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In some cases, it’s possible to convert a basement into an apartment. This can be a great way to incorporate an additional dwelling into your property and increase its value. However, converting a basement into an apartment can be quite expensive and time-consuming.

As with any type of dwelling, you’ll need to think about basic things like access, damp proofing, ventilation, insulation, heating, electrics, plumbing, lighting and décor. If you’re planning on extending your basement, then you’ll also need to ensure that your property is sufficiently supported.

It’s a good idea to consult a professional, like a basement conversion building specialist, to find out how feasible your project is before you go ahead with it.

Rendering a house comes with a plethora of benefits. Not only is it able to brighten up houses that looks tired especially those with damaged brickwork or having discoloured render, but its also the final step of external wall insulation.

If you own a 3 bed house, you’ll probably want to know just how much it’ll cost to have it rendered. If yes, then you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we aim to look at the cost of rendering a house using the standard 3 bed house as an example. Firstly, it should be stated that there are numerous factors that affects the price of a rendering a house which includes the rendering type, the size of the house, the ease of access, the prep work required, whether or not scaffolding will be needed as well as your location and the quality of the contractor your hire. Out of all these factors, the most significant variables are probably the type of rendering you go for and the size of the house.

There are three types of render and the one you opt for will play a key role in the price of your 3 bed house. In this article, we’re basing our cost estimate for a 3 bed house (3 bed detached) on the size ranging from 110 per square metre to 160 per square metre. Now let’s look at the cost per square metre of each rendering type.

✓ The silicone or acrylic thin coat render is usually the most expensive option of the lot due to the fact that they’re the newest and also the best type of render. This rendering type usually costs within the range of £45 to about £75 per square metre.

✓ The monocouche modern through coloured rendering type are able to offer a decorative and waterproof finish for walls. They usually costs within the range of £35 to about £70 per square metre.

✓ Sand and cement render type is the traditional type which has been applied for several years. This rendering type usually costs within the range of £20 to about £45 per square metre.

How To Put Up Plasterboard

Putting up a plasterboard is a vital process when it comes to home renovations. However as daunting as it may seem, with a good guide and regular practice you can master the skill within a small period of time. If you lack proper training and experience, we’d recommend you hire a seasoned professional plasterer for help so as to get the best result and also avoid additional costs due to possible damages.

Putting up plasterboard is way quicker than wet plastering and also significantly reduces the drying time that can slow down your renovation plans. With a plasterboard, you can delve straight into the decorating stage and achieve a smooth finish. Below are the steps required to put up a plasterboard.

• The first step is cutting the plasterboard to shape which be one of the most challenging parts of the process. This is because you’ll need to fit the board around things such as plug sockets and window sills. As a result, this involves cutting complex shapes rather than just a simple straight line. To get this done, simply mark out the cut required with the use of a tape measure, combination square and spirit level for a better precision. Once done, you can then use a plasterboard pad saw to cut along the marked spots.

• After you made the required cuts, the next step is putting up the plasterboard. And depending on where the boards are going to be put, this could be a very challenging task. If you’re going to put the boards on the ceiling or somewhere very high up, you’d probably need an extra pair of hands for help. To get this done, use the appropriate screws to secure the boards in place if you’re installing them directly on studs. However, if you’d be fixing them onto bricks or blocks, a drywall adhesive is your best bet.

How To Convert Your Loft Into A Room

The loft is the space on top of a home that’s most often ignored by home owners due to having to consider the space’s configuration, the lighting as well as energy efficiency. However, when successfully converted into a room, it can serve several purposes which would even add more value to your property. So how can you convert your loft into a room? Let’s have a look.

• Take Into Account The Size Of Your Loft

The size of your loft is a major determinant of the type of room it can be converted into. A small-sized loft there’s a chance it can still be converted into an extra bathroom or home office while bigger lofts can be converted into an additional bedroom. The minimum head height is 2.3m, if your loft is lower than this, you’d have to get a planning permission to detach some parts of the room for extension.

• Include A Skylight

When a loft is poorly designed, the room become dark, shady and airless. Adding a skylight to your loft will let in fresh air, deliver better ventilation and more light.

• Insulate Your Loft

Loft insulation will not only prevent heat from escaping through the roof, but also lead to an improved energy efficiency which ultimately helps you save up on your heating bills.

• Use Modern Colourization

When you use bright, neutral and modern colours to paint your loft, you’re adding that elegant look to the space. As a result, the loft looks a lot more attractive and comfortable by the time you’re done with the conversion.

The conversion of your loft into a room can be a very tedious task if you wish to do it by yourself. We’d recommend you employ a seasoned professional for help in order to ensure the best results and also to avoid making costly mistakes.

Generally, extensions can be a very tricky undertaking - where it can be quite difficult to have a clear comprehension of the rules, regulations as well as costs. Therefore before you rush in to kick start your ground floor extension project, it’ll be wise to get a good grip on the cost. In this article, we’re going to give you a rough estimate of the cost of a ground floor extension. Let’s take a look!

Just like several other home improvement projects, the cost of constructing a ground floor extension is based on a number of things which includes the size, materials used, your location, the quality of the tradesmen or company hired and lots more. For instance, if you happen to reside in London, the cost of your ground floor extension is going to be a lot higher than the other regions.

