dhf ( Door & Hardware Federation ) has welcomed recommendations made in the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety ’ s Interim Report . Published in December , the report recommends in particular that those working on the design , construction , inspection and maintenance of complex and high-risk buildings are suitably qualified .

“ We fully support the proposals presented by this report , particularly pertaining to appropriate qualification of those responsible for manufacture , installation , repair and maintenance ,” says dhf ’ s CEO , Bob Perry . “ We

have been actively lobbying for this and are pleased to work with other bodies in the industry to achieve this objective .

“ The issue of competence is crucial to fire doors as to many other systems within the building . In the case of fire doors , however , the system is uniquely vulnerable to damage caused by use and abuse . This necessitates a high level of maintenance activity , which must be continually undertaken by competent persons throughout the life of the building , not solely during the construction phase or major refurbishment . We would like to see these four elements become mandatory

requirements to deliver simplification and underpin building regulation .”

In November , the Tamworth-based trade association stressed the importance of compartmentation and called for urgent change in building regulations , urging the UK government to adopt and enforce a mandatory requirement for all fire doors to be factory prepared doorsets . Michael Skelding , dhf general manager added : “ We propose that any fire - or smoke - resistant door should be a factory-prepared doorset , manufactured under a third-party certification scheme , which is itself accredited by UKAS . Installation and

maintenance of the doorsets should be undertaken only by companies certified to do so under a UKAS-accredited third-party certification scheme .”

And the organisation has asserted that the UK should follow Europe ’ s lead in providing more thorough fire door maintenance procedures , which can ultimately , save lives .

“ Currently , we are lagging behind our European neighbours , but the appropriate changes would

bring the UK in line with many other developed nations and help to ensure that inadequate standards do not lead to tragedy , such as Grenfell ,” says Bob .

we are lagging behind our European neighbours

“ France is a good example of a country that has more stringent fire door maintenance procedures in place .”

France ’ s Article R . 122- 16 of the Construction and Housing Code states it is the building owner ’ s responsibility to perform the necessary maintenance

checks to ensure that fire doors fitted throughout a site are operating correctly . These inspections are carried out by trained professionals , as part of an accredited and recognised maintenance contract . Furthermore , all relevant staff are aware of what these maintenance checks include and how often they need to be carried out , with any maintenance inspections undertaken properly documented . Should a building owner be unable to provide these reports , the potential consequences include insurers being able to withdraw their cover .

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New build homes are undoubtedly part of the solution to the UK housing crisis . However , is the consumer perception of reduced quality ‘ Lego block ’ estates stopping people investing , causing them to snub new builds in favour of refurbishment projects ? Steve Mansour , chief executive officer of construction insurance specialist CRL , looks at the question .

The UK undeniably faces a housing crisis . It ’ s not just a political soundbite , it ’ s affecting lives .

81 per cent of people are ‘ unenthused ’ about living in a new-build home while 79 per cent said the government should focus its efforts and funding on refurbishing existing , run-down properties . In addition , a further report this year found that there are more than 200,000 homes worth a total of £ 43bn lying empty across Britain . Combined with negative stories in the media relating to the quality

of new builds , it ’ s easy to see why public attitude appears to be shifting to buying refurbished properties over new builds .

Refurbishing existing properties will only go part way to solving the crisis . Despite programmes such as Grand Designs promoting the property developer lifestyle , more often than not , these projects are not as quick or as glamorous as they seem on TV . The question is , why are new builds facing such opposition and what do we need to do to address this ? Are new builds really as poorly built as media reports would lead you to believe ?

With every new product , from houses and cars to toys and gadgets , there is always going to be an element of teething . Stories that create headlines , such as ‘ Couple ’ s dream home in country turns into ‘ nightmare ’ after finding 150 problems in new-build house ’, which are filled with negative terms for new builds , understandably make potential buyers skittish

to say the least . Whilst some of these instances are genuine reflections of bad building practices , one of the main barriers the construction industry has to tackle concerns perception .

Buying a new home is one of the biggest decisions that an individual is ever likely to undertake , especially as average house prices continue in a long-term upward trajectory . Many buyers purchase off plan and do not see the finished project before they buy . This means that they are often sold on the ‘ show home ’ factor . The shock sometimes sets in when the buyer collects the keys to their new home - and it simply doesn ’ t meet their idealistic expectations , or expected imperfections , such as settlement cracks , start to appear . Expectations of pristine existing builds are low , but for new builds , the expectation is often higher and unfortunately , simply unrealistic .

If the unexpected happens , buyers often don ’ t know what

is protected or how to go about making a claim . This is sometimes the case with structural defects insurance ; designed to protect against defects in new buildings , normally for a period of ten years after completion . Despite insurance protecting the homeowner from structural damage that may occur during the first ten years after completion , many consumers lack understanding of the extent of cover their warranty provides .

This is bypassing the fact that before a build even gets to that stage , new properties undergo rigorous inspections before the homeowner can move in . A structural certificate is only issued when these inspections are complete and all building control standards have been met . This is why building warranties are a crucial part of the construction process , and why consumers can rest assured that the quality of a new build will stand the test of time .

Ultimately , the industry must better communicate the many benefits of new build properties to potential buyers . It must provide reassurance that new builds are completed to high standards , that are often superior to the existing builds that consumers are so keen to invest in . The industry needs to change the public ’ s view of new builds to that of reliability , affordability and availability .

If housebuilders are to increase the appeal of new build homes , and remain construction-oriented , it is more important than ever to emphasise the benefits of ‘ out with the old , in with the new ’. Today ’ s new build homes are generally built to the latest environmental standards and are cheaper to run . It ’ s important to ensure that quality is as much of a priority as quantity , so that each new property meets the needs of the homebuyer of today , and of the future .