Posts Tagged ‘home improvements’

4 Ways to Change the Feel of Your Conservatory

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Every Conservatory is different, as is every person that owns one. When you first built your conservatory you will have done so with your lifestyle in mind so that you got the most out of it. The thing is though that lifestyles change over time, while conservatories stay the same year in and year out. This can result in people spending less time in their conservatory over time. This is a bit of a waste.

To remedy this situation here are 5 suggestions as to how you might want to change your conservatory in order to make better use of it.

Change of Use

One of the simplest ways to change the feel of your conservatory is to change what you use it for. Perhaps it is currently set up as a play room for children who have long migrated into their bedrooms, or maybe it has been an art studio for a hobby that has been given up. One suggestion is to clear everything out and set it up as a dining room instead. Even if you already have one, spreading your rooms out and making use of the light in the conservatory can be very refreshing. Also, if you want a big change, you could knock through a wall and merge your conservatory with your kitchen.

Colour Scheme

If you want to be a little less dramatic with your changes, you could just give the room a lick of paint. A top suggestion is to paint it all white, replace existing furniture with big soft ostentatious white furnishings and install off white stone flagstones in place of your existing flooring. You may worry this will make it feel like a big bright cloud, but the effect of the colour from the green trees or blue sky from outside always makes the space feel very fresh and super cosy.

Heating Upgrade

Perhaps you stopped using your conservatory because it just gets too cold in the winter months. A simple solution to this is of course to have heating installed. You will need to check first though what the energy efficiency rating of your windows is, otherwise you could end up losing a lot of expensive heat through inefficient single glazing. Quality UPVC Windows can offer a great deal in terms of saved heating and often come with argon gas insulation.

Add Decking

A final excellent way to give your conservatory a new lease of life is to extend the use of the room outdoors with decking. You may have thought that the conservatory would have encouraged you to use the garden, but if this didn’t happen then a deck may be what you need. This makes it very easy for you to extend the use of your room into the outdoors. Especially as there is lots of nice outdoor furniture you can get that makes going outdoors irresistible.

Feeling inspired?

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Does Building a Conservatory Always Add Value to Properties?

Monday, August 15th, 2011

As a homeowner, or a ‘soon-to-be homeowner’, you will probably have money issues on your mind. Don’t we all at times have these? Perhaps you are looking to maximise your investment in a new property or maybe you have a bulging family that needs more space but are unsure what the best way to go about it is.

You may have looked at various House Extensions but discounted them as particularly expensive options. Then you perhaps looked at getting your loft converted but were put off by the issues over where to put the stairs. Also, you probably looked into getting a garage conversion, which will add value but will leave you without a garage that you may find quite useful at some point. So then you came to the Conservatory option:

conservatories are a very versatile option for expanding your home, but do they always add value?

Basically, yes, in three ways:

Increase Overall Value

Adding a conservatory will normally increase the value of your home by at least 5%. This is thanks to the increase in floor space and the quality of the fittings. The most important element of house valuation is indeed location. But after that when the cost approach to valuation is used, and you consider the fact that conservatories devalue only very slowly, it becomes clear that they are a wise financial investment.

Increase Resale Appeal

Not only this, you may have heard about ‘kerb-side’ appeal. This refers to how a property looks from the street but more specifically how much the way a property look makes a prospective buyer want it. This feeling can be very powerful and can be the difference between a buyer being determined to buy your property or indifferent. A conservatory gives a property a great deal of ‘kerb-side’ appeal which you can really bank on as they have never been out of fashion.

Increase Energy Rating

A further way in which installing a conservatory will increase the value of your property is by improving your energy efficiency rating. A common misconception is that conservatories will leak heat, but the fact is that Ideal Windows and Conservatories advanced windows are often better at keeping the heat in than most walls. As of 2007 all homes being sold need to have an energy efficiency rating and estate agents generally think that a good energy rating will be a major factor in buyers decisions in the future.

So does a conservatory increase the value of your home? Of course it does!

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Fight the Energy Price Hike with these Home Energy Saving Tips

Monday, August 15th, 2011

Fuel poverty is a term you would never have expected to hear in the UK. But unfortunately due to a series of massive price hikes, this is exactly the situation many people find themselves in today.

We all know that energy prices will rise over time but such sudden price hikes, with little or no explanation by the energy companies has left a particularly bad taste in the mouth that smacks of an uncompetitive market that is far too difficult for new players to get into.

The government is trying to help with various discount schemes and clear billing rules, but if you want to tackle how much you have to spend on energy in the long run, you need to think about making some practical changes to your property that will affect your energy requirements.

