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It’s often said that a garage conversion can take anywhere between 1 week to 1 month, depending on the size and scope. But many standard conversions without any plumbing can take as little as 5 days. Your contractor will be able to tell you exactly how long your garage conversion will take.

Solar panels provide an alternative to paying expensive National Grid energy rates, so primarily their first major benefit is helping to reduce bills. Solar PV panels will produce free electricity, whilst solar thermal panels generate heat for hot water and space heating. There are also payment incentives known as the Feed-in Tariff scheme (FITs) (for solar PV) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (for solar thermal) which guarantee a tax-free income for 20 years.

There several benefits to be derived from constructing a wooden conservatory. Not only do they have an immense visual appeal that’s difficult to rival, but also offer a plethora of other benefits as well. You get to choose from a variety of styles, wooden conservatories are versatile as the wood can be carved to your taste, they can come with a warranty between 10-25 years, they are strong and durable, and finally, they go a long way to increase your property value.

With that in mind, there are a wide range of wood types that are available in the market which you can choose from and the best option largely depends on varying factors. These includes your preference, budget and many more. Below are some types of woods you can consider to construct your new extension.

• Oak

This is a very popular wood type ( especially in the UK) when it comes to constructing wooden conservatories, thanks to its top notch hard wood.

• Iroko

This is a special type of hardwood that possesses a very lengthy lifespan, just like an oak. Due to its extraordinary quality, this wood type can be very rare to come by which implies a really costly price tag.

• Sapele

This is a type of wood that is widely known for its strength. It is very durable and comes with a great finish.

• Mahogany

Mahogany is an exceptionally strong wood that’s a lot resistant to warping than most of the other woods. It possesses a red colour which will turn to grey overtime.

• Idigbo

Only top wood experts can actually differentiate between a stained idigbo and an oak. Being a light wood, idigbo is usually a cheap option and absolutely very easy to work with.

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How Much Does Pat Testing Cost?

When it comes to Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) there’s no particular rule that determines how much such services can cost. However as a rule of thumb, you should take note that when calling in a professional PAT testing company they’re likely to charge within the range of £1 to £3 per appliance that’s going to be tested. However, if you have quite a number of appliances to be tested, then there’s a good chance that the price per appliance can be reduced to serve as a bulk discount. So the more the appliances to be tested, the better.

There are companies that actually offer a pricing that’s below £1 per item, however companies likely are most definitely going to have a fixed minimum number of appliances that are required to be tested or a fixed minimum fee like 60 portable appliances. It must, however, be noted that pricing can also go beyond PAT Testing as several professional companies will add some additional advantages which is more than just the test of each individual appliance. This kind of pricing can include other services such as a thorough visual inspection, plug rewiring as well as fuse replacements. They can also include stuffs like Pail and Fail labels in the pricing.

Generally, the average price of PAT testing will be based on various influencing factors such as the type of the appliance, setting, number of appliance to be tested as well as other related expenses. What’s more? Most PAT companies will offer a company with a PAT Testing Certificate so as to certify that the company is in total compliance and also remains a safe environment to work.

In this day and age, not having an air conditioning system installed in your home will be quite odd and strange. And even more interestingly, air conditioning systems happens to be a necessity at the present time rather than a luxury. However, there are still several people who’ll forgo the option of installing a good air conditioning system in their homes due to the fact that it’s nothing but an extra cost they just don’t wish to incur.

In truth, the cost of purchasing, installing and running an air conditioning system can actually be a turn off to several homeowners, but the numerous benefits you will enjoy by having it installed largely outweighs any drawbacks the system might have. Now let’s consider the benefits associated with AC systems.

✓ It minimizes the risk of dying. Thousands of people die every year across the globe due to the constantly deteriorating temperatures. According to the experts, too much heat can lead to heat strokes and a great way to prevent this from happening is to invest in air conditioning systems.

✓ It improve the quality of sleep. A good quality sleep simply can’t be overstated as it leaves you feeling fresh and revitalized. However, this can be greatly hindered when everything around you is hot. For a good quality sleep, you might want to invest in air conditioning systems as they happen to be best way to have your home feeling cool and super comfortable.

