Tag: new build

What is snagging (and what isn’t) in new build homes?

When do problems qualify as ‘snags’ that should be rectified by the builder at no additional cost – and when are they deemed additional work that needs to be settled at the owner’s expense?

New build snagging

So, you’ve moved into your new home and you can finally take in your surroundings. Sometimes, when you eventually live in your new build property, you may begin to see things you might not have spotted from any number of site visits during construction. And sometimes, it’s only when you finally move in that you see the finished product first-hand. But when do problems and defects qualify as ‘snagging’ that should be rectified by the builder at no additional cost – and when are they deemed additional work that needs to be settled at the owner’s expense? Find out what new build snagging is (and what it isn’t) so you know how to rectify it.

Attention to detail

It is rather like when you buy a house that has been standing for years – you can’t spot everything in the time you are shown around by the owner or estate agent. A creaky floor, for example, will only reveal itself when you are actually walking on the floor any number of times. A light switch or light fitting that doesn’t work will only become apparent when you try and fail to switch it on at night.

Some aspects of a new build property will only become apparent over time. Cracking to the corners of rooms, or across ceilings may be a symptom of the plaster or paint drying out.

Quality guaranteed for new build homes

new build snagging

Anyone who has been involved in either side of the process of building or buying a new build home will have encountered the term ‘snagging’. It usually refers to minor remedial work which occurs as the project draws to a close. It is sometimes in the news, as developers are occasionally taken to task if they have carried out bad workmanship, or have delivered a poor response to customer concerns.

There’s a code of conduct and an authority to deal with the complaints process. The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) is an independent not-for-profit body. It was established in 2021 for the purpose of developing a new framework that will oversee reforms in the build quality of new homes and the quality of customer service provided by developers. The framework was introduced in 2022 and has already delivered a huge change in developer behaviour, ensured a consistently higher standard of new home quality and service, and strengthened the ability to rectify work that hasn’t been carried out to the expected standards.

The NHQB was formally constituted as a legal entity in January 2021 and the board members were appointed with representatives from various consumer bodies and stakeholders from the lending industry, Homes England, independent members, developers and new home warranty providers. Since then, it has also created a New Homes Ombudsman Service, to develop a new industry code of practice – the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC). This framework is ongoing however, with the opportunity for further amends made as new challenges arise.  The board’s mantra is that it is ‘Championing quality new homes and better consumer outcomes’.

New build snagging: getting it right

new build snagging checklist

Usefully, the NHQC has provided a standardised definition of what exactly constitutes a ‘snag’. Snags or snagging mean a minor imperfection or malfunction in the New Home which does not meet the expected tolerance or finish as set out in the Contract of Sale. Typically, something which is damaged, broken, not fitted properly or looks unfinished and can be categorised as either ‘omitted or incomplete work’, or ‘faulty or defective work’.

Snagging that is highlighted by the customer are not automatically considered a complaint. But if the developer has not responded to address and rectify the issue within 30 calendar days, then a formal complaint process can begin. A snagging checker such as a surveyor can be employed, if customers are unsure what exactly constitutes a snag and what quality of workmanship they should reasonably expect. For example, snagging doesn’t count if you choose an aspect of the design, or a finish, that you then don’t like. It’s not a matter of taste or choice, it’s an aspect of the work that is not carried out to the expected standards. Therefore, an extra cost would be incurred if the niggle is ‘self-inflicted’.

Another key point is the length of time after completion a customer can complain. The longer the period, the more likely the defect is down to poor maintenance. However, while most snags will be revealed reasonably quickly, others, such as settlement due to poor foundations, may take years to surface – so the timing argument is a valid one in certain cases. Some aspects of a new-build property will only become apparent over longer periods, for example, cracking in the plaster may be caused by the house settling as the construction materials cure.

In general, if an independent assessor agrees that the workmanship fails to reach reasonable expectations and standards, then the case for the rectification of the snag can be made.

Award-winning homes

We’ve been designing and building award-winning homes since 1981. From prestigious turnkey self-build projects, to distinctive developments and exclusive barn conversions, each bespoke home is built to the same exacting standards. We take great pride in every project we embark on to ensure the end result is as pleasing to its new owners as it is to us. This level of pride, passion and professionalism is epitomised in our craftsmanship and build quality, which has been recognised by many local, regional and national awards.

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

Contact CB Homes today to discuss your next move.

Choosing self-build design options

Our client Amy’s replacement dwelling is progressing rapidly. The roofers are now at work on this self-build project. At ground floor level you can see the layout of this beautiful Cheshire cottage coming together and upstairs, you can really get a good idea of what the rooms are going to look like.

Choosing self-build design options for traditional self-build cottage near Knutsford

Our client Amy’s replacement dwelling is progressing rapidly. The roofers are now at work on this self-build project. At ground floor level you can see the layout of this beautiful Cheshire cottage coming together and upstairs, you can really get a good idea of what the rooms are going to look like.

