Latest articles

Seasoned self-builders Sarah and Rob Collard have designed and built not just one family home but two. ‘A few years ago we bought a plot of land, demolished the existing house and self-built our dream home,’ says Sarah. ‘It was featured on Channel 4’s ‘Build the Dream’ programme and we really thought it was our...

Set in rolling Suffolk countryside, Pavilion House is a beautiful, minimalist ‘inside out’ home designed by renowned Danish architect Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, founding partner of Norm Architects. VELFAC glazing contributes to the sustainability ambitions of Pavilion House, with both home and studio close to Passivhaus...

A radical remodelling of a 1950’s house has given filmmaker and photographer Stuart Chapman a beautiful, and impressive, family home. Project information Sector: Renovation Specified for: Extra large, outward opening double sliding doors • High quality, versatile design • Composite frame construction • Different frame...

A home office space has become a ‘must have’ for any dream home – a dedicated room which the whole family can use, whether to ‘work from home’, catch up on school work, or manage a busy household in peace. The ideal home office should be comfortable, practical and productive, which means it must have the perfect...

Adding contemporary style to an urban residential streetscape, Twin Gables - created by award-winning UK design and build company Facit Homes - is a radical redesign of the ‘traditional’ two storey British home. Project information Sector: Bespoke new build home Design & Build: Facit Homes Windows series: VELFAC 200...

Space, budget and sustainability were key reasons why Kevin Jarvis decided to self-build his new family home in Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire. Stepped facades, clad in slate, timber and seamed zinc, are set beneath dramatically sloping roofs, and VELFAC composite windows and patio doors are installed in every facade....

This beautiful four-bedroom family home, built by owners Tom and Frances Edwards, combines impressive sustainability with innovative design. Project information Project: Barn style family home Sector:Self-build Homeowner: Tom and Frances Edwards Specified for: Composite frame construction • Uniform sightlines and...

When choosing patio doors, many self-builders and renovators are confused by the range of designs and functions on offer, and not always sure if their ideal design will suit their home. Here’s some advice on how to make the right choice. Sliding doors - ideal for any location, especially where space is tight, such as...

Zoe Papadopoulou’s brief to her architect Emil Neumann, of Paul Archer Design, contained two essential requirements for her new home: it must have height, and it must have light. Nestled in the conservation area of Wivenhoe village, just a few metres from the banks of the Colne River, is the home of artist Zoe...

Jason Orme, editorial director at Homebuilding & Renovating (HB&R), is an experienced self-builder who recently finished his second major renovation project, transforming an eclectic 1960s house into a stylish open plan family home. Project information Project: Jason Ormes family home Sector: Renovated 1960s home...