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Gravel driveways are very popular in the UK for a reason. Not only do they provide a more natural look than other driveway surfacing options and happens to be quite affordable, but they’re also very easy to install and maintain. And more importantly, they have a great range of colour scheme to match and compliment your brickwork and plants to make for an alluring outdoor living space.

Are you also planning to install a gravel driveway? You’ve come to the right place! If you’re a competent DIYer with confidence, then this should be as easy as they come. If otherwise, then it’s advisable to hire a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll shed more light on the gravel driveway installation process. Let’s get started!

✓ Prepare the floor. To get a level and flat floor, you’ll have to clear the area of all weeds, paving slabs, block paving etc. Get a good foundation material to apply to the surface if you have an uneven surface or if you have potholes to fill.

✓ Stop the weeds. You’ll have to apply an anti-weed membrane so you won’t have stubborn weeds growing through your finished driveway.

✓ Spread the gravel. In the process of purchasing your gravel, ensure to select handy bags, bulk bags if tipped loose. If you go for the bags there may be a need of wheelbarrow to help move the gravel around, however with a tipped loose you can have the gravel chippings tipped directly on to the driveway.

✓ Make use of the hose. It’s possible that when your gravel arrives, it’ll be be dusty. Make use of an hose to run over the driveway to bring out the true colours of your driveway.

Are you about to outfit a brand new house or replace an existing garage door? Regardless of your objective, selecting a new garage door can prove to be a tough challenge which only a few homeowners have vast experience dealing with. And just like any other household items, the garage door comes in a variety of prices starting from a couple of hundred bucks for a basic model - uninstalled, to thousands of pounds for a best-in-class, professional fitted garage door.

However, with the pricey investment also comes good returns, as replacing the garage door is seen by many as a great investment. According to the remodelling magazine, the ROI on a garage door has more value than almost any other home improvement project you can probably think of. With that in mind, now how do you determine the cost of your garage door?

The cost of a garage door certainly depends on a number of factors outside the price of the item. The first step is to ensure that the quoted price includes new tracks - the metal parts in which the rollers are to move up and down. If not, you may want to find the ones that does to cut the costs. To get the best deal, just like many consumer products, it’s advisable to just shop around to compare the various costs.

There are usually a wide range of professional garage door installers in many cities. You reach out to them and find the few ones who can provide you with a written estimate. A good option would also be to compare the garage door costs provided by Home Depot and Lowe’s. Generallly, what determines your garage door cost may be reflected in the material you go for as well as your choice of style.

When you’re trying to decide on an architect to hire, start by making sure that all the professionals you consider specialise in residential architectural services. The architect you choose needs to be an expert in and have plenty of experience working on similar projects to yours.

It’s also important to factor in what other customers think. Look for online reviews of the professionals you find, ask to see portfolios of their work and even ask for references. This will help to give you an idea of whether they’re skilled and reliable.

Make sure you also meet and have a discussion with any architects you’re considering hiring for your home building project. It’s vital for you to get on with them and to share the same vision, otherwise you’ll struggle to get the end result you want.

In recent times, when about to purchase or renovate a building that was constructed before the 1980’s, most homeowners will be particular about knowing whether or not asbestos containing materials are present. Also when a property is being checked, a lot of individuals would want to know the peak years for asbestos to be used in homes.

Modern asbestos production started in the 1800s during the time of industrial revolution, but after some regulation were made to ban some asbestos products and uses in the late 1970’s, the production witnessed a significant drop. The United States was the foremost users of asbestos according to the USGS but this lasted until the 1960’s when it was overtaken by the Soviet Union. In this article, we’ll look at the years of use for asbestos containing materials like pipe insulation, vermiculite as well as wall systems.

✓ Insulation. Asbestos insulation was commonly used in homes with lots of focus on both piping and ductwork. This was started in the year 1908 but was ended between 1915 and 1920 by Air-Cell pipe insulation.

✓ Vermiculite. This refers to a mineral that’s popular for its insulating properties and mostly used as insulation for attics. It possesses a gold to brown kind of appearance and it’s also a pebble material that shimmers in the light. According to the EPA, if this material is suspected in a home it should be assumed to contain asbestos.

✓ Wall Systems. Plaster and drywall are very common wall types that are asbestos containing. And until asbestos was banned both wall systems are said to have asbestos. For example the drywall sheets as well as it’s joint compound both features asbestos from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Does House Insurance Cover Locksmith?

If you happen to be accidentally locked out of your home for whatever reason, it may be costly to hire the services of a reliable and professional locksmith for help. To mitigate this risk, is home insurance the answer?

The financial coverage provided when you get locked out of your home to cover the costs associated with hiring the services of a locksmith is called home lockout protection assistance. However, it’s very rare that this type of perk is covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy. In the common cases where it’s not included, you can file a claim for reimbursement of the costs associated with hiring a professional locksmith to re-key your lock or let you into your home. Without raising your hopes, it should however, be stated that using a house’s insurance to provide coverage for lockout will hardly work in your favour.

In order to file a claim under homeowner’s insurance coverage, it’s a must to pay your deductible upfront. This can be very costly depending on a number of factors. And to state the interesting part of it all, the locksmith services in association with being locked out of your home is, at most times, even lesser than the deductible amount you’re expected to pay to file a claim. As a result, it’s simply a no brainer to pay for the home lock out from your pocket than to use the home lockout protection assistance.

There’s however an option of getting a home lock out protection via auto club membership such as AAA. They’re known to re-imburse their premium members with a good amount of money towards the costs associated with a home lockout.

How Do Bifold Doors Work

Generally, bifold doors are modern styled doors that are able to create a grand entrance and catch any visitor’s attention almost immediately. Unlike the conventional sliding doors, they are way more practical and convenient which makes it an awe-inspiring home addition. However, with the design being relatively new when compared to its counterpart - the sliding doors, not everyone knows about how they work. Therefore, it’ll only make sense to discover more about this door design before deciding on its utility. So how does a bifold door work?

The bifold door ( both interior and exterior types) operates on a built in tracking system that runs along the glass panels and connected on a train. In other words, the doors fold in and then slowly and smoothly glides over the laid out track which is backed by a chain of wheels or a tracking system. This function is carried out in a smooth and quiet manner, irrespective of the medium of movement.

Now talking of the bifold structures, they mostly come in pairs especially the interior designs. The design can either be in form of two doors that can be folded to one side or four individual panels that can be opened from the centre while some of the doors will fold on each side. Typically, the tracking will feature these units as well as the other important fittings, and also open inwards or outwards.

One of the significant qualities of these doors making them a popular option amongst homeowners nowadays is the flexibility and versatility of these units as well as their effectiveness when it comes to saving space. You’d be surprised to know that some of these bifold door designs can feature up to 7 panels which are linked via hinges and connected to the top or bottom of the roller track.

Like building an extension, you’re not legally required to hire an architect to build a house. However, given the amount of money you’ll be investing in your project, it’s vital to get it right. Clear, accurate plans are essential for any builder or other tradesperson to get the right materials in the right place. Building projects that go wrong because of inaccurate plans can at best look odd, and at worst be structurally unsound.

We’d recommend hiring either an architect or a skilled design and build company to create the plans for your new house. If you hire an architect to do your designs, you can choose whether to involve them further in your project, or use another professional or your own skills to take care of any applications and project management.

Solar energy comes from the sun. Solar panels absorb sunlight, and convert it into electricity. This can be used to power heating systems, lighting and appliances. You can also get solar thermal systems, which use solar energy to warm hot water.

Solar energy is a type of renewable energy, because sunlight is considered to be in unlimited supply.