Architect advice for extending your home in Northumberland

If you are living in or around Newcastle upon Tyne and looking to create more space and add value to your home without the hassle of moving, then a house extension could be the perfect solution. Learn about the different types of home extensions available, as well as their costs and benefits.

Convert Loft Space

Converting loft/attic space into an extra bedroom (or two!) is an increasingly popular way to create additional usable space, as well offering great returns on investment. Loft conversion projects tend to be one of the most cost-effective ways of extending your Newcastle upon Tyne home, with works generally starting from around £30,000. An attic bedroom typically adds up to 30% to the value of your property – so a good return for your money!

Add a Ground Floor Extension

Adding more space to your home by extending the ground floor is also an interesting option. This type of extension requires digging out some part of the back garden in order to create a much bigger living space available from ground floor level, making it very useful for creating an open plan kitchen living and dining room, maybe a new bedroom for when parents come to stay with ground floor bathroom/shower room or maybe an office. Costs are typically upwards of £30,000 depending on the design size, glazing, and finishing touches, Double or triple glazed windows, a solid roof structure and super insulated walls help minimise energy consumption costs too. This kind of extension is highly recommended for homeowners who have a sizeable garden area they are willing to lose, and maybe a small family.

Side extensions, single or two storey extensions,

Extending to the side over one or two floors can provide excellent new space for your home this type of extension can be built on top of an existing single Storey garage or to the side of the property where there is currently just access. Two Storey side extensions on the ground floor often contain office space utility rooms downstairs wc’s work can be incorporated into a more open plan feel for the rear of the property. To the first floor often bedrooms and additional shower rooms are created within this type of extension. There are lots of properties in Newcastle and N Tyneside that can benefit from this type of extension and acre design would be happy to help you understand your options.

Book a call with Acre Design today to find out about extending your home in Northumberland, North Tyneside or Newcastle upon Tyne!

Office Manager of Leading Newcastle Architectural Designer - Acre Design

We thought it was about time we introduced you to our team properly! It’s really important to us that we create a trusting and open relationship with our clients, especially in a time where face-to-face meetings are unsafe. We’d like to tell you more about us with a series of interviews.

To kick it off, we’d like to introduce Laura, our office manager and amazingly organised heart of our team. There is nothing Laura doesn’t know about planning permission, building control, managing a team of creatives… the list could go on. Having worked with Alistair since he the very beginning of Acre Design\’s journey, Laura has helped complete over 500 home extension, loft conversion and self build projects across the North East. I asked Laura a few questions…

What is your role within the team at Acre Design?

I am the Office Manager at Acre Design, the first point of contact for any client, contractor or planning / building inspector. I\’m always here to answer any questions and arrange telephone calls or meetings with the Design Team where required.

What do you think our clients would say about you?

I would hope clients see me as a helpful and a friendly voice on the other end of the phone to help with any questions and queries that they may have.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I am very much a people person. I love conversation (sometimes a little too much). This is usually with clients about their projects, hobbies or even the weather… I thrive on chat.

You’re such a happy, positive person. What really makes you smile at work?

Seeing clients dream homes being created by The Design Team is amazing. It is like living in a Grand Designs programme every week day. What more could you ask for?

What are the biggest challenges your role brings?

Being the first point of contact I remember a lot of names, a lot of addresses and the projects in general. Acre Design has grown so much since I began working here in 2016 that it is slowly becoming impossible to remember everything. Our computer systems provide a great resource in looking up each individual project and very quickly jog my memory.

What is your biggest strength?

I believe my biggest strength to be organisation. I have always been one to keep lists, spreadsheets, dates and times.

Working from home can be a challenge, how have you maintained a work-life balance?

Working from home has been a lot more effective in my opinion. It is so much easier to concentrate and get jobs done when there are no distractions. Microsoft Teams has been a major help in keeping the team together and allowing discussions to keep everyone in the loop about all that is going on within The Design Team. I have been lucky that my working life can also revolve around my family life, I can do the school run for my children and still get all of my work done and be really productive. Doing the school run actually really helps me start the day cheerful and calm and finish it focused on my family.

