Straight talk on planning, budgets and the realities of building. Written by the people on the tools — not a marketing department.
Everyone fixates on the headline build figure. We break down a real £62,000 single-storey extension — foundations to final coat — and show exactly where the money goes, why the cheapest quote almost always grows, and the five contingencies you should budget for before you sign anything.
Read The Full Breakdown →What you can build without full planning permission in 2026 — and the common traps that catch homeowners out before they break ground.
The two workhorse conversions compared on cost, headroom, planning risk and resale value — with a quick way to tell which suits your roof.
Removing a wall sounds simple. Here's how we work out whether it's load-bearing, what a structural engineer adds, and how Building Control signs it off.
Dust, noise, decisions and deliveries — an honest week-by-week account of what to expect, and how a good builder keeps it bearable.
Build-cost calculators give you a comforting round number. Here's why glazing, groundworks and finish level move the figure far more than floor area.
Turn the planning into a project. Book a free site visit and get a fixed-scope quote you can actually rely on.