Home & Interiors

Creating a nursery that will eventually become a bedroom or renovating a bedroom in a new house for a young child comes with many challenges. One of these is choosing the right flooring. Choosing the flooring for anywhere in your home is challenging, but there are specific requirements for the flooring used in a nursery or young child’s bedroom that you need to think about. Changing the flooring in a room is not something many of us want to do very often, so making sure you get it right the first time is crucial. Because of this, below are a few helpful things you should consider when changing the floor in your kid’s bedroom. 

It needs to be practical 

While practicality may be something you’d associate more with kitchen or bathroom flooring, it’s also really important for children’s bedrooms. Choosing a flooring material that is both comfortable underfoot and easy to clean is vital for any child’s bedroom. The bedroom floor is often where young children will play with their toys, and no parent wants their child to play on a hard floor where they could get uncomfortable. While carpet may seem like the obvious solution to this problem, it is not as practical as other flooring options. Luxury vinyl flooring, for example, is far easier to clean while still being highly durable and comfortable underfoot, making it an excellent choice for a child’s bedroom. 

Underfloor heating can be a great addition 

Like flooring that is practical, you may not think of underfloor heating as something related to bedroom flooring. However, when changing the flooring in your children’s bedroom, considering adding underfloor heating is a great idea. There are several critical benefits to underfloor heating, but specifically, when you have a nursery or young child’s bedroom, this can really help keep their room warm during the winter months, which can help them sleep. There are two main types of underfloor heating, one using heated water in pipes under the floor an

Image credit – Amtico – Amtico Spacia Noble Oak SS5W3030

d the other using heated wires. There is lots of information online about underfloor heating, but when you’re taking up the floor and adding a new one, this provides an opportunity to add underfloor heating, which you may not get again for many years, so keep it in mind. 

Timeless and straightforward designs work well

Choosing colours for your child’s bedroom, especially when they are young and can’t have an input in the decisions, can be difficult. Something you should consider is keeping the flooring colour as simple as possible. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, as mentioned, changing the flooring can be time-consuming and not something you want to be doing regularly. So, choosing a bold flooring pattern for a child’s bedroom only to find they don’t like it in two years is not something you want to go through.

Secondly, with a neutral or simple flooring colour, it will allow you to change other aspects of the room without worrying that the flooring will look odd and out of place. Greys are a great colour option with any flooring material. Wood flooring styles, either with vinyl or traditional wood, can work well with almost any other design style. 

Getting the flooring right in your kid’s room is an important step and one that can help create a great environment they can enjoy for years to come if done correctly. When redecorating or renovating, try and keep the points raises above in mind, and hopefully, the finished floor will be something both you and your children will love. 

 Note: This is a collaborative post

When you’re enjoying a hot summer, your home’s heating may be the last thing on your mind, especially when it comes to home maintenance. You may be desperately trying to keep cool rather than thinking about checking on your boiler or servicing your heating. 

Nevertheless, here’s a guide as to why summer is actually the best time to be thinking about your heating. 

You’ll Want it Ready for Winter

The last thing you’d want is to have to try to fix or service your heating precisely when you need it. So if you end up leaving your heating servicing until the cold winter months hit, you’re making it more of a risk that something might go wrong when your home is suffering in the cold. 

To avoid any risks of a freezing home, or boiler problems, servicing your system in the summer means it’s ready and working for when you need it the most. 

It Will Have Been Switched Off for a While 

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If the last time you used your boiler was last winter, and your heating system has remained unused up until the summer, your boiler will have been switched off after a period of hard work and high activity. It’s, therefore, the perfect time during the summer to have everything checked after its previous usage to make sure it’s all looking good for its next big switch on.

You Won’t Have to Contend with Long Wait Times 

Winter is naturally going to be synonymous with plenty of people making emergency calls for their heating systems or boiler replacements during the peak of winter. If you have your heating services completed in summer instead, it’s more likely you won’t have to wait long, and that services like gjsplumbingandheating.co.uk will have more flexibility in coming out for a callout.

You’ll Have More Time During the Summer

Most people will have time booked off during the summer and have more flexibility in terms of free days. This means it is the perfect time to book a heating service instead of the winter months when you might be back at work and busy after the summer holidays. 

You’ll Feel More at Ease

You don’t want to have to worry about the worst happening when you need to use your boiler again, and you certainly don’t want all your summer to be spent wondering whether your heating system will actually work when you next need it. 

