How to keep your home cool during the heatwave

With the weather staying consistently hot for the longest time since 2013, Jason Orme and Julia Kendell, property experts for The London Homebuilding & Renovating Show (21-23 September, ExCeL, London; www.homebuildingshow.co.uk/london), provide their advice on how to keep your home cool. Jason... View Article

Decorating on a budget

Julia Kendell, BBC’s DIY SOS guest designer and spokesperson for The London Homebuilding & Renovating Show (21-23 September, ExCeL, London), shares her tips on how to decorate a home on a budget: Panel power If you’ve got a small budget but big... View Article

Thoughts that keep every self-builder up at night

Charlie Luxton, sustainable architectural designer from More4’s ‘Building the Dream’ and guest expert at The London Homebuilding & Renovating Show (21-23 September, ExCeL, London), shares his challenges around self building and offers tips on how to overcome them from his experience of... View Article

Getting the most from extensions

The increasing costs of moving due to stamp duty and mortgages, combined with the unrelenting hassle of dealing with broadband and utility companies, mean more of us are realising extending is the best solution to our housing conundrums. The lure... View Article

A quality double act; roof windows and blinds

Daylight is one of the holy grails of modern living. Bright, well-lit spaces have clear health and well-being benefits. In short they make us feel good and unsurprisingly this is something we want from our homes. In this quest for... View Article

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

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

HOA on how a Brexit might affect homeowners

Paula Higgins, founder and Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) has the following thoughts on the impact of a Brexit on Britain’s homeowners: 1. Interest rates: Most economists expect if we do vote for Brexit, it will lead to... View Article

Self-build property planning applications fall to six year low

Figures released by Barbour ABI today reveal that UK-wide self-build planning applications in 2014 have decreased by 28% compared to 2008. Barbour ABI, the chosen provider of the Government’s Construction and Infrastructure Pipeline, shows that 16,792 self-build planning applications were... View Article