The Budget issued last December by the outgoing Government hopefully has presented a cyclical low in the construction industry and the introduction of a 1% Stamp duty will have the desired effect on the housing market in 2011. I expect that the reduction will encourage house purchase and upgrading as all properties will be subject to a property tax soon. The Boom time approach to buying property is over and Houses will no longer be seen as a good investment for return of profit, but will be seen as a Home purchase. This change in mind set will mean people will be more likely to invest in their own property to expand or upgrade than move.
It is my hope that any new government arrives in power with a vision to encourage the domestic market and banking system to kick start a growth within the domestic frame work. This will secure existing jobs and provide for new jobs in our country rather than exporting not only products but people. One way that could be seen as an incentive would be to reduce the VAT for private dwelling works from 13.5% to 5%. This reduction could be under application via PPS number. A saving of 8.5% on Building / improvement works would be significant and could be seen as a grant toward home improvements, environmental upgrade of insulation levels etc. the present grant system is too low key to make that difference. This incentive would then increase the home fittings retail market by encouraging spending in a needed sector of the domestic market place.
Behind all of this rhetoric however is a banking system which if not fixed soon will be the failure of this country. The new finance Bill will start a restructure of the system which we all know will take time. The longer it takes the worst it will be for the Home market. As a nation I believe we are resilient, and hard working enough to come through the current crisis. We have the intellect to come out of recession, but even the best ideas and innovative minds need finance and investment to produce any meaningful results. lets hope things can begin this year to recover and show some return.

Project Design Architects was set up in June last year to answer some of the issues which I was facing in a larger practice with heavy overheads. How to provide a Client with the experience they required, the professionalism the project needed and a practical approach to Architecture which produced a result which was driven by Client needs and budget and not by any outside desires for expensive design awards at the determent of their needs. To provide big practice service at small practice costs due to low overheads has enabled this vision to be realised. To this end I have been successful to date and have serval commissions in hand. I expect 2011 to provide exciting challanges for everyopne involved Construction and hope our leaders do what they need to, sooner rather than later for this country to live up to its own potential.

Well, first six months of trading as a sole trader and I have survived so far. Business is good and there seems to be plenty of ideas for development out there if only people could match it with investment or finance. I think what we need in Ireland now is a progressive new lender in the market to allow small home owners and businesses to expand which in turn will promote growth. Its hard to find good news stories to Blog about as there seems to be a general NAMA perma frost across the market place.
However the work prospects which are under discussion through the property panel are exciting for 2011. We all hope that there will be good news from this section next year.

The snow was good the last couple of days but after that became a pain in the butt. latest news is we may be in for more next week - Ooh happy days.
I must say the Nissan pathfinder was a God send in the ice. One fantastic machine in 4x4.

Projects to look forward to in the new year include:

Refurbishment of protected Structure in Mount pleasant Ave Dublin 6
Extension and upgrade to detached House in Templeogue Road.
Extension and upgrade to semi detached house in Blanchardstown - On site.
Rebuilding extension in Bray after storm damage from a fallen Tree.
Sun Room extension to house in Blarney Co. Cork.

The Property Panel has taken another big step forward this month with the launch of its new website: http://www.propertypanel.ie/

While the website is still under construction and some areas are being adjusted we do now have a comprehensive package of professionals and information for any customer in the property market.
The aim of the Property panel is to provide an experienced and flexible team of professional working together for you. The property panel will provide a one stop shop for clients which will mean sourcing
a reliable design team, build team, sales team, maintenance team will be less frustrating and time consuming for Clients.

From sourcing homes for first time buyers through to the commercial development of green field sites, our panel will provide the same level of attention to detail for every project.
 
For a no obligation, no cost consultation on how The Property Panel can help you call 01 832 3292 or email info@propertypanel.ie.

• Some of the features provided on the website will allow clients
  Ask direct questions to the panel or individual members.
  Live chat and question facility
  Direct access to latest Blogs from members

Project Design Architects would like to thank Wolfhound Software for their time and patience in setting up the website, and wish all the members of the panel the best of luck in the coming months on all our new ventures together.

