A concrete idea

EDITOR’S LETTER

Claire Lloyd has been a member of the Homebuilding & Renovating team for 14 years. She’s currently in the midst of another renovation

OUR EXPERTS

SIMON RIX is a professional planning consultant and

Happy home, happy life

A round-up of the latest self-build and home renovation news, products and events. By Jack Woodfield and Amy Reeves

Charming addıtıon

When this Grade II-listed farmhouse came on the market for the second time during their search, the Richards family found it impossible to resist

Hidden gem

First-time self-builders James and Carole Boon have made the most of a tiny infill plot in Derbyshire — building a lightfilled and energy-efficient home on a modest budget

A rustic replacement

Andrew and Paget Briggs have transformed their 17th-century Cornish farmhouse with a sympathetic kitchen built using local materials

Incredible semi-detached transformations

These semi-detached home remodels and extensions have transformed dated, awkward spaces into fresh, modern homes

10 things to know when planning your bathroom

Creating a bathroom is no small task, but with the right insight you can achieve a space that is beautiful, functional and enduring

CHOOSING INTERIOR FINISHES

In this month’s column, experienced renovator Natasha Brinsmead discusses how the interiors of her home came together — and what she plans on doing differently next time

THE RENOVATION FILES

CASE #7: THE OLD HOUSE AND THE DAMP PATCH

Beginner’s guide to self-build

IMAGES: GET TY; *HBR SELF & CUSTOM BUILD

Pre-build essentials

Here are some of the key things you need to consider before ‘going on site’ with your build

Financing your build

Funding your project may require a specialist self-build mortgage…

Finding your self-build plot

It’s the starting point to any self-build dream. Here’s what to consider when plot hunting

Choosing build route

Self-build is a broad church — you needn’t lay a single brick if you don’t want to!

Naming your self-build

How do you go about getting a house name or number when building a new home?

GREEN HOMES

Green value Decorating with low VOC paint is

REVEALED... THE HIDDEN COSTS OF SELF-BUILD

Delivery costs, utilities installation, VAT: there are many surprising costs for the unwary, so knowing what to expect can help you to stay within budget, says Bob Branscombe

Exposed trusses

Exposed roof structures and vaulted ceilings are on the rise. Here’s how to design one into your home

ROOF TILES & SLATES

Striking materials to finish off a new home or extension

The boot room

A great spot to contain mess and mud, a boot room is the perfect addition for a busy household. Here’s how to plan a practical and useful space

HOW TO GET ON WITH YOUR BUILDER

We’re only human, and there are some things that really annoy us builders! Avoid these, and you’ll get your project off to a flying start

Why knowing the planning system is vital

The planning system can be convoluted and what you think you understand, might not be what it seems. Planning consultant Simon Rix shares one anecdote relating to retrospective planning that highlights why it pays to get advice early on

This year’s top design top trends

If you are feeling a little short of design inspiration when it comes to your home project, we’re here to help with our round up of the newest and most exciting home design trends currently topping the wishlists of self-builders, renovators and extenders alike

ASK THE EXPERTS

Got a burning question about your self-build, extension or renovation project that you need answering? Drop us a line by emailing homebuilding@futurenet.com and your question could be answered by one of our magazine experts

Flooring

We lay down the essentials you need to know when choosing the right flooring material for your home

LUXURY VINYL TILES

Luxury vinyl tiles, or LVT, is a low-maintenance alternative to wood and stone flooring, explains Ifeoluwa Adedeji

WOOD FLOORING

With such a huge range of wood flooring it can be hard to know the difference between the variations — or which one is best for you. Natasha Brinsmead sheds light on the options

STONE FLOORING

Natural stone flooring is a thing of beauty — as well as being a highly practical choice, says Sarah Warwick

CARPET

The right type of carpet offers a luxurious sense of warmth and comfort underfoot. Choose the right one for your home with advice from Rebecca Foster

POLISHED CONCRETE

Polished concrete can be an ideal flooring solution — Natasha Brinsmead looks at the ins and outs of using it

ECO FLOORING

Hugh Metcalf looks at the sustainable flooring choices available for your home

Welcome to Green Street

An inner city street in Glasgow is being

Sailing free

Figuring out how to unlock a neglected seaside plot was the key to success for Stephen and Mandy’s ‘fabric first’ self-build

A greener renovation

There are many ways to make your home greener while undertaking a renovation. Here, Tim Pullen recommends some simple, but less obvious steps

Living walls

Add colour, vibrancy and life to rooms indoors or out with a vertical living wall garden

Q Why do we still not have a national retrofit strategy?

It feels crazy to be in a position that a national retrofit strategy isn’t in place and working at full capacity, says architect Paul Testa

Working from Home?

De-risk your self-build

Use the experts in self-build to insure your project, with an insurance and warranty product from Homebuilding & Renovating with Self Build Zone

Into the vaults

A unique vault-like extension, designed by Studio Ben Allen, puts robust materials at the fore. Here, Ben describes how the project came about