Archive for May, 2010
Many people are now choosing to make the most of the homes they live in instead of relocating in the current climate. Any home improvements should be considered wisely therefore take our below top tips to a better home;
- Become your own contractor; Choose to hire the professionals yourself as a contractor will charge you a pretty penny to do this. This is a great way to save some money for your project but make sure you do the research on who to hire!
- Plan and budget; Remodelling a kitchen or bathroom can be very costly therefore make sure you have evaluated what you want to do and make an appropriate budget, if you cant afford to do major changes then wait or look at a different option.
- Reuse or resell your goods; By repainting or replacing parts of your good you could save money. If you have for example kitchen cabinets that are in full working order you can update them in lots of different ways or look at selling them.
- DIY wisely; If you can do the job then brilliant but if its unsafe or you are not skilled enough for the task don’t do it it will cost you more in the long run.
Bringing your home up to date is fun therefore make sure you enjoy it and plan efficiently!
Many home owners are making home improvements in order to become more energy efficient and eco friendly. By using energy efficient appliances in your home you can save money on your bills and add value to your home. More prospective home owners are looking for an energy efficient home and ‘saving the planet’ is becoming a priority to many that are energy conscious. You can hire a professional tradesman that will survey your home to highlight where the energy inefficiencies occur. This will allow you to take appropriate measures in order to stamp out energy wastage; such as purchasing a nice rug to stop draughts.
There is a general consensus for many home owners that by making your home more energy efficient you will have to give up the style and luxury that you are accustomed to. This is not the case, experts have now created many products that are up to date, stylish and also offer the same amount of practicality. An energy efficient home should be a home you enjoy and lets face it most people could do with saving their hard earned pennies on their bills allowing it to be a win win situation.
Many experts are now suggesting that parents should try to teach their children simple DIY tasks in order to install a keen interest and capability for the future. Research has shown that their has been a rapid decline in the number of people who have any interest in doing DIY, 40% of those surveyed say that they are just too busy to have time to do DIY or to learn.
22% of men said they just can not stand doing DIY around the home whereas 43% admitted that they are just a little to afraid to give DIY a go. Some experts now believe that in order to save home owners money knowing how to fix things around the house will be a valuable tool.
By getting children to lend a hand at an early age they will hopefully enjoy it, children love attention and learning new skills therefore by letting them help you with little jobs they will have fun! If DIY interest continues to die out then many people will spend a small fortune hiring help and could also lead to a lack of tradesman; a great skill for the economy that we will always need.
Many home owners need to revamp their kitchen more frequently than any other room in the house. Home improvements can be expensive at the best of time however without the amount of appliances used in the kitchen and the general wear and tear that occurs most people fear the bill will be too frightening to start the project at all.
Many experts are however suggesting that revamping your kitchen can be done without over spending but will still allow you to have a kitchen you are happy with. Why not try giving the cupboard in your kitchen a little makeover? A good lick of paint can upgrade the look of your kitchen and give a ‘new cupboard’ finish. You can also purchase appliances for your kitchen that are not at the top end of the market that will still give a classy look, you simply just need to make sure that they tie in with the look of the room and match each other.
In the event you want more extensive work and require a professional, you can save a little money by doing some preparation work before they arrive; this will help limit expensive labour costs.
More and more people are concerned with the security of their home, around 24% of home owners are making home improvements in order to upgrade security for their property. Around £420 is due to be spent on each garden project conducted, 7% of which will contribute to outdoor property security.
Simple measures can be taken to improving home security such as installing lighting in the garden. There are different types of lighting available for the garden, some of which can work on a timer so that even if you are out it will look like you are in in order to deter burglars, there are also lighting systems available that are activated when a person steps into your garden which can alert you to someone entering the garden.
Many home owners are also planning to construct fencing in their garden or revamp the materials already in place in order to feel safer in their property. Gates with strong locks are also topping the list of garden security ‘to dos’ which are thought to improve safety and deter break ins which is a top home owner priority this summer. You can choose to DIY the project or call in a professional; either way making your home safer is a a great idea.
