Building guides for South Devon homeowners.

What actually goes wrong in South Devon housing stock, why it happens and what a proper repair involves.

• Damp in solid wallsHow to diagnose damp correctly in a solid wall before spending on treatment.
• Cracked render repairHow to read a render crack correctly before deciding on a patch or full repair.
• Flat roof leaksHow to trace a flat roof leak to its real cause before patching or recovering.
• Sagging floor joistsHow to tell a stable old floor from active joist decay before repairing.
• Rotten window framesHow to catch coastal window rot early and what a splice repair involves.
• Condensation and mouldWhy mould keeps returning after cleaning and what actually stops it.
• Subsidence & movementHow to read crack patterns and separate ordinary settlement from real subsidence.
• Failing gutteringHow a failing gutter causes damage elsewhere and what a proper fix involves.

Straight comparisons between the options homeowners weigh up before committing to a build.

• Extension vs loftGround-floor extension or loft conversion: which actually solves your space problem.
• Garage vs extensionWhether to convert your existing garage or build a new extension instead.
• Renovate or moveHow to decide honestly between renovating your current home and moving on.
• Single vs two storeyWhether one storey or two makes more sense for your extension plans.
• Bifold vs slidingComparing bifold and sliding doors for an extension's garden opening.
• Flat vs pitched roofWeighing up a flat roof against a pitched roof for your new extension.
• New kitchen vs extensionDeciding whether your kitchen needs a refit or actually needs more space.
• Refurbish or rebuildHow to decide between refurbishing a tired property and rebuilding from scratch.

How building work is priced, what drives the number up or down, and where budgets usually slip.

• Extension costsWhat shapes an extension quote, from groundworks to finishes.
• Loft conversion costsHow roof structure, staircases and insulation shape loft pricing.
• Renovation costsWhy hidden issues and phasing decisions drive renovation quotes.
• Garage conversion costsWhy floor, wall and door upgrades drive garage conversion pricing.
• Kitchen fitting costsWhy services, structure and floor prep drive kitchen fitting costs.
• Roof repair costsWhy access, hidden damage and material matching drive roof repair costs.
• How pricing worksThe mechanics behind labour, materials, overheads and risk in a quote.
• Where budgets slipThe common, predictable reasons a building budget moves once work starts.

How a job runs from first visit to handover — approvals, sequencing, site conduct and paperwork.

• Planning permissionWhen planning permission applies, when it does not, and how Torbay, Teignbridge and South Hams differ.
• Building regulationsHow Building Regulations approval works, what inspections happen and how it differs from planning permission.
• Party wall agreementsHow the Party Wall Act works, when notice is needed and why a schedule of condition protects everyone.
• Choosing a builderHow to vet a builder properly, compare quotes fairly, and judge communication before work begins.
• On-site processA realistic stage-by-stage walkthrough of how an extension or conversion actually progresses on site.
• Living during worksPractical advice for coping with noise, dust and disrupted routines while staying in the house during works.
• Structural engineeringWhy structural engineering and proper drawings matter before any wall comes down or opening goes in.
• Snagging and handoverWhat a proper snagging walkthrough covers and which paperwork you should receive when a build hands over.

The materials and systems we specify on Torbay sites, how they behave on the coast and where they are worth the money.

• Lime vs gypsumWhy solid walls need lime and cavity walls need gypsum, and what happens when the two get mixed up.
• Slate vs tileA weight-and-exposure comparison of natural slate, fibre cement slate and tile for coastal roofs.
• Render systemsHow sand and cement, lime and thin-coat renders differ, and which suits which South Devon wall.
• Coastal timber claddingWhich timber species, finishes and fixing details actually survive a South Devon coastal exposure.
• Insulating older homesWhich insulation systems keep older, breathable walls dry instead of trapping moisture inside them.
• Steel vs timber beamsHow steel and engineered timber beams compare for load-bearing wall removals and knock-throughs.
• Flat roof coveringsHow EPDM, GRP and modern felt compare for domestic flat roofs, and why detailing matters more than material.
• Ground floor constructionHow suspended timber, beam and block, and solid concrete ground floors compare for South Devon sites.

Guidance shaped around the building you own — period cottage, seafront flat, holiday let or commercial unit.

• Victorian terracesWhat to check and in what order when renovating a solid-wall Victorian terrace.
• 1930s semisHow to sequence structural, insulation and layout upgrades on a typical 1930s semi.
• Coastal bungalowsWhy coastal exposure changes material choices and maintenance schedules for bungalows.
• Holiday letsHow to refurbish a holiday let for durability, guest satisfaction and letting-season scheduling.
• Landlord maintenanceA maintenance rhythm for landlords that catches problems before tenants report them.
• Conservation & listedWhat conservation area and listed status mean in practice for alterations and repairs.
• New build ownersHow to tell normal settlement from real faults, and what your warranty means for alterations.
• Annexes & garden roomsHow to decide between a garden room and a full annexe, and what foundations each needs.