✓ It prevents your devices from overheating. Electrical appliances can also suffer terribly under great heat and are vulnerable to overheating. In fact, devices such as microwaves, PCs, mobile phones and more can get damaged due to heat. The cost of replacing all these appliances will definitely be greater than the cost of installing an air conditioning system.

Are you thinking about updating your bathroom? If yes, then you’d probably want to know how to go about it. Well, when it comes to bathroom remodelling, the process always begins with the drawing of a floor plan. If you don’t know how to go about that, then you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we’re going to take you through the bathroom floor plan drawing process. Let’s take a look!

First and foremost, you can make use of the pencil and paper approach as it happens to be much cheaper than the computer based approach. Plus, you don’t have to be an art genius in school to complete the task satisfactorily.

1. Sketch it out. Create a rough sketch of the space on unlined paper. This should feature all openings like the doors and windows, the spots where the existing plumbing fixtures are located, the location of the electrical lines including outlets, receptacles, heating and cooling pipes and more
2. Add dimensions to the sketch. The next line of action would be to take measurements of the bathroom. With the help of a friend, hold the tape tightly at both ends in order to get the right dimensions. Then, measure the length of the walls, fixtures, windows and mark then roughly on the sketch. Once done, you can go back to double check the recorded measurements for accuracy.
3. Transfer the room dimensions to a sheet of graph paper. At the stage in the process, you should be aware that each 1/4 inch square on the graph paper is equal to 6 inches or half foot. You can start by drawing the bathroom walls and partitions as well as the surrounding areas. Then, add the doors and the direction they swing open and the windows present. Once done, draw the fixtures to complete the floor plan.

If you’re thinking about installing ground source heat pumps for your home, you’ll definitely want to know whether or not its worth the money. In this article, we’re going to look at the various benefits and drawbacks of the heat pump to enable you make an informed purchase decision.

As a result of their high efficiency rate and low running cost, ground source heat pumps are incredibly low carbon heating system which are presently experiencing a rapid increase in popularity, therefore they can actually be a valuable investment. This type of heat pump utilizes the constant temperature of the ground to provide warmth to your home - either for a space or for water heating purposes. Upon installation, the cost of running ground source heat pump is relatively low. What’s more? This type of heating system is eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which means you can also earn an extra income on the side as well. However, what makes most homeowners think twice before installing a ground source heat pump is the high cost of installation.

Heat pumps are greatly essential especially when it comes to minimizing the UK’s total carbon emissions. At present, there about 240,000 units of the heat pump installed and to help attain the UK’s 2050 Net Zero goals, an extra 19 million heat pumps will have to be installed. If you wish to help in the achievement of this goal, you can start by investing in a ground source heat pump. So let’s look at some of the pros and cons of the heat pump.

PROS

✓ Low running costs

✓ Low carbon heating

✓ Energy efficient

✓ Eligible for grants

✓ Increases property value

✓ Provides both cooling and heating

✓ Inexhaustible

CONS

✓ High installation costs.

✓ The soil type impact its level of efficiency.

✓ It can be hard to install in retrofits.

Most window installers will be able to provide you with one double glazed window and fit it for you. If you’re replacing one double glazed window in your home, ask them to try and source the same windows that you already have or find one that’s very similar. Externally, you probably won’t be able to notice the difference, but if your existing windows are very old there may be some exterior discolouration and the locks and handles might look slightly different.

If you want one double glazed window so you can fit it yourself, there are lots of online companies that can supply you with one window. However, window fitting is a skilled trade and you might want to consider whether you have the right tools and experience to fit it yourself. Of course, you’ll save money on installation costs, but if something goes wrong, you might end up shelling out to get it fixed anyway.

The other thing to consider is that any replacement windows need to be certified that they meet Building Regulations. If you fit the double glazed window yourself, you’ll need to apply to your local council building control officer to get a certificate that confirms that you fitted the window within the regulations. You’ll have to pay a fee for this, and it will be even more expensive if Building Control say that the window hasn’t been fitted within the regulations and you have to start again.

The alternative is to ask a reputable window installer that is registered with a self-certification scheme, like FENSA, to install the window. That means that they can self-certify that the window meets building regulations once they’ve finished the installation.