Acumen Marketing Communications Ltd

Advanced Flexible Self Build Mortgage

Alpha-Fry Technologies Europe (Fernox)

Armitage Shanks Ltd

ASCER (The Spanish Ceramic Tile Association)

Association of Garage Door Specialists

Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors

Bathroom Manufacturers Association

Baxi Potterton

BEAMA Installation Limited

BHHMA British Hardware and Housewares Manufacturers' Association

British Gas

British Plastics Federation

Builders Merchants Federation

B&Q Ltd

Chartered Institute of Building

ClGA - Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency

City of Westminster

Council for Registered Gas Installers

Construction Products Association

Custom Publishing Ltd

Eaga Partnership

Ecoqates (Applied Technologies)

Electrical Contractors Association

Energy Saving Trust

Federation of Master Builders

Fernox (Alpha-Fry Technologies Europe)

Glass & Glazing Federation

Greenwich Council Housing Services

Hansgrohe Ltd

Heating and Hot Water Information Council

Heating & Ventilating Contractors Association

Health and Safety Executive Direct

Hepworth Heating

Hörmann (UK) Ltd

Ideal-Standard Ltd

Kaldewei UK Ltd

Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association

Metcom

National Energy Action

National Energy Services

National Federation of Builders

National Federation of Roofing Contractors

National Fireplace Association

National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC)

NPower

OFTEC

Plumbing & Heating Industry Alliance

Robinson Willey Ltd

Saniflo

Schuco International

Solid Fuel Association

Southwark Housing

Springboard Housing Association

Sure GB Ltd

T & K Engineering Limited

Worcester Bosch Group

Local Authorities and Housing Associations Return to home page

  

The NHIC represents the most important body of companies and organisations that work in the home improvement sector and they earnestly believe in higher standards of materials and workmanship, backing this with codes of practice, guarantees and warranties.

This website provides a convenient list of NHIC members and organisations, its main aim is to provide you with ideas and advice on the range of improvement and maintenance activities which you could consider for your home.

The NHIC's general objectives are:

1. To promote to homeowners the benefits of renovating and upgrading their homes.

2. To act as the catalyst for public sector housing bodies to stimulate modernisation of the existing housing.

3. To be the voice of the home improvements industry, to government, opposition and Whitehall, to ensure that housing policies and public funding are directed to home improvement.

4. To encourage private investment in the housing sector.

5. To support and encourage the improvement of standards throughout the home improvement industry.


Using this website

Contact members either through their hotlink or by conventional methods for all their products and services.

This website is designed to give you some initial ideas of the areas to which you should be giving attention when improving and modernising your home - to see these areas, don't miss a visit to "YOUR HOME".

You'll find more introductory information in our page about home improvements, plus lots of helpful tips and ideas in the news and information section.

The most regularly asked questions and answers section could also be very helpful.

Press releases are also available to journalists in the news section and may be freely reproduced.

A page is devoted to special membership terms for Local Authorities and Housing Associations.

Remember, your home is probably your largest single investment, and is well worth looking after!







"To encourage a vibrant modernisation and renovation market in the private and public housing sectors, both to improve the housing stock and the business opportunities for members."

NHIC - the way forward

There are positive signs that the UK's housing stock is getting better. But there is still a long, long way to go before it meets all the parameters of householders' modern lifestyles and aspirations. And even if it did, there still remains the vitally important matter of maintaining the status quo, improving energy efficiency to reduce C02 emissions and totally eliminating fuel poverty for the less well off.

The intense pressure and actions that the National Home Improvement Council has applied to encouraging both public and private sector home and environmental improvements over the past three decades has, indeed, paid healthy dividends.

The ongoing challenge is maintaining the pressure, accelerating the motivation and moving ever onwards.

There are around 25 million dwellings in the UK. In England alone there are just over 21 million, 21% of them were built before the First World Wars and a further 39% pre-1945.

So nearly two thirds of our housing stock is well over 50 years old and many of them have provided roofs over peoples' heads for 100 years and more. It's small wonder that 9% are in disrepair and 26% fail to meet the thermal comfort criterion.

As no amount of new build will fulfil the demand for new households that is estimated to be around 4 million by 2016, this places a heavy burden on making the very best of what we've got. Plus converting redundant buildings such as offices and shops into accommodation and inspirational new neighbourhoods.

The development of brownfield sites offers tremendous possibilities for injecting a new purpose and environment into thousands of otherwise rundown streets and the lives of countless people.

