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Asides the questions relating to planning permission of a loft conversion as well as the total cost of completing a loft conversion project, this is perhaps the most common question on the loft conversion subject matter. Before making an investment decision, many homeowners will want to know just how disruptive a loft conversion is. Well, we’ve all heard the several horror stories when loft conversion builder with dirty boots tramples all over the fresh and just-acquired shag pile or the noise of the construction loud enough to annoy neighbours from four blocks away or an obvious shortage of teabags, sugar and lots more. Good news is, the disruption of loft conversion is not as bad as people make out. Let’s have a look at how it works!

Just like all other major building projects, a loft conversion is disruptive to your property. However, no two loft conversions are the same, therefore some are certain to be more drastic and invasive than others. In the long run, the project is worth the stress and inconveniences caused and in most cases, it’s usually a very good investment.

Normally, an average loft conversion is expected to last for about 9 to 12 weeks (depending on the complexity of the loft conversion project some might take longer). Some of the factors that affects the duration of a project includes the type of the loft, the design of the loft as well as the style of the property.

Generally, a loft conversion is a lot less disruptive than say completely moving a home. It all has to do with how you’re able to deal with it as a person. And besides, the effect it’s going to have to a large extent depends on the company you hire. A good company will always look to ensure to keep disruptions to a minimal when carrying out the loft conversion project.

Over the years there has been an increase in the recommended thickness of loft insulation by the government. Obviously, the reason behind this is pretty simply - the thicker the layer of your loft insulation the bigger your savings. The UK government is very keen to every house in the country to have loft insulation fitted where possible as it helps to minimize the heating demands of these properties. Households get to benefit from loft insulation in so many ways which includes reduced energy energy bills as well as having a home that stays at a more comfortable temperature for longer.

Generally, for the government energy efficiency is crucial as it implies that the highest demand ( which is usually the time of the day when gas or electricity use is at its peak ) reduces, since each building requires slightly less energy. Overall, that ultimately implies that new power plants don’t have to be built which is some nice cost savings for the government.

In the 1980’s, any thickness of loft insulation from 25 mm to 50 mm was considered the standard. But then, building regulations stated that homes should have as much as 100 mm of loft insulation. Over time, this gradually increased to 270mm for new builds and also recommended for other properties, although not essential. As a result of this, there’s always a need to check how much insulation you currently have in your loft before you decide to purchase more. You may discover that you already have something within the range of 20 mm to 200 mm up there and knowing this and the insulation values will assist in determining how much more you’ll need to purchase, if any at all. You should also note that some modern materials can offer the same thermal insulation whilst not being as thick.

If you’re thinking about refurbishing your house or property but don’t know how to go about it, then you’ve come to the right place. In truth, not every home refurbishment works goes in exactly the same order, however it’ll do you some good to abide by a specific plan in order to avoid both unnecessary works as well as expenses. For instance, how would it feel if you have already closed walls and paint only to realize that there’s a need to include a new plumbing stack that has to go behind the wall? Not good, right? Well, this guide is designed to help you avoid such frustrating situations. Let’s have a look!

✓ Establish a plan. This involves carrying out a good assessment of what you’d like to refurbish and set the priorities like deciding where to start and making sure you have both the time and budget to complete the project.

✓ Set a budget. Establish a final amount that’ll be the threshold to your spending. It’s always good to add an additional 10% to 15% to cover unexpected costs.

✓ Hire a contractor. Carry out a research, reach out to many contractors, compare their prices, work quality as well as integrity before hiring.

✓ Talk to your insurance company. Find out if you have the amount of coverage that suits your needs from your insurance company before and after your project.

✓ Secure permits and order materials. Make sure you check with the latest regulations before commencement. Once done, you can start ordering the required materials.

✓ Start demolition. This is optional as it only applies if space is being added.

✓ Work behind the walls. This include doing all the works necessary behind the walls like plumbing, electrical, heating etc.

✓ Paint and install flooring

✓ Fit in the cabinetry

✓ Add finishing touches. This includes the last details and decorations.

How Much Does It Cost To Have A Loft Boarded?

More often than not, several homeowners fail to realize there’s so much value sitting right under their roof - the loft. When a loft is boarded, there are so many juicy benefits that can be derived. It can be used as a storage room, spare bathroom, home office and several more functions. Therefore, if you really wish to maximize the space under your home’s roof, you’d have to considering boarding it. So how much would it cost to have your loft boarded? Here, you’ll discover the cost of boarding your lofts so you that you can set a budget and start to plan.

The cost of boarding a loft is actually affordable for several individuals, simply because you’re allowed to floor as much or as little as you require. And while you’re up there flooring and fitting the loft boards, you can as well decide to upgrade the insulation of the loft too. This way, you be able to prevent heat from escaping through the roof of the house which helps improve energy efficiency and ultimately, save you some money on heating bills.

If you’d prefer to make it a DIY project, the cost of 18mm chipboard is about £8 to £10 per sheet sized 2400m x 600m. Meanwhile the insulation boards should range between £18 to £22 for a sheet.

