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A Guide to Skimming a Wall: A Breakdown of Costs

9th July 2018 Patrick Smitch

With the summer sun comes brighter, longer days — the perfect time to implement new inspirations and ideas in your home. Whether you have just purchased a brand new home or you are thinking of renovating your current one, chances are at some point your walls will need an overhaul. This may include re-plastering the wall, and painting or adding new wallpaper.

While it may not be noticeable, minor defects arise through the everyday use of your walls, and heat and condensation are two major contributing factors of deterioration. Renovation, therefore, is necessary not just for aesthetic purposes, but also to improve the overall health of your living space. In this guide, you will find valuable tips on skimming a wall, the costs involved and the best materials to use.

Should I Skim a Wall Myself?

With a little skill and experience, home improvements can be done yourself. However, this requires much planning, time and effort — and a lot can go wrong. Such tasks are best left to the experts, who have the long-term skill and experience to get the job done effectively and produce the perfect finish. There are plenty of plasterers in London and all over the UK that are available to help at an affordable price. However, if you’re set on giving it a go yourself, check out our top tips for a job well done.

What Is the Best Material to Skim a Wall?

Choosing the correct plaster is essential for a long-lasting, healthy wall. Before renovating your home, your plasterer will most likely ask which room in the house the wall in question is in. The plaster that you’ll need to use will depend on the surface of the wall itself — if the wrong plaster is used, you risk being threatened by mould.

Due to their moisture-regulating properties, gypsum-based adhesive plasters are best for indoor use. For wetter rooms such as bathrooms, it is better to resort to lime cement-based plasters. Using a gypsum-based plaster in your bathroom could cause mould due to regular high levels of condensation. If you’re being plagued by mould, it’s a good idea to get rid of it before plastering your walls.

Both types of plaster are available as ready mixes, which only have to be mixed with water.

How to Skim Coat a Wall

To skim a wall, you will first need a shovel. This should be made from stainless steel, or else the plaster may cause rust spots. A shovel is used to raise the plaster and to work around the areas on windows and door frames. A sponge board is also needed to felt the plaster surface during the setting process.

To create the right consistency for your plaster mix, apply water in the middle of the dry plaster. The plaster will then need to be mixed under high pressure while using the shovel. At this stage, the mixing must be done very quickly to avoid the plaster drying up.

Now it’s time to prepare your wall! The preparatory work must be done carefully to save you a lot of work later on. Before applying the plaster mixture, remove any dirt and loose particles from your wall. When plastering an old building wall, it’s also important to first use a brush to wet the surface so that the plaster will last longer.

When applying the plaster to your wall, begin by using a cleaning gauge to apply the plaster evenly. Once dried, any stains and bumps can be finished with sandpaper.

If you are planning to paint your wall or add wallpaper, you should only do this when the plaster has fully dried and hardened. It is critical to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your chosen plaster, because the materials used can affect the drying process.

How Much Does It Cost to Skim a Wall? Labour Costs and Materials

Like most handyman jobs, the cost of skimming a wall will depend on how big the job is. There will likely be a minimum cost per job, which you can see outlined in the table below.

You can also check out Hamuch.com, where you will find an extensive list of experienced plastering companies in London. Our database of experienced plasterers also includes regularly updated hourly and daily prices, allowing you get an accurate estimate for the job you need.

Description	Price	Duration
Patch Repair	£150	2 – 3 Hours
Whole Wall	£200	3 – 4 Hours
Whole Room	£300	6 – 8 Hours

Are you looking for a plasterer in London for your wall-skimming needs? We only list fully vetted and qualified traders, giving you peace of mind that any job you need will be completed to a high standard and at a competitive cost. Find a tradesman in your area and get an instant quote today!

Summer Home Improvement: Driveway Repairs

5th July 2018 Patrick Smith

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.

