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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!

How Much Does a New Bathroom Cost? Breakdown of Fees and Rates

18th June 2018 Patrick Smitch

Considering investing in a new bathroom for your home? Not sure how much it will cost? HaMuch breaks down the major costs to help you understand what kind of financial commitment you are making.

New bathrooms are one of the most popular areas of home improvement in the UK.

Spaces we spend much of our time in, with the potential to add great value to a property, renovations to bathrooms can have a major impact on the aesthetic appeal of a home. But, despite the fact they are often the smallest rooms in our house, improvements can still be costly.

So, how much does a new bathroom cost and is it affordable for you? Here, HaMuch breaks down the average cost of a new bathroom, looking at everything from individual item costs to fees and labour charges.

Average Cost of New Bathroom Fixtures

When kitting out a new bathroom, there are heaps of different fittings and fixtures you’ll need. Depending on your project, you may want to go for every item available, or pick up the bare essentials. Below is a list of everything you could possibly need:

Bath

Low range: £100
Mid range: £300
High end: £1000

Starting at £100, bath prices can rise to £1000 or more. More expensive baths are often made from higher-quality materials, are larger and feature bespoke designs.

Shower

Low range: £50
Mid range: £200
High end: £1000

A basic shower fitted to a bath will cost you very little. However, prices start to spike as you consider larger options, multiple fittings and full shower screen setups.

Basin

Low range: £50
Mid range: £100
High end: £300

Basins are often inexpensive and you can pick up a nice design for only a little more than a budget option. Even high-end fixtures don’t tend to be much more expensive. This is due to the fact most are made of the same material; ceramic or porcelain.

Faucets

Low range: £20
Mid range: £50
High end: £120

A good pair of taps can be very cheap — the cheapest item on your bathroom shopping list. However, more appealing designs such as waterfall taps or a copper finish will set you back a little bit more.

Toilet

Low range: £50
Mid range: £200
High end: £500

If you are just looking for a simply designed, functional toilet, you won’t need to pay more than £50-£100. Prices can range up to the £500 mark, though, if you are in search of something a little more stylish.

Vinyl Flooring

Low range: £100
Mid range: £200
High end: £400

Cost of vinyl flooring is based off both design and floor space — usually by square metre. Expect to pay £15-30 per square metre, with the average bathroom space set around 8-10 square metres.

Counters

Low range: £60
Mid range: £150
High end: £500

As with all types of furniture, bathroom countertops and cabinets can be obtained for a range of prices. Simple flat-pack designs can be brought in for anything as low as £60. However, if you are looking for hardwood treated options, be prepared to pay much more.

Tiling

Low range: £200
Mid range: £800
High end: £2000

Tiling is the one place you’ll see most variance in price. This is purely down to the material used. Cheap tiles are inexpensive and doing entire walls will cost very little. Yet, the different types of materials out there is so varied that if you want something striking and unique, you could be looking at thousands of pounds

How Much Does A New Bathroom Cost? Don’t Forget Rates for Fitting!

When considering the average cost of a new bathroom, it’s important to remember that all your new elements must be fitted. This is something many opt for as a DIY project. However, we don’t recommend this.

A poorly fitted bathroom can be a nightmare scenario. Moisture has a habit of helping bodge jobs fall apart quicker than if they were in other rooms of the house, and the regular use means if not fitted properly, things can go downhill fast.

Getting in a professional tradesman to complete your new bathroom installation is recommended. But how much will this cost?

Labourer charges vary, depending on industry and experience. However, you are looking at around £100-£200 per day for your average professional bathroom installer. This will include the cost of plumbing work or electrical changes as needed.

Job sizes vary massively when installing a new bathroom, based not only on the size of the space, but also the scale of the job. Fitting a single bath will take a day, while a full refit on a large bathroom can take a month.

Labour Rates

Until a tradesman can come into your property and give you an accurate quotation based on what you need doing, it’s impossible to say exactly how much the price of fitting your bathroom will be. However, we can provide a rough estimation:

Single job: £150*
Small bathroom: £1500-£3000
Medium bathroom: £2500-£4000
Large bathroom: £3500-£5500

*This includes call out charge and the fitting of a single item, such as bath, shower or toilet.

Overall Average Cost of a New Bathroom

There are so many variable factors involved in the average cost of a new bathroom that it’s difficult to give a figure that works for everyone.

Instead, we suggest you use this blog as a basic guide, considering unique elements involved in your own project.

For example, you may have a medium-sized bathroom that will be equipped with budget tiles, flooring, basin and toilet, yet incorporate a high-end shower. Taking the numbers provided, you can build your own rough quote to help guide you in your search for the perfect bathroom.

Need to find a tradesman to fit your new bathroom? HaMuch is a directory full of local experts listed by their rates. Find competitive prices and get in the right person for the job here!