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Laying artificial grass on concrete needs a slightly different approach to if you’re installing it over soil. The good news is that it’s much less labour intensive, as you don’t need to do any digging or levelling.

Ideally, your concrete base should be in good condition, and have an adequate fall on it to provide efficient drainage. If it doesn’t, you might have to do some repair work or drill some drainage holes first.

When you’re ready to start, begin by cleaning your concrete base. Use a jet wash or a hose and brush to dislodge and disperse any dirt or plant growth. Once it’s clean, leave it to dry completely.

Then, you need to fit an underlay - usually it’s made of foam. This will provide padding to make your artificial grass softer and more comfortable to walk on. It will also help to level out any slopes on uneven parts on the concrete. Make sure it’s a good-quality underlay that’s permeable – if it’s not, you could end up with damp artificial grass and nasty smells as it will hold moisture. Roll out the underlay and cut it to shape, taping any separate sections together.

Next, use an adhesive to secure the underlay to your concrete. Make sure you leave gaps in the adhesive to allow water to drain off easily. Leave the glue to dry, then you can start laying your grass.

Roll out your grass like you did with your underlay, cutting it to shape and joining any separate sections together with artificial grass tape. Then glue the grass to the underlay. Leave it dry, give the grass a brush, and it’ll be ready to use!

The decision to purchase a property may not come with trees as an influencing factor. However, when the trees start to get overgrown or appears sick you will have to consider the regulatory status which may affect your ability to prune, fell or remove them.

First and foremost, the owner of the tree must be determined and this is the individual who owns the land on which the tree was originally planted. However, if you’re not the owner but the tree overhangs your land you’re allowed to cut the branches back up to the boundary, if the tree is unprotected. In such cases, you normally do not need to seek the consent of the original tree owner or neighbouring land owner to perform the works to the tree. But the branches and fruits on them ( if any) still remains that of the land owner and they’re to be returned to them if necessary.

In situations whereby you’re the owner of the tree, you’re required to determine whether or not your tree is protected by a Tree Protection Order ( TPO) before any action can be taken. The main goal of a Tree Protection Order is to provide protection to trees which are considered to deliver amenity values to the general public. In other words, if your tree can be viewed by the public and enjoyed from outside your garden’s confines then there’s a high possibility that it’s subjected to a TPO.

To confirm whether or not your tree is subjected to a TPO, you can check with your local planning authority (LPA). However, there are some local council websites that displays all TPOs registered within their jurisdiction.

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.

A sudden appearance of graffiti on your property carried out by some vandals can be a real concern. Since you know it’s your responsibility to have it cleaned, the question becomes would you rather call in a professional or have it cleaned yourself. While calling in a professional may be costly, removing graffiti by yourself won’t be easy either especially if it’s done on brick. Bricks are known to be porous which enables paint to sink with ease inside all of the surface’s grooves. Unlike wood, they can’t be scraped and if it happens to be an internal wall, it can’t be sand- or water-blasted. So, what is the best way to remove graffiti?

Well, your best bet would be to incorporate chemical and gel masonry stripper. And while stripping of the surface is not a complex task, it does involve a number of applications of stripper and multiple scrubbing which makes it very time consuming.

Basically, a fresh and wet paint should be soaked up with am absorbent material without wiping the paint in order to spread the stain. Once done, you can then proceed to apply a suitable solvent like white spirit. After this, wash the area using a degreasing agent taking care in the disposal of the run-off material.

With dried paint, simply scrape off the paint as far as possible and apply a paint removal using the following steps:

• Put on your safety gear like a face mask, safety googles and gloves.
• Apply the paint stripper over the brick wall with a brush starting from a corner at the top of the wall and then working outward and downward.
• Leave for the specified amount of time by the manufacturer. Then start to scrub off the masonry paint stripper beginning at the top of the wall again. Remove as many paints as possible.
• Use rags and warm water to wash the wall and allow it to air dry.
• Repeat the process over again to remove every form of stubborn paint that’s left.
• Use a white vinegar to spray the stripped wall and wipe off any residue of paint with a brush and rinse with water.

