HSBC Report Reveals New Policy On Property Sales

HSBC Report Reveals New Policy On Property Sales


New research by HSBC has revealed a new set of ‘rules’ that homeowners need to know in order to get the sold sign up in an unforgiving property market.

If you think that simply neutralising your walls and throwing down some beige carpet is an easy way to get your property sold then think again.

First on the list is de-cluttering. The survey finds that 93 % of home improvement experts believe this is important in giving your home the sell-appeal. They advise also on making sure the lawn is mowed and any paint chips are repaired prior to a viewing.

Conversely, 69 % of home owners are sticking to the old-fashioned myths like cleaning windows and displaying fresh flowers. Painting front doors and putting up new gates in the garden would be money and time better spent according to the HSBC Home Improvement Survey, but only one fifth of homeowners recognise this.

It seems that buyers are now a lot more discerning when looking for a new nest.

Here’s what vendors can do to minimise any uncertainties for would-be buyers:

De-clutter the home
Replace wall paper and get any chips in the wall fixed
Mow the lawn and spruce up the garden
Fences, walls and gates – consider mending, painting, varnishing if needs be.
First impressions last – paint or varnish your front door if required
Only one 1% of experts believe that a freshly washed car on the driveway and a new set of window boxes actually work, 2 % say cleaning windows and moving unsightly dustbins out of the way matters and no one in the survey believes that displaying a vase of freshly cut gladioli makes an ounce of difference.

How To Remove Asbestos Tiles

How To Remove Asbestos Tiles

Asbestos Removal Can Be Extremely Dangerous - If In Doubt You Should Seek Advice From A Licensed Asbestos Removal Company.

Until the 1970s, many floors had an element of asbestos in them, mainly due to the fact asbestos adds strength at a low cost. As you probably already know asbestos causes problems for lungs and breathing and so is now not allowed to be added to building materials.

However, there are still a number of areas of homes built in the past, which are full of asbestos. Asbestos tiles are still quite common, though removing them is also quite simple procedure. The biggest element is safety, aside from that it's a simple procedure.

Protection

Wear safety gear when dealing with asbestos. This should include goggles, gloves and a respirator, as well as clothing to cover the whole of your body and ensure that none of the dust can escape onto you.

Tools

You will need a utility knife, putty, amended water, plastic sheeting, bags for disposal and duct tape. Make sure these are all located together and so you don't have to leave the room and chance spreading asbestos elsewhere in the home.

Turn off all air conditioning, or anything that may spread asbestos elsewhere, such as fans. Remove all moveable objects from the room and then cover up windows and doors and vents. Seal all of these areas and outlets up with polythene and tape.

Removing the tiles

Wet the floor with the amended water as this helps soften the seal between the tile and the bonding agent. This is known as wet stripping and is the best way of removing asbestos. This is because the water will keep the asbestos fibres stuck to the tiles and prevent them getting into the air.

Use a hammer and putty knife to remove the asbestos, starting at the edge and working your way in. Never, drill or saw as this will mean asbestos fibres enter the air. To remove with the putty knife. Slip it under the tile and dislodge it with a little pressure. Do this for all the tiles in large, whole pieces to prevent dust getting into the air. When finished clean the area with a damp cloth and ensure none of the asbestos enters the air.

Disposal

Of course, asbestos has to be disposed of carefully. Place the waste into boxes and seal them up. If there is any smaller pieces of debris, gather them up and place them inside plastic bags, double bag them and then seal them up. These will have to be brought to a landfill to be disposed of in a special manner. Just leaving them out with the rubbish at the side of your home is not an option.

When this is done, now you must wash off all your equipment and make sure there is no asbestos left anywhere on them, as this can cause problems in the future. Finally, clean yourself off with a shower.

In some countries it is illegal to remove asbestos without a relevant course in the field. Of course, if you feel it's all too much, professional help is also a way to deal with such a procedure.

Getting Quotes For Asbestos Removal

If you decide that you need to use the services of professional asbestos removal companies, you are welcome to use Top Tradespeople's free service to compare several quotes from asbestos surveyors and asbestos removal services.

How Double Glazing Works

How Double Glazing Works


We often hear about the insulation properties of double glazing, however many of us don't understand how it works and how it actually traps the heat in and keeps noise out of the home.

Simply explained, double glazing works on the principle that air, or gas is not nearly as good of heat conductor as materials such as glass. So, double glazing is made up of two panes of glass with a central area filled with inert gas. This layer does not conduct heat very well and so significantly limits the amount of heat that actually escapes through the window and outside of the home. This means in winter a double glazed window will keep your home insulated and is far more useful than a single pane.

The Science

To be more scientific, warm molecules move faster than cold ones. When one warm molecule bumps into another next to it, it shakes it and it starts moving equally as quickly. This continues and all the molecules begin to move faster and so conduct heat. Glass's molecules tend to be very close together and so conduct heat quickly. Air's molecules are further apart and so don't tend to conduct materials nearly as quickly.

