NHBC (National Housebuilding Council)

As if planning a wedding wasn't stressful enough, Karen and Andy Morris decided to build their own home too, successfully combining a highly eclectic range of design ideas within a traditional shell.

Achieving great value on a DIY self-build - Being willing to shop around for materials and get involved in every aspect of their self-build has saved Jacolyn and Ash Tankaria a fortune.

As of April 2008 all new planning applications in England will have to ‘reference’ the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH). The Code sets out a star rating from 1 to 6, where 1 represents a slight improvement on Part L of the Building Regulations and 6 is zero carbon. Here, H&R looks at some of the stranger aspects of the CSH, as well as the financial implications of the Code.

Ian Blackie explains how he and wife Dorothy saved a fortune by building their own four bedroom home in what was once part of their garden in Otley, West Yorks.

H&R Editor Jason Orme and wife, Sarah, have built a traditional-style home with open plan interiors on a tiny budget