Blog

Blog

Extension/Remodel|Renovation

13/08/2023

Interior Design Vs Interior Architecture

There’s a big difference between interior design and interior architecture. Both are fascinating areas to work in as they combine creative design and practical planning that can be stimulating and rewarding. But what is the difference exactly?

Interior Design Vs Interior Architecture

Interior Design is about building an atmosphere and tone in an already-built space. This is achieved through colour choices and selecting appropriate fixtures and decorations to create a space based on a theme. The theme will depend on the designer and the occupant’s wishes and can range from historic design concepts such as art deco, or modern ideas such as minimalism or other methods.

Interior architecture is more about the structure and redesigning an interior space. This is about creating concepts incorporating sustainable materials to remodel the space around the occupant’s behaviours and needs. It starts with listening to the homeowners’ needs. What do they want? How do they use their space? The interior design architectcreates an idea that utilises the space around the occupant’s needs. There can be lots of back and forth in this phase as the occupant is presented with ideas and has time to consider them, come back with their own thoughts and finalise an idea that best fits their lives. The final design will also incorporate specific materials to maximise light and passive heating.

What We Provide

We are both house designers and builders, a one-stop shop providing you with everything you need to remodel or extend your home. Our interior design architects can re-imagine your space around your needs. We have interior designers who can assist you in choosing quality fixtures, fittings and centrepieces. We can help you create a space with the right colours and finishes to inspire specific feelings. For example, to create a sense of open space in the kitchen or bringing a greater feeling of calm and quiet in the bedroom. We work with our clients to help them build their dream home. Even older buildings can be re-imagined in surprising and innovative ways. We help you break traditional Irish homes’ confines, opening them up for new possibilities—all while using the latest materials to maximise natural light and reduce your energy bills.

Join Our Team

Our team is growing. We’re always on the lookout for the best talent. If you are an interior design architect or designer and care deeply about providing quality work, we’d love to meet you.

Extension/Remodel|New Homes

10/06/2023

Labour Shortages are a Massive Opportunity for New Apprentices

In recent years, the shortage of apprentices has been well documented. With 63% of construction companies struggling to find skilled workers to help build homes. Ireland is currently suffering from a growing housing crisis. People are crying out for affordable housing and places to rent. Third-level qualifications are rightly considered an achievement worthy of respect. On the other hand, becoming an expert tradesman has traditionally been seen as an ‘unskilled’ profession. The irony is that the drop-off in the availability of skilled manual workers has shown just how skilled – and essential – they are in the community.

Working in the Modern Construction Industry

The old stigma around manual work is fading fast. Forward-thinking companies such as Sigma Homes are at the forefront of dispelling the old-school approach. Sigma Homes, and other innovative companies, have rapidly modernised the construction industry. We look at new technologies, materials, systems and approaches. We engage in R&D and use highly effective management systems borrowed from the worlds of software development and mechanical engineering.

There are many reasons to take pride in what we do. It’s satisfying to work with an interdisciplinary team of intelligent, highly skilled professionals who get great satisfaction from their work. We’re constantly looking at innovative new ways to design and implement homes. We constantly examine our processes and find more efficient and effective ways of delivering the best quality results.

Low Supply + High Demand = Great Opportunity for New Apprentices

Ireland is crying out for skilled manual workers. With high demand and a shortage of workers, there is an opportunity to earn more. In the past, third-level education almost always equated to higher pay. Today, many manual professionals are highly paid. If you’re a young person and you are looking to decide what to do with your future, from our own experience, we’d say to take everyone’s thoughts and opinions on board. And most importantly of all, listen to yourself. What interests you? We know that many people are best-suited to more academic roles, such as in biosciences. But there are also many brilliant, considerate people who love to work with their hands. To solve problems. To fix broken things. Or to imagine something great and see it become a reality.

Uncategorized

05/05/2023

Tackling the Housing Crisis With Technology

With the Housing For All plan stating that we require 33,000 new homes per year. Could an increased focus on modern, efficient building practices help the Irish government and private construction companies tackle the housing crisis? Based on our own experience and results, we believe the answer to this is a resounding yes.

Increasing Efficiency

Delays and miscommunications are not fun for anyone. Re-works cost organisations money and bad processes frustrate clients and employees. At Sigma Homes, we have spent years researching and refining our approach in order to increase building speed and quality. We have treated our processes like organic machines, where each of us composes a part. Every aspect of the work was explored. We sought out bottlenecks. What prevented us from delivering the best quality work faster? We looked at how our teams interacted and use technology to help with our processes and increase efficiency.

