Easy Ways to Reduce your Home Heating Oil Bill

For many homeowners, the winter months bring concerns about how they are going to stay warm. For those of you who use heating oil, I have put together this article. In it, I quickly explain how you can keep your heating oil bills under control.

Get your order in before everyone else does

Unfortunately, my first tip is not one that you can use this year. However, it is certainly something that you can put into action for next winter. Whenever you can, buy your heating oil before the winter rush. Most home heating oil firms get very busy in the winter months, so offer good deals to those customers who order at other times of the year.

Look after your boiler

You need to get your boiler serviced on a regular basis to keep it working efficiently. An un-serviced oil boiler will always burn more fuel than one that has been properly maintained. It will also generate fewer harmful fumes, so having your boiler serviced on a regular basis is also important for your family’s health.

Insulate your home

Without good insulation, there is no way you can keep your heating oil bill in check. This is because most of the heat you generate will just leak away through the roof, windows, doors and walls.

It is important to realise that some parts of the home are leakier than others are. Understanding this will help you to target your efforts and prioritise insulating those areas where most of the heat is lost. Because around 25% of the heat that leaves a home does so through the roof, you need to insulate your loft space as a matter of urgency.

Stop the draughts

Filling in gaps around your doors and windows will also help to stop heat from leaking from your rooms. It is not difficult to do this using insulation tape and draught excluders. This video shows you an easy way to do this.

Turn down your thermostat

Ensuring that your thermostat is not set too high will also help you to keep your fuel bills under control. It is also important to check that it is still functioning properly. Turning your thermostat down by just one degree can make a huge difference to your overall fuel bill.

Sometimes the boiler also has a thermostat. Letting your service engineer check and adjust this thermostat can also help you to reduce your heating oil bill.

Shut the doors

Keeping the heat that you generate in the room that you want to heat is important. You need to get everyone into the habit of shutting the door behind him or her. There really is no point in heating the hallway or corridor.

None of the above tips is expensive or hard to implement. Yet, they will all save you money. That is cash you could potentially invest in buying energy saving devices like smart meters or thermostats. Technology that will help you to reduce your heating bills even more.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/03/reduce-home-heating-oil-bill.html

Top 3 Home Improvements That Can Increase Your Property Valuation

As we start to approach Spring I thought I would write about the top 3 ways to increase your homes value with DIY updates. 

Spring time is a great time of year to dust off those tools and start making some alterations after the terrible winter we went through this year.

I recently interviewed several property buying company’s to see what home additions add the most value when they consider buying or selling a property. 

I then used online property valuation tools such as ones from https://www.propertycashbuyers.com/online-property-valuation/ to see the values before and after improvements.

Here are the top 3 home improvements, based on return on investment, they suggested homeowners make if they wanted to make the property more valuable.

#5 Changing your kitchen door fronts to revamp a tired kitchen.

If your kitchen is looking tired than spending a small amount on replacing kitchen doors can transform a room. Most kitchens have standard units so buying new door fronts and handles can make the kitchen look brand new. 

Changing 12 doors will normally cost around £360 and several companies told me it could add between £3,000-£6,000 to your property value.

#4 Paint the walls in neutral colors to help sell a property quicker.

The next most popular response from our panel was to repaint all the home in neutral colours. This is especially true in living rooms, kitchens and dining areas. The overall feedback was that loud colours often make a property less appealing and could affect the property value due to some vibrant colours not being to everyone’s taste.

Consider toning down colours but retaining a personal feel with colourfull paintings or furniture as these can be easily changed and still make the room intone with your personal taste.

#3 Increasing a home’s valuation by clearning the garden

Now that we are entering Spring it is a perfect time to action this tip. Often the garden is overlooked during the winter months and we are all sometimes guilty of getting used to things. The cheapest improvement suggested was to just ensure the grass and hedges are trimmed as it makes the garden look larger more inviting. A slightly more expensive suggestion was to layer the garden which gives a greater sense of depth. The obvious logic behind this is larger gardens are more appealing to families which are normally the biggest market in your quest to sell a property.

#2 Replacing the bathroom in your property

Whilst this improvement is a little costlier it pays for itself several times over. The professional property buyers told me that if they buy an old property the first thing they do is replace the bathroom. 