To put it in more simple terms, the woolly jumper you wear is very similar. As the fibres of these jumpers trap air between them and also the warm molecules coming from your body. Wool jumpers slow down the molecules and form an insulated layer between your body and the outside world and so keep your body warm.

Argon

Many of the double glazing windows don't actually have air between them, they in fact have a gas called argon. This gas is inert and doesn't react with other materials and is a third poorer of a conductor than air. This increases how hard it is for heat to escape through the window, even more so.

Getting the difference between the inside and the outside of the pane is important. Panes that are too close together will transfer heat across either pane, whereas panes too far apart also cause problems. These panes have significant temperature differences and cause the air between panes to move around. This can allow heat to escape from one side to the other. The optimum width between the panes is 16mm - 19mm.

The Frame

These glass panes are placed between either wood, aluminium, or uPVC panels, though this is also to be considered. Aluminium is light and strong, however it also is a conductor of heat meaning an insulation has to be placed between it and the pane. Wood can also be used and is a great insulator, however it is manmade and can really wear with time.

UPVC frames are probably the best as they are both good insulators and also hard wearing. This makes them among the most popular choices for UK buyers as they offer the best of both worlds for those looking to use double glazing on their homes.

So, hopefully now you understand the differences between windows and how these double glazed versions work.

Getting Quotes For Double Glazing

Please feel free to use Top Tradespeople's no-obligation service for homeowners to compare free quotes from local double glazing companies

Asbestos Regulations

Asbestos Regulations


From the 1950s to the 1980s, asbestos was widely used in the building trade. This naturally occurring mineral was popular because of its resistance to heat, electricity and sound.

Today, we know much more about the affects of asbestos and the trade is governed by the Asbestos Regulations.

Different Types of Asbestos

There are basically three different types of asbestos, namely white asbestos, brown and blue asbestos. From 1985, the blue and brown forms were prohibited in the UK. White asbestos followed, with a ban put in place in 1999.

The asbestos regulations were introduced in 2006, banning all forms of asbestos. These regulations prohibit its importation, supply and use. The strict guidelines apply to new asbestos.

Asbestos Risks

The risks associated with asbestos, include:

Asbestosis (scarring of the lungs caused by minute asbestos fibres)
Lung cancer
Pleural thickening (asbestos fibres that have lodged in the membrane around the lungs, known as the pleura)
Mesothelioma (a malignant tumour of the pleura or lining of the abdominal cavity).
Many older buildings still contain asbestos, including hospitals, schools and homes that were built before the asbestos regulations came into force. Since the late 1980s, asbestos removal specialists have been drafted in to ensure the safety of public buildings.

If you already have asbestos in your home or property, don't worry!

As long as it is in good condition, it can remain in place. But you must continue to monitor the asbestos and maintain it to ensure that it is left undamaged.

Monitoring asbestos should not be done in a hap-hazard way. An asbestos survey should be carried out by an expert who will be able to locate and assess the asbestos. It will then be registered and a management plan will be put into place, and the asbestos will be monitored regularly. If you are doing renovations on the building, a more extensive asbestos survey should be carried out to make sure that the asbestos will not be affected.

Asbestos Removal

Given the risks associated with asbestos, you may wish to make sure that it is removed from your property altogether. An asbestos removal expert will know his asbestos regulations and will be able to help you safely remove asbestos from your home.

Under the regulations, asbestos removal must be carried out under a license that is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. There are only a few exceptions to this rule. An asbestos removal company will be able to advise you on your options. Remember, asbestos is still safe to use if it is undamaged. An asbestos survey will set your mind at ease and identify any problems.  As always, with any kind of tradespeople, remember to get at least three quotes for your asbestos removal services.

Disclaimer: Top Tradespeople accept no responsibility for the validity of this information. You should always seek expert advice on DIY, home improvement, building regulations and planning permission.

Building Regulations Kitchens

Building Regulations Kitchens


Building Regulations And Kitchens

Building regulations are all around us, so when you are considering major refurbishment work such as a new kitchen design you should check out building regulations which might be relevant.

Planning Permission - Kitchens

First the good news - planning permission is not generally required when planning a new kitchen unless the kitchen is part of a house extension or a listed building. If your home is a listed building you should bear in mind that you should always contact building control whenever you are wanting to undertake any kind of home improvement work, whether it's a new kitchen or other home improvement or DIY project.

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Fitting A Kitchen In A New Room

Generally if your new kitchen is going to be fitted in an existing room which is already a kitchen then there is no requirement to inform building control, however if you are planning to fit a kitchen in a room in your home which is not presently a kitchen you will probably need to comply with building regulations with regards to ventilation, fire safety and drainage requirements. If in doubt you should always contact building control to establish and clarify whether any building regulations need to be complied with relating to your home improvement plans.

