whole house remodeling guide Archives

House Renovation

Planning our loft conversion

January 8, 2023

So, after 12 years of thinking about it, we are finally getting a loft conversion done. Yay! It might have taken covid and working from home to give us that final push (or maybe shove). But I am so glad we are taking the plunge.

Planning a loft conversion

Why a loft conversion?

To put it bluntly, it was far more cost effective for us to build up to create more space, than to move house. We live in an old, average, 3 bedroom Victorian house in London. You know, one of those long but fairly thin houses with a kitchen

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20/09/2025

House Renovation

Sunlight lofts review – choosing a loft company to build your loft conversion

January 15, 2023

Choosing a loft company to build your loft conversion is a big deal. I mean, a really, really BIG deal. It was probably the most nail-biting moment for me of the whole process, following our fair share of ekkk moments with building works in the past – remember when our floor dropped upstairs? It wasn’t a pretty sight, that’s for sure! So, choosing a loft company was the biggest leap of faith. Here’s how we chose Sunlight lofts to build our loft conversion – which was most definitely the best decision we made!

Choosing a loft company

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11/08/2025

House Renovation

Five Fab Things – 23rd January 2023

January 23, 2023

It’s been a while *I keep saying that don’t I?! – but I’m back with my Five Fab Things post. They are the perfect reminder of all the great things going on, and especially fab for recording unseen stuff happening behind the scenes in the Button house. Here are my Five Fab Things from this week.

Our very own A-Team

You may have spotted that we are having a loft conversion done! Yassss!!!! And, I cannot believe I’m saying this, but the building work has nearly finished… already! The house is a little bit quieter, while the

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31/07/2025

House Renovation

Council takes next step toward major renovation of Springfield’s Historic City Hall

Springfield City Council took a step toward renovating Historic City Hall, with council members giving city staff the green light to start searching for a contractor.

Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2024 and be completed some time in 2026, a city spokesperson told the News-Leader.

The Historic City Hall building was originally constructed in 1891 as the US Customhouse and Post Office. Since then, three additions have increased its size to nearly

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28/07/2025

House Renovation

Here’s How Much Time Bobby Berk Has To Renovate Homes On Queer Eye

Before Bobby Berk and his team renovate the house that week, they look for a massive warehouse to store various furniture and décor they can use throughout the season. When the Fab Five meet with the homeowners, Berk assesses the house and what he and his team need to get done. He has a four-day timeframe — the team meets the homeowners on Tuesday, and Berk needs to finish renovating by Friday, per Netflix’s Tudum.

Luckily, his team got a head start on the project. While Berk is working on the renovation for the week, several of his teammates will

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20/07/2023

House Renovation

What expenses can you deduct when renovating a rental property?

Rental property owners can typically deduct property taxes, insurance, interest, condo fees, repairs, utilities and other related costs. A rental property can even run at a loss allowing the taxpayer to claim deductions against their other sources of income.

Rental properties: Current vs capital expenses

There is a distinction between repairs and renovations for a rental property, Shawn. Repairs are referred to as current expenses, meaning they are deductible in the year incurred. Renovations are capital expenses that cannot be deducted immediately but can reduce your capital gain upon sale.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency:

A current expense is

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14/06/2023

House Renovation

#DreamTeam linky – 28th May 2023

May 28, 2023

Hi everyone, we are back with another round of the #DreamTeam linky! A fab place to share your writing, read what others have been up to, and share a bit of blog love! Come join us…

via GIPHY

I’m really excited to show you our picture book WILD translated into Spanish! It feels very surreal to know that children and grown ups over in Spain will be able to see this on the bookshelves. It’s a bit of a pinch me moment 🙂 *someone pass the cake!

Thank you to everyone who is joining in with

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28/05/2023

House Renovation

The Girl Who LOVES Bugs by Lily Murray – picture book review

May 3, 2023

Hands up who has a little one that LOVES bugs? Me too! From the moment she clapped her eyes on them, that was it. Ladybirds in her hair, snails who somehow managed to come to tea, and little pet woodlice wriggling around in their new ‘leaf houses’.

It’s no surprise that we’ve completely fallen in love with the new picture book, The Girl Who LOVES bugs by Lily Murray. It’s newly published just in time for bug season by Macmillan Children’s Books. Here’s what we thought.

The Girl Who LOVES Bugs by Lily Murray

Synopsis

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08/05/2023