m spree

2009-03-02T13:09:00.000Z

London’s residential auctions racked up almost £90m last week as investors turned out in droves with a renewed appetite for property.
Allsop led the charge by raising £56.49m and achieving a 90% sale rate in its two-day sale at London’s Cumberland hotel, which attracted more than 1,000 people.
investors have concluded that a modest 4%-5% return is better than keeping savings in the bank right now.’
http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=36&storycode=3134926

DIY store new frontage

2009-03-01T17:22:00.000Z

Local DIY shop needs space at front to store goods securely, a Victorian inspired steel and glass structure is proposed.

modular rear extension

2009-03-01T17:15:00.000Z

Rear extensions, modular, pretty and economic.

Whole food: refurbishment of local supermarket

2009-03-01T17:05:00.000Z

New store for well know whole food chain.

a CRISP new office

2009-03-01T16:54:00.000Z

Successful crisp manufacturer seeks to refurbish their staff offices.

Fire damaged whole food super market: refurbishment

2009-03-01T15:46:00.000Z

Refurbishment of a fire damaged whole food
super market in North London.

New floors, walls, electrics, general fit and cold
stores out of the 1300sqm premises.

Vegetable Salon: Expanding house for and expanding family

2009-03-01T15:35:00.000Z

A young family to be with a passion for self grown vegetables.

A wraping lightweight structure creates addition space to create a living, kitchen, dining room for great family times. This allows the current living room to be the new master bedroom, adding an additional bedroom. Vegetables not included in the YOOP service!

Family life: maximised space and flexibility

2009-03-01T15:17:00.000Z

The classic family living scenario.

London house that does not deliver large living spaces for a growing family.

Key concepts of separate spaces for functions while each flows into the other.
Adaptive an flexible living, folding walls create necessary private separation of space when required.

The garden is the extra room, achieved with a glazed wall.

Georgian Garden House: New House in Camden

2009-03-01T15:02:00.000Z

A garage site becomes an opportunity for a new 3 bed house in Camden.

The garages are the original to the adjacent Georgian house. To manifest a new house on the tigh location an idea of Georgian house meets garden is adopted. The house will transform from terrace to garden. The flank wall will be delivered as a living garden wall.

The site constraints provide a challenge to incorporate a meaningful program of bedrooms, kitchen and living space. A single stair gives access to basement, ground, first and second floor. The lack of garden is addressed by a roof terrace and adds to the garden wall concept.

Concept sketch of Georgian Garden House

Welcome to YOOP Architects

2009-03-01T14:52:00.001Z

YOOP architects are a young team with a fresh outlook in residential and commercial solutions.

We use our creativity to overcome problems with planning, construction and management.

We have excellent relationships with planners, contractors, trades people, interior designers, suppliers and estate agents to facilitate the best information to meet your development expectations both financially and emotionally.