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Summer Home Improvement: Building a Summer House

31st July 2018
Garden shed

Summer is not only the hottest of all the seasons but it is also a time to enjoy the outdoors, spend time at the beach and simply relax and unwind at home. For some homeowners, this is also the ideal time to build the perfect summer house to boost your property and make the summer so much more enjoyable.

As summertime approaches, there are many great ways to build a summer house and add a very enjoyable space to your property. Not all building projects require a lot of money so if you do it right, it can be a cost-effective way of getting a large summer house this summer. Then, of course, you have to choose the right products and an experienced builder, especially if you have a limited budget.

Here are a few great benefits of building your own summer house:

  • Outdoor dining. With a summer house you can enjoy summer dining in your own backyard. It’s perfect for larger families too, as you’ll be able to spend time together in a great setting that is still close to home.

  • A hobby Room. Many home owners use their summer houses as a place to enjoy their favourite hobby. Whether it’s embroidery, sculpting or building, a summer house offers you the perfect space to enjoy your own hobby.

  • A home office. Not all summer houses should be simply for relaxing; you can also use your summer house as a home office to extend the functionality of your home. This will also save money as you don’t have to rent additional office space.

  • Entertainment area. Having a summer house built is a great way to entertain family and friends right at home. You’ll be able to enjoy your backyard and entertain in your own space, without having to use your main house.  

  • Space for the kids. A summer house is perfect for the kids as it’s close to home but also separate and designed just the way you want. You can be creative and choose your own style, which will perfectly complement your home and extend it at the same time.

Whether you love contemporary summer houses or a modern, unique design, you can easily have your own summer house built in your own backyard and create a space to relax, unwind and even entertain your friends and family. You can also choose an insulated summer house so that you know your house will have the perfect temperature all year round.

If you want expert help with building your summer house, you can find a highly experienced local builder from HaMuch to help you design and build the perfect summer home.

 

SUMMER HOME IMPROVEMENT: DRIVEWAY REPAIRS

31st July 2018
Driveway Maintenance

If you own a summer home, you’ll know that your driveway will likely develop a few cracks in the concrete during its lifetime. These cracks can be caused by a variety of factors, including soil movement and tree roots. When it comes to driveway crack repair you don’t have to break the slab and pour a brand new one, you can simply hire a technician to repair it.

Preparing the Surface

When your tradesman starts the driveway resurfacing, preparation is essential. He will start by using a pressure washer to clean the surface properly. This will remove any dirt, mold and mildew. He can potentially add a cleaning solution to the pressure washer’s reservoir to spray on the surface. Once the washing is done, a high-pressure nozzle is attached to ensure you clean the whole slab, including every crack, to remove all the dirt.

Filling the Cracks

Next, the technician will need to mix your concrete, making sure it has a thick consistency. He will pour it onto the concrete and use a flat edge trowel to force the mixture into the cracks. It’s important to ensure that it’s smooth and allow to dry overnight. Now it’s ready for a thin layer of driveway sealer that it will be applied with a rubber squeegee. This is a great driveway repair method for concrete surfaces.

The driveway will be ready for foot traffic after 24 hours.

Repairing an Asphalt Driveway

If your home has an asphalt driveway, you can easily get a professional for high quality asphalt driveway repair. Common problems include potholes and cracks, which are commonly known as spider web cracks or alligator cracks. You may also have an area in the asphalt that has sunk in the ground, commonly referred to as a sink hole.

Preparing for asphalt driveway maintenance starts with preparing the surface. Thoroughly cleaning the driveway from dirt and dust, either using a stiff bristled broom or a high-pressure washer. You tradesman will potentially also use a backpack leaf blower. Also he will remove any vegetation.

In order to’ repair potholes you’ll need new asphalt and a pothole tamper. You can cover a 30cm x 30 cm hole with around 4.5 kg of asphalt repair aggregate and your tradesman is the best person to give you advice on this based on their experience. The first thing he will check for is whether the whole goes down past the asphalt itself. If it does, he will fill the hole with sand first.

Next, he’ll heat up the asphalt around the pothole with a flame torch to help the aggregate bond with the existing asphalt. After pouring the aggregate into the hole; if it overfills a bit, he will use a flat head shovel or garden rake to level it out. Once the hole is filled, the pothole tamper is used to pound and flatten the asphalt.  