Summer Home Improvement: Garden Furniture Ideas

4th July 2018 Patrick Smith

Turning your house into its summer edition is not only enjoyable to have but also a great way to add some style and elegance to your everyday living. With so many different garden furniture ideas, you can really transform your garden into a relaxing and rejuvenating space. From beautiful and modern garden furniture ideas to durable rattan garden furniture, there’s something for everyone.

Adding beautiful garden furniture is not only a great way to enjoy your garden, but also a way to add value to your property overall. Regardless of the size of your summer home, you want to spend a lot of time outdoors and this is why you need the right outdoor patio furniture.

Enjoying Your Summer Home

Your summer home is a place where you can relax and unwind, as it is a space that is unique, personal, and available to you whenever you need a break from the busy everyday life. Whether it’s a modern and sophisticated home or an old eighteenth-century cottage, you can really do a lot with a holiday home, especially with great garden furniture.

Here are a few great garden furniture ideas for your summer home:

Repurposed furniture. You can add a unique style to your summer home by using repurposed furniture that you bring back to life. With a little paint and a few tweaks, you can breathe new life into old furniture for your garden.
A built-in bench. A built-in bench can add a very versatile style to your garden and it can double as additional storage space. You can design a built-in bench in almost any length, shape and style, making them very convenient.
Contemporary furniture. You can consider various alternatives to wood, which will add a beautiful contemporary look to your garden patio. You can even consider adding a slate table as this makes a great outdoor patio idea.
Choose harmonious furniture. Another great option is to choose furniture that will complement the design of your garden. This will add a touch of harmony and will immediately allow your garden to be relaxing and versatile.
An eye-catching piece. If you truly want something to stand out, choose an eye-catching piece of furniture that will immediately draw attention. This can be a traditional wooden bench or even rattan garden furniture.
A layered look. Similar to interior design, you can create a beautiful layered look for your garden by combining different furniture styles. Wood is a very versatile material to use here and it’s perfect for your outdoor garden.

With so many great ways in which you can add style and convenience to your outdoor garden, your summer home can be a really enjoyable place to be. You can add a touch of your own personality and choose garden furniture that fits in perfectly with the rest of your home.

To find out more about working with qualified tradesmen near you, use HaMuch online and choose a tradesmen like carpenters and gardeners that can help you design and install outdoor patio furniture for your beautiful summer home.

Summer Home Improvement: Create an Open Plan Space

3rd July 2018 Patrick Smith

Creating open plan spaces inside your home is a very popular improvement to make, and it definitely adds value to your home. Whether it’s an open plan ground floor, or a stylish open plan loft conversion, enjoying open spaces is practical, convenient and definitely stylish.

Designing an Open Plan Layout

One of the first steps in creating an open plan ground floor is to design your layout, you can do it yourself or even better hire an architech or interior designer to get professional support. If your open plan space will contain the kitchen or bathroom, for example, you have to keep things in mind such as positioning them close to an external wall for the convenience of expelling waste. From there, you can simply use a little bit of imagination and visualization to design the perfect open plan space for your house.

Don’t forget to allow for things such as opening doors, drawers, or having enough space to move around tables or chairs. Here are a few tips for planning open room:

Think about the view you want to have. What would you like to see when you sit on the chair? Perhaps you want to have a view of your outside garden, or you want to see the living room. Keep this in mind when you start planning your open space.
Make sure that you have enough circulation space in the room. You need to be able to move around freely, as this is one of the reasons why you want an open plan space.
Keep away from the noise. Consider the location of this space in your house, as you preferably wanted to be free of noise. For example, if you want peace and quiet you should not plan your open space right next to your kitchen.
Creating a loft area. If you are considering building an open plan loft conversion, determine whether you will have enough space to fit everything you need in there comfortably.
Include stairs. You may even want to consider an open plan living room with stairs, creating a large open plan living area on the ground floor of your house. Again, here you should make sure that you have enough space available for this.

Other important aspects you should consider when planning your open space, is the type of floors you want to use, as this will have an impact on the design, the practicality, as well as the climate inside your house. You may want to choose the same floors to suit the rest of your house design, or you can be creative and create a unique open space with a distinct design.