You have a young family; how do you manage this alongside working at Acre Design?

My husband and two children are amazing. Weekends are family time and this is very much a time we all make the most of. We have 2 Labradors that love to be anywhere they can find water. This becomes challenge finding bigger and better places for walks.

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design, Newcastle, we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative. We would love to discuss your project with you in detail.

Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation consultation at your home

Family-friendly interiors: 5 tips for creating a broken-plan living space

More time at home with the family has become the norm for 2020. And while you’re sure to have loved the extra quality time together, it can be stressful when you don’t have designated areas laid out for work and play. Here, Nick Acaster from Rugs Direct discusses how to create a broken-plan living space that’s friendly for all of the family.

Open plan living spaces have been a popular home design for years now. By knocking down walls and maximising the space available to you, it creates a multi-functional area for the whole family. But with the pandemic meaning we’ve all had to spend more time working in and relaxing at home, you may be feeling like the areas in your open plan living area need defining better. And, a broken plan design may just be your answer.

Whether you’re wanting to separate your work office from the lounge, or your dining space from the kids play area, there are plenty of ways you can do this — and best of all, it doesn’t have to cost tonnes! Here, I’ll be outlining some of my favourite ways to create a broken-plan living space that’s family-friendly and stylish.

Consider adding partition walls and features

If you’re looking to make home improvements that will add value to your home, consider adding some partition walls to your open-plan living space. For this, I’d suggest hiring a reliable architectural designer, such as Acre Design, as they’ll be able to analyse the best way of creating a transitional broken-plan space.
This doesn’t have to completely section everything off, but for example, having a fireplace wall that divides your cooking and dining space from the lounge is sure to make it feel like two separate zones without compromising on all of the lovely space you have available to you.
If getting a new partition wall built isn’t within your budget, you can take a traditional approach and implement screens that can separate the space. This is particularly popular in Japanese cultures, as well as Scandinavian interior design styles, so why not give a bamboo screen a go? It can be easily removed if you decide you want to open the space back up in the future.

Divide with soft furnishings

If you still want to make the most of the beautiful open-plan space you chose for your home, you don’t have to add something as drastic as partition walls or large pieces of furniture. Instead, you can use soft furnishings like rugs or carpet to define the different zones within the open-plan space.
For example, you could look at getting the lounge half of the floor carpeted to distinguish it from the tiled kitchen flooring. For a cheaper option, you could make use of area rugs. These will help you to define where the office, lounge, and kids play area is and separate it from other functional areas such as the kitchen. There are so many different types of rugs you can choose from, so there’s sure to be one that fits in with your interior style. Plus, as they’re much cheaper to switch around than carpeted flooring, you can add a new look to your space at any time.

Define the zones with storage solutions

If you’re transforming your open-plan living space to a broken-plan one, you’ll no doubt want to ensure any changes you make add to the functionality of your home. Implementing storage solutions means you’ll have separate zones, which all have their very own purpose and special features to match. For example, if you’re trying to break up the study and the kids play area, adding a large fitted bookshelf in your study will give you a space to store all of your books and folders, while still being in close proximity to the children while they play.
Similarly, you could break up the lounge and kitchen areas by having ottomans on the outskirts of the TV area. These will ensure you can store magazines and remotes away tidily after a busy day, so the mess doesn’t creep over into the dining area.

Make sure the changes appeal to the whole family

When you make changes to the open, communal space, you’ll need to make sure that any decisions you make will benefit and appeal to the whole family. For example, if your teenager gets distracted by the TV when doing their homework in the study, having a partition between them is sure to keep them focussed on the task ahead, and they’ll be grateful for getting through it quicker. Similarly, if you’re considering adding a partition wall between the lounge and cooking space, you don’t need to compromise on functionality and features. You could look at embedding a TV in both sides of the partition so you can enjoy watching your favourite shows no matter where in the living space you are.

Maintain your interior style

You’ll need to bear your interior style in mind when making any changes to your open-plan living space. For example, if you’re going to be adding a bookshelf to mimic a partition wall, make sure it fits in with your current design whether that’s natural wood or something that’s painted to match your colour scheme. If you can’t find the perfect shade to suit, you could even try your hand at some DIY and paint it yourself to make a piece that’s unique to your home.

