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Posts Tagged ‘Home Improvements<’
Mr-Skill says that oft times, you may want to consider building work around your home, and, if so, up to date floor plans will prove vital. He goes on to advise that getting hold of a copy is not that difficult, but more importantly, any substantial work is going to require planning permission to make it legal. One of our regular London general builders reminds us that planning and approval are vital to the homeowner’s interests. 
Getting Started
You will need to locate the archives office of your local municipality. You may also find that your local tax office could help point you in the right direction. Archive offices hold all the information since the original deed, including owners, building permits, and maybe even a set of blue prints. If your archive office draws a blank, proceed to the next level. Meantime, find your general builder here on Mr-Skill, and let them worry about all the legalities.
Research Time
Find out where the fire insurance maps get filed and stored for your local community. These important maps provide information on the construction materials used in buildings in the entire neighbourhood. Some go back as far as the late-19th century when formal records became a local government requirement. Plans will help you determine exactly what your home looked like when built, as well as all the legal modifications officially recorded down the decades.
The Building Inspectorate
This is an important office, as well as a place where you can find out all the do’s and don’ts when it comes to building regulations. Your builder will be required to make application for a building permit before commencing any work on your home. This will then provide you with all the guideline information and processes required. Building permits simply enforce the building restrictions, and alert your local building inspectorate to what is happening.
Keep it Legal
Mr-Skill is a stickler for doing things the right way, that way will be no come back. The role of the building inspectorate is to ensure that all parties involved report on progress with any building work approved. Each entity to the agreement will be held accountable and responsible for all work undertaken. You can be sure that each review stage will undergo close-scrutiny! Mr-Skill has several pre-approved members, so get your general building quote right now
Tags: agreement, buildin plan, building inspectorate, building permits, building regulations, building restrictions, building work, builer, Construction, find a general builder, General Builders, general building quote, Home Improvements, London general builder, materials, modifications, Mr Skill, progress, records
Posted in General Building, Project Advice | Comments Off
Posted in Bricklaying, Carpentry & Joinery, Cleaning Services, Disposals & Waste Removal, Electrical Work, Gardening & Landscaping, General Building, Handyman Services, Kitchen Fitting, Locksmith, Moving Homes & Hauliers, News, Other Craftsman Services, Painting & Decorating, Planning & Consulting, Plastering & Drywall, Plumbing, Heating & Gas, Roofing, Gutters & Drainage, Tiling & Flooring, Window & Door Fitting on Oct 16
 The cost of DIY bodge-ups according to the Clydesdale Bank Research from the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks has revealed that bodged DIY jobs in the home cost homeowners £235 million to put right last year.
The recent survey was conducted amongst two thousand of the banks´ customers and showed that over a quarter had experienced a DIY disaster within the past twelve months.
With one in ten respondents having to pay up to £500 to get their mistakes fixed, a spokesman for the Clydesdale Bank commented that while DIY may be a great way to save money, it is important to have the correct tools and right set of skills to avoid a job around the home becoming a very expensive exercise.
The bank estimates that nearly 5 million people across the country ended up paying for DIY mistakes after they attempted to do DIY jobs such as decorating, plumbing or gardening. Instead of wishing you had never started a job that is ultimately going to cost you a lot of money, why not consult Mr Skill´s Tradesmen’s Directory and benefit from the financial advantages of using a London tradesman.
Tags: decorating, DIY, Find a Tradesman in London, fix, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Mr Skill, Plumbing, tools, Tradesmen´s Directory
Posted in Bricklaying, Carpentry & Joinery, Cleaning Services, Disposals & Waste Removal, Electrical Work, Gardening & Landscaping, General Building, Handyman Services, Kitchen Fitting, Locksmith, Moving Homes & Hauliers, News, Other Craftsman Services, Painting & Decorating, Planning & Consulting, Plastering & Drywall, Plumbing, Heating & Gas, Roofing, Gutters & Drainage, Tiling & Flooring, Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
 Sometimes it is the finishing touches to a home improvement job that make all the different to the final effect of your hard work, and no more so than when choosing the right “furniture” to go on a recently installed door. The choices of latches, handles, knobs, knockers, plates, roses and fasteners can be complimented on the exterior of your home with letters and numbers of all shapes and styles. A door fitter in London will be able to offer you a catalogue of the many options available to you, but we look at some of the more decorative and unique choices available on the market.
