A new lease of life for landscape thanks to Haddonstone’s stonework

Haddonstone, the UK’s leading name in cast stone design and manufacture, was selected to create a range of high-quality cast stone landscaping components for the considerable gardens at a beautiful, historic property in Leicestershire. Much of the existing stonework throughout the grounds of the property had weathered over... View Article

Specify the Cullen Gable Restraint System for peace of mind

Accepted by NBHC, developed in collaboration with the Trussed Rafter Association and national housebuilders, the CULLEN Gable Restraint System can offer complete piece of mind for specifiers and housebuilders. Search online for “gable end collapse”, and you will see videos... View Article

Designer Contracts – a trusted partner to housebuilders

Designer Contracts are one of the UK’s largest flooring contractors, their unrivalled national supply and installation service is delivered via their 15 regional warehouses and supported by their own national distribution centre that holds in excess of £3m worth of... View Article

Breathe easy

Jay Vitale of Air For Life looks at the essential importance of indoor air quality, and the practical considerations around purification systems, while addressing common self-builder concerns to help you breathe easier Building a home from scratch is a rewarding... View Article

Variety is the spice of self-build facades

Combining cladding with stone, brick and other materials on your exterior can give your home added character and create a strong aesthetic statement, as Lisa Grosse from Cedral explains While brick is widely used for residential exteriors in urban settings,... View Article

The right tile adhesive can make all the difference

Tiles serve an important purpose around the home, offering a durable, watertight and practical solution for areas where water and other liquids are present. However, if they are not installed correctly, issues can occur later down the line. Garry Gregory,... View Article

Changing the game with Origami

For Hugh and Karen, the obvious response to improving a 1980s house near Stirling was to extend, however in the end a full ground floor reconfiguration with a ‘folded’ appearance was a game changer, creating ‘the Origami House’ TEXT NIK... View Article

Time to turn off the gas

When choosing a heating system for your new-build project, it’s now time to move away from the previous default option of a conventional gas boiler. James Chaplen of Mitsubishi Electric says that UK’s net zero target is just one reason... View Article

Committing To A Low Carbon Journey

In April 2022 we surveyed our self-builder readership to discover how many of them were pursuing a ‘low carbon’ build, and also what their challenges have been along the way. We have once again surveyed self-builders’ opinions and experiences to... View Article

Selfbuilder Survey: Committing to a Low Carbon Journey

In April 2022, Selfbuilder + Homemaker surveyed their self-builder readership to discover how many of them were pursuing a ‘low carbon’ build, and also what their challenges have been along the way. They have once again surveyed self-builders’ opinions and... View Article

Specialist Membranes for Passivhaus Design

Episode 25 of the Building Insights podcast is out now! Getting a building fabric’s design up to the demands of a Passivhaus is all about meticulous attention to detail. However achieving an air-tight but breathable envelope that benefits both the... View Article

The power of daylight

David Clarke of IDSystems explains the transformative power of bringing abundant natural light into the home, and how innovative glazing solutions are reshaping our modern living spaces Over the past decade, there has been a substantial shift in the way... View Article