Welcome to the SpeciBuild blog. Here we share project updates, lessons learned from the sites we work on, and practical advice for builders, homeowners, investors and designers working in domestic construction across Devon and North Cornwall.
Walkhampton barn conversion: a take-off and what it taught me
A Walkhampton barn that needed everything done to it. The take-off process flushed out three structural surprises before anyone was on site.
RICS Code of Measuring Practice — the line on conservatories
The RICS Code of Measuring Practice tells you which area to use for which purpose. It also explains why a conservatory isn’t always included.
Tamerton Foliot extensions: rural feel, urban-adjacent pricing
Tamerton Foliot feels rural and prices urban — mostly. The detail that catches people out is where the rural lines come back.
Why Looe cottages deserve a different conversation about lime
Looe’s old fisherman’s cottages were built breathable. Trapping moisture inside them with modern renders shortens their life.
Liskeard project: a feasibility that changed the design
A Liskeard feasibility brought numbers earlier than the designer expected and changed the proposal — for the better.
Mutley refurbs: the period stock that rewards careful spec
Mutley’s late-Victorian terraces are some of Plymouth’s best refurbishment opportunities — provided the specification respects what’s already there.
Out at Bere Alston yesterday — three things I didn’t expect
Site visits are how you find what plans don’t show you. Bere Alston’s housing stock keeps the surprises coming.
What a domestic Schedule of Work should actually contain
A Schedule of Work isn’t mysterious. It’s a structured written description of the works, the products, and the limits of scope.
Cawsand and Kingsand: coastal stock, careful spec
Two adjoining Cornish villages where the houses look quaint and the material spec has to be salt-air ready.
Pricing in Princetown: the weather window is real
Princetown sits 400m above sea level on Dartmoor and it knows it. A January programme assumption made in July is rarely accurate.