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As you may have heard, this month the UK Government has announced plans to scrap tolls on both Severn crossings by the end of 2018, with both Severn crossings returning to public ownership. Currently, monthly tickets range from £117.92 for small cars to £396 for large vehicles, which means that a daily commute sets you back over £1400 per year for the smallest category of vehicle.

The announcement that the Government will scrap what has been described as a ‘tax on Wales’by the end of next year will be seen as a positive move by many. The move is set to boost Welsh economy by an estimated £100m a year, and is expected to increase tourism and business in the region. As an independent business that regularly works in Wales, this is certainly a consideration and I welcome the scrappage of tolls for my business as it makes the Welsh market even more appealing.

As I alluded to above, trade is likely to be the big winner, with many English-based companies starting to see Wales as a more profitable proposition. Wales is currently experiencing a huge resurgence -it’s a country brimming over with confidence, and major cities such as Cardiff, Swansea and Newport are seeing really interesting commercial and industrial growth, making them attractive to national and global companies. There is still a large gap between urban and rural areas in Wales, and there’s a huge opportunity to invest in the Valleys and wider Wales.

We could also see an impact on house prices, as buyers find the commute to the M4 corridor more appealing.This of course has both positive and negative connotations – it’s great for investors and workers priced out of their local market, who can now take advantage of lower house prices, and not so great for locals who find their home market prices increasing as they try to get on the ladder. Overall however, this is a positive effect and good for the local economy.

The removal of tolls could also have a not-so-positive effect on congestion; although there are plans for a relief road via Newport, some quarters have warned that the lack of tolls will create traffic issues, putting particular pressure on the Bryn Glas tunnels – not a happy thought for anyone who currently uses that route regularly! There are currently 25 million crossings a year, and naturally, you’d expect this to rise when the tolls are removed, so upgrades to the highways will need to be handled with care. It’s fair to say that there’s a difference in opinion on this – the AA says that journey times will be cut due to people not having to plan their route to avoid tolls. It will be interesting to see whether the increased traffic will outweigh the benefits of the boost to the economy or vice versa.

From Bespoke’s point of view, the removal of the Severn Crossing tolls is great news. It opens up Wales as a more viable business opportunity, allowing us to look again at the region in terms of extending our reach from the South West of England over to South East Wales. I foresee many potential and existing home-owners seeing the lifting of the tolls as a golden opportunity to invest in property in Wales. And with house-prices currently lower than equivalent properties in Bristol and the wider M4 corridor, I suspect that we’ll see an influx of investors who see the investment opportunity to create their dream design and build homes, all of which is good news for Bespoke.

If you’re considering building or redeveloping a property in Wales, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call and we will arrange to come and see you to discuss your project and how Bespoke can help.

Back in February we purchased a farm site in Usk, South Wales which has planning consent to convert into 9 very nice and specious units.

We started the 22 weeks conversion of Unit 1 and are pleased to announce that it has now sold 9 days post open day! The property has been purchased by a really nice couple who are excited and as enthusiastic as we are about the Barn.

Sycamore Retreat includes, an Aga, Wood Burning Stove, Kitchen, Utility Room, En-Suite to Master Bedroom, Jack and Jill En-Suite to bedroom 2&3, huge private driveway, 60 sqm lounge, incredible views across the Usk Valley and the list just goes on and on.

We are now moving onto Unit 2,3 & 4 and these dwellings will be ready to market late Spring 2017.

Usk is a very pretty, Historic Village will a small high street, full of shops and amenities, and you really get the feeling when in Usk of being in a rural Village but have the added bonus of the great motorway and train links making the area desirable for business commuters.

Being based in Bristol, it only takes around 40 minutes to commute to and from our office and actually is easier to get to than someone of our other Bristol based sites.

Twins, Twice as Nice Tailored Living.

Following a handful of detailed pre-start meetings with our new lovely client couple, who are converting the last remaining unconverted stone barn on a beautiful farm yard in Northwoods just outside of Winterbourne, Bristol. We have decided to future proof the first floor bedrooms.

Our clients have twin boys who are age 2, both our clients and the boys want to share bedrooms now, but, in the future may not.

It’s important to our clients that the boys remain close and we understand that completely.

We have decided to convert the barn and incorporate a very large room at first floor, which the boys will share. This room will have two doors entering the room side by side, two radiators and two lighting circuits. We will plan the internal partitions so that they are ready to take a non-load bearing structural stud partition, meaning that future division will be easy and seriously low cost. We are expecting a call during the next 5 years or so, to come and erect the stud, as boys being boys will one day want some privacy.

As do we all, our clients clearly, deeply love their children and its obvious this is their main driver. It’s so nice to be a part of their journey and the thought of them all spending many happy years in the barn post completion makes my job, in my opinion, the best job in the world.