The National Home Improvement Council is the only organisation dedicated exclusively to furthering modernisation and renovation in the very broadest terms to bring all our homes into the 21st century. Its members are all close to the problems that face the nation's housing and, as a result, can help influence and effect the way ahead.

The NHIC's general objectives are:

1. To promote to homeowners the benefits of renovating and upgrading their homes.

2. To act as the catalyst for public sector housing bodies to stimulate modernisation of the existing housing.

3. To be the voice of the home improvements industry, to Government, opposition and Whitehall to ensure that housing policies and public funding are directed to home improvement.

4. To pursue the wider acceptance of greater energy efficiency measures and the
elimination of fuel poverty in less well off households.

5. To encourage private investment in the housing sector.

6. To support and encourage the improvement of standards throughout the home improvement industry.

The NHIC seeks...

The continuing release of capital receipts to fund home improvements in both public and private housing sectors.

An increase in funding of discretionary grants to reduce the number of unfit private sector dwellings.

A reduction in VAT for labour and products to stimulate the whole home improvement industry.

The introduction of schemes to bring empty homes, offices and shops back into use and the conversion of older or larger properties into flats and multiple units.

Greater consumer protection and the promotion of members' guarantees and warranties.

Encourage home improvements for people on low incomes, with low set-up cost small mortgages and equity release schemes through mortgage lenders and housing associations.

Maintain and update the NHIC Internet facility to support the business activities of members on the NHIC.

Political

On behalf of its members the NHIC liaises with its President, Lord Ezra, and Vice Presidents, Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville, CH, CP, and Baroness Maddock to provide briefing material on questions and debates in the House.

It liaises with representatives from the ODPM, DTI, DEFRA, local authorities and housing associations. Through this close relationship the NHIC is able to impart constructive feedback to both the Government and opposition on relevant topics.

The NHIC also organises Parliamentary briefings and luncheons when members have an opportunity to make their points and help formulate new, positive ideas to regenerate the industry and improve the housing stock.

Lord Ezra


Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville, CH, CP


Baroness Maddock
Publicity

We aim to promote the benefits of improving and maintaining the UK housing stock to the highest possible standards. Consequently the NHIC has established strong, reliable links with the press, ranging from national, regional and local newspapers to radio and television programmes.

The NHIC has firmly established April as National Home Improvement Month, whilst Autumn promotions concentrate on "Preparing for Winter". Supporting these activities are two highly successful and widely respected Spring and Autumn press packs produced on CD. These are carefully formulated to create greater awareness that especially private homeowners must continually modernise their homes to safeguard their most important investment.

These packs contain generic articles and features on all aspects and products linked to modernisation and home improvement. They also provide an opportunity for members to include their own press release material.

Many home improvement articles appearing in the media emanate from our generic material and from the additional information supplied either by the NHIC or its members.

Annual Awards

Regarded as one of the most significant events in the UK housing calendar, the NHIC Annual Awards Scheme has gathered momentum over several decades. It is highly revered and respected as the window on home and environmental improvement.

Its main purpose is to raise the profile across the many facets of renovation by raising media awareness and promoting closer relationships between NHIC members, public sector housing, private landlords, the ODPM and DTI, the Treasury and countless others with a specific interest.

There are various award categories each intended to highlight particular aspects of this emotive arena. Consequently submissions are invited from many avenues of activity across the spectrum of public and private housing.

The Awards are presented each November at a special London luncheon by a leading Government Minister.

Progress Magazine

Progress is the NHIC's free magazine to which Members and others are encouraged to contribute through editorial and advertising. It is widely circulated to UK local authority and housing associations key personnel, relevant government departments, Members of Parliament, captains of industry and many other decision makers and specifiers, as well as throughout the media.

The Web Site

The NHIC's web site provides a one-stop-shop for home improvement enquiries and each year is visited by many thousands. Visitors can read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on home improvements. And because it has a fast link cross reference to each Members web site, specific information can be accessed quickly and efficiently.

The latest NHIC news and views are posted in the Press "Office" plus there are many generic articles generated over the past two years on subjects ranging from home improvement health checks to the psychology of colour in home decorating.

Membership

The Members of the NHIC are all leaders in their own particular fields. Their combined interests and capabilities are crucial to the NHIC's ultimate performance in pursuing the issues facing improvements and renovation. In turn, the strength, support and influence of NHIC can make a significant contribution to their success. Membership grows year on year, thus increasing political influence.


The Structure

The NHIC is a non-profit making company limited by guarantee of £1 per member.

