Smart answers on smart homes

Ben Johnson, director of Powertrac Electrical Services, a Berkshire-based smart home and electrical contractor, answers some of the frequently asked questions on smart homes. What is a smart home? In short, a smart home intelligently automates and allows you to... View Article
Lighting: LED by efficiency & style – YESSS Electrical

LED by efficiency & style

Kitchens and bathrooms are increasingly being used for more than just their functionality. Dave Simpson of YESSS Electrical looks at how recent lighting developments can be harnessed to maximise a room’s enjoyment. The 2016 Kitchen Trend Report, from interior design... View Article

Doors of perception

Kloeber’s Matt Higgs corrects some myths on sliding door performance, saying they are a thing of the past. The image in many people’s heads when they think of a sliding door is a thermally inefficient metal door which sticks on... View Article
Spiral Staircases: Controlled spirals – netMAGmedia Ltd

Controlled spirals

Antonia Harding of British Spirals & Castings dispels the myth that spiral staircases are dangerous and explains how they can be used effectively and safely in your project. With their architectural beauty and space-saving benefits, spiral staircases can be the perfect... View Article

UFH in conversion projects – the essentials

The most common question asked about the suitability of underfloor heating (UFH) in a building conversion is ‘how can we minimise the floor build up?’ This is an important area to master within a project such as an office to... View Article

How green is your rooftop?

Here we review green roofs as an option for your self-build: why you should consider them, what ranges and varieties are available and the practical issues to be aware of One of the great joys of building your own home has to... View Article

Versatile style

Nicola Seymour of Marbrex explores the potential of decorative yet highly practical internal cladding systems over more traditional wall coverings – from reducing labour costs and timescales to ease of installation; long-term cleaning and maintenance When it comes to creating... View Article

Pooling resources

When two generations of the Wilson family found neither could afford a self build, they did what families do – they pulled together to create a stunning home. By Mark Williams Marion Wilson has abiding memories of looking after her... View Article

Making self build make sense

You may be about to embark on your self build journey but as the experts and self builders at The National Self Build & Renovation Show know, this is just the beginning! Perfectly timed to coincide with the majority of... View Article

Self builders warm to the idea of underfloor heating

Any self build project will benefit from flexible electric underfloor heating. Jenny Smith, marketing services manager at Vent-Axia explains how advances in technology means electric underfloor heating is a choice that is set to grow in popularity Underfloor heating is... View Article

The evolution of the smart home

Rob Sutherland, managing director of Inspired Dwellings, specialists in the design and installation of smart home technology, shows how smart homes are evolving The smart home has been around as a concept since the 1970s. Early smart homes were primarily... View Article

A bright idea

In the last few years roof lights and sky lights have featured heavily in building design and with good reason. Natural daylight is an essential element of any interior space but one that is still all too frequently overlooked. Often,... View Article