Find a Builder you can trust in East Grinstead.

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.

Do I Need Planning Permission For A Loft Room?

The answer to this question is maybe. Generally, loft rooms are covered under “Permitted Development which means you won’t need to apply for a planning permission to build a loft room. This is like an advance planning permission provided by local authorities to allow some particular building works to be done such as loft conversions, rear extensions and more. When you’re covered by a “Permitted Development, you’re given the free range to oversee your home’s development without much interference from the regulations or the council. However, for permitted development to apply, there are some specific criteria that must be met. Therefore, if your loft room does not meet the following requirements given below, then you must complete a planning application before proceeding.

• In a terraced house, the converted loft space must not be more than 40 cubic metres.

• In a detached building or semi detached house, the converted loft space must not be more than 50 cubic metres.

• The existing roof slope at the front of the house must cover the extension made.

• The extension should not increase the height of the roof in any way.

• Verandas, balconies and any other structures of this nature must not be included in the extension’s plan.

• The side facing window openings should be at a minimum of 1.7 metres above the ground. The windows must be obscured as well.

• The roof extension should be set back as far as practically possible. It should be at a minimum of 20cm from the current eaves.

• The roof extension should not overhang the house’s roof or it’s wall.

• The materials to be incorporated must be the same or at least similar to what you already have on the house’s exterior.

Pitting, also referred to as spalling is the event whereby “pits” or small holes start showing on the surface of your concrete driveway which makes it appear both worn and uneven. Concrete driveway pitting is a common but highly frustrating problem for most homeowners. You’ll see some concrete driveways that’ll only start to pit after a couple of years, but this is not true for all concrete driveways as others will start to show signs only after a couple of months. So how do you tackle this issue? Well, it’s relatively simple to tackle, however if you’re not confident or lack the necessary skills, we’d recommend you get in touch with a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll take you through the concrete driveway pitting repair process.

✓ Prepare the pits by cleaning the area, clearing out all debris and more. The small pits can be cleaned with a stiff brush while a sturdy broom will do a good job for larger pits.

✓ Make use of a hose to spray the concrete pits and flush out all remaining bits of waste.

✓ If you’re tackling series of small pits, simply use a caulking gun filled with pre-mixed epoxy and specially formulated for concrete to fill the pits. Clear off the excess eproxy ensuring that its level with the concrete surface. Once done, simply leave for at least 24 hours before the application of a concrete sealant to prevent the wear and tear of the new concrete.

✓ Chisel out a little concrete and clean with a pressure washer. Once done, apply a concrete resurfacing compound mixture into the holes and use a trowel to level off.

✓ Ensure that the repaired concrete driveway is protected from rain and foot traffic for at least 6 hours (or 24 hours for vehicles).

Before the commencement of any project, it’s always best to get an estimation of the cost. However, determining the cost of an external solid wall insulation is not the easiest of tasks as it relies on varying components such as the insulation materials to be used, labour cost and installation as well as the type of decorative finish to be incorporated. And depending on your choice of insulation material, some may need some adhesives while others may require some fixings which also contributes to the differences in price. As a result, the determination of the material cost alone can be tricky and even more so when various materials cover varying areas.

With that in mind, the cost of external solid wall insulation generally ranges between £80 to £100 per square metre2. As a result, a small flat can cost from £6000 to £9000 whereas a large detached house can have a price ranging between £21000 to £23000. To earn back your investment in terms of energy bill savings can take a couple of years, but it’s surely worth the try as there are several other benefits associated with installing an external solid wall insulation system. What’s more? Another huge factor that can influence the cost of your system is also the amount of work that’s required, how easy it is to be accessed by the installers and lots more

If you’re looking to cut down on the cost of your external solid wall insulation, then the best time for an installation might just be when you’re having another decorating or building project done such as fitting a new roof, window painting, installation of solar PV panels and more. This way, you’ll be able to spread the cost and have a greater value for each penny expended.

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.

