Here’s every article ever published on the Gosforth Handyman Member Zone. Remember these aren’t available anywhere else. To join click here.
- Member Downloads are Here!
It’s been a long time coming but by popular demand we now have downloads available on the Member Zone. Everything from SketchUp drawings to budget spreadsheets and much more. Here’s how it all works. - My YouTube channel is broken
So I’ve having some YouTube copyright issues at the moment and it’s causing some quite serious problems for my channel. I’m taking it out on a pile of wood that needs chopping up. The trials and tribulations of YouTube life! - Costs to refurbish a rental property in the UK?
Is the UK rental market in trouble? Today we’re taking a look at exactly how much it costs to refurbish a new-build rental property in the UK and I’ll share a full breakdown of our actual costs. - Mini renovation Part 8 – we’re finished!
This mini renovation is finally finished! In this article we’ll look at using masking tape to get a perfect silicone finish and why it’s sometimes a better option than a forming tool. - Mini renovation Part 7 – my attempt at tiling
In this article we’re looking at the installation of metro tiles on horribly uneven walls. I’m not the best tiler in the world but hopefully you can pick up some tips. - Mini renovation part 6 – odd sized cabinet doors and more
In this article we’re continuing to look at what’s actually involved in the renovation of a rental property. Lots to cover in this one from general problem solving to kitchen worktops. - Mini renovation part 5 – kitchen end panels
We’re continuing our ‘new build’ renovation as I retro fit a new kitchen. Today we’re taking a deep dive in to fitting units and end panels. - Mini renovation part 4 – retro fitting kitchen units
Another exclusive update for Member Zone subscribers! Today we continue the mini-renovation project and discuss what’s involved when retro fitting kitchen units. - Mini renovation part 3 – kitchen demolition
It’s a new build! It can’t need that much work, surely! If only that was the case. Time to rip out the old kitchen and uncover some of the horrors of new-build workmanship. - Mini renovation part 2 – smaller jobs
It’s time to start on some of the smaller jobs in our mini-renovation of an investment property. It’s only a 20 year old house but still lots to do! - How much did the studio cost?
It’s time to take a deeper dive in to the costs of the soundproof garden room. What can you expect to pay for a project like this and what have we learned for the future? - Our next project part 1 – it didn’t start well!
The paint has barely dried on our 1920’s renovation and we’re on to our next project! This mini-series will be exclusive to the member zone. Enjoy! - I messed up the cornice!
Two minutes of distraction and you can be £200 worse off! I’d rather be honest about my mistakes. I messed up the cornice! - The dust was biblical!
We’re working on the final stages of this renovation and just when we thought we were done with dust, this happened. - Soundproofing a ceiling – detailed version
In this article we’ll take a more detailed look at our ceiling soundproofing job. Hopefully this will be useful if you’re taking on a project like this. - Kitchen, bedroom reveal and much more!
In this special member-exclusive post we’ll look at the renovation so far. Lots of spoilers! Kitchen, bedroom reveal, bathroom, workshop and more. - How much did our self-build extension cost?
As our self-build extension project nears completion we thought we’d give you a special behind-the-scenes look at exactly what this all cost. We’ve documented every last detail and will compare material costs with labour charges. - What does a UK plastering job look like?
Today we’re looking at what a house looks like mid-plastering. It’s probably the messiest of the trades but makes the biggest overall difference to the internal feel of the property. In the UK we commonly use the ‘dot & dab’ method. Here’s what you can expect! - Insulation detail in our extension
Before we can put the final floors down we need to get the insulation right. Let’s take a deeper look at the insulation we’re installing as part of our self build extension. We’ll be looking at some of the key elements including thermal insulation, cold bridging and vapour control. - Installing our bedroom joists… and another small hitch!
It’s time to install our bedroom floor. In this special member-only article I’ll talk about the detail of the floor construction along with yet another minor hitch on this self-build project. - New plans and lots of updates!
We’re up to version 16 of our extension plans! In this article we’ll look at our latest and hopefully final plans. Lots of admin updates too! - Some things you can’t plan for
A bit of background information about our 1920’s renovation and the costs involved in bringing the place up to modern standards. Also a bit of personal stuff – things you just can’t plan for. - The challenges of building in the winter
Building any project in the winter can be a huge challenge. Between bad weather and dark nights it feels like you’re only getting started and it’s time to pack up! In this article we’ll take a look at the story so far. - How much does a renovation really cost?
You see your dream property, you think it just needs a lick of paint and before you know it you’ve sold your left kidney to get the project finished. In this article we’re taking a detailed look at the actual costs for our 1920’s renovation along with potential costs for our self-build extension. How much do you think this renovation will set you back? - Let’s look at our final extension plans
It’s nearly time to start our self-build extension. We’re up to plan version 13! Unlucky for some, hopefully lucky for us. - August 2021 renovation update – we’re in!