If you’re thinking of adding a rug to break up the space, consider whether plain or patterned designs will fit in with your décor better. Alternatively, if your living room design is quite modern and clean, you might want to stick to a neutral style carpet, but if you have more eclectic interiors, a traditional mosaic-style rug will complement it nicely. For a super cosy and warm vibe in your home, you might also want to consider carpet pile and opt for something more shaggy or furry that’ll be warm underfoot.

Define the zones in your open-plan living space to upgrade your interiors and give the whole family an area to enjoy. By taking my five tips on board, you’ll soon be on your way to designing a broken-plan living area that is the envy of all your guests.

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design Newcastle we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative. We would love to discuss your project with you in detail.

Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation consultation at your home

Project Location : Birtley, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

Project Description: Rear and Side Extension

Lead Architect: Robbie Evans

Before

After

We are delighted that Planning Permission has been granted on this large rear and side extension to this detached property in Birtley.

The original layout of the property has small individual rooms, which don’t suit the modern-day, open plan living that many of us dream of. Our beautifully designed, modern rear extension (architect Robbie Evans lead the design team on this project) will create a large kitchen and dining space with an existing backroom turned into a cosy snug room with log burner. To the side of the property, an existing side passage between the house and the detached garage is to become enclosed to create a large utility space with glazing that enables you to see through the property.

Before

After

The extension is designed to create a modern, ergonomic living experience paired with a contemporary exterior finish. Rendered in white with simple details, clean lines and dark grey framed aluminium windows and doors, this extension will create a minimalist and monochromatic feel.

This new extension will improve the way the clients live and socialise; both as a family and with friends… creating a home for life.

Original Floor Plan

Final Floor Plan

Needs and Options Review

Original Floor Plan

Proposed Floor Plans

For this project we initially came up with a number of alternative layouts for this house extension. Please use the slider to see the various options we explored. When developing these design options, we consider: the budget, the relevant planning constraints, the client’s taste, the priorities for the space and how the client wishes to use their new space. It is then in the hands of our clients to decide which option they would like to run with together. We can then get into the finer details and develop the design to ensure it is absolutely perfect for our client.

We always start any project by exploring different design and layout options so that our clients can make an informed decision on their home extension design before beginning the build.

COMPLETE YOUR HOME EXTENSION ON TIME AND ON BUDGET

We have had a number of clients in Newcastle and the North East unsure about timescales for their build projects as contractors, designers and materials are becoming increasingly in demand. Let\’s take a look at the situation in our area.

2021 has certainly been a strange time for wannabe home extenders. A number of factors have come together to form a bit of a perfect storm. In this blog post, I (Alistair Crerar, MD here at Acre Design) wanted to give my thoughts on the situation, having spoken to hundreds of stakeholders in the industry in 2021 (and over the last 8 years of running Acre Design). Every day I speak to builders, agents, clients & planners about the residential extension sector, this small part of the construction industry that Acre Design works within, and loves with all its heart – if a small architectural practice can have a heart (I think it can).

Many people have been able to save money during the past two years where usual spending behaviours (holidays, going out…) have been restricted. This, coupled with massive changes in working patterns (working from home becoming commonplace) led many to think about extending their home. At Acre Design, we saw an incredible demand peak early in the year. This made sense, a lot of people spent ALL of their time within the four walls of their home (the one exception was that one hour exercise window in lockdown one). Of course we started to look to see what we can do to improve our lives at home, or at the very least, adapt things to make things a little more comfortable and organised.

With this extra cash in the bank and being locked away 23 hours of the day, a rise in house prices also really started kicking in at the start of the year as people sought greener pastures. Estate agents we spoke with told us that in North Tyneside and areas of Newcastle, houses have gone for £80k over the vendors\’ asking prices! This isn’t on mansions either, these are pretty standard houses, which happen to be in truly lovely parts of our beautiful North East of England. House price inflation has certainly ramped up over the last 12 months, meaning that by re-mortgaging, more equity could be released should funding be needed for extending. And if credit isn’t required, it makes extending much more viable, as our future clients wouldn’t be breaking the ceiling price anymore.

