Archive for the ‘Home Improvements’ Category

Money Saving Tips For House Extensions And Energy Saving Lighting

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Save up to 90% On Your Fuel Bills When Planning A House Extension or Loft Conversion

Whether you’re considering having new electrical wiring done or installing new spot lighting within your home, house extension or even a loft conversion remember to bear in mind tthe new LED and Energy Saving Bulb range that is now available and replacing traditional bulbs.

Light New House Extensions With Derwood Homes BuildersWith property refurbishments and renovations increasing due to the housing market crisis we are finding that rewiring and the installation installing of new feature lighting and in particular spot lights into kitchen extensions and loft conversions are also on the increase. Unless you are careful you’re electrical consumption can quickly increase, which as we know is becoming a costly experience hence why replacing your existing bulbs for new energy saving units can save you 90 % on your electrical lighting costs and well worth thinking about from the outset!

I have to admit that getting used to the different lighting effects LED bulbs offer, can be an issue but to answer some of the most common questions, the following advice should be helpful towards deciding how to light up your new house extension, loft conversion or even a garage conversion.

1. How long do LED bulbs last?
Well, LED light bulbs have a much longer life span compared to standard halogen bulbs. In fact LED bulbs last up to 50000 hours – that’s over 5 years of continuous use! In reality this is more likely to be 20 years meaning that you may never have to replace the bulbs again.

2. Will LED bulbs fit into my old light fixtures?
The answer is yes. The majority of LED bulbs are designed to be retrofit, meaning they are the perfect to replace your old halogens unless other wise statedon the packaging.

3. What’s the difference between Warm White and Cool White?Saving money building a new house extension with Derwood Homes Builders
This is the biggest confusion that people find difficult to decided on. Many LED bulbs offer 2 different colour options. Warm White LED bulbs provide a warm, natural light ideal for living rooms and bedrooms where more atmospheric lighting is required. Cool White LEDs give off a more crisp, bright white light perfect for kitchens and bathrooms.

I have even tried mixing soft and cool effect bulbs in my home and found this theme to be a good balance for my loft conversion but the reality is that it is down to personal choice. The down side is that the new range of bulbs are more expensive than traditional bulbs although the price is falling. It’s a shame that our considerate government couldn’t continue to subsidize the cost of the bulbs so that everyone could benefit and help ‘save the plant’ by replacing all house hold bulbs for the energy saving one’s rather than offer solar panels to a select few with the right shape roof on their house! I’m sure the benefits would be far more advantageous.

DID YOU KNOW

That Giant LED Balloons are to be used to Illuminate Hadrian’s Wall for the Olympic CelebrationsElectrical Lighting For The London Olympics

Unless you have been living on Mars for the past few years, it won’t have escaped your attention that the Olympic Games are due to be held in London during the summer of 2012. The games themselves will be a fantastic showcase for the city but the organization and staging does come at some considerable cost to UK taxpayers. With tickets being incredibly hard to purchase for many events, the organizers are keen to get as many people who live outside London involved in a lot of different ways.

Take Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for example… it is planned to have a string of giant balloons lit up by LED lights to illuminate the whole length of the wall during the summer evenings of 2012. Titled ‘Connecting Light’, this unique event is set to be a fantastic spectacle attracting many thousands spectators to the North East of England to view the huge line of tethered balloons, 2 metres in diameter, all lit up using different colours of eco-friendly LED bulbs located inside the balloons themselves. Wow.. that is bound to be something worth seeing.

It was designed by a New York-based arts collective company and commissioned by Hadrian’s Wall Heritage in partnership with the London Organizing House Extension LED lighting AdviceCommittee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

The idea behind the illuminated balloons is to create a contemporary communications system running from each coast along the border between England and Scotland. The lights will provide a fabulous line of pulsating colours as messages are sent along the wall. These messages can be made visible through smart phones, iPads and tablets.

The London 2012 Festival will also run for 12 weeks during the whole summer to coincide with the London Olympic Games as is bound to bring some amazing entertainment for many all over the world to enjoy.

Let’s hope the weather will be good!