I recently completed a course run in conjunction with the RIAI and Building Life consultancy on the topic of low energy retro fits within the domestic market. As A BER Assessor I found it extremely interesting to see the areas of energy design that did not feature in a BER certificate. The Use of the DEAP software for design purposes was made clear and is a valuable tool going forward in designing for the future builds. The main area of concern within the course was the treatment of the Thermal Bridging of a building both in its existing state by DEAP or in a future design assessment for Architects and clients. Over insulating walls and bad or improper detailing of new insulation can lead to increased risk of wall failure. Not dealing with the Thermal bridging effect when insulating an existing wall can exasperate the condensation issue at window cills and corners. Building Ventilation must be addressed within a retro fit design when improving airtightness and insulation factors. Not assessing these issues will result in wall failure.
Warning - Some insulating companies offer a service to clients which provide the insulation to the external or internal walls. Not assessing the impact on the existing house and use can in time lead to mold and general insulation failure of the wall. Contractors are then long gone and the remedial work required to rectify the damage can be very costly. Nobody wants to spend more money than they have to, however the bigger picture is that it is better to be advised as to how much you should spend before the works commence rather than an ongoing shopping list of problem solvers.
New Regulations are due to be published for part L soon and we would all urge the department to look closely at some of their tables, and standards which are now outdated and to take the opportunity to help us all move forward with details and designs that we know will work in Irish conditions.

A draft version of the new TGD L(2010) is currently on Public Consultation, which is aimed to achieve 60% reduction on energy consumption from 2005 standards.

It has good points but many weak areas:

Adding value to a home must include a design which will allow for cheaper fuel bills, and healthier living conditions and better ventilation. It is Project Designs Architects view that all these must be incorporated into good retro fit and new build designs projects alike and if necessary the client may need additional time to help understand the process and the terminology used to arrive at a successful end project. Yesterdays big world economics is gone and today people need their Architect to take the time to help clients think about life standards, healthily homes, low energy usage, commuting, energy source, which will then start to make some sense of recycling of bottles and green waste management on domestic levels.

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Now that the end of the boom is well and truly in sight looking back, we are now in no man's land waiting for the return of some growth in our devastated society. A new era of Architecture is now our challenge, how to maneuver around the obstacles of no credit, dropping values, a dead market and the mismanagement of the planning. The reports from fellow colleagues are not encouraging, as some good projects which would have previously being a 'no brainer' are just not getting the financial backing they need and so rest in a drawer somewhere away from the starving construction workers. As architects we are charged with the development of the built environment and trying to improve the quality of the country as best we can not just for now but for generations to come.

While there has been huge steps forward in the quality of Ireland's Architecture over the last 10 years, with advances in sustainability, green energy research, and general build quality and performance we need more now. We need to be given the opportunities to turn poor planning decisions of the past into something attractive and sustainable. Deserted sites and ghost estates need new radical rethinking to enrich our towns and contribute to the competitiveness of our economy. Architects are at the coal face of the crisis and our problem solving and outside the box thinking must lead the way forward. Lets not forget that jobs will be created here at home as we reinvent ourselves and not just by those selling product abroad. We must all examine and learn from the mistakes made. Tax revenue is needed and we cannot expect a shrinking work force to sustain the growing debt. The figures will just not work.

The recent request for a consensus on the 4 year budget is a nonsense. How can a government with such low support expect consensus on its policies, never mind the history of the policies and the fact that they will not be in government for 4 years gives them no mandate at all for this budget. I vote that they should do as they say for once. - Act in the interest of the country and call a general election now and let the people decide. Power back to the people. Recently I heard Ireland described as the drama LOST. Everyone stuck on an island trying to get off as quickly as possible before the whole thing implodes. It was a very funny description but sad if true. We Irish will not roll over, the fighting Irish will rise again and if we could get some leadership going and positive action from those that have the power, then Ireland might become more like the place we all want it to be.

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This entry is a continuation from the first Blog about the proposed bill to amend the Building Control Act by John O Donoghue TD. It is a plea to Minster Gormley to protect the people who have stepped up to the mark, agreed with the set procedures and complied with the requirements of the legislation as set down by the Building Control Act. The proposed amendment specifically excludes compliance with the basic minimum EU standards for the education of Architects. In principle this alone must send alarm bells sounding in the ministers ears. Not to mention Deputy O Donoghue's or John Curran TD who has been quoted as confirming the Government would not oppose this bill. Wake up Guys. Do we really think that a light touch approach to regulation will work and if so can we think of any models for this method of regulation recently which worked? I refer to the financial crisis which was caused in no small part by major regulatory failures and this government needs to stand up and be counted and set the standards high even if it is only from now on.

I'm a registered Architect. I have been through the assessment process which was a huge amount of additional work at a time when things were starting to get tough. I have 25 years experience in the world of Architecture and have been involved in many large and small projects. I did not feel I was above assessment or thought I should be included on a register without due examination. Why would I be afraid of such a system? Would I have been happy to just sign a legal declaration stating I have worked for seven or more years to be included on the register? YES of course, however would the general public be confident of my capabilities, I doubt it. I still struggle to survive in our new world and my few customers deserve the right to protection when they employ an Architect. Everyone now shops around before outlaying money on such services and it is important that we are all quoting and providing the customer with a defined standard. The register allow for a sound footing for customers to start from.

