Latest articles by Joseph Mullane
Safety watchdog orders thousands to stop using heat pump tumble dryers immediately
17,000 owners across eight brands told to switch off their machines after safety fix fails to remove fire risk
Is there a new hosepipe ban coming? Heatwave could trigger new restrictions for millions
Is there a hosepipe ban where you live? As the heatwave returns, millions could face new restrictions within days
Councils charging 'garden shed tax' where outbuilding is deemed 'liveable'
Why your garden shed could cost you extra council tax, and how to fight it
Waste not, want not: How this London home turned offcuts into an architectural statement
Architects used OSB and other waster materials as a design decision, not just a budget one
Planning permission reform boosts UK heat pump sales
The UK is now reportedly on track to meet its goal of 600,000 heat pumps installed each year by 2028 thanks to the change
Stamp duty scam alert: Fixer-upper tax loophole ruled invalid by court
Homebuyers warned as HMRC cracks down on misleading Stamp Duty refund claims
Inside Ellen DeGeneres’ 4.5 month Cotswolds renovation, and why she’s now selling it
After a 4.5-month restoration, Ellen DeGeneres is selling her £22.5m Cotswolds farmhouse. Learn how the renovation was completed on such a tight timeline
Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty split during two-year, £5m Barnet renovation
Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty announce separation as their ambitious £5 million Hampstead renovation, inspired by LA mid-century modern style, continues
The UK must ditch imported solar panels and build its own, industry experts say
A new generation of British solar technology could solve the UK’s energy, security, and ethical dilemmas – if policy catches up
Josie Gibson turns West Country home into eco smallholding in new TV series
The presenter renovates a rural West Country property into a sustainable eco home in her new series, Josie Gibson’s Big Country Build, featuring self-sufficient food growing, beehives, and green energy systems
Is your postcode at risk of subsidence? Free online tool claims to tell you the answer
A free online tool tells you the risk your home could have for subsidence, and we look at how it works
£1.66 billion in EPC fines could be handed out if housing market fails to improve by 2030
Four in ten homes sold don’t meet upcoming energy targets, leaving thousands exposed if the government's new EPC regulations were applied today
Renovation on hold: Why 2025 has become the hardest year to improve your home
Soaring material costs, falling planning approvals, and rising labour wages make 2025 the toughest year for home improvements in a decade
Planning bill U-turn: What it means for Britain’s greenbelt
Stronger environmental rules could reshape timelines, costs, and risks for developers near protected land
Biodiversity Net Gain? Most of us haven’t heard of it, apparently
Most people score just 3.1 out of 10 in understanding a key new building rule, according to a new report
Could a quiet planning reform finally help self-builders break ground?
How a quiet planning rule change could unlock thousands of self-build homes
Inside one of Britain’s greenest homes: Award-winning Essex eco house relisted after price drop
Sustainable Essex home with sustainability award relisted at £1.5m
Why your energy bill still follows gas prices and how ‘Pot Zero’ could change that
With support growing across political lines, ‘Pot Zero’ offers a way to shift older renewables into fixed-price contracts and potentially reduce the impact of gas prices on household bills
