Off-grid sewerage

Rebecca Taylor from HD Services gives her insights into getting groundwork specifications right for your build, and explains the options available when no mains sewerage connection is possible Building your own home can be one of the most rewarding things... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Home Offices

With the arrival of Covid, hundreds of thousands of homeowners took to their studies (or sofas) to work from home. As householders continue to combine home-working with being in the office to an unprecedented degree, we round up some of... View Article

Rooflights – historic solutions

You might think rooflights are a modern invention, but as Peter Daniel of The Rooflight Company explains, they have a long history which ties into humanity’s perennial desire to bring light into buildings Natural light has been worshipped since time... View Article

Ask the Expert – The light fantastic

Marketa Rypacek of Industville looks at which of the many types of decorative lighting are best for your project, gives insights into how to go low energy without compromising light levels, and explains why lighting is like jewellery HOW CAN... View Article

Space to relax

Megan Baker of My Fitted Bedroom says that getting organisation and storage right are top of the agenda for bedrooms in 2021 The events of 2020 have seen a surge in people organising their homes – re-evaluating what they really... View Article

Getting brickwork right

Sean Wilkins of the Brick Development Association gives specification, design and workmanship tips that will ensure that your brickwork is successful Despite being used for thousands of years with evidence of their use in the UK dating back to the... View Article

Long distance champions

LISTEN HERE 🔊 How virtual project management was the answer for long-distance clients to turn a Victorian vicarage into a modern masterpiece TEXT JAYNE DOWLE IMAGES MATTHEW CATTELL When the major renovation of Melinda and Chris Swann’s Victorian vicarage near... View Article

Tapping into savings

Stephen Johnson from Quooker UK talks through the benefits of boiling water taps, and how including them in your project not only gives convenience, but can also help save energy Boiling water taps have grown rapidly in popularity over the... View Article

Contemporary blend

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Set in a secluded Hampshire valley, a very contemporary home blends into its rural setting thanks to a design by two architectural practices that echoes traditional local buildings. James Parker reports TEXT JAMES PARKER IMAGES RICHARD CHIVERS... View Article

Layer cake

The Hammills caused quite a stir when they remodelled a tired old Thirties house in York into a very modern home that became the talk of the town TEXT & IMAGES HEATHER DIXON Passers-by thought Erica and Michael Hammill’s house... View Article

Setting the bar high

LISTEN HERE 🔊 After a couple of frustrating years spent hunting for a new home, Paul and Sarka embarked on a self-build journey with Huf Haus to realise a property that met their high expectations TEXT EMMA HEDGES IMAGES LOTHAR... View Article

A chalet for all seasons

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Christa and Del Dobson had been planning their alpine-style project for nearly 20 years, and it has finally come to fruition in a luxurious off-grid chalet TEXT NICHOLA HUNTER IMAGES DOUGLAS GIBB Although Christa grew up in... View Article

Patience is a virtue

LISTEN HERE 🔊 By astutely saving up for over a decade, Chris and Linda Anderson had the time and money to re-configure their 1930s London semi to be exactly how they wanted, including a dramatic blend of indoor and outdoor TEXT... View Article

Offsite, on time

Paul Newman of Potton Self Build explains the ins and outs of offsite construction, and the many benefits it holds for self builders In many people’s minds, construction still happens ‘brick by brick’ on a building site. With the advent... View Article

Surrey splendour

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Darren and Juliet Milgate fulfilled their lifelong ambition when they self-built a stunning Georgian-inspired property, sandwiched between central London and the splendour of the Surrey Hills TEXT JENNIFER GRIMBLE IMAGES PAUL NOBLE Darren and Juliet Milgate realised... View Article

Vital steps to safety

Kevin Underwood of the British Woodworking Federation discusses why staircase aesthetics must go hand in hand with safety, and why too often design flair can compromise it For many, the staircase is a central feature of any new home, and... View Article

A signature entrance

Choosing the right front door is key to creating a good first impression and enhancing kerb appeal. With so many different products on the market, Stuart Shaw of Hörmann UK provides some insights to help self-builders make an informed decision... View Article

Locally sourced

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Carolyn and Chris Brown’s dream house was right on their doorstep, but they still changed it beyond all recognition to create a very modern family home TEXT & IMAGES HEATHER DIXON When it came to the crunch,... View Article

A work in progress

Jack Wooler speaks to Andrew Baddeley-Chappell, CEO of the National Custom and Self Build Association, on why England lags behind the developed world on levels of self-build, and what can be done Self- and custom-build homes make up around 40... View Article

The path to green finance

The Government’s Green Homes Grant offers homeowners up to £10,000 for energy-saving home improvements. Jack Wooler explains how you can take up the opportunity, and enhance your project’s sustainability Able to fund up to two-thirds of the cost of energy-saving... View Article