I was really excited about finding an architect to work with us on our cottage renovation/extension...I found 3 via local ones via online searches, I just didn't gel with any of them. I decided against them all! You work with them for a long sometimes fairly stressful time so not only do you need to like what they do but you also need to get on with them! I asked then asked previous clients and found my gut reactions were correct...I should have got recommendations first. I eventually found a renovation I loved so contacted the owner and found a great architects who was highly recommended. We actually ended up demolishing and are just starting a new build so we have worked with the same architect for 2 years now!

hi, I think it all comes down to the standard of finishes required. the basics first fix on electrics, heating, plumbing are quite standard, but it is the second fix items that can ramp up your costs. a kitchen can be installed for around 10k, if you are savvy, so you do need to ensure you have a good idea on what you want for finishes. get the place waterproof first, so attention on roof, windows, make sure your ground floor is dry and you have a good base to avoid ripping things out later. get a good local builder rather than a fancy builder that Is a management based company with higher overheads. make sure you review work they have completed. many builders are good at starting, but lack the commitment to finish jobs on budget.. it is a good idea to have an idea of what you want at the outset, so spend some time listing out the works or engage a surveyor to write a specification for you to have priced. stick to that and hopefully you will get a good job and value for money on the project. if you are about to purchase the house then you are probably wise to pay for a full survey with a cost plan to allow you to check the refurb costs with the current valuation figure. if you are intending on living in th house for a while the expenditure on refurb will be recouped in the growth on the investment over a number of years. best Rowland

An experienced plasterer would know how to plaster a damp wall. There are various techniques and even different types of additives that can make the plaster damp resistant. He probably isn't that experienced yet, and probably hasn't worked on an old house. Old houses rarely get damp unless there's a fault. Rectifying the fault is usually enough to stop the damp. The most common is leaking gutters and blocked air vents.

You do not necessarily have to fully bed all the patio slabs. Ours have a sort of dot and dab underneath. Very annoying when you accidentally drive over them as it causes cracking. There are so many ways to do this. I think I would over order the cement,sand and any other materials just using square meterage and then allow 10% extra for waste and learning how to mix it properly. Don't feel massively pressured by the time frame. Its more pressure you don't need the first time. Do it properly and just do as much as you can in your timeframe. The weather might not play ball either. Just try and stop in a logical sequence if you need to. Think about access. Think about logistics too to make it as easy for you as possible. Paving slabs will be heavy so you don't want to have to carry them too far for instance. I have found Travis Perkins to be very helpful with materials in the past.