Blog

One of the keys to a successful project is the ability to forward plan. Through the posts on Multi Generational Living Spaces I will use real examples to help show you how.. Forward planning comes in everywhere and done well it can save you time, money and improve the quality of what you build. Even the idea of thinking about extending your living space is […]

No 1 respect each others private space. Living in close proximity after a long time can be quite a challenge. Having separate front doors, if logistically possible can be symbolic in maintaining a sense of personnel space. No2 Discuss finances. If an adult child is financing the house, their parent can feel beholden. Equally if the parent has contributed to a bigger hop use their […]

The reason for writing this post is that although I have previously said our project is complete, I kind of thought it was, looking around our house I realise that although the really big stuff is completed, there are lots of smaller jobs still to be done. These small jobs mean all sorts of things but include the following: There is still money to be spent. […]

If you are wondering how you are going to finance your annex build they there appears to be a new way. I have just been reading about the new lending trend of mortgages taken out by parents which can be passed onto their children. Seems like a way to finance the building of a granny annex or living space extension where funds are required. The […]

Recording information is important when working on your house for lots of reasons and it is an idea to get into the habit of it before, during and after you have finished the build. The way I found to do this was to keep a diary from the moment I got the first idea about the project, it started as a bit of an accident […]

In the early days when you are thinking about extending or altering your home in some way, it is very advisable if not essential to have a drawing, sketch or layout of your proposed idea or what you are considering building. In the first instance it does not have to be a professional one. Now much depends on your skills on the drawing board but […]

Whatever work you do keep the receipts… I have had two things go wrong recently a tap and a shower valve and both items came with a 5 year guarantee – if you can prove when you purchased them? Eventually I found these documents but it took a while, it would have been so much easier to have scanned them in when I paid for […]

Mistakes are very easy to make when extending or altering your home. If you get things wrong, putting it right can be expensive and time consuming and can cause all sorts of knock on effects to other areas of your project. To minimise the risk of such problems always: Have a clear plan in your head what you are setting out to achieve. Try to […]

This is a good topic to raise early on between everybody because there is a lot of upheaval during alteration works. Although different people have very different habits, from no sentiment through to people I have known who have filled their loft space, all their cupboards and garage with stuff, it is something worth looking into early to see the size of the problem [if […]

Who are the people who use my services, well what follows below is an example of some of the people that I have helped. Their names are made up but are based on real people. Troubled Trevor He is a married family man with young children and  wife who works part time to help with the bills and keep the family together. He has got […]