There have been a few minor delays because of the wet weather but Amy says it actually feels as if the build has progressed very quickly, with local people commenting as such to her.

Which design detail of the house do you like most so far?

It may seem slightly strange to say this but actually it’s the colour of the bricks and mortar! This house is obviously a new-build but right from the start I said I didn’t want it to have that stark ‘in your face’ new-build look. We have also retained another, old building onsite, so I wanted the new house to look as similar as possible to this other building.

CB Homes was very helpful when it came to choosing the right bricks. Initially I wanted reclaimed bricks but they can be tricky as they don’t always meet building regulations standards and quite a lot apparently may be broken so it’s hard to find a batch of bricks big enough and it’s really important to get them all from the same batch for consistency. We needed a lot as I wanted enough for the house but also some for a garden wall too, so CB Homes worked it out and said we needed about 12,000 altogether.

Choosing bricks and mortar when you build your own home

The next thing to choose was the mortar – not just the colour of it but the style of the pointing too. The CB Homes bricklayer actually went to the extent of building us some mini sample walls to show me three different ways of finishing the pointing to give it different looks! That meant I could confidently make a really informed decision about the design detail. I am so happy with my choice as the house walls look great and tone really well with the older building that we have retained on the site.

CB Homes put me in touch with a brick merchant and I actually did a lot of driving around to find examples of what I wanted and I showed them lots of images. The one we have chosen is called a ‘reclamation style’ and it is more tumbled than a normal brick. I am so happy with this brick style as it sets the tone of the whole house.

What advice would you give someone embarking on a project to build their own home?

You may have to compromise on some things but if you do, try to embrace changes as a positive. One example of this for us was that due to planning, we were restricted on the ridge height of the roofs so our bedrooms will basically be in the roof. Initially, I was a little disappointed with that idea but now I don’t see it as a negative at all; we are going to have fabulous vaulted ceilings in our bedrooms and I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to bedrooms with vaulted ceilings! It will actually work really well with the cosy vibe that we want to create with the whole house.

Getting every design detail of your self-build house just as you want it

I called in to see the house recently and a trim had been fitted to the soffits and fascias. I was a bit worried as it was more intricately detailed than I thought it would be. After mentioning this to the site manager, he immediately said, “that’s not a problem, we’ll just take it off and change it to what you would like”. So, I’ve now had a meeting with the joiner and he’s going to change it to my choice instead.

This is just an example of how important it is to communicate with your build team at every stage and also of how great it is to be working with a company that really listens to its clients.

What’s next?

The scaffolding will be down soon and I can’t wait for the day it is removed – as I feel that will be the moment that the house is properly unveiled!

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

If you have always dreamed of building your own home and planning every design detail, talk to us. Find out how we can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turnkey self-build package. Contact us to find out more.

Room with a view: replacement dwelling project with balcony

Eight years ago, our clients, Dharmista and Jayme, purchased a bungalow in Timperley, with a plan to extend it to create a much bigger home. It soon became clear that there were significant problems, not only with the roof but also with damp throughout the property.

The previous owner had tried various remedial works to try and solve the damp problems but without success. Our clients decided that the best option for them would be to demolish the existing property and embark on a self-build project.

Eight years ago, our clients, Dharmista and Jayme, purchased a bungalow in Timperley, with a plan to extend it to create a much bigger home. It soon became clear that there were significant problems, not only with the roof but also with damp throughout the property. The previous owner had tried various remedial works to try and solve the damp problems but without success. Our clients decided that the best option for them would be to demolish the existing property and embark on a self build replacement dwelling project with balcony.

Our client Dharmista had a clear idea of the type of house she wanted to build. She wanted to create a very relaxed, warm and welcoming family home, making the most of natural light wherever possible.

The planned house is a 1.5 storey four-bedroom home, with a stunning balcony on the first floor, leading out from the master bedroom, with fabulous views across the garden. This design feature contributed to the somewhat lengthy planning process, with plans going back and forth between the architect and the planning office, with some minor adjustments needing to be made before permission could be granted.

Impact of pandemic on building schedule

Unfortunately, just as planning permission was secured, Covid-19 brought construction, including this self build, to an abrupt halt. Our clients were self-employed, running their own dental practice, so a major issue for them was concern over how to finance their project, with lockdowns in place and looking likely to continue. Dharmista says,

“As it was for many people, the financial impact for us was huge. Even when we could start working again, we could not open to full capacity; there was a lot of uncertainty, and then the planning permission ran out, so we had to apply all over again. It was very stressful.”