Front door
 Aficionados of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore will be familiar with the importance of having a well-polished “handle of the big front door”, and there are a wide variety of materials from which you can choose you polished handle. Most door fitters in London will have a selection that includes; brass, chrome, wrought iron, acrylic, aluminium and stainless steel, but now you can even get them in stone. Although they may be difficult to polish, and you may want to ensure you have a fairly strong support plate behind it, door knockers such as the one pictured to the right will create a talking point for every visitor to your house.
Themed rooms
 An excellent way to advertise where the bathroom is located is to use one of these themed door handles. There is no mistaking now where your guests should go, and ideas like this could be applied to kid’s bedrooms, the kitchen and any doors you have leading to the garden. Of course, whichever design you choose will have to correspond with the rest of the decor in your room, but there are many different designs that can be suggested by a door fitter in London, or you could become creative and design and paint your own! You are only limited by your imagination.
Out of the Ordinary
 And whilst on the theme of imaginative, how about this for a door handle? These art glass door knobs come in a variety of designs and are so versatile that they can be used on kitchen or cabinet drawers and also on a shower door. Glass was the fashionable material of choice for door handles up until the mid 20th Century, and is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance at present. Although these designs are not cheap (clear glass handles start at around £5.00 each), you should be able to get quotes from door fitters in London for a variety of styles to match your own inspiration.
Tags: bathroom, cabinet, door, Find a Door Fitter in London, Garden, Home Improvements, interior decoration, kitchen, kitchen drawers, knobs, knockers, shower door, window, Window & Door Fitting
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in Kitchen Fitting on Oct 12
 Earlier this year, we highlighted the importance when planning a new kitchen of having separate zones for the cook and the family. It is possible to break these zones down into even more detail, and develop a plan for a kitchen fitter in London based around the zones which you need access to most frequently whilst still allowing sufficient room for food preparation, cooking and storage. In fact, the “cooks zone” mentioned in our previous article can be divided into five independent sub-zones, depending on the space within your kitchen.
Consumables
The consumables zone contains typical consumer goods such as canned goods, rice and pasta as well as refrigerated and frozen foodstuffs. In simple terms most grocery shopping is stored in this zone.
Non-Consumables
This kitchen zone is used to store items such as dishes, glasses and cutlery. It is also an ideal location for the storage of “odds and ends“(i.e. stationary, pens, household paperwork, etc)
Cleaning
The cleaning zone contains space for rubbish collection and storage as well as household cleaning equipment and cleaning utensils. It is also the location of the sink and where you would have a dishwasher and waste disposal unit.
Preparation
The preparation zone is the main work area in the kitchen. Items such as kitchen utensils, knives, small electrical appliances, chopping boards, spices and mixing bowls are all located in this zone, together with any items that you use in food preparation that you would want to get your hands on quickly.
Cooking
The cooking zone is self-explanatory. The hob, oven, microwave and extractor hood are all contained in this area together with storage spaces for pots, pans, larger cooking utensils and baking trays.
 The images above and below indicate some of the ways you could plan your kitchen, keeping in mind the different zones and how they are used. You might want to give some consideration to storage solutions, and remember to advise your London kitchen fitter if you are left-handed! It is also recommended to read our article on kitchen ergonomics. Many people think about eye-level grills and the location of the microwave, without thinking about bending down or stretching up to get items out of cupboards, and the amount of energy you can save by storing the most used utensils within easy reach.
Tags: cleaning, cooker, dishwasher, ergonomics, find a kitchen fitter, food, food preparation, Home Improvements, kitchen appliances, Kitchen Fitting, kitchen zones, microwave, oven, plan a new kitchen, sink, storage space, washing machine
Posted in Kitchen Fitting | Comments Off
 With no sign of an Indian Summer this year, it looks as if autumn is well and truly upon us and time to prepare the home against the ravages of winter. Mr Skill has prepared a checklist below of the most common jobs that need to be done around your property at this time of year to ensure that, when the spring arrives, your home is still in good condition and you do not have to make costly repairs.
Dealing with the 4 Seasons
The October Checklist
Draught Proofing
 One of the biggest and most expensive wastes of resources this winter will be the heat that escapes through your un-draught proofed windows and doors. As well as wasting around £25.00 per year in lost heat, once you have properly insulated your doors and windows, you will be able to turn the thermostat down a degree or two and safe another £50.00 over the winter months.
You can get free quotes from handymen in London for draught proofing your doors and windows through our Tradesmen´s Directory, or tackle the job yourself with a little help from the Mr Skill Project Advice section.
