Practical advice

Kitchen deep clean – tackling the big appliances. Content supplied by John Lewis Plc

Washing machines, fridge freezers and ovens are essential appliances for a modern home - but they can be magnets for dirt and bad smells. Fortunately there are many tried and tested ways to keep your appliances clean and in good working condition without a concoction of chemicals.

Window Energy Ratings or U-values? Content Supplied by Swish Window and Door Systems

Window Energy Ratings and U-values are often quoted by builders and installers of windows and doors but what are they, how do they differ from each other and which one is most important for your project?

How to Install Wet Underfloor Heating

Installing underfloor heating is a popular option amongst self-builders. Not only does it present more useable room space, it provides real heating comfort while delivering a typical 10 to 12.5% energy saving over traditional heating systems. Here Robbens Systems presents a DIY guide to fitting your own wet ufh

Why Is Public Liability Insurance Important When Renovating Your Home? - Content Supplied by Constructaquote

When you begin searching for builders to help realise your home renovation project, there are several things you will want to keep in mind.

Boiler Servicing Tips (by Worcester, Bosch Group)

The old age ‘out of sight out of mind’ is often used when it comes to boilers, but giving your heating system a health check sooner rather than later can go a long way to making sure you don’t feel the cold this winter.

Thinkinsulation's Guide to Saving Energy and Reducing Fuel Bills

To celebrate Energy Saving Trust’s fifteenth Energy Saving Week, energy saving advice website, thinkinsulation.com has compiled a Guide to Energy Saving which is rich with information to help and support those looking to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes, and realise savings on their fuel bills.

How to Replace or Repair Your Own Gutter - Advertisement Feature by Screwfix

A properly functioning gutter system is essential on any home as it correctly moves water off of the roof and away from the house and its foundations. Gutters that are broken can quickly and easily harm a home as a result of water damage. It is therefore essential that the gutters are always secure and work properly. There are number of things that a homeowner can easily do to ensure that this is always the case.

Skills Academy - From Thomsonlocal.com

thomsonlocal.com has put together an online 'Skills Academy' which aims to increase the public's confidence when it comes to doing DIY round the house. Here they share their top tips to make working with tradespeople easier.

How to Bond my Bathroom Mirror to my Tiled Wall - Advertisement Feature from C-Tec

Glass and metal are two hard, non-porous surfaces that sometimes need to be adhered. Because glue does not easily stick to either surface, it is important to use a special adhesive that will strongly adhere the two items at the surface level.

Restoring Old Timber

Patinated, craggy timber is central to an old home’s charm, but long-neglected wood may require attention. Roger Hunt offers solutions

Letting Old Homes Breathe

Modern airtightness standards can get in the way of letting older homes breathe. Peter Glover looks at the solutions

Counting the cost of insulation - Advertisement Feature

A significant proportion of heat loss in a typical home is lost due to air leakage, poor insulation, leaky ducts, inefficient windows and doors, to name a few, and so, with fuel prices going through the pain barrier, there has never been a better time to plug the gaps and lock out the cold.

The Old House Checklist

What are the main budget busters in old house renovations? Natasha Brinsmead explains

Buying a Listed Building

What are the pros and cons of owning a home that is listed? Natasha Brinsmead has the answers.

Creating Dry Cellars

Whether you use it as habitable space or not, waterproofing your cellar is a worthwhile project, says Natasha Brinsmead

The End of the Cavity Wall?

With the latest Part L changes the strictest to date, Mark Brinkley examines what it takes to get a masonry cavity wall up to standard and looks at the impact on other systems

Heat Pumps: Are they right for you? Part 1

Getting ‘free’ energy from the ground in the form of heat pumps seems like the perfect solution to all your heating needs — but does this technology apply to everything? Mark Brinkley investigates.

Heat Pumps: Are they right for you? Part 2

To help you decide if heat pumps are right for you, Mark Brinkley takes a look at the important financial implications of using a heat pump, from the initial set-up costs to the issue of payback.

Heat Pumps: Analysis Part 2

Tim Pullen continues his analysis of heat pumps.

Heat Pumps: Analysis Part 1

Following on from our introduction to heat pumps, Tim Pullen takes a closer look and asks ‘Do they really work?’

Heat Pumps: An Introduction

A heat pump is a device that moves heat from one place to another. It can be used to make things either hot or cold and it is the technology built into all the world’s refrigerators and air conditioning systems. Heat pumps are all the rage amongst the eco set - but does this innovative technology offer an answer to all self-builders?

How to Fit Solid Engineered Wood Flooring

More and more people are choosing to fit engineered wooden flooring as opposed to solid timber floors. An advantage of engineered flooring is that they are available in an extremely wide range of timbers and are also suitable for laying over many types of existing floor, such as concrete, unlike most solid boards.

Dave Smith, Joinery Product Manager at Magnet Trade, explains the tips and techniques necessary to fit solid engineered wood flooring.

How to Replace a Gas Fire With a Woodburner

Swapping in your gas fire for a woodburning stove may be easier than you think. Natasha Brinsmead explains how.

The 10 Experts Every Project Needs: Part 3

Every single new house requires the skills of a whole team of experts. Melanie Griffiths lists the top ten people a building project can't do without, plus how to find them and what to pay. In part 3, Melanie covers planning consultants, quantity surveyors and plumbers.

The 10 Experts Every Project Needs: Part 2

Every single new house requires the skills of a whole team of experts. Melanie Griffiths lists the top ten people a building project can't do without, plus how to find them and what to pay. In part 2, Melanie covers solicitors, designers and structural engineers.

Induction Cooking from Rangemaster - Advertisement Feature

Induction cooking is fast, responsive, incredibly controllable and is becoming increasingly popular. But how does it work? There is an electromagnetic inductor under zones on the hob, this inductor penetrates the pan to set up a circulating current, which in turn generates heat, heating the pan and not the surface itself.

Repairing External Cladding: Stone

Natasha Brinsmead explores how to approach – and solve – problems with your home’s external face. Stone will weather over time and when dealing with any deterioration it is important to proceed with care, as it is all too easy to make the problem worse through lack of understanding of the nature of the problem.

Adding Insulation — Exterior or Interior?

Advice from experienced renovator Chris Healy on what type of insulation to use on a pre-1900s house to make the property more energy efficient and avoid dampness and condensation. Plus advice on the cost of retro-insulation.

Repairing External Cladding: Brickwork

Brickwork claddings have to withstand a great deal and can deteriorate over time. Natasha Brinsmead identifies the common problems that can occur with brickwork, such as cracks and crumbling mortar, and explains how to carry out repairs and maintenance.

Repairing External Cladding: Render

Render claddings have to withstand a great deal and can deteriorate over time. Natasha Brinsmead identifies the common problems that can occur with render, including lime render, stucco and sand, and explains how to carry out repairs and maintenance.