Green is the new black

House in tree

How many of us watch Grand Designs on Channel 4 and become inspired to build or renovate our dream home? A glass covered seashore abode, a rural circular wooden cabin or a palatial column fronted country retreat are all innovative places envisaged by people with big dreams. As the series rolls by and the ‘dream homes’ become ever more visionary, the one constant with all of the projects is the desire to adhere to the ‘eco-friendly’ rules. Each and every build or renovation incorporates environmental awareness into it and in some cases becomes the focal feature Continue reading…


From the unthinkable to the unmissable

Condo

Once upon a time there were areas in the UK considered no-go zones. Shuttered shops, boarded up houses, row upon row of vacant, empty dwellings. Property in such areas couldn’t be given away, let alone sold! Then out of the mist arrived the next big boom town. Life started to filter into the houses, shops began to open their doors and neighbourhoods began to come alive. Continue reading…


Renovating in times of economic hardship

Abandoned houses

Even if you follow the clichéd (yet true) advice to love what you do and do it well, it’s often difficult to earn a decent living by following your passion. Whether you bake cupcakes or renovate properties — this is true of any profession. When times are tough it’s easy to stick your head in the sand and ignore the storm. However, the only true solution is to ride the waves in search of better weather. Continue reading…


Hotspots for property developers

Property development

Although the real estate business blossoming in many places, it’s often difficult to find appropriate locations to develop. Thus settling on a particular location is perhaps the most crucial decision for a real estate developer, and requires research and precise planning. It involves studying demographics, scoping the competition, sticking to a budget, understanding the building and planning laws, and much more. Continue reading…


Upgrading high-end properties

longleat_house_pond

As a property developer, you know the drill – find and purchase a property on the market, renovate it as you like and then sell it for a desirable profit. There are several things that may be crossing your mind right now; especially the question of whether or not you’ll be able to sell the property as intended.

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The student accommodation boom

Student

The news of late is filled with property experts voicing their concern over the exponential rise in London property prices, and the prospect of this unsound housing bubble’s imminent big bang. The price of an average residential property in the capital rose by £63,000 in the last year, and some say a major part of this rise is due to the self contained mini-flat conversion for the increasing student housing demand. Continue reading…


Unusual Renovations: Three Informative Examples

Castle

A previous blog post covered factors to consider when renovating a castle, windmill or any building with historical heritage, and another post discussed the art of converting non residential buildings into unique homes. In this post we look at three more examples of unusual renovations, letting you know what was involved and what was learned along the way.

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