Robert Hughes’ Post

What are the most important aspects of a new housing build? How much storage space should houses have? What size does the kitchen need to be? What level of accessibility is required? Help us answer these questions and more! Cape Breton Regional Municipality is launching the exciting Pre-Approved Housing Design Initiative with an online survey to better understand housing needs and the housing options that will best suit our communities. The main aim of the Pre-Approved Housing Design Initiative is to help address the housing crisis by providing ready-to-go home plans that can be used by individuals and builders free of charge. This will help cut red tape, lower costs, and diversify housing options. We want your input, whether you are a renter, developer, property owner, property manager, or resident! The results from this survey will be used to help inform the development of the housing designs and ensure they are rooted in the needs, priorities and preferences of CBRM residents. Time to complete the online survey: approximately 10-15 minutes Survey is open until Sunday, August 18th. Link to the online survey: https://lnkd.in/e_TDFHyQ

If you didn’t know better you’d think this housing crisis was the perfect opportunity for certain parts of the property industry to demand lower standards – in planning, in affordable housing, in basic standards for heating and cooling and even for the quality of building construction.

Does the UKs housing stock offers the worst value for money? Addressing the UK housing crisis requires a multifaceted approach that tackles both the supply and quality of housing. Here are some recommendations for house builders: Maximize Space Efficiency: Focus on designs that maximize living space within a smaller footprint, utilizing innovative spatial planning and multi-functional rooms to provide more living area per square meter Modernize Older Homes: Prioritize the retrofitting of older homes with energy-efficient insulation and modern amenities. This can significantly reduce energy bills and improve living conditions Cost-Effective Construction: Employ cost-effective construction methods and materials that do not compromise on quality. Prefabricated panels, for example, can save on labor costs and time Sustainable Practices: Incorporate sustainable building practices and materials to reduce the environmental impact and long-term costs for homeowners Affordable Housing Solutions: Develop affordable housing solutions that cater to a range of income levels, ensuring that quality housing is accessible to more people Community Development: Build not just houses, but communities, with a focus on creating shared spaces and amenities that enhance the quality of life. By concentrating on these areas, house builders can contribute to solving the UK’s housing crisis by providing homes that are not only more affordable but also offer better living conditions and sustainability for the future. #ukhousing, #building #construction

Could retrofit be the hidden answer to the new homes target? There are millions of empty and older properties in the UK, what's the reality of these being updated to create new homes? Having been extending and renovating residential properties for many years, I can say there is a lot more more work than meets the eye. But, if government worked with the 98% of the construction industry that are SMEs and micro businesses, we could help the 1.5m new homes target become a reality. TrustMark, one of The Build Network UK partners, is working hard in this sector. There are many areas that need to be considered, but do you think this is an area that has been overlooked for too long? #construction #homes #newhomes #retrofit #government #renovation

Apartment starts fall 38% Overall, housing starts hit almost 1.3 million in January, a 0.7% YOY increase. Single-family builders were authorized for 1 million units, a 22.0% jump. Housing permits reached nearly 1.5 million, an 8.6% YOY increase. Read More>>> https://buff.ly/4dbIeUf #MitoInsulation #Insulation #ConstructionNews #Housing #Construction #MultiFamily #MultiFamilyRealEstate #MultiFamilyConstruction #MultiFamilyBuilding #CommercialInsulation #multifamilyhousing #multifamilyinvesting

Apartment starts fall 38% Overall, housing starts hit almost 1.3 million in January, a 0.7% YOY increase. Single-family builders were authorized for 1 million units, a 22.0% jump. Housing permits reached nearly 1.5 million, an 8.6% YOY increase. Read More>>> https://buff.ly/4dbIeUf #MitoInsulation #Insulation #ConstructionNews #Housing #Construction #MultiFamily #MultiFamilyRealEstate #MultiFamilyConstruction #MultiFamilyBuilding #CommercialInsulation #multifamilyhousing #multifamilyinvesting

The Canadian housing crisis is not short term. We need to re-think our regulatory regime, determine which regulations are needed, and eliminate the ones that made sense a half century or more ago, but no longer make sense. #housing #affordablehousing #buildingregulation #buildingcoden

“A report from the cross-sector network estimates that building a new home costs more than £250,000, which is higher than local house prices in some areas The cost of building a new home in 60 local authority areas in the UK is almost equal to or higher than its market value, a new Housing Forum report has revealed. Construction costs for an average-sized three-bedroom semi-detached house in “the easiest possible setting” are estimated at £133,000” #ukhousing #housebuilding #socialhousing #affordablehousing https://lnkd.in/eW7PgvXD

For the first time in 17 months, building consent numbers have increased*. As you can see from the table below, the trend of declining numbers has slowed significantly from January, and August saw an increase of 3%. I'm not suggesting that the residential construction sector has recovered...but that we are either at or very close to the bottom of the current downturn. I'm aware that this is not the case for most of the rest of New Zealand. I believe that Canterbury is better placed than many other Regions to recover quickly. The underlying economy is positive and strong population growth over the past couple of years (most particularly Selwyn) will ensure a strong demand for new housing going forward. I expect that the remainder of this year will continue to be flat...but that 2025, 2026 and beyond are looking great.

🏡 Solving the #housingcrisis is not as simple as just churning out more apartments, as some disastrous overseas examples have demonstrated. Catch the latest insights from Ross Elliott, founder of Ross Elliott Advisory as he unpacks the complexities of effective housing solutions! 📰