By joining the NHIC, manufacturers and organisations make a vital contribution to the home improvement market place and at the same time place their own products and services before the homeowner, local authorities and housing associations.

Members automatically become Council members who each year vote a specific number of members onto the Board. They are, in effect, the Directors of the NHIC and monitor its objectives and progress.

The President is Lord Ezra. There are two Vice Presidents; Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville, CH, CP, and Baroness Maddock.

The Chairman and Vice Chairman are appointed annually from amongst the Board members. Co-ordinating all the activities is the Executive Director with whom members are encouraged to have on-going discussions on matters which they feel are of concern.

Quarterly Council meetings are held when members may exchange views and hear briefings from prominent people in the housing arena. There is also a Marketing Committee which determines and supports the promotional PR and general communications activities. Other committees have specific roles dealing with important issues such as the reduction of VAT across the board of home improvement products and services and Quality Mark Projects.

A monthly newsletter is produced and circulated by the Executive Director providing status on progress and information on political matters or from the market place.

For further information and details about joining the NHIC, please contact:
Graham S. Ponting, Executive Director, NHIC, Carlyle House, 235 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SWIV 1EJ

Tel: 020 7828 8230
Fax: 020 7828 0667
E-mail: info@nhic.org.uk

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Here are some of our most frequently answered questions. If you have anything specific you would like to ask we should be very pleased to hear from you.

Q.How can I make my home more energy efficient?

A. Well, a good starting point is to look at your central heating system and how well your home is insulated. If you have cavity walls then installing Cavity Wall Insulation can save up to 35% of your heating bills. It will also improve the comfort of your home. You should choose a CIGA registered installer to ensure that the installation will be covered by an independent 25 year guarantee providing peace of mind. If your loft has less than 150mm of insulation then this should also be topped up to current standards, typically 270mm for mineral wool insulation. If you own a gas boiler that is more than 15 years old it might be as well to consider changing it. Today's state-of-the-art gas boilers with dedicated controls can cut your heating and hot water bill by up to 30%. There are now models that fit comfortably and unobtrusively inside a kitchen cabinet and provide high performance and will probably pay for themselves in terms of running cost savings within a couple of years. But don't forget - anything to do with gas must be dealt with by a CORGI installer.

Q. Will I really save money by improving the insulation of my home?

A. By reducing the amount of energy that is required to maintain your home at a comfortable temperature, insulation can substantially cut your heating bills and contribute to all our futures by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, you may choose to take some of this benefit by improving the comfort of your home and ensuring it is cosy and warm in Winter.

Q. Is it simple to improve the levels of insulation?

A. Well, certain jobs, such as Cavity Wall Insulation, are covered by detailed technical standards and require specialist equipment operated by trained technicians. Others, such as improving levels of loft insulation, can be carried out by the householder, although it is Important to check manufacturers guidance on the correct handling of products and ensure that adequate safety measures are taken. In either case, the use of an appropriately registered contractor will ensure that the installation is carried out to the highest standards and that the maximum savings will be achieved with the minimum disruption.

Q. What should I be looking out for so far as maintaining my home is concerned?

A. It doesn’t take long to check your home. First give the walls a look over and if they are rendered make sure that none has dropped off and is likely to allow rain penetration and therefore cause damp patches on the home interior. Check the roof and chimney, preferably using binoculars. Broken tiles or slates should be replaced as a matter of urgency by an expert who has the right equipment to work safely at height. Also check gutters and drain pipes for damage and leaks.

Q. I want to build an extension but where do I start?

A. The first thing to consider is whether you want to go out or up? Some properties are especially adaptable to utilising roof space. Once you’ve agreed how you would like to extend, you will then need to seek professional advice from an architect, architectural technician, building surveyor or a builder. Each of these disciplines is covered by an association who will point you in the right direction for an appropriate contact in your area. Also you may need planning permission although many around-the-house projects present no legal or statutory problems in this respect.


Q. My home is quite cold and draughty - what is the best remedy?

A. There are many proprietary draughtproofing systems around, which you can find in your DIY store, builders merchants or hardware shop. They are easy to fit around doors and windows if you follow the instructions. Loft insulation is important, too. It’s available in three different ways. You can buy it in a roll, slab or granular forms but whichever you choose, to be really effective, it must be a minimum of 4 inches (100mm) thick. Of course, up to 35% of heat loss can occur through poorly insulated external walls, so many people these days opt for cavity wall insulation which needs to be carried out properly by a specialist.


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