For more advice or a free quote for a new house extension, loft conversion or to build your dream home feel free to contact us at any time

Kind Regards
ROY DERRICK

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Energy Saving, Home Improvements | No Comments »

Home Maintanance Tips And Advice

Monday, March 26th, 2012

Are You Looking For Some Home Maintenance or Home Improvement Advice ?

Keeping on top of home improvements and home maintenance is vital if you want to save money in the long term. Owning a house can be an expensive hobby especially if you’re not careful. home maintenance builders in South wales
As soon as the spring and summer months arrive take a few minutes to walk around your home inside and out to establish what work may need doing to prevent further damage to your home.

I generally find that as soon as the bright sun light arrives and our homes and gardens are lit up with the more intense light than in the winter months it tends to high light the home maintenance jobs that are required such as the grubby paint work, rotting timber work, and worn looking home decor. My wife also tends to notice it more as well, especially as the hidden cobwebs and any dust that she may have missed during her cleaning stand out like to her dismay, hence the reason why we have ‘spring cleans’.

Home improvements are not just about buying new furniture or kitchens or bathrooms, it’s also about finding the right balance to keep the whole of our home well maintained and in tip top shape. If you don’t then repairs thereafter can end up costing you 10 times as much. The same applies to the garden, dirty patio’s and driveways, blocked drains and gutters, damaged fascia boards, cracked tiles and render all of which will need urgent attention before the next winter and frost takes it’s bit!

As a general guideline, find a builder who is willing to pop around to your home and offer you some free advice on what may need urgent attention. A good reputable builder will generally be willing to do so and provide you with an estimate to carry out effective repairs in the hope that you will have money left over to spend on the nicer home improvements that we all wish for.

Home Maintenance Check List
Below are typical examples of some of the common home maintenance repairs to look out for around the outside of your property. Home maintenance check list with Derwood Homes

1. Gutters, Rainwater Pipes And Drains
Blocked and over flowing gutters can lead to major damp problems. Leaves are the most common issue to cause blockages. Snow can losen gutters and rainwater pipes so you may have to securely re-fix them.
2. External Walls
Have a look around the exterior walls of your home especially the External Render. Cracked render will allow water and damp to enter your property. Once water gets behind and freezes it will cause the render to ‘blow’ and break away from the wall.
3. Check your Roof tiles
Cracked or loose roof tiles will allow rain and birds to enter your roof and cause damage both of which are a very common cause of damp that could end up being very costly if you’re not careful.
4. Outside paintwork
Check for signs of any flaking paint work on external walls, fascia boards, windows and doors. If you don’t carry out any repairs when needed it will cause these structures to quickly breakdown. Don’t forget to check the silicone seals around your doors and windows. Very important to ensure that they aren’t letting in any damp other wise your interior decor will soon deterioate.
5. Window Sills
Check your window sills to see if they have any cracks that could be letting in damp into your property.
6. Patios and Paving.
Very often after a good jet wash with the right chemicals, patios and paving can look refreshed and like new. It is well worth checking the mortar joints to see if they need repairing. It may be a fiddly and messy job but well worth it.
7. Driveways. Worn or just dirty?
Driveways very often may look messy and worn, but again may just need a good jet washing. Use the right chemicals to get rid of any oil spills or bird droppings very often does the trick. Every year like clockwork I give my drive and patio a jet wash so that it looks like new. Fill any cracks or refit any loose paving stones to prevent others from becoming damaged. If any part of your drive has sunk, get it repaired otherwise it will cause more unnecessary damage.
8. Check your chimney.
If the lead flashing around your chimney looks damaged or loose have it checked out. You’ll be surprised the damage a leaking chimney can cause in your attic space without you knowing.
9. Garden walls
Combined rain and frost can soon cause some serious damage to garden walls causing them to subside, crack and worst of all fall down. A quick check for any damage is well worth it. Remember that if your wall does fall down and cause injury or damage to some else or their property, you are liable!
10. Trees and shrubs.
It is always worth checking any trees around your property to ensure that they are not leaning or have any cracked branches that could end up falling down.
11. Garden fencing , decking and sheds. home maintenance in hand with Derwood Developments
The weather can greatly reduce the life span of any timber garden fencing, decking or sheds. Applying an annual coat of wood preservative and stain will add years to their lifespan. Remove any rotten timber and replace it with new. Check the stability of fencing posts to ensure that they have not become loose will help reduce the risk of future damage. While you’re at it you may want to apply a coat to any timber garden furniture you may have at the same time. This is something I do every year.
12. Electrics and lights
A visual inspection of your external lights, switches and cables is always a good idea. It you see any signs of water inside your external lights or any damaged cables you must call out a reputable electrician to repair the faults. Any one carrying out electrical work has to be Registered and fully qualified, so don’t take any risks !