It’s been a very busy 6 months or so! Lots of ups and downs but have we finally made it? In this article we’re going to jump forward in time a bit – enjoy! - June 2021 renovation update – we’re running out of time!
OK, so we’re seriously running out of time to get this renovation finished. We’re supposed to be moving in soon and we’re missing some of the essentials! - May 2021 renovation update – what were these walls for??
Where is our kitchen floor? What were these weird walls for? What’s your thoughts on radiators under windows… and the global economy? Lots to cover in this exclusive member-only update! - Surviving builder problems – back to the drawing board!
Just when we thought everything was going to plan we’ve run in to some problems that we didn’t see coming. Lots of issues with our builder and unfortunately this ultimately means a lot more work for me and a delay to the extension starting. - Water supply replacement – full cost breakdown
Thinking of having a new water supply installed? You can massively boost your water pressure and flow rate by having this done. In this video I’ll take you through the costs to do this yourself and what you can expect to pay a company to do it for you. - Join us for some roof and gutter repairs!
It’s been a manic couple of weeks in the world of property renovation! Today is a bit of a point-of-view video explaining some of the roof repairs I’m carrying out. I’m also explain the importance of property maintenance to avoid potentially lethal situations… first hand experience! - February 2021 renovation update – do we have water yet?
A bit of a behind-the-scenes update on our renovation project for February 2021. We’re just over 1 month in, although it feels much longer for some reason! Lots has happened… even though it might not look that way! - Working through design changes
We’re changing the designs again! A member only discussion between Mr & Mrs Mac and lots of SketchUp work. An hour later and we think we’re finally there! - What’s our budget? A first look at costs for our renovation project
In this video we’re having a look at the first costs for our 1920’s renovation project. I’ll also take you through our draft budget and show you our initial plans for the property. - We bought a house!! A sneak peek at our next project!We’ve finally bought our next renovation project! In this exclusive Members-only video you’ll be the first to see our new house. It needs a lot of work and on the Member zone you’ll be able to see a lot of behind the scenes footage including a full cost breakdown of every stage of the project. Hope you enjoy this series!
- What on earth is happening with our house move?
I packed up my workshop back in March ready for our house move… so what on earth is happening? When will we start our next renovation project? What’s going on with the UK housing market? Why did we nearly buy 4 houses? - How much did a typical extension cost in 2010?
How much does a typical ‘room over garage’ extension cost in the UK? In this article and video I’m taking a look back at this extension from around 2010. A detailed look at the costs, what was involved and whether it was good value. - Welcome to the Member Zone!
The Gosforth Handyman Member Zone is alive! In this article I’m having a little chat about how to use it, why I built it and what you can look forward to in the future. - How much did our 1930’s renovation cost?
Today we’re having a look at how much this extensive 1930s renovation cost – from underpinning through to extension and new kitchen. - How much did we spend on this renovation?
In this member-only article and video we’re looking at a full cost breakdown of the 1920’s semi-detached house renovation you might have seen on the public YouTube channel. - How much did we spend fixing this Victorian flat?
This was a fun project! A Victorian terraced flat in Gosforth that we renovated many years ago. In this article and video we’ll look at what the project cost! - What do structural engineer plans look like… and was this overkill?
Ever wondered what structural engineer plans look like for a loft conversion? In this video I’ll show – I’ll also explain a few of the basics if you’re having this sort of work done. - Workshop finishing touches!
I found this unused footage from when I first built my workshop – it was supposed to form part of a ‘finishing touches’ video but I never got round to making it. Here’s what you could have won! - Lockdown chat day 3 & What’s happening to my stickerdoor?
As you’re probably aware by now I’m moving and that means no more workshop for a while! So what’s happening to my stickerdoor? - Big news! We’re moving… again!
We’re moving house and you guys are going to be the first to find out all about it! Why are we moving and what’s involved? One last look at my workshop before I start taking it to bits! - Job Pricing: Fixing loose tiles & dodgy grout
Hopefully you’ve already seen the public video about the floor tile nightmare I had to deal with. What if this was for a customer? How much would it cost? - SketchUp for Beginners Part 5 – Room Design & Floorplans
Welcome to this final part (for now!) of the SketchUp tutorial series of videos. In this one we’re looking at creating 3D room designs from 2D floorplans. Very useful for everything from planning room layouts through to basic architectural plans. - Gosforth Handyman Christmas Jumper!
You heard it here first! It’s time to get your official Gosforth Handyman Christmas Jumper! - Where I grew up – a very special house tour
Today we’re taking a trip down memory lane and in this very special video I’m showing you the house I grew up in. A potential renovation project? A classic 1960’s semi in Northern England. - Come house hunting with us!
