Mark Stephens
Mark Stephens RIBA MRIAI is a UK and Ireland trained architect based in Foxford, Co. Mayo. For more information about his practice or to see photos of his own innovative ‘underground’ house visit www.MarkStephensArchitects.com or contact via email at mdstephens@gmail.com or mobile 085 159 4084.
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Home building fees – 2024 update
Getting independent advice on your self-build or renovation project will go a long way towards saving you money, but how much do these services cost – what are the current home building fees you can expect to pay? In this article we cover: As with all aspects of budgeting, pinning down the cost of hiring […] More
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A crash course in extension design
Even if your extension is considered exempted development, you really should concentrate your efforts on the design, however small your extension. It sounds obvious but the function of the extension comes first; is the room to create a new living area? A bigger kitchen? An additional bedroom? You then need to consider the context of […] More
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Can you extend without planning permission?
You can extend without planning permission in Ireland, both NI and ROI, but there are five rules of thumb to know about. In this article we cover: There are many rules to building an extension that doesn’t require planning permission, and you must abide to all of them. So if there’s only one piece of […] More
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Does my extension have to match the existing house?
Q: Does an extension that’s exempt from planning permission need to match the original look of the house? A: In NI the regulations state that for an exempted development: “The materials used in exterior work, except in the case of conseratory should be of similar appearance to the existing house.” This implies copying the original […] More
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Extensions without planning permission
You can extend without planning permission but there are five rules of thumb to follow. In this article, we cover: There are many rules to building an extension that doesn’t require planning permission, and you must abide to all of them. So if there’s only one piece of advice to give, that is to get design […] More
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Cosy open plan design
In nature, perching birds do not sleep in their nests, which are reserved for laying eggs and raising chicks. Instead, they sleep (or roost) safely tucked away in dense vegetation, including trees and shrubs. They spend time high up on branches, gazing at the landscape before them. When it comes to people, perchers love huge […] More
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How I built my underground house
Architect Mark Stephens provides an overview of how to build underground and reflects on the subterranean house he built seven years ago for him and his family. Since we moved into our underground eco house, a lot has changed. There’s been the building regulations, the rise in popularity of the Passivhaus methodology (for which I’ve […] More
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Sloping house with a view
A successful renovation and extension transformed this sloping house into one that makes the most of its Co Antrim views. In this article we cover: Overview House size before: 138 sqmHouse size after: 222 sqmPlot size: 3,575 sqmWalls: mainly existing 100mm cavity walls which were continued; all pumped with EPS insulation beads to achieve a U-value of 0.28W/sqmKRoof: 500mm fibreglass […] More
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Don’t be left out in the cold!
What if I was to say there is a detail in your house that is invisible yet can cause enormous damage and discomfort to your building and the people living in it? These places in your house are where heat escapes, rather than where cold air infiltrates. These losses can only be detected after construction […] More