Therefore, for peace of mind, you can arrange a simple heating service to have everything checked and be able to rest easily knowing it’s all going to be in working order when you next need it.

Key Takeaway 

There are many benefits to having your heating serviced in summer, even if you don’t need to use your heating during the hotter months. Take advantage of a more flexible schedule, peace of mind, and good preparation for the winter months by being proactive and having your heating serviced in the middle of summer instead.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Covid has forced most of us to stay indoors within the confines of our homes. While the situation may be troubling, it is also a great time to start focusing on self-development or learn a new skill.

On a personal level, COVID has given me the perfect opportunity to upgrade my home. Growing up, I always bought stuff, filled my house with clothes and accessories, and loved to flaunt them. Having kids has greatly added to the clutter too. Today the family is embracing minimalism.

We decided to utilize our free time to do a complete home makeover. As a first step, we started by changing the walls using peel & stick removable wallpaper.

From there, there was no looking back. I am proud to say that I have an incredibly cozy home where we can work, rest, play, and relax. My children enjoyed picking and installing their kids’ peel and stick wallpapers too. This was a great learning experience for them.

How I used the COVID isolation period to upgrade my house:

My work never allowed me to do a major overhaul. With isolation, I got an opportunity to spend more time at home with my family. Since weekends meant more free time, we started planning the upgrade process.

This is how we approached the whole process of updating my home during these COVID times.

I started by decluttering.

Any cleaning expert will tell you that the first step towards upgrading your home is to declutter and downsize. Many of us tend to accumulate a lot of junk over the years and simply can’t let go. Upgrades are an excellent time to work on letting go of things we no longer use.

If you feel overwhelmed with this process, start with one room at a time. Have three boxes or garbage bags- one to keep, one to donate, and one for garbage. Make sure that all the items go into one of these categories. This process will help you declutter a lot of stuff and give a direction to go ahead with the update.

My kids followed the same process, and we could clear out tons of stuff from our home.

I gave my walls a fresh look with peel and stick removable wallpapers.

I was working under a tight budget and was looking for different ways to give a fresh new look to my walls. The paint was peeling off in many places, and the walls were screaming for a much-needed makeover. I realized peel and stick removable wallpapers are inexpensive and easy to install.

This also meant I needn’t call contractors or professional decorators to do the job in these Covid times. The process was so easy; my kids were able to finish installing their kids peel and stick wallpaper with a bit of help from my spouse and me.

We rearranged and repurposed all the furniture and accessories to suit the changing needs.

We also left out furniture we no longer use on the curbside so the needy can pick them up. This was a satisfying experience.

My Takeaways from the Covid Upgrade Process:

Peel and stick removable wallpaper are an excellent inexpensive way to give every room a complete upgrade. They are available in a wide range of patterns, colors, and designs.

If you have kids at home who want to change the look of their rooms, you can easily pick kids’ peel and stick wallpapers.

It is a beautiful experience that will bring the whole family together for great bonding. 

Note: This is a collaborative post 

Pic Credit: Unsplash

No matter who you are, you will want to make savings on your energy bills if you can, it also makes sense to reduce your energy consumption in general. In this article, you will find some ways to change the infrastructure of your home to save money and power as well as some cheaper alternatives to your home lifestyle choices.

Solar roof technology 

The sun is one of the most powerful natural resources the planet has to harness, so it makes sense to use it as much as possible to power your home and reduce your energy costs. This can happen in two ways: solar panels and cool roof technology. 

Solar panels need no introduction. They are more efficient than ever before and can be easily installed by a solar panel engineer. Cool roof technology uses angled panels to reflect the heat and keep your home cool. 

Energy-efficient windows 

Most of the heat lost from the home disappears through the windows, that’s not surprising since glass will easily transmit heat out of the home to bring it in if you have a south-facing window. Energy-efficient windows can save you money and make your home more efficient. 

Energy-efficient windows will trap the heat in your home when it’s cold and prevent it from leaving when it’s warm. You can choose between double or triple glazed windows for your home depending on your budget and energy needs. 

Boiler servicing 

If your boiler is extremely old and keeps needing the help of an engineer, it may be time for a replacement. If you are wondering how much that may cost, check out this boiler cost guide.

Spray Foam Insulation  

One of the most important aspects of reducing the energy you use and saving money is choosing the right insulation for your home. Heat energy is often lost through the roof and walls so you need to trap it using spray foam insulation. 