Here are some great ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home:

Turn Your Heating Down

It may seem like a simple suggestion but you may be surprised just how many people don’t consider this. If you are used to a warm house, you may find this hard, but if you bring the average temperature of your home down gradually over time you won’t feel the difference.

Check Your Tariff

Energy tariffs are pretty confusing. There are so many suppliers, with so many different variations on what looks like the same costing that it can be a bit overwhelming. If you have the time and the patience you should really make the effort to sit down with a pile of information and work out what is best for you. The least you should do is pay a visit to an independent price comparison site where you will hopefully find a cheaper tariff than what you are on currently.

Insulate Your Home

The government has provided help to certain household in the shape of loft and cavity wall insulation installation. But even if you don’t qualify for this assistance you will benefit by seeking out and installing this kind of insulation, along with other fixtures like looking out Double Glazing Prices and as one particular recommendation UPVC Windows and roofline products. Think of it like this: the more insulated you make your home, the less money you will have to spend on energy.

This energy price storm is unlikely to go away. It may calm down and it may ebb slightly but in the end, the best thing you can do is plan for the worst.

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Amazing Guest Room Decoration Ideas… You Can Use Even If You Don’t Have One

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

It is always a lot of fun having friends and relatives round to stay so why not make their stay that little bit more special by turning a normal spare room into a special place they will be clamouring to come back and stay in. Here are some simple ideas that won’t cost too much to put together.

Themes

A great way to go is to come up with a theme and apply it to the room. You could keep it simple by having a particular colour as a theme. With ‘green’ for example you could not only paint walls shades of green, you could decorate with plants and have green rugs and green pillows on the bed. Follow this up with green towels and even green soap.

If you want to take the idea of a theme a bit further you could choose ‘cinema’ as a theme and have a nice big screen for them to watch movies and adorn the walls with film posters and leave popcorn and 3D glasses on the side. The further you go with the theme the more of an impact it will have.

Fun Painting Feature

If you want something a bit less labour intensive why not try some kind of painting feature. No, not just a big painting, get a nice big blank canvas in a nice frame and hang it bare on the wall. Provide paints and drawing materials and then whenever someone comes to stay get them to put their own mark on the canvas. This will be a nice fun thing for guests to do as well as a nice memento for you to remind you of all their visits.

Freshness

A classic way to decorate a guest room that is always enjoyed is with a feel of freshness running through it. People can feel uncomfortable when they are away from home so by making your guest room light and airy with draped white sheets, fresh flowers and clean white or pale fabrics and paintwork they are sure to feel perfectly comfortable and happy.

And if you don’t have a guest room but you want one…

Ever Heard of Garage Conversions?

One thing Ideal Windows and conservatories has found is that many people who do not wish to sell their property but do want more room for guests are converting their existing garage which is hardly used into a new guest room. This can be seamlessly blended with your property both inside and out and even adds value. Plus you can have fun decorating it from scratch too!

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How to Pick the Best Colour for Your Doors and Windows

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

One of the very first things visitors or a potential buyer will see when they arrive at your home is your front door. This makes getting its colour and style absolutely crucial. This is because as with most things, first impressions count and your door can either convey the delightful character and warm feel of your home proudly, or it can give off all the impression that your home is shabby, cheap, tasteless or even ugly. One idea to consider when getting started is whether you are looking to replace your door or windows. Double Glazing Prices are competitive at the moment and are worth considering if you are going to the extent of making alterations.

First things first, walk around your house and get a feel for how it looks to people as they walk up to it. Then use this impression to address each of the following points…

Style

When choosing the style of your front door or windows, you need to think about what will fit in with the building as a whole, what will fit in with your street and what will work with the interior of your property. Present someone with a vintage country cottage front door before guiding them into a modern clean lined hi-spec decorated home and they will notice the awkward difference. Go for something that fits neatly with its surroundings but don’t be afraid to be creative as long as it doesn’t look out of place.

Matching Colours

The next thing to consider after you have picked a style, or the first thing if you are just painting existing windows or doors, is to choose colours. While you were looking at your property you will have noticed the colours on and around your home. Maybe you have a lot of greenery around your building or maybe you have a distinct red brick house. Try to go for a colour scheme that goes with your home and not just one that matches the colour of your car.

Testers

A good way to make a decision on colours is to get a set of testers made up. Either ask your supplier or go to your local paint supplier and get some tester pots of paint. Paint them on to a good sized piece of wood or board and sit them up against your existing windows or doors. Take a step back and see what looks right to you.

