With the UK in the grip of another cold plunge of Arctic air, most of us are retreating indoors to get cosy. The northerly airflow has brought very cold conditions for the whole country, with snow showers and frost for many areas at times, as well as a number of severe weather warnings for the coming days. It’s not just …
Owning a home can feel like constant work to keep on top of maintenance and odd jobs to keep it ticking over, but some things need more urgent attention than others. Hairline cracks in settling plaster may be unsightly, but they’re probably nothing to worry about, while larger horizontal cracks in exterior brickwork are certainly something to have looked at …
Warmer temperatures are certainly a welcome sign of spring for most of us, and if you’ve started to notice bumble bees and butterflies making an appearance, you might bear in mind they’re not the only insects emerging after winter. Woodworm too are beginning to emerge from timber in order to start mating and laying their eggs, and will usually be …
We all know that damp in our homes is a problem to be avoided. However, a recent study has revealed that more than a fifth of homes in the UK suffer from damp and that 24% of those surveyed did not understand why it occurred. With an increasing number of people choosing to turn on their heating less this winter, …
When you’re looking to make what will likely be the biggest purchase of your life, you’ll want to do your research and weigh up all those pros and cons. And in terms of home buying, that often includes the dilemma between new build and period property. There are certainly a number of particular benefits for each type of property, and …
The average house price in the UK rose by 15.5% in the year to July 2022, which equates to an increase of £39,000 compared to this time last year. In England, the average house price climbed to £312,000, in Wales the average shot up by 17.6% to £220,000, while in Scotland and Northern Ireland the figures rose to £193,000 (a …
With continued momentum in the housing market keeping prices steadily rising and competition fierce, it’s no wonder some home owners are seeking creative solutions to their housing needs instead of moving. The government’s announcement that stamp duty will permanently change will no doubt keep the market buoyant too, with the threshold at which buyers have to pay the duty rising …
So you’ve spent hours searching listings, been on viewing after viewing, and you’ve finally found your dream home. Once the excitement of having an offer accepted has passed though, you’ll need to set about the practicalities of the next steps in the process. And before you go much further, you really need to think about a survey. A property survey …
When it comes to home maintenance, we’re usually bombarded with advice to insulate everything within an inch of its life, sealing up our homes at all costs. This isn’t necessarily the best course of action though if you live in a period property. In fact, one of the most important things to understand about heritage buildings is that they need to …
Whether it comes up on the homebuyer’s survey of your dream house, or you’re seeing signs in the property you’ve settled in and made your home, damp can strike fear into most of us, and often for good reason! Left unchecked, damp can cause all manner of issues, from superficial damage to decor, to moulds which can affect our health, …
