Here we review green roofs as an option for your self-build: why you should consider them, what ranges and varieties are available and the practical issues to be aware of One of the great joys of building your own home has to... View Article

Instead of a shining new development for the retired, Anchor Trust and English Care Village Partnerships are using design to invent a history for an assisted living development in Hampshire, as Steve Menary reports. Ensuring good design can be achieved... View Article

Ventilated façades have been around for a long time. In traditional Scandinavian housing, for example, an air gap was included between the timber external wall and the internal wall, as a way of preventing these soft wood structures from rotting... View Article

The country’s second largest ever concrete pour was needed to create a building for Cambridge’s materials scientists in which vibration could be kept to a minimum. Mark Smulian reports. It must have been a remarkable sight when 120 lorries drove... View Article

Experts from the UK Structural Insulated Panel Association explain why the use of SIPS technology is on the increase across the UK. Structural insulated panel systems (SIPS) are an advanced method of construction, offering superior insulation, structural strength and air-tightness.... View Article

By Roger Hemmings, marketing manager of Havwoods The demand for solid and engineered wood flooring has never been so great and many clients are now requesting it for use in a huge variety of applications including walls and ceilings as well... View Article

Kevin Roe, sales director of Kingspan Klargester, looks at the drainage options available for different sites. Of the country’s current stock of 25 million houses, around 1.5 million are not connected to the sewer. In all cases the first consideration... View Article

Nicola Seymour of Marbrex explores the potential of decorative yet highly practical internal cladding systems over more traditional wall coverings – from reducing labour costs and timescales to ease of installation; long-term cleaning and maintenance When it comes to creating... View Article

By Michala Ford, marketing manager of Safety Technology International (Europe) Ltd The problem caused by false fire alarms Every false fire alarm is costly, disruptive and detrimental to safety. Each year businesses and public services in the UK have nearly... View Article

By Stephen Young, director of the Wood Protection Association The Wood Protection Association (WPA) is calling on building designers to double-check the fire performance claims of flame retardant treatments before they commit to a specification. The move follows research for... View Article

When two generations of the Wilson family found neither could afford a self build, they did what families do – they pulled together to create a stunning home. By Mark Williams Marion Wilson has abiding memories of looking after her... View Article

A visit to The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, one of Britain’s biggest self build and renovation events, from 27-30 March at the NEC in Birmingham is a must for those building a new home from scratch or tackling a... View Article

You may be about to embark on your self build journey but as the experts and self builders at The National Self Build & Renovation Show know, this is just the beginning! Perfectly timed to coincide with the majority of... View Article

Any self build project will benefit from flexible electric underfloor heating. Jenny Smith, marketing services manager at Vent-Axia explains how advances in technology means electric underfloor heating is a choice that is set to grow in popularity Underfloor heating is... View Article

Rob Sutherland, managing director of Inspired Dwellings, specialists in the design and installation of home technology, shows how smart homes are evolving The smart home has been around as a concept since the 1970s. Early smart homes were primarily limited... View Article