Because the bathroom is often heavily used it get start to look tired very quickly. Bathrooms are also the most common room in a property to suffer from mold and damp which can be very off-putting for potential buyers. After researching a little online I found the average cost to replace a bathroom was around £2,000 including labour.

The companies I spoke with told me they would normally offer around £3,000-£4,000 more for a property which had a brand new bathroom fitted so this tip not only pays for itself but gives you a room you can enjoy.

#1 The best home improvement you can make to increase a properties valueis splitting one bedroom into two.

Out of all the feedback gathered from industry professionals they all said adding another bedroom increased a properties value by up to £10,000-£15,000.

This is especially true in 2 bedroom properties where most families want 3 bedrooms for a growing family or the flexibility to have a home office or guest room.

The easiest way to create an additional bedroom without the huge cost of building an extension was to split the often large front bedroom into two with a petition wall. It can be surprisingly easy to achieve by constructing a wall down the center of the room and a small hallway connecting each room.

You can find low cost builders from websites such as www.mybuilder.com and initial research estimates the cost to be between £1000-£5000 including all labour and materials.

I hope you enjoyed this article and please post any questions of comments below along with sharing on social media.

Writer – Amanda is a property and home improvement blogger who has been buying and refurbishing properties along with documenting her journey to help other homeowners.
You can read more of her articles on decordecoratinganddesign.com.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/03/top-home-improvements.html

How to Avoid Hiring Cowboy Builders

Sometimes when you are looking in the telephone book or online for a contractor, it can seem like you are playing a game of Russian roulette. You don’t know if you are really calling a professional tradesperson to come to your home or business to do a repair or construction job or if you are contacting a cowboy builder that will end up ripping you off in some way.

If you are looking for a contractor to perform construction and/or trade work for you, here is how you can make sure you avoid hiring a cowboy builder.

Ask for Builders’ Insurance Information

A reputable builder will normally carry a copy of the builders’ insurance policy information on them or in their vehicle. This type of insurance is invaluable as it protects you and your property from damage resulting from the work the builder is performing for you. You need to make sure the insurance policy covers the type of work they intend to do for you.
If a builder does not have this information on them, you should demand a copy of the policy terms before you allow them to start work and before you give them money for any reason like buying supplies and materials.
It may also help to read up on what insurance builders require so you know what to look for when hiring. 

Ask about Trade Association Memberships 

Builders and contractors often belong to trade associations that provide them with things like on-going training programs and industry connections they can call whenever they have a problem or issue. Find out if the builder belongs to any associations and get the name and contact information of the associations.
Builder and trade associations seek to protect the reputations of the organisations by not allowing disreputable people or companies from becoming or staying a member. You should check with any associations the builder claims to belong to and verify the builders’ standing and reputation. You should also check with industry oversight organisations such as Trading Standard and TrustMark to make sure the builder is in good standing and that there are not any complaints lodged against them.

References

A reputable builder will always have good references that they can give you to provide details on the type of work they have done for others. The references should include a contact name, telephone number, address, and the type of work performed. You need to call the references to make sure they are not fictitious. You should also ask a reference or two if you can come by sometime soon before the builder starts working for you so you can personally check out the work they did for the people providing the reference.

Online Reviews

There are websitesin the UK that focus on online reviews from consumers about builders and contractors. The reviews are done by people who have had a relationship with a company and can give their honest assessment about what they thought about the work and the cost of the work. The websites are good to use to track down information on the builder you are considering using for your project at your home or business. If the builder you are considering using has a lot of bad reviews, you’ll want to avoid using them.

The nice thing about these website reviews is that you’ll also be able to read reviews about builders who do great work for a good price. If the builder you are considered using doesn’t seem to live up to what they have promised others, you can call one of the other builders with good reviews to have them perform the work for you.

If you want to stay secure, check on the things listed above to make sure you are not hiring a cowboy builder who will most likely rip you off.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/03/how-to-avoid-hiring-cowboy-builders.html

5 Qualities to Look for in a Carpenter

Looking to hire a professional to work in your personal abode can be daunting, especially since workers will be most likely be coming in and out of your home. There are many attributes of a craftsperson that you need to be on the lookout for if nothing but the best will do. 