Need Kitchen Fitters Quotes Or Kitchen Designers?

If you want to compare quotes from local kitchen fitters and get free quotes for kitchen design, kitchen supply and fit or kitchen renovation you can you use our free tradesmen quotes service to find kitchen fitters.

Building Regulations Bathrooms

Building Regulations Bathrooms


When it comes to fitting a new bathroom suite or completely refurbishing a bathroom there are a few things you should bear in mind with regards to the legalities which may be involved which you may not be aware of.

In recent years home improvement has become increasingly subject to building regulations and planning permission. These are the primary issues which you need to consider with regards to building regulations when carrying out a bathroom refurb.

Part P Building Regulations

Part P building regulations relates primarily to electrical works and a major part of this legislation directly affects electrics fitted in bathrooms and kitchens (i.e. areas where water is likely to come into contact with electricity). The legislation can be largely broken down into 4 areas:

All electrical work must be carried out by a competent person
Minor electrical works (such as electric showers and extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens), must be certified with a minor works certificate which should be issued to you by your electrician.
Quality electrical materials must be used.
Shower rooms, bathrooms and kitchens are considered 'special locations' and nearly all electrical works carried out in these areas must be notified to building control - to be on the safe side, ensure that you obtain the relevant certification, not only from a safety perspective but also to prevent any problems with missing paperwork if you come to try to sell your property and are unable to verify any bathroom modifications work.
If upgrading your electric shower check with the manufacturers instructions to see if any notifications are required to remain compliant. Good quality showers will normally have information accompanying them about this matter.
Bathrooms and External Ventilation Regulations

When fitting a bathroom, shower room, wetroom or cloakroom, it is essential that external ventilation of some sort is available. Whilst most bathrooms and shower rooms etc, will normally have an external window fitted in any event, if there is no window present it is imperative that an extractor fan is fitted.

En Suite Bathrooms - Regulations

An ensuite bathroom cannot lead directly into a bedroom (with just one door into the bathroom), if it is the only bathroom in the house.

Bathrooms With WC

Bathrooms with a toilet fitted in them must not open directly into a kitchen, living room or dining room.

Need A Bathroom Fitter?

If you need a bathroom fitter and are looking for quotes from plumbers or bathroom fitters you can use our free service to compare quotes from several plumbers. You will are not obliged to accept any quotes from tradesmen but comparing quotes using Top Tradespeople free plumbers quotes services could save you time and save you money by helping you get the best deal on bathroom fitting. Request quotes from bathrooms tradesmen.

Working Out Your Bathroom Design - What Do You Want From A Bathroom Design?

Working Out Your Bathroom Design - What Do You Want From A Bathroom Design?

How To Decide What Kind of Bathroom Refurbishment Is Right For You?

Designing a bathroom for your home is one of the major home improvement works which you will carry out. Most people only carry out this kind of project every decade or so, so it is vital that you not only think about what you would like, but also, what will remain fashionable, what will sell your house when it comes to moving (if it is possible in todays difficult home movers market?), and also what you actually want as a family or homeowner from your new bathroom refurbishment.

It is also important to think about a few practical issues such as the legalities of installing a new bathroom, which, of course, now fall under various legislation with regards to fitting electrics in bathrooms and also some areas to consider with regards to minor works. You certainly do not want to be the proud owner of a fabulous new bathroom refurbishment, to then find that you need to start getting your home improvement project certified just as you are about to sell your house.

Let Your Bathroom Be A Reflection of Your Personality? Or Not?

If you are looking for a flambouyant bathroom you should consider whether this will add value to your home if in the future it comes to putting your property on the market. Consider adding flambouyancy that you can 'remove' if necessary if you need to 'tone things down' to cater for the average home buyer. For example, it might be worthwhile limiting your budding bathroom design flourishes to decorative lighting, decorative mirrors and cupboards or fancy bathroom accessories, and keeping the bulk of the bathroom - i.e. the bathroom wall tiling, bathroom suite and floor tiling, fairly neutral. Consider expressing yourself decoratively in emulsion on the bathroom walls, adding intricate towel holders, soap dispensers and the like so that you can paint over walls to neutralise when marketing your home, and remove the 'added extras' as necessary - bonus - you could even take your favourite toothbrush holder with you!

What Do You Want From Your Bathroom Refurbishment?

If your household rarely take baths - you're just too busy, so you're big shower people - why not look at the many options in steam cabinets, shower cabinets with radios and other hi-tech shower cabinets. If you're getting electric showers fitted, don't forget to ensure that your electrical installations are compliant with building regulations.

If your household are lovers of long soaks in the bath, or their idea of exercise is sitting in the gym spa, then consider getting a whirlpool type bath fitted and cutting back on expense with shower cubicles and steam cabinets.

