A celebration of self-building

2020 sees the Homebuilding & Renovating brand celebrate the ‘Year of Self-Build’, including the launch of an awards ceremony celebrating the best in the industry at the event due to be held this July The annual National Homebuilding & Renovating... View Article

A compelling case for composite

Indi Sarkaria of Arbor Forest Products talks through the pros of choosing composite decking, including aesthetics and sustainability, while outlining the most important factors for installation Given the love that Brits have for outdoor spaces, it’s no surprise that the... View Article

Let your garden shine this summer

Steve Grimwood of Osmo UK offers his advice to self-builders on how best to prepare your garden for summer with the right decking Many of us spend a considerable amount of time creating homes and gardens to be proud of.... View Article

Metallic moments

Ally Dowsing-Reynolds of home decor specialist Dowsing & Reynolds explains why metallics are a great trend for interiors, and gives practical advice on how best to bring striking accents to your home. Whether it’s handles, light fittings or switches and sockets,... View Article

Ask the Expert: Why we need permeable paving & SuDS

Chris Hodson of Interpave answers the questions on why a responsible approach to rainwater drainage – in both new and existing homes – is key WHAT’S WRONG WITH OUR DRAINAGE? As our towns and cities continue to grow, more rainwater... View Article

MVHR: sourcing the essential resource

EnviroVent’s Larry Soper gives his top tips on specifying the correct MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) system to provide fresh air to your air-tight property Self-builders are increasingly choosing MVHR as their preferred choice for ventilating a new home.... View Article

Buying into the concept

Wanting to be part of the self-build hotspot that is Graven Hill, Dheeraj and Taniya Malik found a building system that they liked so much, they set up a business based around it TEXT Jess Unwin IMAGES Jess Unwin &... View Article

Passive impressive

A retired eco building enthusiast fulfilled a dream to create an ultra low energy home by upgrading a barn he originally built in North Yorkshire using ‘Passive House’ principles Text: Jayne Dowle Images: Green Building Store When Pete Smith heard... View Article

Hope for the best

Nicki Hogg’s self-build saw her and her partner go from surprise auction to acquiring a desirable south Devon plot in Hope Cove for their forever home Text & Images: Ewen Macdonald It was a chance visit to a fishmongers in... View Article

Open House London

Despite having no initial plans to alter their traditional Victorian family home in Greenwich, David and Nicola Fleming ended up reinventing it, building two highly contemporary extensions which dramatically improve look and layout. Text: Debbie Jeffery Images: Joseph Trayler/Henri Bredenkamp... View Article

A different view

Self-Build Case Study – Tony & Phillipa Neilson-Factor, Essex Self-Build Case Study: Despite a distinct lack of windows and character in general, Philippa Neilson-Factor and husband Tony took a punt on reinventing an uninspiring Essex bungalow with potential for an... View Article

The hottest trends

Steve Birch of Vogue (UK) explores the latest bathroom heating trends for 2020. The desire for versatile, energy-efficient solutions in the home has given the industry the opportunity to create new designs which are lightweight, non-polluting, durable and most of... View Article

An ‘I’ on innovation

Angus Macfarlane of James Jones & Sons discusses the increasing popularity of I-joists, and their inherent economic, technical and environmental benefits for addressing the current challenges the housebuilding industry faces. With the Government’s promise to build 300,000 new homes per... View Article

Decking – do your homework

Sarah Francis of Arbor Forest Products gives an insight into how to spot quality decking products – both in terms of timber and composite options. Despite our changeable weather, we Brits are a nation of garden-lovers: even if it’s just... View Article

The multi-generational living opportunity

The growing trend of multiple generations living together in one house offers a whole new market for housebuilders – they just need to consider age-inclusive and flexible design options, says David Schill of Aritco Lifts. Much has been made of... View Article

Adaptive reuse, realised

Ben Heath, principal at Grimshaw, looks at how the practice returned to the Herman Miller factory in Bath to realise its original design intent of adaptive reuse, and harness the building’s flexibility to create a new school of art and... View Article

Get on board with fencing trends

Fencing products are now seen as an integral part of a garden’s overall landscape, and an important aesthetic choice. Antony Reed of Birkdale looks at the latest fencing trends, and explores design choices that can garner impressive visual results In... View Article