Type of Paint and Finish

Once you have a colour you love, either allow your supplier to advise you on what paint or finish to go for or make sure you go for one that is environmentally friendly and will also be long lasting. Remember that different materials will require different paint. UPVC Windows for instance can require different paint depending on the material of the finish.

Take your time, have fun, but don’t forget that even if you realize you don’t like how it looks in a few months you can always change it.

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Top Conservatory Buying Tips

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

When you reach a stage where you are ready to buy a Conservatory there are a lot of decisions to make. Luckily the vast majority of them are very exciting and involve choosing colours and layouts and materials that will all go into your final completed structure. But there are of course many other choices to make that are absolutely crucial to get right. Here are some top conservatory buying tips to help your conservatory purchase go smoothly.

Be Sure of All Measurements

A key element of conservatory designs is in the measurements. Whether you are attempting to build your conservatory yourself or if you are wisely employing Ideal Windows and conservatories to do it, you should always take extra time to ensure you understand all the measurements before you start construction. Mark out the ground where your conservatory will sit with string and pegs for both the interior and exterior of the walls to give yourself a proper idea of where it will sit and how much room you will have for you and all your furniture. You can then be confident that you will be happy with the final structure.

Get Planning Permissions

While Ideal Windows and Conservatories will normally take care of all planning permission requirements for you, if you are thinking about doing it yourself you will have to make sure you are 100% certain you have acquired each and every permission you need before you lay a single brick. This is because without the right permissions, building regulators can force you to pull down your whole structure until you have them.

Wood or UPVC?

Choosing between wood and UPVC is a big decision. Ideal Windows and Conservatories have a Hardwood range and a UPVC range which both exceed the very highest of standards. However, not all conservatories, especially DIY ones, are so lucky. Poor wood conservatories can warp and crack if not installed properly, while cheap UPVC can look dated quickly, especially if the whole structure is not completed to a high enough standard.

Ideal Windows and Conservatories offer only the very highest standard of Hardwood and UPVC conservatories at affordable prices. This means that all you need to do is choose which look is right for your property. Hardwood conservatories tend to be considered more classical and elegant while UPVC are often seen as a more modern and dynamic choice.

Once you addressed each of these conservatory buying tips you can relax and enjoy seeing your carefully planned building taking shape.

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Does a Conservatory Add to Your Council Tax?

Friday, March 25th, 2011

One extremely common question regarding conservatories is about council tax. There is a common misconception that when you get a Conservatory that increases the value of your property, you will then see an increase in your council tax. This is often assumed as people know that council tax is based on how much your property is worth, which is true, but what people don’t know is that the value of your property which your council tax is based on is the price which your house value was on 1st April 1991 – the set date for all council tax valuations.

Really?

Yes indeed. Even if your new conservatory increases the value of your property to a value which pushes it into the next council tax category, your council tax band won’t change until you sell your property. In which case:

“[I]t is the new occupier who is liable for any increase in banding and this is effective from the date of the sale.”- Valuation Office Agency

Plus don’t forget your house will still be valued based on what it would have been on 1st April 1991, so if your property’s new value looks like it should be over the value threshold and now be in a higher council tax bracket you need to look back at what it would have been in 1991 and you may find it still doesn’t have to move brackets.

What about if you add a whole new annex?

One of the very few situations where making an improvement to your home can change your council tax is if you add a whole new annex on to your property. An annex in this situation is classed as ‘a building, or part of a building, which has been constructed or adapted for use as separate living accommodation’: for example, a separate small flat for an elderly relative. Any structure that is created as an extra living quarter, even if it shares some facilities with the main building, will require its own council tax band.

See what band your property is in and more information on council tax in Scotland on these pages from the Scottish Assessors Association or the old Scottish Executive website.

So to sum up, you don’t need to worry about if your council tax is going to change when you add a conservatory, but you do if you are adding a whole new annex.

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Who Benefits Most When It Is Hard To Buy A House?

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

If you are caught up somewhere in the troubled housing market at the moment you might be interested (or irritated) to know that there are plenty of ways people will be benefiting from your discomfort. At present, if you are trying to sell a house you may be met with little interest as people are more careful with their money than usual. If you are trying to buy a property you may have lots of houses to choose from but struggle to qualify for a mortgage as banks tighten their belts and may well ask you for an astronomical deposit that you just can’t afford. The fallout from this stalemate does however offer some people something good.

