Staying safe & secure

Secured by Design (SBD)’s Emma Snow explains the benefits of the police- backed product certification system, and gives some tips on how you can ensure your home is as secure as possible Secured by Design (SBD) is the national police... View Article

Windows into the future of tradition

Mike Bygrave from Roseview Windows discusses the resurgence of heritage windows, and how self-builders can now benefit from a greater choice than ever before when it comes to finding the right traditional look The window industry used to be about... View Article

Planet-friendly paint performance

There’s a growing interest in environmentally friendly paints, but you don’t have to sacrifice performance or looks to achieve environmental benefits, as Earthborn Paints’ Colin Jones explains Conventional, acrylic-based paints contain two potentially harmful components: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and... View Article

Creating a healthy environment for future generations

It’s time the construction industry prioritised health when designing and constructing our buildings. The UK’s current housing market will represent 80% of the entire nation’s supply of houses by 2050. This allows us 30 years to develop our approach to... View Article

Clean & simple

In order to help you create a flawlessly minimalist space in your bathroom, Granville Developments’ Matthew Firth offers his top design tips – from the right towel storage using modern radiators, to glass shower screens, and more Bathrooms are, typically,... View Article

Retiring gracefully

Ian and Tina Huckle struggled to find a place to build a ‘lifetime’ home after some health problems, until they realised the solution was right under their noses, in their own back garden in Hampshire With their two children having... View Article

Bamboo flooring: the sustainable alternative

Rob Wooldridge from Moso Bamboo Surfaces looks at the many merits of bamboo flooring – and provides some installation tips for self-builds Bamboo flooring may not be your first thought when considering what flooring to lay in your new build... View Article

A sure bet

Despite their background working in the gambling industry, the Cammeghs weren’t prepared to risk anything when they decided to build their forever home, a Passivhaus in a rural spot in Kent As the founders of an internationally- renowned family business... View Article

Step by step

A cosmetic revamp turned into a full blown renovation challenge for a couple in Yorkshire when they bought a house in a familiar coastal village As a planning and development surveyor, Helen Massey had a good idea of what to... View Article

Industrial inspiration

A three-year labour of love by its owner, Blowinghouse Mill sits in a quiet valley in Cornwall. Simon Williams bought the building and the 2.3 acres that surround it in 2015 with the intention of salvaging this end of the... View Article

No compromise

Replacing a single-storey bungalow with a highly contemporary two-storey house of bold geometric forms – built to take in views across Poole Harbour – was a quest for minimalist perfection for one self-builder In a road where modest 1960s bungalows... View Article

Why timber needs to be in the frame

Malcolm Thomson of Scotframe explains why he believes timber frame is the ‘gold standard’ for modern construction and why we should all be thinking about fabric-first approaches Offsite timber frame construction allows homes to be built faster and to a... View Article

World Toilet Day – Tuesday, 19 November

Annual World Toilet Day may spawn many jokes and can be a haven of comedy for all of us that take sanitation for granted. But behind the hilarity is a serious initiative that we all should all aspire to support.... View Article

Woodcote House by Paul Cashin Architects and Design Engine

Situated just north of the village of Upham, near Winchester, is Woodcote House. Nestled amongst the rolling chalk hills of the South Downs National Park, this contemporary house replaces a series of brick buildings that had fallen into disrepair. After achieving permission... View Article

Shortlist grows for the UK’s best new house

House Lessans, a sophisticated rural home in Northern Ireland built using the most basic of materials and, Secular Retreat, an enigmatic and sculptural home on a remote Devon hilltop – are the fifth and sixth homes to be shortlisted for RIBA House... View Article

Winter preparation

As winter approaches, many of us are stocking up on coats and woollen accessories ready for the cold and challenging weather. We make a good job of preparing our wardrobes for the upcoming winter season, but how much consideration do... View Article