For a professional service, you’ll be provided with a quote for both the materials and labour. The amount will be based on the number of boarding required as well as the method selected. For an average storage space needs, flooring size of about 15m2 is suitable. The price for this quantity would be between the range of £50 to £700 for the counter barren method or above £1000 for a more sophisticated method.

It can be very hurtful when you’re looking to get a house and then identifies one that’s almost perfect, but that one thing that’s lacking is significant enough to prevent you from making an offer. For instance, you may like neighbourhood, the lot’s size, the number of bedroom and lots more. However, the only thing that’s holding you from making an offer is the outdated kitchen. This is the point where you wonder whether a mortgage can include the cost of renovation. In this article, we’re going to give you a good insight into this and more. Let’s have a look!

One of the major things your lender will put into consideration when you apply for a mortgage is the price of the property in question. For instance, so you’ve found your “almost perfect home for let’s say £400,000 and the cost of your intended renovation work runs up to about £150,000. In this event, you’re definitely going to find lenders who wouldn’t be too keen to let go of their cash. And that’s mainly due to the fact that lenders are only able to afford you, at best, 95 percent of the purchasing price. In other words, if you really want the house, you’ll have to finance it yourself no matter how much potential you think the house possesses.

This, however, does not mean that you can’t find some mortgage lenders who’ll allow for building costs. They exist, but this will mostly take place when the work is complete and the property is revalued. You may also be lucky enough to get a purchase plus improvements mortgage which allows you to renovate now and pay off the renovations over time at a better interest rate than other loan types.

Being a strong and durable product requiring little maintenance and expected to last over 2 decades, it’s little wonder resin is now a popular material amongst homeowners in the UK to build their driveways. However, there’s always the issue of the driveway fading, cracking or even becoming worn and tired. So is it possible to repair resin driveways? The answer is yes, a resin driveway can be repaired, however the best approach to use largely depends on the issue being faced. As a confident DIYer it’ll be very easy to do, but if you lack the confidence then calling in a professional for help would be a better option. So let’s take a look at how you can repair your resin driveways.

For cracks, the best reparation approach would be to chisel it out. Once done, then you can proceed to breaking the stones to form a rough edge. It’s important to make sure that the matrix of the stone remains unaffected. Make a new mixture of resin bound stone and pack it in tightly to the gap. While doing this, we’ll recommend making use of a plastic trowel to avoid burnishing. This fresh mixture will then create a smooth and perfect surface by interlocking with the edges. You can follow similar procedure for patches but these are larger holes or damages than cracks and as the name suggests are mostly likely to remain noticeable but will prevent further crumbling of your resin driveway.

For homeowners, who aren’t so keen about the patch repairs, you can opt for an overlay especially in the event whereby the majority of the surface has failed. Although many usually shy away from this approach because of the perceived high expenses, but the fact is that the approach is actually cost effective as you won’t have the need to spend more money in the long run.

What is your garage being used for? If your answer is anything besides your vehicle, you’re in the majority in the UK. In the country, according to a research by Admiralty Loans, several home and property owners now use their garage as dumping ground for all sorts of stuffs asides a car. Ultimately, this gives rise to garage conversions as the more or less underutilized space can be converted into a living space which can be more beneficial while also adding more value to the property.

A garage conversion is a fast and relatively affordable route to adding more floor space within your home. It’s basically the act of changing your garage into something other than a storage or a place in which you can park your car. This can be anything from a bedroom to a playroom and anything in between. It’s a great way to provide extra space to allow your family to spread out and have more privacy while still within the walls of your home.

A garage conversion project is a huge one which mostly does not require a planning application so far the conversion is internal. However if you’re planning to increase the garage’s size or change the exterior of your home, or convert your garage into a separate room, then you may require a planning permission before getting started. It’s always wise to consult your local authority before carrying out any work to be on the safer side.

A project of garage conversion’s magnitude is better left to a reliable professional who have the experience when it comes to dealing with building regulations and more. This way, you’d also get to save yourself some headaches and some extra cash which may result from possible costly errors.

If you’re about to start your house extension project and wondering how long it’ll take to complete, you’re not alone! This is one of the most common questions that’s asked by homeowners in the UK and across the globe. However, there’s no single precise answer for this as there are multiple factors that’ll affect the length of time it’ll take to complete your home extension. These factors include the size of the construction work as well as whether you’re planning to live in the house after completion or otherwise.

For a single extension, the length of time it’ll take to complete the home extension is normally up to 3 months. So let’s break this down:

As you would have expected, the first step to be taken is the preparation of the site. You start by digging out the footing and preparing the foundation which should take about 2 weeks. This is then followed by the damp course installation as well as the fitting of any drains needed around the extension which will also take a further 2 weeks.

The 5th week will be for the construction of the external walls as well as putting the blockwork in place for the provision of the cavity wall insulation. A further 2 weeks after this, will be dedicated to the installation of the roof structure and the internal walls.

It’s at this junction that you’ll call on your weather proof installer to fit in your uPVC windows and doors. Once done, the gas fitters and electricians will have to be on site to connect power to your new extension building. Subsequently, this will be followed by internal wall plastering as well as breaking through your main house. Once the plaster is dried, decorations completed and all the required furniture and units installed, the extension is ready for use.