Essentially, let your bathroom design be a reflection of yourself, however, even though the housing market is not moving yet, things can change, so it's important to remember that your home is a big asset and you might just want to sell it one day - so avoid 'the avocado bathroom suite' syndrome - your bathroom might be there longer than you are.

Getting Quotes Off Bathroom Fitters

Please feel free to use Top Tradespeople's free tradesmen quotes services to find and compare no obligation free quotes from local bathroom fitters and designers or other local tradesme.

Working With Electrics In Bathrooms And Showers

Working With Electrics In Bathrooms And Showers

When you are getting electrical work done in the bathroom, it is important to understand the implications of the Part P of the Building Regulations. If a homeowner is getting electrical work done in the bathroom, they must comply with Part P by either using a Competent Persons Scheme electrician, or by submitting a Building Regulations application to the Local Authority. However, in most cases the simplest and most economical method of accomplishing this is to have the electrical installation work performed by a qualified electrician registered with an authorized Part P Competent Person Scheme. If you use this method, the electrician will not only perform and test the electrical work, but also notify the appropriate authorities. If you choose a different method, you will still have to pay to have the electrical work to be inspected. It is often much less expensive to just have a Competent Person perform the entire electricians job.

Electricians - What is a Competent Person?

The term "Competent Person" refers to a firm that has been approved by one of the Part P schemes approved by the government as being competent to self-certify that any electrical work performed complies with the Building Regulations. Part P was introduced to reduce the number of fires, injuries and deaths caused by electrical installations that were performed in a faulty fashion. There are several advantages to using a "Competent Person". For example, you will have the option of taking out an insurance-backed guarantee for the work that is being performed, you won't have to pay Building Control charges, and if you are not happy with the work that was performed, you will have access to a formal complaint procedure.

Electricians - Electrics in the Bathroom

For the purpose of wiring regulations, the bathroom is divided into zones that range from Zone 0, which is the wettest, which is an area that actually can hold water, such as the interior of the bath or shower, to Zone 2. Electrical equipment is rated in regards to its level of mechanical and moisture protection. If the equipment doesn't an an IP number, it cannot be used in these zones, or anywhere else that has a wet or damp environment, for that matter. Some of the typical bathroom electrical items that have these IP numbers include lighting, heaters, extractor fans, shower pumps, and electrical shower units.

Electricians - Electricians and Electric Showers

If you are planning to install an electric shower, which is installed as a wall unit using an electric element to heat the water, it is advisable to have this work done by an qualified electrician with an authorized Part P Competent Person Scheme. While electric showers are quite popular and convenient, they can be dangerous if they are installed incorrectly. There are regulations about electric showers and their installation that are simply best handled by an electrician. The installation for these units varies, depending on the model that is being installed, so an electrician will not only be aware of the proper method, but also knowledgeable concerning the regulations about electric showers and their installation.

Loft Conversions Building Regulations

Loft Conversions Building Regulations

Planning permission for loft conversion projects is not normally required under new building regulations which came into effect on 1st October 2008, which stated that loft conversions for your home are considered a permitted development work, not needing planning permission as long as certain conditions are met as detailed below:

Permitted Loft Conversion Development Guidelines

Guidelines as at 1st October 2008. Please check to ensure that before proceeding with any loft conversion work these guidelines or legislation has not been revised.

The loft conversion cannot extend beyond the plane of the existing roof slope to the principal front elevation.
Materials used for the loft conversion should be similar in appearance to the existing property.
Any side facing windows to the loft conversion must use obscure-glazing with any window opening to be 1.7m about the floor.
Roof extensions for loft conversions or similar are not a permitted development in certain designated areas which include national parks and the Broads, conservation areas, world heritage sites and areas of outstanding national beauty.
No extension is to be higher than the higher than the highest point of the existing roof.
No raised platforms, verandahs or balconies
Volume allowances of additional roof space of 40 cubic metres for terraced properties and 50 cubic metres for detached and semi-detached houses are permitted without planning permission, however any existing roof space additions previously added need to be included in these volume allowance. You may need to consider whether previous owners of the property have added additional roof space.
Converting Roof Space Into Liveable Areas

If you wish to convert your roof space into a liveable area then building regulations approval is needed.

The general guidelines are listed below for converting roof space into a liveable loft conversion area and are largely broken down into five main categories.

These guidelines relate to properties with a maximum of two storeys only. Properties which are higher than two storeys may require additional building control approval.

The five main areas to consider regarding building regulations on loft conversions to liveable space.

The strength structurally of the new floor which will be required to take the weight (load) needs to be sufficient.
There must be safe escape from fire with a 30 minute fire door installed.
There must be stairs which have been safely designed for the new loft conversion.
Sound insulation between the rooms below and the loft conversion must be adequate.
The stability of the property's structure must not be endangered by the loft converson. This includes the existing roof structure.
When considering any kind of work which may require building regulations approval or planning permission it is always wise to contact your local Building Control for further advice.