Storage Companies

One of the big winners is storage companies. (Safestore, for example, recently reported a 9% increase in revenue compared with the same period last year.) You must have seen their giant warehouses springing up on the outskirts of your town offering you space to store your stuff. They basically provide you with a room and a lock and an assurance that your stuff will be safe for a few pounds a day. As a result of people finding themselves in between properties they may be left without room for their accumulated junk. Until they have an appropriate house, the storage company will keep taking their money.

Landlords

The rental market is booming. Anyone that has a second property at the moment will have absolutely no problem renting it out. It is lot harder for first time buyers to afford a deposit so are forced to rent for much longer than they may have liked. Plus as people may be forced to relocate for a job, it is not uncommon for a house to be sold with having one to move into. This allows landlords to rent out flats and houses while these unfortunate people are stuck in housing limbo.

Housing Agencies

There are a number of housing agencies dotted across the UK who own, manage and populate private properties for councils. Without there being enough council owned properties available for all the people looking for a council house, housing agencies offer a route for councils to take. Councils take a portion of their budget for housing and hand it over to the housing agency, giving them a single client that accounts for the vast majority of their income for the year, if not all of it.

You

As a buyer, you may benefit from the drop in house prices if you are able to get the deposit together, leaving you with lesser mortgage to pay off in the long run. While as a seller, you may be convinced to stay where you are and instead decide to add to your current property by getting a beautiful Conservatory or perhaps start considering sunrooms from Ideal Windows and conservatories.

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Top 3 Most Highly Recommended Home Improvements

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Never has there been a better time for improving your home. With the house market in a mess and financial ruin closing many doors in the faces of those seeking mortgages, making home improvements may be the best bet for those wanting something fresh to wake up to in the morning. Next time you have the chance, take a walk around your home and see what you would like to change if you could. You may have considered something impossible to change without knocking your whole house down and starting again, but if you ask any home improvement company they will normally give you a pleasant surprise.

Here is some of the most highly recommended and most popular home improvements people are having done at the moment to help you imagine what you could do to your home soon.

Home Gym

With the cost of going to the gym getting higher and higher as much as they are getting busier and busier, wouldn’t you like your own private gym? Well with a home gym you can have just that. By looking at Garage Conversions or converting an existing structure like an out house, you can transform a previously useless space into your own gym. This option is fairly simple to complete and has been performed in countless homes up and down the UK. Other options for converting a spare space would be to turn it into an extra bedroom, a snooker room, a kid’s playroom or even your own night club!

Extension

Another very popular thing to do to your home just now is to add an extension. This can be in the shape of a Conservatory or sunroom, or just a whole new wing of your stately home. Some might consider this too much hassle what with all the planning permission paperwork to wade through, but with many of the top home improvement companies providing this work as part of the service, there really are few excuses left.

Facelift

A very simple way people have been boosting their assets is by giving their home a makeover. You can do many things to the exterior and interior of a house to make it look brand new. New windows make a surprising impact, as does a new roofline and fixing or replacing natural wear and tear to brickwork, woodwork and other external features.

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Mortgage Lending is Looking Up in the UK but for How Long?

Friday, August 27th, 2010

The most recent shift in the worrying ebb and flow of the UK economy has seen the number of home repossessions fall even further in the UK, the second time this year. According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) 9,400 properties were seized in April, May and June, down by 10% on those seized in the first quarter of the year. While this does sound like good news for homeowners across the land, the future is not certain to follow this trend. A rise in interest rates and unemployment may well lead to an increase in home repossessions by the end of the year. However, despite this, CML have revised their forecast that 53,000 homes would be repossessed this year down to just 39,000. Also, it seems that about 50% of these repossessions end up being suspended by the courts to give homeowners time to pay.

So now that you know that your home is much less likely to be repossessed than a year ago, why not celebrate by making a significant addition to your home, not only for your enjoyment, but to increase the value of your home.

If your home just isn’t big enough and you have a glorious Conservatory already, you will be happy to hear that mortgage lending has picked up as well. The CML have called the rise as “significant”, as lending is up 14% compared with the same month last year. Now while the number of people buying houses and number of mortgages being lent are still half of what it was back in 2007, this trend means that people looking to move home can feel a whole lot more confident that their dreams can become a reality at last.

Ideal Windows and Conservatories is just the sort of company homeowners and homebuyers need to help them spruce up their home for selling and for making their new home into a dream home. Get the most you can for your old home by installing double glazing or even UPVC windows throughout or converting your rusty old garage into a jaw dropping home cinema. Or if you’re buying, you can look at a tumbled down old house and feel confident that Ideal Windows and conservatories can come in at any stage and assist you with designs and planning permission for any additions or improvements you want to make to your new home.

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