"This book has been brilliantly conceived to convince the would-be home builder that high quality self build is perfectly within their reach. I am very pleased to be able to recommend this important new addition to the literature for all those self builders who believe that good design can unlock the potential of great living." - Michael Holmes, Editor Homebuilding and Renovating magazine.

Self Build: Design and build your own home has been written by Julian Owen an architect by profession and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Julian has been helping people to design, build and improve their homes for years. He has written numerous magazine articles and is a regular speaker at seminars on the subject of improving, design and constructing new homes.

There are plenty of glossy brochures, booklets and other publications on Conservatories available from manufacturers and suppliers, but well-informed, genuinely independent advice is in short supply. ‘Conservatories: A Complete Guide’ aims to redress the balance and save readers time and money by presenting clear, practical advice on how to manage a project successfully. It also includes advice on how to deal with salesmen and avoid the ‘cowboys’.

This step-by-step guide explains how to make the right choices from the start. The first part of the book explains the benefits of introducing a conservatory to your home. How to draw up a comprehensive brief is covered, supplemented with checklists and suggestions on the questions that you should ask yourself. The design section is packed with photographs, ideas and illustrations of successful projects. Key to the success of the project is the choice of professional team to help you and each option is covered, with helpful hints on the questions that you should ask to weed out the cowboys from the professionals.

The different options available to build from are described and the relative benefits analysed. The construction process is outlined in sufficient detail to arm every customer with the knowledge to check that the conservatory is being correctly built and give a DIY enthusiast the confidence to build for themselves. Finally, if once you have completed the construction you wish to furnish and decorate it to lift it above the ordinary in here are some ideas to add the ‘wow’ factor.

This book will be useful and stimulating to anyone who has an interest in the design, fabrication and construction of houses built from timber kits. As well as some stunning photography, it contains a wealth of solid practical information about the nature of timber as building material and how to build with it. After a brief historical introduction, the key types of timber structure are covered, including oak frame, structural insulated panels, log home and open and closed panel systems. Detailed construction drawings are included along with a commentary explaining the concepts and how to avoid problems. There is advice on how to get local authority approvals such as planning and building regulations with examples of how to complete the relevant forms and submit applications.