If you plan to do as much of this DIY as possible then you may be best to strip out as much as you can yourselves - wallpaper, back yard ground build up etc then see how things look. Once you've done this you may find it's better or worse than you think but you will have a better idea of the condition of walls etc. and what needs doing. If you can live elsewhere during this work because it's pretty horrible living on a building site. Things to be aware of - if you remove a significant amount of plaster from walls then you should legally improve the thermal performance of the wall by insulating it. Check this with your local building control officer. Damp is not necessarily a result of lack of or damaged damp proof course and could be condensation or some other cause. Get an independent surveyor to check this for you rather than a damp proof company - which may offer to survey and check for free but it will be to their advantage to find a problem, which surprise surprise they can fix at a cost (which will include the cost of surveying). For rewiring get at least three good local electricians to have a look at what you have and quote for a full rewire. You could to start with get your system tested and may find that it doesn't need a full rewire, although it might be the best time to do it now while you're carrying out such a large scale refurbishment. Finally get a structural engineer or surveyor to look at the chimney breast and advise you on removal. It's possibly something you could DIY. If it involves structural work then this is also something you should talk to building control about. If it's on a wall adjoining your neighbours then you should also look at party walls and give them notice - you may both want to jointly employ a party wall surveyor to make sure both your interests are protected and so that you start of your relationship with your new neighbours in a positive way. The last thing you want is to damage your new neighbours wall and start off in dispute with them! If you're planning an extension then look at architects local to you on the pro pages of houzz - they can advise on all of these legal and technical aspects and make sure that any extension works well for you.

