News Archive: renovation and diy

Page 1 of 19 - Results per page: 50

30, 2011 November:

Poor housing leads to 38pc rise in winter deaths

New figures have shown that the number of winter deaths across England and Wales has risen by 38 per cent – with poor housing being stated as one of the reasons.

23, 2011 September:

Man builds stunning ‘hobbit house’ for just £3,000

A man has built a hillside home reminiscent of a hobbit house from JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings — on a budget of just £3,000.

Britons blow thousands trying to copy TV property shows

Britons envious of properties featured on reality television programmes from Grand Designs to MTV Cribs spend an average of £1171 and 11 days a year sprucing up their homes to follow their lead.

12, 2011 September:

Brits prefer making do to buying new

Two thirds of Brits say they would rather repair things in their homes than buy new, according to a new survey.

29, 2011 July:

Withnail & I interiors up for auction

You liked the film? You're word perfect on its cracking script? Now is your chance to buy the furniture.

04, 2011 July:

Love it or loathe it, kitsch interiors are back

What does our fondness for ironic decoration say about our homes?

26, 2011 May:

Las Vegas to get 500 ft tall observation wheel

The Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel is about to get off the ground. Construction plans for the 500-foot observation wheel, larger than the world-famous London Eye, are being finalized. Site clearing has begun on 11 acres of prime strip property at Las Vegas Boulevard and Mandalay Bay Road.

16, 2011 May:

Milan Furniture Fair: Week of wonders

Many fashion houses join the design world when it focuses its sights on Milan each April, some with more rigour than others.

04, 2011 May:

Brits to spend £31 billion on DIY over the next 12 months

As the housing market continues to see fewer transactions, new research shows that Britons will spend an estimated £31bn on DIY in the next 12 months, as economic belt-tightening forces them to stay in more and home entertain.

21, 2010 December:

Bye bye DIY

The over 50s are putting younger Britons to shame when it comes to preparing their homes for winter according to a new survey from Saga Home Insurance...

14, 2010 October:

Winterproofing your home

Ronan Tod, Wickes DIY Expert offers five simple solutions to beating the cold this winter...

Homeowners get a helping hand

Finding the right builder that fits the spec is often a job in itself; on budget, qualified and available are the three golden words homeowners hope for...

17, 2010 September:

£50bn facelift for British homes

British homes will benefit from a £50 billion facelift over the next 12 months according to new research from Everest, the home improvement company...

13, 2010 September:

One in three homes need repairing

More than a third (34%) of Britons over 50 say their house is in need of repair and over one in seven (15%) cannot afford to fix it according to research from Saga Personal Finance...

02, 2010 September:

Househunters take sledgehammer to perfect home

New research from Halifax looks at the homes we aspire to live in, how they match up to the reality of the UK property market and the work we're prepared to take on to achieve the perfect living space...

31, 2010 August:

Generation Gaffe - young people failing at DIY

A lack of DIY and home maintenance skills is leading to a 'Dad'll Do It' generation of youngsters who can't even wire a plug...

09, 2010 July:

Secret to successful home improvement

A leading professor from Manchester Metropolitan University has discovered the secret to successful home improvement...

02, 2010 July:

How to...use lime at period properties

Many period building owners have a perception that using lime is prohibitively difficult. Not the case, says Country Life...

24, 2010 June:

My love, my loft-conversion

New research has shown that homeowners have spent more money on loft conversions than other popular home improvements over the last 12 months - a figure which makes sense according to loft conversions expert Gary Dyer...

23, 2010 June:

EU focus: renovating homes

The members of the European Housing Forum urge EU Ministers to focus on the renovation of the existing housing stock as a means to raise Europe's living standards, create employment and ensure quality, decent and affordable homes for all...

07, 2010 June:

Become a National Trust apprentice

The National Trust has created a new apprenticeship scheme to combat the shortage of heritage building skills...

03, 2010 June:

Lack of green leaves Brits blue

A quarter of Brits could be putting their wellbeing at risk by failing to spend enough time in the "right kind" of outdoor space or garden, according to a review of research by leading woodcare manufacturer, Ronseal, and prominent psychologist, Professor Geoff Beattie...

27, 2010 May:

Revamp your home this bank holiday

If pre-summer cleaning is on your agenda this long weekend then here are some top tips from the de-cluttering experts Access Self Storage, on where and how to get started...

Get that grant! Renovate your derelict pad

No Use Empty, the initiative which is helping to bring empty properties in Kent back into use, has approved a further £2.2 million interest free loans in the last year to home owners across the County. These loans will help the owners to renovate new family homes across Kent including Dover, Thanet, Dartford, Shepway and Sevenoaks. No Use Empty has smashed its target with almost 40 interest-free loans awarded in the last financial year...

20, 2010 May:

Lisbon palace to restore

A forgotten 18th century mansion in the heart of the Portuguese capital has been launched on the market...

18, 2010 May:

Self-build & home improvement on the up

Interest in both self build and home improvement continues to grow, according to a recent survey from The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show...