Fortunately, this time round, the planning application was processed rapidly. Dharmista approached CB Homes, along with a couple of other builders, to see if we could carry out the construction for her. Dharmista says,

“CB Homes has just been brilliant and so easy to deal with. I liked the look of CB Homes’ houses from their brochure but had assumed the company would be much too expensive. In fact, their quote was very reasonable and I just liked their whole approach. They were very patient and also very supportive and helpful when we had a few issues to sort out with our self build mortgage.”

Living alongside a replacement dwelling project

Our clients had initially planned to live in a static caravan on-site but after discussions with the CB Homes site manager, it was agreed that this was not a practical option as there is not enough space at the site to be able to do this safely. The family is renting a house close by, which means they can easily drop by and see how their replacement dwelling project is progressing.

Renewable energy options for a replacement dwelling project

CB Homes recommended a renewable energy expert, who talked through all the practical options for the new house with our clients. The new house will have solar panels on the roof and an air source heat pump. A ground source heat pump was not a feasible option for this property as very deep boreholes would have been required, which would have been prohibitively expensive.

We’ve been designing and building award-winning homes since 1981. From prestigious turnkey self build projects, to distinctive developments and exclusive barn conversions, each bespoke home is built to the same exacting standards.

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

If you have always dreamed of building your own home, talk to us. Find out how we can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turnkey self build package. Contact us to find out more.

Top ten maintenance issues to look for in new-build homes

There can be teething problems with anything that’s brand new and new-build homes are no exception. From small instances of cracking, to occasional issues with the heating and decoration, these problems are often more irritating than detrimental, but they still need to be addressed. In this blog, we’re going to look at the top ten maintenance issues that can sometimes be found in new homes.

New Build Maintenance Issues

There can be teething problems with anything that’s brand new and new build homes are no exception. From small instances of cracking, to occasional issues with the heating and decoration, these problems are often more irritating than detrimental, but they still need to be addressed. In this blog, we’re going to look at the top ten new build maintenance issues that can sometimes be found in new homes.

Cracking and gaps in new plaster

When new build homes are constructed, it will usually take around nine to 12 months for the entire structure to dry out. It’s not unusual to spot small cracks in the walls, often along hairline joins, such as plasterboard edges, or in corners of ceilings. Joinery too, such as skirting and architrave, can show gaps and these are a sign of shrinkage. They can easily be concealed using a gap filler and a coat of paint. As a tip, gaps can be reduced in the drying process, by allowing the new construction to dry out gradually.

Silicone sealant maintenance issues in new homes

Silicone sealant – around windows for example, or sanitaryware – should be smooth and secure in your new home. Sealant is designed to create a barrier between a wall or tiles and a component, such as a window frame or bath. When it’s not a true seal, it can cause problems. Water ingress is the most common issue and also the most damaging. If water can penetrate the seal, it can cause damage over time to timber and plasterwork of a new house. Another common fault with sealant is shrinkage. This causes the sealant to reduce in dimensions and pull away from where its fixed, leaving a clear gap for moisture to penetrate. Simple repairs can be done by taking out and replacing the problem sealant with new.

Doors and door frames of new builds

We’ve all moved in to a new home somewhere and found that there’s that one irritating door that doesn’t shut properly. The paint’s too thick, or the lock’s not quite reaching the receiver. This can be caused by warping. This usually occurs where there’s a rise in the humidity. A common place to find a warped door, even in old houses, is on the airing cupboard or bathroom door, where there’s a contrast between temperatures. It is caused by moisture in the air soaking into the wood. It is most common in external and bathroom doors, which is why it’s imperative to have adequate ventilation, especially in bathrooms. Door frames themselves can crack when the wood swells due to moisture and then reduces as it dries out. This ongoing process can cause the frame to buckle and can even cause problems with the wall.

Misaligned or stiff patio doors in a new house

Another door-related problem relates to patio doors. Misalignment can develop over time due to gravity, and warping of the frame can occur, due to expansion or shrinkage. Patio doors, especially the type that meet and close in the middle, are awkward to hang. Getting both doors to meet and close perfectly in sync is an art in itself. But if the doors become difficult to open or close, this can make the door stiff and difficult to use. As the tolerances are set within very fine degrees to reduce draughts, an expansion of a couple of millimetres can cause major problems. It may mean that over time, the doors need to be planed and rehung. 

Boiler maintenance issues

Newly-fitted boilers in new houses can take some getting used to, especially when they’re making noises, such as gurgling, whistling, tapping or banging. If a boiler is making noises above what you’d expect when it’s operational, it’s probably got air trapped in the system. Unless the problem is obvious, you’ll need a heating engineer to look at your boiler. Low water pressure could be another cause and venting/bleeding your radiators can stop them gurgling when in use.  That knocking sound you hear when the system kicks in is the expansion and contraction of heating pipes. Nothing can be done about this, but make sure pipes are not fixed with brackets to floorboards, skirting or joists too tightly, which will be constraining their movement.