Lighting is a very under estimated dimension within a design. It enables you to create several different moods in the same room, shaping your emotional response and adding another texture. Recently we've had lots of interest in the new innovation in smart lighting by Philips so we thought we'd give you the low down on what Hue, personal wireless lighting is all about. In a nutshell Hue is a lighting system which enables you to control your home lights. Whether you are looking to create a specific mood, control the ambience in a room, create a party atmosphere, add an extra dimension to movies, gaming, and music, or enhance your home security, all can be achieved with the power of smart control. The Hue system seems to have limitless possibilities! "Philips Hue is your personal wireless lighting system that lets you easily control your light and create the right ambience for every moment." With a wide product range from starter kits, bulbs, light strips, spots, recessed, lamps, indoor and outdoor, controls and even portables you configure and customise the lighting system to suit your needs. What's more, as the bulbs work with any standard light socket (wall, ceiling or lamp) you won't necessarily need an electrician, keeping you fully in control. The technology enables you to control the lights with the Philips Hue app and third-party apps. You can even connect this lighting system to iPhone/iPad Siri voice controls, your Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit for a truly automated experience. It's even possible to control the timing and action of your lights when you are away from your house managing the security of your home for added peace of mind and to turn on your lights ready for your return. What's what? There are four main components to installing this smart lighting system in your house: Bulbs - choose from the Hue range: E27 (27mm screw), B22 (22mm bayonet), GU10 (spots), E14 (14mm small screw candle) all available in white or colour. All lightbulbs are expected to last approximately 25,000 hours, withstand 50,000 switch on/off actions and have an instant turn on. Bridge - the Philips Hue bridge connects to your home router via a network cable with the lights being controlled via an app. The lights will not work without this! Router - any standard home router with wireless network capabilities will be fine. If you plan to control your lights with a home automation system such as Alexa this will need to be on the same network. Philips Hue App - a free download to set up the connection. With this app you are able to set up lights, name rooms and set controls. Other third-party apps will work with this system however you have to start here first. There are many physical and online shops where you can purchase starter kits and components however a good place to start is the Philips Hue site where prices range from £19.99 for a dimmer switch, £129.99 for an ambient white bulb starter kit through to £499.99 for a ceiling light. A simple search will highlight a range of prices from the best known online stores. Once the bulbs are installed, the bridge attached to the hub and everything connected via the app, then the fun can start! Home Automation If you already have a home automation such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit you can use voice controls to change your lights bringing a little bit of the future to your present day! If it's more than a simple "Alexa switch the lights on" command this may need a little bit of patience to set up. There are lots of online guides to help you a few that we have found useful are: toms guide: How to connect Philips Hue lights to amazon Echo gearbraib: How to control Philips Hue lights by talking to Google Assistant How-To Geek: How to use Siri to control your Philips Hue lights Remember, your home automation system must be on the same router as the bridge to enable it to work. Enhance your music, viewing, movies and gaming! You can add a whole new level and create immersive viewing and gaming where your home lights react to what you are watching. Using the camera on your phone or tablet and a third-party app such as Hue Camera for Philips Hue (Apple), hueDynamic (Windows), or Hue Matcher (Android) and your lights will synchronise to meet the ambience of whatever you are watching. If for instance, you are plunging into the depths of the Indian Ocean with Sir David Attenborough in The Blue Planet your app will choose the right shade of blue to enhance your viewing. What's more, when tension mounts your lights will change to help intensify the moment! It is even possible to control your ambient lighting when viewing off-screen photographs and paintings. Simply download your preferred app, run through the settings, and position your phone or tablet towards the screen or image. If you're having a party or are simply immersing yourself in your sound apps such as Ambify or Hue Disco use algorithms to work seamlessly with your music. You can also create colour themes for different genres. Without delay, working in time with your music your lights will change to the beat of your tunes! With Ambify there is an app for your Mac enabling you to play music via iTunes, Spotify, Tidal or other streaming services through to your speakers. Alternatives Of course the Philips Hue system is not the only one on the market. Popular alternatives include: LIFX IKEA Tradfri - compatible with Philips Hue system MiLight Lighting EVER With price variations for starter kits and components it really is worth doing a little bit of your own research to find a system which best suits your needs. However, in our own research Philips Hue stands head and shoulders above the others and we can't wait to introduce it more into our own designs! "Though myriad alternatives for the Philips Hue exist on the market today, the original product still reigns superior in the smart lighting world. They offer the best compatibility, brightness, and controls." So there you have it, our guide to Philips Hue smart lighting a truly innovative, fun yet highly practical way to light your home! As interior designers we look at the way you live and believe that your home should be a reflection of your personality so why not include a smart lighting system which puts you in control and colour your life. Please see an example of the Philips Hue smart lighting in action in the video below.

hi Alison, it is unlikely that the system can hold back water and over spill to the floor above. it looks to me like the membrane was finished at a high level and not taken further up the wall. As the room is a basement water will travel through brickwork through capillary action and you probably have damp on the wall in the ground floor of the property. unless you have running water going into the basement the system that was installed can work. it is not always necessary to have a full sump system when using the membrane. I'm not sure what the ground floor area at this is like, but it may be you have a problem with rainwater at ground level. check the drainage and ensure that you have water flowing away from the property. possibly add a aco type drain against the front of the house to collect water and run it to a drain. check that you dont have broken gullet, but dont do anything until you have these itnes checked as it is a cheaper solution. if you have to install a sump, you can do this without installing a perimeter drainage and it will still work as the water will find the lowest point. Get a reputable company to look at the work done. it may be better to employ a surveyor to carry out a thorough inspection and report. companies tend to want to opt for their work to replace what could be fixed. I hope this helps!! Rowland

Wherever you decide to put the radiator don’t forget to calculate the BTU’s (British thermal unit) to ensure you purchase the right size radiator for the room. You will find calculators online. All you will need is a tape measure to measure the dimensions of the room. A worthwhile exercise for the whole house before a refurb so that the system works efficiently and economically. Double glazing means the radiator can go anywhere but a window wall is, as someone else said, dead space. My vote is for under the window with a deep window sill or fitted desk to deflect the heat back into the room. Short lined curtains and or thermal blinds would also help to conserve the heat.