RenovationNotes

The library

All 678 notes

Every note on the site, grouped by topic, or jump into a topic page for the curated view with pillar notes first. Stuck on a term? Try the renovation glossary.

Getting Started

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How to plan, sequence and budget a renovation from scratch: what to decide first, what order the work goes in, and where first-timers lose money.

Costs & Budgeting

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What things actually cost in the UK in 2026, and how to budget for them: per-square-metre rates, day rates, and worked examples to price against.

Planning & Permissions

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Planning permission, permitted development and building regulations: what needs consent, what does not, and the limits that decide which you are in.

Structural

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Load-bearing walls, steel beams and when you need a structural engineer: how spans are sized, what building control wants to see, and what it costs.

Managing the Project

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Finding trades, contracts, sequencing and running the build: how to brief a job, what to put in writing, and how to stop a programme slipping.

Loft Storage

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Boarding, insulation, ladders and getting usable storage from your loft, without crushing the insulation underneath or overloading ceiling joists.

Loft Conversions

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Types, costs, design and planning permission for converting your loft: Velux, dormer, hip-to-gable and mansard, and the head height each one needs.

Extensions

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Single and double-storey, side-return and wrap-around extensions: what each costs per square metre, how long they take, and which need permission.

Roofs & Roofing

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Roof types, materials, replacement costs and repairs: pitched and flat, when a roof needs stripping rather than patching, and what a re-roof costs.

Kitchens

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Costs, layouts, units, worktops and ideas for kitchen projects: what a fitted kitchen runs to in 2026, and where the money in one actually goes.

Bathrooms

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Costs, layouts, showers, suites and ideas for bathroom projects: what a full refit costs in 2026, and the regulations that shape a small wet room.

Renovation Essentials

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Damp, rewiring, plastering, heating, flooring and the fabric of your home: the unglamorous work that decides whether everything else lasts.

Outdoor & Conversions

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Garden rooms, garage and basement conversions and driveways: what each costs, which need planning permission, and the drainage rules for hard surfaces.

Foundations & Groundworks

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Concrete, rebar, sub-base and damp-proofing for foundations and ground floors: mixes, depths, and the build-ups that pass building control.

Brick, Block & Mortar

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Bricks, blocks, mortar, wall ties and lintels: what to specify for a cavity wall, how mortar mixes are graded, and what each costs per square metre.

Steel & Structural Timber

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Steel beams, structural timber, joists and engineered beams: how each is sized, what spans they reach, and what they cost supplied and fitted.

Floors & Screeds

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Floor build-ups, screeds and decking materials: what goes into a floor from the ground up, screed depths and drying times, and what each layer costs.

Roofing Materials

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Tiles, slate, membranes, battens and flat-roof systems: what each one covers, the pitches they need, and how long they last on a British roof.

Insulation & Membranes

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Insulation materials and the membranes that go with them: lambda values, the depth each needs to hit a U-value, and where vapour control belongs.

Cladding & Render

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Render, timber, fibre-cement and brick-slip facades: what each costs per square metre, how they weather, and the fire rules above certain heights.

Windows, Doors & Glazing

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Window and door materials and glazing performance: uPVC, timber, aluminium and steel compared on cost and U-value, and what Part L now asks for.

Merchants & Buying

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Builders' merchants, trade accounts, trade prices and where to buy materials: who is cheapest for what, and how to get trade rates without a trade.

Materials – Interior

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Skirting, internal doors, staircases, plasterboard and interior fittings: profiles, sizes and prices, and the rules a staircase has to be built to.

Heating, Plumbing & Electrics

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Radiators, extractor fans, consumer units, pipes and ventilation: how each is sized, who is allowed to fit it, and what the work costs in 2026.

Trades & Professionals

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Surveyors, builders, contracts, quotes and managing the team: what each trade charges, how to read a quote, and the checks to make before you sign.

Heating, Energy & Eco

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Boilers, heat pumps, solar, EPCs, insulation grants and running costs: what each system costs to fit and to run, and which grants are still open.

Garden & Landscaping

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Patios, decking, fencing, drainage, driveways and garden buildings: prices per square metre, what needs permission, and how to drain a hard surface.

Rooms & Spaces

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Home offices, utilities, ensuites and room-by-room ideas: what each conversion costs, the services it needs, and how to fit one into the house you have.

Flooring

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Laminate, LVT, engineered wood, carpet, tiles and underlay: what each costs supplied and fitted, how long it lasts, and which suit underfloor heating.

Decorating & Paint

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Paint, wallpaper, panelling and decorating costs: how much paint a room takes, what a decorator charges a day, and the prep that decides the finish.

Repairs & Problems

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Damp, cracks, mould, leaks and common house problems: how to tell what you are looking at, what it costs to put right, and when it needs a specialist.

How-To & DIY

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Step-by-step DIY guides for common home jobs: the tools and materials each one takes, how long it should take, and when to pay somebody instead.