The current restrictions on the fl ow of credit facilities for house purchases and
investment funds for new commercial developments caused by the ‘ credit
crunch ’ have severely impacted upon the UK housing and commercial building
markets. House starts and completions have more or less come to a full stop and
very few new commercial projects have commenced. The demand for houses /
homes, however, has not diminished; people still require accommodation at
a price that they can afford, also there is still a demand for some commercial
infrastructure facilities. This paper explores a viable alternative for combating
the decline in new house and commercial completions by builders. The rationale
for a trend move towards an increased use of adaptations along with the
associated advocated advantages is provided. Further the identifi cation of the
key issues to be addressed when considering and engaging in the adaptation of
buildings are presented and explained

• The key issues when choosing adaptation of an existing building over new build