Project management

How to Make Your Site Safe

While health and safety on large building sites is stringently regulated, self-builders have been known to take things less seriously — at their peril. Mark Brinkley lists the key issues.

How to Find a Great Builder

There aren’t any guarantees when it comes to builders — but you need to give yourself the best chance of ending up with the kind of builder you should be finding. By Jason Orme.

Case Studies: Stress-free Projects

Despite what you might think from watching self-build TV programmes, building projects don't have to be dramas. Here are two examples of self-build projects that were completed on time and on budget with the minimum of stress.

6 Key Stages to a Stress Free Project

Despite what you might think from watching self-build TV programmes, building projects don’t have to be dramas. Jason Orme explains how to bring yours in on time, on budget.

Who Should Project Manage?

If you’re deliberating whether to be your own project manager or entrust someone else, H&R can help you make the right choice by pointing out all the things you need to consider.

20 Essential Rules for a Successful Self-build: Part Two

You’ll get lots of well-meaning advice when you start your project.
But here’s our collection of the little gems that really will make things easier. Part two includes advice on DIY, design, structure, VAT savings and more.

20 Essential Rules for Self-build Success: Part One

You’ll get lots of well-meaning advice when you start your project. But here’s our collection of the little gems that really will make things easier. Part one looks at budget, plots, finding tradesmen, sourcing materials and more.

How Fast Can You Build a House?

Do German builders simply have a better work ethic than ours, or is there something more valuable we can learn from their famous efficiency? Mark Brinkley reports.

Save £1,000s on Your Self-build…by Negotiating

Negotiation is a powerful tool. Self-builders accustomed to it will pay a lot less on their project than those who don’t feel confident enough to try. Melanie Griffiths explains the process.

How to Negotiate - Expert Advice

The level of discount you can expect from any supplier will depend largely on their mark-up on the product, but there is almost always room for negotiation. Here are our tips:

Building Contracts: When Things Go Wrong

Can a contract help ensure your building project is completed on time and on budget? Jason Orme investigates and asks whether a formal contract can help avoid disputes too.

Building Contracts: Advice from the Expert

H&R Talks to contracts and dispute-resolution expert Jane Hughes of Collyer Bristow Solicitors about how the JCT contract works in practice and what to do if things go wrong.

How to spot a top tradesman

A short video of top tips from trading standards agency TrustMark on how to avoid being taken for a ride by rogue tradesmen.

How to Build to a (Relatively) Small Budget: Part 1

It’s all too easy to think that you have to be rich to build your own home. Jason Orme explains how people of all incomes can do it, and finds some great examples of the art of building to a small budget. Part one looks at how to minimise your design fees.

H&R Editor Jason Orme (author of this article) achieved a £900/m² build cost on his self-build project

How to Build to a (Relatively) Small Budget: Part 2

It’s all too easy to think that you have to be rich to build your own home. Jason Orme explains how people of all incomes can do it, and finds some great examples of the art of building to a small budget. Part 2 looks at getting the specs right, managing your own project and buying materials.

Nicky and Robin van der Bij managed to build their new low-energy self-built home for just £115,000

Architect or Designer: Which is Better for Your Self Build?

Do the titles that we used to see as a badge of quality have any relevance to today’s self-build army of amateur house designers? And, if not, what should we look for instead? Jason Orme investigates.

Architect or Designer? - Advice From the Experts

Do the titles that we used to see as a badge of quality have any relevance to today’s self-build army of amateur house designers? Three design professionals weigh in with their opinion on what's in a name. Plus three tips that might help you decide.

An award winning period style property designed by Stephen Mattick

Building Regulations

All new building work – including significant alterations and improvements to existing homes – must comply with the Building Regulations. The Building Regulations set down minimum standards for quality of work to ensure that homes are safe, accessible, healthy, reliable and, increasingly, energy-efficient. It has nothing to do with planning permission and, in certain rare instances, the directions given by the two departments can conflict.

Your Homebuilding & Renovating Project Planner

Fancy taking on the role of project manager on site, or just curious to know what to expect on a building project, and when? Our Project Planner will give you all the information you need.

The Homebuilding & Renovating Project Planner

Building a House for Under £150,000: Case Studies

H&R looks at some of the people who've managed to build their homes for a build cost below £150,000, including traditional and contemporary style homes in both timber frame and brick and block.

Learn From The Developers

Self-builders often have a sniffy attitude to their commercial housebuilding cousins. After all, the reason that so many of us build our own homes is because we're rejecting the housing that they have to offer.But there are a number of lessons self-builders can learn from the big housebuilders.

12 Steps of Self Build: Groundworks & Foundations

Be Your Own Building Inspector

A building inspector can be useful, but if you are managing your self build it can be more effective to look out for problems before they occur. This list of technical errors describes those encountered most frequently by building and warranty inspectors.

The 20 most common renovation mistakes and how to avoid them

The Trades Explained: The Decorator

Who does what, and when? It might seem obvious, but when you’re running a building project, you’ll need to know exactly what to expect of each of the trades you employ — and how much you should be paying. David Snell looks at the role of the decorator.

The Trades Explained: The Plasterer

Who does what, and when? It might seem obvious, but when you’re running a building project, you’ll need to know exactly what to expect of each of the trades you employ — and how much you should be paying. David Snell looks at the role of the plasterer.

The Trades Explained: The Electrician

Who does what, and when? It might seem obvious, but when you’re running a building project, you’ll need to know exactly what to expect of each of the trades you employ — and how much you should be paying. David Snell looks at the role of the electrician.

The Trades Explained: The Plumber

Who does what, and when? It might seem obvious, but when you’re running a building project, you’ll need to know exactly what to expect of each of the trades you employ — and how much you should be paying. In this part of our guide to the trades, David Snell examines the role of the Plumber.

Build Route Options: Part One

Part of H&R's 12 steps of self build: You have the site. You have the promise of finance in place. You have a design. The next big hurdle is to decide how to turn these ideas into reality. Doing it all yourself or doing nothing - which option suits you?

Build Route Options - Part Two

One of the best ways to save money is to take on the role of the builder. In this approach, the self-builder would be responsible for the day-to-day running of the building project.

Caron Pain and her £110,000 self build home

Tips & Advice For Those Running a Site

This part of H&R's 12 steps of self build gives some valuable advice to those running a site. Whether you're managing the project, building on a DIY basis, using a main contractor or using a package supplier there's bound to be some handy tips for you.

Tips and advice for all sorts of projects

How to Get The Most From Your House Designer: Part Two

There are many different ways in which to design your self-build project, but how do you know which route is best for you? In part two of this feature, David Snell looks at the relationship between you and your builder, and how to make sure they stick to your budget.

Getting the most from your house designer

From the publishers of Homebuilding & Renovating...

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