And finally, you may want to give your gutters, fascia boards and Upvc doors and windows a good clean with soapy water or Upvc cleaner. It will give them a new lease of life. It may all sound like hard work or expensive, but keeping on top of home maintenance checks will definitely save you a lot of money in the long term and help to keep your home looking like new.

If you would like us to give you any advice please feel free to contact us at any time. Contact Us Here for a Free Quote

KInd Regards
ROY DERRICK

Follow Us on Twitter Here

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Home Improvements | No Comments »

Looking For A Good Builder

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

I Need A Good Builder in Bridgend

Sound familiar?

Are You Looking for a Good builder? I need a good reputable builder in Cardiff

Have you ever been in the situation before where you have struggled to find a good reputable builder or has anyone ever asked if  ‘ you know a good builder?’

Finding a good reputable builder is not always easy because people are very often skeptical due to the bad press and TV Programmes that illustrate some builders as being rouge builders, but don’t let that put you off.. It’s not as bad is it all sounds.

If you are looking for a good reputable builder, then word of mouth is always a good starting point. Another way is by looking on the Internet to search for a recommended and reputable builder.   

Simply go online and type in ‘I am looking for a builder in Bridgend ‘ or Cardiff,  Porthcawl , Caerphilly, Barry or South Wales for example. Naming the town where you live will help narrow down the search so that you can find a good reputable builder near you.   

Internet Search engines such as Google will then highlight a few options for you to consider. I would highly recommend that you arrange a free no obligation meeting with a few of tGood Builder in Bridgend and Cardiffhe builders that look reputable to you. This will give you the opportunity to meet the builder of your choice in person so that you can get to know them in person.

Building a rapport with a good reputable builder before committing to any type of contract is definitely a good idea. Believe it or not there are lots of people that have deliberately deceived builders in the same way some builders have deceived their customers, which is why both parties may be nervous about one another other to begin with.  Communication and ensuring that every aspect of a project is discussed is extremely important before is starts.

Most good reputable builders offer a good open and honest service and are very trust worthy when it comes to customers paying for the work that is being carried out.

By offering a service whether it is as a builder or any other type of service it means cash flow and being able to pay wages is just as important to a reputable builder as is the work being done to a high standard to a customer.

We at Derwood Homes and Developments for example understand how important this is and that construction terminology and schedules may not be the same as a customer’s way of thinking.

This is why it is so important for both parties to communicate openly as possible to ensure that the working relationship that develops is a good one… just like in any marriage!Reputable buuilder in Cardiff and Caerphilly

If you are looking for a builder, what very often stands out is a builder that turns up every day to carry out a good hard days work, is clean, efficient, professional and very helpful in talking through each stage with their customer. Regardless how good and reputable a builder may be, having construction works done in your home can be stressful. Again, don’t let this put you off, discuss with your builder any concerns you have with regards to any disruption to your day to day activities and what can be done to minimize the effects.

Most builders are keen to help and please their customers, so don’t be afraid to sit down and have a cup of coffee with your builder to discuss each day or stage as things progress.

Developing a good working relationship with a builder is the key and will keep everyone happy and of course make your project worthwhile. Whether you’re looking to have a loft or attic conversion, a new house extension, garage conversion or any type of building work we at Derwood Homes and Developments would be glad to help.

If you would like more advice please feel free to contact us HERE at any time

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Builders, Federation Of Master Builders, Home Improvements, House Extensions, Loft Conversions, Reputable Builders | No Comments »

Bridgend Builder Teaches Clients How To Make Money

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Make Money In Your Home By Fitting Simple Money Saving Devices 

It’s that time of year where the dark nights and cold weather can make life a little miserable.

