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One of the main reasons why fitted wardrobes are a popular choice amongst homeowners is due to the fact that they’re able to help maximise storage space and since they’re usually customized for the particular room, they’re always good looking. However, just like any other home item, over time your installed wardrobe may start to look a bit dated and old fashioned. In these type of events and in order to save money, several homeowners would prefer to update its look to a more modern one without having to completely replace the fitted wardrobe with a new one. In this guide, we’ll give some great tips on how to update your old fitted wardrobe. Let’s take a look!

✓ Add mirrors to the wardrobe doors. Your old fitted wardrobe may be made of old fashioned laminate or chipboard which happens to draw scratches and dents here and there. If this is the case, you can simply add mirrors to help conceal the damage or unsightly marks.

✓ Include decorative trimming or panelling. You can choose from the various styles of trimmings you’ll find at hardware stores. By adding some strips of moulding, the whole look of your fitted wardrobe can change significantly.

✓ Painting. If the surface of the wardrobe permits, painting can go a long way to alter the look of the wardrobe.

✓ Change the handles. Handles may seem as a little item that doesn’t add to the aesthetics of the wardrobe. However, in reality, change your old handle with a more modern and fashionable one can make a great difference to the wardrobe’s overall appearance.

✓ Upgrade the interior. You can upgrade the interior of your wardrobe to give you more options and a better appearance. For instance, you may wish to have part of the wardrobe to offer integrated shelving or perhaps pull out drawers rather than having all the interior space for hanging clothes and garments.

When Does A Loft Become A Habitable Room?

When a loft is being converted to functional space, there are a multiple options it can offer. It’s not uncommon that at the conversion of this space, many household may not have a specific plan on how it’s going to be used. However, they know later on an actual need might arise, perhaps as you start working from home, developing other hobbies that requires an extra space or the family grows.

The loft can easily be converted into a game room, study room, playroom or even a household’s “breathing space etc. However, when the family grows and you wish to make use of the space on the top of your home as an extra bedroom, there are many factors to consider. The fact is, just because there’s enough space to fit a bed, doesn’t make it habitable. For a loft to become habitable, it must be built specifically for the purpose of being a sleeping area and must also comply with the relevant building regulations. It’s as a result of this, many property sale particulars include “potential third bedroom, subject to regulations statement written on it as well as the boarded and insulated loft space’s dimensions.

Loft conversions building regulations are set in such a way to ensure that adequate attention is given to both safety and structural elements to build a new space that’s fit for undetermined household use. These regulations are established minimum requirements to guarantee the following:

• The new floor and ceiling’s structural integrity.

• The existing roof and party wall modification’s structural stability.

• Safety during fire incidents plus an escape route.

• An appropriate stairway access.

• The proposed changes’ structural suitability to the external environment in association with the local area as well as any unique factors specific to the property.

You may need planning permission if you are planning a larger extension. All extensions will need building regulations approval. An architect can assist with this and if planning permission is required. A reputable contractor will also be able to advise you if this is needed as well.

Garage conversion is a great way to add extra usable space to your home without having to extend your property. A fun fact is that, in the UK if you have your car parked in the garage, you’re in the minority. According to a research carried out by Admiral Loans, just about 33 percent of home owners in the UK store their cars in the garage. For most people the garage is literally a dumping ground that’s never fully utilized as such. In recent times, the garage is now being used to store a variety of other stuffs asides a car which includes garden furniture, tools and appliances, utilities such as washing machine, fridge and freezer as well as food and groceries. These facts show that more and more people are underutilizing their garage when they may actually be in need of more usable space in their property. So why not put into consideration converting the garage into a new space that would be able to serve more purpose?

If you’ve decided to convert your garage, you’d probably want to know the how long the project will take. There are a wide range of factors that can determine the duration of a garage conversion project. These factors include:

• If the foundation needs reinforcing

• If the floors, walls, or roofs are in a bad condition.

• If the ceiling height needs some raising

• If the insulation required in newer builds.

All aforementioned factors will make the garage conversion project take longer than expected. However, in normal situations garage conversions are relatively quick to complete once you start the building works. A single-car conversion will usually take about 3 to 4 weeks to complete depending on the existing garage’s structure.

Over the years, garden rooms have gradually become a popular choice amongst homeowners as a cost effective way of expanding living space within a home or property. A garden room is basically a living space and a type of pavilion building made from wood that’s well insulated, double glazed as well as electrically wired. It’s however a building which is subsidiary to the main one, built with the purpose of creating an extra functional space within the property. These garden outbuildings are very functional and can be used as a garden studio, office, salon and much more. They can also be incorporated for recreational purposes for evening relaxations, family and friends get-together, lounge or even spa. Other possible uses of a garden room include gyms, pool houses, playrooms, dens, home cinemas and game rooms.

Garden rooms are functional living spaces that are usable throughout the year. And with the rate at which their popularity is growing, you’ll find some companies offering cheap and low quality alternatives featuring shed like construction and felt roof. Garden rooms, on the other hand, are a valuable investment with superior designs and top notch build. They’re constructed in a very similar way to houses with timber frames. Furthermore, they are fully insulated and can also include the normal building solutions such as heating and running water, electricity and many more depending on the requirements of the home or property owner. With the durability of garden rooms being a major objective, they’re typically clad in natural solid timber like Cedar, Larch or Acacia. Materials such as EPDM rubber or cedar shingles are normally used for the roof covering. What’s more? They usually have large expanses of glazing and glazed doors fitted.

A lot of an uninsulated property’s heat is lost through the roof and that’s even more alarming, when you realize this figure is up to a quarter of the total heat of the house. Hence, the tremendous importance of preventing this heat loss through loft insulation which will go a long way to help you against spending unnecessary thousands of pounds on heating bill as well as energy loss.

Loft insulation is an effective method to achieve the desired result, however the question is, how exactly does it work? Well, it’s time to find out!

Using either a fireplace or central heating to heat up your home, a large quantity of that heat would be lost through the roof of your home. Generally, heat rises and when it does, there’s simply no way to prevent it - it’s just science. Escaping by both the conduction and convection methods via your roof, the heat escaping through your ceiling, into the loft space and out into the open air outside can only be significantly reduced by laying loft insulation.

Generally, the added layer of insulation works by trapping the heat inside the room below the loft so as to enable the air within your house to stay warmer for longer. What’s more? The layer of insulation also keeps cold air from the outside from entering your home. As a result, you don’t have to heat your home as much in order to achieve the same temperature for each individual room. Over time, just by doing this you can potentially save hundreds pounds. Getting it installed in your home may actually seem a bit expensive at first, but it’s something that’ll eventually pay off.

There are two main types of cladding. The first is material cladding, which refers to layers of a material that are attached to the external walls. The material used could be timber, PVC, stone, or other materials. The second type of cladding is rendering, where a coat of plaster is applied to the wall.

If you’ve converted a non-residential barn into a home, you might be able to reclaim some of the VAT that you’ve paid for your project. This includes money spent on:

• Construction materials

• Flooring

• Light fittings

• Kitchen units and worktops

• Electrical, heating and plumbing materials

To reclaim your VAT from HMRC, make sure you request and keep all of your invoices. You’ll also need proof of planning permission and evidence of completion. You should then submit your claim with all relevant paperwork within three months of receiving your completion certificate. You’re only allowed to submit one claim, so you’ll need to make sure you get it right first time.