Do you need to update the fuse box in your house

Most people can easily locate the fuse box (or consumer unit) in their homes. This is often found around the front of the property. The fuse box regulates every electric circuit in your home which makes it the place you... View Article

How to add value to your home

The housing market may have taken a downturn at the start of the year, but things are on the up – in part thanks to the Government’s stamp duty holiday. If you’re thinking of putting your house on the market... View Article

The evolution of Shou Sugi Ban

Shou Sugi Ban, also known as Yakisugi, is an ancient Japanese technique that preserves wood using fire. Although fire is known to be hazardous to wood, strange as it may sound, when used in controlled measures, it significantly improves wood’s... View Article

How to renovate a house without all the stress

Typically, home improvement projects can be stressful due to some factors such as planning, finding a good contractor to work with, and budgeting for the project. This is why we have come up with these tips and tricks to help... View Article

Five steps to a more sustainable self-build eco-home

Our building legislation contains many sustainability standards to be met. But for many self-builders these are merely the starting point rather than the finish line. Passive House advocates, for instance, argue that the sole focus on carbon emissions, rather than... View Article

Ask the Expert: Why we need permeable paving & SuDS

Chris Hodson of Interpave answers the questions on why a responsible approach to rainwater drainage – in both new and existing homes – is key WHAT’S WRONG WITH OUR DRAINAGE? As our towns and cities continue to grow, more rainwater... View Article

Making the most of MMC

Oliver Rehm of kit house provider Baufritz discusses the increasing move towards offsite ‘modern methods of construction’ (MMC), why self-builders should consider it, and what offsite manufacturers can do to help them on their journey What is your assessment of... View Article

Ecodesign Stoves and the Clean Air Strategy

2019 Clean Air Strategy In January 2019 the UK government published its Clean Air Strategy in which it stated that that the “increase in burning solid fuels (wood and coal) in our homes (domestic burning) is having an impact on... View Article

Three perfect additions to your self built home

There are many advantages that come from designing and building your own home. It gives you an enormous sense of achievement and satisfaction, and it can save you money too. Even more importantly, it allows you to have a home... View Article

Key considerations for a garage conversion

The base is one of the most important elements of your concrete garage, and if not built correctly you could soon end up with an unstable build rather than the desired strong platform. There are several factors that you should... View Article

Policy Exchange Report on Planning – expert comment

Following The Times’ story on the Policy Exchange report on planning and plans to overhaul the system, Paul Smith, MD of Strategic Land Group commented:  “The planning system is very recognisably the one that existed in 1947 when the socio-economic... View Article