Filling Asphalt Cracks

To repair cracks in an asphalt driveway, you need patch material, a sealcoat sealer and a squeegee. Your technician will pour the patch material into the repair area, using the squeegee to spread the material out evenly.

Repairing your driveway is easy if you can get a professional to take care of all your driveway maintenance as they know how to use the right techniques and materials. With this maintenance you will ensure that your driveway and your house as an extension will look as good as new, all year round.

To find a qualified tradesmen near you, visit HaMuch online and choose a professional to take care of your driveway maintenance and driveway crack repair.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Garden Wall?

16th July 2018
Security fence

A garden wall doesn’t just offer privacy and protect your home’s boundaries — it can be beautiful and put your home in the spotlight too! Building a wall offers many more benefits besides, including added security and various possibilities for visibility and wind protection.

If you are thinking of building a garden wall, there are some considerations you need to make in advance. These include how big you want it to be, the materials you would like to use and the cost of the job. Ideally and for a clean finish, the architecture should also match the house and its current surroundings.

What the Job Entails

The first step to building your garden wall is to find yourself a handyman, as this is a huge job that requires the help of experts. At HaMuch, we can help you find quality, reliable bricklayer services in London, allowing you to pick the tradesman who is a perfect fit for your needs and requirements.

The next step is to build a foundation where the wall will sit. Every garden wall needs a foundation and it must be sufficiently deep and wide. The last thing you want to do is endanger the stability of your garden wall by building one with a shallow foundation. Not only will it undoubtedly cost you more in the long run, but it could also pose a threat to your family and any pets.

When measuring the foundation, one good tip to keep in mind is that the depth and width will always depend on the weight, height, and width of the wall itself.

Other Costs to Consider before Building a Garden Wall

Before going ahead with the building work, you may need to get permission from your local authority for the work to be carried out. If your wall is one metre or less in height, you shouldn’t have any problems. If higher than a metre, you may need a permit, which will bump up your overall budget.

Keep in mind that the garden wall should run along the edge of the property — you should calculate in advance the minimum distance it will be to any neighbouring properties or pavements. Again, there may be a strict set of rules by your local authority that you need to follow — so it’s always best to check beforehand.

Garden Wall Building Materials

Various materials can be used for building a garden wall, including natural stone, sandstone and limestone. You can expect to pay anything from £800 to £2500 for materials to build a wall that is one metre high by four metres long. This, of course, will depend on your preferred material.

Regardless of whether you opt for a small natural stone wall to compensate for height in the garden, an entire property enclosure with a sandstone wall or a wall of carved limestone, the end result is, in any case, a gem. Here are a few benefits of each option:

Sandstone Wall

Sandstone is an eye-catcher with its stunning reddish colour. The untreated stones tend to be of different sizes, which adds to its rustic flare. Sandstone creates a stable wall, which means less decomposition and maintenance work in the long run.

Natural Stone

A natural stone wall will compliment any environment and offers an aesthetic appeal. However, this option can prevent light from entering the garden. If you enjoy growing plants, you may find a natural stone wall will block out essential light. Some plants also like to benefit from the heat that radiates from a precast stone wall when it is too cool.

Precast Stone

Of course, your wall doesn’t have to made from natural stone at all. Precast stones are available in a wide selection of various finishes. Usually, these stones are manufactured specifically to look similar to natural stones. Thin adhesive layers of mortar are normally used in these types of stone, ensuring that the individual stones hold well and the wall does not break.

The Cost of Building a Garden Wall: Labour & Materials

Building a garden wall comes with various costs, from creating the foundation to the materials to the labour costs. The table below outlines the rough cost you could expect to pay for a one metre by four metre wall.

Labour Costs:

Description

Labour Costs

Duration

1 Metre By 4 Metre Wall

£1200

4 Days

How Quickly Can A Garden Wall Be Built?

How quickly the job takes will all depend the size of your desired wall and the experience of your bricklayer. It can take an average of three to four days to dig the foundation and lay the bricks. However, a qualified bricklayer can most likely get the job done faster.

Are you looking to build a garden wall in your home? HaMuch offers a comprehensive list of fully vetted, qualified and reliable bricklayers in London, allowing you to pick the right person for the job. Get your quote today!