Treat Construction Like Information Technology

We believe the Irish building industry can benefit massively from adopting modern design thinking approaches. Methodologies such as Six Sigma enable organisations to constantly improve their communication and construction methods, just as silicon valley companies like SpaceX and Tesla. Applying these principles across your business empowers every professional in your team to work more smoothly and efficiently. By coordinating more effectively with one another, you reduce delays and errors. This reduces frustrations both for your team and your client and results in much faster building times with far superior quality.

Building Industry

04/04/2023

Should the CAO Online System be Revamped to Allow Apprenticeships?

During Ireland’s most prosperous years, it was not plain to see, but now as we find ourselves knee-deep in a housing crisis, the enormous value of the construction industry is laid bare. Every individual in Ireland needs a place to call home. The construction industry is the backbone of our community and economy. It is what enables us to live fulfilling lives. Without basic living standards in place, we cannot progress.

The government’s Housing For All plan estimates that an average of 33,000 new homes must be provided annually until 2030 to support affordability for renters and buyers. However, the plan could fail to reach targets due to a shortage of skilled workers. SIPU’s Adrian Kane stated that Ireland needs a “serious and targeted recruitment campaign to attract skilled tradespeople and apprentices into local authorities without delay”.

Should the CAO Online System be Revamped to Allow Apprenticeships?

While over 83,000 individuals applied for placement through the CAO system in 2022, Core Research’s report, ‘Construction in Ireland 2022: Building a Workforce for the Future’, found that among 300 construction firms in Ireland, 189 had difficulty recruiting skilled workers. The three leading causes were a lack of career options, a negative perception of the construction industry and a large percentage of young people emigrating. The study reveals an enormous deficit of new workers in the construction industry.

Perhaps what is needed is a long-term plan to communicate the value of a career in construction. Construction expertise is becoming more scarce, with half of the firms in the report finding it difficult to find brick layers and plasterers and over a third finding it challenging to find carpenters.

Addressing the Image Problem

By putting apprenticeships in the CAO Online System, it helps it gain legitimacy and value in the hearts and minds of individuals considering a career path.

As countries became, more affluent and third-level education moved from a rare privilege to something accessible to all, professions in the construction industry fell out of favour. For example, a study by the National Association of Homebuilders in the US found that out of 2,000 young adults interviewed between 18-25, only 3% considered construction as a potential career path.

Perhaps to help communicate the importance of the building industry to our lives, construction firms can reach out to local school administrators. To explain the importance and need for skilled construction workers. To show what is exciting and rewarding about designing, creating and delivering homes to people in your community. By raising awareness of the industry’s real importance, we can change the hearts and minds of young people.

Renovation

03/03/2023

Sustainability in Construction

As an industry we are becoming increasingly aware of our environmental responsibility. Sigma Homes recognise the expectations placed upon us. In recent years, the bar has been raised of where sustainability should be in the building sector.

What is sustainability in construction?

In simple terms, sustainable construction means employing building methods that reduce the industry’s environmental impact.

In Ireland, building is responsible for 50% of the country’s produced waste. This is due to us being a linear construction economy i.e. we make, use, dispose of our materials. Therefore the very nature of Irish construction is unsustainable and needs to be re-imagined.

Thankfully, the IGBC (Irish Green Building Council) is leading us in moving away from a linear economy and towards a sustainable circular model. Circularity keeps extracted materials, re-using them to the highest possible level. A sustainable circular system has zero waste. It copies the regenerative cycle of nature, reducing fossil fuel use and avoids extracting the earth’s finite resources. As a result, there is significantly less carbon emissions and impact on the environment.

The impact of these changes

It is also important to consider the sustainability of the finished building. The retrofit grant scheme has made great strides in improving the energy efficiency of many Irish homes. By powering homes with renewables, updating windows and doors and properly insulating houses, thousands of homes around the country are burning far less oil and gas. Similar sustainability targets should be set for all new builds.

Ireland has a wealth of biodiversity with wildlife and habitats unique to our country. Construction is necessary and essential for the growth of the economy but we must also take great care when developing and disturbing the land. Site activities such as clearance, setup, groundworks and construction all have implications for natural habitats and wildlife. It is the contractor’s responsibility to adhere to guidelines set out for each phase of a build in order to limit the amount of disturbance caused by the project. By doing so our wild flora, fauna and marine life will be protected.

Our clients and partners are becoming more environmentally conscious and demand for sustainable homes is rising. Sigma Homes are waiting to help you with your sustainable build. Call us today to get started on your project.

