Homebuilding & Renovating

One of the many highlights of my role here on Homebuilding & Renovating is reading about the inspiring stories of homeowners who have tackled any number of hurdles in their pursuit of building their dream home. Whether it’s spending years searching f

In a recent speech, Housing Secretary Michael Gove announced his long-term plans to simplify the paperwork associated with building and extending homes. As well as promising to empower more people to construct their own properties, by making more res

HOMEOWNERS David and Karen Geoffreys LOCATION Salcott SIZE 247m² BUILD TIME 10 months PROPERTY COST £265,000 BUILD COST £450,000 VALUE £1.3 million (in 2022) Vision is a recurring theme in the story of David and Karen Geoffreys’ conversion of this 18

HOMEOWNERS Debbie and Nick Ransley LOCATION Dulwich, south London BUILD TYPE Single-storey extension SIZE 70m2 BUILD TIME 12 months HOUSE COST £2.5m BUILD COST £480,000 Finding a new home can be an arduous task at the best of times, but when you have

HOMEOWNERS Gordon and Helen Smith LOCATION Strathaven, South Lanarkshire ARCHITECT Gordon Smith HOUSE TYPE Contemporary detached suburban house BUILD ROUTE Architect/owner project managed CONSTRUCTION Concrete retaining wall to lower ground level. Pr

HOMEOWNERS Sarah Coleman and Graham Redman LOCATION Maryland, Stratford HOUSE TYPE Victorian terraced house with contemporary extension BUILD ROUTE Traditional procurement with architect, main contractor and specialist joinery contractor CONSTRUCTION

OWNERS Sophie Griffiths and Sarah Howell LOCATION Reigate, Surrey HOUSE TYPE End-of-terrace Victorian cottage HOUSE SIZE 100m ² BUILD ROUTE Main contractor CONSTRUCTION Brick and block cavity construction for the side/rear extensions and timber frame

Set within the Surrey green belt, this sustainable home was designed by Adam Knibb Architects. The brief was to create a contemporary three-bedroom house that made the most of the glorious views, on a plot that already accommodated a single dwelling.

Your kitchen is undeniably one of the most utilised spaces in your home, serving as the heart of daily activities. Nowadays, with the trend of open-plan living, kitchens have evolved into multifunctional spaces, accommodating not just cooking but als

Air pollution exposure is currently the leading environmental health threat within the UK1, with the World Health Organisation stating that household air pollutants can lead to a range of diseases – from lung cancer to heart disease2. And with indoor

A comment I’m hearing more and more from homeowners is: “Finding a good builder is like looking for a needle in a haystack.” So the big question is, where have they gone? Let’s start off with the good news; there are still plenty of good builders out

Measured surveys offer peace of mind, allow for accurate plans and drawings to be carried out and ensure you are making the very most of the house or plot you are building on. Organising the right house surveys should be high on your list of prioriti

As a self-builder, you might require a bat survey to accompany your planning application. Bats are a protected species, stemming from the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which protects bats and their roosts in England. Bats can be found in buildin

The allure of building a dream home on a spacious, untouched piece of land has always captured the imagination for many. However, the journey from vision to reality, particularly when it comes to greenfield sites, involves intricate steps and a deep

The much-coveted kitchen island isn’t just an opportunity to elevate the look and feel of your kitchen; when designed correctly, it can serve as a hub for cooking, dining, and socialising. However, achieving the perfect balance of style and substance

Taking a self-build package route is a hugely popular option — and it isn’t hard to see why. This is the ideal route for those new to the world of self-build or homeowners wishing to benefit from the experience and knowledge that many of these packag

When we talk about the substructures of a building, we’re referring to everything that needs to be built below the damp-proof course or DPC. Last month, I covered the concrete foundations so this month I’ll explain how to build the remaining substruc

The British Isles is renowned for its stone properties and you can see them everywhere from small flint cottages to large stately homes and everything in between — such as old farmhouses and manor houses. Every owner of one of these properties – whet

Just like a car, putting the wrong or poor-grade fuel into your woodburning stove will affect the running of it and may deteriorate other parts of it. Only the best quality wood is needed. This is to maximise its efficiency, as well as making sure th

The key to getting modern brickwork spot on is to get creative while still working within typical local parameters — taking traditional styles and adding interesting bonds or colour choices into the mix. With so many different types of brick availabl

As the name suggests, hemp insulation is made from the hemp plant. Hemp has a bit of a reputation in that there are those among us who might immediately think of rolling it in a cigarette paper and having a good time. That is not going to work as thi

When Giles Miller Studio embarked on their first residential project, they sought to create a house that would immerse its residents in nature. The resulting home – dubbed ‘Woven’ by its owner – sits within its own secluded woodland plot, only a ston