top of page
Real Life Architecture
Search


What It Really Costs to Remove a Load-Bearing Wall in the UK (2026)
Real tendered prices for taking down a load-bearing wall between two rooms in the UK, uplifted to 2026 rates.
Real Life Architecture
Aug 56 min read


How to Pay Less VAT on Home Renovations in the UK
Níall Hedderman · ARB-registered architect · RIBA Chartered Member I've run my own architecture practice in Edinburgh since 2009, specialising in altering, extending and renovating homes. Since 2022 I've given over 340 online consultations to homeowners and buyers across the UK. 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,
Real Life Architecture
May 306 min read


How to Knock a Load-Bearing Wall in the UK
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.
Real Life Architecture
Nov 17, 20258 min read


Buying an Old House in the UK: What to Check Before You Offer
An architect's checks before you offer on an older property — the roof, the planning history, what Street View reveals, and why a survey only tells you half the story.
Real Life Architecture
Feb 15, 202512 min read


Use WINTER to Save Thousands of Pounds Renovating Your Home
Get the best price for a home renovation in the UK by doing the work over winter.
Real Life Architecture
Jun 23, 20247 min read


A Design Guide to Bathrooms
Níall Hedderman · ARB-registered architect · RIBA Chartered Member I've run my own architecture practice in Edinburgh since 2009, specialising in altering, extending and renovating homes. Since 2022 I've given over 340 online consultations to homeowners and buyers across the UK. 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, including this project, as an example. I have been a self-emplo
Real Life Architecture
Nov 12, 20239 min read


Maybe you don't need a house extension
Níall Hedderman · ARB-registered architect · RIBA Chartered Member I've run my own architecture practice in Edinburgh since 2009, specialising in altering, extending and renovating homes. Since 2022 I've given over 340 online consultations to homeowners and buyers across the UK. Find more space by knocking down walls Is your house too small. Do you need more space? Are you thinking about building an extension to solve that problem. Stop, maybe you don't need to build a ho
Real Life Architecture
Jun 1, 20236 min read
bottom of page


