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The short and simple answer to this question is yes, loft insulation does cause condensation. Over the years, problems with condensation in loft spaces have become increasingly common. While this may not be harmful in anyway, when the condensation becomes excessive it can lead to more serious issues taking root in your loft like wet rot, dry rot as well as black spot mould. Generally, the best thing to do if you’re concerned about the condensation in your loft space and that it may rapidly become a bigger problem is to get in touch with a damp specialist as soon as possible.

Even though insulating your loft space comes with a wide array of benefits like making the top floor rooms warmer, it’s however comes at the cost of making your loft or room space cooler. Condensation in lofts take place primarily due to the humid air making its way through insulation or other gaps into the loft space and touching a cooler surface which in turn results in beads of moisture on the timbers, lintels as well as the underside of the roof. This is why its always a great idea make use of thermal insulation with a vapour barrier that’s installed on the warmer side of the insulating material.

Condensation in loft is caused by excess moisture in the air and lack of adequate air ventilation. Here are some top reasons that gives rise to this in the loft:

• Extra insulation has been installed in the loft leading to a restriction on the natural air circulation in the property.
• When the storage boxes or other items that has been stockpiled in the loft blocks the roof vents.
• The release of steam and moist air into the loft space by hot water tanks.

One of the main reasons why fitted wardrobes are a popular choice amongst homeowners is due to the fact that they’re able to help maximise storage space and since they’re usually customized for the particular room, they’re always good looking. However, just like any other home item, over time your installed wardrobe may start to look a bit dated and old fashioned. In these type of events and in order to save money, several homeowners would prefer to update its look to a more modern one without having to completely replace the fitted wardrobe with a new one. In this guide, we’ll give some great tips on how to update your old fitted wardrobe. Let’s take a look!

✓ Add mirrors to the wardrobe doors. Your old fitted wardrobe may be made of old fashioned laminate or chipboard which happens to draw scratches and dents here and there. If this is the case, you can simply add mirrors to help conceal the damage or unsightly marks.

✓ Include decorative trimming or panelling. You can choose from the various styles of trimmings you’ll find at hardware stores. By adding some strips of moulding, the whole look of your fitted wardrobe can change significantly.

✓ Painting. If the surface of the wardrobe permits, painting can go a long way to alter the look of the wardrobe.

✓ Change the handles. Handles may seem as a little item that doesn’t add to the aesthetics of the wardrobe. However, in reality, change your old handle with a more modern and fashionable one can make a great difference to the wardrobe’s overall appearance.

✓ Upgrade the interior. You can upgrade the interior of your wardrobe to give you more options and a better appearance. For instance, you may wish to have part of the wardrobe to offer integrated shelving or perhaps pull out drawers rather than having all the interior space for hanging clothes and garments.

Before the commencement of any project, it’s always best to get an estimation of the cost. However, determining the cost of an external solid wall insulation is not the easiest of tasks as it relies on varying components such as the insulation materials to be used, labour cost and installation as well as the type of decorative finish to be incorporated. And depending on your choice of insulation material, some may need some adhesives while others may require some fixings which also contributes to the differences in price. As a result, the determination of the material cost alone can be tricky and even more so when various materials cover varying areas.

With that in mind, the cost of external solid wall insulation generally ranges between £80 to £100 per square metre2. As a result, a small flat can cost from £6000 to £9000 whereas a large detached house can have a price ranging between £21000 to £23000. To earn back your investment in terms of energy bill savings can take a couple of years, but it’s surely worth the try as there are several other benefits associated with installing an external solid wall insulation system. What’s more? Another huge factor that can influence the cost of your system is also the amount of work that’s required, how easy it is to be accessed by the installers and lots more

If you’re looking to cut down on the cost of your external solid wall insulation, then the best time for an installation might just be when you’re having another decorating or building project done such as fitting a new roof, window painting, installation of solar PV panels and more. This way, you’ll be able to spread the cost and have a greater value for each penny expended.

Storage space is a major consideration for most home buyers and even more so, when there’s the presence of fitted wardrobes. Fitted wardrobes can be installed in just about any room in the house and even in rather obscure places such as under the stairs, inside a loft, around chimneys as well as into alcoves. As a result, they’re important assets to have as they can go a long way to increase the value of your home or property.

Fitted wardrobes are usually made from various types of woods as well as wood finishes. Typically, they’re installed with either sliding or hinged doors depending on the space as well as the styling you opt for. Fitted wardrobes can be personalized through the addition of elegant features such as custom lighting, mirrors as well as internal extras like pull out shoe racks and pull down hanging rails.

For high end customized fitted wardrobe like Sharps, the best quality, most practical and also robust materials are being incorporated. They make use of the following materials given below:

✓ Fibreboard. This is a modern material that’s used for its ability to produce a smooth routed and detailed design. It’s also very solid and robust which makes it perfect for large furniture pieces as they don’t warp or dent. What’s more? Fibreboards meets the European forestry sustainability standards and it also allows for the board to be profiled with a top notch finish.

✓ Particleboard. This material is used for the parts of the furniture which will normally be cut in your home like facings and side panels. Due to it’s lightweight, they’re very easy to cut and doesn’t produce as much dust as other materials. The material is also a highly controllable contemporary material which can be precisely cut arounf skirting boards, covings as well as period features to ensure a perfect fit.