The single cost of a ground floor extension should fall within the range of £1,500 per square metre to about £2,000 per square metre. However, if you happen to live in London or the South East, this price can reach up to £1,900 per square metre to about £2,400 per square metre. These prices are for good quality ground floor extensions only. Basic or low quality extensions would naturally cost less while superior quality extension will cost more.

Now looking at the size of the ground floor extension, if you’re looking for a size of about 5m x 5m, you can expect to pay a price within the range of £32,000 to about £36,000. And as usual, in London or the South East, this price can reach up to £50,000 or even more. And that’s just for constructing the extension. If the other relevant costs like the 10 percent to 15 percent professional fees for the architect, planning application (if needed), building regulations and more, the price goes up.

Pebble dash is an effective way to tune up your house or property as it can go a long way to enhance its curb appeal while also add to its resale value if you should decide to sell later on. Although, it’s highly recommended to leave this task for a reputable specialist, it’s also something that can be done as a DIY task. It must be states that this is a pretty difficult job and even more so if you haven’t attempted it before. In this post we’re going to take you through the processes involved in pebble dashing a wall. Let’s take a look!

• Mix up water with the lime strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once done, leave it covered up to hydrate for at least 24 hours.
• Take one part of the slaked lime and mix it up with cement and six parts sand. This is to give the base mixture required to spread onto the surface.
• Use a trowel to apply the mixture onto the wall. Ensure that the trowel is level and use the edges to make a flat and smooth layer of the mixture on the surface as a base layer. Allow the base layer to dry for up to an hour. Then, rake the surface using a notched trowel and allow to dry for a minimum of 24 hours.
• Rinse and drain your pebbles. Then, set them under the wall you’re pebble dashing.
• Take the top coat of five parts sand and mix with one part cement and one part slaked lime. Use a trowel to apply this mixture over the base layer and smoothen it with the trowel to create a flat and even top layer.
• Spread a plastic sheet beneath the wall you’re pebble dashing to capture any loose pebbles as they fall.
• Grab the bucket of pebbles below the wall and scoop some of the pebbles up using a scoop or trowel. Some will stick and some will fall into the plastic sheet already placed below. Continue throwing the pebble dash until the surface is completely and evenly covered with pebbles.
• Lightly press and fit the pebbles on each section into the wall and leave for at least 24 hours to dry.

How To Repair Sunken Concrete Driveway

If you have concrete driveway that’s cracked, uneven and mostly especially sunken, you’d know how distasteful it can be just viewing it on your property. A sunken concrete driveway is most likely caused by rainwater erosion removing the soil under it or a big root under it which as rotted over time. Another possible cause of the sunken concrete is an improperly prepared base which implies that the soil beneath wasn’t fully compact when the concrete was poured on it. Later on the soil beneath will eventually settle and shift below the concrete driveway which weakens the integrity of the entire driveway, making it more vulnerable to cracks, unevenness and sunken.

Two ways in which you can fix this problem includes either demolishing the whole driveway, re-compact the soil underneath and fill with new concrete or repair the entire driveway using an easy process called slabjacking. In this article, we’re going to look at the slabjacking repair process as it’s significantly less expensive than the demolishing approach and will also cause minimal disruption to your lifestyle.

Also referred to as mudjacking or concrete lifting, slabjacking is simply a process used to float your existing concrete back to its original position. If you are not a competent DIYer or lack confidence to pull this off, we’d recommend reach out to a professional for help. If otherwise, then you can practice the slabjacking process given below.

✓ Drill holes through the slab.

✓ Pump grout mixture through the holes. This mixture will spread out beneath he driveway and raise it up.

✓ Lastly, fill the holes and level the concrete driveway surface.in such a way to hide the signs of the repair made.

This is a process that works to efficiently get your driveway back in a top condition relatively quickly.

If you’re planning on adding a house extension to your property, you’d probably be worried about whether or not your proposed extension would require a planing permission. Well, it may be relieving to know that not every house extension project would require a formal consent, and in fact, several extensions are covered by the permitted development rights. Not only can this save you a considerable amount of time especially at the project’s planning phase, but it’ll also save you money on the application fee. In the UK, single storey extensions to the house’s rear can be 3 metres deep for both semi detached houses and terraces or 8 metres deep for detached homes.

So how do you know when you’d require a planning permission for your home extension? Well, if your extension plan fits these criteria explained below, then your project is most likely going to be allowable as a permitted development.

• Extensions, which includes previous additions, must not go beyond half of the original house’s total surrounding land area.

• The main elevation, or side elevation where it fronts the highway, must not be extended forward.

• For single storeys, the rear additions must not extend more than the original house’s rear by more than 3 metres in both semi attached homes and terraces (4 metres for detached houses).

• Extensions to the side must be a single storey with a height not exceeding 4 metres and not going beyond 50% of the original house’s width.

• Extensions hat within 2 metres of a boundary should have a eaves height not more than 3 metres.

• Multi storey addition must not extend beyond the original house’s rear wall by a maximum of 3 metres or 7 metres of the boundary opposite the rear wall.

• Permitted development rights do not apply in listed buildings or designated areas.