Radiator issues

Another common fault with new-builds can be where radiators don’t function properly. This can either be them getting only partially warm or not getting hot at all. This is usually caused by air trapped in the system. A heating engineer can help you out, but it’s usually simply a case of ‘bleeding’ the radiator. This opens a valve, that allows the air to escape and the heat to flow properly, as now the heated water can pass freely around the system.

Painting and decoration of a new house

When it comes to decoration, painting touch-ups are among the easiest of maintenance jobs. With a new-build, there may be some areas that need another coat, due to patchy coverage, or to cover up after settlement cracks or making good after a minor leak. It’s a good idea to make sure that you have a supply of any paint that was used in the decoration, so you have an exact match. You should be able to ask the contractor which specific make and colour was used.

Condensation forming in your new home

New builds in particular are susceptible to condensation, as the building dries out.  This can be exacerbated by the use of boiling pans, showers, or drying clothes on airers. Use any ventilation you may have, or open windows if not, to allow the air to circulate and condensation droplets to dry out. If condensation is allowed to linger, it can cause mould.

Windows on new builds cause common maintenance issues

A further problem with windows is loose or broken handles, and stiff, broken or dropping hinges. These can be irritating, but can usually simply be replaced. Many windows come as units these days, but individual components can be ordered and replaced if need be. Sometimes a window that isn’t working correctly needs something as straightforward as the screws tightening up on the brackets.  

Scratches to glazing on new windows

Another window-related fault in a new home can be scratches or marks on the glazing. A scratch is difficult to rectify, especially in layers of double-glazing which will need the pane replacing. Marks and blemishes however can generally be removed using a window cleaning solution. 

Toilet flush, another maintenance problem

Any newly-fitted sanitary goods can cause problems, from dripping showers to stiff taps. One of the most problematic items is toilet flushes. Sometimes they can be stiff to operate, but more often it’s the cistern refill part of the process that causes problems – being too noisy, dripping after the cistern is filled, or the handle or push button not operating properly. As with other plumbing snags, it’s best to engage a professional engineer to rectify this maintenance fault.

We’ve been designing and building award-winning homes since 1981. From prestigious turnkey self-build projects, to distinctive developments and exclusive barn conversions, each bespoke home is built to the same exacting standards. We take great pride in every project we embark on to ensure the end result is as pleasing to its new owners as it is to us. This level of pride, passion and professionalism is epitomised in our craftsmanship and build quality, which has been recognised by many local, regional and national awards.

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

Contact CB Homes today to discuss your next move.

Planning a brand new cottage self-build with a traditional aesthetic

Our client Amy is undertaking a replacement dwelling project to self-build a new family home in Cheshire. Now that building work has started on the project, we caught up with her to find out the back story to this self-build.

Our client Amy is undertaking a replacement dwelling project to self-build a new family home in Cheshire. Now that building work has started on the project, we caught up with her to find out the back story to this self-build.

Is this the first time you have built your own house?

We previously built a house ourselves about ten years ago and we were keen to have another go at it, having learned so much the first time round. We definitely were not so nervous this time but as it turns out, building your own houses is a bit like having children – the second is never exactly the same as the first!

Why did you choose to self-build again?

Our chief reason for wanting to build our own house again was we really wanted some land with it so we could keep our two ponies at home, rather than having to go to the time and expense of travelling to look after them every day. We looked at plots without much land, plots with too much land, renovation projects and replacement dwellings. You name it, we looked at it! We wanted to limit the size of the land we took on as our children are adult now and so we want to have a property that will suit the two of us, as well as still having enough space for visitors when required.

How did you find a plot of land for your self-build cottage?

While searching online, we came across a replacement dwelling plot in Cranage, near Knutsford. It was quite confusingly advertised as the seller had changed his mind a couple of times about how the space could be split into more than one plot. Anyway, we decided it was worth going to look at.

As soon as we arrived, we realized that the marketing photos on Right Move were really poor as they didn’t do the site justice at all. Visiting in person was definitely the right thing to do.

The only slight downside we could see was that the plot was quite near a fairly busy road but despite that, we thought it had potential. A big attraction was that there was another small building on the site which looked like it might be suitable for further development, as an ancillary property. There was also plenty of room for the ponies and their stable.

What was the process like for getting planning permission for a replacement dwelling?

The owner of the land had got outline planning permission already, but we wanted a much more interesting build for our own house. We had a really clear vision of what we wanted. We knew it needed to complement the site and the area and we wanted it to look like it had been there for a really long time, rather than being an obvious new build.

A local architect drew up our plans. With hindsight, we should have employed a planning consultant, who could have negotiated the absolute minefield of the planning office on our behalf. We gathered a lot of precedent evidence ourselves, including for a similar development in the same parish, but we could have done with some professional support. I think we thought that going with someone local was the best thing to do, but that’s not always the case.

