More and more of people are, for the foreseeable future that is, faced with staying in their current home – there are now so many factors stopping folks from moving house. The first big question householders need to ask is whether they are able to undertake any work on an extension themselves – perhaps with structural work done by a building contractor, double glazing window installations done by a professional installer and all other done in-house as it were. If people are good at DIY this is often a way to improve their home at lowest cost. [Read more...]
Home improvements- Upgrading your kitchen
October 7, 2011 By
It can be really depressing to face the same old grotty units in your kitchen every day to say nothing of the inadequate storage where everything is heaped up (if you’re tidy) or stuffed in haphazardly (if you’re not. Having a nice looking kitchen is not only a morale booster for those who have to spend time in it, but a big plus point when selling.
It is always possible to upgrade your dingy kitchen yourself even when the budget is small. It is a pretty easy DIY task to paint or ideally replace the doors in your units, and repaint the walls. Even this can make the kitchen feel better.
If you really feel you need to replace your kitchen units as DIY project then the local DIY store will have a design service but you will need to have the level of skills to fit your units and get a qualified tradesman to sort out the gas and electricity connections.
If you want to have your kitchen designed and fitted for you then do get quotes from several kitchen companies and ideally get someone to come to your home and give you ideas you will never have thought of yourself. And don’t forget to think about the appliances you will need and where they will fit.
Kitchens vary from neat and functional and reasonably priced to very expensive indeed. It is important to pay the price range commensurate with the value added it will give to your house price when you sell it. Most kitchen upgrades for modest homes would be lucky to add more than £2,500 to the value. Mind you, it might make the difference between selling and not selling!
Home improvements-Convert a basement
August 31, 2011 By
People who are lucky enough to have a basement in their house often appear to use it for the storage of junk and clutter. I know folks who not only store their own clutter but also their friend’s furniture from when they moved house and couldn’t fit it all in. This is such a waste of valuable real estate! It is really a reasonable option to clear the room and convert it to an extra room.
A basement (providing it is around 2.4 metres high) can be such a marvellous resource for those who need more space and planning permission is not usually needed to convert an existing basement though it is worthwhile checking with the planning department. The problems encountered in converting a basement to a living space are mainly to do with whether the room is dampIf so, there are two issues: firstly there will be the need for a damp proof course and secondly, in order to prevent condensation and consequent fungi and mould there will need to be good ventilation through the room. Ideally the heating would be by electricity as gas would need a flue and create moisture in the air If you want to use the new room as, say a games or play room or a home cinema it probably won’t matter if there is no natural light, though if the basement already has natural light with high level windows it will be OK to use it as a room or rooms for working or sleeping
Home improvements- Upgrading Home Security
August 10, 2011 By
If you have had something stolen from inside your house, your shed or garden you will already be thinking of upgrading your home security – if you haven’t you should not assume you are fine unless you have effective home security systems in place. It is worth while taking anticipatory action before you have problems.
Really good quality locks both on your doors and windows are an essential (though I can tell you from experience they won’t deter burglars if they are not locked – don’t assume that if you are in the garden no-one will go in the house) . If your doors are fitted in flimsy frames (some side garage doors can have less than sturdy frames) then they need stiffening up – you can probably do this as DIY.
You can also buy and fit security lights quite simply yourself . These should be fitted with passive infra red (PIR) which will trigger the lights to come on when the beam is broken by heat or movement of a person approaching your house or car coming into the drive.
It is also sensible to not flag up your absence when going on holiday. It may be worthwhile to get timer switches to put on lights or even a radio to mask your absence.
If you are concerned you can ask for advice from the Crime Prevention Officer who will advise on best ways of keeping your home safe. It can also be worth your while to get professional advice on fitting a burglar alarm to protect your property. Fitting alarms can reduce your insurance premiums.