Planning your build is exciting — but if you don’t control your budget, it can quickly turn into a nightmare. In this post, I break down the most common financial mistakes I see homeowners make, and how to avoid them using real tools and strategies. You’ll learn how to build a solid budget, track spending, avoid hidden costs, and make decisions that protect your bottom line.

Before you break ground on your self-build or renovation, there's one hurdle that can make or break your timeline — planning permission. In this post, I share the most common mistakes homeowners make when applying (like poor drawings, missed policies, and neighbour objections), and how to avoid them. With 20+ years of hands-on experience, I explain what planning officers actually want to see — plus how to stay in control with the right process, timeline, and tools. This is yo