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From Budget to Luxury: Discover the Average Cost of a New Kitchen

11th June 2018 Patrick Smitch

Considering investing in a new kitchen? Find out how much you are looking at spending with our beginners guide to costs.

We all love a new kitchen. It’s one of the areas of the home we spend the most time, which is why so many Brits are inspired to cast aside their old furnishings and enjoy some of the latest trends in kitchen design.

However, whilst many desire a new kitchen, is it really an affordable luxury? The average cost of a new kitchen varies wildly. In this blog post, we break down those costs, helping you understand what options are available to you.

Budget Kitchen Installation Costs

Kitchen installation is never cheap, but there are options available to reduce costs. Limitation of what you actually buy is, of course, the easiest way to keep costs down, as is the brand of supplier you use.

For a small or medium-sized kitchen, it is possible to fully kit out countertops, cabinets and even include an oven for under £3000. For larger kitchens, or if you want a full revamp that includes fridge-freezers and other appliances, you’ll be looking at up to £5000 on a budget-conscious effort.

Mid-Range New Kitchen Costs

The mid-range kitchen is the one most people will decide to have installed. It includes all the basics of a budget option, but is often built from higher quality woods and materials, and also includes additional features, such as wine racks, sliding pantries, double-door fridges, central islands, larger stoves, etc. You may decide to go for granite or timber countertops over laminate.

This is the kind of kitchen you’d find in your typical suburban detached property. So what is the average cost of a new kitchen in the mid-range?

You can expect to pay between £10,000 – £25,000 for this kind of kitchen. The higher quality surfaces and larger appliances are what will really see your price rise compared to more budgetary options.

Luxury Kitchen Expenses

For those who consider money to be no object, kitchens can really become a lavish centre of the home. Form marbled countertops to heated floors and smart technology integration, anyone with the financial firepower behind them can build a kitchen worthy of the stars. These types of kitchens often feature bespoke design and custom-built fixtures.

A kitchen like this can be yours for around £50,000 with larger spaces with designs from premium outlets pushing past £100,000.

The main cost here is the design. After a certain point, fixtures, surfaces and appliances hit a price plateau. However, it’s the time spent by the creators behind these types of kitchens that you are paying for.

Don’t Forget Labour Rates When Considering the Average Cost of a New Kitchen

After buying up all your new fittings, furnishings and appliances, you’ll need them installed. Unless you have the qualifications and skills required for such work, or have paid a service to do this as part of the kitchen purchase, this will require a tradesman.

Kitchens can take a variable amount of time to install. This all depends on the type of fittings required, the amount of new items that need placing, the state of the old kitchen and the size of the space.

Therefore, will always be unique to the job.

However, we know this is not helpful information, so to give you an idea, we’re going to make some broad generalisations in an effort to at least help you understand the sort of rates people pay when hiring a tradesman to fit their kitchen.

How Much Are Labour Rates for Kitchen Installation?

Your average kitchen will take around seven days to install — for luxury, bespoke kitchens, expect this to take far longer, ranging into a month or more. This includes stripping out the old appliances and fittings, making any necessary plumbing or electrical changes and installing the new kitchen itself. Work will take place over the course of your average eight-hour day.

Workers carrying out this type of job will charge, on average, between £100-£200 for the job per day.

This means, for a typical kitchen installation job carried out by a qualified trader, you’ll be looking at an additional fee, on top of the purchasing of your fittings, of around £700-£1400.

Average Cost of a New Kitchen: Price Breakdown

With all these notes in mind, here is a rough breakdown of average costs you can expect to pay when buying a new kitchen:

Budget: £4000-£6000
Mid-Range: £11,000-£26,000
Luxury: £60,000+

Looking for expert traders to help install your kitchen? HaMuch allows you to compare professionals in your area not only by specialism, but by rates too! Get the best deal with the best provider, only on HaMuch.

Wasp Nest Removal Tips: DIY Advice for Homeowners

4th June 2018 Patrick Smitch

Empty wasp's nest stuck to the wooden door of the shed, close up

Wasp nests are a very undesirable feature of a garden or home, and one people swiftly want rid of. Discover how to remove this infestation today.

