It’s time for a posh shed

One of the ways in which you can make the most of your exterior space is to incorporate a summer room, tiki hut, garden office or shepherd’s hut. The list is endless.

The web is full of ideas for posh sheds, from Gothic style outhouses to ultra-modern architectural.
It really depends on what you want to use your outdoor room for – whether it’s for entertaining, a cottage workshop, an additional garage, an extension to your daily living space, storage for your garden tools or your bikes, or simply as space to relax in with your favourite read and a glass of wine on a summer evening.

Are you literary-minded and seeking a refuge and place of inspiration to pour your golden words onto the page? If you buy a kit or have a custom-made shed built you will be in good company. Charles Dickens had his Swiss Chalet at his home in Rochester, Kent. Sheds don’t come much posher than that. Roald Dahl wrote many of his famous children’s books in his Writing Hut. He got the idea from Dylan Thomas, who used to write in a shed overlooking the Taf Estuary in Wales. Even David Cameron has got in on the act. He reportedly spent £25,000 on a shepherd’s hut in which to write.

An increasing number of people are working from home. Rather than shuffling into a spare room in their pyjamas, homeworkers are creating offices in their gardens. It’s more professional and because they have actually left the house there is a sense of ‘being at work’. The ‘Shoffice’ (a portmanteau work made up of ‘shed’ and ‘office’) is now a thing.

Sheds have often been thought of as a refuge for blokes, where they can go and do ‘blokey’ things. Now, ‘she-sheds’ are becoming fashionable as women seek outdoor spaces to practise arts, crafts or yoga for instance.

Whatever your needs there will be a design for you. Have a look at Pinterest  or Houzz. There are also a myriad specialist companies out there that will build your dream shed for you. These include firms like The Posh Shed Company and Shackadelic or more local businesses such as Crane Garden Buildings.
 
Remember, the garden in a new Allison Homes property makes an ideal outdoor space in which to place your posh shed. Have a look at our website for more details on buying a new Allison Homes house.

Get outside and enjoy your garden space this summer

We enjoyed two wonderful Bank Holiday weekends last month. The weather was perfect. And many of us were able to get outside and enjoy some sunshine, which, let’s face it, can be something of a rarity in this country.

Since then another weekend has gone but there’s still plenty of summer left to get out and enjoy outdoor living in your garden.

Make the most of your garden, whether you’re entertaining, dining al fresco or simply kicking back with a good read and a drink!

Create a cooking and dining space with a pergola that’s wired for lighting and heating. There are all sorts of outdoor ovens, chimeneas and firepits on the market. Here are some examples

Outdoor entertaining is perfect if you lack space inside. Create the perfect dedicated area with mood lighting and comfortable furniture. Add a sunken fire pit, BBQ or pizza oven and you’re away.

Create a space that’s not just for eating and entertainment but also a place for relaxation and lounging around with furniture which combines both with a sense of style, flexibility and outstanding design.

Relax and eat supper in the same place. Roomy sofas and chairs are perfect for relaxing with your guests after dinner, to while away the evening and watch the setting sun.

Resin weave furniture is trending now, but don’t forget solid all-weather aluminium sofas and chairs. And of course there is plenty of choice of hardwood furniture as well.

Add some finishing touches with lanterns and other accessories and you’re there! John Lewis has some great options for outdoor dining.

Have a look at this website for more outdoor living ideas.

Making hay while the sun shines

We like to talk of ‘greener’ lifestyles – recycling, electric vehicles and solar panels to name a few ideas. But, the sad reality is that very few people fully embrace this environmentally friendly way of life.

There’s no doubt, making the shift to a greener way of living requires a change in mindset. And often, it requires a financial investment too. Cleaner vehicles and less reliance on standard utilities for heat, light and water are the easiest ways to make a change in the right direction. But they come with an associated, premium price tag.

Despite this, retrospective fitting of solar panels has become more and more popular in recent years. Households are benefitting from lower energy bills – while their peers battle price hikes – thanks to the energy generated from their own rooftops.

However, while car manufacturers are being (forcefully) encouraged to build greener and more economic vehicles, the majority of house builders aren’t doing their bit by fitting eco-friendly features, such as PV solar panels, as standard. 