Replacement Doors and Windows
 If doors and windows themselves are in a poor state of repair, it may be time to consider replacing them. Typical tell-tale signs are when doors and windows stick or squeak when you try to open or close them, and installing new doors and windows can add to the kerb appeal of your property as well as saving you money by being more energy efficient.
We have a number of highly rated local window fitters in London listed in our Tradesmen´s Directory, or you may choose to install a replacement window yourself with assistance from Mr Skill´s Project Advice pages.
Central Heating Systems
 An inefficient central heating system will cost you money throughout the next six to none months and potentially have its life span reduced if rust deposits and air-locks hinder the flow of water and induce pump failure. Flushing your central heating system is the best way of improving your central heating system´s performance, but it may only be necessary to bleed your radiators to ensure your house remains warm throughout the coming months.
It is a busy time of year for companies providing gas fitting services in London, so it is recommended that you use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of each page to get plumbers quotes from heating engineers in London.
Trees
 If you have trees in you garden, it is the right time of year to prune them back and remove any weak branches that may fall during high winds and heavy rain. As well as the safety aspect of not having great weights of wood crashing through your car windscreen or damaging you patio furniture, pruning your trees in autumn will allow more light to enter your home, potentially saving you money on lighting. Local gardeners in London would also suggest that the dead and decaying would is not just thrown away, but used to make stumperies for your garden´s wildlife.
Walls
 You should do a regular inspection of the walls surrounding your home – garden walls and the brickwork of the property itself – to check for cracks and damaged bricks which may suffer from the freeze-thaw effect over the winter. Our “Post-a-Job” facility will enable you to get quotes from bricklayers in London should you need to replace damaged bricks or repoint your brickwork. If the weather is kind in your area over the next couple of weeks, you may also want to consider re-painting the exterior of your property – but only once you have read our blog about “What the Exterior Colour of Your Home Says About You”!
Guttering and Roofs
 It is also the time of year to clean and repair guttering on roofs, garages and conservatories. Gutters can easily be blocked at any time of year by leaves, moss, feathers, dirt and other rubbish which has blown into them and the guttering runs can age prematurely when water fails to flow away. Whilst you are up the ladder, it is also a good opportunity to check for damaged or displaced roofing tiles which will allow the rain in and potentially cause a damp problem. A good selection of local roofers in London is available in our Tradesmen´s Directory should you find that you roof could benefit from a professional´s opinion.
Tags: brickwork, Central Heating, doors and windows, energy efficiency, Find a Bricklayer in London, Find a Builder in London, Find a Gardener in London, find a handyman in London, Find a Plumber in London, Find a Roofer in London, freeze-thaw, Guttering, Guttering & Drainage, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Insulation, Kerb Appeal, tradesman, windows
Posted in Dealing With The Four Seasons | Comments Off
Posted in Building A-Z on Oct 09
 Whenever considering replacement windows, you should always try to replace an existing window with one that maintains or enhances the character and kerb appeal of your property. A tip offered by local window fitters in London is to look at the window that is to be replaced from both the inside and outside before deciding on how many openings and fixed panels you require – remembering that a window can be a means of escape in the event of a fire which prevents you leaving the room via the door. New replacement windows can also improve the appeal and value of your home and save you money!
When measuring up for a replacement window, measure the width and breadth of the old window at a number of points. Windows – especially wooden ones – tend to warp and loose their shape over the 20-30 years they usually spend in people´s houses, and finding any discrepancies before you start will help when it comes to fitting a replacement window.
Types of Replacement Window
Wooden Replacement Windows
Standard sized wooden windows are often treated with preservative to meet NHBC (National House Building Council) requirements and are available in both hardwood and softwood finishes. Many are already double-glazed and weather sealed, meaning that you can have your replacement windows installed by a window fitter in London without the need to paint them afterwards.
Metal Replacement Windows
Old metal windows may rust, but modern replacement windows are galvanised to prevent the aging effects of the elements. They are strong and slim and often fit into existing wooden frames. Metal replacement windows are available in various styles and sizes, and should be painted with coats of primer, undercoat and gloss paint.
