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Improve your property value: Bathroom Renovation

Impreve your property value with bathroom remodelling

Home is where the heart lies

Many will associate a person’s home with the person’s identity. As the saying goes, “home is where the heart lies”. A home is a person’s comfort zone, a place where their loved ones live and a safe haven of one’s valuable possessions. If the home is comfortable, the person residing in it will find ease and a sense of belonging every time they are home. Moreover, renovating your rooms and bathroom every now and then will increase your property value instead of undergoing depreciation.  

Your Bathroom- More than just a room for waste

Our bathrooms play an integral part within our homes. It’s nearly impossible to live without a bathroom inside our homes, in the 21st century at least.

Renovating your bathroom or giving your bathroom a makeover can be a great idea time to time. There are amazing bathroom designs, bathroom planners and bathroom renovations that come with outstanding bathroom decor available in the markets these days.

Bathroom Renovation

A bathroom renovation will imply getting the latest bathroom equipment for your bathroom and giving it a new look, even if it is a traditional one.

As for the price for your bathroom renovation, similar to all other forms of renovation, the price will be contingent on factors such as what kind of equipment you wish to use (i.e. the type of bathroom tiles or bathroom tiles design), whether it’s a small bathroom design or big bathroom design and the overall effort behind the full renovation.

The average cost of a new bathroom will range from £ 8000-£ 10000.

If you’re looking for great deals on reliable workers who can take care of your bathroom installation and makeover needs at wholesale rates, check out hamuch.com.

Opting for Something Small

If you don’t wish to change your full bathroom around, you can opt to change only one part of your bathroom in order to give it a “mini-makeover”. Perhaps your sink, or your bathtub, your tiles or even your toilet set. You’d be amazed at just how much change can come about in the overall appearance by simply changing an equipment within a room.

You can find small bathroom ideas on a budget if you get in touch with freelance interior designers. You may even wish to consider looking up different designs, coming up with your own combinations, purchasing one or two equipment and simply hiring someone to install. There are so many ways you can change your bathroom.

The bathroom ideas are growing in number as more and more people turn to modern bathroom looks. Of course, there are many who wish to stick to traditional bathroom designs as well. This can be catered to as well. It’s all a matter of preference and the type of bathroom look a family can relate to.

If you haven’t yet considered changing your bathroom around or giving it a makeover, albeit a simple one, do give it a thought.

Don’t be surprised if after the renovation you find yourself taking longer showers and spending an extra few minutes brushing your teeth every morning!

 

Improve your property value: Pipes Replacement

Household water tap

When it comes to the property you own, there are points to keep in mind that go beyond it being a roof over your head. Your property is not only your home and comfort zone, but an investment that you are making for the long run. Whether you decide to pass on your property as inheritance or sell it for a profit later on in life is an open choice that is always available to you. As such, it is important to always keep in mind how to improve your property value. An old, worn down property probably won’t be worth as much as one that has been well kept and looked after properly, both internally and externally.

One of the main things to keep in mind when it comes to property value is renovation and remodeling. Renovation often includes plumbing. Plumbing is required from time to time in order to avoid drain clogs, worsening of house pipes, bad odors coming out of the pipes or any other such discomforts. In fact, one of the main ways of keeping your house hygienic is by ensuring your plumbing is done right!

Renovation Needs

Renovation implies getting partial makeovers done for your home or sometimes, full makeovers for your home setting. Hence, renovation costs will of course vary depending on the amount of work you would like to get done.

As for plumbing, whether it’s a simple leak that needs tending to,lead pipe replacement or getting rid of an old pipe, plumbers pretty much handle a range of works. Plumbers deal with sinks, the sewage and drainage. In order to get good plumbing, you do need to keep the money factor in mind.

Plumber costs are based on plumber hourly rates and at times plumber day rates. There are rated plumbers to re-plumb a whole house as well. It’s also a good idea to ask your plumber questions pertaining to their experience before finalizing any one plumber. Asking them to come and visit your house to see what they need to work on is also a good idea in order to ensure both parties are clear on the terms.

