Self-build boost could help tackle homes crisis – LPDF

A report recommending a package of proposals to expand opportunities for custom and self-build housing could play a role in tackling the UK’s housing crisis, according to the Land Promoters and Developers Federation (LPDF). The proposals will encourage people to... View Article

How to spot the potential of an ugly building plot

By Mark Morris, planning consultant at London-based residential architecture practice, Urbanist Architecture… When you think of a potential building plot, what comes to mind? For some people, it will be that very American image of future development staked out with... View Article

Custom and self-build homes to get scale-up boost

Up to 40,000 new homes a year should be custom or self-built according to a government-commissioned review released on August 21st. MP Richard Bacon’s House: How putting customers in charge can change everything offers a route map on how the... View Article

The beginnings of scale for custom build housing

The Government have (Saturday, 21 August) published the results of the Bacon Review following a commission by the Prime Minister to set out a plan for a major scaling of self-commissioned housing across all tenures in England. Custom Build Homes... View Article

Making the most of your outdoor space

Charles Taylor, director at Composite Prime, discusses how the garden can be used as an extension of the home, focusing on the practicalities and benefits composite decking can offer The pandemic drove homeowners to reevaluate their gardens as an extension... View Article

Stepping it up

Katie Chown of Spiral UK has researched the latest trends in staircase design, and proposes some fresh ideas for your self-build project One thing is for sure, the shutdown of movement across the country has not stopped people from ordering... View Article

Here’s one they made earlier

Potton MD Mark Stevenson explains how the evolution of ‘prefab’ or ‘flatpack’ methods of self-building means the the assumption they prevent customisation is an now outdated one When you think of the terms ‘flatpack’ and ‘prefab’, you might picture a... View Article

Action stations

If you’re building a dream home away from it all in a beautiful countryside location, it may mean no access to the mains sewer; Dan Berry from Harlequin Manufacturing explains why packaged pump stations are a simple answer If a... View Article

The home front

What will you choose for your dream home’s facade? Lisa Grosse of Cedral explains why fibre cement cladding makes a great choice, for both practical reasons and the aesthetic ‘wow’ factor As well as providing protection against heat, cold, wind,... View Article

Reduce your water footprint

Bart Sobieszczanski of Ideal Standard answers the key questions around how to specify bathroom products to maximise water-saving benefits, and increase your build’s sustainability as well as cost-efficiency When it comes to water-saving in the home, one of the main... View Article

Triumph and tragedy in Cornwall

Renovating a centuries-old collection of buildings into a family home became a labour of love for a mum and her young son looking to leave London behind for the Atlantic coast – in Cornwall. TEXT & IMAGES EWEN MACDONALD Moving... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Fires & Fireplaces

There are a plethora of products on the market to help heat your outside space as well as traditional interior spaces, with homeowners keen to blend interior and outdoor living. We round up some of the current options for creating... View Article

A modern classic

Holly Ghent of Pash Classics explains the various rules to follow when looking to bring the classically suave and stylish Mid-Century Modern look back to life, in any room or space It’s an interior style that is almost 100 years... View Article

New custom build community at Ebbsfleet Garden City given green light

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s planning committee has granted planning approval for Alkerden Gateway, a unique custom build community at Ebbsfleet Garden City. Developed by Westerhill Homes and designed by award-winning architect, BPTW, this project seeks to create a characterful, bespoke neighbourhood and a... View Article

Up, up and away

When the daily commute became too much for a busy pair of air industry entrepreneurs in west Scotland, they came up with a way to avoid it completely: build a house on their airfield! TEXT NICHOLA HUNTER IMAGES MARTIN LAMBIE... View Article

First time lucky

Presented with the opportunity to do a self-build in his East Grinstead home’s garden, Tim Lamont found it impossible to resist, and he enjoyed it so much he’s already planning the next instalment TEXT ROSEANNE FIELD The idea of undertaking... View Article

Victorian values brought up to date

A family in London found the ideal Victorian property for a renovation project that would provide the space they needed – though it needed a major overhaul to the layout, plus some contemporary touches of their own Text Roseanne Field... View Article

Master of Arts & Crafts

Thanks to years of experience in the construction industry, Howard Vaughan knew exactly how to transform a rundown Arts & Crafts house into a polished gem for his family to enjoy Text Rebecca Foster Images Carl Blank Howard Vaughan has... View Article