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When it comes to house renovation costs, nothing is certain. As a rule of thumb, you should always expect the unexpected. Unforeseen circumstances (mostly unfavourable) can crop up from anywhere, at any time, greatly affecting the cost of the project. However, if you’ve completed proper planning and done your due diligence on your property before commencement, there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t put the works on budget.

The cost of a house renovation project depends on a lot of variables. These variables include the type of property you’re undertaking as well as the amount and complexity of the entire project. What’s more? Whether you decide to do some of the work yourself or wish to hire quality tradespeople to cover the entire project will also tell on the cost of the home renovation.

In the event whereby you wish to completely gut your property and begin from square one, here are some of the cost you’re most likely going to incur:

✓ Planning applications and building controls

✓ Architect’s design and specifications

✓ Contractors and build costs

✓ Snags as well as unforeseen problems

What will be the biggest cost, which will be determined by the amount of work you need done, is most likely going to be the structural and building work, which can reach up to tens of thousands of pounds.

Asides from material and labour, the administrative costs is another important cost you’ll need to factor in. The first thing here is usually insurance, this is because all regular building insurance policies does not cover large scale renovation projects. So if what you’re planning is a huge structural change to your property, then it’s more likely that it won’t be covered by your buildings insurance policy. In this event, you’ll have to take out a specialist renovation insurance.

Did you try rendering a wall but it doesn’t turn out the way you would have hoped for? Or perhaps you’ve been watching your wall render gradually deteriorate over time. Regard of your purpose, learning how to repair render cracks on wall is usually a great skill to have with your home maintenance in mind. However, whenever these crack are too large or difficult, we’d recommend you call in a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’re going to take you through the wall render repairing process. Let’s have a look!

No matter how solid a building material is, over time it’ll yield to the elements. When it comes to wall rendering it may be a case of too much sunshine or a costly mistake in the application process, but in truth, it cracks just because it cracks.

In order to repair render cracks, you’d have to start with a removal of damaged or cracked render. You’ll have to remove all the render or just a small section depending on the area you’re working on. If you’re able to clean all of the existing render as well as the paint over it all (both old and new), then removing a small section would work better as it makes it look neat and redone. Upon the removal of the existing render, the next important step would be to remove all loose material as well. Once done, you can then leave for up to 2 days to allow any trapped moisture to come out. Unfortunately, if the rains you’d have to wait till that dries too before you proceed.

Once dried, you can buy a pre-prepared render mix which already contains cement, lime and sand. Mix a 20kg bag with 4 litres of water (or check the product instructions and follow strictly), the mix to a fine consistency. Render is quick to dry, so you’d want to apply within 30 minutes of mixing. Make use of a trowel to apply the render on the affected spots and blend with the surrounding area.

How To Plasterboard A Wall

If you’re looking to plasterboard your wall, one of the essential things to have in mind is that the plasterboard must be hung horizontally and not vertically. Due to the way they’re manufactured, plasterboard sheets normally possess a “grain along the length. This implies that, it’s only when they’re firmly placed perpendicular against the wall that they’re able to achieve their maximum strength. Materials you’ll need to complete this task includes: Tape measure, stanley knife, pencil, spirit level, drill driver or screw gun, surform, drywall screws and handsaw. Now let’s have a look at the wall plasterboarding steps!

• To plasterboard a wall the first step to take is to place each board in such a way to make the edges the centre of the noggins and upright. Also, the the adjoining walls and door openings should fit closely to the edges.

• Work from the door opening to the ending wall. From the the stud’s edge to the noggin’s centre, use your tape measure to measure a cut board and as a rule to mark up.

• Place your spirit level on the marks and use the Stanley knife to run a line along the intended cut. Once done, turn the board on its edge and give a sharp push on the back to split.

• Cut the paper left with the knife after folding the split edge back on itself. This way, you should get a nice and clean edge.

• In its right position, place the board up against the studwork. Install the screws on the board’s edges where a noggin or upright can be seen.

• Mark lines down across the board at the stud’s centre.

• Cut the end boards to length.

• Install the remaining boards as mentioned above. While doing this, make sure the factory edges are together.

• Cut any board extending into an opening and finish the edges using a surform.

We’d recommend you hire the professional services of a plasterer for the best results especially if you lack the necessary training or experience. Plasterboarding a wall can be a tricky challenge and you’d save yourself some time, money and effort by getting it right on the first trial.