The great thing about spray foam insulation uk is that it can be used in your wall regardless of how old your home is or what insulation has been there before. Contact a spray foam insulation company for a quote that will save you money long term. 

Energy saving light bulbs 

Are you still using filament light bulbs or halogen light bulbs in your home? If you are, you are using inefficient lighting that not only costs you the most but uses energy needlessly. It’s much better to replace your light bulbs with LED ones. 

LED light bulbs use a far smaller amount of electricity and save you around £35 per year of your energy bill. That’s the same as one free month of the Internet or a dinner for two at a restaurant. As well as EE lightbulbs remember to turn off light when not in use. 

Eco appliances 

As well as installing the right infrastructure in your homes such as insulation, light bulbs and solar panels, you also have to use energy-efficient appliances and use them economically. Eco appliances are things like kettles, washing machines, and boilers. 

If you want to optimize your home for energy efficiency and make significant savings every year then choose the latest eco-friendly appliances and install a smart meter so you can efficiently track your energy usage. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

The housing market is booming but what does that mean for you? Is now the time to buy, sell, rent, or just stay put? It can be a hard decision but one that you can make when you’re ready. If you’re considering whether or not the time is now to apply for a mortgage, there are a few tips to keep in mind.

What is a mortgage? 

Pic Credit: Pixabay

At the outset I just wanted to give some context. I am not a financial advisor rather I have been through this process more than once therefore I feel equipped to give some tips and advice purely based on my own experiences in this area.  When we started on this journey of getting our first mortgage as a naïve 20 something year old, if I am honest I probably didn’t even know what exactly a mortgage was! In its basic sense, taking the definition from Investopedia a mortgage is “A mortgage is a loan that the borrower uses to purchase or maintain a home or other form of real estate and agrees to pay back over time, typically in a series of regular payments. The property serves as collateral to secure the loan.”

Home ownership has always been a hot topic and perhaps we tend to be somewhat conditioned from an early age into wanting to own our own homes. I know in some European counties long term rental agreements tend to be favoured.  I did some research around home ownership here in Ireland and note that the latest figures from the CSO which are for 2016 show “In 2016 in all 58.4% of homes that were ‘owned outright’ were a ‘detached house’, while ‘detached house’ was also the most prevalent dwelling type for those who ‘own with a mortgage or loan’ (47.8%).”

So the million dollar query……

Should you apply for a mortgage or wait?

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Owning your own home is never a bad idea. As long as you’re not getting into payments that are over your head, you should be able to invest in property and feel confident that it’s a strong investment. If you’re looking at a house that you know is too expensive, that’s a big indicator that it’s not the right time to make that purchase.

With various parties involved in a typical property transaction, from Estate Agents, Online Conveyancing Solicitors to Mortgage Advisers, things can get pretty confusing and overwhelming quickly. To figure out if you’re ready and able to buy a house, the first step you need to do is get pre-approved from a lender or bank.

You’ll never know if you’re able to actually afford the house of your dreams if you first don’t find out how much you’re able to borrow as a home loan. A important step you can do is to utilise a trusted  online mortgage calculator this will give you an good clear indication of firstly the monthly payment and also how much the mortgage will cost you over its term.

Once you have that figured out, you then get to decide if you’re going to spend at the top of your allotted loan amount or try to meet somewhere in the middle or the lower end. Ultimately it’s your choice on what type of home loan and mortgage that you want to have but you do what to be careful that you don’t end up being “house poor”. This term comes from people who have overspent on where they’re going to live and then have no money leftover to purchase items for the home or to do anything fun out and about as well.

If you’re ready to apply for a mortgage and begin the house buying process, make certain that you speak with a trusted lender that can walk you through the process. With a home purchase being the largest item you’ll ever buy, it’s a big decision that you shouldn’t take lightly at all!

It would be remiss of me not to include details on where to go in the event you run into difficulties in making your mortgage repayments, the covid situation has had a very real impact on incomes and it is very important to seek advice in the unfortunate event you find yourself in this situation.  In Ireland, Citizens Information  have a list of bodies who you can contact for assistance or if you are in the UK, the Financial  Conduct Authority (FCA) have details on where to go for assistance.