For all of your plumbing needs, and great rates on experienced plumbers, do check out hamuch.com for great deals on a host of works related to your home.

Considering Underfloor Heating

Underfloor heating is the ultimate heating solution. Thousands of homeowners and customers all over the country are choosing to opt for underfloor heating these days due to its economical benefits in addition to the ambient temperature setting for the room. Once upon a time central heating was considered a huge luxury for homes. A misconception today, underfloor heating is looked at as a form of luxurious heat, except that underfloor heating cost is actually one that lowers the heating bills. Setup and installation is now easier than ever. Go to hamuch.com and find heating engineers close to you. Along with their expertise, obtain better prices (they’re all about wholesale deals!) and enjoy the added benefit of longer insurance too.

Things to Consider for Underfloor Heating

  1. Purchasing Underfloor Heating- In order to purchase underfloor heating components, you can head over to underfloor heating stores that should be available nearby. Try looking up the closest underfloor heating store near you or simply visit Hamuch.com to buy and install your preferred system and avoid all the hassle with ease!
  2. Underfloor Heating Cost– Underfloor heating is a great way to save you money in the long term. If you plan to use underfloor heating as your main source of heat, make sure to use it efficiently by ensuring good insulation. Initially, your savings may not seem much but over time, the savings do add up. The cost of the product itself and installation costs will be paid back within a short time and add to your savings. You will also be saving huge amounts of energy in comparison to normal heaters.
  3. Type of underfloor heating- electric underfloor heating and water underfloor heating.
    1. Electric or dry underfloor heating– this method involves electric heating mats that run on electricity and are placed underneath the top layer of the floor. Even though these can be less of a difficulty in installing and can be fit in cheaply, the ultimate costs to run them can be quite high, unless your source of electricity is solar panels.
    2. Wet or water underfloor heating– this form of underfloor heating is widely seen in recently built properties. Even though water underfloor heating may take a little more effort to fit in compared to electric underfloor heating, it is very compatible with modern day boilers and cheaper than electric underfloor heating in the long run.
  4. Installation- Many of us install electric and water heating systems ourselves seeing DIY videos online or simply reading the user manual. This is not only incredibly dangerous but also potentially hazardous to the system itself.  By law, there are certain parts of the fitting that need to be done by Gas Safe plumbers or certified and qualified electricians. Call in a professional if you are not too comfortable setting up things around the house. You definitely don’t want to try unknown settings with your boiler.
  5. Post Installation- After you have setup your underfloor heating, make note that there are underfloor heating thermostats available that allow you to set the floor heating temperatures automatically. Polypipe & Danfoss underfloor heating falls right under smart thermostats that are available in the market for customers who opt for smart thermostat heating.

Once you switch to underfloor heating, you may end up liking the new heating system more than your old one. For quick, regular servicing needs you can also visit hamuch.com to help you find the best specialist for your heating systems with full on transparency rates! Stay warm, stay happy, stay safe.

First time buyers: Top Five Tips to Avoid Homeowner Hassles

Gas

Buying your first house can be a stressful experience. Once all of the legal dealings are out of the way, and you’ve popped the cork on your ‘welcome to your new home’ bottle of champagne, the reality sets in – everything from the bricks and mortar to the knives and forks are now your responsibility.
We at HaMuch have put together our top five tips to help make your first home run like a dream.

1. Find the essentials

When you first move in, it can be tempting to focus on where the TV will go and what colour the spare bedroom will be, first make sure you find the essentials. Locate your gas and electricity meters, the fuse box, and the stopcock on day one. Once all your boxes are unloaded from the moving van, you should take readings from your meters, as your suppliers will need this information, and it will avoid you getting over charged.
If you can find your fuse box in the dark and can access (and shut off) your stopcock valve quickly, you will be covered for most major emergencies. When you need the services of an electrician or a plumber, they will ask you where these are, so it’s handy to tell them straight away.