One other unquantifiable with limited data is the feeling that there is a bit of a migration North, possibly due to high prices down South, and the ability to work from home. It looks as though many people are cashing in their chips, selling their properties in London and the South and buying up large, period homes in the North East – Northumberland and North Tyneside in particular. At Acre Design, we have had half a dozen clients who have done that this year. Can we blame them? It\’s a glorious place to live!

Things have died down a little since the end of the Summer, when the kids went back to school, and people tentatively started heading back to the office. However, in many cases, this return isn’t as permanent or full time as it once was, and with more time spent at home, the little bug bears about lack of space, storage, number of toilets, washing machine rumbles in zoom meeting backgrounds continues to grow and demand remains consistently high.

We are now in October, and people are getting in touch, hoping to find a builder for a spring start. I am afraid that even in normal times that is just not realistic. We monitor closely each of our clients\’ projects and the average design process takes eight weeks. There are big decisions to make, and clients need to make the right decisions as they will be the ones living with them when works are complete. With a hard working team and regular weekly meetings with clients, we can move quickly at each stage of the design process, but we will usually need to wait whilst clients mull over their options.

For clients who go ahead today with Acre Design, we can forecast that in eight weeks (December now… yikes!) there will be a detailed set of technical & construction drawings ready to go to a contractor with. These plans really are the minimum the contractor will need to be able to submit the quotes back to Acre Design or directly to the client dependant on the level of services a client has opted to use us for.

Last week I spoke with Neil at Modern Living Projects and also James Dickinson from JWD and they both agreed with me about the demand peaks at the moment, and that their order books will be full until September and late August respectively. That doesn\’t leave much availability to get a build project complete in time to celebrate Christmas in 2022.

These time frames are from two large, local contractors, but this is synonymous with what I\’ve heard from others in the industry. There will be availability left for next Summer, but I think Spring is now out of the question. If you are thinking of extending and you’d like to try and find a gap in a diary for next year, the best bet is to start the design phase now, and be at peace with an early 2023 start on site, because if you can\’t have Christmas in your extension, you certainly will be able to look forward to relaxing and enjoying your brand new extended dream home, whatever gets thrown at us over the coming years!

As part of our mission to keep our customers updated with industry developments, we will continue to monitor the situation. For more information on extending your home or to find out how we can help design your next residential building development, get in touch with us at Acre Design on 0191 680 8088 or e-mail [email protected]. Our friendly, experienced staff are waiting to take your call.

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design Newcastle we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative.
Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free feasibility discussion with Alistair.

Information on Planning Permission Impact from Leading Newcastle Architectural Design Firm

Most industries have had to make changes to their processes and the way they work due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I write this information from my own home; which seems to have become the new norm for a number of workers in Britain. A number of clients have been unsure of the impact of the pandemic on planning applications and the planning process in England and the North East, so we have put together a brief bit of information which will hopefully offer some reassurance to those wanting to undertake a home extension, renovation or self-build project.

Former Chief Planner, Steve Quartermain, summarised the situation well, stating that we need to be ‘practical’, ‘pragmatic’ and ‘plan for recovery’. This seems to be exactly the line taken by our local councils (Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside). At Acre Design, we have found that applications are moving forwards at a steady and, on the whole, ‘normal’ pace.

Planners working at our local Councils seem to be keeping up with applications and communications and like many businesses, working from home seems to be suiting their process well. All local councils have been responsive and helpful, which has been reassuring and has enabled us to maintain usual timescales on most of our projects. Some local authorities have taken a little longer to respond than others, however it hasn’t been too problematic for our clients. We have seen a very pragmatic response to the extension of applications due to lapse where this has been necessary.

Understandably, the public can no longer visit a Council office/library or send comments by letter and Acre Design cannot submit hard copy applications at this time. However, this is not our usual process, our preference has always been for a speedier, electronic application.