Cavity wall insulation is basically the process of installing an insulating material between the two layers of brick making up a cavity wall, either as a retrofit measure or at the time of building. Obviously this is not a choice if you have solid wall, but for those who do possess a cavity wall, it represents an opportunity you may not want to let slide as it is a worthwhile and affordable wall insulation option. Clearly, cavity wall insulation will make your home or property feel warmer, but it also does come with a range of other benefits which is why we’d recommend installing it. In this post, we’re going to look at a number of reasons why having a cavity wall insulation done is a good idea.

• It’s one of the cheapest energy saving measures that’s available. Not only is cavity wall insulation really effective, but it can also deliver great saving. In other words, it possesses a bigger payback compared to other options. When compared to other types of insulation, you can’t install cavity walls insulation by yourself, however it’s not so expensive to have it installed. The cost of the insulation will be determined by a number of factors such as your location, the company hired and more.
• It reduces your energy bills. Cavity wall insulation can save you about £100 to £200 on a yearly basis on heating bills. In other words, this is usually able to pay for itself in as little as two years.
• It reduces your carbon carbon footprint. If your home is heated with gas or electricity like several other homes, producing that energy involves burning fossil fuels which is known to be hazardous for the environment. If the heat generated is now allowed to escape through the walls, that means you’d have to use more to keep up your required temperature. Installation of cavity wall insulation in homes will enable a more efficient usage of the energy which will ultimately cut UK’s carbon usage.

If you’re planning to build a single story house extension, this is one of the first questions that usually comes to mind to help you set a budget and start to make plans. But as simple as it seems, a single accurate answer can not be provided due to the fact that there are several variables that can play a key role in influencing the price of a single story house extension. These variables includes the size, location, design or specification as well as the build route. In this guide, we’ll provide you with a rough estimate that you can work with to put you on the right path.

The main determinant of the cost of a single storey extension is the size of the build, while the next most relevant factor is the quality of the finish you opt for. For a small extension, you can expect to spend a sum within the range of £14,000 to £17,000. Meanwhile for a larger single storey extension, if you opt for a large wrap around the extension with a great amount of glass to be incorporated in both the walls and roof, you can expect to pay a sum within the range of £80,000 to £120,000.

Overall, the average cost of a single story house extension is usually within the range of £34,000 to £37,000. For this price, you should get a standard sized rear or side extension which also includes the cost of a kitchen - it’s the most commonly use for a single story extension especially in the UK.

There are some additional costs you may also need to factor in to your extension budget. These includes surveys, architect fees, planning application fee (if needed), insurance and Party Wall Agreement (if needed).

If you want to install an external wall, it is only wise to consider whether or not a planning permission is required in order to avoid a hefty fine. In a great kudos to the government and a welcome relief to home and property owners, the installation of external wall insulation is seen as an “improvement to the house and not an “extension or an “enlargement. Ultimately, this implies that external wall insulation fitting is to be done under permitted development and a planning application may not be required. However, like many other regulations, there are also exceptions to this rule and the main one is if the activity changes the appearance of your property. Properties such as a listed building having tighter regulations may pose some issues. As a result, we’d advise you to consult your local authority to ensure that there’s no fast rule to this topic before commencement of the external wall insulation project.

At the moment, according to the Government Building Regulations, the surface of the entire wall is to be improved to existing standards if the area to be insulated exceeds 25 percent of the wall. In normal situations this is usually the typical case, however to prevent avoidable fines and other possible punishments, it is always best to reach to your local authority and check out the rules guiding external wall insulation in your constituency. Furthermore, since external wall insulation is not a task that’s recommended to be done by yourself, you can also ask the professional external wall insulation fitting company for the applying rules before proceeding. As a good professional, the company should have a better knowledge of the rules and regulation guiding its activities.

How To Put Up Plasterboard

Putting up a plasterboard is a vital process when it comes to home renovations. However as daunting as it may seem, with a good guide and regular practice you can master the skill within a small period of time. If you lack proper training and experience, we’d recommend you hire a seasoned professional plasterer for help so as to get the best result and also avoid additional costs due to possible damages.

Putting up plasterboard is way quicker than wet plastering and also significantly reduces the drying time that can slow down your renovation plans. With a plasterboard, you can delve straight into the decorating stage and achieve a smooth finish. Below are the steps required to put up a plasterboard.

• The first step is cutting the plasterboard to shape which be one of the most challenging parts of the process. This is because you’ll need to fit the board around things such as plug sockets and window sills. As a result, this involves cutting complex shapes rather than just a simple straight line. To get this done, simply mark out the cut required with the use of a tape measure, combination square and spirit level for a better precision. Once done, you can then use a plasterboard pad saw to cut along the marked spots.

• After you made the required cuts, the next step is putting up the plasterboard. And depending on where the boards are going to be put, this could be a very challenging task. If you’re going to put the boards on the ceiling or somewhere very high up, you’d probably need an extra pair of hands for help. To get this done, use the appropriate screws to secure the boards in place if you’re installing them directly on studs. However, if you’d be fixing them onto bricks or blocks, a drywall adhesive is your best bet.