Latest articles by Sam Webb
Couple buy mansion filled with squatters for £225k and spend £2million restoring it
Reg and Elizabeth, a couple now in their 70s, bought the historic home after making a "daft" low offer and spent a decade and £2million renovating the Regency property
World's renewable use to jump by a third, according to International Energy Agency
The war in Ukraine has sent Europe scrambling for alternatives to Russian gas, with global renewable capacity set to record their largest yearly increase
A renovation bargain? Houses in old coal mining town go on sale for £5k each
Horden and its residents has been referred to as a "ghost town" after the area failed to recover after the closure of the local mine in 1987
How to get rid of bindweed — and stop it coming back
The hardy weed, also known as 'poor man's lily', is the bane of many a householder, taking over gardens at surprising speed. Here we look at how best to eradicate it
Damon Albarn — who 'lives in a house, a very big house in the country' — installs heat pump without planning permission
Blur star upsets his local Parish council after installing air source heat pumps, described by them as noisy, next to a public footpath in the Devon countryside
Best time to mow a lawn? We explain the optimal time to get the mower out
The time of day you mow can effect both the quality of your lawn and avoid conflict with your neighbours
Householders being ripped off with dodgy 'energy-saving' boiler upgrades — that make their boiler more expensive to run
An investigation has found that some boiler parts are being mis-sold to customers as energy efficient. While they promise to save money on energy bills, instead the parts are not up to standard and can make the boiler cost more to run
‘Iconic’ Brutalist flat designed by Bond villain namesake Erno Goldfinger goes on sale for £550,000
Trellick Tower is a well-known part of the London skyline. Now a flat that could perhaps be renovated to inject a nod to its architecture has come up for sale inside the Grade II* listed building
Borehole dug 5,275 metres deep will tap into geothermal energy from rocks to heat 3,800 homes in Cornwall
The scheme is being funded by a £91 million UK Government decarbonisation scheme, funding numerous projects across the country
Take a look inside this converted war bunker — with prefab garden Nissen huts
The architect of this incredible home, with incredible sea views from St Lawrence, near Ventnor, created one of Kevin McCloud's all-time favourites on Grand Designs
Council demands owners make damaged chimney safe — then takes action against the couple after they removed all four
One chimney on the building in a Wrexham conservation area was deemed dangerous. However, removal of four chimneys – which totalled over £30k with other roofing work – has been met with an enforcement order for their reinstatement
How to remove weeds from gravel — and stop them coming back
Removing weeds from gravel patios, gardens and driveways doesn't need to be a chore. Follow our quick guide to getting rid of these annoying invaders
Grand Designs' best houses: 5 of the show's most extraordinary homes
From caves to castles, we look back at Grand Designs' most memorable and innovative properties
Homeowner fined £86 for refusing to demolish extension — and another homeowner on the same street also due in court
A Bradford homeowner could see front extension, built without planning permission, torn down by the council and then be charged for it if she fails to comply with enforcement order
British Gas Warm Home Promise will refund heat pump installs if not as warm as a boiler
British Gas commit to only install a heat pump if it will heat a home as well as a traditional boiler, as part of newly launched Warm Home Promise
An eco home with its own bat palace and night sky observatory
Great Deptford House also has stables, a workshop and hosts various species of wildlife
Why your roof might not be suitable for solar panels
Solar panels are rising in popularity, but not every home may be able to use them effectively. Here's why
MPs write open letter asking for heat pumps and solar panels to be mandatory in new homes
The committee claims renewables will help families struggling with high energy costs and jumpstart the economy
What is a percolation test? Plus, how one should be done for your drainage project
Percolation tests should always be carried out before building soakaways and installing septic tanks to make sure water can be safely discharged into the soil. Here we explain what they are and how one should be done
How this rural homeowner ditched his oil tank and switched to 'hot water pipes' to heat his home
Mike Barker has cut the connection to his oil tank and now gets all the heating for his home from insulated hot water pipes that come into his property — in what could be a low carbon heating solution for rural homes
Homeowner who built bungalow without planning permission 11 years ago fined £7,500 after refusing to demolish it
Homeowner, who is now in his 70s, is still living in the £500,000 bungalow with his wife after building it without permission on greenbelt land in Dorset more than a decade ago
Homeowner who bought house that didn't have permission for its extension fined £160 for refusing to demolish it
Homeowner has spent seven years ignoring demands to demolish the unauthorised extension after buying the property with an enforcement notice on it
Architect struck off after building customer's extension without planning permission
The customer let the architect build the two-storey extension after being told the plans didn't need planning permission