Summer Home Improvement: Building a Summer House

10th July 2018
clean gutters

Summer is not only the hottest of all the seasons but it is also a time to enjoy the outdoors, spend time at the beach and simply relax and unwind at home. For some homeowners, this is also the ideal time to build the perfect summer house to boost your property and make the summer so much more enjoyable.

There are many great ways to build a summer house and add a very enjoyable space to your property. Not all building projects require a lot of money so if you do it right, it can be a cost-effective way of getting a large summer house this summer. Then, of course, you have to choose the right products and an experienced builder, especially if you have a limited budget.

Here are a few great benefits of building your own summer house:

  • Outdoor dining. With a summer house you can enjoy summer dining in your own backyard. It’s perfect for larger families too, as you’ll be able to spend time together in a great setting that is still close to home.

  • A hobby Room. Many home owners use their summer houses as a place to enjoy their favourite hobby. Whether it’s embroidery, sculpting or building, a summer house offers you the perfect space to enjoy your own hobby.

  • A home office. Not all summer houses should be simply for relaxing; you can also use your summer house as a home office to extend the functionality of your home. This will also save money as you don’t have to rent additional office space.

  • Entertainment area. Having a summer house built is a great way to entertain family and friends right at home. You’ll be able to enjoy your backyard and entertain in your own space, without having to use your main house.  

  • Space for the kids. A summer house is perfect for the kids as it’s close to home but also separate and designed just the way you want. You can be creative and choose your own style, which will perfectly complement your home and extend it at the same time.

Whether you love contemporary summer houses or a modern, unique design, you can easily have your own summer house built in your own backyard and create a space to relax, unwind and even entertain your friends and family. You can also choose an insulated summer house so that you know your house will have the perfect temperature all year round.

If you want expert help with building your summer house, you can find a highly experienced local builder  you can trust from HaMuch to help you design and build the perfect summer home.

 

Summer Home Improvement: Driveway Repairs

5th July 2018
Driveway Maintenance

If you have a driveway in your home, you’ll know that driveway maintenance will be required regularly as it will likely develop a few cracks in the concrete during its lifetime. These cracks can be caused by a variety of factors, including soil movement and tree roots. When it comes to driveway crack repair you don’t have to break the slab and pour a brand new one, you can simply hire a technician to repair it.

Preparing the Surface for Driveway Maintenance

When your tradesman starts the driveway resurfacing, preparation is essential. He will start by using a pressure washer to clean the surface properly. This will remove any dirt, mold and mildew. He can potentially add a cleaning solution to the pressure washer’s reservoir to spray on the surface. Once the washing is done, a high-pressure nozzle is attached to ensure you clean the whole slab, including every crack, to remove all the dirt.

Filling the Cracks

Next, the technician will need to mix your concrete, making sure it has a thick consistency. He will pour it onto the concrete and use a flat edge trowel to force the mixture into the cracks. It’s important to ensure that it’s smooth and allow to dry overnight. Now it’s ready for a thin layer of driveway sealer that it will be applied with a rubber squeegee. This is a great driveway repair method for concrete surfaces.

The driveway will be ready for foot traffic after 24 hours.

Repairing an Asphalt Driveway

If your home has an asphalt driveway, you can easily get a professional for high quality asphalt driveway repair. Common problems include potholes and cracks, which are commonly known as spider web cracks or alligator cracks. You may also have an area in the asphalt that has sunk in the ground, commonly referred to as a sink hole.

Preparing for asphalt driveway maintenance starts with preparing the surface. Thoroughly cleaning the driveway from dirt and dust, either using a stiff bristled broom or a high-pressure washer. You tradesman will potentially also use a backpack leaf blower. Also he will remove any vegetation.

In order to’ repair potholes you’ll need new asphalt and a pothole tamper. You can cover a 30cm x 30 cm hole with around 4.5 kg of asphalt repair aggregate and your tradesman is the best person to give you advice on this based on their experience. The first thing he will check for is whether the whole goes down past the asphalt itself. If it does, he will fill the hole with sand first.

Next, he’ll heat up the asphalt around the pothole with a flame torch to help the aggregate bond with the existing asphalt. After pouring the aggregate into the hole; if it overfills a bit, he will use a flat head shovel or garden rake to level it out. Once the hole is filled, the pothole tamper is used to pound and flatten the asphalt.

