Interview Sian Astley
them, they way they ref lect the personality,
dreams and aspirations of the self-builder.
It’s why we’re all addicted to Grand Designs,
even if we'll never afford one. There’s the
opportunity to be totally radical, to react to the
site, to incorporate things which could never
be factored into a building already in place - to
realise a dream. What’s not to love? If people are
brave enough then an ambitious renovation can
be nearly as exciting as a self-build, just watch
our new show Your Home Made Perfect to see
some examples.
Tell us about your own
self-build, Moregeous Mansions.
Our home at Moregeous HQ was originally
bought and rented out to young professionals.
Back in the day, before HMO’s ran riot and
it became very run down, the area was quite
well to do and the house luckily retained lots of
original features and a sense of personality. We
knocked half of it down as the oldest section
had no foundations, dry rot and the walls were
collapsing. The new build used all the original
reclaimed bricks (hand cleaned by me!), slates
and timbers, and it now 80% finished - apart
from the kitchen which is this year's project. It’s
highly personalised and relatively brave in terms
of design inside. We hold a fun and interactive
How To Renovate day via Airbnb Experiences
once a month where we welcome home
renovators and give our expert tips and insider
knowledge. It’s a great day and has been really
well attended. The plan is to hold more events
and pop ups - I can’t wait!What are your top tips for someone who
is about to start a self-build?
Plan. Plan and plan. And plan again. Make a
mood board and order samples for everything
to ensure everything works together. Get any
outside trades and builders booked at least six
months in advance. involve building control
early so any hiccups or cost spiraling requests
are noted asap and get on good terms with
your neighbours. Learn how to use a good
spreadsheet and start populating one with your
big-ticket items and small finishes. Don’t leave
out the landscaping and remember you also need
to furnish and finish - architects sometimes
forget that bit.Do you have any career highlights?
It might sound silly to say but every single
home which I’ve ever worked on has been a
highlight, because creating extraordinary homes
for people to live in, whether owned or rented,
is super special. I’m still in touch with many
people who’s homes we’ve transformed, on TV or
otherwise and that means a huge amount to me.
Being on TV is of course a highlight, as is being
part of expert events like the Homebuilding
and Renovating Show. I’m very much looking
forward to talking about project managementand home interiors trends in 2019 Excel. If
visitors have seen Your Home Made Perfect
and have burning questions - come along and
ask them!Sian will be a guest speaker at the
Homebuilding & Renovating Show at
the London Excel, 4-6 October 2019.
Homebuilding & Renovating Show:
http://www.homebuildingshow.co.uk
http://www.moregeous.com
@moregeous