News
10 | AUGUST 2017
News
Read online at www. proinstaller. co. uk
Brexit effect on property sales
Home service marketplace Plentific. com has revealed that a quarter of homeowners( 24 %) say Brexit and the last general election have affected their decision to sell their property in the next 12 months.
The percentage of London homeowners who say they are now more likely to sell their home within the next three years has risen from 26 % last year( 2016), to 34 % this year.
When it comes to home improvements, the statistics show that there has been a huge increase in demand because of recent political events. 39 % of homeowners in London say they are now more likely to spend money renovating their current property. This is a 77 % increase from last year, when just 22 % of homeowners said that their decision would be affected by Brexit.
Rooftop milestone for university building
The finishing touches have been made to a £ 41 million university building in Birmingham.
Contractor BAM and local stakeholders were joined by staff and students from Birmingham City University at the institution’ s new Health Sciences and Education building to mark the traditional‘ topping out’ ceremony.
The 10,500m ² extension on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston forms part of the University’ s City South Campus.
The new development, set to open in 2018, will also enable the relocation of the University’ s School of Education, consolidating the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences on to one site. Designed by architects Sheppard Robson, the building will
Selling property
The statistics show that out of the 24 % of homeowners whose decision has been affected by Brexit and the general election, 8 % are more likely to move within the next year, while 16 % are less likely. Focussing on homeowners by location, Londoners topped the table, with 32 % saying they are more likely to sell their property in the next year, and 23 % saying the opposite.
20 % of homeowners in Birmingham said they are less likely to sell up, compared to 6 % who are now more likely to sell. 25 % of homeowners in Cardiff and 23 % in Glasgow would also be less likely to sell within the year.
Based on age, young homeowners seemed split in their opinions, with 25 % saying they’ re more likely to move in the next 12 months, and 19 % more likely to stay put. These figures were the highest based on age, which could suggest that young people consider the effect of current events and the impact they have on housing very seriously.
help reinforce Birmingham City
University’ s status as the region’ s largest provider of qualified health and social care professionals to the NHS and producer of more teachers than any other institution in the West Midlands.
Home improvements
Looking at the data for home improvements, 13 % of homeowners say they are more likely to carry out renovation projects on their current property due to Brexit and the recent election, up 30 % from 2016( 10 %). This highlights the increasing demand for home improvement and renovation projects, as well as the confidence homeowners are experiencing when it comes to investing in their property.
When it comes to age groups, 18 to 34-year-olds top the table for homeowners who are more likely to make improvements to their current property in the wake of recent political events at 33 %. This is an increase of 50 % on last year’ s figure of just 22 %.
Locations around the UK who say they are more likely to make home improvements due to the recent election and on-going Brexit negotiations are London( 39 %), Cardiff( 20 %), Edinburgh( 17 %) and Newcastle( 16 %).
( left to right) Professor Graham Upton, Vice- Chancellor, Birmingham City University and Rod
Stiles, Midlands Regional Director, BAM, with staff and students from Birmingham City University, BAM employees and local stakeholders in the background.
The space will offer teacher training and specialist facilities for health sciences including provision for research, a new lecture theatre, a multi-purpose hall, speech therapy, physiotherapy and ultrasound suites, art and technology classrooms and IT hubs.
LIGHTHOUSE IS BEACON OF ACTION
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity- also known as the Lighthouse Club- is busy this year. So far, it has launched a helpline for construction workers, run a learner project for young people, and is supporting the London Construction Awards.
This year’ s awards are at the London Build 2017 Expo from October 25-26 at Olympia, London. The Lighthouse Club is the official partner of the awards. Now in its third year, London Build is the UK’ s largest construction expo dedicated entirely to opportunities in London and the south of England.
Earlier this year, The Lighthouse Club and the Considerate Constructors Scheme launched an initiative to help support the mental
Budding Builder Programme site visit.
health agenda in the construction industry.
Considerate Constructors Scheme registered sites, companies and suppliers can now provide their workforce with handy wallet-sized Construction Industry Helpline cards, as well as displaying posters to advertise the services.
The Construction Industry Helpline provides a free 24x7 confidential employee assistance programme for all the construction workforce and their families in the UK. The Helpline delivers mental health and wellbeing, financial assistance, legal advice and support on education and training.
The Helpline is operated by the Lighthouse Club and is funded by the charitable generosity of the construction industry. Since the end of June, the helpline had received 661 requests for help. The service gave mental health and wellbeing and / or debt and legal advice to 456 workers, reviewed 205 new cases of construction families in distress, and granted over £ 275,000 to directly support construction families in crisis.
To access the Helpline’ s team of experts, call the Construction Industry Helpline on 0345 605 1956 or visit www. constructionindustryhelpline. com
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity has also joined forces with the Construction Youth Trust to run‘ The Lighthouse Learner Project,’ which is offering 20 disadvantaged young people access to training and employment opportunities in the construction industry.
www. constructionyouth. org. uk