Real Life Architecture
Free Guide for Home Buyers in the UK
My name is Níall. I've worked as an Architect in the UK since 2004 and set up my own practice in Edinburgh back in 2009.
In 2021 I started Real Life Architecture, making content about the reality of altering, extending, buying and building homes in the UK. The channel has grown to over 100,000 followers across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Through this work, I now run an online consultation service that has helped hundreds of people at the very start of their construction journey — and the most popular consultation I offer is for buyers, before they commit to a property.
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This free guide contains the lessons I have learned over the years. I have worked with and advised hundreds of homebuyers; this guide contains the basics everyone should know before buying a home that needs work done.
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What's in the Guide?
This guide is for anyone buying a home in the UK that needs work —its in the right location, but the property is not ideal. Maybe it's too small, the internal layout does not flow or the building is old and needs renovating.
This guide is not legal or financial advice on the buying process itself. It is a guide to the architectural questions you should be asking before you commit to a property.
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It's split into three parts:
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How to research a property before you offer
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How to handle surveys
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Practical things every buyer should know.
How to plan the buying proccess
What isn't in the Guide
The purpose of the guide is to explain the initial steps you can do to gather important information and how to organise and understand an RICS survey.
The house guide does not contain detailed advice on design, construction costs or specific planning guidance and building regulation requirements. If you need this level of advice then an online consultation is best.