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📰 The Robbins Construction Ltd Blog: Building Better, Together
Welcome to the Robbins Construction Ltd Blog—your essential read for insights, analysis, and expert opinion from the forefront of the London and Essex residential construction industry.
In today's volatile environment, building a high-quality extension, loft conversion, or new home is more complex than ever. From navigating sudden material shortages and soaring labour costs to meeting the ambitious standards of the new Building Regulations (Parts L, F, and O), the landscape is constantly shifting. That’s why we’re committed to doing more than just building your project; we will endeavour to keep a track of industry news and offer our opinion on these critical developments, translating the often-complex headlines into actionable insights for our clients.
Here, we will share our decades of experience, dissecting key issues like the impact of rising interest rates on project viability, the long-term changes introduced by the Net Zero strategy, and how emerging technologies can deliver a smoother build process. Our goal is to ensure you are fully informed and confident in the process, allowing us to build a successful future, together.
Ready to dive into the latest industry challenges?
🧑⚖️ Planning Appeals: The Golders Green Extension Challenge
Wednesday 18th June 2025
Sinclair Grove, Golders Green, NW11 9JG The NW11 Planning Wall: When Local Character Trumps Density on Sinclair Grove The affluent and highly desirable Golders Green area, particularly around streets like Sinclair Grove (NW11 9JG), is perpetually under pressure for extensions and loft…
🗓️ Extension Planning in 2025: Managing Timelines and Costs in a High-Risk Market
Tuesday 17th June 2025
Original Post (June 2020): Home Extension Step-by-Step Guide Our original 2020 guide focused on the design and execution steps of a home extension—a process that has remained largely the same. However, the context has drastically changed: time and cost control…
🌿 Net Zero Target:
Friday 6th June 2025
The Green Economy Debate Finchley Central, N3 2 Barnet’s Net Zero by 2042 Goal: Finchley’s Green Economy Needs Skills, Not Just Targets Barnet Council has set an ambitious goal to become a Net Zero borough by 2042. This vision, heavily featured in the…
♻️ Quality Over Speed - Case Study 8
Saturday 10th May 2025
Net Zero Demands Hendon, NW4 4 The Ethical Flip: Hendon Buyers Demand Efficiency, Not Just Chrome In the cooled market of 2025, buyers—even flipper buyers—are highly focused on running costs and energy efficiency. A quick, cosmetic flip on Brent Street (NW4 4) is…
🏠 The SDLT Surcharge Debate - Case Study 7
Tuesday 1st April 2025
Golders Green, NW11 9Headline The Final Nail? Post-April SDLT Hikes in NW11The final SDLT change on April 1, 2025, which reduced the nil-rate band back to £125,000 (from the temporary £250,000) and kept the 3% investor surcharge, further eroded thin…
🏘️ Barnet Local Plan Debate: The Suburban Infill Pressure
Tuesday 4th March 2025
The Local Plan’s Edge: Why Infill Development in Whetstone is Changing the Face of N20 The official adoption of the Barnet Local Plan 2021-2036 on March 4, 2025, cemented the council's vision for growth. While major schemes like Brent Cross get…
📝 Muswell Hill N10: Why Your Kitchen Extension Needs MVHR, Not Just Bifolds
Sunday 12th January 2025
A Muswell Hill Extension, A N10 Builder, MVHR Installation London, In a High-End Kitchen Renovation N10 Homeowners on Muswell Hill Road or Colney Hatch Lane (N10) overwhelmingly favour large, open-plan kitchen-extensions—the quintessential North London family space. However, a stunning extension with…
💡 Highgate N6 - The £85,000 Question:
Thursday 10th October 2024
Why Deep Retrofit is Your Best Investment A Highgate Builder, On Highgate Renovation Cost, A Highgate Deep Retrofit, With Energy Efficiency N6 The Victorian and Edwardian housing stock of Highgate (N6)—especially on roads like Highgate West Hill—are architectural gems, but they are…
📝 Planning Risk: The Extension Factor - Case Study 6
Monday 8th July 2024
Whetstone, N20 5 Permission to Flip: The Risk on Oakleigh Road North True profitability in Barnet flipping now relies on value-add planning gains, such as securing permission for a rear extension or loft conversion. This adds huge risk to the Timeline. Case…
📉 The Financial Chill
Thursday 6th June 2024
Housing Starts Fall 56% from Peak—The Rate Hike Recession Hits London Hard The full force of the Bank of England's rate hikes (Headline 6 from our previous analysis) hit London hard. Government figures released in late 2024 showed that new build…