Self-building to save money is a smart move. Until it isn’t. Some of my clients are now choosing to self-manage their builds to save on costs. I get it – the economy is tough. But ‘going it alone’ shouldn’t mean ‘guessing as you go.’ You can book me by the hour for the ‘ad-hoc’ occasional assistance stuff that keeps a

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My mind is refreshed but my legs are still screaming at me. This is what I was mostly doing a couple of weeks ago. I had a great week off playing in the snow in the French Alps, at Tignes and Val d’Isère. Finding peace while snowboarding in Tignes and Val d’Isère The mountains are probably my most favourite place

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In 1730, they built almshouses for ‘decayed Taylors,’ but today, it’s the preservation of older heritage buildings that is truly at risk of decay. While visiting the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in York, I spotted something that sent my ‘building nerd’ self into a total meltdown. It’s a mistake I often see with heritage properties. A few months ago I went

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The most expensive mistakes in construction rarely come from design—they come from what wasn’t spotted early enough, which is why de-risking your construction project is a vital step in the process, before design work actually starts. Cracking architectural design is only part of the job. The other part? De-risking your project from the legal traps and “hidden” costs that sink

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Finding the right architectural technologist for heritage and retrofit projects is about more than just drawings; it is about finding someone who truly understands existing buildings, traditional fabric, and technical detail done right. The value of technical insight in heritage and retrofit projects Check out this fantastic review from a recent client at the end of last year. To supportRead more

Ikonografik. A strange word… until you understand the meaning meaning of Ikonografik Design and the story behind it. So, how did I settle on the meaning of Ikonografik Design as my brand identity? Why I avoided using my own name I thought using my own name for a business was a bit boring and not very creative, especially for the

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We all like a cracking before and after shot right? Check these out. What an AC joint injury looks like on X-ray Apparently, this is what an acromioclavicular* joint disruption looks like. How the bike accident happened and initial impact A few months ago I fell off my bike and slammed my right shoulder into a grassy verge, scattered with

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