This week we chat to builders Sian and James who share their inspiring journey from purchasing their first terrace home to transforming a 1930s semi detached for their growing family. They share their insights and tips for navigating renovations efficiently, including the importance of budgeting, phasing projects, and working with trusted builders.…

This week we chat with Lorna about her home renovation alongside her architect husband James. She reflects on how her experience running an estate agency has influenced their renovation approach. And as they prepare for yet another renovation project with two young children in tow, Lorna provides insights into the key aspects of creating a valuable…

In this episode we chat with Gemma, a furniture, interior and spatial designer who created her own family home on a budget. We discussed the joys of creating a practical home fit for family life and the art of using good design to elevate off the shelf items, as well as cost effective solutions to create something special. Gemma shares her practica…

This week we dive into the world of sustainable home renovation with our guest Tishna. Motivated by her daughter's health needs, Tishna embarked on an in depth exploration of eco friendly and natural materials for her loft extension. However, she faced significant challenges in convincing her team to engage in using them. __________________________…

This week, we talked to Kat, whose renovation started from a developer finished home. Kat shares her gradual process of transforming it into her dream space, and the particular challenges encountered working with her contractor to get those design details right and achieve the considered look she was after. See Kat's project photos at homenotes.co/…

In this bonus episode, Amy and Jane round up their key takeaways and top tips shared by the renovators in our fifth series of the Stories from Site podcast. They discuss the common themes that emerged, including the different ways of phasing your project, the essential preparation that every project needs and the different timescales involved. ____…

This week we talk with Isabelle who shares her experience working with an interior designer to renovate her London flat. We discuss the importance of creating a warm and inviting home, the vision for the space, and how her interior designer helped bring it all together. Find Topology Interiors at https://www.topologyinteriors.com/ Quote HOMENOTES a…

This week we talk with Jamila, who shares her experience of renovating her home in Yorkshire, room by room. We discuss her negotiation strategies with suppliers, how she worked with her husband as a team, and how visual references and detailed communication helped in getting what she wanted from contractors. Find Jamila on instagram @prosecco_lifes…

This week we chat with Lou about her experience renovating an Edwardian villa. She has rolled up her sleeves, learned trades on the fly, and brought her tired house back to life. We'll discuss how she tackled the project, restored original features, and let her home guide the process of creating cozy and inviting spaces. Plus, Lou shares the satisf…

This week we talk to Ella, who’s need for a quick turnaround led her to work with a design and build company to create a loft extension for her home. We discuss the hurdles she went through to get to the finish line and the pros and cons of the renovation route she chose to take. __________________________________ This podcast is sponsored by Plyke…

This week we talk to Lee, founder of Bert and May tiles about his latest home renovation. We discuss his approach to creating ‘timeless’ interiors, the art of slow renovating to create a space rich in layers and materiality, plus the environmental need to consider our purchases and avoid renovation waste. __________________________________ This pod…

This week we chat to Jen, as she shares her journey of climbing the housing ladder, one renovation project at a time. We talk to her about upgrading her skills over multiple renovations and the dangers of taking on more than you can handle. Plus the benefits of having a large Instagram following cheering her on. Check out Jen on Instagram @thehouse…

In this bonus episode, Amy and Jane round up their key takeaways and top tips shared by the renovators in our fourth series of the Stories from Site podcast. They discuss the common themes that emerged, including creating a vision for your project, making sure it meets the needs of your household now and in the future, the emotions of having to adj…

This week we chat with Lauren, a first-time renovator whose partner's electrician skills are coming in handy as they tackle updating their 1970s home. As we catch up with her midway through her renovation journey, having just completed the kitchen extension and gearing up for the rest of her home, Lauren reflects on the accomplishments achieved so …

In this inspiring episode, we delve into the remarkable self-build journey of Ade, an architectural designer and project manager, who transformed a dilapidated barn into a dream home for his family in the picturesque Kent countryside. We discuss his drive to uncover hidden opportunities, his commitment to maintaining the highest standards throughou…

In this episode, we sit down with Bo Fetum, an experienced interior designer who had to make some tough decisions when faced with skyrocketing renovation costs. She shares her insights on how to pivot a project successfully and create beautiful, engaging spaces without breaking the bank. Check out Bo Fetum's Instagram account @bo.fentum.design ____…

This week we talk to Gemma who renovated an old school building on Anglesey whilst living in Manchester. We talk to her about managing a remote renovation, the pros and cons of working directly with a larger contractor, and the differences in renovating a holiday home as a business. You can stay in Gemma's renovation - check out her listing at http…

In this episode, we talked to Barbara about the journey of falling in love with a fixer-upper home, as well as the challenges of handling costs in a labour-only building contract, and the joys of undertaking DIY projects during maternity leave. Check out Barbara's panelling in action on Instagram and TikTok @thebabshouse. __________________________…

This week we talk to Claire and Dan who renovated a 1950’s bungalow in Poole. With construction costs rising, they reduced the scope of their project, lived on site through the build and managed the project themselves - hiring the different trades they needed on day rates. We discuss their ambition to keep the process a positive one, and how they o…

In this bonus episode, Amy and Jane round up their key takeaways and top tips shared by the renovators in our third series of the Stories from Site podcast. They discuss the common themes that emerged, such as tight budgets and the need for inventive solutions to make renovations affordable. And share their top tips from the series, including the u…