Regardless of the type of open plan space you want to build your home, you should always work with a professional tradesman and interior designer to help design your space professionally and ensure that you use all the right materials. An open plan living area can be a great addition to your home and will definitely add value to your property, and with Hamuch this can become a reality, just check the hourly and daily rates and contact the ones that are local to you and you like most

Summer Home Improvement: Built-in BBQ for Your Garden

2nd July 2018 Patrick Smith

If you enjoy a good barbecue you’ll definitely benefit from installing a built-in bbq in your backyard. Not only is this a great way to add value to your home, but also to make it functional and very enjoyable to use. But you can take it one step further and install a kitchen in your backyard and you won’t need to split our time between your outdoor grill and indoor kitchen anymore, making an outdoor kitchen a great benefit to have.

An outdoor living space expands your home and allows you to cook and clean outdoors, making it ideal to entertain friends and family. You can install an outdoor kitchen island in your backyard and extend its functionality to allow you to prepare your favourite meal.

Installing an Outdoor Kitchen

When you want to install an outdoor built-in bbq kitchen, always start from the ground up. Your builder will determine what type of foundation you need, and he will take into consideration the different weather conditions throughout the year. Next, you can choose with his help the best location for your outdoor kitchen. This will depend on many factors, such as ensuring the draft doesn’t go back into the home and making sure that the bbq area isn’t too far from the home if you entertain regularly.

Choose your appliances correctly, especially if you have limited space to work with. Make sure it will fit into your design plan and this includes aspects like working table height and the available space on either side of the grill.

Finally, you can easily bring comfort and safety outside with the right combination of designs, appliances, available space and functionality. You can even add a fire pit or a fireplace to warm up the area outside, making it perfect for colder winter months.

Benefits of an Outdoor Kitchen Area

As a homeowner, you can benefit from installing an outdoor kitchen as this will allow you to enjoy your outdoor area even more. It’s ideal for people who love to entertain and can even be turned into an area of relaxation and ambience.

Here are a few great benefits to building an outdoor kitchen:

Convenience. Having a grill and kitchen outside means you don’t have to spend time indoors when preparing a meal.
Versatility. Outdoor kitchens are specifically designed with your backyard in mind. It adds versatility to your outdoor space and adds value to your home.
Easy to clean. Spending time outdoors and preparing food in your outdoor bbq kitchen is much easier to maintain and clean than spending time indoors.
Adds value to your property. Having a fully functional built-in bbq at home will increase your home’s appeal and its overall value.

These are just a few of the great benefits; an outdoor kitchen is a great way to truly enjoy your home in more than one way. Outdoor kitchens come in a wide variety of styles and this means you can easily find one that suits your needs or even design one yourself. Hire an experienced builder near you to have your built-in bbq or outdoor kitchen built properly with the convenience and pricing transparency of Hamuch.

Summer Home Improvement: Ceiling Fan Installation

1st July 2018 Patrick Smith

With this warmer weather homeowners like you will want to be enjoying their home by turning it into comfortable, enjoyable spaces. You can make a few minor changes to your house to turn it into an enjoyable summer house, and one of the easiest ways to do that east to install modern ceiling fans.

Ceiling fans are not only great to keep you cool during the summer, but it can also help you to save energy on your cooling costs. This is why it is important to make sure that you choose the right type of ceiling fan and that they are professionally installed.

While ceiling fans the necessary completely cool down the room, it does help to circulate air throughout the house and this results in a lower temperature overall. Whereas an air conditioner requires you to have all doors and windows closed, ceiling fans are comfortable to use as you can keep the doors and windows open throughout the home.

Installing A Ceiling Fan

Modern ceiling fans come with a variety of options, including having the fan only, or with a light as well. Some of the standard ceiling fans consist of six plates and can easily cool down a standard room in no time.

When it comes to a roof fan installation, the process is not extremely difficult, however, it’s important to know the basics so that you can get it right the first time and safely, so you will always need to hire a professional certified electrician or ventilation engineer to do that. With Hamuch you can find electricians for your ceiling fan installation near you in few clicks.

