All Advice Articles

Case study: A modern ground floor kitchen extension for a growing family

Resi was recently approached to design a ground floor wraparound extension for a detached home in Dartford. Lee wanted to maximise the value of his...

Case study: Alex's side return

As with hassle.com, Resi began in response to a real world frustration. In 2016, I embarked on a 2.5m x 9m side extension on my maisonette in Sou...

Conservatory vs. Orangery

## What came first, the Conservatory or the Orangery? Because the chicken and the egg are so 2017. Officially, the orangery came first, originati...

Should I get bi-fold doors?

Bi-fold doors are a popular choice, both for patio or garden access, or to separate a living room or kitchen from a conservatory. Wherever you pu...

What types of construction drawings do I need for my building project?

Whether you’re planning a house extension, loft conversion or new build, you always need to begin with a set of architectural floor plans. A good...

What types of floor plans should I commission?

If you’re thinking about extending or converting your home, the best place to start is with a set of floor plans. In fact, you can’t build without ...

What are building regulations and do you need them?

You’ve got your plans approved, so what happens next? More paperwork - hurray! However much you may want to zoom past the ‘boring bits’, and get s...

Where are all the residential architects?

Every architect wants to build a skyscraper. They’re towering, iconic and - if designed badly - can destroy a car (remember this...?). In fact, ov...

How well do you understand architectural jargon?

Here at [Resi](https://resi.co.uk/) our mission is to provide you with no-nonsense design and planning advice. Think of us as your personal guide t...

Who are Resi?

We’re the UK's first online architectural service. From extensions to refurbishments, we’re making it easy to remodel your home. ## High quality, ...

How to choose internal flooring for your extension

Internal flooring might feel like a finishing touch for your house extension or loft conversion, but it’s worth starting to think about it early in...

Do you know the cost of glazing?

Put simply, double glazing involves two panes of glass separated by a vacuum or inert gas (What’s that, you ask? Check our handy glossary for compl...

The pros and cons of hardwood floors

If you’re thinking of installing hardwood floors in your new conversion or extension, there are a few elements you need to consider. Hardwood floor...

How much does a garage conversion cost?

Let’s face it, a garage is supposed to be for cars, but they often end up being a place for junk. If you’re guilty of using your garage more for st...

Five benefits of using an architect

You’re looking at expanding or converting your home, and you find yourself thinking: do I even need an architect? Afterall, aren’t they just for fa...

How much does a kitchen extension cost?

Often referred to as the heart of the home, it’s no wonder [kitchen extensions](https://resi.co.uk/advice/design-and-inspiration/kitchen-renovatio...

What percentage of construction cost do architects charge

Clients could expect to pay architects around 7-10% of the construction cost from their project. Architects' fees can be calculated in three ways:...

How much does it cost to build a rear extension?

We know that building an extension can seem daunting at first, not knowing where to start or who to talk to. But once you get the costings of your ...

How much does an orangery cost to build?

Orangeries are having a bit of a moment, after living in the shadows of conservatories for so long. Once built in the 17th and 18th century to hous...

How much does it cost to move house?

Moving house can be expensive. The average house price in the UK is just over £300,000 (rising to £1 million in London), so expect to pay around £2...

How much does it cost to build a house?

If you’ve got the patience, the dedication, and the resources, you might be the kind of person who takes on the challenges of a self-build project....

How much do architects charge?

Second to actually buying your home, an extension will be one of the biggest financial investments you under take. But don’t let that put you off! ...

How to avoid cowboy builders and construction disaster

The UK has long been plagued by cowboy builders, why? Because anyone who wants to be a builder, can be. No qualifications. No licensing. If you cal...

Could you project manage your own home

## What do Project Managers do? A project manager is there to organise the creation of your build, making sure your project is completed on time, ...

Five ways to get the most out of a home show

Home and Interior Design shows are fantastic events for anyone looking into home improvement. However, if you’ve never been to one before, they can...

What is a party wall agreement?

If you’re looking to build and share a wall with your neighbour, this shared boundary is known as the party wall. In order for your project to go a...

What's the difference between freehold and leasehold?

## Freehold As freeholder of a property, you own it outright and that includes the land it’s built on. Generally speaking, most houses are freehol...

What exactly is a maisonette?

Sure, everyone’s heard of a flat, but what about its lesser known cousin, the maisonette? Well, as the linguists among us could probably guess, a m...

How VR can help bring your project to life

Did you know that VR (Virtual Reality) has been around since the 1960s? Back in the day, it consisted of a giant machine called The Sensorama, whic...

Can I add an extension to a listed building?

Living in a listed building is a great privilege, but it can be limiting if you decide you’d like to add more space through a house extension or lo...

Five pitfalls to avoid when extending your home

From whoopie cushions to elaborate stunts from brands, April Fools' is a day where nothing should be taken at face value. But what about the rest o...

What's the best order to build? Top down or ground up?

## Question: We’ve recently purchased a semi-detached terrace house. We know that we’d like to add both a loft conversion and a ground floor exten...

