Seems the curved house in Clapham is up for grabs… FindaProperty have all the info over on their blog.

For the episode guide, click here.

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We’ve teamed up with MyBuilder, with the aim of simplifying the process of finding a reliable, reasonably-priced builder.

Put simply, MyBuilder allows you to post a building job for free on their site. There are over 30,000 registered tradespeople in the MyBuilder community, so you’re likely to get a range of quotes. You can then view feedback from each builder’s real-life clients before choosing which company is right for you.

Of course, the number one bit of advice when looking for a builder is that word of mouth counts for everything. MyBuilder have essentially captured this in a handy online tool.

You can get started finding a builder, plumber, kitchen fitter or any other tradesperson here.

Let us know what you think of the MyBuilder service by leaving your comments below…

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This week, my Tuesday evening was occupied with Property Snakes & Ladders and Thursday by The Home Show. Nestled snugly in between, my Wednesday viewing entailed a feature length documentary by the name of Garbage Warrior.

The film focuses on mildly hippyish West coast architect Michael Reynolds, who has dedicated his entire adult life to studying, experimenting with and finally perfecting sustainable building methods. He specialises in earthships, much like the Brittany Groundhouse Grand Design. read more

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The dust has barely settled in the 4Homes office after a hectic few weeks of Kirstie’s Homemade Home, but there’s no time for resting on laurels as we gear up for the return of everyone’s favourite architect, George Clarke. A brand new series of The Home Show starts tomorrow (Thursday) at 8pm, so we’re turning our attention from crafts to renovation with a whole host of new DIY and home improvement advice.

As well as the regular episode information, we’ll be going all out to bring you plenty of step-by-step DIY advice from George. He’s also provided us with lots of his top 10 tips for various renovation jobs, all of which can be found on The Home Show’s homepage.

The first programme sees George tackling a troublesome house in swanky Parsons Green, London. Tired, dilapidated, and in some respects downright dangerous, Anthony & Alicia’s family home is in shabby shape. Fortunately this couple have a huge budget to play with, although even this is stretched by some nasty surprises in the roof. Once they hand the cheque over to GC his very capable hands set about working their magic, with wonderful results.

Catch The Home Show on Thursdays at 8pm on Channel 4, or watch any time you like at channel4.com/catchup.

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Just a quick note to say that Rate My Room, a new feature on 4Homes, launched today. It allows all of our lovely users to show off a bit by uploading photos of any aspect of their home for others to rate and comment on. Of course, this also means you to have a sneaky peek into the houses of strangers for ideas, inspiration, or just because you fancy a gander.

You can give it a try on the Rate My Room page. This is all new to us, so any comments and feedback from our users would be wonderful. You can leave comments below…

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I spent much of my Sunday this weekend getting to grips with Grand Designs 3D Self Build & Development.

It’s an enormous bit of kit, and is virtually all you’ll need if you’re planning an extension, self build project, or, like me, you still harbour long-failed ambitions of becoming a world-famous architect. read more

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Last weekend I got myself down to the Homebuilding & Renovating Show at Birmingham’s NEC. As ever, the cavernous hangar of a venue was packed full of self builders and developers, as well as people looking to improve their own homes. The seminars were informative and expertly-chaired, while the range of exhibitors was absolutely vast.

Amongst the usual conservatory, bi-fold door and insulation companies, I picked out my five favourite products from the show. Here they are, in no particular order… read more

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Just finished watching the office copy of tomorrow’s Grand Designs, and it’s certainly a one-of-a-kind project. The house comprises a huge clay tile arch, built using an ancient Spanish technique never attempted before in the UK, with two separate buildings nestled beneath. It’s an airtight passive house that’s so energy-efficient that owners Richard & Sophie reckon they’ll be able to flog £1800 of electricity back to the National Grid every year. The arch itself is covered in a soil roof that by now must be ready to burst into bloom, helping an undeniably large building blend into the surrounding countryside.

The episode features some of my favourite Grand Designs staples: living in a caravan on-site (and through winter nonetheless), a mid-project baby, and Kevin McCloud explaining some engineering principles using small models. I loved every minute.

You can watch Grand Designs tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9pm on Channel 4. If you miss the show, catch it on Channel 4’s Watch Online service.

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…Is a bit of a mad one. There’s yoghurt pots, water wheels, warped frames and, of course, a mid-project baby. Don’t miss it at 9pm tonight, on Channel 4.

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