The restrictions placed on a new house by the regulations surrounding replacement dwellings can put people off, but as long as you are realistic about the size of the house you want, it’s a great way actually to get planning permission for a new house. We had to slightly reduce the size of the house we wanted but we have retained our permitted development rights which is great. There’s no doubt that getting planning permission can be a frustrating and slow process but we got there after about nine months of to-ing and fro-ing.

We had our ecological and bat surveys done and we weren’t allowed to demolish the existing house until 1st September, for the sake of the local bird population. A local firm of builders carried out the demolition. It was extraordinary to see it come down in a day. It turned out that there were barely any foundations beneath the house, and a couple of telegraph poles had been acting as RSJs holding the whole thing up!

How did you find the initial process of finding a builder?

We had really specific ideas on the finishing of the house, which didn’t seem to be reflected in what we were seeing in the designs. The builders we had chosen, who worked with the architect, seemed in quite a rush to start work and I felt we were being pushed into paying over the odds for building regulations drawings and also to re-jig the design inside to make the most of the space as we wanted. This was annoying but it should have rung loud alarm bells too.

It’s vital to feel totally confident in a contractor and also to feel that they really understand what is important to you with the design. The costs started spiralling to ridiculous levels and then compromises on the design were suggested that clearly were just intended to make the house easier to build, rather than making it better or closer to what we wanted. The company was also very restrictive in the specifications for things like sanitaryware and flooring, so I felt like we weren’t getting our own choices at all.

At this point, our previous experience of building a house was really helpful because I knew that the prices they suggested were too high. The solution suggested to save costs was to cut down on features that we loved so we decided to call a halt and find a different builder. Having waited so long, we decided it was more important to do it right than to do it quickly.

Why did you turn to CB Homes to carry out the actual build for you?

I got in touch with Nathan at CB Homes again, having spoken to him previously. It was immediately apparent that this company was prepared to be really flexible in order to accommodate our choices. I went through our specification line by line and CB Homes either agreed straightaway or suggested ways to make things work. The team also spotted various things missing from our original drawings which they’ve had to find ways to work around.

It was such a relief to talk to people who wanted to make everything happen as we wanted it to. The CB Homes turnkey self-build option, which we’ve signed up to, where we deal just with the CB Homes team and they deal with everyone else, is just great.

After a shaky start to this project with our previous contractor, we’re really enjoying the process now. In the lead up to a self-build project you don’t actually see anything happening so when the build starts, that’s really exciting. The foundations are in now and the walls are beginning to go up. We really can’t wait to see our house start to take shape.

If you have always dreamed of building your own home, talk to us. Find out how we can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. Contact us to find out more.

Replacement Dwelling Project: first and second fix

The first fix of this stunning replacement dwelling project is now finished. All the cabling and pipework for the electrics, plumbing and heating systems have been installed and the floor screeds are done so the floors are ready to be tiled.

The first fix of this stunning replacement dwelling project is now finished. All the cabling and pipework for the electrics, plumbing and heating systems have been installed and the floor screeds are done. The floors are ready to be tiled.

It’s really important to make sure that all wiring and socket positions are exact before any plasterwork is carried out. Making changes after that is time consuming and costly. To that end, before the electrician and the plumber started work they did a complete walk around with our clients and the site manager, making a note of where absolutely everything was going to be sited. This is a really important process as it’s the time when the homeowners can choose the really fine details of exactly how they want their home to work for them. For example, they can choose where to locate the TV points and how many sockets should go in a particular room and exactly where they should be positioned to be most convenient.

Our team of plasterers is about to start working throughout the house, plastering all the walls and ceilings. Once the plastering is finished it will be time to move on to the second fix, where all the skirtings, architraves and door frames will be fitted.

The large open plan family living area, that includes the kitchen, dining space and lounge, is taking shape now. The homeowners are now busy making their choices for fixtures and fittings in every room, from the bathroom fixtures to the door handles. With this project, the homeowners are currently living on-site in temporary accommodation. This is very handy for the site team, as they are nearly always available to consult on any decisions that need to be made with regard to their choices.

Renewable options

Solar panels have been fitted all the way across the roof. They have been recessed perfectly so they do not stand proud of the tiles. An air source heat pump has been installed, neatly hidden behind the garage.

Swift progress with the replacement dwelling project

The development is fast approaching completion now. The changes we have seen to the project over the last few weeks are huge. The front elevation is now dominated by a beautiful oak window frame. When the main staircase is built, it will go across this enormous window, which runs the full height of the house. The remarkable design feature of a canopy which runs across the length of the rear elevation is also made of oak.

The unusual brickwork arches over the windows are also very distinctive. It helps to make this house a real architectural statement. The intricate external brickwork features are echoed internally, with a stunning open fireplace. A circular window on the rear elevation harks back to the agricultural tradition of the surrounding area. The area includes a number of Cheshire barns, so the finished building will blend in beautifully with its surroundings.