Being skilful at the craft goes beyond saying. A carpenter should be good at what he or she does, be exemplary at mathematics to equate all the measurements involved in the project, and be current on technologies that are used in the field. 

But what other qualities should a home owner seek out in a potential carpenter?

1. Credentials

There are a few different elements that are factored into this category. Proper training, schooling, and experience are necessary, having good carpenters insurance is vital also. Insurance protects both the home owner and the workers themselves, as well as damages. Because accidents can happen frequently in this type of job, insurance cannot be overlooked.

Ask about a carpenter's licenses and certifications too, which will ensure that he or she is qualified for the position. In order to gauge the past performance of a carpenter, ask for references and be sure to contact them.

2. Dedication

A carpenter who dedicates him or herself to your job utilises good time management. In the best scenario, there are never too many jobs going on at once, so yours can be completed in an appropriate time frame. Unfortunately, carpenters have gotten a bad rap when it come to this, but someone who is good will be available during most circumstances. As in any profession, if a worker dedicates him or herself thoroughly on the job, success will surely be achieved. 

3. Honesty/Communication

These are two qualities that are lumped together because communication is very important, yes, but must be truthful in order to be effective. A carpenter can talk to you until he or she is blue in the face, but if it is all lies, then it doesn’t really matter. Dishonesty is unfortunately quite prevalent in business; good carpenters deliver as promised, and when this becomes impossible, negotiates with clients early to determine the most appropriate route to take. 

4. Strength

Physical stamina is important for using and relocating heavy materials. During work time, he or she will need to keep up with the physical demands of the job, often standing and walking around and assuming awkward positions for long stretches. Mental strength and critical thinking skills are also paramount, as there is a certain amount of improvisation that can be involved in carpentry when certain tools or materials suddenly become unavailable or perhaps if there are issues with the terrain. Problem-solving critical thinking skills must be employed in a timely manner without sacrificing quality.

5. Fair Pricing

Services provided by the carpenter should be priced according to the job itself, not necessarily the demand for carpentry work. Obviously, the rules of supply-and-demand are going to play a role, but no charges should be too exorbitant. A good carpenter will offer a bid proposal a be rigorous about keeping to that document.

Overall, an effective carpenter is one who exhibits these five elements and can perform a job without issue. He or she displays exemplary credentials (including carpenter’s insurance, proper licenses, and admirable references), unwavering dedication to the job along with time-management skills, honest communication with the client, physical and mental strength, and can price a job fairly. When a person is brought on to work in the household, it can be a very personal experience, so it is imperative to have the right team of workers on the job.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/03/qualities-carpenter.html

How Smart is your Smart Meter

What is a smart meter and how do they work?

Smart Meters are an advanced type of smart energy meter. Fitted to your electricity supply, the smart meter is in constant contact with your energy supplier sending readings automatically so you don’t have to. Thanks to smart meters, your bills are accurate rather than estimated and you always just pay for the energy you use, rather than what you have been ‘estimated’ to use. With a smart energy meter you can monitor your energy usage in real time through an innovative monitor in your home which is connected wirelessly to the smart meter. You can find out more about smart meters here.

How smart is your smart meter?

As the roll out of smart meters continues across the country with the UK on course to achieve the target of 80% of homes being fitted with a smart meter by 2020 I am taking a little bit of time to look at how ‘smart’ a smart meter really is. So, how do smart meters work and what do you need to know about them?

How does my smart meter work?

Just like a traditional meter, smart meters measure and record the total energy you use in your home.The ‘smart’ element comes in as they use radio waves (like your mobile phone or WiFi) to send the information they collect back to our energy supplier. This allows your supplier to collect readings remotely.

There are a couple of main components in this system:

1.     The Home Area Network, or HAN, links your smart meter fitted to your energy supply with an in-home display. This smart display lets you view your energy usage in real time. It tells you when you are using energy and how much it is costing you.

2.     A communications module. This facilitates communication between your meter and utility company so that there’s no need for anyone to come to your home and check things. 

Your smart meter send your usage data back in short, intermittent bursts whilst the in-home display also shows historical energy consumption, allowing you to measure your current energy usage against previous usage.

The benefits of installing a smart meter

Both the major energy companies and the government, who are rolling out smart meters together, they have the following benefits:

➢     A smart meter can provide you with accurate, and real time information about your homes energy usage.