The best type of insulation for your property will depend on the type of walls and any insulation that’s already present. It’s usually a good idea to have some form of wall insulation as well as loft insulation, as this helps to prevent heat loss in both areas.

The short and simple answer to this question is yes, loft insulation does cause condensation. Over the years, problems with condensation in loft spaces have become increasingly common. While this may not be harmful in anyway, when the condensation becomes excessive it can lead to more serious issues taking root in your loft like wet rot, dry rot as well as black spot mould. Generally, the best thing to do if you’re concerned about the condensation in your loft space and that it may rapidly become a bigger problem is to get in touch with a damp specialist as soon as possible.

Even though insulating your loft space comes with a wide array of benefits like making the top floor rooms warmer, it’s however comes at the cost of making your loft or room space cooler. Condensation in lofts take place primarily due to the humid air making its way through insulation or other gaps into the loft space and touching a cooler surface which in turn results in beads of moisture on the timbers, lintels as well as the underside of the roof. This is why its always a great idea make use of thermal insulation with a vapour barrier that’s installed on the warmer side of the insulating material.

Condensation in loft is caused by excess moisture in the air and lack of adequate air ventilation. Here are some top reasons that gives rise to this in the loft:

• Extra insulation has been installed in the loft leading to a restriction on the natural air circulation in the property.
• When the storage boxes or other items that has been stockpiled in the loft blocks the roof vents.
• The release of steam and moist air into the loft space by hot water tanks.

If you have a loft, then the next thing that’s crucial is a loft insulation. Asides from cutting down on your carbon footprint, when you’re able to install an effective loft insulation you can slash your heating bills by up to £250 per year. What’s more? Besides making your home more energy efficient, it can also increase the value of your property a great deal. So if you’re also considering the insulation of your loft, one of the few things that comes to mind is, what loft insulation is the best to incorporate? In order to help you make the best informed decision possible, this post is going to address this issue and put you on the right path.

In truth, there’s no way to say exactly which type of insulation is the best as all types usually have a different purpose as well as usage. The insulation you choose for your home’s loft is be based largely on the how you’re going to make use of the space as well as any unique challenges you might face given the shape of your home’s loft. Below are some types of insulation to give you a better idea:

• Blanket insulation. This is the most common type that comes in rolls of rock, glass or mineral fibre ( or foil-backed felt ). It normally the most affordable and also a good all-purpose insulation which is easy to fit although not suitable for the roof.
• Loose-fill insulation. This type of insulation features a loose, lightweight material such as cork granules, cellulose fibre, mineral wool etc. It can either be incorporated as a top up or on its own. The primary drawback is it isn’t very secure and can also be very messy.
• Sheet insulation. This is the best solution for the roof’s underside as it offers a highly effective insulation for your loft space and can also be decorated over. The drawback here is that it’s usually the most expensive type to purchase and install.

It depends on the size and type of extension. Small porches or flat roof extensions are very reasonably priced. More substantial two storey extensions can be expensive. In general, the price is roughly proportional to the amount of space you add to your home.

Does A Single Storey Extension Add Value To Your House?

When you’re looking to construct a single storey extension or perhaps you’re just searching for means to increase the value of your property, this question always pops up. The short and simple answer to this question is a resounding yes, a single storey extension can go a long way to increase the value of your property. Just like any other home improvement, when done right, adding a little extra living space is one of the top things you can probably think of that’ll provide a cool increase in your property’s value. However, before you rush in you must also take note of some factors so you can be certain a single storey extension is the right option for you. These factors include the quality of the build, complexity of the build, cost of the build versus the value gain, ceiling price in the area, finance costs as well as the inconveniences and stress.

Generally, the average cost of a single storey extension can range from £34,000 to £37,000. For this price, you should get a standard sized rear or side extension which also includes the cost of a kitchen - it’s the most commonly use for a single story extension especially in the UK. So it’s important to know the value they’ll add to your house before deciding to make such an investment.

The value added to your property will depend largely on the quality and size of your single storey extension. The value is usually calculated by estate agents using the number of bedrooms, bathrooms as well as the floor area. Inside London, it’ll typically be priced at £5,000 to £10,000 per square metre, while outside London should be within the range of £900 to £2,000 per square metre.