planning your project

Practical advice from the UK’s leading self-build experts to help you bring in your project on time, on budget.

FINANCE

A range of features that examine all aspects of financing your renovation or conversion project.

How to survey old houses for renovation You’ve seen an old house you like the look of and think it has potential, but how can you tell if you’ve spotted a renovation bargain or a wreck riddled with hidden problems? Michael Holmes explains.

• How to finance your renovation
• Why pay VAT on renovations?

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DESIGN ADVICE

Fresh ideas to help you create the perfect interiors for your home. Also, how to overcome any potential site design problems.

Contemporary living in an old home We reveal the design and planning implications of transforming your period home for modern life, and how to achieve harmony between old and new.

• A guide to extending your home
• Everything you need to know about loft conversions

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PLANNING ADVICE

Reduce the risks before you start your project by taking a look at planning advice articles.

A guide to the new Permitted Development Rules The rules on Permitted Development (PD) – what you can do to your house without needing planning approval – have recently changed. David Snell assesses whether it’s for better or worse.

• 10 conversion problems solved
• Obtaining planning approval for conversions

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WHAT SHOULD I PAY?

Compare and contrast and a look at average costs for your project. Compare and contrast and a look at average costs for your project. Plus comprehensive guides to what to expect when budgeting for your renovation, conversion or extension.

Renovation: What will it cost? Setting out on a project without a firm idea of what it is all going to cost can prove a huge and costly mistake, warns Michael Holmes.

• How to halve your renovation costs
• What should you budget for internal finishes?

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SPECIFICATION ADVICE

A complete buyer's guide to everything from lighting to fireplaces and flooring to range cookers. Find the right products and systems for your project.

Heat pumps - Do they really work? The humble heat pump – whether it be ground, air or water source – is number one on the wish-list of green-minded self-builders and renovators. But how good are they? Tim Pullen goes behind the hype.

• A complete guide to buying windows
• Skirting board alternatives

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PRACTICAL ADVICE

Easy-to-follow step-by-step guides to everything from 'How to strip paint' to 'Restoring old beams'.

Loft conversions: A step-by-step guide Unused attic space can become valuable living accommodation quite easily — and at surprisingly low cost. H&R talks you through the process.

• Is it possible to make old homes energy efficient
• How to patch up plaster

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT

From spotting and solving problems during your project to expert advice on avoiding the pitfalls before you begin.

The 20 most common renovation mistakes and how to avoid them Renovating an old property can be a great way to get your dream home and climb the housing ladder, but it can also be a minefield for the unwary, warns Michael Holmes.

• Renovation: Your step-by-step planner
• A complete guide to the trades and what they do

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