Getting Quotes For Loft Conversions

Please feel free to use Top Tradespeople's free tradesmen quotes services to find and compare quotes from loft conversion specialists.

Top Tradespeople do not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of this information and professional advice should always be sought if in doubt prior to commencing any home improvement projects.

What Makes A Good Tiler

What Makes A Good Tiler

When you are next looking for a tiler to carry out tiling jobs of any kind such as wall tiling, floor tiling, tiling repairs or simple regrouting tiles or applying a new silicone sealant seal to your shower tray, you will want to know what things to look out for when employing the services of a local tiler.  What makes a good tiler?

What Are The Qualities Of A Good Tiler?

A good tiler will often carry a portfolio of their tiling work.  They will have carried out many tiling jobs and will be proud to show you their work.  Bear in mind, using the wrong tiler for your tiling job could prove to be very expensive as, even if you remove the tiler from your job you will still have to pay for the costs of replacing tiles which have been ruined and may even have to pay for a plasterer to replaster the wall when the bad tiling has been taken off the wall.  You could say "I will get the bad tiler to pay for the tiles which were ruined", but this may be easier said than done as taking a tiler through the small claims court for damages and costs involved in a bad job can take several months.  It is far wiser to find a good tiler in the first place rather than waste time going back over the tilers work.

In addition to a portfolio, a good tiler should be able to provide references from previous jobs for their work.  Many websites now have review sections where you check tilers and other tradesmen on jobs that they have done.  Here previous customers tell you all you need to know in order to be able to make an informed decision, but bear in mind if the tiler has just recently registered with a jobs website then he or she may not have any reviews so it is important to take this into consideration.

A good tiler should be patient, have an eye for detail and be able to spot imperfections at every tile so to speak.  Again, these things should be checked with previous customers and on past jobs.

Tilers should be clean and tidy.  Tile adhesive and grout which is not cleaned up and left to dry in the wrong places can be horribly messy so a good tiler should clean up his working area as he goes along.

What Qualifications Does A Tiler Need To Have?

Currently, tilers are not legally required to hold tiling qualifications in order to practice tiling and offer their tiling services to homeowners and businesses alike.  However, there are recognised tiling qualifications which homeowners might perhaps wish to ask tilers giving quotes whether they hold.  There are NVQ qualifications in tiling and also some colleges award CITB qualifications for tiling too.  Whilst many plumbers are either time served from apprenticeships or have built up their tiling skills from working 'on the tools' it is always worth asking what qualifications your tiler holds.

What Should I Ask Tilers When Getting Quotes For My Tiling Jobs?

Nowadays, tradesmen (tilers included) need to be able to provide a complete customer service experience to homeowners when they are giving quotes for jobs.  They should be able to answer most of the following questions:

How long will the job take?
How many tiles do I need?
Are there any other materials which you would need for the job (presuming you are providing your own materials)?
How long will it be before I can use the area where you have carried out the tiling work?  (particularly important if you are having tiling work carried out in your bathroom and you only have the one loo as sometimes tiling can take quite a while to 'go off' and this means that you won't be able to walk on the tiling for some time).
Do you have references or reviews from past jobs from people who have used your tiling services before?
Do you have a portfolio of tiling work that we can look at?
What qualifications in tiling do you have?
Will you provide me with a written tiling quote for the job?
What guarantees on workmanship do you give and will you provide these guarantees in writing for us?
Hopefully that covers most areas which you may want to discuss with your tilers giving quotes.

Please always remember to get three quotes for tiling work from tilers as it is important to be able to compare quotes before committing to or accepting tilers quotes.

Doing Your Own Home Survey

Doing Your Own Home Survey

Home surveys aren't as complex as builder's surveys and if you have a little building knowhow and don't wish to pay for someone to come in to do a short survey of your potential new home, you may want to do it yourself.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will tell you most homes need a home survey, whether new or old and this is most certainly true. By surveying your potential home for problems you can limit any future problems you may have with the home, that may not be evident on superficial viewing. Of course, we're not saying you can be as comprehensive as a professional surveyor, but there are some things to look out for.

Damp

Damp walls are a key clue to problems with a home and mean that you should seriously consider a more comprehensive survey from a professional person. Damp can leak into homes and is a terrible problem as it can rot the structure of a home. Older homes, or ones with timber will seriously be damaged by this and alarm bells should ring. Keep an eye out for damp behind cupboards, in corners, around windows and in the attic. It's usually where you won't check, so be very careful where you look.

Roof

One of the most expensive parts of a home to repair is the roof. Roofs can cause all sorts of issues in homes and can be down to age, poorly constructed roofs, or badly fitted ones by roofers that don't know what they're doing. Keep an eye out for indentations and uneven roofs, as well as loose tiles, or problems with rafters in the attic. These are often all signs of issues with a house's roof. Be aware that these problems can cost up to tens of thousands of pounds to fix and really are of issues in the long term.