Filling Asphalt Cracks

To repair cracks in an asphalt driveway, you need patch material, a sealcoat sealer and a squeegee. Your technician will pour the patch material into the repair area, using the squeegee to spread the material out evenly.

Repairing your driveway is easy if you can get a professional to take care of all your driveway maintenance as they know how to use the right techniques and materials. With this maintenance you will ensure that your driveway and your house as an extension will look as good as new, all year round.

Find a Tradesman for your Driveway Maintenance

To find a qualified tradesmen near you, visit HaMuch online and choose a professional to take care of your driveway maintenance and driveway crack repair. We publish their hourly and daily prices upfront to find the best value for your money on your next hire.

What is a Damp Proof Course? Does Your Home Need It?

25th June 2018
Damp proof membrane on top of foundation walls corner.

Damp proof coursing. You might have heard of it, but do you know what it is or why you need it? Our experts provide all the details.

What Exactly is a Damp Proof Course?

Damp proofing is present in every modern home, and a few not-so-modern homes. It is a thin layer of protection built between the brickwork of a house, close to where the house sits on its foundations. Often consisting of either slate or plastic — depending on how old the building is — the material runs the entire way around a property’s exterior wall.

The damp proof course is designed to do one thing: keep damp from entering the home.

How Does Damp Enter the Home?

Water from the ground can seep into the cracks and crevices of a building, either those that exist from the outset or that are created over time as the structure settles and ages.

Moisture is pushed into these gaps and spaces and, because the cracks are cold and dark, does not evaporate. The more moisture that files into the property, the further it climbs up into the brickwork. Imagine squeezing water through a sealed plastic tube.

Damp proof coursing is a barrier. Set at the bottom of the home, it stops moisture climbing up further into the property and prevents damp encroaching on your living space.

Do I Need Damp Proof Coursing?

Every home needs damp proof coursing. In the UK, the ground is often moist, even during summer months. Without damp proofing, water will climb its way into the house.

You’ll know if you are in need of damp proof coursing, as you’ll be experiencing issues such as damp spots on the walls, crumbling plasterboard, peeling paint or bubbling wallpaper, wet patches on floors, rotting floorboards and skirting boards, and build-up of salt deposits that cause circular white stains.

This is known as rising damp.

Why Is My House Experiencing Rising Damp?

If you are experiencing rising damp, your damp proof course is not working properly.

This is often caused by two factors:

  1. Wear and tear: Over time, damp proof coursing can become cracked or broken. This can occur due to many reasons. Your house may have shifted on its foundations, age might simply have played a part, or the materials used were perhaps not built to last.
  2. You don’t have any: Not all homes have damp proof coursing. While most British homes were built with protection following its rise to prevalence in the 1960s, there are still many houses in the UK that are far older than this.

How Do You Repair or Install a Damp Proof Course?

Installation or repair of a damp proof course is not a job to be undertaken as a DIY project. It requires expert knowledge, industrial materials and equipment, as well as an understanding of property structure.

Repair of a damp proof course is much easier than installation. A qualified professional can inject a special resin into targeted points of your property to seal up cracks and holes that have been created.

Installation is much trickier, as it requires removal of cement work and sometimes even brick. This is especially challenging for areas of the home that are inaccessible. Professional expertise is essential for proper damp proofing installation.

What Are the Benefits of a Damp Proof Course?

Investing in better — or new — damp proofing is essential for a stable and healthy home environment.

A damp proof course is your best defence against rising damp, which can result in not only damage to property but also numerous health problems. Damp in the home can lead to mould, which releases spores that exacerbate symptoms of respiratory conditions, such as asthma.

 

In need of an updated damp proof course? Does your home not have damp proofing? Find a tradesman perfect for the job in HaMuch’s extensive directory today!

Summer Home Improvements: Roof repair and replace

29th May 2018
Roof repair and replacement

The roof is possibly the most important part of a house in that it plays the role of keeping water and other forms of precipitation out of your home. The dangers may seem far-fetched to many of us, but we should never compromise with the safety of our roof. Considering the load your roof takes from harsh weather, it’s only inevitable that you will have to fix it up at some point. The bright side is, fixing up a roof is usually a call of duty that comes every few decades and not on a regular basis.