In addition, temporary legislation has been introduced to assist businesses during the recovery period, for example, by granting temporary permitted development rights for a range of developments that would normally require planning permission. Further guidance on these and other measures introduced to make it easier to operate the planning system at this time is available on the Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Planning update webpage here : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-update

I hope this offers some reassurance on the impact of Covid-19 on Planning Applications in the UK. We have been delighted by the level of communication and support given by our local Councils during this unusually challenging time and expect no serious delays in coming applications.

As part of our mission to keep our customers updated with industry developments, we will continue to monitor the situation. For more information on the cost of building materials or to find out how we can help design your next residential building development, get in touch with us at Acre Design on 0191 680 8088 or e-mail [email protected]. Our friendly, experienced staff are waiting to take your call.

Top Ten Tips for Designing and Building a Home Renovation Project:

Contemplating a home extension or renovation project can be really overwhelming, even for a professional. That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to interview our designers about their experiences, having completed home renovation projects as professionals in the industry. First up, I spoke to Marc about his experiences…

Completing your own project, how does this differ to designing for others?

As a designer, I usually work collaboratively with the clients to make decisions. Ultimately, the client makes the final decision based on what will work best for them personally. Being the designer and the client for my own project, I felt like I was only thinking of ideas that I knew I loved (as I know the client – me – so well!) which made decision making difficult. It has made me appreciate collaboratively working with clients to offer suggestions and working together towards the one that works best for them. Tip one – collaborate! Don’t be afraid to offer your ideas and consider other approaches that you perhaps cannot visualise.

What has been your proudest moment during your project?

When my wife, who had previously only been able to trust my ability to visualise the space, started to understand the space as walls were removed. It was very satisfying when her faith in me paid off and to be able to use my skill for layout design to improve the way we use our home. Tip two – try to see the bigger picture!

What has been your biggest lesson?

This brings me to tip three – don’t underestimate the upheaval that even a small project will bring. Be prepared for lots of dust and difficulty when moving between rooms when the build is in full swing! The real lesson, though, is that it all becomes a distant memory very quickly when you start to reap the rewards of the completed project.

Is there anything you would do differently if you could have a do-over?

Not for my own project as we had lived in the house for over 3 years and I knew exactly how the new space would work. I do, however, have experience of wishing the previous owners of my home had added a dormer when converting the loft as this would have made a huge difference – this is our next project! Tip four – once you start, the need to improve won’t stop!

Will your personal experience impact has this impacted on your work as a designer? If so, how?

You always take something away from every project. For example, my project introduced me to new solutions that I chose to use that I will recommend to clients in future designs. For example, plinth radiators in kitchens to allow more wall space for kitchen units, or sockets inside cupboards for charging wireless vacuums (or, in my case, to power a coffee machine that pulls out of a cupboard and can be hidden away when not in use!) Tip five – really try to imagine living in your new space before finalising some details.

How have you found living in your home whilst work has taken place?

Tip six – enjoy the journey! It hasn’t been too much of a problem as I knew what to expect, but for others it can be understandably stressful. The excitement of seeing things take shape and the potential being realised quickly becomes the main focus, though!

Do you have any advice on managing living in your home during a renovation?

Accept the upheaval! Yes, it can be difficult but the resulting new space would be impossible without it, so embrace it and grit your teeth during the challenging times (which often feel like they flashed past when you look back at it all!)

What is your favourite part of you new space?

Our exposed brick wall, without a doubt, which was a laborious effort by myself and my wife to remove the plaster and clean the brick with wire brushes and chemical cleaner before sealing it. Worth every painful minute! Tip seven – the effort you put in now will be worth it!

What do you get the most compliments on?

Our fully black kitchen, which people find an unusual colour for a kitchen. It’s from Ikea so it was extremely cost effective and offered the exact finish we wanted – black matte that would look great against the exposed original red brick.

Where did you look for inspiration?

I always read home improvement magazines – Build It and Homebuilding & Renovating are great to subscribe to if you want your own inspiration. There are always some great ideas being showcased in those. Tip eight – keep a scrapbook of images ideas you like.

Would you recommend any particular products or companies?

