small door

Home Maintenance & Renovation

Written by experienced and enthusiastic experts, our array of well-researched and informative features has been created to inspire and advise you to help you make your home a better place to be.

Garage Doors

Converting Your Garage

Converting a garage is a relatively inexpensive way to create more space for your family. Our guide gives you the basics you need to begin. Read more

Wall-mounted thermostat

Heating And Cooling Systems

There are quite a few alternatives to gas and electric heating and the choice is getting larger as ecological issues and climate change come to the forefront of our lives. Read more

Cottage porch

Adding A Porch

A porch can be a very worthwhile and useful addition to a house although there are some rules to follow to make sure it doesn’t turn out to be the street’s carbuncle. Read more

Laying tiles

Labour Costs

Labour costs are a big proportion of the cost of a renovation project but there are ways you can control those costs and make sure you pay a fair price for good quality work. Read more

Internal studwork

Re-arranging Interior Walls

Modern living needs different living spaces to those that period houses offer, so it’s worth considering a rearrangement of internal walls to give you what you need. Read more

Radiator with thermostat

Central Heating And Boilers

There’s a bewildering selection of boilers these days and almost as many different heating systems to select from. We guide you through the maze. Read more

Door and windows

Door And Windows

Doors and windows play a large part in defining the style and feel of your house, form the outside at least, and any renovation project should play close attention to them. Read more

Tradesman

Get Professional Renovation Help

Professionals are important to the success of any renovation project but how can you decide where you should use a specialist and where is it safe and sensible to do the work yourself? Read more

electrical tools

Adding Sockets And Lights

Subtle and pleasant changes in the atmosphere of your home can be achieved with creative lighting and sometimes all you need to do is change a few lights and sockets. Read more

Alexa speaker

Home Entertainment and Remote Control

Wiring up your home used to mean lights and sockets, but as computers, television radio and music all begin to converge in a blur the modern home needs to be wired for sound and vision. Read more

Parked car

Pavements And Driveways

One golden rule about property sales is that first impressions count for a great deal, so it makes sense to invest in driveways and pavements. Read more

Defective pointing

Pointing and Brickwork Care

Redoing the pointing on the external walls of a property that is in poor condition is essential to prevent water soaking into the walls and breaking them down. Read more

housing fund

Getting a Renovation Grant

If you are very lucky and very determined, you might well be able to get some kind of grant to help you in your renovation. Don’t count on it though! Read more

Old building

Renovating Listed Buildings

Renovators often shy away from listed buildings and it’s true that you are taking on more work and stress. But as long as you understand and follow the rules the rewards can be spectacular. Read more