Roofing Experts

Many couples who live in a bungalow with more than one bedroom make the decision to convert one of the spare bedrooms into an alternative reception room. This could be a playroom for grandchildren, an office for working from home or a dining room for entertaining friends and family. It makes sense to do this if the spare bedroom is rarely used and is quite a simple process.

The décor of the room may need to be changed if the bedroom has floral wallpaper that may make the room look dated. Plain walls are probably a better choice with a feature wall painted in a different colour or papered with a bold patterned paper. If the room is small it is best to stay away from paper with a large pattern as this can make the room look even smaller.

New curtains or vertical blinds can be used to update the look of the room as can new carpet or an alternative type of flooring such as laminate or tiles which are sometimes a better choice for a dining room where there may occasionally be spills.

Dining room furniture that is an appropriate size for the room or that is extendable when necessary completes the transformation and gives the house owner a much more usable space in their home.

If you find that you are struggling for space in your home then you may consider building an extension. Firstly you need to decide where you want the extension and whether you want to have it one or two story. A two story extension will need deeper foundations and so it is not always possible to build on top of an existing garage for example. Even if you don’t want to have a double extension at the moment, it is often worth building the foundations deep enough so you have the option too later on down the line should you wish to.

The first step to getting an extension built in to get an architect to draw up some plans of the extension. You will then be able to submit this for planning permission to the local council. Some architects will do this part for you but you will still need to pay the planning application fee.

You may want to wait until you get planning permission approved before you start getting quotes off builders as if you have to change the plans then you may have to get the project requoted. It is never a good idea to start building works without the prior consent from the local council.

Having an extension can not only add that all important extra room that you need but it can also add value to your property. Did you know, even having planning permission in place for an extension can add value on to your home should you come to sell it.

When choosing your builder or building company, it is important to choose the right one. You need to do plenty of research and try and find reviews to see what they are like. Ideally you want to use someone that has been recommended to you as this will mean you are likely not to have any issues.

It is also a good idea to have someone to project manage the whole process as they will be able to coordinate between suppliers and trades people. You may wish to do this yourself or you may wish to hire a project manage to take the stress out of the situation and manage it all for you. They will also have experience which can help if problems arise or if you need advice on the building work that is being completed on your extension.

We all want to keep our bills down as much as possible and one way in which we can cut the cost of our energy bills is to ensure that our home is insulated as best it can be. If your home is a new build then the insulation is probably pretty good but with older homes there are a number of ways in which you can retain the heat for longer and make the whole home more energy efficient.

The first thing to look at is the boiler. If your boiler is old the chances are it is not very efficient. If you are on low income or a home owner you may be able to get help towards the cost of a new boiler. If you rent a property and the boiler is dated you may be able to approach the landlord and see if they would be happy to contribute towards the cost if you are able to get a discount.

Next check the insulation you have in your attic. Simply adding insulation material to your attic or loft space will help retain the heat so you will find that you do not have to have your heating on for so long.