Renovation

03/02/2023

The Benefits of Improved BER

Your Building Energy Rating (BER) signifies the energy efficiency of your home and we should all strive to have the highest BER possible. Doing so will bring value to you and your home while also positively impacting the environment.

A home’s BER must be updated every 10 years. An up to date BER allows you to best understand your energy usage and cut out unnecessary waste. Sigma Homes are happy to help with your BER assessment and we will improve your current rating.

Here are some ways to increase your BER and the benefits it will bring to you and the environment.

Use Renewable Energy

Solar panels are becoming an increasingly popular method of improving a home’s BER while reducing its carbon footprint. The un-sustainability of fossil fuels has never been more apparent and renewables are a great way to future-proof your home. Solar energy produces zero greenhouse gas, automatically increasing your BER and saving you money in the process.

Insulation

With energy costs rising, the value of an efficient BER is higher than ever. It is estimated that due to rising energy costs, a BER of grade A or B can add up to €60,000 to the value of a home. Insulating the external and cavity walls of your home can significantly increase the amount of heat retained within your house. You will be burning less gas or oil to keep your house warm and your BER will improve as a result. You can also insulate your attic to prevent heat loss through the roof and internal walls for even more heat retention.

Upgrade Windows and Doors

Outdated windows and doors are another cause of heat leaving your home and money leaving your pocket. Old windows with inefficient glazing allow heat to escape causing you to burn more oil and gas to heat your home. Very often, windows and doors are not properly sealed and need to be upgraded. The most cost effective method of improving your BER is by changing to double or triple glazed windows and upgrading to composite doors. Composite doors with steel frames and insulated cores are the most efficient and add security to your home. Installing improved window and door systems will increase your BER and the value of your property.

Sigma Homes can help you achieve any of the above upgrades. Contact us today if you are curious about how much your BER can improve.

Uncategorized

20/01/2023

Construction Trends for 2023

At Sigma Homes team feels it’s our duty to keep up to speed with current industry trends. By doing so we can pass the latest knowledge, innovation and savings onto our clients and partners. This constantly changing industry requires us to adapt to developments in the sector both at home and abroad. Here, we will look at some of the most significant trends we spotted over the last year and why we will continue to pay close attention.

Cost of Labour and Materials

One of the biggest concerns for construction companies this year has been the recent increase in the cost of labour and materials. The latest 10% government levy imposed on concrete has the industry as a whole more aware of tightening budgets and resources. Unpredictable fuel prices and a rising cost of living makes it difficult for industry members to accurately forecast material and labour requirements.

Despite rising costs, construction companies are remaining resilient and even confident of increasing staff and turnover for the coming year. This will prove crucial if targets for infrastructure and housing are to be met.

Green Building

The Irish Green Building Council (ICBC) has revealed its road map to decarbonise Ireland’s construction and built environment sector. The report shows the construction industry makes up 14% of the country’s carbon emissions, mostly through embodied carbon. Embodied carbon is produced by the manufacturing of construction materials, quarrying and transport.

It is vital that we endeavour to regulate embodied carbon emissions just as many other European countries have done. Most importantly we must continue to develop innovative ways of producing low carbon construction processes and materials. Expect to see biobased materials such as timber being more widely used in the construction of new builds.

Carbon emissions have been reduced significantly due to the success of Ireland’s current retrofit program. As Ireland targets 400,000 new homes over the next decade, it’s vital that we turn to green building processes so as not to negate these sustainability gains.

Increase in Prefab and Modular Builds

Modular and prefabrication builds have increased in popularity this year as the industry experiences continuous growth. The benefits of modular building include savings in time, money and labour of which the sector has in finite supply. Construction elements are designed and built off-site and are assembled in much much less time than traditional builds.

Prefabrication may play a key role in Ireland’s National Development Plan which along with ambitious residential targets, has set out a number of public and private infrastructure projects to be completed in the near future.

Interest in modular construction is expected to grow in popularity due to increased awareness of sustainability needs and emphasis placed on efficiency. Modular construction employs more environmentally friendly materials than traditional construction methods and reduces build times significantly.

Although the last year has presented many challenges and uncertainty, the excitement and satisfaction of overcoming has kept us motivated throughout. If you have a dream or even just an idea, give us a call today to make it a reality.

Uncategorized

02/11/2022

We Need More Women in Construction

Construction has always been a male-dominated industry. But now, more than ever, we need to make the industry more inviting to women.

With labour shortages across the building sector, it is in the interest of all its members to embrace change. Firms and contractors must be willing to attract and keep women in rewarding jobs that offer security and promotion. Traditional and often stereotypical attitudes on building sites must become a thing of the past.

