To Bin the Code for Sustainable Homes or Not?

Adrian Wild, MD of construction software developers HBXL, provides a simple view of building sustainably and the reaction to the governments potential plans to scrap the Code for Sustainable Homes.

“I spent many years building new homes in the 80s and 90s before setting up HBXL and introducing EstimatorXpress to the market.

What I found when building new houses was that ‘quality sells’. If you build good quality, well insulated homes and market them properly to the customer then they will always sell, at a slightly higher price – quickly!

Customers may not have been so interested in energy performance back when I was building… but with rocketing bills, they surely are now… I know I am!

I have read reports predicting that monthly energy bills in the coming years could begin to cost more than monthly mortgage statements, so energy performance is going to be a key player in future years as the cost of gas and electricity rises.

You don’t have to be an eco-warrior to understand that it makes sense to build homes that save energy… lets face it we don’t want to rely on other countries for our gas for ever! Neither do we really want Fracking in our back yard if we can avoid it; and even if we do, surely it makes sense to make the resource last centuries, rather than a few decades?!

EstimatorXpress saves you time and money.  Estimate extensions, conversions and new builds. Produce customer quotes and price up using live pricing.

In the same way it surely also makes sense to manage our water resources properly and harvest renewable energy…. It will save money in the long run and generate more jobs.

The Code for Sustainable Homes is a bit of a beast but it does give a framework around which we can work to and ensure that we build sustainable homes, in a quality way and as energy prises rise, the demand for these types of houses will be more prevelant….so adapt and simplify by all means if it is seen as “Red Tape”… but don’t bin it as the principle behind the code is a good one!

Have you tried estimating software?
More info	Online demo	Chat online
Call 0845 1234 065

HBXL in partnership deal with Jewson

Building software specialist company HBXL has linked up with Jewson to offer a streamlined estimating service for its customers.

 

The take-off partnership will mean builders needing to price up construction jobs and want to obtain a quick and accurate quote can now do so using HBXL’s Estimating Service via Jewson’s UK-wide network of branches.

Know your customer's rights or suffer the consequences

It’s fair to say that the few builders who disappoint consumers to the point of distrust don’t do the domestic building industry any favours. Consumers feel more confident about choosing a builder who provides transparent information. A clear and detailed quotation, evidence of health and safety planning, a contract and payment schedule, are all important - something that Which? the consumer magazine encourages.

On the subject of contracts, please note you cannot enforce a contract if you don’t provide a customer with a ‘notice of the right to cancel’. It is a criminal offence not to supply the consumer with a written notice of their right to cancel, in the correct format. And this applies to builders – no one is above the law!

1-2-1-2...homeowners set to record conversation with their contractor

Homeowners have been told by Consumer Minister Jo Swinson to record builders, decorators or plumbers so they can claim compensation if anything goes wrong with a job they undertake in the home.

A draft Consumer Bill of Rights has recently been unveiled and for the first time it includes legislation that will give people the right to redress over something agreed ‘verbally’.

The MP advised homeowners to use a device such as an  iPhone to avoid any difference in recollection of the conversation. The Bill may not become law until 2015 but in the meantime it has caused concern in various quarters.

ContractsXpert is expanding to five contracts

You have certain legal responsibilities when you engage subcontractors and you should agree a contract for services that will help you to discharge those duties.

A subcontractor contract is a legally enforceable agreement between a general contractor and a subcontractor. It can cover a number of areas:

• the contractor’s/subcontractor’s responsibilities
• the objectives, scope of the work and key deliverables (goals), eg in a project schedule with milestones
• resources you must provide if the contractor/subcontractor needs access to your equipment and/or staff

New Health & Safety Xpert v4.4.0 Update just released...

Following changes made by the HSE in April revoking certain regulations – we have updated Health & Safety Xpert accordingly. This means the software is current and complies with the law. There is also an updated manual to reflect the changes.

The changes to new Health & Safety Xpert v.4.4.0 include:

- Removal of references to Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 as this is superseded by Personal Protective equipment at Work (PPE) Regulations 1992 (Amended 1996) in all documents.

- Removal of references to Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes Regulations 2010 in all documents as this has been repealed.

Additional Health & Safety Information

HSE site visits are on the increase, Fees for Intervention (FFI) are making their mark, business owners face fear of employee litigation, there are CDM regs and ongoing HSE changes.

Health & Safety Xpert will help to ensure your paperwork is always up-to-date and always fully comprehensive. For more info about Health & Safety Xpert visit: www.hbxl.co.uk/hsx

Do you fear the arrival of a personal injury claim letter?

Even small businesses have a duty of care to keep their employees and the public safe on site as well as legal requirements to undertake certain paperwork. 

• It is a legal requirement for every company to produce a Company Health & Safety Policy if you have 5 or more employees.
•  It is a legal requirement if you have 4 or more people on site at one time that for you to undertake and record a Risk Assessment for the job.
• It is a legal requirement to record accidents and incidents on site on an Accident & Incident Record.
• It is a legal requirement under CDM regulations to have an active Health & Safety Plan and that the customer should not allow your project to start without one.
• It is a legal requirement under CDM 2007 regulations for companies of all sizes to ensure the competency of the tradesmen you hire - use our Contractor Questionnaire for this.