Flat roofs can also be a severe problem and incorporate both issues with damp and problems with the home's structure. Be very wary of these roofs, which though cheaper to add, can really cause issues in time.

Insulation

A well insulated home will save you money and also heat and is better for the environment. Many older homes are badly insulated and can really cost a lot of money to heat because of this. Make sure to ensure that all the home is insulated, especially the roof as this is where a large amount of the heat exits the house and really means extra money in the long term. Poorly insulated homes also are more inclined to be damp and this is where money is really haemorrhaged.

Make sure that the areas around windows are well insulated, as well as around doors. Of course, double glazing and uPVC windows tend to be a lot better at keeping heat in then single pane glass for instance. This is also something to consider when doing your survey.

Keeping an eye out for such issues can go a long way to ensuring a home is okay, however, you'll never beat a chartered surveyors more comprehensive examination.

Getting Quotes From Surveyors

If you decide that you would rather obtain a home buyers survey or building survey from a professional building surveyor, you can use our free service to compare several quotes from local surveyors - no obligation of course.

Building Regulations In Building Work

Building Regulations In Building Work
We spend our time researching the latest building law and regulations so that you don't have to.  Our team gather as much information on DIY, home improvement, latest building trades news, home ideas and tips hoping to provide our members with a one stop solution to find everything they need to keep their home in tiptop condition and get jobs done as quickly and easily as possible.


Check our useful handy guide to building regulations by trades type :

Building regulations affecting tiling jobs, bathroom refurbishments and kitchen tiling
Building laws applying to general building jobs, extensions and new build building work
Regulations and electrical work.  Rewires, Part P legislation, qualifications needed by electricians before working on your home
Gas regulations.  The new Gas Safe Register of tradespeople and the old CORGI gas system
Planning a conservatory.  When size matters with regards to building control, planning permission and building regulations.
How big does a porch have to be before it needs planning permission
Where did Part P Legislation begin.  We look at the story behind the building law.
What qualifications does an electrician need to work on my electrical jobs?
What qualifications does a heating engineer or plumber need to work with gas?

Cost Of Building An Extension

Cost Of Building An Extension

Cost Of Building An Extension
Extensions are a good way to gain more living space and rejuvenate your home without packing your bags and moving into a new property. The cost of building an extension will depend on the size and complexity of the extension you choose.
The average cost of an extension comes in at around £1,000 per square metre for a single storey. If you’re having two or three storey extensions, the price will usually decrease according to the number of storeys you’re having built. So a two storey extension would cost around £900 per square metre, and so on.
Here are some rough price guides for an extension:
• Planning application - £150
• Garage conversion - £15,000
• Roofing - £2,000
• Plastering (per room) - £500
• Single storey extension (20 square metres) - £20,000
• Two-storey extension - £37,000.
Spending a little time to go through your budget will pay dividends in the long run and will help keep your builders focused. It’s essential to take time to choose a good local building firm. A specialist extension builder will take you through the whole process and will give you a written quotation so you know exactly where you stand.
If you’re looking to save money on your extension, you could try sourcing the materials yourself. This may be time-consuming, but you’ll be sure to get the best deals. When budgeting for an extension, be sure to set some aside for any emergencies - you don’t want to be left high and dry if anything goes wrong!
When you’re trying to work out the price of an extension, remember to include the cost of plumbing and electrical work. Other factors, such as the finish, will also affect the cost. If you want tiled walls or floors, these will cost you more money. Watch out for ‘hidden costs’ like these. You’ll also pay more for your extension if you live in the south of England.
Here are some other issues that could affect the cost of building an extension:
• Ground conditions
• Access to the site
• Location of the tradesman or extension company.
The best way to find a local builder is to use an online directory. Remember to ask for quotes from a number of tradesmen to get the best price. A good tradesman will up-front about all the costs for your extension and should take care of any building regulations for you.

How To Plaster A Wall

How To Plaster A Wall

Plastering is a highly skilled job, so if you’re not sure how to plaster a wall, call in the experts. You’ll find a list of local plasterers in our online directory.

If you’ve decided to tackle the job yourself, you should follow our steps for plastering a wall. It’s always a good idea to have a practice run before you try out your plastering skills on a large area. Before you start, why not have a go at plastering some hardboard, following the steps below?

Step by Step Plastering Guide

Firstly, prepare the room by brushing down the wall’s surface to remove any dust. Apply a good plaster bonding agent, especially if the wall’s made of smooth cement. This will ensure that your plaster sticks and will help prevent cracking.