This week we speak to Camilla whose renovation journey started during lockdown when she and her husband realised they needed more space for their growing family. After an initial dream of finding a period property, they fell in love with a 1960s property which needed a complete renovation. We talk to her about envisioning her finished project, and …

This week we talk to ‘Don’t Move Improve’ winner Nic who, together with his partner, self-built a garden studio and extension to their 1 bedroom flat. We talk to him about his decision to take on a self-build project, the process they went through and what he would do differently next time. You can see more of Nic's project on his website https://n…

This week we talk to Tamzin who explains why, after renovating previous properties, she chose not to take on a big renovation for her current home. We discuss the joy of getting creative in your home, being savvy with up-cycling interiors and her process of turning a blank canvas into something special. You can find Tamzin's project on Instagram @a…

This week we talk to Hannah who is mid-way through renovating her thatched cottage in the countryside. We discuss the downsides of renovating an old property. The difficulties of finding contractors and how she manages the logistics of DIY renovating around life and kids. You can see Hannah's project and work in progress on her website here and on …

A serendipitous chain of events led Siobhan and Joe to quickly move from a finished flat straight into a building site with development potential. Over the next 6 years, they worked together in their spare time to renovate a ’60s house and build a new property in the adjacent garden plot. Joe, who is an architect by trade used his skills to input i…

This week we talked to Sharn about DIY renovating her Victorian property room by room. We discuss how both her and her partner skilled themselves up and the process of managing a project in multiple stages. Plus the power of making renovation transparent and accessible through social media. You can find Sharn and her project here on Instagram and T…

In this bonus episode, Amy and Jane round up their key takeaways and top tips shared by the renovators in our second series of the Stories from Site podcast. __________________________________ This podcast is sponsored by Plykea; Website: https://www.plykea.com/ Instagram: @plykeakitchens __________________________________ Stories from Site is brou…

This week we talk with Temi and Eugene about their process of creating the perfect home to suit their family life both now and in the future. In this episode, packed with top tips, they share their method of meticulous research and planning, how they knew their contractor was the one, and how great communication, both between themselves and with th…

We're so glad to share this story with you this week as it's one that we were involved with and means a lot to us personally. We talked with Alex, a client from the early years of our architecture practice, who despite undertaking a lot of preparation work to ensure the project ran smoothly, faced their contractors becoming insolvent, just six week…

This week we chat with Christian and Faye, an architect and garden designer who became each other's clients when they decided to renovate a studio flat with a generous garden. Using their own professional skills. The two project managed the works, and got hands-on in the build to reduce costs. The project became a case study on how to retrofit a sm…

This week we talked with Jess, whose renovation of her one-bedroom garden flat became a springboard for her creative studio, King Celia Studio. Having found that she either didn't have the budget for or couldn't find the interior fittings she wanted, Jess said about making them herself. The result is a playful and considered space. We talk with her…

This week we talked to Stewart, who together with his wife Fiona, relocated to make a home in which to enjoy their retirement. When they reached out to Paul and Alan of HEM Architects, it was then that their real retrofit journey began. In this episode, we talk about Stewart's role in the project. The benefits of living in a home with a properly de…

This week we talked to Katie who started a loft extension of her Victorian terrace house, only for her main contractor to disappear after taking her roof off, leaving her exposed to the winter weather. With the help of a stellar team of carpenters who stepped up to complete the project, Katie took up the lead in the renovation to ensure the vision …

In this bonus episode, Amy and Jane round up their takeaways and lessons leant from the first-ever series of Stories from Site. __________________________________ This podcast is sponsored by Plykea; Website: https://www.plykea.com/ Instagram: @plykeakitchens __________________________________ Stories from Site is brought to you by HomeNotes; Check…

This week we're talking to Sandra, who renovated a forever home for her retirement after downsizing. Sandra had a really clear vision for the space she wanted to create and used her professional skills coupled with some additional training to create a stylish and sociable home for this next stage in her life. In our chat, she shares her strategies …

This week we chat with Jess, who along with her partner Darius embarked on an 18-month process of completing the interior of their project themselves. What started out as a necessity due to budget constraints became an expression of Jess's passion for interiors and design showing if you can't get someone to do it for you, then you can do it for you…

In this week's episode, we talked to Elesa and Steve who found a rundown house that needed a complete back-to-brick renovation. We chat about how they successfully pieced together a range of professionals to offer advice where needed and benefited from a great match with their contractor who was there to guide them through the process. But maybe it…

Today we're chatting to Lydia about the extension and renovation of her one bedroom flat in London. Lydia is an architect and ceramicist with her own practice Fettle Studio. Together with her partner architect, Dan Ruddick, they wanted to wholeheartedly get involved in the build process. The pair arranged with their contractors to self-finish their…

We recently caught up with Nick and Dawn past clients of ours and reflected back on the project we did together. With some experience in construction project management, they took on the role of being the main contractor and employed separate trades to help them complete the works, all while juggling full-time jobs and having a baby. We talk to the…

This week we talked to Kirsty whose site work started just as lockdown number three came into force. We talked to her about managing a project while homeschooling and working, the fundamentals of communication and personal relations on-site, and what happens when you part ways with your builder. __________________________________ This podcast is sp…

We're Jane and Amy and we can't wait to share the 'Stories from Site' podcast with you. Each week we’ll be chatting with a different home renovator, to peek behind the curtains of those insta-worthy interiors to bring you the REAL processes they went through to make their dream homes a reality. What worked well for them? What went completely wrong?…