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If you’re planning to construct a kitchen extension on your property, one of the first things that comes to mind is whether or not you’ll require a planning permission before you proceed. Generally, kitchen extensions are normally classified as permitted development which allows you to carry out your project without any interruptions from the law or your local authority. In other words, if your extension is meets up with the guidelines of the permitted development rights, you won’t have to apply for a planning permission. However if otherwise, you’ll have to apply for a planning permission to your local council and may require additional reports. And regardless of your position, you’ll always need building regulations approval before you can carry out any kitchen extension project. It may also be required that you’ll have to issue a part wall notice if you’re to build on or close to the boundary with a neighbour.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle and stress involved in applying for a planning permission with your local council, then you must ensure the following:

✓ Your kitchen extension must not be over half of the area of land around your main house.

✓ The kitchen extension must not be side elevation onto a highway or forward of the principal elevation.

✓ The extension must not be taller than the highest part of the roof.

✓ The height of your kitchen extension must not go beyond four metres.

✓ Kitchen extension that’s more than one storey must not go exceed the rear wall of the main house by more than three metres.

✓ Two storey kitchen extensions must not be closer to rear boundary by anything less than seven metres.

✓ The kitchen extension must not include balconies, verandas or any raised platforms.

Moving house is basically not an interesting thing to do because it's a stressful event you can go through. Either you are the type that loves moving or you moving for the first time, here are guidelines to be considered to successfully move a house. Any prep-work you can do to make your move a bit easier is a no-brainer.

1. Research your move

If you’ve gotten a new house and your offer to let the house has been accepted, it’s time to start your moving house checklist! Without complications, a straightforward move can take around 8 weeks to go through. It’s essential to get the legal side in place early on to ensure a smooth transaction of your property sale or purchase.

2. Arrange your home survey

You may want to start discarding some unwanted properties and arrange the useful ones in boxes. Having a good clear out will save you money on your removals, and make unpacking easier! You can start planning your move, even if you haven’t got a firm date yet.

3. Finalise contracts and pack

A month before moving to your new house, you will probably have had a chartered surveyor to inspect your new property and inform you of its structural condition of it well to standard or any minor renovation before hand. If there are issues, then may renegotiate your offer. You’ll now be able to talk to your solicitor about finalising your moving date.

4. Get ready to move home

At this stage, all necessary needs to be confirmed as regarding your relocation. If your removal company cannot provide some necessary additional services such as un-plumbing washing machines, disassembling/reassembling furniture and packing, it would be a good time to organise these too before the packing date. On your moving day, children and pets can stay other family members, meaning you can focus on getting everything moved efficiently.

5. Update your address and get organised

Few days before moving into your new home, your major priority should be organising, finishing packing your properties and  getting ready to go!

6. Prepare to leave your old house

Once the packing date has finally come,  it’s time for a final check and walk round the property to ensure nothing is forgotten. Separate your essential needs packed in a bag (face cream, toothpaste, toothbrush e.t.c) and  make sure that this is separate from the items going with the removal lorry.

7. Lock up and move out

Be ready for before your removal company arrives so they can begin action immediately. Identify whether any boxes need special care or are not to be taken by them. Make sure you take the meter readings for you to give to your providers and leave the keys for the new owner. It’s now time to move to your new home!

8. Check your new property

When you arrive at your new home it’s important to make your removal company aware of any special instructions and that they know which room the boxes are headed to. They can simply be supervised by you to ensure no mixed up or any forms of mistakes.Boxes should be moved according to the tags or description on them. Make sure you are happy that everything on your inventory is accounted for before your moving company leaves.

9. Relax in your new home

After a busy moving exercise, don’t try to unpack everything at once. Make up the beds and then spend the evening relaxing with loved ones and congratulate yourself on making it through the day.

Laying of floor tiles may seem seem to be a very tricky task that’s beyond the abilities of some homeowners, but in reality, it’s a task that most DIYers can handle - as long you don’t rush the process. With a little patience here and there, you’ll be amazed with how far you can go. The materials are quite easy to work with and tools, only requiring a little practice to master. However, if you don’t have the necessary confidence to pull this off, we’d strongly recommend that you call in a professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of laying floor tiles.

• Floor Preparation

✓ The first step is to prepare the floor by moving all objects like mortar, adhesives and more.

✓ Use concrete patching compound to fill ill low spots and cracks, until the floor is levelled.

✓ Ensure the floor is dry and clean.

• Pattern Layout

✓ Take the measurement of each wall’s length while also taking into account the room’s diagonals.

✓ To help place the tiles in an orderly manner, make use of a chalk to mark down lines on the levelled surface in question and ensure it’s parallel to the walls.

• Adhesive Preparation

✓ Mix the appropriate amount of water with the adhesive (bonding agent).

✓ The mixture should be toothpaste-like thick to ensure the durability of the tiles.

• Tiles Placement

✓ Depending on the tile’s size, evenly spread the mortar on the floor using a notched trowel.

✓ Lay the first tile on the bonding agent (adhesive or mortar) and apply a gentle and little pressure on the tile.