Mixing the Plaster

Next, mix the plaster. It should come with full instructions on the bag, so make sure you follow these carefully. Take time to mix the plaster thoroughly, making sure there are no lumps. You should have a thick, creamy consistency when you’ve finished. Only mix as much as you’re going to use as plaster sets in no time at all, and you don’t want to be left with hardened plaster that you can’t use. Never try to add more water to hardened plaster - it simply won’t work!

Now you’re ready to start plastering. Apply the base coat using smooth strokes, working up from the bottom of the wall. There’s a knack to applying plaster to a wall - remember to keep your trowel at an angle so you don’t pull the fresh plaster back off the wall as you work! The coat you’ve applied should be around 2mm thick.

When you’ve finished, you can start to smooth the surface. You can do this when the plaster is beginning to harden. This is easier to do in summer, when plaster remains pliable for longer. If you have any holes or unevenness, use a thin skim of plaster to level things out.

Finishing Off The Plastering

When the last coat of plaster has dried - this should take around 40 minutes - you can start work on polishing the plaster. Flick water across your plasterwork with a paintbrush and using a wet trowel, gently smooth back over the surface of the wall. Use sweeping strokes to fill in any holes or imperfections. Now you should have a perfectly plastered wall!

A professional plasterer will be able to do this job for you, ensuring a quality finish to your walls. Use an online tradesmen directory to look up local plasterers in your local area.

Kitchen Costs

Kitchen Costs

How Much A New Kitchen Costs

The cost of a new kitchen can vary depending on how much work needs to be done. If you’re good at DIY and able to do some of the work yourself, you’ll be able to cut down on your kitchen costs. For example you can replace damaged floor tiles cheaply - installing them is quite simple if you know what you’re doing. If you can safely remove the old kitchen units yourself, then so much the better! Or if your wall needs plastering and you can do it yourself, you’ll shave pounds off the cost of a new kitchen.

Getting Quotes For Kitchen Costs

If you don’t know what you’re doing when it comes to DIY, it’s best to call in a kitchen specialist. They’ll assess the work that needs to be done and talk through your options with you. Contact three or four so you can pick the best deal for your new kitchen!

Prices For Kitchens

You can expect to pay anything from a few hundred pounds for a few basic repairs to your old kitchen, to thousands for a new kitchen that’s been designed around your needs. It may be worth sitting down and working out how much cash you have to spare, then matching your kitchen design to your budget.

Kitchen Units

Buying your kitchen units from a large chain of shops will be less expensive than getting them at an individual specialist retailer, so make sure you shop around before parting with your hard-earned cash!

Costs Of Kitchen Installation

The cost of installing a kitchen depends on what labour is involved in the job. You could end up spending anything from £300 to £3,000 on labour. Kitchen worktops should cost around £150 for basic work surfaces right up to £3,000 for the very best. For new kitchen cabinets, you’ll be paying from £1,000 to a hefty £6,000. When paying for the appliances, there are all sorts of ways to cut down the costs - including being careful not to buy anything you really don’t need! If all your kitchen appliances need replacing, this could cost you a tidy sum of £1,500. If you can salvage anything from your old kitchen, you’ll be able to make more savings.

Finding A Kitchen Fitter

It’s a good idea to have a professional kitchen fitter round to see what needs to be done. They’ll be able to give you some advice and a list of costs. You may even find that some of them are offering deals such as free fitting.

Always Compare Quotes

Call up a few local kitchen fitters and ask them for a price. Then you can pick the best deal based on the cost of fitting a kitchen and the time it’ll take them to do it.

Average Costs Of Tiling Jobs

The cost of tiling your wall or floor will, of course, depend on the size of the area that you're tiling and the type of tiles you use, however there are a number of items which will we look at in this article, including the costs of labour and tiling materials.

Measure Up For Tiles

So first thing's first: measure up your wall or your floor and calculate how many tile's you'll need. You can do this by measuring the height and width of the area you're planning on tiling. Multiply these measurements together and the figure you arrive at is the size of the area you'll need to tile. If there's more than one area to be tiled, do the same calculation and add the totals together.

Shopping For Tiles

You'll be buying tiles by the square metre, so take your calculations with you when head out to purchase your kitchen or bathroom tiles. If you're trying to work out your wall tiling costs, it's not just the cost of the tiles that you'll have to budget for - there's also plastering or rendering, or applying plasterboard. If you can do any of the DIY yourself before you call in the professionals, this will cut down the costs.

Generally, the cost of plastering or rendering your walls will come to about £20 per square metre. For plasterboard, plywood or aqua panel, it'll come in at around £30. The cost of laying the tiles will be approximately £70 to £100. This work is best done by a professional tiler, to ensure a high standard of work.
The price of tiles per square metre depends on which type of tiles you want to use. The most popular are ceramic tiles, which are versatile, attractive and relatively cheap. Ceramic tiles can be bought for £5 to £10 per square metre - so it's cheap to replace these tiles if you damage them. For something a little different, you could try installing stone tiling, such as limestone. These will cost about £10 to £20 per square metre. They're a little more expensive but they'll make your walls look a little more special!

