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If you’re planning to add a kitchen extension to your property or perhaps you’re simply looking for ways to increase the value of your property, this is one of the common questions that usually pops up. A simple answer to this question is yes, a kitchen extension will add value to your house. With a kitchen being one of the most frequently used room in a house, adding an extra space to the commonly used room can only increase the value of the entire property. However, to determine the value added by such an extension, there’s a need to calculate the cost of setting one up first.

Kitchen extension costs are greatly influenced by a wide range of variables such as the size, type of the extension and specifications, your location, professional fees, materials used and more. Overall, the type of the extension you opt for will play the most significant role in the determination of your kitchen extension cost. Here, we’ll be looking at a single storey kitchen extension.

For a single storey kitchen extension, you can expect your home’s market value to increase within the range of 5 percent to about 10 percent. When trying to calculate the cost of kitchen extension, it’s crucial to take into account how much value it’ll add to your home so as to make sure that the amount expended will not outweigh the expected value to be added by the project.

For a more accurate idea, there’s the need to consult local estate agents. However, for a much needed guideline, single storey kitchen extensions are usually able to add about 5 to 10 percent to a home’s value, while double storey extension should be up to 20 percent. But as stated earlier, this will depend on several variables.

Being the most used room in a house, it’s little surprise kitchen extension are usually one of the most popular requests in the UK. They do not only open up a frequently used space in your home, but also goes a long way to add value to your property. However, to know the value that’ll added you must first determine the cost of building such an extension before moving forward. Generally, a typical kitchen extension will cost within the range of £20,000 to about £50,000 plus VAT, based on the size of your project as well as your location.

In reality, a single accurate cost of a kitchen extension will vary depending on a lot of influencing factors, one of which is the type of the extension. Let’s take a look!

✓ Rear extension. You may want to consider this type, if you do not have sufficient space for a side return. This will extend your kitchen into your garden which implies that you’re going to give up some green space to make this a reality. The average price to have this done in London will be about £30,000 or more including VAT, and about £20,000 plus VAT or more in other areas.

✓ Side return extension. This, normally, isn’t a huge add to your property, but will create a lot of space for your kitchen while also be a lot reasonable in terms of cost. This type will extend your home into an alleyway at the side of your property if any is available there. On average, the cost of the side return extension should be about £50,000 plus VAT in London and a lot less in the other regions.

If your basement has a cavity drain membrane, it’ll need a pump to move water away from the exterior of your basement and prevent flooding.

Sump pumps can be noisy, but they don’t have to be. Generally, if you have a well-designed pump that’s installed correctly, you shouldn’t find it a problem. For best results, hire a skilled, experienced professional to supply and install your drainage system.

A porch is a small and low structure (with a roof) located at the main entrance of a building or house. It’s typically without a window (although newer variations may come with one) and can either be screened-in or enclosed to prevent unwanted access from insects and extremes in weather. In addition, some homes may have a three-season porch or sun porch. This may be situated by the side of the house and covered by the roof overhang - they’re usually screened in to offer good access all year round.

Generally, porches serve a wide range of purposes. They include:

• Provision of an outdoor living space to relax during the summer months

• It’s an informal extension of the the living room.

• It serves as a great place for social gatherings especially in small towns.

• You can take off your dirty shoes and dry a dripping wet dog before entering into your living room.

• It can be incorporated for relaxation purposes and watching street activities.

• It can serve as a reception area for guests.

• It can also be used for outdoor storage.

Pros & Cons Of A Porch

Pros

• Due to the fact that they’re covered, porches may require little maintenance practices.

• It can go a long way to improves the curb appeal of your property.

• It protects against the extremes of the weather.

• It can be constructed using a wide range of materials.

Cons

• It does not improve the use of the property

• It can be quite expensive to install depending of the material required as well as size of the porch.

• It does not add to the value of the home unlike several other home improvement projects

• It may not be safe to be used by a child or pet.