I can’t fault Ikea for our kitchen. They offer an incredible range of space-saving solutions and all at an extremely affordable price. I also fully recommend track lighting as this offers flexibility in light fittings that simply clip into the track anywhere you want, so you can focus light on your favourite features.

How has your professional experience impacted on your renovation project?

I was able to order products myself – I’d recommend clients to do this too. It is very simple as well-known retailers offer products you can view and purchase yourself. Our glazed folding internal doors are from Wickes, for example. Tip nine- don’t be afraid to source your own materials appliances.

Lastly, what helped you stay calm during what can be a very stressful time?

Knowing that the end result would improve our home lives massively! And also being able to close off the area where the work was taking place – tip ten – keep as many of your other rooms as normal and organised as possible during the build so that you can retreat to these rooms, close the door and forget about the build during stressful times.

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design Newcastle we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative. We would love to discuss your project with you in detail.

Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation consultation at your home!

Our top tips..

More time at home with the family has become the norm for 2020. And while you’re sure to have loved the extra quality time together, it can be stressful when you don’t have designated areas laid out for work and play. Here, Nick Acaster from Rugs Direct discusses how to create a broken-plan living space that’s friendly for all of the family.

Consider adding partition walls and features

This doesn’t have to completely section everything off, but for example, having a fireplace wall that divides your cooking and dining space from the lounge is sure to make it feel like two separate zones without compromising on all of the lovely space you have available to you.

If getting a new partition wall built isn’t within your budget, you can take a traditional approach and implement screens that can separate the space. This is particularly popular in Japanese cultures, as well as Scandinavian interior design styles, so why not give a bamboo screen a go? It can be easily removed if you decide you want to open the space back up in the future.

Divide with soft furnishings

If you still want to make the most of the beautiful open-plan space you chose for your home, you don’t have to add something as drastic as partition walls or large pieces of furniture. Instead, you can use soft furnishings like rugs or carpet to define the different zones within the open-plan space.
For example, you could look at getting the lounge half of the floor carpeted to distinguish it from the tiled kitchen flooring. For a cheaper option, you could make use of area rugs. These will help you to define where the office, lounge, and kids play area is and separate it from other functional areas such as the kitchen. There are so many different types of rugs you can choose from, so there’s sure to be one that fits in with your interior style. Plus, as they\’re much cheaper to switch around than carpeted flooring, you can add a new look to your space at any time.

Define the zones with storage solutions

Make sure the changes appeal to the whole family

When you make changes to the open, communal space, you’ll need to make sure that any decisions you make will benefit and appeal to the whole family. For example, if your teenager gets distracted by the TV when doing their homework in the study, having a partition between them is sure to keep them focussed on the task ahead, and they’ll be grateful for getting through it quicker. Similarly, if you\’re considering adding a partition wall between the lounge and cooking space, you don’t need to compromise on functionality and features. You could look at embedding a TV in both sides of the partition so you can enjoy watching your favourite shows no matter where in the living space you are.

Maintain your interior style

If you’re thinking of adding a rug to break up the space, consider whether plain or patterned designs will fit in with your décor better. Alternatively, if your living room design is quite modern and clean, you might want to stick to a neutral-style carpet, but if you have more eclectic interiors, a traditional mosaic-style rug will complement it nicely. For a super cosy and warm vibe in your home, you might also want to consider a carpet pile and opt for something more shaggy or furry that’ll be warm underfoot.

Define the zones in your open-plan living space to upgrade your interiors and give the whole family an area to enjoy. By taking my five tips on board, you’ll soon be on your way to designing a broken-plan living area that is the envy of all your guests.

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design Newcastle we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative. We would love to discuss your project with you in detail.

Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation at your home

5 Steps To a Greener Home Extension or Renovation Project

Are you thinking of renovating your North East home?

Do you want to do this in a sustainable and energy efficient way?

These five steps will help you on the way to doing this…

We are all aware that we need to make some changes to the way we treat our planet. You wouldn’t be here, reading this, if you weren’t interested in making some changes. Developing eco homes is a key step to becoming a low carbon nation. Retrofitting our homes is a crucial part of this and it may not be as expensive or time consuming as you think.

