CIAT ramblings

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about CIAT. Last month I was in Dublin for a CIAT Centre Committee meeting, there’s normally a meeting prior to the Institute’s AGM, which took place in Guernsey at the end of last month.

I always enjoy the discussion after the Centre Meeting, where most of us “from the country” have a chat and lunch prior to making the journey home. Discussions vary covering topical issues within the profession, be it OSI copyright and the merits of buying an OSI licence or issues with planners or building control. Of course current fees or the lack of them featured in the discussions too. It’s always a couple of hours well spent, as someone will always have a solution to a problem that any of the others would raise. At this year’s AGM a number of promotional video’s (thought that term was gone with the introduction of DVD's) were launched by the Institute, 4 in all I believe. The one that’s most beneficial, is that aimed at potential clients.

I have to say it’s not bad and definitely worth having a link to, within each reach for potential clients. Another reason why I should really progress my membership now.

My POP record, is sitting somewhere on my desk awaiting the signature of my POP record supervised before submission. I should really get it signed off and submitted, so I can progress my membership… the longer it sits there the long it will be before I attain Chartered membership. Top of this week’s to do list, along with booking a CIAT CPD course.

Extensions and factors influencing budget prices

  

People definitely see value in construction at the moment and are prepared to extend their existing homes.  I'm currently working on single storey contemporary extension to a 1970's bungalow; the sketch design has been prepared and currently with a local building contractor, who's accessing if the works can be undertaken within the client's budget. 

Extensions and renovations, by their nature are more difficult to gauge budget prices for, as existing factors greatly influence the price. Apart from the fact that each extension is unique the following are some of the factor that can influence the project's budget.

Access

Unlike most new builds, access to works involving extensions can be restricted, from no access at all in the case of terraced dwellings, to limited access due to proximity of site boundaries. Depending on the restrictions, these can effect the overall price. The of concrete for foundations, is far greater if it has to be moved from the roadside to the back of a house via wheelbarrows, as opposed to beginning placed directly into the excavated foundation from the back of the readymix truck.

Existing Structure

Extensions, by definition will become a part of the existing structure/dwelling and effect the structure in some shape of form. How the extension integrates into the existing structure will have an effect on the project cost. Should the only works in integrating the new and the old  be removing a patio door the cost would be significantly less than an extension which is integrated into an existing room (s), as the latter will involve significant demolition and structural works. Works where alterations to existing roofs can also significantly add to the cost.

Services

In general at least some alteration to existing services is required, when extending an existing property. The effects on the project budget of these alterations vary greatly. moving a light switch or socket would have a minimal effect, compared to diverting an underground drain and manhole or relocating the boiler.

Very often when extensions are been built, client's take the opportunity to have  other works around the house done while the builder's are in, it may be hanging a few new doors, or putting in a new ensuite or altering partitions, all adding to the overall cost and distort the actual cost of the extension. 

Naturally specification can have the biggest influence on the project's cost.

Construction Drawings?

When it comes to building new houses or extensions, Irish people often don't see the need for construction drawings or haven't in the past. I've experienced it myself in the past, where people go off and get prices or engage building contractors based on information contained on "planning permission only" drawings.

What's the difference. Everything really, planning drawings are not required to contain detailed information on construction, other than to convey the basic design and outline finishes, overall dimensions, location and position of opening etc. Atypical drawing which I would include as part of a planning submission is indicted below

Construction drawings by their nature should contain sufficient information for someone to build the dwelling/building from. The information contained on the drawings should enable works be undertaken in compliance with the building regulations; be it thickness or position of insulation, opening sections to windows, or size of the roof timbers or whatever. Furthermore, construction drawings allow the designer, to convey how s/he wishes specific element of the building be finished, eave overhangs, downpipe poisitions or even finishes. While much of the information relating to building regulations is standard (or was ), as most regulations don't regularly change, except for Part L, relating toConservation of Fuel and Energy (insulation in otherwords), many building contractors are not always familiar with other amenements.

Why not provide construction drawings at planning application stage? Well it can be done, however in terms of providing value for a client, its not the best route; in many instances, the house or development granted permission, varies from that applied for, often requiring amendments during the planning process, be it minor amendments or sometimes a substantial redesign or in cases the development has been refused permission.Furthermore planning authorities do not access development in terms of compliance with building regulations, their is to access compliance with the planning policy.

Of course one benefit of construction drawings, it it allows a building/dwelling be accurately priced, when prepared in conjunction with a relevant specification. The less information a building contractor has, the more assumptions s/he makes and the greater chance what s/he delivers is not what the client had in mind.