Come house hunting with me! I’m still looking for our next renovation project and thought it would be fun to show you around Gosforth! - Going full-time on YouTube
Some exclusive news only for my channel members! After almost 8 years on YouTube on various channels, 400+ videos and thousands of hours of work I had a decision to make. Let me talk you through it. - Toolbox tour – behind the scenes
I’ve hit 50,000 subscribers! In this special behind the scenes video you get to see what was really involved in making my public 50k celebration video. A tour of my toolbox! - SketchUp for Beginners Part 4 – Layers & Hiding Things
Hi folks! Welcome to part 4 in this SketchUp tutorial series of videos. Today we’re looking at the basics of hiding and unhiding layers – an essential part of working with drawings on SketchUp. - What’s to come on this channel?Just a little update article for you. Lots has been happening so let me tell you about the next SketchUp video and some useful information if you ever want to build a simple business website.
- SketchUp for Beginners Part 3 – Dimensions & Basic Cutting Plans
Welcome back to the next in the series of SketchUp tutorial videos. Today we’re looking at dimensions. This is a long one so get yourself a cuppa! I’ll show you how to download SketchUp version 8 for stand-alone use. We’ll then get started on dimensions and creating accurate scale models in 3D. We’ll also look at how to build your own simple cutting plan. - SketchUp for Beginners Part 2 – Copying & Rotating Objects
In this video we’re looking at copying objects and rotating them. Once you understand the basic controls needed to do this you can work incredibly quickly in your own models. - SketchUp: Part 1 – How to Download SketchUp for Free
Welcome to this exclusive series of videos about how to use SketchUp! I’m just using version 8 which is free for commercial use. Obviously you can use whatever version you like. Part 1 is free and can be accessed from the menu above. In this special member-only article I’ll also explain some options for downloading SketchUp for free. - Job Pricing: Alcove units detailed installation
In this 35 minute video I’m going in to detail about this built-in alcove unit installation in a 19th century Victorian property in the UK. Full job costings of what I actually charged the customer and lots of detailed build information. - Job Pricing: Antique furniture repair
I’m no expert with antique furniture repair but I love doing it. You might have already seen the public version of this video over on YouTube. In this special member-only version I’ll explain exactly how much it cost to carry out a repair like this. - How much would it cost to make an IKEA Kallax unit from scratch?
Ever wondered how much it would cost to make a bespoke IKEA Kallax unit from scratch? You can buy this unit brand new for £40 from IKEA. What if you had to pay a joiner to make one for you? Here’s how much I would charge… and it’s not £40. - Behind the scenes – Christmas special edition!
A very merry Christmas everyone! Here’s a quick behind-the-scenes look at my last video (mailbox #2). You can have a laugh at my inability to read a script! - When joinery job pricing goes wrong!
Not everything goes according to plan! Under-quoting a job can be an expensive mistake. In this video I’m talking about this recent job that I dramatically under-charged. My own fault – let me tell you what to look out for. - Job Pricing: Contemporary Alcove Units
Welcome back to another job pricing video! Today I’ll explain what I charged for this contemporary random alcove units. Not an easy job but a fun one. I’d love to hear what you’d charge for a job like this! - Job Pricing: Art Deco Fire Surround
How much does it cost to make a bespoke art deco fire surround? Let me explain. I’ll give you a full breakdown of what I actually charged the customer and what to look out for on jobs like this. - June Update! Is it still June?
Just a quick bloggy update! Some exclusive information for my channel supporters – what’s coming next on my Gosforth Handyman channel? - Job Pricing: Floating Shelves
How do I decide how much to charge customers for floating shelves? It’s not an easy thing to price and if you get it wrong you could be hugely out of pocket. Let me explain how I do it – I’ll even give you the spreadsheet that I use to work it all out. - Blog Update – May 2018
Bit of a bloggy update! An overview of jobs I’m currently working on and what’s coming next. This was also the start of my RSI – what happens when you spend every waking second editing videos and podcasts? - Job Pricing: Loft Storage with Solid Oak
Here’s an interesting job. A loft bedroom with awkward angled storage. How much did I charge for this job? Let me explain the full job costings for you. - Measuring Up Podcast – Sneak Preview!
An exclusive sneak preview of the brand new Measuring Up Podcast! - New Podcast – Measuring Up Podcast!
I’ve got some very exciting news and wanted my channel members to find out about it first! I asked Peter Millard if he fancied doing a podcast with me and he said yes! - My Current Podcast List
Hey everyone, hope you’re having a fantastic weekend! I thought I’d share with you my current podcast list. I listen to a lot of podcasts, especially while beavering away in the workshop. Here’s my current playlist. - Job Pricing: Bookcase Build & Install
Here’s another member-exclusive pricing video for you. Let’s have a look at how much I charged for this bespoke bookcase build. Enjoy! - Full Timelapse Video Edit
Ever wondered what’s involved in a typical video editing session for the Gosforth Handyman channel? Probably not but I’ll show you anyway! A few people asked how I edit my videos so this is a 2 hour edit condensed down to 4 minutes. Enjoy! - Job Pricing: Solid Wood Hi-Fi Rack
Here’s an exclusive voice-over version of my hi-fi rack video. I’ll explain what I charged for this project and discuss the build in a bit more detail.