All of the Governments efforts over the last two years has been in bailing out the bankers and protecting our good name on the foreign market. We are told daily that these billions are spent to convince the bond markets that Ireland is a serious player and are willing to do what it takes to recover. Please do not now show the international community that we have learned nothing from the crisis and that we are willing to get back to old ways so soon. The cement truck driven into the gates of leinster House was only the tip of the iceburg of anger among the general public at the lack of leadership and action by this government, and backing down or pandering to local interest will not help.

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Although the country is reeling from the recession which has hit hard into everyone pocket, there is still a need for good quality
and value for money advise for people looking into property. With this in mind and the huge variety of disciplines available where does
one start looking for the right person for the right job. The idea that one panel can offer a full range of expert services must be an attractive one.
The property panel has been set up by Paula ter Brake of Home Brokers with a view to solve that very problem. Professionals from all different
disciplines have been meeting each month with a view to see who will commit to the panel. We are now twelve members strong and ready to launch
onto the Irish web space. This space will allow anybody to enter a query in relation to any aspect of property, buying, selling, refurbishment, planning, building,
moving, electrics, cost analyst, engineering, interior design, kitchens etc and receive direction on how to proceed. Residential and commercial property owners
and or prospective buyers and sellers will have a panel of professional to call on.
This idea is a fresh way or approaching a property problem, and has such good merit for anyone with a question in relation to property.
Watch this space as we set forth to launch a new web site and get the country moving again.

It is very difficult to know where to start when talking about this subject. The figures quoted are so out of this world that I believe us everyday foke really can't come to terms with them.
What could you do with half a Billion, half a million even? We will never know. NAMA - National Asset Management Agency was to absorb some 81 billion in bad property debt from the banks
back in 2008 which would then allow Banks to free flow some much needed credit back into the economy and kick start the recovery. 2 years later, thousands of Jobs lost,
small business on its knees, and the NAMA's permafrost on all property is the only thing that is solid here. Does anybody know what is going on?

The life support drip of Tax payers money is continuing into the banks, and yet there is no sign of any credit. Jobs are still being lost
and the latest news reports a second hit recession for Ireland. Looking forward to that one for sure. The number of families
that cannot afford to pay the mortgages is now between 70,000 and 100,000. All this bad news comes out the week the politicians come back from their Holidays,
Things seemed to be improving while they where away??. Minister for Communications has the audacity to tell businesses that an increase of 5% in ESB charges will not
result in job loses. I'm guessing he means political job loses or his own job maybe?? Are our policital leaders in touch with small business people who have taken 50% cuts

Will NAMA work? Looking at the news and reading the paper it does not appear to be having the desired effect. It must move faster and deal with the Property freeze.
Even developers need to be able to make money if they are to try and pay back loans. They need to wake up and smell the morning coffee. We need action not reports.
The rest of us it seems must accept that the powers to be have not got the time or will to help us. We will all look forward to December's budget when the tax payer will be told
about the other patriotic means that we will be forced to accept to support this government, and their friends.

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I heard today that the department of Finance has issued some details and ammendments to the proceedure for small companies to get into the public works programme. Its about time that someone has realised that the small companies should be included in the process to maximise value for money to the tax payer (me). For too long over the Celtic Tiger this system of etenders has excluded the small business. Created to do away with the 'its who you know' syndrome, it has now fomer a 'its what you have' syndrome. New small practices where excluded as they could not match the high level of turnover and previoius experience required. This has created a niche group that can etender, which is not what the system set out to do. Good to see things change. Lets hope we can all benifit from these moves. Its now that we must search out the talent in the country, the small experienced Architect, Engineer etc will give better value, better service than the larger companies. Get one to one design with your consultant, now it is more available than ever before. We are all just waiting to impress our next client.

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RIAI question need for Grandfather C.pdf (18.66 kb)

As this is my first Blog, I will not bore anyone that might read it. I spent the last half hour writing my opinion on the Grandfather Clause being proposed as an Building Control Amendment Bill 2010 by John O Donoghue TD. I then tried to save it and lost the entire text, so not so successful to date on the IT front. I can't bring myself to try again so the best I can comment is this - The only good clause I have ever heard off was the small print 'Santa clause' in a film. This proposal to introduce light hand regulation to water down the current 2007 act is unbelievable in this climate where the industry needs good consumer confidence and protection. Our political leaders all around the country should be up in arms against this kind of undermining tactic for political gain by members. Have we not all paid, paying, and will be paying for this kind of thinking already? For all our sakes I hope that after their nice, although short break, the politicians of this country will come back awake.

If you would like more information on this subject please visit the RIAI website.

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