With new grants planned to assist homeowners in ‘greening up’ their homes, now is the perfect time to make these plans.

1. Insulation and glazing

This Money Saving Expert article explains the government’s new Green Homes Grant really clearly. You can get up to £5,000 to make your home more energy efficient from September. If you are considering a home extension or renovation, now seems like a really good time to make those other upgrades and benefit from this grant.

Rishi Sunak outlines his plans to offer this grant to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes and we are so relieved! If your home is poorly insulated, you are wasting hundreds of pounds and loads of energy heating your street. 40% of your home’s heat could be lost due to lack of decent insulation.
It is usually pretty simple to insulate your loft or cavity walls. You could use loads of sustainable materials too, one of my favourites is recycled denim (the idea of someone’s 90’s jeans keeping me cosy is strangely enjoyable). Insulating better could save you more than £150 in energy bills!

The government Green Homes Grant also applies to glazing; replacing single-glazed windows with double or triple-glazed windows will reduce heat loss. They are also great for noise reduction of course.

2. Reuse water

Harvesting the thousands of litres of rainfall from your roof each year to fill washing machines, water gardens and flush toilets is a great start. Systems are becoming more and more available which collect rainfall, filter leaves and debris and store the rainwater in a tank for use as required.

A low-flush toilet and low-flow showerhead will significantly reduce your water waste too! If you are considering extending your home to add a bathroom, including these in your extension budget would have a great long-term impact.

3. Upgrade your thermostat

A wireless system typically costs around £250 and is easy enough to install in your home. When planning an extension or refurbishment, this would be a great time to ensure you are not wasting energy heating your new space. A one degree drop in the temperature of your thermostat equates to a 10% energy saving. Around 60% of the energy used in your home is most likely used to heat your space so getting the temperature right will reduce your monthly bill while improving the environmental impact.

4. Use eco-friendly decoration

Eco friendly paints are now widely available and these are water-soluble using plant oils and resins. You could consider using sustainable wallpapers, wood varnishes and waxes and preparation equipment in your home extension too!

Natural materials for your walls and floors are also a fantastic way to green up. Lime and clay plasters are a natural, breathable alternative for example. Natural wood flooring also happens to be super on trend, so it is an all-round win.

5. Install renewable heating systems

Naturally heating your home is such a clever and exciting approach. If you are already doing major work by building an extension, it could be the perfect time to install. Our article here goes in to some serious detail on ground source heat pumps. Essentially, this system uses buried pipes to harvest heat from the earth to use for your home’s heating and hot water needs. Air source heat pumps, wood-fuelled systems (burning pellets or logs to generate heat) and standalone stoves are also fantastic options and well worth researching.

There are so many more ways to ‘green up’ your extension or home renovation project and we’d love to help you do it!

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design Newcastle we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative. We would love to discuss your project with you in detail.

Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation consultation at your home!

Building a Timber Frame Extension

At Acre Design, we love timber frame as a construction method for building an extension. Timber frame construction is great because it can often save you money and it is nice and quick to build. On top of this, it is a sustainable building material. When people are choosing to extend their homes, timber frame is becoming more and more popular in Newcastle and the North East, due to these benefits. It is also becoming a really popular method for constructing new build homes. Masonry is still a favoured choice for many, however we will discuss the pros and cons when compared with timber frame.

What is timber frame construction?

Timber frame is the term for a construction system utilising panelised structural walls and floors. These are constructing using small sections of timber studs, clad with boarding. The timber frame carries the vertical and horizontal loads to the foundations of your home. If you require your structural shell to be erected quickly or if you are expecting poor weather conditions (common in Newcastle), a timber frame is a great solution.

The timber frame can be prefabricated and brought on-site to be erected or using the ‘stick build’ method, your carpenter will construct the frame onsite. Platform frame is the most commonly used method in the UK. Using this method, each storey is framed with floor-to-ceiling height panels and the floor deck of one floor becomes the erection platform of the next.

Unfortunately, you may find it tricky to find a manufacturer who will prefabricate a timber frame for your extension, they tend to prefer to construct whole homes. Extensions tend to require quite a bit more technical input than new builds. However, where very accurate measurements of the existing home are provided, this is sometimes possible. Prefabricated timber frames can also be very costly to transport, which puts a lot of buyers and manufacturers off.