If you have always dreamed of building your own home, talk to us. Find out how we can help you design it and secure planning approval. We can carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. Contact us to find out more.

A Day in the Life of CB Homes’ Assistant Site Manager

Harry Goodwin joined CB Homes four years ago as an apprentice joiner. He has rapidly worked his way up to become an Assistant Site Manager and is now studying for a degree in Construction Site Management to become a Site Manager.

Harry Goodwin joined CB Homes four years ago as an apprentice joiner. He has rapidly worked his way up to become an Assistant Site Manager and is now studying for a degree in Construction Site Management to become a Site Manager.

How did you come to join CB Homes?

After completing a degree in Sport and Exercise Science I travelled extensively, spending a good deal of time in Asia before settling for a while in Australia. While living there I gained some experience in demolition before working as a joinery assistant. I really enjoyed that so when I returned to the UK I set about finding out to become a joiner.

It became clear the best route to become a fully qualified joiner was to find an apprenticeship and that’s how I come to work at CB Homes, as an apprentice joiner. I was supervised on site and then had to have lots of work signed off by my training provider to show that I knew how to do all sorts of joinery tasks properly, from attaching hinges to a door to fitting a staircase.

From demolition to construction…

Once I had got my joinery qualifications and had learned more about construction, I decided I wanted to progress my career further, so I signed up for a Foundation Degree to study Site Management at Cheshire College.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

When it comes to joinery specifically, I like thinking about all the details of a particular job I’m working on and basically how to make it as good as possible! In my current role of Assistant Site Manager, I really like working with people as part of a team and seeing a project develop as the result of us all working together, so that’s a big part of what I like about working at CB Homes generally.

Which aspects of the Site Management Course do you enjoy most?

It’s all very interesting to be honest but I think the modules I like most are those on building technology, where I’m learning about new materials being used in construction, especially how they can help us achieve sustainability goals and just be better for the environment.

What does a typical day look like for you in your Assistant Site Manager role?

I start on site around 8.00am and then the tasks for the day depend a lot on which site I’m working on. On any given day I may be working with another 15-20 people on site and the next day I might just be with one other person. I have worked across all sorts of CB Homes’ projects, from our beautiful one-off bespoke self-build projects to our small developments of a few houses. I’ll usually be on-site until around 4.30pm before heading home.

Why do you think people like CB Homes’ houses?

I think on the self-build side, clients like being able to have as much input as they would like into the house design and loads of flexibility with finishes etc that they want so their house is really unique and exactly what they want. I think on all our houses, it’s the high quality of the build, the beauty of the designs and the attention we pay to even the tiniest details that our clients really love.

CB Homes is always on the lookout for the right candidates to take on apprenticeships. Construction apprenticeships are a great way to learn skills and gain a qualification whilst earning a wage. Apprentices work on site with both CB Homes’ colleagues and sub-contractors and also attend college to achieve an academic qualification. It’s a great entry route into the construction industry and is ‘futureproofing’ to make sure that the vital skills the industry needs can be provided. Contact Alex on 01829 730244 for more information about apprenticeships with CB Homes.

Interested in building your own home? Talk to us about our complete self-build package. who will work on the company’s projects across the region, with opportunities to progress, just like Harry.

A Day in the Life of CB Homes’ Marketing Manager

Maggie Austen has been Marketing Manager at CB Homes for nearly four years. Her role involves developing and implementing marketing plans and overseeing the creation of marketing material and online content to help drive sales of CB Homes’ self-build homes and small, exclusive developments.

Maggie Austen has been Marketing Manager at CB Homes for nearly four years. Her role involves developing and implementing marketing plans and overseeing the creation of marketing material and online content to help drive sales of CB Homes’ self-build homes and small, exclusive developments.

What do you like most about your job as Marketing Manager?

I think what I like most about working for CB Homes is the variety. CB Homes has a wide range of products –from a cosy cottage to an amazing Grand Design, plus everything in between, so there is always something fresh happening, from a new self-build client coming on board, to a development starting up or a homeowner moving into their completed house. It’s really interesting seeing how many people are involved at every stage of a project, from the person who finds a great plot of land or advises on making a successful planning application to all the different trades who complete the building itself.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I spend a part of every day checking the CB Homes social media channels, so looking at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. It’s important for our marketing that I post messages on all the channels regularly to keep people up to date with all our activity.

Blogging

Next, I may spend some time researching for one of our blogs. We write two of these per month on a variety of topics, from the challenges of planning applications to the latest sustainability issues so I often reach out to an expert in a particular field to find the most up to date information to include.