As one of the simplest ways to make a small, but important environmental contribution, the addition of PV solar panels to new build properties could help the much-needed wave-of-change.

Granted, not all properties are well suited to solar panels; thatched rooves for example are not the ideal base. And, not all properties will generate as much energy from their panels as others – direction of the roof in relation to the sun, overhanging trees and available daylight hours all contribute to the natural variations. But – as they say – every little helps. 

Of course, the energy-saving opportunities don’t need to stop there either. Simple changes to standard fittings, like energy saving lighting and energy saving appliances all add up. Make sure you have ample insulation too, and you’re starting to make an impact on all sides. You can save energy on one hand, while generating it (and preserving it) on the other. The combined effect is good news for the environment … and our wallets!

So, while some house builders see solar panels as an expensive addition, at Larkfleet Homes we have decided to take a definitive step and offer PV solar panels as standard, completely free of charge on all suitable new properties.

Understanding that a fundamental change in mindset requires an investment of either time, money, education – or all of the above – helping new build house buyers to become eco-friendlier is a no-brainer for Allison Homes. And it’s a commitment we continue to stand by as we look for new ways to continually improve the green rating of our properties.

Bridging the skills gap one step at a time

Last year we pledged to work with our subcontractors to recruit and train more people to the highest standards. The idea is to tackle ‘head on’ the pressing building industry skills gap in the East Midlands and East of England.

The Home Building Skills Pledge is a set of five key actions developed by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) through its Home Building Skills Partnership to solve a nationwide skills shortage. It also recognises the importance of ‘future-proofing’ workforce skills by developing new ways for people to enter the building industry as well as developing existing talent with the industry.

The Skills Pledge covers five key areas: Collaborate and share; Train to a standard; Engage and support; Champion diversity and inclusion; and Promote careers. By signing up to the Pledge, companies will also be supporting the HBF’s Home Building Skills Partnership and working to its shared goals.

We are delighted to be supporting the Home Building Skills Pledge and being part of the growing momentum for really tackling this crucial agenda. It is vital to nurture the future of the construction industry if we are to build the homes that the country needs.

By signing up to the pledge we are committing Allison Homes to recruit the best possible talent and to train people to the highest standards. By being proactive in terms of engaging staff, and by being inclusive and diverse in our recruitment, we will be able to future-proof our workforce to continue to deliver high quality new homes.

We are already a major investor in training and skills development. Through sister companmy Larkfleet Homes we are one of the sponsors of the newly-opened Greater Peterborough University Technical College which aims to give young people ‘hands on’ as well as theoretical training for careers in the engineering and construction sectors.

The Home Building Skills Partnership is funded by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and was set up to tackle the industry’s skills shortage. It is already attracting and training the people the industry needs to deliver more, high quality homes in the future.

The key is promoting awareness of careers available in housebuilding. Visit the HBF website to check out your career options in housebuilding.

Last weekend we got to indulge in three things close to our hearts – holiday, beer and music. To help the end of May Bank Holiday weekend go with a swing the Allison Homes team sponsored a barrel of ale at the Spalding Beer and Music Festival.

To celebrate, we held a competition on our Facebook page. Three lucky winners were treated to a pair of free tickets to the event and cash to spend behind the bar.

The event was organised by the Spalding and District Roundtable. They were supporting loads of very worthy causes. Around £15,000 was raised and will be donated to local good youth causes over the next few months.

It’s not just about the money though. More than 150 beer festival volunteers – or volunbeers as they are known - served well over 12,000 pints to more than 4,500 happy patrons who went along to the Castle Sports Complex in Spalding to join in the fun.

There were 70 different real ales from 29 different breweries on offer to suit most tastes. A range of real ciders also proved popular.

To keep everyone entertained there was plenty of live music throughout the weekend. The line-up included local singer-songwriter Meg McPartlin, comedy skiffle outfit The Ouse Valley Singles Club, Another Girl Another Planet, The Chris King Robinson Band and The Hound Dogs.

Festival organisers received some amazing feedback. They have created a very special event for the community of Spalding which will hopefully become a permanent fixture in people’s diaries from now on.

