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How far would you go to achieve your dream home?Late nights. Revised drawings. Layout tweaks. Cost reviews. Value engine...
12/02/2026

How far would you go to achieve your dream home?

Late nights. Revised drawings. Layout tweaks. Cost reviews. Value engineering. Back to the plans again.

Because this isn’t just a project.

It’s probably the biggest financial and emotional commitment you’ll ever make.

And yet most people move into a build with loose numbers, grey areas in the scope, and assumptions that haven’t been tested properly.

That’s when things start unravelling. Costs creep up without warning. Programmes stretch beyond what was agreed. And instead of progressing confidently, everyone’s reacting to problems.

It doesn’t need to play out like that.

When a project is properly structured before site starts - fully scoped, realistically costed, roles clearly defined - the build becomes an ex*****on phase, not a guessing game.

You’re not constantly asking “how much will this add?”
You’re not chasing trades for clarity.
You’re not making emotional decisions under pressure.

You’re delivering a plan that’s already been thought through.

That’s what keeps budgets intact.
That’s what protects timelines.
And that’s what makes the process something you can actually enjoy.

Your dream home deserves more than optimism and hope.

It deserves structure.

HMO DEVELOPMENTS/REFURBS5 things that threw me off:1️⃣ VARIATIONS BETWEEN COUNCILS It scares me how they get away with i...
30/01/2026

HMO DEVELOPMENTS/REFURBS

5 things that threw me off:

1️⃣ VARIATIONS BETWEEN COUNCILS

It scares me how they get away with it but they do. Each individual council has individual specifications they want their HMO’s built to. Every HMO officer is different. I’ve fitted 16+ doors before and all had to be replaced because they didn’t like the style of thumb turn on the internal side of the door - signed off by the last council on the last project. Still functional - still safe, still couldn’t lock themselves in, but sometimes you have to just smile and nod.

2️⃣ VARIATIONS IN CIC SPECS

A lot of HMO’s we completed went to CIC’s and not PRS. Some will take heat seals in the doors, some will only take brush seals, some want CCTV, some don’t, some will only accept specific flooring colours and types, others it’s what ever you like, some require door numbers, some require call panels, some even require a fire panel in a 4 bed HMO? 💰😅

And A L W A Y S request the most recent specifications requirement from the chosen end user CIC!!

3️⃣ EXPECTATIONS

The main thing people don’t prepare for prior to a HMO refurb is the costings. They presume it’s a house and the refurb is the same - incorrect. Fire casings, fire doors, ironmongery, emergency lighting, interlinked smokes, fire panels, FRA’s, building control and a lot of knock throughs & remodels - meaning a lot of steels, and a lot of calculations. It tots up quicker than you think.

4️⃣ SAFETY SIGNAGE

I understand fire safety, no smoking - paramount. But it makes you scratch your head when you’re made to put “mind the step” signs at the bottom of the stairs - to go up the stairs? “Not drinking water” in the bathrooms, it’s the same water as the kitchen tap. I’ve genuinely had sign offs held back because of this.

5️⃣ SQFT COMPLIANCE

Councils just need to decide - is the area where the door opens into the room, included or excluded from the finish room sqft? When room sizes are tight this is literally a make or break.

In 2025 I averaged 1 new project commencement every 1/2 weeks. 🏡A mixture of HMO’s, new builds, standard resi back to br...
29/01/2026

In 2025 I averaged 1 new project commencement every 1/2 weeks. 🏡

A mixture of HMO’s, new builds, standard resi back to bricks, apartment blocks. Many owned in various SPV’s I had with Angel Investors.

Here are some of the lessons I learnt and things I wish I had done better last year:

1️⃣ DOCUMENT
I thought about taking pictures and sharing what we were doing as a chore. The reality is, now I look back and regret not switching that mindset from content to DOCUMENT - to breed credibility, trust, value for other people, and mostly something to look back at as achievements.

2️⃣ FINANCES
From many different angles. My team were on price work, their prices were unbelievable. And once they’re paid well, it’s very hard to lower prices and mange expectations. I’d even fund projects myself when clients didn’t pay on time - sometimes up to 9 weeks. If you’re in the construction industry or you run an aggressive investment strategy you know cash flow is paramount. What I thought was ‘safety’ for my team and I was just not worth the mental stress.

3️⃣ MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
When taking a house that’s 100+ year old back to brick, you are going to find issues. I always made it crystal clear that all projects should have a variations budget. Most of the time, it was understood and variations that were not included in the SOW were paid for without hesitation, but what I did not do is make it crystal clear about how that would effect the timeline. I PRESUMED they’d just get that. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But I get it, bridging finance, interest payments, it’s a rocky and emotional road. Lesson learnt.

5️⃣ DELEGATION
It’s hard to let go. Hard to trust. But it’s also harder to wear every single hat that comes along with running a company. I hired project managers, but when people don’t love your baby like you do, it’s hard to accept (but why would they?) Something I hope to improve on.

All lessons above have been learnt through making mistakes, but always taking it as a lesson and not a loss. I pray there are plenty more to come.

What does it take from go to that… to THAT?PLAN. PLAN. PLAN.Considerations:1️⃣ FLOORINGWhen dealing with huge open plan ...
29/01/2026

What does it take from go to that… to THAT?

PLAN. PLAN. PLAN.

Considerations:
1️⃣ FLOORING

When dealing with huge open plan spaces, extensions and new spaces leading into existing - floor levels WILL differ. What is the sub base? What is under the existing? Is it allowing damp through? What is the finish floor? What’s under the new slab? How do we best prep the finishing floor?

2️⃣ LIGHTING

With the use of Velux windows, apex windows, bifold doors, floor to ceiling windows, roof lanterns, how much natural light will they actually allow through all year round? How many spot lights will the room require? We don’t want to over do it. Too many looks daft, too few will be dark come winter, what about decorative lighting?

3️⃣ KITCHEN DESIGN & SPEND

OF COURSE a quartz tops with an island. But what’s the island size? Does the sink go on the island? What about drainage? Will the island become a place for dirty pots and pans and become an eye sore? Should we put the hob on? What about extraction? Vaulted ceiling is too high for an extractor. Get a hob with it built in? Expensive. Budget is tight. What supplier is the best? Howdens? DIY? Wren?

4️⃣ STRUCTURALS

Columns have to be strengthened to carry the weight of the A frame holding together the ride, apex and bifold opening. What’s the foundations below? The existing structure is 300 year old. Underpinning? External walls are old. Do they require DPM? There are 6 steels in the finished images, how will they all tie in? Do we trust our Structural Engineers first report or challenge it with our own opinions?

5️⃣ FLOORPLAN

3,500 sqft base, how do we best utilise this space? What would the end user actually care about? Do we keep the kitchen dining open plan or create a stud wall diving the two? The rooms massive with 4m high ceilings, will it retain heat well? How do we best incorporate the utility room into the kitchen? Has the interior designer accounted for all the appliances and new kitchen layout in the plan they’ve produced for the Electricians & Plumbers?

ALL the above are REAL thoughts.

Maybe it sounds a bit more dramatic than the reality, but all must be considered prior to works commencing.

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