Building Regulations and Standards: Driving up Standards

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- CommentAuthorTriassic
- CommentTimeAug 29th 2014
I read recently that 60% of all new builds fail to meet current building regs in some aspect or other. In the same article it was said that the EPC was designed in part to help raise standards. I'm left wondering if any of the trades certification schemes or Government sponsored schemes actually do anything to raise standards. Thoughts?
- CommentAuthortony
- CommentTimeAug 29th 2014
They don't seem to be the slightest bit interested in enforcing anything, e.g. Part L1b

As built does not meet as intended and now are you saying that the intention wasn't even there.

It is not a big surprise, but sad
- CommentAuthorTriassic
- CommentTimeSep 4th 2014 edited
Posted By: ShevekI was expecting the frame to be fully filled and then trimmed off but they blew it in and then patted it back while it was still warm, leaving the frame not fully packed with insulation. Their view "it's already plenty thick so it's okay".

Posted By: dicksterI noticed that the seal around the door had blown apart. Bloke basically said, well you've passed by a mile so it doesn't matter.

The above quotes, both posted today, suggest standards are going down, with a "oh well it'll do" becoming the norm. Is there anyone out there driving up standards, other that GBF!
- CommentAuthorSteamyTea
- CommentTimeSep 4th 2014
There was a man on You and Yours talking about it today. Only heard a snippet, but can get it on the iPlayer later.
- CommentAuthorShevek
- CommentTimeSep 4th 2014
One of the most eye opening experiences during our self-build has been dealing with our builder (my old man) who has about 45 years of experience. He is finely attuned to finding the quickest and easiest way to do things; something that has made him a popular and successful builder.

But when you're trying to retrofit a house to near Passivhaus levels the quickest and easiest is mostly not the right way. Despite being a special project, despite being a self-build, despite being for his son, despite me being mostly in control as designer and project manager, despite me being there to explain everything, and despite making him constantly rip things out and do them again I have made hardly any difference to his attitude.

And it's delayed our project immensely because I would make certain things wait until I was home on the weekend to make sure they're done properly.

I don't know how much this one experience translates to the industry but it's made me think that our existing housing stock will probably never be up to par and if you want something built right you need to get it made in a factory, shipped to site and put together by someone joining the dots.
- CommentAuthortony
- CommentTimeSep 4th 2014
Herein lies a huge problem. The whole building industry is very reactionary and changes far too slowly does not embrace new ideas at all well.
- CommentAuthorTriassic
- CommentTimeSep 8th 2014 edited
In another thread we were discussing EWI and this contribution made me think
Posted By: Mike GeorgeHi Peter, system manufacturers seem to control who sells their products and in most cases this is themselves.... You also have to use their specified products in most cases in order to get any Warranties...
So when Governments Departments dream up these schemes, that's assuming they are dreamt up by Government and not some industry lobby group, do they ever ask themselves is this scheme bullet proof or will it be open to abuse, will it enhance competition in the wider market or just enhance some cosy industry certification scheme that shuts out competition? Just wondered and not just about the above EWI example but the various schemes in the building industry!
- CommentAuthororangemannot
- CommentTimeSep 8th 2014
<blockquote><cite>Posted By: Shevek</cite>One of the most eye opening experiences during our self-build has been dealing with our builder (my old man) who has about 45 years of experience. He is finely attuned to finding the quickest and easiest way to do things; something that has made him a popular and successful builder.

But when you're trying to retrofit a house to near Passivhaus levels the quickest and easiest is mostly not the right way. Despite being a special project, despite being a self-build, despite being for his son, despite me being mostly in control as designer and project manager, despite me being there to explain everything, and despite making him constantly rip things out and do them again I have made hardly any difference to his attitude.

And it's delayed our project immensely because I would make certain things wait until I was home on the weekend to make sure they're done properly.

I don't know how much this one experience translates to the industry but it's made me think that our existing housing stock will probably never be up to par and if you want something built right you need to get it made in a factory, shipped to site and put together by someone joining the dots.</blockquote>

TOP POST above.

says it all, sadly.
- CommentAuthordjh
- CommentTimeSep 8th 2014
Posted By: Triassicdo they ever ask themselves is this scheme bullet proof or will it be open to abuse, will it enhance competition in the wider market or just enhance some cosy industry certification scheme that shuts out competition?

I think they do ask those questions. Their answer to the first one is generally 'yes' so they make the scheme more complicated with added rules that don't really help. Sometimes they also ask whether it is fair and complicate again, sometimes they don't and just annoy people from the get go (RHI anybody?). They don't need to ask whether it's a cosy scheme to decrease competition because that's always a racing certainty.

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