Aluminium Replacement Windows
Aluminium windows are available in various styles and sizes, and usually double glazed ready to install. Like metal windows, they are they are rigid and stylish, and also often fit into existing wooden frames. Replacement windows with aluminium frames only usually require washing down, but wooden sub frames surrounding them will require preserving and varnishing or painting.
uPVC Replacement Windows
uPVC replacement windows have become popular because of their economy, low maintenance and good insulation. Available in various styles and sizes, double glazed and ready to install, uPVC replacement windows can have their energy saving qualities enhanced with low emissivity (Low-E) glass – further details of which can be found on our post about Energy Efficient Windows .
As well as offering instructions on how to install a replacement window, Mr Skill suggests that you ask a local window fitter in London to give you advice on which is the best replacement window to suit your property´s appearance and your pocket. Remember that replacing like-for-like windows does not need permission from Building Control, but does have to conform to Building Regulations Part N.
Tags: add value to your property, aluminium, Building Control, Building Regulations Part N, energy efficiency, find a window fitter, glass, Home Improvements, Kerb Appeal, metal, paint, replacement windows, uPVC, Window & Door Fitting, window fitter quotes, wood
Posted in Building A-Z | Comments Off
 Replacing an existing window is a fairly specialist job and best done with the assistance of a local window fitter in London. However, if you are a keen DIY-er, it may be a project that you would like to take on yourself to improve the appeal and value of your home.
As with most major home improvement projects, good preparation is the key to a successful conclusion, and we have divided our project advice on installing a replacement window into three parts to distinguish between the tasks that need to be performed before you remove your old window and the installation of the replacement window.
Part 3 Installing the Window
After measuring up and preparing the frame for your replacement window, it is time to complete the installation. The first stage for doing this is to caulk the exposed inner face of the exterior casing with a elastomeric caulk. You should also apply two continuous beads of caulk along the window sill.
Working from inside the room, place the bottom of the replacement window horizontally onto the sill and tip it upwards into the exposed casing. Fasten the window loosely in place with a few nails or screws into the side jamb and adjust the replacement window by inserting shims under the sill and behind the side jambs until it is perfectly centred and opens closes and locks smoothly.
When the window is square, secure it place by screwing through the predrilled holes made when preparing the frame – ideally with a shim behind each screw hole to avoid bowing the frame. You can screw through the shims and then cut then flush afterwards with a Stanley knife.
Starting from the outside, fill gaps around the window up to ¼ inch wide with elastomeric caulk (anything wider should first be filled with foam –allowed to dry and sanded flush) and finish up by replacing any stops you took away from the interior when removing the old window, and then prime and paint as required.
Any element of this three-part guide can be done by yourself, or you can use the services of a local window fitter in London for specific areas in which you could benefit from the experience of a professional London tradesman. You may also wish to review our Guide to Replacement Windows before you start or read how installing replacement windows can improve the appeal and value of your home.
Tags: add value to your property, caulk, doors and window, find a window fitter, Home Improvements, jamb, Kerb Appeal, paint, project advice, replacement windows, window fitter quotes, window frames, windows
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
 Replacing an existing window is a fairly specialist job and best done with the assistance of a local window fitter in London. However, if you are a keen DIY-er, it may be a project that you would like to take on yourself to improve the appeal and value of your home.
As with most major home improvement projects, good preparation is the key to a successful conclusion, and we have divided our project advice on installing a replacement window into three parts to distinguish between the tasks that need to be performed before you remove your old window and the installation of the replacement window.
Part 2 Preparing the Frame
Once you have measured up for your replacement window, the next step is to remove the old window from the window frame. In most cases this will involve prising off or unscrewing the stops and beads from your old window – unless your existing window was fitted with a sash-replacement kit, in which case there will not be any beads.
If the window frame was fitted with vinyl or aluminium jamb liners, use a crowbar to prise them free – removing any remaining stops from the window frame but leaving the interior and exterior casings intact. Scrape off any loose or blistered paint and patch any holes or dents in the frame casing with exterior-grade wood putty. Then sand the jambs smooth and prime and paint the surfaces.
If you are replacing old sash windows, now is the time to remove the old sash weights and insulate behind the window frame. First unscrew the access panels on each side jamb and remove the weights and any excess fibreglass that exists from the original installation. Then drill three equally distanced 10mm (3/8”) holes in the sill and head jamb before filling the area behind the casing with minimally expanding polyurethane foam. It is important that you use the minimally expanding type because you may damage the remaining window frame with anything stronger.
Once you have given the insulating foam time to dry (usually about 6 hours), cut off any protruding foam and sand down to a smooth finish. Now the frame is prepared, you are ready to install your replacement window.