Finding a wasp nest on your property is something many homeowners dread. Getting rid of the hive and removing the wasps from your land becomes a top priority, but how do you do it?

How Not to Carry Out Wasp Nest Removal

Before we look at how to get rid of a wasp nest, let’s first consider how you shouldn’t do it. While it might seem like a straightforward operation, there are plenty of wrong ways to carry out wasp nest removal. Such as:

Destroying the nest: A physical attack, consisting of bashing the nest to pieces with a bat, racket, stick or anything else, is a bad idea. This will promote a very aggressive response from the hive, endangering not only yourself but those nearby. It also won’t kill the wasps, only destroy their nest, likely leading to a return.
Setting fire to the wasp nest: Setting fire to a wasp nest is a poor idea for two reasons. The first is that it will not kill all the wasps, which means they will likely return. The structure of the nest is also flammable, which risks leading to the fire spreading or causing harm.
Drowning out the nest: Some people look to flooding a nest as a method of removing wasps. This will not work. Wasps nests are often built outside and are resilient to water. You may cause damage and reduce numbers, but it will recover. You’ll also risk property damage if the nest is inside, such as in the attic or garage.

DIY Wasp Nest Removal

Considering DIY wasp nest removal? This is not actually a practice we recommend, although it can be done if:

The nest is in a secluded location
You don’t have children or pets around
The nest is small
You know you are not allergic to wasp stings
The nest is easy to reach

Prepare for Removal

Before you start the process of removing a wasp nest, you need to make sure you are prepared for the task. This isn’t simply a case of picking it up and placing it in the bin; you know that or you wouldn’t be here!

You’ll need full protective clothing, as removal will likely anger a lot of wasps. This includes thick and long sleeves, gloves, boots, a hat and face coverage as well as something for your eyes. Swimming goggles or a snorkel mask can work. Make sure you tuck everything in. A wasp under your clothes will do a lot of damage.

You’ll then need to acquire all you need for a wasp removal job:

The correct kind of pesticides
Thick bin bags or a large enough container for the nest

Carrying Out Removal

Once you are prepared, take your pesticides — be it a powder or spray — and use it on the nest as instructions dictate. Do this at night, when the wasps are inactive. It does not guarantee they will not respond, but it reduces the risk. Be sure to wear all your protective gear.

Now, you must wait. The pesticides will likely kill the wasps over the period of a few days. Monitor the nest during this time, waiting for it to become inactive. You may find you have a few stragglers, but the pesticides should kill most of the wasps. Once dead, put your protective gear back on, cut the nest free and place it in a bin sack or container. Be sure to seal the nest up and place it in your black bin.

Wasp Nest Removal We Recommend

Wasp nest removal can be a tough job, especially if it’s large, in a hard to reach place, or is actually inhabited by a more aggressive species, such as hornets. Proper removal is key to avoiding not only harm to yourself and others, but a return of the pests.

While you can remove a wasp nest yourself under certain circumstances, we would always recommend that you call out a professional. A pest control expert can ensure wasp nest removal is carried out to the highest standards without risk.

Need help with wasp nest removal? Don’t think you are the right person for the job? No problem! *HaMuch is a directory of experts from around the UK. Search our list of pest control professionals to find one near you, all while finding the best rates.***

Summer Home Improvements: Roof repair and replace

29th May 2018 Patrick Smith

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 Patrick Smith

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!

Summer Home Improvement: Install Energy Efficient Windows

27th May 2018 Patrick Smith

Energy Conservation through Windows

Other than making a statement regarding the house, home windows play a huge role in ventilation. As such, it’s a good idea to invest in energy efficient windows or windows that suit your home setting best. Energy efficient windows are crucial in that heat loss and heat gain through windows constitutes around 25-30% of a home’s heating and cooling. Energy conservation or energy efficiency are both incorporated to the use of windows. Not to mention, energy efficient windows also help to block out extreme noise that may disturb the residents within a house.

Window insulation is a huge factor when it comes to determining proper ventilation for your home setting. Not to mention, during the summer, windows can be a great way to save energy, by allowing you the option of keeping the fans and air conditioners closed unless the temperatures are extreme.

