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Most companies will recommend that exterior painting and decorating is carried out in the summer months. However, advances in paint technology mean that some paints can be applied in low temperatures and even when it’s raining. Check the can for the best conditions in which to apply or ask a professionals advise.

Does Landscaping A Garden Add Value?

When taking a good look at the image of new homes or perhaps you’re just thinking about getting one, one thing that several people will look out for is the garden. The thought of owning a perfect little oasis is all homeowners’ dream.

In a recent study conducted by Rightmove, it was discovered that to more than 60% of home buyers, an access to a garden was a priority. And according to the Royal Chartered Institute of Surveyors, this demand for garden is set to grow by 20% over the next 2 years.

Therefore, it’s obvious that having a beautiful landscaped garden is always a great asset to possess. But exactly how much value does a garden add to a property?

According to the studies carried out by Foxtons, it’s suggested that a garden can add as much as 20% to any property’s value, however, it should be expected that this value can vary based on a number of factors. In urban locations such as London, where there’s really not much outdoor space, possessing a garden can add an enormous amount to your property’s value.

However, if you happen to live in sub urban areas such as Wilmslow, where almost every home possesses a garden, what will influence the amount of value a garden will add to your property depends on it’s size as well as it’s unique features.

What’s more? Another important influence of a garden’s added value is the time of the season in which you’re selling your property. For more value, the best time to sell is always in the spring or summer when there are several gardens in bloom and multiple colours to please the eye. However, when it’s autumn and winter, the idea of staying outdoors for a quick get together or gardening is always very far, hence the value that’ll be added at this point may be low.

Although we advocate non-removal of trees, but we also know for a fact that this isn’t always possible especially when it involves safety challenges or damage to property. If you’re looking to remove a tree on your property, then you should probably confirm whether or not you’d require a council approval.

In the UK, if the tree you want removed has a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) placed on it, then before you’ll be able to perform any sort of work to the tree ( be it cutting a branch or felling/ removing the tree), you must obtain a permission from the council.

The Tree Preservation Order is created by local planning authorities such as a district, borough or national park with the aim of providing adequate protection to trees which provide amenity values to the public. Any act to the TPO protected tree such as cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilful damage considered a criminal offence. In other words, if the tree on your property is visible and is enjoyed by the public then there’s a possibility that there’s a TPO placed on it. To confirm whether or not this is the case, you can reach out to your local council’s tree officer for more information.

You will need to fill out an application form and submit to your local authority in order to request permission of remove a tree. In the event whereby you happen to reside in a Conservation Area, the same rules applies as TPO-placed trees but you don’t necessarily need to have TPO placed on them.

If the tree is in your garden without a TPO placed on it and you do not live in a Conservation Area, then you would not need to apply for permission to have it removed.

It’s a legal requirement to get an asbestos survey done on non-domestic buildings and public areas of domestic buildings if they were built before 2000. So, if you’re responsible for maintaining one of these types of building, you must find out if an asbestos survey has been conducted, and get one done if it hasn’t.

For domestic properties, you only need to get an asbestos survey done if your home was built before 2000 and you want to do some building work. This is because if any materials containing asbestos are damaged during the work, they could pose a serious health risk, so might need removing first.

However, if you’re worried about asbestos in any parts of your home that are deteriorating, you might want to get an asbestos survey done anyway.

Generally, if you want to do a job, you can as well ensure that’s done properly. You may be considering building a small base for an orangery, but no matter how small it is, it just shouldn’t be done to any other than a compliant standard, and that’s whether or not an approval is needed. When it comes to building work which is covered by Building Regulations, you are required to comply (by the law) with the regulations and to make use of one of the two types of Building Control Service available. These includes the Building Control Service given by your local authority or the Building Control Service given by approved inspectors.

Regardless of the service you opt for, you’re going to pay but the preferred service may offer an advice before commencement of the project. The individual carrying out the building work is charged with the responsibility of ensuring total compliance with the regulations. Therefore, if you select to undertake the project by yourself, the responsibility is primarily on you. In the same vein, if you opt for a building company the responsibility would be the company’s, but you should always ensure to confirm this position before commencement of the project. You must also take note that you may be served with an enforcement notice if you fail to comply with the regulations as the owner of the building. So it’s advisable that you choose your builder very carefully.

There are a bunch of elements you may require approval for like the structural integrity, appropriate insulation levels, or the construction of a building over drainage or sewage. In cases where it’s obvious that you’d need building regulations, you can simply submit the building and planning application together at once.

Fitting a shower tray may seem look like a daunting task and well, to some extent, you’re perfectly right if you feel so. This is why shower tray installation is best left to a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results the first time especially if you lack the confidence required to pull off the task. If you wish to make this project a DIY task, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’re going to take you through the adjustable shower tray fitting process to ensure you get it right the first time. Let’s take a look!

1. Position the shower tray at the spot where you intend to have it fitting and outline the tray with the help of a pencil. Install the adjustable riser legs, then proceed to adjust them to an even height. Make use of a spirit level to make sure the tray is flat and level, then connect the tray’s waste outlet.
2. Make sure that the riser legs are properly adjusted as this will make for a smooth fall to pass out the waste. Usually, 50mm fall per metre of pipework will be a good guide. Once done, ensure to fit the centre leg.
3. Determine the appropriate route to the waste pipe from the waste trap inside the tray.
4. Put the tray. Make use of a spirit level to ensure the tray is level to eliminate drainage issues and avoid overflow.
5. Examine the riser legs to see that they’re engaged with tightened up lock nuts.
6. Cover the gaps around the shower tray’s surroundings using the side panel.
7. Use a sealant to secure the shower tray between the wall and the tray.
8. Fix the side panels to the shower tray to conceal the pipework from view.

Are you looking to create some more space in your home with your garage being almost dispensable? If yes, then considering a garage conversion project may be the way to go. Unlike many other extension options, garage conversion does not take up an additional space as it only changes the current structure of the garage. As a result, the cost of completing a garage conversion project can be relatively attractive when compared to other space creating alternatives. So exactly how much would a garage conversion project cost? Well, there’s no precise answer for this as several influencing factors come to play. However, in this guide we’ll give you a rough idea of the average costs that you’re likely going to encounter. Some of the factors that can influence your budget dramatically includes the following:

• The size of the conversion. The larger the size of the garage per square feet, the more cost you’ll have to expend.

• The type of your property - listed buildings are usually more expensive.

• Your location in the UK. If you stay in London where there’s a higher demand, you’ll most likely pay more.

• You’re likely to pay more if a specialist knowledge is required.

• The amount of glazing to be installed

• Quality of the materials to be incorporated.

• Quality of the professional to carry out the installation service.

On average, when it comes to garage conversion projects, you’re likely to pay the following depending on the per square metre given:

• A single garage of about 15 square metre will cost within the range of £6,000 to £15,000.

• A double garage of about 30 square metre will cost within the range of £12,000 to £30,000.