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As is well documented on the blog over the last number of years, we have been undertaking quite a mammoth renovation project. Having now completed the sittingroom, the kitchen extension and the garden it is finally time to turn our attention to the upstairs bedrooms. We promised the boys we would do their room first as they have been so good and so patient while the rest of the works were going on.  I must admit I am quite impressed at how firm they are in setting out what they want from the room. They were absolutely adamant they wanted bunk beds which I didn’t have any objection too.  Their bedroom is quite an unusual shape so we went for custom built bunks but with some added rails around the top bunks as I know my two daredevils only too well!!

The room was totally re-plastered as we put in extra insulation so I needed it to disguise the extra boards that were put in.  We also went for bespoke storage again from the same company who built the beds.  All we have left to do is choose the finishes.  The boys wanted carpet but for loads of reasons I wasn’t in total agreement. Their strong argument was that is was cosy and soft while I felt it was a little too susceptible to environmental factors such as dirt, spills etc. I eventually won this argument but only on the basis that the could select the wallpaper for the room. We were always going to go for a cool, a little out there feature wall in their room. It is their sanctuary so armed with this confidence off they went searching for cool funky wallpapers.

Children’s bedroom wallpaper

I must admit I was pleasantly surprised at the myriad of option available for wallpapers for the bedroom especially for kids bedrooms.  I had been getting ideas from pinterest throughout this entire renovation and unsurprisingly there was just tonnes of inspiration there. After a tonne of research and debate we narrowed down our selection to 3 different wallpapers from Wallpaper from the 70s. Anybody who knows the boys will not be shocked by the theme!! Yep – you guessed it! Superheroes feature strongly in the selection.  Their top three are below: All pic credit is Wallpaper from the 70s webpage.

Aren’t they just fab? In terms of price point they are €35.90 which works out around €6.90 per m2 and they ship to Ireland within 5 working days or you can order express delivery. I know for some people they might not be keen to order online without seeing the product but you can order a sample.  The boys still can’t decide which one but I my own personal favourite is the third one. I  just love it and it will fit perfect with the colour scheme of the bed and wardrobes.

Blinds

Pic Credit: Make My Blinds

Maybe its just me but a room really isn’t finished in my mind unless the windows are dressed and by that I mean good quality practical blinds.  On our research for the kids room renovations we came across Make My Blinds and they could not be more perfect…just check out the superhero range! They actually stock a really wide range of blinds for all rooms from bedrooms to office to nursery and conservatory. They even cater for some of the more obscure window types such as skylight or tilt and turn windows.  In the past I have found it challenging to source blinds for our skylights.

My kids must totally take after me, once they pick a theme they commit 100%!! You can order free samples from Make My Blinds and take my advice on this from experience, I would stretch the budget for the black out fabric. One of mine equates bright with no sleep so the rooms needs total darkness to get him to sleep which is obviously challenging in the summer months.

Another thing I noted with Make My blinds is that all of their blinds are child safe coming with a clear clip to hold the chain taught and against the wall so there are no free-hanging cords, vitally important in our house anyway.

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It is often the finishing touches that go unnoticed. You know, all the little things that help draw a room together or make it feel special. I love seeing those areas where attention to detail really make a difference. I used to notice it all the time on holiday (remember those?) when checking into a room and having a proper good look around the place.

The great thing about those finishing touches is that if you do it right, you can make any room feel more modern than it should be. It is actually surprisingly easy to achieve at home. Don’t believe me? I’m going to show how by having you look at three areas you can improve in a sneaky way to add a modern touch.

New Fixtures & Fittings

Let’s start with the least obvious and most used feature in any room. Your light switches and plug sockets are always in use, and it is easy to argue they’re taken for granted. You might paint a room and get a few splatters on them without noticing. That has to stop. You should start viewing them as an essential item in any room, and sneakily updating them is a good start.

I see in many new build homes that it is common to have shiny chrome sockets, instead of traditional white, but I’m not the biggest fan. Instead, I would recommend plates and covers in black nickel or brushed style. They help instantly make a space look modern, especially if you have them at eye level in areas like your kitchen counter, where people will pick up on it. The best part is a decently made socket only costs around £6 a pop.

Sleeker Looking Radiators

Did you go a bit mad painting all the rooms around the house last year during the first lockdown? Who could blame you?

You could throw a hundred coats on a wall, and it still won’t help a room look fresh if you have an old school radiator in the way. You know the ones I’m talking about. Radiators that used to be white but have grown to now have a slight tinge to them.

You can update radiators these days without breaking the break. For anyone with a musty radiator with a few rust spots, you can dramatically change the look of a room with an infrared glass radiator. They only need wiring to the electric to work, so no pipes or anything is sticking out of the floor. To get an idea of what I’m on about, click here to view them at Trade Radiators. They are ultra-modern and don’t break the bank either.

