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

A guide to converting a loft with a difficult roof construction. Includes advice on headroom, trussed rafters, telescopic joists, building regulations and more

Unstable ground? Clay soil? Trees? Sloping land? ‘Difficult’ sites can quickly become expensive to build on. Surveyor Ian Rock provides solutions for even the most problematic of plots

Not only can injected damp treatments be a waste of money, they can also do untold damage when applied to homes that don’t need them

We often adopt an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach when it comes to our chimneys, but restoring neglected stacks is money well spent, says chartered surveyor Ian Rock

Whether concrete or stone and wood laid over earth, old solid floors can be subject to a number of ailments

From cracks in the plaster to soundproofing (or lack of it), internal walls can throw up all sorts of problems in old homes. Step in chartered surveyor Ian Rock with the solutions

Ailing roofs need not spell disaster for a renovation project. From slipped slates to sagging roof slopes, chartered surveyor Ian Rock explains what to look out for and what’s involved in fixing common roofing problems

Repairing windows will help retain the character and charm of older buildings and can often be the cheaper choice in the long run. From rotten frames to panes that mist up, find out how to fix common problems