➢     Help energy consumers make more informed choices and behaviours with regards to their energy usage/ behaviour.

➢     Gives you the option to be more flexible with your heating settings.

➢     Ends estimated billing, after installing a smart meter you will only pay for the energy you use so there are no more nasty surprises.

Rolling out smarter meters

As mentioned before, offering smart meters to customers across the UK will be mandatory. At the same time, the roll out will also include strict consumer protection rules designed to ensure the safety of customer data. There will be rules around:

➢     Access to consumer data and privacy.

➢     Consumer data security.

➢     Technical standards for in home monitors and smart meters.

➢     Meeting the needs of vulnerable customers.

➢     Installers will not be able to sell to consumers during installation visits, unless the customer has given prior consent. 

What will my smart meter cost me?

Individual smart meters cost around £215, though there will be no upfront costs for having your smart meter installed. Instead you will pay a little extra through your energy bills as you do now with your current meter.

Can I say no to my smart meter?

There are reasons why you might not want to install a smart meter in your home. If you decide you don’t want to have a smart meter, you can refuse one. Though energy companies must take all reasonable steps to install a smart meter in each home, you can refuse entry and refuse the installation of a smart meter.

If you don’t want a smart meter in your home, contact your energy supplier and let them know. Instead they will either replace your current meter with a newer ‘dumb’ meter or a smart meter which is set to work in ‘dumb’ mode. This means that the communications mode is switched off and no data will be communicated back to your supplier.

What is the evidence smart meters can help?

As smart meters have been rolled across the country they have come in for criticism. It has been estimated that the average saving for a dual fuel bill will be just £26 a year. These new meters won’t save you money in and of themselves. Rather, the idea behind them is to give you information to encourage changes in your behaviour which will lead you to reduce energy bills.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/03/How-Smart-Meter.html

The Different Types of Paving for Outdoor Landscaping

Landscape design is something most people can tackle if they have the time and money. It’s really not that difficult to dig up a lawn and replace it with stone paving from infinitepaving.com. The other option is to hire a contractor to lay a patio or pathway, but before you do either, it is essential that you know your options.

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There are many different types of stone and paving materials. They all have their pros and cons. Some are inexpensive, but not long-lasting, whereas others are a bigger investment and will look good for 20 years or more. It all comes down to your budget and how you want your garden to look, so here is a quick guide to the most popular types of paving materials.

Natural Stone

Natural stone paving is enduring and attractive. It is also rather expensive, but if you want a paved area in your garden that is going to stand the test of time, limestone, granite or York stone is a good choice. Natural stone is available in many different colours. Granite is often darker, but limestone paving can be pale cream, grey, beige or blue-grey. Natural stone looks beautiful wet or dry, so it is perfect for larger patio areas.

Indian stone is an inexpensive alternative if your budget won’t stretch to limestone or granite. Indian stone comes in many different colours and is available from most paving outlets.

Slate

Slate is hardwearing and attractive. It can be cut to fit awkward areas, or broken up into small chunks and used as weed control in borders and between larger paving stones. Blue slatelooks beautiful when it’s wet, but it will chip and flake away over time, so it isn’t suitable for exposed areas and pathways.

Concrete Paving

Concrete paving is a budget choice for homeowners looking for a cheap and cheerful patio. Concrete paving is available in a range of colours, shapes and sizes. This style of paving lacks the unique patterns and texture of natural paving materials, but the uniform size of each paving slab makes it easy to install. 

Concrete cobbles are an alternative if you want to create a cobblestone effect. Wet concrete is moulded to look like cobblestones. Colour is added to the mix for a more authentic look. It looks surprisingly effective and is very long-lasting.

Gravel and Stone Chips

Gravel and stone chips are great for pathways and uneven areas. It’s an inexpensive and quick way to create a patio or walkway, but you will need to use a good foundation with weed control membrane, or you will have a problem keeping on top of the weeds.

Brick Paving

Brick paving looks lovely, but again, weeds can be an issue. It’s important to treat the area with an effective weed control program, or your blockpaving patio won’t stay weed free for long.

Consider your budget and work out how much paving you need for your garden. To save money, lay your own paving.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/03/different-types-paving.html