September 2019

Homebuilding & Renovating

The UK's best-selling magazine for new and experienced renovators

Homebuilding & Renovating1 min read
Editor’s Letter
Combine a wet June with a sun-filled July and before you know it, lawns are a foot high and weeds are popping their unwelcome heads up in garden borders. If you’re taking on a building project however, these weather conditions often take things to a
Homebuilding & Renovating4 min read
REALISING A dream
Having lived in a new house on a development for many years, Ian and Mary Cartwright had a long-held dream of building their own oak frame home in the countryside. “It was something we had always wanted to do, but it wasn’t until our two daughters, J
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
SELF-BUILD & RENOVATION
UK homeowners are among the happiest in Europe when it comes to satisfaction with their homes, according to a study of almost 14,000 people across the continent by The GoodHome Report — the UK follows the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark in ‘home hap
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Wall Hung Heat Pumps
A lot has been written in recent months about the government’s proposed plans to ban the use of gas boilers in new homes from 2025. Whether we agree with this proposal or not, the likely contenders for primary heat sources in our homes in the future
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
KITCHENS & BATHROOMS
Contrasting the contemporary matt black aesthetic of the pull-out hose with a fresh copper finish, the Orta tap from Smeg is available for £199. (www.smeguk.com) Carron Phoenix has launched a sleek range of granite sinks that would complement any
Homebuilding & Renovating3 min readEconomics
Plasterboard Is In Short Supply For Self-builders And Renovators
My company is currently working on a two-storey extension with a lot of steelwork. We’ve stripped back the house to the bare bones so it will need well over 100 sheets of plasterboard and bags of multi-finish, bonding etc. But there’s a problem. Buil
Homebuilding & Renovating4 min read
Make Do And EXTEND
When Karen and Shaun Harley bought their three bedroom home in the suburbs of Leeds it was the perfect size for them and their young son. But the arrival of their daughter brought with it the realisation that the house would be tight for space as the
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Next Generation In Patio Doors
Choosing between bifold and sliding doors has been an issue for homeowners and self-builders for almost a decade but a recent addition to consider is Vistaline slide and turn doors from IDSystems. The appeal of folding doors lies in the ability to st
Homebuilding & Renovating4 min read
How To Give Your Small Project The ‘Wow’ Factor
I always enjoy the magazine landing on my mat each month and admire the gorgeous new houses and extensions that people have built. The variety, ingenuity and skill never cease to impress. However, while we should definitely showcase complete remodels
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Terrace Remodel
It was these principles that I applied when my son bought his first house, a small terraced house in Sheffield. It had originally been a ‘two up, two down’. A bathroom had been squeezed in on the first floor and a tiny third bedroom created in the at
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min read
Freestanding Bath Tubs
Victoria + Albert’s Amiata bath, £4,550, can be customised in a variety of standard paint finishes and 194 RAL colours in gloss or matt to suit any bathroom. The integrated pedestal base offers a deceptively small footprint (1,645mm x 800mm), ideal f
Homebuilding & Renovating6 min read
Clay Roof Tiles VS Concrete
There are many ways of covering a roof, but for most people the choice usually comes down to clay or concrete roof tiles. The decision is often a result of budget, the style of the house, the local area and planning stipulations. But there are other
Homebuilding & Renovating4 min readArchitecture
How To Design An Accessible Garden
If there is any space which should automatically be inclusive then it is the garden. The garden is often cited as a sanctuary — a space to unwind, relax and escape to. Therefore it goes without saying that all the gardens we create should be physical
Homebuilding & Renovating5 min read
Your Guide To Stone Flooring
Select natural stone for flooring and you can be pretty sure of a lasting love. After all, stone is enduringly stylish and should age beautifully. Narrow your focus to limestone and travertine and, as well as being confident that your choice won’t fa
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min read
Stone-effect Flooring
You can’t claim that your floor’s unique, but man-made tiles can reproduce the look of stone highly effectively for less outlay, and they’re simpler to care for. “Advances in printing technology have created ultra-realistic stone-effect tiles that ar
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min read
One Step Closer
A combination of oak and glass is by far the most popular choice of staircase design right now.The use of glass on stairs and landing balustrades really helps open up the space, making it lighter and brighter. To create the look of a solid oak stairc
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Brilliant Kitchen Storage Ideas
Here, Benchmarx Kitchens’ Eton range has been paired with wall-mounted storage that takes its cue from the kitchen doors and worktop. Installing open shelving like this helps create the illusion of depth while still making the most of the wall space
Homebuilding & Renovating5 min readEconomics
FAMILY Magic
It’s one of the biggest choices facing many self-builders and renovators: pull down an existing house and start again, or renovate what’s already there. For Daniel Luhde-Thompson, a computer programmer, and Sarah MacLaren, a garden designer, the deci
Homebuilding & Renovating9 min readEconomics
20 Ways To Build A Better Home
Over the last 10 years I have helped over 300 families to take steps towards building their dream home. It’s an exciting journey every time, and I always impress upon my clients that they should strive to make their new homes as great as they can (an
Homebuilding & Renovating5 min read
Practical Solutions For Your Loft Conversion
For many of us, a loft is little more than somewhere to store suitcases and boxes full of the ‘stuff’ we don’t know what to do with but can’t bear to throw away. However, your loft could unlock a whole lot of extra space within your home — and could
Homebuilding & Renovating8 min read
EXTENSIONS: Floor Levels And Ceiling Heights
It’s not unknown for extension designers to kick the can labelled ‘awkward details’ down the road, relying on the builders to figure things out later on site. But making lazy assumptions at the design stage means there’s a far greater chance that som
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
How To Build The Floor Of An Extension
1. Once you come out of the ground, set the damp-proof course (DPC). This is an important stage that the building inspector will be looking for. Tie in the height of the DPC with the existing so there’s no step. Place a roll of DPC and bed it on top
Homebuilding & Renovating6 min read
How To Navigate Common Self-build Legal Issues