The good news is as a reputable Bridgend Builder we love help our customers make money and save money by following these simple steps around your home. Where there is the ‘will’ there is also a way! With energy and utility bills rocketing you really should be looking at ways to reduce them.Money making ideas

If you are on a water meter you can cut your water bills by installing a couple of simple devices to reduce your usage. Flushing the toilet accounts for about a third of all household water use, and several water companies offer free “save-a-flush” devices.

Putting one of these in your toilet cistern will reduce the volume of water used every time you flush. In fact you can even placed two bricks in each of your toilet cisterns to save on water consumption and costs. A simple idea that really does work.

There is also a device called ShowerSmart that helps to reduce amount of water and energy used when having a shower.They are simply fitted to  non-electric showers to regulate the flow of water, and the makers claim the yearly savings for an average family are about 6% on gas bills and 6% on water bills.If your haven’t already done so, start fitting energy saving light bulbs to every light source in your home.

Being a reputable cardiff builder and bridgend builder servicing most areas area South Wales we would be more than happy to provide you with a quote to carry out any of our money savings tips.  When we construct new self build houses for customers, or house extensions or even loft conversions current building regulations now mean that energy conservation is paramount in design and construction.

Bridgend Builder Helps You To Make MoneySome companies are giving these away for free so it is worth while asking. You could save as much as 30% on your electric bills. Teach everyone in the family to get into the habit of turning electrical appliances and lights off when not in use. Then of course there is the obvious, make sure that your loft / attic space has at least 300 mm of insulation to prevent heat being lost through your roof.

If you haven’t already got at least 300 mm of insulation in your attic then pop down the likes of B & Q a grab some extra rolls that are on offer and fit them in your loft. You can save an extra 12 % on heat loss. Make sure every pipe is insulated as well. 

Turn the thermostat down by 1 % in each of your rooms. It will save you on average about £70 a year. Again, turn each radiator thermostat down by a notch to help save money. Try and keep all doors closed throughout the house. This will definately help save on fuel bills.

Just as important is to get your boiler serviced. Just like a car if it isn’t serviced you can bet it is operating below standard. Oh and by the way, why not check in on your elderly neightbours to ensure that they are coping during the winter… you could even give them some money making tips.

If you would us to fit any of these devices feel free to contact us here at any time at enquiries@derwoodhomes.co.uk ……… we would be glad to help.In the mean time wrap up warm and start thinking about saving money. Every penny counts.

Kind Regards
ROY

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Builders, Energy Saving, Home Improvements, Reputable Builders | No Comments »

How To Choose A Reputable Builder In South Wales

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Finding A Reliable And Reputable Builder in Bridgend, Cardiff And South Wales

We all hear stories like the plumber that charged an elderly man £2,880 an hour and the family that scammed pensioners out of £1million – it can be nightmare to find a trustworthy and reputable builder when you need building work done at your home.

In fact, Brits fork out over a staggering £737 million to rectify botched jobs by cowboy builders each year, so it is crucial to choose your builder with care. Around 6.2 million (13%) of people in the UK have fallen foul of cowboy builders in the past five years, according to research from Sainsbury’s home insurance, and have had to fork out nearly £3.7bn to rectify botched buildng jobs during this time. Analysis shows plumbers have caused the most damage, with 1.4m homeowners suffering from their poor quality work since 2006. Most homes are now having new extensions built as well as loft conversions, landscaping work and garage conversions constructed rather than move home.

Reputable Builders South Wales

Reputable Builders South Wales

Of those of us that have fallen victim to a cowboy bulder, an average £2,077 was paid for the work they carried out. On top of this amount homeowners had to pay nearly £600 to either repair the damage or complete the unfinished job. While over 150,000 people are estimated to have paid over £5000 to rectify a botched job. Ben Tyte, Head of Sainsbury’s Home Insurance comments: “We’re concerned that so many homeowners have to rectify poor workmanship carried out by builders they’ve employed in good faith to work in their homes“.

It’s completely unacceptable that building remedial costs are exceeding £700 million. Of course the burden isn’t just financial; there can be a great deal of personal stress attached to these difficult situations including the clean up and often confrontation. On the other side of the coin, there are people who deliberately appoint builders with the intention of never paying for the excellent work they carry out, which then causes huge problems, very often leading towards the builders reputation being tarnished.

