Real Home ImprovementThe Home Improvement Blog with real advice

Get Underfloor Heating

Underfloor Heating is one of the most saught after perks to modern housing. It comes readily installed in new builds, but for those of you who have a home over 10 years old then chances are given the latest craze of underfloor heating imports that you do not have it. Perfect in all the bathrooms in your house, and most effective on tiled floooring, electric underfloor heating is an excellent way to improve the value of your home.

Get double glazing

Double glazing is a triple whammy because it makes your home completely secure, helps you save energy and money from your bills and also improves the overall (dependant on how much you pay) value on your home. Pretty much all flats you can rent including student accomodation use double glazing as a selling point of their homes. This is because it is modern, in most cases environmentally friendly and also cheaper in the long run than single glazed windows.

Apply a lick of paint

Those white and cream walls that you painted a year ago ain’t so white anymore – in fact as an example take a new white shirt and hold it against the wall and guarenteed your walls will not be that bright white colour. Of course, this home improvement blog isn’t recommending that you completely paint your whole house white! Ohhhh no, in fact paint it how you like – because personality to your home is key. Neutral colours are the best though.

So there we go – three simple (and 2 in cases pricey) ways of increasing the value of your home. All comments are welcome.

Metal Sheds

Living areas are for guests or friends the most important room of your house as it is what they will most probably spend the most time in (bedroom excluded as they will be asleep). Having a modern living space is one thing, and an eclectic one another, however for a living space to feel ‘homely’ then your best bet is to try and make one which is as cozy as possible to both you and your guests.

First of all it is important to decide for yourself how your living room is designed out right – so is it modern? With glass tables a corner sofa and 42″ LCD TV, or is it traditional with a big fabric lounging sofa wooden beams and traditional furniture? Your home might also be eclectic though with a mixture of both elements.

After you have decided this then there are a range of things you can do to make your living room more cozy. One of the best things for this is to use light dimmers to create a mood straight away and to also, where applicable, have a fireplace which is scuffed full of photographs and little ornaments which you may or may not have. Although more homely than cozy, this tip is built on the principle that your home should splash out your personality and not other peoples.

Scatter cushions and bean bags are also a great way to invite guests in to your home, and bean bags are actually highly looked upon by people as they usually associate them with childhood (thus bringing them at ease in a sense, a bit like a child does when they are content). Bean bags can be picked up at any home improvement store or there are a range of stores online which specialise in them.

Now lets talk colours: Cool light colors naturally enlarge the look of a space, and warm hues make a large space feel cozy and welcoming. Instead of painting or papering a living room in neutral or cool light colors, consult the warmer side of the color wheel and choose a color or a grouping of colors that will make the room feel warm and inviting. A rich shade of orange, amber or gold will help draw the walls inward while providing a cozy atmosphere to you and guests. Visit a local home improvement store, and take home sample jars of paint that will enable you to choose just the right colors to make your living room look as warm as it naturally feels.

Other ways in which you can make your living room more cozy are to have a fish tank, have a comfy and bouncy carpet, a fruit bowl ith plenty to offer, a magazine deck for all your newspapers and last but not least mirrors to put a visual perspective on how you look in your room.

Metal Sheds

Painting can be a gruelling and time consuming task. With many people skipping it and paying for a professional because they find it too boring, painting your interior walls can also be an expensive way of improving the value of your home.

But what if you are not actually looking for a professional and want to get stuck in your self? What if it is your first time painting interior walls and you want to get it just right? Well alas my friends, as Real Home Improvement has you covered!

Below is a list of the equipment you are going to need in order to fully create beautifully painted walls:

- Suitable interior paint of a colour you like

- Small brush (for cutting in)

- Large Brush (or a roller and tray)

- Fine sand paper (for if you paint something by mistake and need to take it off when dried)

- Damp cloth

- Masking Tape

And thats it! The equipment listed above is on an as needed basis, with sand paper not really being ‘required’ but recommended as an extra tool for removing dried paint.

First step

The first step to painting your interior walls properly is to prepare the wall first using a damp cloth or sugar soap which you can mix at home or buy from any megastore. This is to remove and dirt, grime, debris or cobwebs from the surface before any paint is applied. It is also hugely important that you move any furniture away from the wall being painted, although if you can not do this then cover all your furniture which might become damaged with dust sheets to protect them from your fingers or the odd splatter of paint flying from your brush. On sensitive or particular areas such as door frames use masking tape to cover the edges to create a clean straight look to your finish.

