Play with fire

There are more than 1.25 million stoves in the UK, with around 200,000 stoves sold annually. As Ian Sams of Specflue points out, there are many good reasons for their popularity, not least their environmental performance. Wood-burners are a stylish... View Article

Bathrooms that sell homes

Rob Holroyd of Easy Bathrooms explains how housebuilders can create bathrooms that appeal to the target buyer. With the time people spend in their bathrooms on the rise – and the room often acting as an escape from the stresses... View Article

Aluminium’s place in architecture – and human ecology

Architect Professor Michael Stacey looks at the case for aluminium, backed by ongoing research, on grounds of versatility, sustainability and durability As a light and versatile metal, aluminium has been serving humankind well since Humphry Davy identified it 200 years ago.... View Article

The challenges and pleasures of life in the Bronze Age

Architectural bronze has long been the choice for delivering a premier feel and finish to any building, but specifying it has always come with challenges. Warwick Penson of Bronze Architecture discusses the resurgence of this material and its uniquely distinctive... View Article

View Point – Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown

Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown Architects discusses how practices can research and adopt aspects of AI and automation, and thereby stay one step ahead of the robots About five years ago, two academics from Oxford, Carl Frey and Michael Osborne, produced... View Article

Practice Profile: gpad London

With origins in small residential projects, gpad London is a firm that has proved its mettle through steady growth and diversification. Sébastien Reed speaks to managing director Charles Bettes The silver lining of gpad london founder and current chair Christopher... View Article

The joys of going bespoke

Jon Sillitoe of Burlanes Interiors discusses why self-builders should consider investing in a bespoke kitchen, explaining how it worked out for a family in Chelmsford. Your kitchen is the heart of your home, where the family congregates to eat, cook... View Article

Upcycled & Unique

Natalie Lockwood, interior designer and owner of studio and blog Little Mill House, discusses the current upcycling trend, and how you can embrace it to bring a distinctive look and a greener interior. Upcycling has become as mainstream in recent... View Article

The simplicity of SIPs

Paul Newman of Kingspan Timber Solutions explains the simple and compelling concept behind SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels), and why you should consider them in the construction of your new home. Masonry, SIPs, timber frame, ICF, straw bale, oak frame –... View Article

Attractive options for energy-efficient house design

Vanessa Howard of Roof Maker explores how taking a rigorously ecological approach to design can improve energy efficiency without compromising on aesthetics and individuality, focusing on rooflights. In 2017 the average UK household spent £102 per month on electricity and... View Article

Strawberry Fields forever home

When a couple decided to build their Beatles-inspired ‘forever’ home in a north London suburb, the speed at which their kit home took shape left them suitably impressed. Roseanne Field reports. From the street, Mr and Mrs Young’s house, while... View Article

View Point – Richard Harral of CABE

Richard Harral of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) says the lessons we need to learn from Dame Judith Hackitt’s post-Grenfell review must include a wider look at our society’s relationship with its buildings, and regulatory reform Attention has been... View Article

Setting the standards for structural timber

Structural Timber Association board member and managing director for Kingspan Timber Solutions and Potton, Mark Stevenson answers self-builders’ queries on how to use structural timber, and why solutions are increasingly likely to be factory-built. The Structural Timber Association (STA) has... View Article

Roofing elements of designing to Passivhaus

As designing to the Passivhaus standard continues to grow in popularity, not only for residential builds but also increasingly for commercial constructions, architect Nicolas Tye shares insights on the specific considerations a Passivhaus-accredited roof requires Over the last few years,... View Article

Ask the Architects

Leading female UK architects share their experiences of being a woman in the profession, and the challenges that still exist for achieving gender diversity. Participants: Sadie Morgan, co-founder, dRMM Architects; Jane Duncan, director at Jane Duncan Architects & RIBA past president; Fionn... View Article

Exhibitors and experts set to inspire

Grand Designs Live will be back at Birmingham’s NEC from 10 -14 October as part of UK Construction Week, providing everything self-builders need for their project, all under one roof. Grand Designs Live, sponsored by Anglian Home Improvements, will return... View Article

Safe and Sound with Part Q

Kevin Bonnar of Velfac explains why housebuilders should make a virtue of Part Q of the Building regulations, to underline the security benefits of their developments. Safety and security are a top priority for most homeowners, especially when it comes... View Article

Get smart on connected homes

We are now fully immersed in a world with a growing interest in all sorts of connected technologies. In terms of domestic heating, many prospective house buyers want to control a heating system from their smartphone or set it up... View Article

The high performance alternative

Paddy Leighton of Icynene takes a look at heat loss in buildings, and how new, high performance insulation systems can improve comfort levels in both retrofit and new-build applications. When Britain began its post war building boom, coal was king... View Article

Turning floods into an asset

Management of and protection from localised flooding is a rising concern for housebuilders, but suds and flood control doesn’t have to be only about moving water to safety. Sean Robinson of Polypipe argues that new housing estates provide the perfect... View Article