Stop costs running away

Collecting rainwater for domestic use is nothing new; it’s been done since Roman times and is still used today in modern, sustainable homes. Jae Lester from RainWater Harvesting looks at how technology has changed, though the principle remains unchanged In... View Article

The rising trend in lifts

People today are generally moving houses less often, indicating they are buying and building homes to live in for many years to come. Alastair Stannah from Stannah looks at how futureproofing your house with a lift can ensure you can... View Article

Unleaded benefits

Water ingress may damage your property or cause wet and dry rot. Nick King from Klober explores the reasons behind choosing lead-free flashings for maintaining a watertight roof, and outlines the installation considerations to be aware of The roof is... View Article

Home Styling: Saving gracefully

Reusing and recycling materials can save huge amounts of energy, as well as costs. Looeeze Grossman explains why refurbished kitchens can be attractively sustainable options There’s no doubt about it, kitchens are expensive. They’re also, usually, the heart of the... View Article

Retiring – but far from shy

Realising their Victorian house would be unsuitable as they approached retirement, Elaine and Tom Devine decided to take matters into their own hands and tackle a new build in their garden, but their timber-framed project faced some planning battles TEXT... View Article

Overheating is out

TuffX’s Paul Higgins explains what the new Part O of the Building Regulations means for glass and glazing in new homes The new Building Regulations Approved Document Part O is designed to tackle overheating in new residential buildings. As the... View Article

Ask the Expert: Insuring peace of mind

Jake Fitness from Self-Build Zone answers some FAQs on how to choose the self-build insurance you need WHEN DO YOU NEED TO INSURE YOUR PROJECT?  As soon as you have completed the conveyancing and bought your plot. The moment you... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

We are Laura and Jamie Currie from the Isle of Wight, and we recently embarked upon our first renovation in Gurnard near Cowes, which we are project managing around our day jobs!  We’ve always lived on the island, but in... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Eco Products

As we all continue to pursue more sustainable ways of living, here we have rounded up some products that combine elegant design with eco-friendliness, which we hope will prove inspiring in your project decision-making 1. LifestyleGarden’s Bistro Dining Furniture has... View Article

The best laid plans

Getting a contemporary bungalow design in south London through planning proved to be a nightmare for Giancarlo Rubano. However, with a combination of his dogged determination, support from parents and architects, and some design compromises, he succeeded TEXT TOM BODDY... View Article

Home Styling: Magical bedtimes

In designing a children’s bedroom, it’s possible to create a sense of magic, and if you allow yourself to move away from the standard approaches there are no limits. Interior designer Cat Dal offers some practical tips As with any... View Article

No longer a hard cell

With new funding mechanisms slashing the cost of combined heat and power systems run on hydrogen fuel cells, now is the right time to look closely at this income-generating, low-carbon technology, according to Viessmann’s Christian Engelke Hydrogen fuel cell systems... View Article

Grand Designs Live

Whether you’re looking for ideas and inspiration for your renovation, or specific products to furnish your home, Grand Designs Live brings together over 400 companies, all under the one roof Grand Designs Live is split into four sections covering Build,... View Article

A perfect blend of old and new

The clever reinvention of a former bed and breakfast has given the Siegels a stylish and contemporary home for their blended family in south east Scotland TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES AIRBORNE LENS Antonia was already living in East Lothian when... View Article

Delivering expectations

Victoria Brocklesby of Origin explores why lead times are such an important consideration for any self-build project, especially while ongoing supply chain issues and materials shortages continue to affect suppliers and contractors, such as in the case of doors and... View Article

The full effect

Andy Hitchman from Solution Fires advises on the key considerations to be made in choosing the perfect electric fire for a real fire effect There has been a significant rise in demand for electric fires in recent years. A fantastic... View Article

Barn to be wild

A couple in Yorkshire with construction know-how were not intimidated by the prospect of redeveloping an old barn as their home, but its still proved a major challenge TEXT HEATHER DIXON IMAGES BEVAN COCKERILL Friends of Gareth and Rebecca Connell... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

In the first of a series of first-hand articles by self-builders, we track the initial inspiration for Amanda Ritchie’s remote Scottish build, and the challenges of upping sticks to Skye My name is Amanda Ritchie and currently I live with... View Article

Energising inspiration

The organisers of the London Homebuilding & Renovating Show (being held 30 Sept-2 Oct at ExCeL) say that UK’s first National Home Energy Week “opens up new opportunities” for the self-build sector  The London Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be... View Article

Lessons in landscaping

Ronan O’Dowd from AG Outside Rooms shares his top landscaping lessons for maximising your outdoor space and adding value to your property There was once a time when British gardens sat largely unused except for the sporadic BBQ upon sighting... View Article