Second Step

The base coat you apply to your wall is the most important as it sets the overall tone of the higher layers. Using a big brush, or as many people pot for a roller, swiper up and down in the same direction until the wall is completely covered and leave to dry. Note: It is very important that your first layer is not too thick and you make sure that there are no ‘loose’ fibres from your paintbrush stuck to the wall. Leave the wall to dry for approximately 90 minutes (unless otherwise specified) and go make yourself a cup of tea, or better, grab a beer (just joking, RHI can not be held responsible for you painting drunk ).

Third Step

Once your wall has dried and its first coat is there for all its glory, it is important to step back and decide whether or whether not you will need to apply one or two more coats to get the finish you need (this will save you money or time). If you are happy to proceed, then again take your roller to your wall and paint away, paying particular attention not to get paint on the ceiling. After the second coat is on, you can now set to work with a smaller brush cutting in on the ceiling (squaring the finish off).

Whether you are replacing or re-fitting a loose brick or building a wall in your garden or house, laying a brick is a simple process and one which this article hopes to tone your skills. Remember that paying particular attention to basic principles will help you succeed with your project.

Gather your materials

It is important with any task that you gather all your required materials before hand; this is called proper preperation. To lay brick generally you need bricklayer trowels and bricklayer pointers, a bricklayer hammer, chisels, a bubble measurer and a mixing board. You will also need bricks .

Make your foundation

You should pour a concrete foundation if the place you are laying a brick or building the wall does not have an existing slab, brickledge or footing to work on. Your foundation must be level and below the grade of the finished ground so that the brick you have just layed is all you see when your wall is finished, it is hugely important that you also use a bubble leveler to make sure that your foundation is 100% flat.

Mix your masonry cement or mortar properly

This can be done in a wheelbarrow for small projects, or a mortar box if you don’t have access to a mortar mixer or cement mixer. Basically, to mix the mortar, you will use a ratio of three parts masonry sand (builders sand, if it is very clean), to one part masonry cement. Add water to the dry materials and mix to a consistancy like pudding. Too dry, and it will be difficult to “set” the brick in the mortar bed, too wet and the brick will sag.

Space and lay your mortar

Start at a corner, and using the trowel, scoop up mortar and place a 4 to 6 inch wide band on the footing or slab about 1 inch thick. Set a brick down in this “bed” of mortar, and tap it down with the handle of your trowel, until it is level, parallel to the line of your wall, and the edge is plumb. Repeat with 6 or 8 brick, using the edge of the trowel to cut away the excess mortar that is shoved out from under the brick as you go.

Place your brick

Place your brick on the mortar you have just spaced and layed, and push down on it so that any excess cement / mortar pretrudus from the side. Now take one of your tools and remove the excess cement at the sides, and place your bubble level on top of the brick to make sure the cement has leveled itself.

Patchett Joinery

Home Improvement Projects can be expensive, and dependant on your budget you can easily go over what you originally planned to spend. And so whether you are renovating to sell your home or have just moved in to your home, or even if you just want to make your home a nicer place to be, here are some of the best ways to save up for a home improvement project.

1. Cut down on luxuries

This can be difficult but if done intelligently very easy. All you need to do is eat out once a week less, buy supermarket brand rice instead of branded or even buy a smaller bottle of whiskey each week or month. There are so many things to cut down on that most of which you wouldn’t even consider a luxury – now I am not recommending not buying shampoo as to be honest thats a necessity, especially if you live in a hard water area, and I am also not suggesting that you never buy chocolate as there is nothing more annoying than needing chocolate and having none. Try to aim to save £100 over the space of a month.

2. Seek out second hand items

This is a double whammy. Not only can you save money during the project by doing this, but even when you have not fully committed to it, or not started it, purchasing a second hand desk to replace the year old one you just broke could save you a small fortune. There are loads of second hand stores to choose from, namely charity stores, and each of them would rip your arm off for a good price – especially during the recession. Try out some second hand stores and see what you think, i’ll bet you find some really good stuff.

3. Sell unused items

Saving money in places where you don’t need stuff is not the only thing you can do to save for a home improvement project – selling household items which you do not need or have been in the cellar for a decade is a good idea to raise needed cash. Car boot sales are a fantastic way to do this, and if you have ever seen a television show called Car Booty then you will recall some substantial turnover from these types of saving projects. Whats more, if you have any antique objects there are thousands of specialists across the UK to offer you a good price for your objects.

4. Plan the project ahead

When you have saved enough money to go through with your project then the last step is to save money on the contractor you hire. This is like dealing with mechanics—no two contractors are the same. Look for referrals from people you know. There is never any guarantee that a job will be done properly though, and referalls from people you know could play a key role. You should also try and shop around for materials you will need for the project, so whether those are taps or paint or door handles then rest assured there are a range of sites giving their best prices for you. If using the internet, type in the product name and serial number in to Google.

Patchett Joinery