If proper windows can be setup, it isn’t often that window replacements are necessary, as drafts here and there do not require a full window replacement. Simple fixes here and there can in fact go a long way in keeping your windows operating beautifully for decades. In fact, window manufacturers will most likely tell you how windows are mainly purchased in the beginning when a house is bought and not on a regular basis.

Getting hold of experienced and reliable men to setup or replace your windows is really important, this is to ensure you don’t end up spending more on fixing up your windows every few months. Make sure to check out hamuch.com for amazing deals on experienced professionals.

Types of Energy Efficient Windows

Energy efficient windows are available in a wide choice of frame styles and materials. The criteria for performance differ rendering to how well the material can stop heat from going through, the amount of sunlight that can go through the glass and the amount of air that can come in or out about the window.

There are various window styles that include different window frames, ranging from wooden windows, French windows, vinyl windows or aluminum windows. Window shops can offer these in addition to many more styles of windows.

Aluminum window frames are generally thin; posing an aesthetic look that is most appealing for tall buildings used for commercial purposes. Vinyl frames are usually thicker in size; better for sturdy buildings and less aesthetic in nature. The desired outcome determines which material will work best for the structure, final look and ventilation.

Doors

Alongside windows, doors also play a key factor in the ventilation of a house. Your entrance doors need to be sturdier in material than patio doors that are meant to be for terraces. Patio doors can often be simultaneous to windows, in that they play the role of ventilation and a link between the inside and outside of a home.

Window Rates

The quotes for windows will differ subject to the material used and size of the window frame. Prices vary anywhere from £199 to £600.

Speak to a professional regarding energy efficient windows and the process through which you can upgrade your windows.

Summer Home Improvement: Balcony Ideas

26th May 2018 Patrick Smith

Balconies provide an excellent space for those who need to step out for air. Depending on how big your balcony is, you can in fact do a lot with this extra space. A little bit of creativity can go a long way in changing something that looks simple and small. There is a whole list of balcony ideas you can look into if you’re thinking about increasing your property value. Speaking to family or friends for ideas on how you can set up your balcony is a great start or you can read up on it yourself, do a little bit of experimenting on the setup and decide for yourself what works best for you.

If you need help in setting up your balcony and getting specialists to do the work, check out hamuch.com for wholesome deals on handy professionals who can help you maintain not only your balcony, but the rest of your house as well.

Setting it Up

Balcony furniture plays a vital role in your balcony’s overall looks and appeal. Your balcony’s appeal is important, as this space can be therapeutic in nature if the setup is done properly! You don’t want to miss out on such an opportunity, especially if you live in a city area where nature is not close by.

A small table (perhaps coffee table), a chair or two, lights, cushions and plants are great starters for balcony furniture. A balcony garden can do wonders for your home. Using different plants, ranging from plant pots, climbers, hanging plants, different coloured flowers to even planting seeds to grow your own vegetables. There’s a lot you can do to personalise your balcony.

The type of balcony railing you choose is important since it is related to your safety. You want to make sure your balcony railings are sturdy in nature. The colours you choose for the balcony railing also contribute to the overall harmony of the balcony setting. Hanging plants on the railings is also a great idea in order to give the balcony a greater ambience.

As for the types of plants, there are so many plants that you can choose from, especially if your balcony is east facing and gets 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. You can choose to grow hollyhocks or geraniums. Daffodils, cosmos, daisies, verbena and lilies are all great choices too.

As for balcony décor, you want to try and personalise it as much as possible. Hang things that you feel represent you. Choose colours that you find appealing and soothing. Light it up using small lights, candles or even lamps. Maybe even hang up a frame or two. There are Facebook pages and other online shopping outlets that will provide you great décor for your balconies. Don’t hesitate to check them out.

Through it all, keep in mind that it’s best not to overcrowd your balcony. For best results, you’d want to keep it minimal yet optimal. Enjoy the space while you relax and let out stress with a cup of tea or coffee in hand.

Home improvement on a budget: Create a secret room

17th May 2018 Patrick Smith

Even though it’s true that books are losing value with today’s ever growing digitalised world, the fact remains that books are an integral part of human life. It is from the dire need of preserving and passing on knowledge that books were formed.