A fresh coat of paint or new wallpaper can help to make it your own

2. Put your own stamp on it

One of the best things about owning your own home is that you can decorate it the way you like. A fresh coat of paint or new wallpaper can help to make it your own. If you’re not keen to get out the pasting table or paint brushes, it’s worth finding a good local decorator who can work their magic on your walls and get the look you want.
If you peel back the paper to reveal a cracked or problematic wall, a good plasterer should be able to skim it for you, making it the perfect surface to paint. You can then hang your mirrors, pictures and shelves to your heart’s content.

Find trusted certified tradespeople in your area

3. Make friends with tradespeople

You’ve committed a lot of money to your new home, so it’s easy to become nervous when jobs too complicated for DIY need doing. Find trusted, certified tradespeople in your area, so you won’t need to worry next time your boiler needs servicing or you need a new plug socket.
Make sure your electrician is regulated to meet UK safety standards, your plumber is WIAPS approved and your gas engineer is on the Gas Safe Register. You can check all of this information from HaMuch when finding a tradesperson.

Double-glazing will also save your money long term on your heating bills

4. Check your security

When you first move in, it is worth making sure you’re happy that the doors and windows are secure. Consider changing the locks if the house is not a new build, or replacing the windows if they’re not double-glazed. This will make your home feel safer and give you peace of mind. Double-glazing will also save you money long term on your heating bills.
You may also choose to invest in a burglar alarm or security lights to help keep your home safe when you’re away. Make sure you choose a reputable company to fit these to make sure you get a reliable service.

A good local gardener on the case will help you fool the neighbour into thinking you're Monty Don with minimum effort

5. Consider the extras

If your house or garden is large, or if you’re working full time, think about hiring a cleaner or a gardener to help keep your house looking its best. It can lift your spirits considerably to come home to a spotless house, and having a cleaner to look after this for you can take a load off your mind.
Gardens can start to look drab without regular TLC, and if you’re not green-fingered, this can start to feel like a chore. Getting a good local gardener on the case will help you fool the neighbours into thinking you’re Monty Don with minimum effort.

HaMuch has more than 11,000 trusted local tradespeople who can help with every homeowner hassle.

DIY Disasters and How to Avoid Them

Avoid DIY Disasters

Some of us are blessed with almost professional level skills when it comes to home improvements. People who can turn their hand to most repairs or renovations, and looking like they’ve been visited by the Grand Designs team, can be the envy of their less able friends
For others, though, DIY can be a DI-Saster, and end up costing time, money and heartache in the long run. Don’t let that put you off though. With some research, some careful planning, and sometimes a visit from the professionals, you can improve your home for relatively little cost.
Here’s the HaMuch guide to DIY disasters, and how to avoid them.

1. Paint

Painting the walls is a quick and easy way to spruce up your home, sometimes damage can be caused when we whip out the emulsion. A knocked-over paint can or a dripping brush can cause hundreds of pounds worth of damage to your carpets and flooring.
Make sure you cover the whole floor area under where you’re painting with a dust sheet, and be careful when moving ladders around near your paint, to avoid spillages. Alternatively, you can find a decorator through HaMuch, and they will do a professional job and clean up when they go.

Never attempt plumbing on your own

2. Plumbing

Never, under any circumstances, attempt plumbing on your own if you’ve had no formal training. Even though the pipes and fittings may look simple from the outside, they are incredibly complex, and can cause severe water damage to your home if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If you have a plumbing emergency, the best way to deal with it is to locate the stopcock and switch off your water to avoid flooding or water damage, and find a qualified plumber through HaMuch to make any repairs.