Cheers!

Go Haywire this Spring

Photo: Elisabeth Broekaert

Are you a book fan? Yes? Then you might like to know that the Hay Festival is taking place now and runs until Sunday 3 June.

If you have some spare time over the coming week why not have a day out?

Part of the UK’s summer social calendar, the Hay Festival is perhaps the best known literary festival in the UK, if not the world.

Held annually in the town of Hay-on-Wye – famous for its bookshops – the festival has proved so successful that it has spawned other festivals around the world in Columbia, Denmark, Mexico, Peru and Spain.

It doesn’t matter whether you are into history, biography, literary fiction, theatre or crime fiction; there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The Hay Festival brings readers and writers together to share stories and ideas in sustainable events around the world. The festivals inspire, examine and entertain, inviting participants to imagine the world as it is and as it might be.

Featuring over 600 of the world’s greatest writers, global policy makers, pioneers and innovators
in 800 events across 11 days, the festival showcases the latest ideas in the arts, sciences and current affairs, alongside a rich schedule of music, comedy and entertainment for all ages.

A galaxy of literary stars gathers to launch new work including appearances from Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Michael Morpurgo, Jaquelin Wilson, Lauren Child, Germaine Greer and Bear Grylls.

If you are thinking of visiting the festival go to the festival website to plan your visit.

Some of the star attractions at this year’s Hay Festival Nights include music performances by Jake Bugg, Laura Mvula, Imelda May and the Hackney Colliery Band, plus comedy from the likes of David Baddiel, Dara O’ Briain, Russell Kane, Tony Hawks and Jeremy Hardy.

There is plenty for the children to do and there are lots of events that will appeal to the whole family. Off-site there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy some of the most beautiful countryside in Great Britain.

How to be a good neighbour

This Friday is European Neighbours Day. Neighbours' Day keeps growing with new partners. The celebration is the opportunity to reconnect with the values of solidarity, conviviality and friendship that should be at the forefront of neighbourly relations.

The initiative, originally set up in Paris in 1999, aims to foster community cohesion and create better neighbourhoods where people enjoy living.

The day is about coming together with neighbours in a community activity, which could be anything from enjoying a communal lunch to watching a sporting event or movie together as a community.

You don’t need to confine your neighbourliness to just one day though. The Allison Homes team has come up with some tips on being a good neighbour. They will come in handy when you move into your new home in one of our developments.

• Introduce yourself to your neighbours when you move in and establish a good relationship. Getting to know one another will help should any problems arise.
• Volunteer in your local community. Whatever your interests, talents or skills may be, there are opportunities for everyone. It will impact positively on your life, as well as the lives of those you volunteer for. It offers you a chance to become involved in a project or with an organisation you really care about or develop a new skill. It's also a fantastic opportunity to meet new people.
• Respect your neighbours. Try to keep noise to minimum and don’t leave litter on the streets – that’s not nice for anyone. And remember, keep safe on your journey home and don’t travel alone.
• Love your home. Try to keep everything looking neat and tidy and stay on top of any home maintenance requirements, especially anything that has a visual impact on your neighbours.

Make sure you get involved with the community as soon as you can after you've moved in. Keep yourself informed about community events like fetes, jumble sales and charity events. These are all excellent ways to get to know the members of your community, and really start to feel at home.

Keep your neighbours in the loop. Be sure to let your neighbours know if your house is going to be empty for a considerable period such as holidays. This means they can keep an eye out for anything suspicious and that they know they are next to an empty property.

Always let your neighbours know if you’re planning anything that may affect them, such as a party. Try and hold it at the weekend, keep the noise to a reasonable level, and agree a time to end it by. Make sure your friends leave quietly and you clear up any debris.

Find out when the bin day is. It’s the local authority’s responsibility to provide a waste collection service, but as residents we all need to make sure that we help it run effectively. This is by far the issue that we hear up and down the country that irks residents the most. No-one wants a street with rows of overflowing bins.

Keep pets under control. If you have a dog, make sure your garden is dog-proof, so your beloved pooch doesn’t poo all over your neighbour’s lawn. It you have a noisy dog, take steps to control it.

Generally, be helpful and friendly!