Guides to building your own house

We have created a library of free downloadable self-build guides and resources, which live on the CB Homes website, and we add to this frequently. Writing these entails some research again, followed by liaison with our graphic designers and webmaster in order to get the content and design ready and uploaded to the website. As part of this, I really enjoyed arranging to video the entire self-build ‘journey’ of one of our clients, who has built a spectacular house in Kingsley. It meant I got to accompany a videographer to visit the site at several different points during the build. Seeing the property grow from basically a hole in the ground to the stunning finished product was really amazing. As well as documenting a really remarkable project, the video is a very helpful way to explain the self-build process to a potential customer so it’s a useful sales tool as well.

Case studies of self-build projects

Where possible, when a self-build project is complete, we like to interview the homeowner about their experiences so we can write up a case study for our website. It’s a good way of finding out what worked well and what could be improved; and I think potential customers enjoy hearing about different self-build experiences too, so case studies are extremely valuable.

Award-winning homes

Awards have kept me busy this year with CB Homes winning or being shortlisted for several property awards. Writing an award entry usually involves interviewing some of the people involved on a particular project and then collating supporting material, such as diagrams and photographs so I can then make the award submission. Once the entry has been submitted, we have to wait and see if we have made the shortlist and then it’s fingers crossed that we will emerge as winners! It’s great to get that validation for the whole team’s hard work.

Why do you think people like CB Homes’ houses?

I think people just need to see a CB Homes house to fall in love with it! It’s no surprise that the company wins so many awards for its designs as the houses are just beautiful, inside and out. More than that though, I think it’s the personal attention to each customer from a small, completely committed team that puts the company head and shoulders above other developers.  When houses aren’t being mass produced, you just get a much more personalised service as the CB Homes team takes the time to make sure every customer is happy.

Interested in building your own home? Talk to us about our complete self-build package.

Replacement Dwelling: building the superstructure

After a long wait for planning approval, as soon as our construction team was on site at our latest replacement dwelling project, the building of the superstructure has been very straightforward.

What’s involved building the superstructure?

After a long wait for planning approval, as soon as our construction team was on site at our latest replacement dwelling project, the building of the superstructure has been very straightforward.

Once planning permission for the project was granted, our client took care of the demolition of the existing house and moved into a static caravan close by. This will be his home until his new house is complete. There are definitely some advantages to living so close to your self-build project but it’s important that contractors are very aware of the health and safety issues involved when someone is effectively living on the construction site.

Demolition of an existing building

When undertaking demolition, don’t forget you have to apply for permission to demolish and you need to make sure you have received the necessary permissions before you go ahead. You need to make sure all the services are switched off too before the demolition can take place. If you are taking care of the demolition yourself, make sure you find a reputable contractor to undertake it all who will make sure that all essential health and safety is adhered to and essential work, such as an asbestos survey, is carried out.

When demolishing an existing building for a replacement dwelling, it’s well worth taking your time to have a good look inside to assess if there’s anything you want to keep to re-use in the new property, such as oak beams or internal doors. 

Following the demolition of the old house, we made sure that the hard core and concrete footings were crushed and repurposed in the new build to be used as hard core for the patio and driveways etc.

Laying foundations

Due to the heavy clay soil in this area, we laid down polystyrene heave boards to protect the foundations and the floor slab from ground heave movement which are caused when clay expands and contracts. This is a labour-intensive exercise but well worth doing to minimise any future impact on the foundations. We also installed a damp proof course.

Although our client had initially wanted LPG as his energy source, having undertaken further research, he changed his mind and elected to go with an air source heat pump instead. This required some changes to our block and beam design to hide all the underground ductings which this system needs.

Just another brick in the wall?

This beautiful house has very distinctive, intricate brickwork details which required our technical team and the bricklayers to work closely together to make sure the profiles exactly matched the CAD drawings. As an example of the elaborate nature of the brickwork, on an average house, bricklayers take around 60 points on the perimeter wall to plumb off to ensure the walls are completely level, here there were an incredible 180!

Another design feature that our client was particularly keen on was to have arches above the windows to create the rural aesthetic he wanted. This would have been quite straightforward to include but he specifically wanted elliptical arches. There are no templates available for these, so we created our own. Furthermore, again for aesthetic reasons, our client did not want the windows to have lintels so all the window arches have to be self-supporting; this was another tricky challenge for our technical team, to make sure that the finished result looks perfect and is what our client wants but still adheres to all building regulations and safety requirements.

With the superstructure complete, you can really see the scale and detail of this stunning house. Now we have begun on the interior work which will transform this remarkable building into a beautiful home.

If you have always dreamed of building your own home, talk to us. Find out how we can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. Contact us to find out more.

A Day in the Life of CB Homes’ Land Manager

Nathan Booth has been Land Manager at CB Homes for the last three years. His role involves overseeing and maintaining the company’s land strategy, for both developments and for one-off plots to cater for our self-build clients.

