SFS Gateway 2 Evidence Pack: What BSR Wants
Gateway 2 is finally working — approval times have dropped from 48 weeks to 13. But SFS submissions still get returned. Here’s what BSR wants in the four evidence categories, and how to pass first time.
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The 5 Checks Main Contractors Run on SFS Subbies
12,000+ UK construction companies entered insolvency between 2023 and 2025. Tier 1 contractors now run five checks before appointing an SFS subbie. Here’s what they look at, and why trading history matters.
SFS Infill vs Blockwork: 2026 Cost & Performance
SFS infill or blockwork? A head-to-head on five axes — cost per m², programme weeks per floor, Part L 2025 thermal performance, fire compliance, and load on the primary frame. Honest about who wins where.
The BTR SFS Playbook: Speed, Standardisation, Safety
UK Build-to-Rent has passed 130,000 homes and SFS has quietly become its default construction method. Here’s why steel framing aligns with BTR’s three pressures — speed to stabilisation, standardisation and cladding-risk.
The Specifier’s Checklist
Most published SFS guidance is written for clients and contractors, not specifiers. This 7-point checklist tells architects exactly what to ask of an SFS subcontractor at RIBA Stage 3 — and the red flags.
SFS Deflection Heads Explained: Detailing for Compliance
The single SFS detail that causes more on-site problems than any other — what a deflection head does, the three system types in UK use, fire-rated detailing, and the five mistakes that destroy compliance.
SFS Fire Resistance Ratings: 60, 90 & 120 Minute Systems Explained
Fire-rated SFS specification in the post-Grenfell era — what EI 60, EI 90 and EI 120 ratings actually mean, typical tested through-wall build-ups, and the five common mistakes that invalidate Gateway 2 compliance.
Steel Frame Extension Cost UK: Detailed Breakdown for Homeowners
A 2026 UK cost breakdown for homeowners weighing up a steel frame extension — single-storey, two-storey and rooftop pricing, what’s actually included per m², and where steel beats brick on total project cost.
SFS U-Values & Thermal Performance: Meeting Part L 2025
Specifying thermally-compliant SFS facades for Part L 2025 and Future Homes Standard — achievable U-values, why thermal bridging at steel studs ruins headline calculations, and what continuous outboard insulation fixes.