Horgan Homes

I can't believe this was a year ago! But the challenges and issues raised here by ITV and my interview with Nick Smith are still current. The news crew came to visit Horgan Homes' Manor Gardens development, (where we only have two properties remaining so if anyone's in the market for a luxury, high spec, single storey living home with a proper size garden let me know! 😉 ). We are also due to unveil our latest development of bungalows and dormer bungalows in Lincolnshire in the next week or two...so keep them peeled! 👀

The bungalow is back! 🏡 Well, for some of us it never went away... At Horgan Homes, we've always known the value of single-storey living. While other developers might see a plot and think about how many units they can squeeze in by building up, we see the opportunity to create something special. (And we’re going to be unveiling our latest development in the next week or two!) With average UK house prices rising by 4.7% in 2024, according to Nationwide Building Society, the market is clearly showing there's strong demand for quality homes. But what's really interesting is the growing recognition of what we've known all along - thoughtfully designed single-storey living is more desirable than ever. When we talk about single-storey living at Horgan Homes, we're not talking about traditional bungalows. We're talking about luxury homes that just happen to be on one floor (although the next development has a few dormers in there too!) What buyers are really looking for is: 👉 spacious, open-plan living 👉 reduced maintenance and better accessibility 👉 smart design that maximises natural light 👉 luxury specifications throughout 👉 properties that work for modern lifestyles That's exactly what we deliver. Sometimes, thinking differently about development means thinking on one level... 😉 Link in the comments to the 24housing Magazine feature on why the bungalow is back in fashion! #luxuryhomes #singlestorey #propertymarket #iamahousebuilder

Optimism appears to be in short supply at the start of 2025 – but I’d like to kick off the new year with some positivity. There’s no doubt that 2024 was a hard year for SME housebuilders, the property market and many businesses in the construction sector. But there are some glimmers of light on the horizon and I’m a firm believer that a growth mindset and a positive attitude can help overcome external circumstances which might be less than favourable! Here's just a few reasons for optimism this year…  🌱 The Future Homes Standard is coming - and it's going to transform how we build. At Horgan Homes, we're already incorporating these principles into our developments. 📋 Planning reform is finally happening! The government's commitment to streamlining the planning process should help SME builders get more homes out of the ground.  💪 Our industry is becoming more diverse. With initiatives like the I am a Housebuilder campaign, we are starting to see more female leaders in construction and 2025 could be a breakthrough year for attracting fresh talent to our sector. I'm a founder member of the initiative and looking forward to being a mentor this year.  🏗️ The focus on quality is sharper than ever. New building safety regulations mean buyers can have even more confidence in new builds - something we've always prioritised in our developments. 🔑 There's a renewed focus on different housing types. From award-winning bungalows to innovative new designs, 2025 will see more variety in housing stock - exactly what our communities need! What are you most looking forward to in the year ahead? For me, as well as all the progress we're going to make on our sites across the Midlands and Lincolnshire, I'm looking forward to the return of the summer days when we can throw open the doors like those below on our Manor Gardens development in the Worcestershire countryside! #housebuilding #construction #womeninconstruction #sustainability #futureofhousing

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! 🥳 It's been another great year for Horgan Homes and we're looking forward to building on our successes from the last 12 months. We can't wait to see what the new year holds and be able to update you on all of our fantastic developments in 2025! 🏠

Finally! Some action on the skills crisis in our sector. 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs announced this month - with the potential to fast-track train 5,000 apprentices every year. About time too. At Horgan Homes we've been banging the drum about skills shortages for years. But (there's always a but isn't there?) we need to make sure: 👉 These hubs actually deliver practical, useful skills 👉 Training leads to real jobs 👉 Women are actively encouraged to apply (currently around 13% of people in construction are women - shocking isn't it?) The industry bodies behind this - including the NHBC and CITB - are saying all the right things. But let's see some real action. Let's get these hubs up and running quickly and let's get Britain building again with a new generation of skilled workers. (And more girls!) Link to the full story in the comments. #construction #skills #apprenticeships #womeninconstruction #housebuilding

Winter has well and truly arrived at Manor Gardens. ❄️ We wouldn't want to be anywhere else when the first snow of the season begins to fall - imagine cosying up by the fireplace enjoying a hot chocolate in the comfort of one of these fabulous homes. 🏡 You can find out more through our website. (Link in the comments) 👇

Every year the important State of Play report has been published, one finding has remained a constant. Planning delays. The 23/24 report saw Stewart Baseley, Chair of the Home Builders Federation, set out how the tandem effect of poorly-resourced council planning teams and political uncertainty ahead of a general election equalled real challenges for SME housebuilders. Now we have a new Government, a 1.5 million new homes target and a promise of major reform, it will be interesting to see if planning once again tops the barrier to progress list in the latest report due to be published next week. I'm honoured to be asked to speak at the launch of State of Play 24/25, supported by Close Brothers, Travis Perkins and the HBF, at Westminster. As a founder member of the I am a Housebuilder campaign, this year has given me an opportunity to hear from a number of SMEs which, like Horgan Homes, are not immune to the challenging situation facing small construction companies. Now we have some level of certainty, and promises on the table, it'll be interesting to see whether this is reflected in the report's findings.... I will report back! #iamahousebuilder #construction #smebuilders #stateofplay

👷♀️ Meet the Team: Sophie Horgan – award-winning SME housebuilder Sophie Horgan leads Horgan Homes, which won the title of UK Best Small Housebuilder in the prestigious WhatHouse? Awards 2023 and is currently building on sites across the Midlands and Lincolnshire.    In her journey to Director, Sophie has faced several challenges - from dyslexia, which saw her put back a year at school, to sexism on site. She was also the only woman on her Construction Management degree course at university. Sophie worked from an admin role to site manager before progressing to Director of Construction and, ultimately, taking over the directorship of Horgan Homes, which was set up by her bricklayer father.   Sophie was named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction by the National Federation of Builders. She is also exploring options for developing a bursary that will support young women who are studying to enter the sector. #housebuilding #newhomes #womeninproperty #womeninconstruction #iamahousebuilder #InspireInclusion #girlswhobuild #horganhomes

At Horgan Homes, we're dedicated to providing you with a seamless buying process. From the very start, our friendly and professional team will be there to help you understand the process and give you peace of mind even before you've picked out your dream home. Find out more with our buying guide through the link in the comments. 👇

“Building new homes isn’t just about meeting numerical targets, it’s about creating communities which add value to people’s quality of life and write another chapter in our shared national history.” True, yes? This was from my speech at the Wright Hassall LLP Construction Conference last month when I was delighted to join Michael Hiscock, Partner and Head of Construction and speakers Tim Jackson MRICS AIFireE MIFSM; Simon Jones and Beck Collins. If you'd like to know more about the conference and the issues raised, there's a link in the comments. I had the chance to talk about how standardised off the peg developments are becoming more and more commonplace, but that great homes, sensitively developed to reflect the style and needs of the communities they serve, are crucial to developing a sense of pride. Horgan Homes I am a Housebuilder