In Ireland today, women make up just 9% of the building workforce despite record numbers of female graduates pursuing careers in construction. A reshaping of the working culture is required to correct this gender imbalance.

As an industry there are a number of actions we can take.

Modern Ireland is a pioneer of acceptance and our building sites should be no different. By shedding light on discriminatory behaviour and language used in the workplace, adopting policies of zero-tolerance and imposing adequate disciplinary measures, building sites will become a safer and more attractive working environment to all.

On-site amenities for women need to meet workplace standards. How can we expect women to feel safe and thrive at work if their most basic needs aren’t being met? Safe changing rooms, women’s toilets and sanitary bins are bare minimum facilities in any workplace, building sites included. Investment in this area will go a long way in flipping current stereotypes.

Nowadays flexibility is an expectation of every job seeker. Remote work and its benefits don’t apply to most construction workers. Alternative incentives should be made available to men and women who need to balance family commitments.

With the industry in constant flux, it’s time to embrace change and champion a new era of construction. As the professional landscape shifts the future success of the industry may be dependent on it. Championing a better workplace for women means a better workplace for all.

Renovation

02/07/2022

Finesse Meets Efficiency

When you’re hiring a builder, a big fear is whether they will do an excellent job. And secondly, are they going to do that job within the agreed timeframe? The unfortunate reality of the Irish building industry is that most providers out there do a half baked job. There are oversights, rough edges, missed spots. Shortcuts. Some of the oversights on a remodel are so blatant that you’re left asking yourself, “Would they do this to their own home?”

And at this point, worry number two starts to rare its head. Nearing the end-stage of the project, with a snag list as long as your arm, the builder disappears! As far as they are concerned, the job is ‘good enough’ (because they don’t have to live in it). They’re already after starting their next build; as far as they care, you’re old news. They believe their service has already been provided. They typically become resentful of fixing their half-baked jobs and find any excuse to put it off. Leaving you to live in an unfinished job for months or worse.

We’re not in the business of ‘good enough’

If it’s not good enough for our own homes, it’s not good enough for our client’s. We come at it from a different approach. As a team, we care about our standards. It’s that last 10% of work that often makes the difference in a final finish of a kitchen or remodel. When we provide a deadline, that deadline includes the time it takes to ensure that every facet of your extension or redesign matches what we envisioned on day one.

Finesse Meets Efficiency

Typically, that last bit of work to smooth out the edges of a project are the most time-consuming. This can be a problem, so we have worked for years to perfect our approach. We ensure that every aspect of the work is done smoothly and efficiently. We have, to date, never missed our deadline with a client. And we hand over a completed project every week. We expect everything to be completed and perfect when we perform the handover. And we stick around. Our relationship with our client is long-term. It doesn’t begin and end with the renovation. That’s why we provide a 10 year warranty for our clients.

Renovation

02/06/2022

Dramatic Designs

We help our clients create dramatic designs that radically transform their living experience. Whether it’s by altering the structure itself or by remodeling a kitchen or interior, specific changes in the features or layout of your home can have a profound impact. Here are some examples.

Letting more light in

You can create a beautiful contemporary home that uses modern glass technology to allow the maximum amount of natural light and heat into your space while allowing you to soak in the exterior landscape. This can also be one of the advantages of renovating a country home, you can take great advantage of the surrounding exterior space while maintaining your sense of privacy.

Marrying the old with the new

We can take what’s beautiful about your traditional home and add some modern flair while creating a sense of connection between the different spaces. We build livings spaces that are clever by design. When we initially meet with you to discuss your dream home, we’re taking in what you need and what you want, and from there, we’ll figure out a design that exceeds your expectations.

We can add those elements that bring utility to your space while enabling a minimal look in other areas. For example, a modern pantry space gives you easy accessibility to everything you need for cooking while freeing your kitchen space of clutter to enable fine lines and beautiful contours that make your spaces beautiful.

Dramatic designs that make working from home a pleasure

Working from home is a different thing altogether when you’re in a cleverly constructed space designed with your work in mind. We can implement a modern office space for you, with natural light and correct placement so that you’re getting natural light but without the glare or eye strain as you work at your computer. Planning the space around your office desk means we can take full advantage of the light, the outer landscape, and other features of your home to deliver a comfortable, remarkable office that can make work feel light and easy throughout the day.

It is crucial to have a sense of separation between work and play, especially when you work from home. Re-thinking your living space allows you to create something new, like a chillout area. A different physical space to enter will enable you to enter a different mental and emotional space. And these are just some of the dramatic changes that can occur in your home when you take intelligent design to your living space.

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