Blog236 posts, 2017 to 2026

The design and build journal.

Every job teaches something. This is where it gets written up. Planning, basements, costs, finishes and the people who build them.

Page 510 pages

More from the archive.

  1. Design and build3 min read

    NU Projects design and build process

    Discover NU Projects’ design and build process from concept to completion for premium residential projects. Learn how we ensure quality and accountability.

  2. Construction3 min read

    Why NU Projects is not the cheapest

    Why NU Projects does not price to be the cheapest quote on the table, what a low number usually leaves out, and what that costs later.

  3. Home renovation4 min read

    Renovation companies in London: 10 checks

    Comparing London renovation companies? Use these 10 checks on evidence, responsibility, cost control, programme, quality and aftercare.

  4. Interior design4 min read

    London interior designers: 10 checks

    Choosing a London interior designer? Ten checks on evidence, scope, fees, purchasing, coordination, site involvement and aftercare.

  5. Basements3 min read

    Basement ideas for 2026 in London

    Where London basement design is heading in 2026. Wellness rooms, cinemas, work studios, daylight and lower running costs.

  6. Home renovation3 min read

    Private family estates in London, 2026

    What the owners of private family estates in London ask for in 2026. Privacy, wellness, multi generational living and back of house.

  7. Construction2 min read

    Ten questions for a design and build firm

    Ten things worth asking any contractor before you appoint one, from who prices the drawings to how a change on site gets costed.

  8. Construction2 min read

    What to look for in a construction company

    Seven things to look for in a construction company, from how it communicates to how it records quality, handles change and sources materials.

  9. Interior design2 min read

    Next Day Rooflights and Nick Jeffries

    Nick Jeffries has joined the rooflight manufacturer Next Day Rooflights as a part-owner. What the company makes, and why daylight matters in a build.

  10. Home renovation1 min read

    Renovating a Notting Hill home

    What a Notting Hill renovation involves, from a stucco front to a rear return. The planning, the sequence and the finishes.

  11. Interior design1 min read

    Chelsea luxury interior design firm

    What to look for when choosing an interior design firm in Chelsea. Tailored schemes, premium finishes and the questions to ask first.

  12. Interior design1 min read

    Choosing an interior designer in Kensington

    What to look for in an interior designer in Kensington. Period houses, listed buildings, planning limits and how the work is actually run.

  13. Interior design1 min read

    Choosing an interior designer in Mayfair

    What an interior designer in Mayfair needs to get right. Period architecture, planning limits, and how prime London projects are run day to day.

  14. Basements1 min read

    Basements to roof terraces: adding value

    How basements and roof terraces add space in London’s prime postcodes. Cinemas, wellness suites, outdoor rooms and what they add in value.

  15. Home renovation2 min read

    Eco-friendly renovation in prime London

    What sustainable luxury means in a Mayfair or Belgravia refurbishment. Materials, systems, and why quiet design and low energy now meet.

  16. Design and build1 min read

    Design and build for super prime homes

    Why design and build has become the preferred route on super prime London homes, and what changes when one team carries both halves.

  17. Basements2 min read

    10 questions before building a basement

    Ask these 10 questions before appointing a London basement contractor, covering experience, planning, structure, waterproofing, cost and aftercare.

  18. Home renovation5 min read

    London building costs per square metre

    Compare 2026 London building costs per sq m for extensions, lofts, renovations, basements, new builds and prime specifications.

  19. Home renovation1 min read

    From churches to homes: London conversions

    Turning churches, chapels and industrial buildings into homes. How vaulted ceilings, stained glass and brickwork are kept in a modern scheme.

  20. Home renovation2 min read

    Sustainable luxury in London’s prime areas

    How an eco-minded renovation works in a prime London house. Insulation and glazing first, then heat pumps, low-carbon materials and water.

  21. Home renovation1 min read

    Notting Hill home renovations by NU

    What a home renovation with NU Projects covers in Notting Hill. Whole house work, period property, interiors, kitchens and structural change.

  22. Interior design2 min read

    Luxury interior brands for prime London homes

    Twenty interior brands we specify in prime London homes. Furniture, bespoke kitchens, lighting and stone, and what each one is known for.

  23. Basements3 min read

    Digging a basement in Kensington and Chelsea

    What Kensington and Chelsea allows under a house. Policy CL7, one storey, half the garden, and the traffic plan every application needs.

  24. Basements2 min read

    3 reasons to dig a basement in London

    Three reasons to dig a basement under a London home. How it gains space without losing the garden, and what it does for value.

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