Research from Santander mortgages has now shown that more home owners than ever are moving their cars from the garage and using the space as a second bedrooms, utility rooms or even as a quiet office space. According to such research only 34% of garages are used in order to keep a home owners car whereas 54% are being used to stores tools.
Many home owners are now realising that they can add value to their homes by converting their garages or are investing in their home as many are struggling to upgrade on the current property market.
Garage conversions do not need to be too pricey, for a relatively small amount of money you can revamp the space and create the feeling of a bigger home. Many home owners are choosing to use their DIY skills in order to make a new comfortable living space, however, do keep in mind that you may want a professional to look at doing the job if heating insulation or windows are to be put in as this usually requires great skill. Making use of the space you have is an ideal way to make the most of your home.
Before you make any home improvements to your property you should plan all the work step by step to avoid any unnecessary hassle in the future. You should make sure you are very clear about what you want to achieve through the home improvements and what your budget is.
It is very easy to get carried away when building or designing a new aspect to your home and when suggestions are given by builders it is easy to get carried away, leaving with you a larger bill than expected.
Shop around for the building materials you may need and set a goal that is realistic. Doing any home improvement jobs are relatively expensive therefore be prepared for how much it will cost and set aside the money.
In the event you are hiring a professional to help with the project make sure you sign a contract detailing your specifications for the property. This will help if anything is done without your permission or if the project is left unfinished as it is legally binding. Always protect yourself and get the best deal you can get without losing any quality in the work or materials.
Summer is not too far round the corner and many of us enjoy a nice garden bbq with our friends or family. It is therefore important to have a garden which is both welcoming and attractive, so get your gardening tools out and get started.
Gardening is an extremely physical task when done on a large scale so will keep you fit, it can also be very time consuming so it is better to do it whilst is cool and when you have a space in your schedule. Around three hours of hard graft in the garden will burn the same amount of calories as a whole hour in the gym which is good news for getting summer ready.
Experts have suggested that May is one of the driest months so take advantage of that now, you don’t have to do it alone why not ask your friends or family to get involved?
Buying plants or paint for your garden can be a little expensive therefore set a budget and stick to a simple design if you do not wish to spend too much. A few simple plants and some weeding can make a great difference to the look of your garden.
And don’t foget, you can transform your garden with one our our stunning conservatories.
Carpets are becoming a thing of the past, many home owners are now choosing wood flooring as its easy to keep clean and is a more modern choice. Home owners no longer need to scrub carpets clean of stains, they are instead able to give them a quick wipe leaving them sparkling. Wooden flooring is also ideal for pet lovers as when in training ‘little accidents’ wont effect the quality of the woods and any moulting can be easily swept or hovered.
Many people also feel that wooden flooring gives the illusion of a bigger room and allows them to easily update a room with accessories as the wood does not take over a colour scheme like a carpet can.
Wooden floors are reported to last up to 60 years which makes them durable and a good investment. They also attract prospective buyers as there is no need for them to rip up old carpets and can also add value to the home which makes a property a worthy investment.
Whether you choose real wood flooring or laminate both will achieve a great finish and will be easy to keep clean. Some people feel it can cause a home to be cold however you can add under floor heating or simply add a nice rug if necessary.
More homes than ever now have an open plan kitchen and living space therefore it can often be a little noisy when cooking or cleaning. Noise action week is the 26th April and in aid of this AEG – Electrolux ProClean has designed two very different household items that will help keep noise to a minimum.
Electrolux has come up with a quiet dishwasher, that’s right they have managed to design a dishwasher that operates at 39 dB and even has an extra quiet mode that can be used when or if required. This is perfect for an open plan kitchen and living room as dishwashers can be very noisy, meaning you have to turn the TV up very high or strain to hear each other speak.
Electrlux have also designed an Ultrasilencer range of vacuum cleaner which are ideal for properties that have hard wood floors or even tiles that can be very noisy for neighbours or residents as there is no carpet to absorb some of the noise from the vacuum. In order to get such a quiet result from the vacuum you will lose some suction power however they have created a range of devices that will help to pick up anything that may be missed.