Trust me, have one of those on the wall, and people will start taking an interest in radiators!

Paying The Premium On Bulbs

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Now, you don’t need to have those fancy hanging bulbs you see in restaurants and trendy cafes, but anywhere someone can see a light in a room is an opportunity to swap out the old screw-on (or bayonet!) bulbs for something a bit more modern.

Ironically, that can mean one of two things. You can either get yourself a bulb with a purposely exposed element, done so to give a little character, or you can get some wireless LED bulbs. Phillips would be the one everyone knows about, but there are other brands out there offering cheaper alternatives that hook up to your Alexa or Google speakers. 

Ironically enough, I’ve found that some of the cheaper options are sold on Amazon and Google. One in particular called hey! is only a tenner online and has a little adaptor you can pop on the bulb to use in both screw and bayonet fittings; isn’t that nifty!

Feel like making some improvements at home this summer?

There you have it. Three unique areas you can sneakily add a modern touch to any room.

If you’re lucky enough to have some time free for a little DIY love, why not following some of these tips on making improvements that will add value. And don’t forget, for any and all DIY and decorating advice, check out the latest home interior posts from the blog right here. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

In a highly competitive housing market, it can be difficult to stand out from the competition, and make sure your home looks the best. If you are looking to sell your home or you are looking to improve your home for your own use and benefit, then it is important to think about what improvements to make and why. Not all improvements add value and so it is essential that you think carefully about what you want to do and why before picking up the tools or getting contractors in. Adding things to your home or making alterations that are not fit for purpose could devalue your home.

Why You Need To Upgrade Your Home

Homes get old fashioned and outdated very quickly. With new trends and themes coming into style and fashion all the time it can be hard to keep up. If you upgrade your home now with good quality fixtures and fittings, then you will ensure that you do not fall foul to trends that can disappear overnight. When you use good quality materials, fittings and fixtures your future proofing your home.

What Improvements You Need To Make

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Kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms and entrance hallways all get their fair share of use. Keeping these rooms looking fresh, clean and well maintained is important as these are key rooms within your home that get more than their fair share of wear and tear. Improvements that add value to these key rooms include new units and countertops within the kitchen. New plain white suites within the bathroom, and new paintwork and flooring in the living room and hallway. Furniture and accessories within rooms always look nice but they do not always add value to your home, so think about adding value through renovations and upgrades to existing fittings.

In your home bathroom, it is important to buy cost-efficient fixtures and think of their sustainability when choosing them to install your home. A self-contained upflush toilet that uses a minimum amount of water than regular toilet fixtures is an example of an ideal upgrade or improvement for a family bathroom because it saves water bills.

Improving Ease Of Access

Improving the internal and external access to your home will increase its value. For example, having sliding access doors or products from evoproducts.com will ensure that you always have easy access to every area of your home. As well as accessible doors and entryways, a good driveway and parking is a must for any family home. If your driveway is looking a little bit past its best then you need to think about tarmacking it, paving it, or laying down gravel. I personally adore the finish of a gravel driveway, I was concerned about the gravel spilling and moving however you can get a product known as gravel grid which is effectively a gravel retention system that stops the moving and keeps the affect of the gravel crunch but little movement. Really clever and adds a lovely affect to a driveway.

Focusing On Specific Rooms Or Areas Within Your Home

If you have not done any remodeling or upgrading on your home for a while and have simply been maintaining it, then it can be tempting to try and tackle lots of rooms at once. You must overcome this urge as it would be very difficult to try and complete lots of jobs simultaneously. Focus on the worst rooms first and once you have done the major works you want to, you can then move onto the next room. Doing specific rooms and areas within your home and taking things step by step will ensure you do not end up feeling overwhelmed, especially if you will be living in your home as you carry out the works.

Note: This is a collaborative post

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Purchasing your own home or moving into a new house can be very exciting, but the thrill and satisfaction of actually building your own home is something completely different. To be able to visualise the house of your dreams, then put in the actual sweat and hard work in making that vision come true – it’s a feeling like no other!

But, in all the excitement, we often tend to forget or oversee certain aspects, which could cost us dearly later. So here’s a quick checklist of things to consider when you are building your own home.