Find a qualified electrician

3. Electrics

Unless you have been professionally trained, you should never attempt any electrical installations yourself. Find a trusted, qualified electrician through HaMuch, and you will have the peace of mind that the new electrics are safe and up to UK standards.
Electrical disasters can occur with basic home improvements too, as, for example, many people accidentally drill holes through wires when hanging pictures or mirrors. Most DIY shops sell basic wire and cable detectors, that can quickly tell you whether it’s safe to drill or not.

structural changes

4. Building Work

It’s the brave DIY-er who would attempt any form of extension or building work on their own. If you’re looking to make any big structural changes to your home, make sure you consult your local authority to see if you need planning or building control permission before you start.
You can find a trusted, local builder through HaMuch, who will be able to give you a quote as to how much the work will cost, and can advise you on any permissions you need to seek.

boiler

5. Central Heating

Installation, servicing and repairs of gas central heating systems should always be carried out by a Gas-Safe qualified engineer (formally CORGI). DIY installations can risk carbon monoxide poisoning as well as expensive damage to your home, so always find a trusted engineer through HaMuch.
To get the best from your boiler, get it serviced every 12 months to make sure it is still safe and working efficiently. This will save you money long-term on your energy bills, as well as avoiding potentially costly breakdowns.

How to Avoid Kitchen Sink Dramas

Check costs by the hour

House maintenance can seem like an endless battle with homeowners banging their heads against the wall when it feels like yet another repair needs doing, or the boiler is on the blink – again!

Whatsmore, homeowners tend to agree that finding the right tradesperson for a job can be a real challenge, and many people are left scratching their heads not knowing where to start their search or who to trust.

Here are three simple steps to find the right person for the job, avoiding the pain and strain of poor services, and instead feeling confident while the true professionals take care of your much-loved home.

1. Check and compare costs

You might have a quick job that will only take a couple of hours, or you may be considering a project in your home that will take weeks or months to complete. Likewise your budget may be tight and you need to get the job done on a shoestring, or you could have a big pot to play with to wave a magic wand, transforming your house.

Whatever your budget, you will want to check and compare costs quickly and easily. HaMuch allows you to simply check costs for jobs by the hour, and by the day. All the costs are open and visible on the website, there is complete transparency. So, all you need to do is search for a tradesperson in your area, and use HaMuch to compare the costs. Easy!

check availability

2. Check and compare availability

HaMuch has created a unique feature to make your life considerably easier when searching for available tradespeople.
With a cost-comparison feature to save you time when finding a service makes HaMuch stand out from the crowd. You can breathe a sigh of relief as the days of fruitless calls to unavailable traders taking you back to the drawing board time and time again – are over!

HaMuch has transformed finding an available tradesperson: one click, add your details, and the tradesperson will swiftly let you know their availability without the fuss.

check credentials

3. Check credentials

Everyone has heard a ‘rogue trader’ story, or has watched programmes on the telly where people’s houses have been worse off for hiring the wrong person for the job. However, there is a quick and simple solution to get the very best people to work on your home and that is to check the credentials on the HaMuch website.

Simply search for the service you require in your area, click on a tradesperson and their credentials will appear alongside comments and ratings.

After your chosen tradesperson has completed their job, share your story by returning to HaMuch and rate their hard work, praise their performance with a high star rating and post a comment.

Checkatrade vs Rated People vs MyBuilder

Trade Comparison websites

Comparison of Tradespeople Websites

On-line websites and Apps have changed the way we run our lives, Amazon is now the world’s retailer and while Uber has had a set-back, in London, it’s a safe bet that we will be using one Ride App or another instead of flagging down Taxis longer term.

Nowadays when we need a heating engineer near me or plumber near me how many of us still turn to Yellow Pages? How we find and select tradespeople is undergoing a similar revolution to retail and taxis with a range of websites offering new ways to simplify the process of selecting and communicating with electricians and builders (including Yellow pages with their online sister – Yell).