Underfloor heating is a great alternative to traditional radiators or hot-air heating systems. Underfloor heating can be either a ‘wet’ system that pumps warm water through pipes under the floor, or a ‘dry’ system of electric coils placed under the floor.

Underfloor heating is often associated with luxury and the feeling of a warm, heated bathroom floor on a cold winter’s day’, which is always a welcoming start to any cold winter morning.

One of the many benefits of underfloor heating is that it is out of view. Due to the equal distribution of heat, it is an efficient way to heat a room if the system is used correctly. For example, if you have a stone floor with underfloor heating built in, the heat will be retained, even when the window is open. Compared to the way radiator heat dissipates, as the moment a draft enters a room, you will instantly loose heat.  Radiators heat up the area immediately around them, which the heat is quickly dispersed upwards, and away from the desired area.  Radiators must work harder for you to feel the effects, and require the water to be at a higher temperature to work effectively, however, a good underfloor heating system will heat a larger area and maintain a constant heat throughout and will be more cost effective. Thermostats on Underfloor Heating Systems should not be used in the same way as a Radiator Thermostats, as underfloor heating should be left on a constant low temperature. Leaving your system running at around 12 Degrees for example,even throughout the summer months at a lower temperature but always keep the system running.  Underfloor heating is a much more cost effective way to heat your home and should you become too warm, it is best practice to open a window and NOT turn down the temperature by using the Thermostat.

Underfloor heating can be an attractive proposition.  It also provides a very clean and minimal look to complement your new dream home.  Underfloor heating works at a lower temperature and works particularly well with tiles and stone — making it a popular choice for bathrooms or large tiled main living area.

Electric Underfloor heating relies on a network of wires.  Depending on the shape of the room, you can go for heating mats, which cover large areas, or individual wires which can be place which are bespoke to your project design and layout. Electric systems are cheaper to install than water based systems, however, they are slightly more expensive to run, making them better suited to smaller areas.

Water-based systems, are a network of pipes linked to your boiler that pump hot water around your rooms.  As underfloor heating systems distribute heat more evenly, they need water at a lower heat than a radiator, making your boiler more efficient, but the installation and costs are typically initially higher for this reason, however well worth considering.

Pipes are thicker than wires, so you will require more space in your floor for the system to be installed, or the ground may need to be slightly raised which are points to consider prior to making your decision on which flooring system to go with, which is dependent on the type of project you have planned.  Just as an example the following information may be useful to assist you in your choice of system.

1. 1. 1. Electric UFH is usually rated at 200W/m². Therefore, for a 20m² room, the electricity usage is 4kW per hour!!

1. 2. Wet UFH systems run at typically 50°c from a boiler (in some cases at 35°c or lower) whereas a radiator system is usually 70°c – 90°c, so the efficiency gains are clear to see.

What is a Wet Room?

A wet room is a totally waterproofed or tanked bathroom, with a shower area at the same level throughout the whole floor space with a slight incline within the shower compound itself, allowing excess water to drain away.  A truly open plan wet room removes the need for an enclosure as with a traditional shower cubical, however, some prefer to use a screen to prevent splashing if sanitary ware is located close by on smaller sized rooms.  A wet room is a great way of utilizing space effectively and can be installed on both the ground and upper floors of your home, giving the illusion of greater space and the feeling of pure luxury.  You can also install a wet room in both Timber and Concrete constructions, however, the golden rule is to use a skilled design and installation team as the works involved go far beyond that of a normal bathroom.   The key is understanding their special requirements and building in solutions at an early stage of your project, with the overall wet room design reflecting your personality, just as you would with other rooms throughout the build.  To add that final luxurious touch to your wet room, we would recommend installing an underfloor heating system to help dry the room area after use and there really is nothing nicer than that touch of warmth under foot on those cold frosty mornings.  Pull out all the stops with your designs and expectations, so you can make your wet room that unexpected hidden gem of the house!

So, can anyone have a Wet Room?

Yes, of course you can!  When you no longer need to clean the shower tray or the worry of keeping the glass shower screens sparkling, which can feel like an endless task, the designs & practicality of a wet room can be endless!  Wet rooms done well are fashionably modern, minimal and a great hygienic option.  They provide additional flexibility to the use of space that’s not constrained by a conventional shower-tray or bath shapes and are easy to keep clean!  We use ‘Inclusive Design’ so the wet rooms can be beneficial for the whole family, from the children, the older generations or anyone with impaired mobility who will all enjoy the ease of using a wet room.

When you have had a long day on the beach with the Children or out walking the Dog, you can find numerous other uses for a wet room such as rinsing down those wetsuits, beach toys and muddy damp dogs after that long walk!  You even have the extra space to hide the cloths airier when it’s raining outside!