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Listed buildings

Compiled by the Department of Culture, Media & Sport, with the help of English Heritage, the list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest includes castles, cathedrals, private houses, milestones and drinking fountains.

Grade I - these buildings are considered to be of exceptional interest
Grade II- - these are particularly important buildings of more than special interest
Grade II - these are buildings of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them

There are 370,000 or so list entries currently protected by listing, and of those by far the majority - over 92% - are Grade II. Grade I and II- buildings may be eligible for English Heritage grants for urgent major repairs. Find out more at the English Heritage website.

Some churches are graded A, B and C, which is roughly comparable to the grades of non-secular buildings. Your local library will hold a copy of the list. A listing will identify the building or structure and some of its special features.

Listed building consent

If a building is on the list, any building work will require ‘listed building consent’, according to the Planning Act 1990. This is obtained through the local planning authority. Even minor works, such as painting or simple repair work in some circumstances, falls under the scope of this act. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re planning to renovate or do some serious building work, ensure you’re on top of the requirements of building and planning regulations, advises property expert, Nigel Leck.

The regulations

Building control protects you and the general public by ensuring that buildings are safe and healthy places for people to be in. The regulations apply only in connection with a building; freestanding garden walls, fences, paths or drives aren’t covered.

This department is also responsible for checking that any building work is energy-efficient. Comprehensive regulations are laid down concerning materials and methods of construction, assessment of plans and mandatory site inspections confirm that the building work you undertake conforms to current requirements.

Planning and building

Major building work will always require a plan and the services of a building surveyor, building technician or architect, all of whom should be aware of the current regulations, the required inspections and how they apply to the work you’re undertaking. These regulations are updated annually and mean that any builder must conform to certain standards of construction and workmanship. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are making structural changes with the purpose of adding value, you should first find out the current market price of your property, as well as its potential value once the changes have been made. Otherwise, your hard work and cash may not reap rewards.

Additionally, think about less radical changes that can be made - partitioning walls can be knocked down or put up, and bigger windows can make a house appear more spacious. However, in order to really boost what you have, an extension may be the best option.

Extensions

If you’re feeling adventurous…
Rising property prices with a premium being put on space can make extensions a wise investment. However, this is a major project and shouldn’t be undertaken lightly: Read the rest of this entry »

Do your research

Check how long the property has been up for sale. A property that’s been on the market for more than a few months suggests there isn’t a great deal of profit to be made. Find out about choosing a location in our Buying a property guide.

What should I look out for?

Ensure you’re not buying a money pit. In an older property you should be prepared for anything, right down to half the wall staying on the wallpaper when stripping or great holes behind the panelling. Don’t be afraid to make umpteen visits with every type of tradesman in order to know what you’re letting yourself in for!

Ask the experts

Roofers, timber and damp specialists and electricians will charge nothing or very little to engage their services for estimates and will be more beneficial to you than a surveyor in the initial stages.

How much work is involved?

This depends on the property, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. For a good first experience of renovating, try doing up a dated property rather than a wreck. A new kitchen, bathroom, central heating, carpets and re-decoration will miraculously transform something dark and decrepit into a ‘des res’. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning your decorating

Planning sounds boring but it does save time in the long run. It helps you think the job through, make all those difficult decisions about colour-scheming, and get together everything you need before you start work.

Budget

If you’re going to redecorate a room, begin by deciding how far you’re going to go. Will you just repaint the walls, ceiling and woodwork? Will you be papering the walls for the first time, or do you want to replace the paper you already have? And how about changing the carpet and curtains, even the upholstery and the lighting? These decisions will often depend on the size of your budget.

You can probably do a quick room repaint for £50, but add some new wallpaper and you’ll at least double the spend. More extensive changes than this will definitely have you dipping deep into your savings. The choice is yours, of course, but be sure you know what you’re in for before you start.

Start a file

Unless you like white rooms, you’ll need paint colour charts, wallpaper and even fabric samples to help you decide which products to use. Buy a cardboard pocket file or a scrapbook from a stationer’s to keep them all in. Read the rest of this entry »

Finishing touches are how ordinary things become remarkable masterpieces.

For example, if you were to look beyond the sequins, a ballerina’s intricate tutu is just a plain leotard. Without that secret dash of something extra, the gourmet chef’s chicken tastes just like something you whip up for dinner any normal night. The same can be said for your home design – the little details like trim and moulding can make all the difference in the overall look and feel of your personal paradise.