Fixing Your Roof

Roofing contractors or roofing companies are available to help you fix your roof or set it up. If you want, you can go all out and try to fixing up or improvising your roof time to time using roofing materials available in the market. You will find available roof panels, roof tiles, roofing felts and numerous other materials that you can use to customise your roof. Fiberglass roofs are a preference in many neighbourhoods, whereas rubber roofing is often preferred for areas that receive a lot of rain and thunderstorms. Whether you have a flat roof or slate roof will also play key factors in the type of material that will work best for your roof. Speak to a professional to get a better idea on how roofs work.

Getting a roof leak repaired or fixing up the roof membrane can often be an extra tension that you may not feel too keen on putting much time into. Do keep in mind that if you don’t get leaks fixed, over a short time span, even small leaks can become huge problems. Problems such as mold, destroyed insulation, rotted sheathing and framing and damaged ceilings due to all the water seeping through. Hence, it’s better to look into leaks sooner rather than later.

Fortunately, there are professionals available for hire. If you are worried about where you can get the best rates for experienced professionals, you may want to check out hamuch.com. There is a good range of experienced professionals available to help you with your homebound needs.

Type of Roof

One common type of roofing is the EPDM (ethylene propylene diene terpolymer) roofing. This is a long-lasting synthetic rubber roofing membrane extensively used in low-slope buildings in the states as well as worldwide. The primary ingredients for this, propylene and ethylene, are derived from natural gas and oil.

In order to ensure you don’t have to continuously worry about your roof over and over again, it’s best to opt for top-quality products. This does not necessarily mean buying the most expensive material but it can entail putting in more money for say the shingles, copper flashing and other material that is used within the joints.

The roof used for your garage may not be the same as the rest of the roofing. Concrete roofs or steel roofs are commonly used for garages. Modern homes often incorporate flat roof constructions for flat roofs that come with warm roof insulation, which is either placed below the weatherproof membrane or above the waterproof membrane. This helps to keep the house warmer.

Irrelevant of the type of roof, make sure to take good care of your roof in order to increase your roof’s lifespan and minimise rapid depreciation of your property.

Summer Home Improvement: Kids Room Remodelling

28th May 2018
Kids room bedroom remodelling

As summer is amidst us, many of our kids’ bedrooms may need remodeling. With growing kids, it’s never a bad idea to remodel the bedrooms to suit the kids’ interests and in order to make the rooms comfort zones for growing ones. After all, bedrooms are more than rooms used to sleep in; a bedroom is meant to be a comfort zone, one that is personalised based on who is staying in it.

Hunting for Ideas

If you’re looking for ideas to spark up your kids’ bedrooms, there are a vast number of ideas you will find on the internet, in books and of course by simply asking family and friends for suggestions. Similar to every other setup, prior to remodeling a bedroom it’s a good idea to do some research on the pricing of furniture, the different colour contrasts available in the market and other intricate details that may be incorporated to room remodeling.

Bedroom Ideas for Kids

Each bedroom in your house does not need to be a copy of the other. Children’s rooms will most likely not resemble adults’ bedrooms. A bedroom often includes things that represent the individual living in it, so things that are put up can be a representation of the person’s likes and interests.

Kids’ bedrooms look best when school related things or academic based items are incorporated and the creativity is kept alive. Whether it’s the alphabet, numbers, animal names, the multiplication table or other similar hangings. When it comes to the colour you should choose, it’s important to note that it would be unfair to state specific colours to identify with either gender, whether it’s boys or girls. Let your children opt for what they feel most comfortable with, without stipulating which colour is “feminine” or which one is “masculine”.

For boys’ rooms, you can choose cars, action figures the boys’ can relate with and toys that they like to play with. For girls’ rooms, a favourite character, a dressing up corner and toys that they like to play with are some great starters. A globe or other scientific items up on the walls also offer a good atmosphere for both boys and girls to be around. You can put up posters based on what your child’s favourite subjects are at school. Their certificates can be framed and their achievements can be showcased as well.

Toddler bedroom ideas include a play area, a feeding chair perhaps, posters of naming words up on the walls, the alphabets and other images that can be of help in terms of primary learning.

If you’re unsure about where to look for help on getting your bedroom set up properly, make sure to check out hamuch.com. You are bound to find experienced professionals who can help with remodelling and renovating not only your bedroom, but the rest of your house as well.

It’s never a bad idea to play around with the bedroom settings until you find the one you like best. Happy experimenting!