• Home

Enter your search terms Submit search form propertydevelopmentnews.co.uk Web

• Building & DIY
• Buy-to-Let
• Latest News
• Mortgages
• Overseas Property
• Property Finance
• Property Tax

Subscribe

Present your conservatory correctly

Thanks for visiting! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. .
This site posts daily property development tips and news on a wide variety of subjects ranging from DIY to mortgages, from property finance to industry news.
Go ahead, subscribe to our feed! You can also receive updates from this blog via email
Thanks for visiting!

Whether you are developing a property to sell or to rent out, it’s important to present it correctly. People can be put off by appearances and hard work done elsewhere could be negated by something you could easily change.

Conservatories are one place in a house that often gets neglected. The whole point of a conservatory is that it’s neither inside nor outside, but this strength can confuse people when they’re trying to furnish it, turning it instead into a weakness.

Cane conservatory furniture is perhaps the best solution. Available in a wide array of designs, it’s comfy, but looks like it would be just as at home outside – which of course, it would. An advantage of having cane furniture in the conservatory is that it’s lightweight and easy to move around, so people often move it outside for an afternoon during the summer months.

Presented correctly, a conservatory can create a great impression on people. It brings the outdoors indoors. Why invest so much time, effort and money in developing a property, making sure you get everything just right, only to sabotage it all by not making the most of one of the house’s greatest features?

Popularity: 16%

DIY increases during credit crunch

During the current economic climate, as house prices have fallen slightly and people are more wary of taking on a mortgage - assuming they can get one of course - it seems that many are turning to DIY and making the most of their own home.

We have discussed in the past how larger projects can add value to your home, such as installing a new kitchen or a new bathroom, however, unless the old one was really bad, then the added value could be limited.

When people come to remortgage at the moment, many are finding that they do not have the minimum 10 per cent equity in their home that most mortgage lenders currently require in order to give a mortgage, so adding value to your home has become even more important.

Items that add value are mainly extending the space in your home, which could be done through an extension or adding a conservatory, but in some places, space is limited, such as in London.

If you live in a place where space is either limited or expensive then another option could be to have a loft conversion.

Figures show that the number of loft conversions in London have increased in recent years, and perhaps this is why.  Certainly, if your home is in London and you are coming up for a remortgage in the next twelve months, then I think you should be seriously considering already how you will cope.

Popularity: 17%

How to Lay a Laminate Floor

You need some DIY experience for laying a laminate floor. It’s crucial that the laminate boards are laid on a dry, leveled surface so ensure that you fix any loose floorboards, and clean damp areas or woodworm problems before installing your new floor. Get professional if necessary.

Time to complete job: Two or three days for a small to medium-sized room.

Approximate budget: From about £10 per square metre.

Materials and equipment needed to lay a laminate floor:

• Laminate floor packs
• Underlay
• Adhesive
• Craft knife
• Drill
• 20mm (7/8in) wood bit
• Panel saw
• Tape measure
• Spacer blocks
• Fitting tool
• Edge block
• Hammer
• Try square
• Panel pins
• Timber edge moulding

First Steps

If you’re laying a laminate floor in a kitchen or bathroom suite check if the laminate floor is water tight before you buy it, most laminate floors are hard wearing but only certain types are suitable for bathrooms and kitchens.

Look for lock-together laminate boards that doesn’t need gluing, they’re easier and quicker to install.

Step 1: Preparing the floor

Take off the skirting boards. You can replace them later on top of the laminate or add timber mouldings to hide the edges of the new floor.

Remove any grit from the floor with a vacuum.

Roll out the first two strips of underlay along the longest straight wall, starting in one corner.

Cut the underlay with a craft knife.

Tip: Take off any inward-opening doors to make the job easier.

Step 2: Laying the first row

To allow the laminate to expand as the room is heated, place plastic spacers every 60cm (24in) along the longest straight wall and lay the first row of boards with the groove side facing the wall, starting from a corner.

Squeeze a bead of glue along the tongue and groove joints at the ends of the boards.

You will probably need to cut the last board of the row to fit. Mark a line across the piece with a try square and saw with the finished surface facing up.

Step 3: Laying and fitting

Continue laying the laminate across the room. Begin the second row with the off-cut of the board used at the end of the first row.

Stagger all the end joints by at least 30cm (12in) and use a fitting tool to pull the ends of the boards together.

Make sure the edges of the boards are forced together by gently tapping the edge block against the grooved side of each board.

Step 4: Working around fixtures

Cutting boards around doorways can be fiddly. Instead, saw a piece from the bottom of the door architrave to the thickness of the laminate - the board can then be fitted under door frame.

Drill holes in the laminate boards to fit around any pipework - make sure the hole is at least 5mm (0.2in) larger than the diameter of the pipe. Make two saw cuts from the edge of the board to the hole. Fit the board in place and glue the small off-cut wedge behind the pipe.

Step 5: Finishing

The last row of boards may need to be cut to fit. Measure the gap between the boards and the wall, deduct 10mm (0.4in) to allow for the expansion gap and saw the boards lengthways to the width required.

Glue the joints and fit.

Replace the skirting boards or fix a timber moulding over the expansion gap around the edge of the floor.

Fix the moulding to the skirting board with 30mm (1.2in) panel pins and paint or varnish.

Finally, fit a metal or wooden threshold across the door openings.

Popularity: 86%

Grants Available for ‘Green’ Building Works

Most property developers don’t know they could be eligible for grants up to £300 for cut price loft and cavity wall insulation. The system will facilitate consumers to get grants to perform improvements recommended in the EPCs (Energy Performance Certificates) and HIPs.

According to the Energy Saving Trust the average consumer could save £300 a year off their fuel bills.

Additionally Eco Improvements Grant Scheme will include a new information page on the Energy Saving trust’s website where consumers can search by postcode for offers available in their area.

Popularity: 51%

How to find the best builder?

Anyone can set up as a builder these days. How do you know whether you’re just about to hire a professional builder or a cowboy?

You can ask around to your friends, family or colleagues if they know any reliable builders. Builders found in this way are in my opinion the best way to find professionals who won’t let you down. If your friend (as long that is a real friend) was happy with the work carried out, chances are that your job will be done to similar standards.

If none of your friends who’s had building work done in the past. You can also look on the internet for possible reviews of builders in your area. You need to make sure that the review is impartial though. Many sites get paid commission for generating leads, and so the review would be biased, benefiting whoever pay better commission.

If you require more specialised jobs you may need a builder specifically trained for that job. In this case communicate clearly about what you want from the start. You should also have a written contract with the builder. Outlining all aspects of the jobs including legal obligations, timescale, budget, how much the builder gets paid, and how the builder gets paid.

You can download a free building contract draft from the Federation of Master Builder’s web site.

Popularity: 44%

Next Page »

Copyright © 2008 Property Development News

Home | XML Sitemap | RSS Feed | Comments RSS Feed