If you have used any of following tradespeople websites please give your feedback;

Websites How websites work Prices listed Reviews listed
HaMuch Tradespeople listed, customer contacts Yes Yes
Checkatrade Tradespeople listed, customer contacts No Yes
Trustatrader Tradespeople listed, customer contacts No Yes
Trusted Traders No Yes
Yell Tradespeople listed, customer contacts No Yes
Local Heroes Customer submits job, tradespeople respond Yes No
Rated People Customer submit job, tradespeople respond No Yes
My Builder Customer submits job, tradespeople respond No Yes

HaMuch

Customers see hourly and daily prices for tradespeople. Customers search and get a list of relevant local tradespeople ranked by cost. HaMuch is free to use, shows all contact details and other information such as business description, photographs and reviews plus some HaMuch tradespeople display discounts vouchers redeemable against call outs.

Very simple 3 step process;

  • Select Trade
  • Select more specific Service
  • Enter Postcode or Town

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

Checkatrade

Based on large numbers of tradespeople reviews. Customers search to ‘check a trade’ and get a list of relevant local checkatrade members ranked by review score or number of reviews. All contact details, business information, photographs and reviews are freely displayed and customers can use site for free, contact listed tradespeople as they wish and obviously then leave reviews on Checkatrade.

Simple 3 step process;

  • Type in Trade
  • Select more specific Service
  • Enter Postcode or Town

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

Trustatrader

Users find trusted tradespeople as any trustatrader members whose standards slip are removed from the site. When customers search trustatrader.com they get a list of relevant local trusted tradespeople ranked by review score or number of reviews. All contact details, business information, photographs and reviews are freely displayed and homeowners can use trustatrader.com for free, contact listed tradespeople as they wish and leave reviews (hopefully not too harsh!).

Simple 3 step process;

  • Type in Trade
  • Select more specific Service
  • Enter Postcode or Town

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

Rated People

Customers post jobs for free onto the website, with as much detail as possible, and then up to 3 ratedpeople members pay a small fee which allows them to quote through ratedpeople.com. Rated people’s customers then sees contact details and reviews of up to 3 members who are quoting.

Full on-line booking process;

  • Select Trade
  • Select Job Type
  • Select job description
  • Select no items needing repair and location
  • Confirm Job status and your authority
  • Enter when job to start, property style and postcode
  • Enter job description
  • Enter budget
  • Enter first name, surname and email
  • Enter mobile phone number
  • Receive pin by text and enter into website
  • Submit job

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

My Builder

Allows customers to post jobs for free and then a clever algorithm identifies and alerts relevant mybuilder members who can then express interest in your job through the mybuilder.com. The customer chooses from these interested tradespeople by reading their mybuilder profiles, work history and feedback. Contact details are shared only when customers say so and at the end of the job they can give feedback to reward my builder tradesmen for good work (and pay them too presumably).

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

Which’s Trusted Traders

Assessed on Credit, Customer Satisfaction, Business Procedures plus an Interview before becoming an endorsed member of trustedtraders.com. All contact details, business information, photographs and reviews are freely displayed and Trusted Traders customers can use site for free, contact listed tradespeople as they wish and leave reviews.

Simple 3 step process;

  • Type in Trade
  • Select more specific Service
  • Enter Postcode or Town

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

Yell

Yell is the website launched by the publishers of Yellow Pages. Customers can search yell.com by relevance, distance, rating or most reviewed and then get a list of relevant yell tradespeople. All contact details, business information and reviews are displayed and customers can use site for free, contact listed tradespeople as they wish and leave reviews.

Super easy 2 step process;

  • Type in Trade
  • Enter Postcode or Town

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;

Local Heroes

Part of British Gas, works by the customer answering a sequence of questions on localheroes.com and then being shown a rough price range which they can accept and then schedule the work if they want a localheroes member to carry out the work.

Full on-line booking process;

  • Select Trade
  • Select product
  • Select problem
  • Enter postcode
  • See rough quote
  • Enter contact details (name, mobile, email)
  • Select time slots
  • Add extra information on works and photos
  • Enter address
  • Request Tradesperson
  • Receive text saying looking for tradesperson
  • Confirm works
  • Pay on-line

If you have experience using sites please give feedback;