Sarah Handley

1 week ago | idealhome.co.uk | Sarah Handley

The idea of renovating a house can be completely daunting, and no wonder. It probably conjures visions of plaster being ripped off walls, holes in ceilings and piles of rubble everywhere you look. That said, not every renovation has to be done on that scale, and it's more than ok to start with some smaller renovation trends. Even though I've written about varying aspects of large scale renovations for more than a decade, I never really thought of myself as a renovator.

2 weeks ago | idealhome.co.uk | Sarah Handley

If you're extending your home for the first time, then an extension planner, like this one, will be essential. Not only will it provide clarity and allow you to anticipate what's coming up and when, but it can also help you to spot and dodge issues that could cause costly delays. This extension planner breaks down what you can expect week by week when building an extension.

2 weeks ago | idealhome.co.uk | Sarah Handley

Planning major changes to your home, like doing a loft conversion, can raise concerns with those who live nearby, especially if it could impact their home. But can a neighbour actually stop you from converting your loft? There'll be a lot to consider when you plan a loft conversion and that last thing you want is for your home improvement plans to sour relations with your neighbours. But what can you do if they don't appear to be on board with your loft conversion ideas?

3 weeks ago | idealhome.co.uk | Sarah Handley

If you find yourself dreaming of extra living space, converting your loft might be the answer. But for many homeowners, when you get into the nitty gritty of planning a loft conversion, reality sets in. You realise that your loft is actually prime storage space for all that stuff that you haven't really got space for anywhere else. So where on earth are you going to put it?

3 weeks ago | idealhome.co.uk | Sarah Handley

It is a truth universally acknowledged that taking on smaller jobs yourself when renovating a house is key to keeping costs down. While most people tackling a fixer-upper want to renovate on a budget, saving money by DIYing certain jobs might seem like a good idea in theory, but in practice, turn out to be harder or more extensive than originally thought.