Bookcases that hold books have been existent for years now in order to hold these precious forms of knowledge. Many people find their bookcases to be the most important part of their home. Not surprising considering the fact that bookcases provide proper shelves to house books in for generation after generation. There are facts, moments, memories and much more that run through the pages of the books.

Bookcases With Hidden Doors

The concept of bookcases containing hidden sliding doors or even invisible doors to make it inaccessible to others is a common theme still seen in movies today. There’s often a button that no one knows about or a secret room behind the bookcase.

You may be surprised to hear though that bookcases with hidden doors behind them are still sought after by many homeowners. A bookcase with doors was once seen as the perfect place to put a hidden safe or offer as an access point to hidden rooms! No one can deny though that putting away something that is secretive in nature within a bookcase did seem pretty gallant.

Bookcases for your Home

If you’re considering setting up a bookcase for your home, you’ll be surprised to discover the number of ways you can have a bookcase built into your home. Whether it’s through sliding doors attached to walls, on sliding walls that lead to other rooms or as extensions on the walls of your home, bookcases can make for some pretty great décor. You can even match or contrast the colours between the books and the furniture, which would make for an even greater ambience.

You’re also bound to find out just how many uses a bookcase can have. A bookcase can be the perfect linking line between two rooms. Your office room and your kitchen might be connected through the sliding door that holds the bookcase. A bookcase next to a fireplace provides a traditional look alongside a cosy reading atmosphere. The crackling sound of wood makes the perfect background setting for a hearty reading anytime. Bookcases in bedrooms provide for the best holding spot of bedtime reading as well as easy access to references when in the bedroom.

Bookcases as mentioned above, can provide a lot of space for hidden storage. Whether it’s within boxes that resemble books or in saves that are kept hidden away behind the bookcase, the shelves on the bookcase can also be used in innovative ways to hold things.

So, are looking to set up a bookcase in your home after all? Think no more. To get a hold of the right professionals to get the work done, check out hamuch.com for great rates on experienced professionals, because you deserve the best!

Home improvement on a budget: Place an outdoor garden path

16th May 2018 Patrick Smith

Garden paths provide a warm, welcoming feel for those who walk through it. Whether it’s the habitants who live in the house or visitors who come over, garden paths provide an instant attraction that seldom goes wrong.

Setting up your garden path is one of the best ways to make your home appear more welcoming, creative and even innovative. Not to mention how it greatly increases your property value! There are numerous garden paving ideas available on the internet these days that you can have a look at. There is even garden design software, which helps you to virtually design your perfect garden design prior to setting it up in real life.

If you are looking for professionals to help you set up your garden or renovate it, do check out hamuch.com for amazing deals on experienced specialists who are willing to come and get the work done.

Garden Path Ideas

There are a variety of ways in which you can set up your garden path, to give it an appealing ambience. You can personalize the look as much as you want. One of the main areas that fall under garden paving ideas is choosing a material to cover the path with. You can choose stones, gravel, pebbles or bricks to lay out. You’d be surprised at the wonders the material chosen does. The colours of the stones chosen also determine the end-feel. If you are nature-loving, you want your pavement and overall ambience to reflect nature’s touch. Whereas if you like the indoors, you want your pathway to give off have a more homely feel.

Pebble garden ideas include selecting different sized pebbles to be used throughout your garden path. You can do so much with the different types of pebbles available. Each area can be an accumulation of pebbles, even the stairs can be set up using pebbles. The pebble look can incorporate a modern touch when you’re camping or enjoying in the outdoors.

Adding on garden path lights can help to not only make your garden appear brighter but also offer greater security around your house. You can even put up lights around your main door or on the patio to give the look a smoother finish. This way the lights start at the pathway and finish all the way at your doorstep.

Garden path edging allows you to fix up the edges of your garden, setting it up to look more refined and polished. If you want your garden path to look wider, just lay out curbstones throughout the garden. Garden step ideas will again be inclusive of the material you wish to use for your steps- whether it’s stones, bricks or cement. Many gardens include level changes within their steps. Different materials may be used to change the look around.

Enjoying Your Garden Setup

Once your garden path is ready you can enjoy coming and leaving from the pathway each and every time you leave your home! The sun will appear brighter, shining strongly, especially on your home whenever you walk through your pathway. You can start feeling right at home from the first step on your garden path.