How to build an energy efficient extension

Once the domain of hippies, and guys named Dreadlock Dan, becoming energy efficient is now mainstream - especially for homeowners. Not only does it...

What are the rules on house extensions?

We won’t lie to you, there are quite a few rules when it comes to building an extension. But this doesn’t have to put you off. Like any game, onc...

Do conservatories add value to your house?

The conservatory - it’s a British classic. Despite being a rain drenched, cloudy isle, our eternal optimism for sunshine has made conservatories on...

What’s the difference between a first and second fix?

If you’re planning any kind of house extension or loft conversion, you’ve probably heard someone using the terms "first fix" and "second fix", but ...

5 questions to ask your architect

If you’re thinking of converting or extending your home, you’ll need to start by getting some plans drawn up. From submitting your planning applica...

7 tips to keep house extension costs down

There are only two tips that will always save you money during a building project: don’t cut corners and pay attention. The fact is: there’s no tr...

Start to finish: the timeline for your extension

Full disclosure: there’s no guaranteed timeline for any build project. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was? Building an extension involves a lot of ...

How much does a bathroom add to the value of a house?

__Typically, bathrooms have the potential to add between 4-5% onto your home’s value.__ But this can go up or down, depending on how you execute yo...

How to get freeholder consent for an extension

If you own the freehold of your building, you have the right to carry out any building work that you like on your property (as long as it adheres t...

How much does a side return extension cost?

A side return extension is a great way to increase the size of your kitchen without losing garden space. If you live in London you can expect to pa...

Five home improvements you can do in a month

If you’re a busy person who has unexpectedly found themselves with a quiet month on their hands, you might be considering taking on a little home p...

Choosing the right kitchen worktop

There’s nothing more thrilling than walking into a beautiful new kitchen, so it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular house extensions...

Top 5 interior design trends for 2018

*No one knows interior design like [MyBespokeRoom.com](https://www.mybespokeroom.com/), so we asked them to tell us what trends homeowners can expe...

The best bathroom features to lure in future buyers

So you’re looking to do up your bathroom, or maybe you’re adding in a new one, question is: what’s going to land you the most added value? After al...

Kitchen renovation ideas

If you’re looking for kitchen renovation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve created plans for hundreds of [kitchens](https://resi.co.uk/...

Infographic: 5 Ways To Let Light In

Don't let your home get left in the dark. Our experts have put together these tricks and tips for letting more light into your rooms. Whether you'r...

Designing the ultimate personal haven for Mother's Day

Here are Resi, we’re always challenging ourselves to look at things differently. So on Mother’s Day we asked ourselves: what could architects do to...

Do I need planning permission?

Extending your home is an exciting and potentially value-adding project, but it can also be full of practical and administrative hurdles. From draf...

How to build an annex without planning permission

Very few people get excited about planning, and if you did most of your friends would become very concerned. But [here at Resi](https://resi.co.uk)...

Make the most of the Larger Home Extension Scheme

If you’re planning on building a single storey rear extension under your permitted development rights, you have until 30 May 2019 to take advantage...

How long do you have to implement planning permission

Generally speaking, most planning permission __runs out after three years.__ Meaning, if you haven’t started work by this point, you’ll need to rea...

Reasons why planning permission is refused

Planning permission can be denied if your build is guilty of these offenses: - Your build overshadows a neighbour, causing loss of light - Your bu...

What are permitted development rights?

Permitted development rights are a type of general planning permission granted by Parliament. If your plans fall within certain restrictions, this ...

Do I need planning permission for my flat or maisonette?

Flats and maisonettes do not fall within your permitted development rights, meaning you will have to seek planning permission for changes you want ...

How to improve your chances of a successful planning application

Make sure your project gets the best start in life with our expert tips of achieving planning success… ## Pre-Application Don’t be afraid to sta...

What happens after you've obtained planning permission?

Getting planning permission or a lawful development certificate can take between 8-10 weeks, so it’s good to apply early. However, once you know th...

Why your local authority matters when extending

If you’ve decided to take the plunge into extending your home, there’s someone (or some people) you’re going to have to become very acquainted with...

What happens during the planning process?

Before you start worrying about the colour of your walls or what pictures to hang, you need to make sure that you have permission to go ahead with ...

Five loft conversion ideas for your home

A loft conversion is the perfect way to add space and value to your home, without going down the route of a traditional extension. What’s more, wit...

Do loft conversions add value to your house?

You're ready to make the commitment into expanding your home, and have a lot of space to play with, but which project is right for your home? Like ...

How to do a loft conversion

A [loft conversion](https://resi.co.uk/case_studies/inchmery_road) is a great way to add space and value to your home. Whether you’re angling for a...

Types of loft conversions

There are four main types of [loft conversion](https://resi.co.uk/case_studies/inchmery_road) found in UK homes. A loft conversion can be used as a...

How much does it cost to convert a loft?

Loft conversions are a great way to add space and value to your home, but at what cost? This price will depend on the structure of your roof, the a...