Cottage renovation Part 4

The main roof structure is now complete, with work now progressing to preparing the roof for the velux windows. Velux windows to the south elevation will include vertical combinations, avoiding the necessity to construct dormers.

As noted below, rafters overhang the blockwork by a considerable amount, to allow for the provision of the external wall insulation, withthe insulation carried up  to the top of the wallplate, reducing cold bridging.

Cottage renovation Part 3

An unscheduled site visit had to be made yesterday to sort out a few unexpected problems. Addressable, however they do delay the work.

Despite starting on Monday and joisting out the first floor, the carpernter are not expected on site agin until Friday. Flooring to the first floor with be 18mm ply, providing a good base for tiles and laminate floor finishes.

Cottage renovation Part 2

Work is progressing on the cottage renovation. The project is behind programme, not helped in this instance by Tipperary winning the All Ireland Hurling Final: direct labour projects by their nature seldom go according to programme, as one is at the mercy of the sub-contractors, many of whom know that it will be the one and only time they will encounter that individual self-builder, unlike working for a building contractor.

At this stage the blockwork is complete. There is some work required around the existing opes, however this work is underway, mainly comprising of adjusting the cill levels, tidying up around the location of the former heads. New heads were cast as part of the band beam at first floor level. Cold bridges normally caused by band beams have been avoided in this instance with the used of external insulation.

The carpenter is due early next week to complete the first floor and commence the roof. While this will be going on, the windows and doors will be ordered(black uPVC has been selected) and installed prior to the installation of the external insulation and render. The external wall u-values have been calculated at a respectable least 0.22W/m2 using a thickness of 120mmof EPS insulation.

Consideration is currently been given to insulating the roof space along the line of the rafter right up to the ridge, creating a warm roof. I’m currently looking at the prop and cons of this, one major advantage of this method, which the clients sees, is of course the risk of frozen water pipes or a water tank is greatly reduced. The fact that there shouldn’t be excessive temperate differences in the attic, compared to the rest of the house, both in winter and summer, is also another factor wish is attractive to the client. Cost however may prove prohibitive… Kingspan, Xtratherm, Aeroboard, anybody?

Architect by the Grandfather Clause

Prior to the summer recess of the Dail (the Parliament), John O'Donoghue TD proposed  a private member's bill, which if successful with see the introduction of a "grandfather" clause to enable those who claim/have provided services of an architect for at least 10 years and are aged 35 or more to entitled to become a "registered" architect.(it might not be that simple but that's the basics of it) Naturally registered architects are not happy, nor is the body (RIAI) who represents them and who would blame them.

Throughout the summer, both in the print media and on line the issue has been tossed about, particularly between the RIAI and the Architect's Alliance.

So why is registration so important to a non qualified architect now? 

Title possibly? However another reason (the main reason) I believe is no doubt to do with Financial Institutions and the Law Society and one's ability to certify works. Being excluded from tendering for consultancy work for Government works too, can be an issue. Eg Schools summer works scheme.

Many of those providing architectural services outside of qualified architects are qualified architectural technicians/technologists (ATs).Many of the ATs do encounter difficulties with some banks and some solicitors, when it comes to certifying works, yet a qualified AT should, one would expect, be better qualified than an engineer to certify compliance with planning permission and building regulations and as competent as an architect.At the end of the day a qualified AT has studied Architectural Technology. Most bodies (banks, engineers etc) fail to distinguish the disciplines within engineering which is quiet broad. The term engineer is broad and covers quiet a few disciplines electrical/mechanical/civil/structural/manufacturing to list a few, of which not very many would qualify one with a level of knowledge of construction or planning to be in a position to offer an opinion of compliance with building regulations.Yet a qualified AT who studied building regulations and the technical side of construction, can be considered not suitably qualified by banks and solicitors.

Of course the fact  that The Building Control Bill 2007, which protected of the term architect, failed or neglected to register/protect the title of Architectural Technician/Technologist, hasn't helped the AT's case in terms of beginning qualified to certify works.


So getting back to John O'Donoghue Bill. Will it be be successful?

I'm not sure, by all accounts the Architect's Alliance have their homework done and have lobbied all the TD's, always a good start. You've got to hand that to them there. Is it the right thing to happen, not in my opinion, in theory there could be someone who has "acted" as an architect for the last 10 years or longer, yet only prepared drawings for planning permission and never taken into account compliance with building regulations... Mind you these type of "architects" aren't architectural technologists/technician's either.There are some  whom would genuniely qualify, however the proposed bill takes the good with the bad.It would be far better if Architectural Technology was considered a competent profession,and its title registered and accepted by the Law Society and all banks and other relevant bodies the same as Architects, Engineers and Surveyors.