Every self-build project will involve legal issues at some point. Last month we looked in detail at the legal issues associated with finding and buying a plot. However, the legal minefield extends from purchasing the plot right through to agreements
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Common Planning Conditions
Depending upon the plot constraints, the location of the building can be important and must be positioned strictly in accordance with the approved design. Increasing its height or moving its location such that ‘harm’ may be caused to neighbours by th
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min readEconomics
4 Things To Know Before Recladding Your Home
Recladding an existing home might fall under Permitted Development, meaning you may be able to undertake the work without applying for planning permission. (Exceptions include homes within designated areas such as areas of outstanding natural beauty,
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min readArchitecture
Jargon Buster
The pattern or arrangement of bricks, stones or tiles laid diagonally to resemble the bones of a fish (hence the name). The pieces are cut in perfect rectangles and staggered to create a broken zig zag effect. The pattern was first used in brick floo
Homebuilding & Renovating3 min readSocial Science
What Updated Permitted Development Rights Mean For You
Permitted Development (PD) rights enable homeowners to undertake certain types of work without the need to apply for planning permission. There are many innovative opportunities whereby PD rights can bring significant benefits to anyone who wants to
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min readPolitics
What Is Prior Notification?
Prior notification is a form of PD whereby the local planning authority must be notified of the details prior to development taking place. Although prior notification is a form of PD, the process is a lot more involved and the local planning authorit
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min read
Lawful Development Certificates Are Key!
In theory, if a proposal constitutes PD and is fully compliant with the regulations, no application is required. However, if you’re not going down the prior notification process it is extremely advisable to apply for a Certificate of Lawful Proposed
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min readEconomics
An Architect’s View…
The prior notification scheme becoming ‘permanent’ removes one major uncertainty that faced householders and their architects in the past year or so: whether to rush into building an extension with insufficient time to have it designed well or to get
Homebuilding & Renovating5 min read
How To… Build To Oversite
After the foundations comes the oversite — the concrete slab that constitutes your ground floor. Reaching this point comprises all the work between pouring the foundations up to building the walls. The process is broadly similar whether you’re constr
Homebuilding & Renovating5 min readEconomics
How To Find The Right Bricklayer
This article could have been entitled How to keep bricklayers happy or How to keep brickies on site, because of all the trades, this is the one that most people worry about. It is also, perhaps, as the principal trade on masonry-built homes (and a ke
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min read
De-risk Your Self-build
Here at Homebuilding & Renovating we wanted to provide the self-builders and renovators who come to us looking for ideas and advice with a one-stop solution for protecting their project against things that can, and do, go wrong. We know all too well
Homebuilding & Renovating4 min read
How I Beat The Cost Estimator
Before starting my last self-build project, I sent my Building Regulations’ plans off to an estimating service and received back a detailed breakdown of each stage of the build, with costs divided into labour and materials. In this series, I have bee
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
The Trades Involved In This Stage
1 The electrician has to first fix or carcass the wiring, bringing wires down the walls on the ground floor from the ceiling zone to the outlet positions and up from the floor/ceiling zone to the outlets on the first floor. This creates a maze of wir
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Your Build Costs
One of the most important aspects when planning your self-build or home renovation/extension project is working out how much it is going to cost. This figure will depend on the size and shape of the house, the level of your own involvement, where in
Homebuilding & Renovating1 min readEconomics
How It Works
level of involvement in the project will influence the build costs. For simplicity, the four most common build routes have been identified below: Building on a largely DIY basis, substituting around 30% of labour costs with DIY, and employing help wi
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Considering The Longevity Of Materials Can Save Money In The Long-term
As many as 70% of renovators don’t consider all aspects of a project during the initial budgeting phase, estimates Russell Cross, director at Benchmark Windows which distributes Origin’s aluminium doors and windows. Materials such as windows, doors a
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Building Control Continues To Inspect My New Extension
So far, the final inspection with building control surveyor Andrew had gone pretty much according to plan. The master bedroom was next on our itinerary. And, the conversation went thus: “So how would you escape from this room in the event of a fire?”
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min readEconomics
Choosing The Right Cladding
During this project, I kept coming back to the point that our house is one of a pair and that the works we do need to respect the twin in the design approach. You approach the two houses uphill; we’re at the end of the cul-de-sac so the view of our h
Homebuilding & Renovating3 min read
It Pays To Be Prepared Before First Fix Work Begins
The time for deliberation is over on our project. With the floor screed dry enough to walk on, we’ve suddenly approached that stage of the project where everything comes together at one last hurtling pace. Design decisions are being made at break-nec
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min readEconomics
Your On Site Diaries
And we’re in! Although it hasn’t gone quite as smoothly as we had hoped. Despite the contractor’s repeated promises to finish by the end of May and us moving in on 1 June, for weeks we’ve found ourselves living in an ongoing building site, with vario
Homebuilding & Renovating3 min read
Twice as NICE
Where many people would have simply seen a small and unappealing bungalow for sale, Jack spotted the opportunity to transform a dated property into a modern home with far-reaching views down to the picturesque marina in Lymington near the New Forest.
Homebuilding & Renovating2 min read
Signing Off…
I’m constantly searching for smaller projects that I can undertake to add value to my house and improve the way I live in it. That’s why I’m so inspired by architect Neil Turner’s article on how to add wow factor to small projects and on small budget

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