Looking for a unique property? Check out these unusual abodes 1. Victorian water tower This 130-year-old Grade II-listed Victorian stone water tower has recently been renovated by one of Britain’s leading architects to create a 5,500ft multi-award-winning contemporary home. The wrap-around extension follows the shape of the octagonal tower. Various spaces are arranged relating to their function; to follow t ...

When was the last time you checked your roof for cracks, broken tiles or gutter damage? With April showers inevitable, be prepared. Maintenance is key to ensuring that nothing goes wrong with your roof when the weather gets a bit lively. And it’s not just protection your roof provides – it can help save you money on those energy bills, too. Get to know it If this is the first time you’ve even thought about ...

If space is an issue in your home, look above your head. A loft conversion can add value as well as a new room. Converting your loft will give you another functional room under your roof to play with – whether that is an office, a den for the kids, another bedroom or even an extra bathroom – and free up space downstairs, too. It will almost always add value to your property. According to the 2012 HSBC Home ...

Your garden can be more than just a place that grows flowers. Transform it with a unique addition that adds Outdoor space is an extra area, a room with no walls which you can really put your stamp of personality on, but that has one of its own, too. Once established, it can be left to do its own thing or controlled, trimmed and hoed every hour – it depends on how you want it to look and feel. Once you’ve re ...

Reduce your carbon footprint by recycling and being energy smart. Small changes will help you make big savings… Save energy 1. Say bye to standby Eight per cent of domestic energy in the UK is used by items left on standby. If they were all switched off, you’d save enough energy to decommission an entire power station! Take a good look at all your appliances and gadgets, and start turning them off at night ...

From industrial warehouse to stunning home, this was one renovation project with a huge difference… For internationally acclaimed sculptor Jeff Lowe, renovating a house is more than a plaster-and-paint job – it’s an artistic project in its own right. When Jeff bought a disused industrial building in Forest Hill, south east London, his plan was to transform it into a unique space to live and work in – but th ...

Follow our essential guide to five problems that can seriously damage your property – and learn how to get them sorted! Certain words strike fear into the mind of any homeowner. Woodworm, subsidence, overflowing gutters – all problems no one who owns a house wants to hear, let alone find. But such issues don’t always spell disaster. It pays to know what to look for and what you can do to prevent or treat th ...

Heating beneath the floor revolutionises your home – it’s toasty warm underfoot, yet you can't see a thing. 1. Clever evolution Underfloor heating extends back to Neolithic times. Asians and Alaskan inhabitants used to draft smoke from fires through stone-covered trenches that led to the floors of their underground dwellings. The hot smoke heated the floor stones and then radiated into the living areas. Fro ...

Insulating your home is vital all year round – and it’s not difficult to do. Draught-proofing is quick, easy and one of the cheapest ways to save heat. What’s not to love about insulating your home? It cuts your fuel bills and reduces your carbon footprint while keeping your property warm – therefore, it should be high up on your list of important priorities. ‘Without insulation, up to a third of the heat y ...

The right windows and doors can transform your house – both inside and out. Make sure yours look the part. The modest door and window: they’re the portals to your home, the way you enter and exit, let light and fresh air in, and yet, do you really pay them the attention they warrant? Windows can transform the appearance of your home from the outside as well as the inside. And when it comes to your front doo ...