Most people assume that building work on a home in the UK is charged at 20% VAT. And most of the time, they are right. But there are specific circumstances where that drops to 5% and in one case, it drops to zero. Because one of those circumstances involves a very particular type of property and if you know about it before you buy, it could save you a serious amount of money Before I go any further: I am an Architect, not an accountant or tax adviser. Nothing in this video is

Are new homes in the EU better than the UK. Can owners and architects in Britain learn anything from builders and designers in Europe?

I have been demolishing load-bearing walls in my projects for over 20 years. Most of my clients are homeowners in the UK who don't know how a load-bearing wall is taken down and who worry about the consequences. I made a video about the cost of removing a wall in 2024 but in this video, I explain the methods used to do this work. Do not attempt this yourself and always take professional advice as early as possible in any project.

Do you own a home in the UK but it isn't large enough? Do you want to build a two-storey house extension without having to apply for planning permission? Believe it or not, this is possible but I don't think its a good idea.

What to look for when buying an old house in the UK

What it costs to demolish a load bearing wall in the UK in 2024

The top five bad design ideas that could ruin a house extension

Get the best price for a home renovation in the UK by doing the work over winter.

Extending above a garage in the UK can be done but it comes at a cost. Is it worth it?

Will the Labour Party policies on new housing actually make it more expensive to build an extension to your home?

12 steps that will save you money on your house extension project.

I publish a detailed breakdown of how much it cost to build this house extension in 2024

Big news, Real Life Architecture now has a real life office in Edinburgh. This is a co-working space and has a meeting room available by...

Do you need an architect for a house extension?

In this post I want to show you how to create a great bathroom in your home. I'm going to use images from several of my own designs,...

I have been a self-employed Architect in the UK since 2009. In my day job I specialise in designing private homes and I want to show you...

Have you been trying to buy the ideal family home but can't seem to find the right property? Maybe you’ve decided to buy a house, and...

Just a short post to share the news. FeedSpot listed the Real Life Architecture Blog at no. 10 in its Best UK Architecture Blogs and...

So you want to build a house extension in the UK, you’ve never done this before but you've heard somewhere that contractors can do...

Have you been trying to buy the ideal family home but can't seem to find the right property? Maybe you’ve decided to buy a house, and...

Have you ever dreamed about buying a site and building your own home? My name is Níall and Ive been working as an Architect in the UK...

It is one of the biggest questions in Architecture. How do I get more likes on Instagram? No, I'm kidding, what Architects really want to...

A house extension I designed and built in Edinburgh, 2015 Like all construction projects, house extensions have become increasingly expensive over the last few years. Since Covid, inflation in the UK building industry has been running rampant. It’s become so bad that I’ve given up advising clients on what their projects are likely to cost. While most of my projects are high-end and have bigger than average budgets. That does not mean my clients have infinite money. They have

If you own a home in the UK you might be aware of something called permitted development. It's the right to make modest alterations or...