The simple answer to this question is... they can be! Although there are many types of porch designs that are available in the market, the uPVC porch happens to be one of the most loved and cost effective. Most home and property owners prefer the installation of a uPVC porch for a number of reasons. These includes:

• Value for money

It’s no coincidence the uPVC is widely accepted across the building industry with a plethora of uses. Not only is it relatively inexpensive to manufacture, but even the recycled uPVC is now becoming more and more useful. UPVC’s main rivals are wood and aluminium, and both are way more expensive to incorporate for frame profiles. Therefore, making use of uPVC is going to make your initial costs relatively low.

• Life Span

Although the main rivals in both hardwood and aluminium can also boast a lengthy lifespan just as uPVC. However, considering the price that you can get a uPVC, the lifespan is just incredible as it can be measured in decades.

• Aesthetic Appeal

UPVC gives you a wide range of foil colours that’ll fit your home perfectly well while also enhancing it’s visual appeal. You can actually get a porch that looks exactly like it’s manufactured from timber frames. To achieve this, all you need to do would be to make use of a wood grain surface finish. This is also long lasting, strong and resistant to fade.

• Little Maintenance

This is a very common feature of uPVC that makes it even more advantageous when used in making a porch. Unlike timber or wood which swells due to absorption of water or shrinks, you’ll never need to worry about all these distortions and more with uPVC. No painting, no sanding and ultimately, low maintenance required.

How To Dot And Dab A Plasterboard

If you want a fast and simple way to achieve a smooth and sturdy wall which is decoration-ready, then dot and dab plasterboard is the way to go! It’s a relative simple process but can also be a bit challenging. Therefore, if you lack the necessary training or experience, hiring a professional would be a great step to protect your investment and guarantee the best results. Here, we’ll provide you with a deep insight into the plasterboard’s dot and dab procedures. Let’s have a look!

• At the thickness of the board with the adhesive, mark the ceiling and floor as well as the wall to indicate the centre of each board.

• Ensure the wall’s height is 15mm more than the plasterboard

• Make a mixture of the adhesive and achieve a thick consistency. Apply a consistent layer of the mixture around the wall’s perimeter, edge of the ceiling and any other openings with the use of a trowel.

• Select dabs that are about 250mm long and 50mm to 75mm wide and apply the adhesive in them. Make use of 3 vertical rows for individual boards. Also ensure to apply, at skirting level, a band of adhesive.

• Position the board’s reverse side against the dabs, and laying against the packers. Then make the board align with the ceiling and floor marks with the help of a straight edge.

• Raise the board till its tight against the ceiling with a board lifter. Once done, use the plasterboard to wedge the board into place before you remove the board lifter.

• Repeat the same process for the remaining parts of the room. Once completed, make sure the adhesive is set before you remove the boards.

Due to the fact that we live in a country (the UK) with so much history as well as architectural beauty, there’s a need to have what’s commonly called “Conservation Area. A Conservation Area is basically an area which is designated by the local authority and is established in order to protect and enhance areas of historical and architectural interest which includes both rural and urban areas. Therefore, when it comes to refurbishment project in a conservation area, there’s usually a lot of things that needs to be put into consideration as well as hurdles to scale in order to make alterations to your property without any interruptions from the law.

In general, all properties in a conservation area have strict regulations governing the outlook of the houses, as this plays a major role in the appearance of the area as a whole. As a result, if you wish to bring down a building, fence, wall or even railing and the likes, you’ll need to obtain prior consent before you proceed. An easy way to go about any refurbishment plan is to to ensure the usage of exactly the same materials that exists in the current house. When you abide by the rules, you’ll be in a more favourable position to acquire the needed prior consent.

The short and simple answer to the question is yes, you can refurbish a house in a conservation area but subject to the approval of the local authority through a planning permission. And when it comes to submitting a planning application for approval, some are aspects will usually be subjected to more intense examinations than the others. Hence, the need to make sure that your refurbishment plans are all friendly in a similar way to the neighbouring buildings and environment.

The main reason that people use cladding or rendering on their property is the aesthetic benefit. These materials can really boost the appearance of a home. Cladding and rendering can also increase the thermal performance of a property. Speak to a specialist to find out whether your property will benefit.