Installing a plasterboard on your ceiling is a cool way to modernize your property. Over the past couple of decades, there has bee an increasing number of trends associated with plastering of both walls and ceilings such as rounded edges and textured plaster. However, in recent times, home and property owners are now looking to install more of sharp edges. If you’re planning to plaster your ceiling, you’d probably want to know just how much this project is going to cost. If yes, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll give you a rough estimate of ceiling plastering costs.

There are a plethora of factors the can influence the price of plastering your ceiling. These pricing components includes the following:

✓ Size. As you would have expected, the larger the job, the more the overall cost. However, the price per square metre will reduce which means that the cost of plastering a small ceiling space will cost more per square metre than the cost of plastering a larger ceiling space per square metre.

✓ Materials. We have a wide range of plasterboard available in the market. If you need a fire retardant, acoustic or other types of specialist plasterboard, you can expect to pay higher than standard plasterboards.

✓ Location. Just like many other home improvement projects, the cost of plastering ceiling varies greatly throughout the UK. Places such as London and the South East have the highest prices due to the high standard of living as well as greater demands.

In general, to plaster a ceiling (small 2 m x 2 m) - overboard and plaster will cost within the range of £200 to about £300. Also, to plaster a ceiling (large 5 m x 6 m) - overboard and plaster will cost within the range of £400 to about £600. The average plasterer’s daily rate (including material) is about £180 to £300 and ceiling plastering cost per square metre ranges between £20 to £40.

Do you want to beautify and increase the value of your home? If yes, a refurb and house extension is definitely a great option to consider. Depending on your home extension project, the value that’ll be added to your home’s resale value varies. However, the cost of completing a house extension project can be huge, so you just might want to consider your financing options. Fortunately, there are various options through which your house extension project can be funded with each having its own pros and cons. Your specific circumstances will determine the one that’s going to work best for you, so let’s take a look at some of the best options to help you fund your project.

• Home Remortgaging

The process whereby a mortgage is transferred from one provider to the other is known as remortgaging. This is usually done to generate funds for a project by entering a more lengthy repayment term commitment when switching. If you want to raise your funds in a quick manner, this process works best.

• Savings

This is a good reason to cultivate a good saving habits. If you’ve been able to save up some mega bucks then you’d probably won’t have to borrow money to finance your house extension.

• Unsecured Loans

If you do not buy into the idea of borrowing more against your property, you may just be able to apply for an unsecured loan especially if you have a good credit record. A secured loan makes use of collaterals like a car or house to serve as a cover for the lender, meanwhile an unsecured loan is based mainly on the credit managing history of the borrower.

• Credit Card

There are some great benefits that comes with financing your small or medium scale extension project with your credit card. Not only does it offer some real lifeline if problems arise during the project, but you can also avoid paying excessive interest on the investment by ensuring your deal has a 0% introductory rate.

• Where in the country you live
• What colour you choose
• What pattern you choose
• Whether you choose a standard or a higher-quality concrete

What Is The Best Material For A Front Door?

It can be a tricky challenge to find the perfect door for your home or property. At times we may find the look we desire but it just won’t suit our budget, other times we’ll find what suits our budget but it just won’t be secure or appealing enough to our taste. Due to the fact that your front door is the first line of defence for your home and governs entry to the rest of your house, it’s very important to look for a material that’s strong, sturdy and is able to withstand both the elements as well as wear and tear. You definitely need all these qualities while also making sure the good looks are also intact. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the best material for a front door.

The fact is that all door materials have both their advantages and disadvantage, therefore the best material actually depends on the homeowner’s preferences. Generally, fibreglass and steel doors are able to deliver better insulation than wood doors. And this is even better when they’re Energy-Star certified which means they’re double and triple-paneled glass, energy efficient cores as well as tight-fitting frames. Fibreglass doors is made from a composite material which can be designed to suit most homes. What’s more? They’re very easy to maintain and also durable. However, despite all these, some homeowners actually prefer wooden doors for their homes.

Doors made of wood naturally have more style and character than fiberglass doors and in several cases, are easier to repair. Furthermore, they don’t show scratches or dents as readily as the other door materials. However, they’re susceptible to warping and cracking unlike their counterparts.