Nathan Booth has been Land Manager at CB Homes for the last three years. His role involves overseeing and maintaining the company’s land strategy, for both developments and for one-off plots to cater for our self-build clients.

How long have you worked at CB Homes?

I started working at CB Homes over ten years ago as an Assistant Site Manager and I worked my way up from there to my current position. It means I have a really in-depth knowledge of how the whole company works, as well as a very thorough understanding of the life cycle of each and every project we undertake.

What do you like most about your job as Land Manager?

I really enjoy the responsibility of my role. If I can’t find land, then literally nothing can happen! I actually enjoy that pressure. It’s incredibly rewarding to find a piece of land, get it through the minefield of the planning office and then start to build beautiful property. Years later, when I drive past that site I feel really proud to have been a part of creating the community that has developed there and knowing that people have built new lives there.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Every day I receive lots of enquiries through our website and via email so I have to go through those and respond to them. Potential clients may get in touch at any point with questions about projects. Usually, they are getting in touch to say they have land and want to find out about self-building or they may have a particular planning policy question. These can be quite straightforward queries or may need quite a bit of time spent to answer properly. My feedback will be with an email, a phone call or a Zoom call. To help us find land, we have a land website to target the online market, so I spend a lot of time responding to leads we receive on that too.

You never know when that first point of contact is going to lead to a new relationship with a client that may culminate in our delivering a new home for them. That might happen within a few months or it might take several years. Regardless of the timescale, it’s really important to engage with them from the very start of their self-build journey.

Once I have spent some time on admin, I may leave the office to go and meet some clients, do some site visits of current developments, or carry out planning or cost appraisals. Once a potential plot has been identified then I have to approach the agent or owner, look at feasibility studies, sketch schemes, land values and then start negotiations.

It’s important that I build relationships with local people, estate agents and land agents as they are my best source of finding out about possible plots. I also look at directly sourcing land via planning policies. There are such frequent rule changes, I have to keep on top of national and local policies and planning guidelines too. I have to make sure I’m fully up to date on local development plans, as land might not be available now, but may be in several years’ time. I always have to be looking really long term, so there is a pipeline of projects for CB Homes. I’m always on the lookout for what we call windfall sites, which are where there is land ready to go within settlement areas, whether it’s brownfield, commercial, or even large gardens.  

“Environmental concerns are more important than ever“

These days of course, environmental concerns are more important than ever, so right from the start of looking at any potential plot, I’m looking to see how we can further reduce our environmental impact. This means I’ll be looking to see where any existing natural features can be retained and integrated, such as surface water ponds or reedbeds that could be used for surface water drainage. I’ll also be looking at space and thinking how renewables, such as ground source heat pumps, can be included aesthetically so they can be effective but not spoil the lines of the buildings.

What’s your biggest challenge as Land Manager?

Finding land is certainly the hardest part. The ongoing scarcity of land is a real problem, fuelled by land banking where land is taken out of the market, often by large scale developers, which has a significant impact on availability for everyone else.

“Currently land is hard to find and the planning process is slow“

In addition to finding plots for our self-build clients, I also have a land finding role for CB Homes Developments where I’m looking for land suitable to build from 2-20 houses, so around .5 acres up to 5 acres.

As land is so hard to find for self-build projects, I’ve actually widened the scope of my role so I keep an eye out for single plots that are available that might match our clients’ prerequisites for a self-build. Where we can, we buy a plot, get planning approval for a self-build house and then offer it out to clients. They often have the option to make any tweaks they want to the design while it’s passing through the planning process. This makes sense at the moment especially, with the planning process being very slow. Planning used to take eight weeks, but now it can take eight months, so a big part of my job is managing client expectations about the timescales of a project.

Why do you think people like CB Homes’ houses?

Housing developers often get a bad reputation, which sadly is not always undeserved but we have a hard won reputation and track record to maintain. We are first and foremost a very local developer – where we build is where we live so the local community is very important.

CB Homes covers a large area in the North West, including North Shropshire, South Manchester, Wirral, Cheshire and the Welsh borders. As a bespoke developer, we specialise in small exclusive bespoke builds, with high specification, on good plot sizes. The houses are usually 4-5 bedroom executive homes, but the company also builds some small starter homes, which are usually 2-3 bedroom mews-style. Our schemes have to be financially viable of course but for us, it’s never about cramming in as many houses as possible as we’re not competing with the mass market.

We have a good reputation with Local Authorities as they know the quality of our schemes. We provide individual care and attention from day one, we care enormously about the homes we build and we want everyone to be able to recognise the quality of a CB Homes build, whether it’s a starter home on one of our small developments or one of our award-winning ‘grand design’ self-build homes.

Do you have land to sell? Get in touch today. Interested in building your own home? Talk to us about our complete self-build package.

Award winning homes

6 times winners

13 times winners

8 times winners

2 Awards for best luxury home

Pride in the job award