Asides the questions relating to planning permission of a loft conversion as well as the total cost of completing a loft conversion project, this is perhaps the most common question on the loft conversion subject matter. Before making an investment decision, many homeowners will want to know just how disruptive a loft conversion is. Well, we’ve all heard the several horror stories when loft conversion builder with dirty boots tramples all over the fresh and just-acquired shag pile or the noise of the construction loud enough to annoy neighbours from four blocks away or an obvious shortage of teabags, sugar and lots more. Good news is, the disruption of loft conversion is not as bad as people make out. Let’s have a look at how it works!

Just like all other major building projects, a loft conversion is disruptive to your property. However, no two loft conversions are the same, therefore some are certain to be more drastic and invasive than others. In the long run, the project is worth the stress and inconveniences caused and in most cases, it’s usually a very good investment.

Normally, an average loft conversion is expected to last for about 9 to 12 weeks (depending on the complexity of the loft conversion project some might take longer). Some of the factors that affects the duration of a project includes the type of the loft, the design of the loft as well as the style of the property.

Generally, a loft conversion is a lot less disruptive than say completely moving a home. It all has to do with how you’re able to deal with it as a person. And besides, the effect it’s going to have to a large extent depends on the company you hire. A good company will always look to ensure to keep disruptions to a minimal when carrying out the loft conversion project.

Refurbishing a house brings about a plethora of benefits. These includes an increased sale value, an improvement on your quality of life or even simply to make it more visually appealing. All these are great when you look at them, but one thing that happens to be an hindrance for several homeowners is the cost of getting the project done. You may wish to set a budget, plan and prepare before commencement of the project, but the fact remains that, when it comes to refurbishing a house, nothing is certain. In fact, it’s advised to always expect the unexpected and have a lot of cash in reserve just in case something goes wrong. There are a wide range of factors that can play a key role in the overall cost of a house refurbishment. Minor refurbishment that should cost around £30,000 can easily go up to over a whooping £150,000 for a total transformation. Most of this cost will be expended on labour, and the next most significant expense, which is sourcing materials.

In general, the cost of your refurbishment project will depend on some factors which includes the size of the project, the materials used, the refurbishment or renovation level, the location of the property, the quality of the contractor hired and lots more. To estimate the cost of refurbishing your property, you can follow these simple steps:

✓ Write down a detailed list of all the things that needs to be done per room and try to be as specific as possible.

✓ Carry out a research of the labour cost in your area as well as the raw materials’ cost (here, you can make use of guides such as home advisor).

✓ Add an extra 10 to 15 percent on top of the calculated estimate for uprisings and repairs.

✓ Talk to your contractor to get a more accurate quote.

What Is Plasterboard?

The plasterboard is unarguably one of the most common building materials across the globe. Sometimes referred to as gypsum board, gyprock, drywall or wall board, the plasterboard is mostly incorporated for ceiling cladding and interior walls in several homes and offices in recent times. However, despite its global acceptability, it’s a very misunderstood building material.

The plasterboard is manufactured using a gypsum core with a heavy paper covering both sides of the sheet. The measurement of a standard plasterboard sheet is a length of 2.4 metres in and a width of 1.2 metres, with a thickness of about 13mm. The board usually have either a bevelled or a bit flat edge. The bevelled edge makes it easy for the installers to use a plaster to smooth out the surface after nailing the sheets to walls and ceilings as well as taping the edges.

The plasterboard comes in different types. Although various manufacturers provide a unique name for their products, but they’re all included in one of the following categories:

• Water Resistant Plasterboard - This type of plasterboard are best suited to be used in water areas like bathroom, laundry rooms and kitchens.

• Acoustic Plasterboard - Due to its sounding proofing qualities, this type of plasterboard is preferred to be used in home theatres or noisy areas.

• Flexible Plasterboard - This is to be incorporated on curvy surfaces.

• Fire Resistant Plasterboard - Just like the name implies, this type of plasterboard is best suited for use in high fire hazard areas.

If you’re about to kick start some small renovations around your house or office, using a plasterboard to clad your walls is a very simple and worthwhile task. However, if you want to do major renovations or need to apply plasterboard to your ceiling, the best option would be to leave it to a seasoned professional.