✓ Repeat the technique for other tiles using plastic spacers to ensure the edges and corners are properly aligned.

• Tiles Cutting

✓ Cut the tiles (if necessary) with the help of a wet saw or scoring cutter featuring a diamond-tripped blade.

• Grout Application

✓ Filling of the tiles’ gap is done using the grout. It can be applied to the joints with a rubber float.

✓ After application, allow the grout to set up for some minutes.

✓ Use sponge and a bucket of water to clear out any adhesive leftover.

• Grout Sealing

✓ Use a foam brush or applicator bottle for the sealants’ application.

✓ Clean out excess sealer within 10 minutes.

Generally, 4-yard skips are basically designed for small clean or clear out projects or residential use. If you want to carry out a small renovation task or to clear out your home, you simply can not ignore the disposal of your unwanted waste. You’ll save yourself some time, money and potential accidents by hiring a 4-yard skip that will do the job effectively. We are all aware how time consuming it is making several trips to the local waste disposal centre.

When talking about the size of a 4-yard skip, it runs beyond its capacity. Skips of small sizes can be easily accommodated in not too large spaces which can be in the garden or driveway which saves you the stress and money of having to acquire skip hire permits.

If you’d like to know the the size of a 4 yard skip in metres, we’ve got you fully covered for both imperial and metric! The answer is provided below:

Imperial - Width 4’3, Height 3’2

Metric - Width 1.29m, Height 0.972m

It is, however, important to take note that when hiring a skip the measurement might be a bit tricky. The ‘4 yard’ term implies the capacity of the skip and not the length. The actual length of a 4 yard skip is only 6 feet or 2 yards. As a result, before you hire a skip, there’s the need to be clear as to the measurement you’re looking for. Otherwise, you might end up hiring the wrong skip and having to get another. Not good for your pocket, right? Well, that’s why we’ve provided this answer to help you in the best possible way! Click here to learn more about skips.

Cookers usually look best if they’re installed at the same height as the work surfaces they’re next to. Most range cookers have adjustable legs so that they match a range of work surface heights.If you want your range cooker to match your work surface height, make sure that your installer knows this before they get started.

What Is The Best Oil Boiler On The Market?

With a plethora of sizes and models available in the market today, it can be a hassle choosing the best oil boiler. There are 3 main types of oil boilers which includes an oil combi boiler, a regular oil boiler and a system oil boiler. Within these three types, we have a wide range of models and sizes with varying heating and hot water demands.

With tonnes of oil boiler brands out there, the problem is the over crowding on the market with oil boilers that are not only over priced, but also of mediocre quality. From our research, we’ve been able to identify three major bands that are simply outstanding - Warmflow, Grant and Worcester Bosch. However, out of the lots, Warmflow is simply the most efficient and also comes with several qualities such as :

lUK & Ireland’s only AA rated combi boiler

lMarket leading innovation

lEasy and simple to install

l45plus years heating homes

l5 and 7 year warranty available

The oil boiler comes with an outrageous 5 year warranty on their Titanium which when compared to some similar Worcester Bosch Oil boilers is a whooping 3 years difference. Furthermore, the brand also offers a special “out-of-the-box 5-year warranty which enables the warranty to be valid as long as the installation is done by a qualified oil boiler technician. This may, however, seem normal until you realize other brands like Grant, will only honour their 5-year warranty when the boiler is installed only by their accredited technicians.

Warmflow offers an oil boiler to suit every property that is situated off the grid. These includes the modern and stylish U-Series, outdoor-compatible K-Series as well as the quietly efficient B-series which is designed for indoor installation.

Does Home Insurance Cover Boiler Repairs?

When winter comes, your boiler is most likely to be one of the most used appliances in your home. It keeps operating for several hours to ensure your house remains warm and conducive and then during those cold evenings, it supplies the much needed hot water to guarantee a restive night. But with so much usage and many moving parts, you’d naturally expect your boiler to breakdown at some point especially if it’s 7 years old or above. So what’s the next line of action when it happens, leaving your radiators off and water cold? With the likely high boiler repair cost, it’s only logical to consider whether your boiler repairs is covered by your home insurance.

In almost all situations, the standard home insurance will not provide coverage for the cost of repairing or replacing a broken boiler. Being fully aware that boiler breakdowns are mostly caused by a lack or not so regular maintenance practices or servicing, most home insurance providers will exclude it from this from their offerings. In fact, a home insurance is more likely to provide coverage for the damage that has happened as a result of a broken appliance. For instance, the damage caused as a result of gas, oil or water leaking from a boiler are more likely to be paid for by the home insurance providers, but they’ll not pay for the repair or replacement of the broken boiler itself.

If you need our home insurance to cover your boiler repair, then you might just be able to get an extra insurance cover from your provider that includes a broken boiler repair. You can consult them to determine if this is possible as well as the cost to be paid per month. This will normally cost about £5 to £10 per month, but it gives you a peace of mind knowing you’re covered if your boiler happens to breakdown.