Cost over quality
Coming from a family of reputable building and construction porfessionals, I’m aware that the dodgy guys often undercut reasonable quotes in order to secure the work. Yet accepting suspiciously low quotes can be the start of costly mistakes, that sees quality sacrificed in favour of saving money and homeowners being faced with footing an even higher bill to put botched building works right. Ok, we may well blow our own trumpet and claim that Derwood Homes and Developments are excellent repuatable builders, but like everyone else we can make mistakes, but the main thing to look out for is a builder who is keen to please their customers and even admit and rectify any silly mistakes they may make without trying to charge you for doing so.

Tyte addes: “In these challenging economic times, it’s understandable that people want to cut back on costs but where work to the home is concerned it’s just not worth the risk. It’s simply false economy, especially if you’ve invalidated your home insurance by not taking due care. It’s imperative you hire a quality builder, and make sure that the work is done properly.”

Sainsbury’s home insurance warns that in extreme cases, if a homeowner is proven not to have taken reasonable care of their property, they could also risk invalidating their home insurance.

Professional Builders

Professional Builders

So how should you choose a reputable builder?

  • Spend time researching – ask for friends, family or neighbours for recommendations.
  • Follow up references – contact the names the builder gives you and ask to view the work. Happy customers should always be happy to talk and show you the building work they have had done
  • Always check for relevant qualifications and accreditations, from associations such as FMB and the NHBC
  • Always seek at least three quotes and don’t automatically opt for the cheapest. You may well regret it !
  • Get everything in writing, including a breakdown of costs and a completion date for the project.
  • Check your home insurance to ensure you are covered for the work and if a 24-hour home emergency advice service is available should things go wrong.

It is advisable to appoint a builder who has all of the skills and tradesmen within his own team of men. This will ensure that the complete project is carried out efficiently and to the same standards everyone expects. It even means that the builder is in complete control of the project and responsible for everyone working in your home.

Yes, there are nightmare builders out there, but there are also some excellent ones as well.

Looking to find a reliable and reputable builder ?  www.derwoodhomes.co.uk

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Builders, Home Improvements, House Extensions, landscaping, Loft Conversions, Reputable Builders | No Comments »

Planning Permission – The Basic Requirements

Friday, October 14th, 2011

How To Get Planning Permission

There Are Some Very Basic Things To Consider Prior To Applying For Planning Permission For A New House, A Loft Conversion, or a House Extension.

Over the last 12 months planning rules have changed and in particular so have Building Regulations. The process towards obtaining Planning Permission, in our opinion hasn’t become easier as the government promised. In fact, if truth be known, we could seriously question what if anything the government have done to help the building industry, in particular the so call small builder and developer, let alone people who simply no longer can afford to move house and instead want to carry out refurbishment works.  3d_architecture_concept

Before I get carried away with myself let’s consider what you can do to ensure that whatever planning application you are considering, you can at least help make your application process flow smoothly hence avoiding any long delays.

Here are 10 hots tips for you to consider towards putting together a planning application that in turn will definately help you to save time and money and prevent you from tearing your hair out.

  • Think carefully what it is you would like to achieve and why. In other words, a bigger kitchen, extra loft space for a play room, a bigger lounge or even a garage.
  • It is worth while doing a Google street view search of your property to try and visualize the impact it might have on the street view and your neightbours. This will give you an insight as to whether your expections will over effect your neighbours.
  • Have a chat with your neighbours to see what their thoughts would be and to establish if they would have any objections. It is always best ot have them on your side rather than the other way around.
  • Local planners always consider the impact a house extension, loft conversion, or a garage conversion would have on the street scene and how it would look in comparasion to adjourning properties, so bear this in mind when considering the size and style of what you are considering . It is no good asking for planning permission to build a black house in the middle of a white house, because it would stick out like a sore thumb !
  • The fees that local authorities charge for applying for planning or building regulations have all increased. Some authorities now even charge to consult them for advice. So long gone are the days of being able to pop in to see the planning officer for Free Advice.. Typcial!
    However, their advice could still be worth paying for . That said, just because a local planning officer may not agree with an application whether it be a loft conversion or large extension, it doesn’t mean that you won’t get permission granted. More and more planning appeals are being won than ever before because of the way some local authorities previously ran their departments.Planning Application, Loft Conversion, Garage Conversion, House Extension
  • It is worth while appointing a good builder, architect or engineer who can help you. Someone who is experienced in planning rules and if at all possible can offer who a complete design and build package.
  • Sadly for some reason the local authorities create a lot of unnecessary stress, delays and costs for ordinary people because of the way they operate their services. This can also be very demoralising and extremely stressful for people which has led them to give up trying, Having someone who can offer you a complete package and take away all of the stresses and strains is worth it’s weight in gold.
  • Set yourself a budget and have your project designed around such a budget rather than the other way around.
  • Alway, always, always take into consideration that you may spend more than you anticipated on design and engineering costs towards applying for planning permission and building regulations.
  • It is well worth asking what the design costs, application fees and engineering and building regulation fees will be, prior to kick starting your application.