Should the Bill be successful and be past into Law, one would have to say I would be foolish not to jump on the band wagon and get registered as an Architect. To be honest I'm not interested in becoming an architect through the backdoor or any other door, I'm an Architectural Technologist , however if you don't play the system you won't win, (or survive) as Tipperary Senior Hurlers proved last Sunday, in winning the All Ireland Hurling Championship 2010.

Cottage renovation Part 1

Work is well under way to a cottage renovation, with blockwork having commenced last week following two weeks of demolition work. In the first in series of blog posts on the project, I will outline the choice of wall insulation.

With existing external walls of stone/rubble construction, it was decided to insulate the entire building externally, using weber's external wall insulation system. As a designer the choice of external insulation, was greatly influenced by the fact that the entire external face of the wall is insulated to the same thickness, with no thermal bridges, where cavities are closed or new and old work is bonded together. The proposal is to use the weber.therm XM  external wall insulation system which is Agrément Certified with a mineral fibre insulation to the existing stone/rubble walls and EPS to new conc blockwork. A series of articles in Construct Ireland Magazine entitled "Breaking the mould" which dealt with upgrading of single leaf external wall construction, further helped with the choice of insulation method.

All new work is constructed of solid blockwork, with the customary cavity eliminated. The dwelling does however comprise of a partly build extension of insulated cavity construction, which will also be insulated externally. In this element of the construction the entire cavity is been fully closed so there will be little or no air movement in the cavity.

The insulation will be carried down as far a practical below ground externally and right up to wall plate level at eaves. All existing windows and doors are to begining replaced and are brought forward in line with the external face of the external structure, further reducing cold bridges. 

It is expected that the installion with be complete within the next 4-5 weeks, however beforehand the requirements from all service pipe supports etc has to be assessed and provisions made for.

Extensions & Renovations

Its looks like extension and renovations will be the flavour of the month for some time to come. In recent weeks I've had been working on some sketch proposals for new jobs that have arrived into the office. One came as a referral from a recent client, who's extension was recently finished... (there's nothing better than getting a referral from a satisfied client) 

Others have come by way of a developer, who's been asked to go back and build extensions to dwelling he built over 10 years ago.

Then there's the extension/renovation of "the homeplace", which has moved to site. Being built by direct labour means not only do I have to provide architectural advise but I've also been collared as a labourer when on site visits. From assisting putting up scaffolding to demolishing walls, and everything else in between . Needless to say site visits are in the evenings or on Saturdays. The entire house is to be insulated with external insulation, which will eleminate most if not all of the cold bridges. As work progresses there will be more updates.

Planning drawings only !

I was speaking recently with someone who had engaged an "architect", (I say architect in inverted commas, I don't actually believe that the so called architect is actually an architect as defined in the Building Control Regulations) to design their house and get planning permission from them, which he truly did. They were asking me about how to achieve a good energy rating, for their dream house, which is fair enough as people are more energy conscious now days. When I asked did their "architect" not look at the matter when designing the house, the reply I received was "he specializes in planning only doesn’t get into the whole insulation thing".

It is my opinion (and one shared by many others I assume) that is it is no longer possible to get away with designing  a house without looking at achieving compliance with Part L early on in the design stage. For me one has to design the house in tandem with using SEAI’s DEAP software, (or if a passive house, the PHPP software) which allows on check compliance with Part L and also establish the dwellings BER at the same time. Factors which influence compliance and are directly related to design include:

• Orientation
• Size and location of openings (windows & doors)
• Floor area 
• Extent of perimeter of the building

The number of chimneys and even the provision of a draft lobby have an effect of the energy performance of a dwelling. For someone on a budget (everyone is now days) taking the above into consideration, at an early stage can help and potentially reduce the cost in ensuing compliance with Part L, down the road.  Yes insulation is important; however it's not of much benefit in having a highly insulated south facing wall with few openings, with when the north facing wall is full of poorly insulated glazing! One might say the above is common sense, yet most of it is, but how many houses have been designed and built in the last 30-40 years and ignored common sense.

Of course other times also influence compliance like the type of heating, renewables etc, however whether using an oil fired boiler or a heat pump doesn’t generally have the same significant impact on planning permission, as the size of opening would.