1. Builder’s Insurance 

You might not think of it, or, might not think it’s important, but getting insurance for builders is crucial. The very nature of work that builders and decorators undertake is dangerous, and no matter how careful you are or whether you take adequate precautions or not, accidents can and do happen. Either in the form of injury to yourself or damage to property. So it is advisable and sensible to get builders insurance prior to starting work on your house.

2. Know Exactly What You Are Getting Into…

The prospect of building your own house might be very exciting, but know exactly what you will be getting into before taking the plunge. See if you have the time and resources (because you will need a lot of both). Know all the facts and figures and nitty-gritties of the process and ensure that you will be able to follow through and complete the project.

3. Planning Is Important

This might seem obvious but often, we don’t tend to think things through all the way to the end – and that could result in setbacks and issues later. Before ordering materials and starting work, make sure you have the whole picture in front of you. Know exact dimensions of rooms, think  of what furniture you would want and where you would like it, have a solid layout in front of you so there are no goof-ups or regrets later on!

4. As Is Planning Permission! 

This is very important – make sure you have ALL your planning/ extension permissions signed and agreed upon BEFORE you begin any work. Sometimes, these can take time to get approved, but it’s worth the wait, instead of being caught up in legal hassles or wasted time and work later on.

Take into account all the planning permissions you require – check these with your local council if you’re not sure. 

5. Consider Hiring A Designer 

Even though this is your family home and your baby, and you have the perfect vision of your perfect home in your head, sometimes, it is advisable to hire a specialist designer as well. You might know what you want but might not always be able to put pen to paper, as it were. A professional designer will know all the tricks of the trade, and the most practical ways to bring your ideas to life, and will be able to guide and instruct you through the planning process. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Home renovations are interesting to do, but when they are not managed well, they can drag on. Therefore, it’s important to be picky about the ones to go ahead with and those to defer or not do at all. Ideally, it’s best to choose renovations that will at worst maintain their cost, but hopefully increase the value of the home. It’s a little tricky though because some future buyers plan to rip out a new bath because they want something to their taste. Nevertheless, modern updates do still make the property more attractive to list in the future even for people with separate plans of their own. 

Here are 4 home renovations that are worth investing in. 

Convert a Garage into a Living Space

The conversion craze to change a house into something else includes the garage. When you don’t use it to store a car, then there may a possibility to convert it into another living space. Whether this requires planning permission from the local council depends on if it is classed as a permitted development. If so, then it’s possible to go ahead because planning permission won’t be needed. With that said, building regulations do apply here. The property will need to be viewed on several occasions to look at various aspects to approve them for existing regulations, including electrical, water drainage, the supporting structures, and the roof too. 

For the most part, however, you should mostly concern yourself with the renovation itself. Planning the layout is an exciting part of the process, but getting to the nitty gritty of everything on the actual renovation can be a headache. Be sure to have a checklist ready to save yourself from unnecessary trips to the hardware store. Have an excess of certain materials such as nails, wood drill bits for taps, and the like.

New Bathroom

Pic Credit: Pixabay

A new bathroom to replace an aging one can help to sell the property later. Ultra-modern bathroom designs include walk-in showers and other niceties, and they can be attractive enough to buyers that they may not need to redo them. At which point, they typically do add to the property value. 

It’s also a factor that an old bathroom will put off some buyers whereas others will need to see a discounted price to reflect the cost of replacing it. Either way, it’s an impediment when you want to sell later. However, for the pleasure of using it, there’s little that beats a completely new bathroom. 

Attic, Basement, or Cellar Conversion

Converting the basement, attic or cellar is an interesting project. There’s often a great deal of freedom as to how it will be eventually laid out and used. As Woodford estate agents would tell you, additional usable spaces commonly increase a property’s valuation, whether that’s as a wine cellar, a bedroom attic, or a basement. Many UK houses have space to convert the attic or a cellar, but few enjoy basements to perform conversions, so we do what we can!

Double the Size of a Room

When the house is large enough, knocking down a non-supporting wall to merge two separate rooms into a single expansive one is a popular option. With the penchant for open plan living, less clutter, and a more minimalistic living style, escaping the smaller room size conundrum is very freeing. Do check if you need any type of permissions before doing so and verify that it’s not a load-bearing wall too (you don’t want to affect the structural integrity of your home). 

When you stick mostly to home renovations that at least keep their value and sometimes increase it, you’re onto a winner. In the meantime, you can enjoy the improvement once it’s completed too. 

Note: This is a collaborative post