27, 2010 April:

The year of the home improvement

Election uncertainty and talk of a double dip in the economy has done nothing to suppress the optimism of British home owners - according to a GB wide YouGov survey carried out this month, almost half of those homeowners surveyed revealed they are planning home investments in 2010, specifically seeking to add value to their homes...

17, 2010 March:

Window scrappage scheme ‘misconceived'

Heritage bodies are urging Chancellor Alistair Darling to resist a misconceived incentive campaign promoted by the glass industry that could put thousands of historic windows at risk and place homeowners on the wrong side of the law.

18, 2010 February:

Cold snap to cost homeowners £343m

Brrrrrrr, Blighty - The Met Office is warning of more cold weather to come and it looks like the plunging temperatures will freeze our bank accounts too - new research has revealed that repair bills will exceed £343 million with approximately one million households suffering costly home emergencies as a result of the wintery weather conditions...

12, 2010 February:

The Great British clean-up

Houseproud Brits spend almost two years of their lifetime cleaning their homes, a startling new study has revealed...

08, 2010 February:

Renting out land for allotments

Private landowners are being urged to let out their unused land to those keen on running allotments...

05, 2010 February:

How does your garden snow?

Snow isn't too detrimental to plants underground, although the trees may suffer from the weight...

03, 2010 February:

Mortgage aimed at renovating properties

A new mortgage product aimed at investors looking to purchase or refinance properties in need of refurbishment has been launched exclusively by Mortgages for Business...

13, 2010 January:

Restoration of the Century

Country Life invites nominations for an exiting new competition to discover the finest restoration of the noughties...

21, 2009 December:

Colour of the Decade

Every decade has a colour that defines the era in terms of interior styling and the Noughties were no exception. As the decade comes to a close, Crown has revealed the paint colour that has proved the most popular over the past ten years, is Chocolate Comtesse...

03, 2009 December:

Directory to help avoid DIY disasters

If you are desperate to get that half-done kitchen finished by Christmas - don't despair - help is at hand for all you disheartened DIY enthusiasts, with the launch of a brand new Local Tradesman tool, enabling homeowners to easily find reliable plumbers, electricians and other tradesmen operating in their local area, just by entering their postcode online...

25, 2009 November:

Renovation, renovation, renovation

More than two thirds (70 per cent) of London's homeowners are planning to upgrade their properties in the next year, according to a recent poll conducted by the property maintenance and refurbishment firm, Aspect Maintenance, www.allaspectsltd.co.uk...

12, 2009 October:

See restoration in action

One of Caravaggio's masterpieces, the Adoration of the Shepherds, will be restored in one of the rooms of Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, where the Italian Chamber of Deputies meets, and in an unusual first for such project, the whole restoration process will be open to the public...

15, 2009 September:

Snooper's handbook

If you have just proudly added an en suite bathroom to your house or laid a tiled floor in your conservatory, then beware - as part of secret plans for a council tax hike on the middle classes, inspectors have been armed with a new 'snoopers handbook' to ensure that no home improvement - however discreet --escapes their scrutiny...

07, 2009 August:

Canada renovation credit

Homeowners are being encouraged to utilise Canada's proposed Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) if they plan to make renovations to their homes in the next six months...

06, 2009 August:

The curse of history

It's a favourite venue for over-the-top celebrity weddings but now Highclere Castle in Hampshire is heading the same way as many of those marriages - downhill, and without desperately needed funding, the stunning property will fall victim to the damp and rot that is already ruining much of it...

05, 2009 August:

Focusing on DIY

Focus DIY is thought to be planning to unveil a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) of 38 non-trading stores this week...

10, 2009 July:

The vertical vegetable

For many of us city dwellers, the extent of our outdoor space is a small window box perched precariously on a ledge - but now National Trust has launched a new initiative to challenge urbanites to transform their window sills into beautiful, tasty vegetable gardens...

30, 2009 June:

Heart of the home

Opinions are varied when it comes to what the biggest selling point of a new home is - for some, it will be a large garden, a fabulous living space or secluded location, for others it will be proximity to town or work - but now new research has revealed the one most likely to appeal to potential buyers - and it turns out that the kitchen really is the heart of the home...

That sinking feeling

Homeowners are being warned of the danger of subsidence this summer, after the Met Office predicted July and August are set to be warmer and dryer than the average British summer...

26, 2009 June:

24-hour party people

New research has revealed that, far from the hedonistic party animals many people mistake 18-24 year olds for, in fact they are too busy fussing about visitors staining their carpets or spilling drinks in their new kitchen to have the time or the inclination to host a party - in contrast to those aged 65 plus, who are far more open about inviting people into their home and are the true party people...

24, 2009 June:

Plastic plight

UPVC windows and doors are the 21st Century blight and one of my all-time pet-hates - and now new research from English Heritage has found that one in seven of the country's conservation areas at risk because of them - as their special characters and appearances are being eroded by the plastic monsters...

How not to add value

Thinking of selling your property? You don't need to splash out on expensive renovations, just stay practical and functional...

17, 2009 June:

Make weeds work

A simple but brilliant way to get revenge on the weeds in your garden goes back to Roman times...