So, the vast majority of extensions in England are built using stick build timber frame construction. The carpenter would then be able to make your panels to suit your project, onsite. Timber frame construction usually requires less deliveries of materials when compared with other methods, this means happier neighbours too!

Environmental impact

Tress lock in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen so are a means of combating global warming. Therefore, if we increase the use of timber in the construction business, we increase the need for tree planting. On the back of this, more carbon dioxide emissions will be absorbed by these trees. Furthermore, timber is a renewable building material – in principle if one tree is felled, another is planted in its place. Hopefully, an increase in the use of this construction method will result in the growth of forests to supply the demand.

The use of bricks and concrete rely on the extraction of finite raw materials. Steel is also less environmentally friendly as it takes far more CO2 to process than timber.

Cost

The cost of a timber frame extension is generally lower than where other methods are used. This is mostly because it takes a lot less time to construct, meaning a lot less charge for labour. For builders, it is cheaper to price as the timescale is more predictable as it can be constructed in pretty much any weather conditions – builders don\’t have to worry about missing days of work because of the weather. Factory costs and availability are more predictable and fluctuate a lot less with timber. This means you can price your construction a lot more accurately than with other construction methods.

Timber frame strength and suitability

As long as they are designed properly by a good architect, timber frame structures are strong and robust. At Acre Design, our designs ensure that we optimise the amount of material for the required strength. This means that the design is both the most cost efficient and reduces waste materials as much as possible.

Speedy construction

When compared to a brick and block construction, a prefabricated timber frame can come together far faster. Speeding up this part of the process means that your plasterer, electrician and plumber can get started far sooner than they would with brick and block. If you are cladding in dry plasterboard, once the building is watertight, the frame must be left to allow it’s moisture content to stabilise. However, this method is still far quicker than using mortar.

Timber frames can also be constructed in low temperatures, which brick and block work can’t. Though the architectural design of your timber frame may take more time than the design of a traditional build, meaning a possibly slower start on site if you are in a hurry. Your timber frame structure can be made wind and watertight in a matter of days, as opposed to a number of weeks when other methods are used.

Quality of timber frames

Higher quality can often be achieve with timber frame than that of other construction methods. As it is fabricated off site, the process is done in a controlled, dry and optimum environment. When compared with methods constructed onsite, this generally provides a better quality level as things such as weather, site muck etc. can impact on on-site construction methods. Sometimes, the fabricators will also erect the timber frame on-site, this is really good continuity as they will fully understand your design.

Acoustic performance

You may not get the same level of sound insulation with timber frame structures as you would with concrete or masonry. Timber frame is not as dense. However, you can improve this by constructing two separate wall leaves with a gap between them. This gap can then be filled with sound absorbing material. You could also use a slightly denser material than plasterboard or use more than one layer of plasterboard.

Fire safety with timber frame

Often, there is a perception that timber frame structures are at more risk of fire. All forms of construction need to comply with the fire performance requirements laid down by national building regulations. Timber frame dwellings have no difficulty in meeting the required levels, given correct design, standards of manufacture and workmanship. However, additional fire protection can be added by boarding it. You can also install fire-stops within the cavity to protect your home further.

As long as they are designed and erected safely, meeting the relevant regulations, your timber frame construction would be perfectly fire safe and comparable to other construction methods.

Heat efficiency

The low thermal mass of timber frames allows them to heat up quicker than masonry constructed builds and to cool down a lot quicker too. However, efficient insulation can combat this substantially.

You can increase the insulation by using: deeper solid wood studs or deeper engineered studs, additional layers of insulation (internally and externally). You could also: ensure maximum air tightness is achieved, increase roof insulation, use double and or triple glazed windows, adding floor insulation or using very high quality wall insulation.

We hope that you find this information helpful, at Acre Design Newcastle we are passionate about all things sustainable and innovative. We would love to discuss your project with you in detail.

Take a look at our recent projects for further inspiration! Get in touch to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation at your home!