Any element of this three-part guide can be done by yourself, or you can use the services of a local window fitter in London for specific areas in which you could benefit from the experience of a professional London tradesman. You may also wish to review our Guide to Replacement Windows before you start or once you have prepared the frame for your replacement windows jump ahead to our project advice on “How to Install a Replacement Window”.
Tags: add value to your property, caulk, doors and windows, find a window fitter, Home Improvements, jamb, Kerb Appeal, paint, project advice, replacement windows, window fitter quotes, window frames, windows
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
 Replacing an existing window is a fairly specialist job and best done with the assistance of a local window fitter in London. However, if you are a keen DIY-er, it may be a project that you would like to take on yourself to improve the appeal and value of your home.
As with most major home improvement projects, good preparation is the key to a successful conclusion, and we have divided our project advice on installing a replacement window into three parts to distinguish between the tasks that need to be performed before you remove your old window and the installation of the replacement window.
Part 1 Measuring Up
Measuring the dimensions of an old window is not quite as straightforward as it may seem. Some windows will have been in a property for more than thirty years, and in that time the frames may have warped or bowed due to the elements.
Start by measuring the inside width of the old window frame, jamb to jamb, in three places: across the top, middle, and bottom. Write down the smallest of the three measurements. Note: It is important that the smallest measurement is recorded because if you purchase a replacement window which is too wide for the frame at a certain point, it will create more work for you later when you have to adjust the frame. Next, measure the frame’s height from the top of the sill to the underside of the head jamb in three places: at the left jamb, in the middle, and at the right. Again, record the smallest measurement.
Check that the length and breadth of the frame is actually parallel by measuring the diagonals from corner to corner – the two dimensions should be the same, but if the frame is out of square by ¼ inch or so the replacement window can be shimmed to fit. Any larger discrepancies may require adjustments to the frame, or if the frame is so bowed that a square replacement would not look right and you will need a full-frame replacement.
Any element of this three-part guide can be done by yourself, or you can use the services of a local window fitter in London for specific areas in which you could benefit from the experience of a professional London tradesman. You may also wish to review our Guide to Replacement Windows before you start or once you have measured up your replacement windows jump ahead to our project advice on “How to Prepare a Frame for Replacement Windows” or “How to Install a Replacement Window”.
Tags: add value to your property, caulk, doors and windows, find a window fitter, Home Improvements, jamb, Kerb Appeal, paint, project advice, replacement windows, window fitter quotes, window frames, windows
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
 At a time when people are hoarding their money rather than spending it, there are some excellent windows of opportunity for getting good deals on improving the value and appeal of your home. As any window fitter in London will advise you, installing replacement windows need not be a necessarily expensive improvement and even one you can save money on by doing it yourself. Replacement windows come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials, and when trying to decide what would look best it is often a good idea to stand out in the street and imagine how you could improve your home´s kerb appeal.
In the current economic climate, it is fair to say that properties are not selling or renting as well as they did a few years ago. However, most estate agents and property specialists agree that if vendors spent as much time and money on preparing their property for sale as they spend improving a property they subsequently buy, they would find that their investment would be paid several times over with a more acceptable sale price in a shorter space of time. One of the ways in which vendors can improve the appeal and value of their home to buyers is by replacing old windows with new.
There are three ways in which replacement windows can improve the appeal and value of your home.
 Potential purchasers will appreciate new replacement windows, as not only do they make a house look more valuable, but are easier to clean and have the added benefit of being more energy efficient. If you can demonstrate to a potential purchaser that your property will be easier to maintain and cheaper to heat, it gives you an edge over every other house they will view. Furthermore, once they have seen your house with its brand new windows, any future properties they view will have to live up to, or exceed, the attractive exterior of your home.
Even if you are not considering selling your property in the near future, you can enjoy the same benefits of an improved appearance, lower maintenance and more fuel efficient home that come with replacement windows. With the money you can make in the long-term by having a more appealing home and the money you can save in the short term with lower fuel bills, shouldn`t you be taking this window of opportunity?
For more information about how replacement windows can improve the appeal and value of your home, speak with any local window fitters in London listed in our Tradesmen´s Directory, or use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page to attract window fitting quotes from tradesmen in your local area.
Tags: add value to your property, Cleaning Services, energy efficiency, find a window fitter, Fuel Bills, Home Improvements, Kerb Appeal, replacement windows, window fitters london, Windows and Doors
Posted in Improving the appeal and value of your home | Comments Off
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