Author: Cherry

If you are thinking of building your own dream house then Ballymena based Building and Civil engineering contractors Wilson and Mawhinney have been sharing some invaluable advice here on Ballymena Today. Here are the final pieces of advice. Know the locals Construction techniques are completely different all over the world. In Northern Ireland we are still very much focused on bricks and mortar construction with plaster render on the outside of our homes rather than the more flexible timber frame construction techniques which are popular in America. That means that the Miami style house, or exotic villa or straw bale construction that you spotted abroad or online may not be feasible in Northern Ireland. Be especially cautious about ‘buying’  plans online as their design may be completely unsuitable for our climate, weather and landscape. Look out for cheap drawings which are actually copies of someone else’s house- this is more common than you may think. If you are paying for a ‘one off’ house then make sure that it is just that. Also be aware of restrictions which are enforced by the Planning Service – they have the authority to pass or fail any planning application if they feel it is unsuitable or out of keeping with the location. An experienced construction team will be able to direct you to the correct style, look and construction technique for you....