With new Planning and Building legislation now in place it is a sad fact that costs are rising all the time. So be prepared for how quickly the design and planning fees can all add up to before you even start to dig a hole !

Yours Truly

ROY DERRICK

www.derwoodhomes.co.uk

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Attic Conversion Companies, Builders, Construction, Home Improvements, House Extensions, Loft Conversions, Reputable Builders, Self Build, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Love Your Garden

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Alan Titchmarsh’s New ProgrammeUntitled

I have to say that I rarely find the time to watch T.V. these days but whilst having dinner, I did manage to watch Alan’s new ITV show, ‘ Love Your Garden’. What I loved about the show was it’s simplistic approach to a variety of things that can be achieved with any garden.

As the co-owner of Derwood Homes that specialises in gardening projects around Cardiff and Bridgend, one of my favourite topics is designing,  creating and of course transforming peoples gardens within South Wales. Call me boring but there is something tranquil about the garden even if you do only use it to Sunbathe or play with the kids… Either way we all one way or another love our garden. Alan brings a modern approach and feel to gardening and makes the programme which is on Fridays well worth watching.     

Yours Truly

ROY DERRICK

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in gardening projects, Home Improvements, landscaping | 105 Comments »

Are House Prices Over Valued ?

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

Moving House V’s Home Improvements

The majority of Britons think property is over-valued, but only one in four people are predicting further house price falls, a survey has suggested.

Around 25% of people think house prices will drop during the coming year, down from 32% who were expecting them to slide further when the same research was carried out during the first quarter of the year, according to property website Rightmove.co.uk.house prices
Instead, 40% of people think prices will be broadly unchanged 12 months from now, the seventh consecutive quarter during which the proportion of people expecting there to be no change has increased.

But despite predicting house prices will be stable during the coming year, 48% of people said they thought property in their area was over-valued, rising to 66% among first-time buyers.

People in London were most likely to think house prices were too high at 61%, followed by those in the South West at 53% and those in the South East at 52%.

Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove, said: “There is a growing sense that many homes coming onto the UK housing market are priced too high and this is borne out by the views expressed in this survey.

“We now have a situation where half of the UK public feel house prices are too high, yet three-quarters of the same public are expecting prices to either stay the same or increase over the next 12 months. This suggests the prospect of a market stand-off and rising unsold stock levels if sellers don’t wise up to the house price views of their target market.”

Earlier this month, Rightmove reported that the level of unsold stock estate agents had on their books had risen to its highest level for four years, after new sellers increased their asking prices for the fourth consecutive month, raising them by an average of 1.7%.

PD*26644713Among those who feel optimistic about house prices, 54% said they thought the economy would improve going forward and this would help the property market, while 26% thought mortgages would be easier to obtain. But 58% of those who predicted house price falls think the economy will get worse, and 23% of this group think there will be little or no change in mortgage availability. As part of the survey Rightmove carried out this April they questioned 26,240 people.

More people seem to have decided to stay where they are than ever before and invest money into their homes via home improvements such as a new extension, loft conversion or even a basement. There is so much uncertainty and confusion, it’s no wonder we appear to still be within a housing market crisis.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Home Improvements, Housing Market, Mortgages, Self Build | 114 Comments »