Costs for Granite Tiling Per Square Metre

For granite tiling, you can expect to pay £25 per square metre. At the top of the range is marble which will cost at least, £30 per square metre - but these are stylish tiles that will make your floors look really stunning!

Find A Tiler

Why not let the experts do all the hard work for you? Contact a local tiler to ask them to quote you a price. Do this with three or four recommended tradesmen so you can pick the best quote for the job.

How Social Media Sites Can Help You Choose Your New Conservatory Design

How Social Media Sites Can Help You Choose Your New Conservatory Design


Conservatories have always been a bit of a stylish addition to a house. These mainly glazed structures originated in the 17 and 18th century, when the land owners of that time began to install orangeries on their properties. Thankfully, as time has gone on, the remainder of us mere mortals can now benefit from owning a conservatory and enjoy the lifestyle benefits that they offer.

Conservatories provide a chic, heated (often too heated in Summer), sunny extension to our homes but choosing the right design is not always easy. Take heart, today's modern age of social media can help. Let's look at the various social media platforms that you can use to find inspiration for your new conservatory.

Pinterest

The new social media 'babe' of the internet, packed full of images 'pinned' and 'liked' by others and integrated with social media platforms twitter and facebook. This is an image based sharing website where users 'pin' images using their browser bookmarks bar and then share it with their followers via their own design boards. Not only will you be able to look for exterior designs and frameworks for your conservatory here, you'll also be able to gain ideas about how to design the conservatory internally too, as Pinterest is frequented by many interior design bloggers. You're sure to find everything you need here.

Digg and Reddit

These two sites are more targeted towards content and are very much about 'social bookmarking' over images; however they provide some fabulous links to ideas and design applications for a new sunroom. Again, as its users browse the web they 'digg' (i.e. vote with a thumbs up), webpages. For ideas, such sites are amazing.

Flickr

Flickr also provides an excellent way in which to find amazing ideas for conservatory designs and other interior design inspirations - it's very much about photos and you will get many homeowners who record their conservatory building project progress using sites such as Flickr.

Stumble Upon

Stumbleupon is an easy web site to use - hopefully you will be able to find some 'stumbles' relating to conservatories, sunrooms or orangeries.

Twitter

Of course, Twitter posts is one of the best of all the available sites for finding out about anything as and when it happens. Follow some interior designers or conservatory companies and keep an eye on their 'tweets'. In addition to design ideas, you may just get yourself a deal on a conservatory as many organisations now use Twitter and Facebook as their outlet to announce sales and special offers..

You Tube

How could we neglect YouTube in all of this. The primary film and video web site, and the third largest search engine in the world today provides film and video snippets of everything to do with conservatories - from building companies who have uploaded videos of a conservatory being built, to conservatory companies who want to showcase their design. There are even self-build conservatories on You Tube, if you fancing having a go at building your own.

Top Tradespeople Free Conservatory Quotes Services

Use all of these social media websites for inspiration when it comes to choosing the conservatory that's right for you - alternatively, you could ask us to look for conservatory companies to quote for you. We don't charge for this service, and hopefully you should save time and money finding a conservatory company who will be able to go through various design options with you.

Using Apps In DIY, Home Improvement, Decorating and Design

Using Apps In DIY, Home Improvement, Decorating and Design
There are applications for everything from getting the latest exchange rates, to discussing kittens and cats, and it probably won't be a shock to many of us to also find that there are numerous excellent DIY and house style ones too. So, what are the very best mobile phone and tablet applications for fanatics of this persuasion?

I.D. Wood

There are a lot of different kinds of wooden out there and also a lot of misconceptions about which is most apt for what type of structure or purpose. The I.D Wood app is your wooden manual, helping you to identify wood by its type and use and reveals most everything you'll ever require when it comes to choosing wood for your DIY and home improvement projects.

Color Capture

For those of us who are a little more into interior design and decorating than nails, hammers, saws and wood, this color scheme app is excellent for colour matching snapshops taken with your phone with any of more than 3,300 paint colours from the Benjamin Moore collection. You need never be undecided as to what colour you need to buy when you find that perfect shade on your travels again.

iHandy Carpenter

Everyone who aspires to be any type of DIY carpenter, needs accurate measuring tools and this one app provides that - courtesy of iHandy Carpenter. There is a complete kit of 5 professional DIY tools included with this application. A plumb bob for ensuring that vertical lines are straight. A virtual steel protractor for measuring angles of up to 180 degrees. A similar 'virtual' steel ruler, bubble measuring tool and a surface level tool to measure flat surfaces.
So, there's a brief roundup on just a few of the many DIY, home interiors and design apps which are popping up on the market now.
Enjoy your DIY.