They’ll start by measuring the ceiling slope, removing the old lightbox to install a fan brace, assemble and hang the fan, and finally wiring it and switching it on. Let’s go into a little more detail.

Measure the ceiling slope. They use a two-feet level against the ceiling and measure the vertical distance from the ceiling to the level. Then, divide that number by two and you’ll have the drop over 12 inches of horizontal run. This will help determining the blade diameter you need. Most manufacturers require that the blades of a fan be at least seven inches above the floor.
Install a new fan brace. Next, it’s needed to remove the old box in order to install a brand-new fan brace. The engineer will shut off the power before you start then remove the current electrical box loose from the framing with a block of wood and a hammer and pull the electrical wires loose from the hole.
Install the new box and wiring hanger. Now they’ll be able to feed the new wire through the clamp of the new box, position the box over the screws, and tighten the nuts. Crimp grounding wire around the grounding screw and tighten.
Assemble the fan. Finally, the engineer will assemble the fan and hang it. Place the motor right side up and thread through the downrod, into the mounting collar. Then assemble the wiring, and it’ll be ready to switch it on.

Installing an electric ceiling fan can be a great benefit to your home, especially during those hot summer months. That’s why you need to ensure that you have all the right tools available or work with an experienced contractor to turn your home into a cool environment that is not only cost-effective but energy efficient as well. Use Hamuch for all your home improvement needs.

Summer Home Improvement: Air Con Installation

29th June 2018 Patrick Smith

Installing an air conditioning system in your home is not only a great way to keep the entire home comfortably cool, but it is also a great way to protect your home. Heat and humidity can easily lead to swelling in wood furniture and flooring, and also cause other health hazards such as moulding. During the summer, damp and mould can easily spread throughout your basement, making a brand-new residential air conditioning system essential.

The best air conditioning system is one that can effortlessly handle the heat load of your home efficiently, at the lowest cost. However, a substandard air conditioning installation can cost you more in the long run, which is why you should work with a reputable air conditioning installer to ensure that you get the best system as well as quality workmanship.

Choosing the Right Air Conditioning System for Your Home

When it comes to finding the perfect home air conditioner, you need to consult a reliable installer to assess your home and recommend the right system for your specific environment. They can tell you about all the different types of cooling options available to your home as well as what will work perfectly with your home’s unique heating system. Experts can then recommend or design an ac installation that will work perfectly in your home to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the year.

Buying an air conditioning system can be a complicated process, which is why you need to know exactly what system you are looking for. There are a few aspects to consider before you choose the right system, as a system that is either too big or too small for your home won’t have the desired effect.

Measuring the size of the system you’ll need

One of the most important aspects is to accurately measure the space that needs to be cooled. If you have a very large house with multiple rooms, you may need more than one new air conditioner to effectively cool every room.

If your unit is too large for your home, it will turn on very quickly and to rapidly cool the room, before it then shuts off. This process will happen very fast and the process will have to be restarted frequently as heat will easily come into the house again. This is not energy efficient so it’s important not to choose a system that is too big for your home as you want to keep your air conditioner installation cost to a minimum.

Different Types of Air Con Systems for Your Home

There are different types of air conditioning systems available for your home, including ducted systems, central air conditioner, a ductless air conditioner and even a portable unit. These are some of the most popular systems and the one you choose will depend on your environment and your specific requirements.

Split air conditioning system is ideal if you want to go just a single room. Similarly, portable units are very easy to move around and they are mobile so you can put them anywhere you need it. Ducted or central systems are very energy efficient and they can consistently maintain a cool temperature throughout your house. They are also very silent in operation.

When it comes to finding the perfect it conditioning system for your home, always work with a reliable installer to help you find the best residential air conditioning system for your home. Hamuch offers pricing upfront to avoid nasty surprises

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

25th June 2018 Patrick Smitch

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:

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.
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!