How much is an interior designer? In the UK, there has long been an assumption that interior design services are only for the super wealthy, who own large country piles or multi-million pound town houses. However, through websites like Design for Me, affordable interior design has become more accessible to the masses. It’s now much more… Read more »
Can you build a house in your garden? If you have a large garden (or driveway in fact) that’s accessible directly from the road, it can provide a fantastic development opportunity to build a house on your land. The advantages of this approach to a self-building are potentially huge: It could significantly increase the total value of… Read more »
This week, I have been mostly designing… a rear extension! As this is rather a common project on Design for Me, I thought I’d share some of my research. The brief was quite simple. It involved extending the living room to create a dining area (the client’s current dining table is too small for a family… Read more »
If you live in a period property it’s likely that you will have a number of fireplaces around your home. With modern heating, it’s unlikely that you’d want to bring them all back to life, but it can be a fantastic focal point in a living area and provides some extra cosiness on a cold… Read more »
This is a simple and concise guide to understanding VAT on house conversions. Please note that there is different guidance in relation to new builds. Be aware that all projects are unique and some projects will not be eligible for tax reductions – please consult with your architect / quantity surveyor in relation to your… Read more »
Cut your extension costs – tips from the experts In another recent article, we looked at prices for real-life house extensions, provided by architects on Design for Me, and gave a cost per square metre rate as guidance for your project: Renovation and extension cost per square metre A great design professional can be worth their weight in gold; they… Read more »
Does your garden need a complete overhaul before summer starts? With Spring around the corner, now is the time to start planning! But how much does a garden makeover cost? What can you achieve for your budget? 0-2000k DIY, turf, perennials, trees & gravel? The staple for most gardens is of course a… Read more »
Where can I find an affordable architect? If you’ve started planning your home renovation or building project, one of the first things to do is find your architect. Many homeowners find that they come across architecture firms with beautiful websites featuring fabulous projects worthy of a home magazine feature. But if your first thought is, ‘My budget… Read more »
A wraparound extension (a combined side and rear extension) can cost anywhere between £2,000–£3900+ per square metre to build, based on figures reported by residential architects and designers on Design for Me in 2022. COSTS PER SQUARE METRE We asked our community of residential architects and design professionals for their experience of domestic projects and how they… Read more »
The title ‘interior architect’ is used frequently in the architecture/design industry, even though it isn’t a title that is officially recognised or regulated. It’s usually adopted by either: a qualified architect who specialises or works only with the interior elements of construction, or an interior designer who is also a qualified architect. The title of… Read more »