Once upon a time, moulding was an installation nightmare that overwhelmed the most ambitious designers. Materials were heavy, difficult to manage, and still needed to be primed, painted, cut and positioned – certainly not a task for the average homeowner to undertake. Today’s materials eliminate some of those challenges, making moulding and trim installation a wonderful do-it-yourself task that is not terribly time consuming. But before busting out the caulk gun and your hammer, there is some preparation.
Living room decorative moulding and trim in home

Moulding and trim is both decorative and functional. Once installed, the details are eye appealing and add significantly to your décor, all while hiding joints from your walls, floors, ceilings, windows and doors. Mouldings are available in several materials that vary based on finish and price:

* Hardwood – meant to be stained or left with a natural finish; expensive
* Pine or Fir – typically paint grade; less expensive
* Polyurethane foam – can be painted or stained to resemble wood; most inexpensive and manageable

Each of these materials comes in a variety of styles. Prefinished options come ready to install without need for painting or staining. There is also minimal touch up necessary when installed correctly. There may be a limited selection at your local hardware vendor, so take your time researching all your options. Contact stores or manufacturers about catalogs with available styles and suggestions based on home design.
window trim style for home plan. Read the rest of this entry »

The homes of the world have been made by the hand of man and as such you have to see that they can start to fall apart. This is all part of owning a home. When you rented homes you could see that you were not responsible for the upkeep but as the homeowner you have to step up to the plate and make it happen.

When things start to happen around the home you have two choices. You can either attempt the repairs yourself or you can hire a professional for the job. If you do not feel that you are capable of handling all the repairs then the professional is definitely the way to go. That can mean a lot of money savings.

While you might think that a handyman is going to be more expensive then what you can afford you should consider the following. If you were to attempt the repair and mess it up, causing more damage, then you would be spending twice what it would have cost you to hire a handyman to get the job done right the first time.

That is what a good many people tend to forget about. They are not skilled in home repairs and as such the prospect of making a major mistake is always there. As such they are going to lose a lot of money while trying to fix that mistake. In the end hiring a handyman is going to be a dream come true. Read the rest of this entry »

People have often said that the kitchen is where people spend the bulk of their lives. In this process you can see that you are going to want a very nice and impressive kitchen for your family. If the kitchen that you have is not up to the standards that you have set then you need to start looking to kitchen remodeling.

As you can see kitchen remodeling is something that happens each and everyday. You cannot walk through a home improvement store and not see the impressive array of new kitchens that are ready and waiting for you to add to your home. While the cost may be prohibitive the dream is still very much there.

However, you do not have to go with the cookie cutter kitchens that are gracing the floors of stores everywhere. You can create your own dream kitchen and ensure that you are getting all that you can from this very important room. All you have to do is make sure that you are doing some planning and making decisions.

When it comes to kitchen remodeling there is a lot of decisions that need to be made. As such you have to see that you are going to have to weed through the millions of possible options that you have. To do this can be a daunting task and as such you need to be sure that you are getting all the right information as below. Read the rest of this entry »

There is nothing quite like setting your sights on a new home improvement project. You are excited and full of joy as you think about your new room or look for the home that you have put so much into. The main issue is that you are not capable nor do you have time to complete the project on your own at this time.

This is where you have to put your faith in a home improvement company. The whole process of hiring such a company can be a daunting task but once you have found the right one you will see that there is nothing more than smooth sailing ahead. One should take a good many factors into consideration before selection.

Most people will tell you that there is good reason to be cautious when hiring a home improvement company. You never know who is lurking in the shadows of the world and you have to be sure that you are protecting yourself. Even the most professional looking person can turn out to be a crook as looks are not everything.

That is why we are providing some hints and tips that will help you better understand the process of hiring such a company. These tips are based on expert knowledge and tried and true practices that will give you a better knowledge base of the entire system. They will help keep you safe during this process.

BBB
The BBB is a community organization that lodges and responds to complaints against area businesses. Through the BBB you are able to check any company and find out about any problems they have had with customers in the past and how the company handled those problems. This is a good starting point for you. Read the rest of this entry »

The most common wall covering that you are going to find is drywall. Most of the people in the world are using this very simple issue to bring a much nicer look to their home.

That means that you have to develop the best look in your home. You can do this with some simple tools and the least beat of knowledge. However, you need to be sure of what you are doing and then continue.

When you are dealing with the whole situation you first have to decide on how thick the drywall should be. They make it all the way up to two inches thick, which is of course the most expensive thickness as well.

There is not a lot of call for the two inch thick drywall. So you have to make some decisions. The most common thickness is one half inch and it comes in really handy and can be handled easier.

The other issue that you are dealing with is how much you are going to need. That means that you are going to have to do some measuring.

When you are doing this you need to take into account the fact that you could break a piece when you are trying to hang the drywall.

With that in mind you should always be sure that you are buying a little extra. Having this could never hurt and is a good idea.

Hanging

The very best way to make sure that you get the drywall hung is to use the drywall screws. This is also the most secure way to make sure that the drywall stays up. Read the rest of this entry »