Many people tend to want to buy a new build or a period home that the hard work has already been completed at. However, have you considered the benefits of buying a renovation project instead? Our article discusses why you should look to buy a fixer-upper instead of something ready done. 

Renovation Projects Tend To Be Cheaper To Buy

If you’re currently looking at the housing market, you will notice that prices are incredibly high. However, dependent on your budget, you might be able to bag a bargain – if you’re willing to put the work in. 

If your budget is £150,000, you could buy a house that’s ready to be moved in to for that price, or you could look for something that requires some work for considerably less. Moreover, this way, you can spend your money on getting your house to look exactly how you want it. 

Financing A Renovation Project

Houses are expensive investments, but worthy ones too. If you are a first-time buyer, you can ask for an additional amount from the bank for any renovation work you plan on carrying out. If you have sold a house to buy another, you can use some of the equity from the sale to fund the renovation instead. 

Get On The Housing Ladder

As house prices are increasing rapidly, there is no time like the present to get on the housing ladder. As renovation projects are typically cheaper, you won’t have to put as big of a deposit down. Hence, you will be able to get on the housing ladder sooner. Moreover, every day you own a property, every day it could be increasing in value too. 

Make It Your Own

As we have already mentioned, buying a renovation project means you can make your home completely your own. It provides you with a blank canvas. You can rip up carpets, pull out bathrooms and kitchens, scrape off wallpaper and start from scratch. 

The post Why Buy A Renovation Project? appeared first on Windows Manchester.

Living in a building site is taken quite literally during the process of a renovation as the house can end up in chaos. If preparation has not been carried out, even the smallest of renovations can result in dust and damage to the rest of the home. However, it’s easy to lessen the disruption and keep the dust at bay.

Isolate The Work

When renovating, try to focus on one room at a time. By doing so, you will isolate the work and the chaos to one area at a time. Hence, the dust, the noise and the disruption will be kept to a minimum meaning keeping a clean and tidy home will be more manageable.

If possible, carry out some of the work outside on dry days as this will keep the mess at bay and paint and chemicals out of your home.

Wear Protective Clothing During House Renovation

Dust collects anywhere and everywhere. So, if you’re walking through the home during the renovation, the dust will cling to you. Moreover, just like it does to the floors and furniture. 

Disposal overalls and protective shoe covers can help in preventing the dust from sticking to your clothes and shoes, and it being walked into other rooms. Moreover, these are cheap and easy to buy from DIY stores. 

Protect The Home Too

Not only does dust and dirt cling to you, but it will cling to your furniture and flooring too. In some circumstances, new carpet may be put down before the walls have had a fresh lick of paint. Hence, putting down protective carpet film or dust sheets is a must to ensure the flooring is protected. Dust sheets can also cover any furniture that is staying in the room too. 

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Most homeowners add a ground floor extension to their property and usually expand or relocate their kitchen into it. However, the cost of an extension can become extortionate quickly. Hence, we have some budget extension ideas to help you keep costs down whilst creating an extended space you will love. 

Materials For Your Budget Extension

Extensions usually consist of brick walls, concrete slabs to the floor, a timber or a flat roof, and concrete foundations. Using these materials can help to keep the cost down and allow you to achieve your budget extension whilst maintaining a high standard. 

It can be tempting to add other materials to the extension, like timber cladding. However, this can increase the price considerably.

Extension Shape

Whilst it can be tempting to add unusual angles and shapes to your home to increase modernity, keeping your extension simple can help to reduce costs. Your budget extension will also be easier and faster to install when it takes a rectangular shape. Don’t overcomplicate the structural shape – let the interior do the talking.

Once you have prioritised the shell of the building, light fittings and furniture can be considered. However, expensive adaptations to the interior should be avoided. 

What Layout Will Your Budget Extension Take?

Less is more. Simple is effective. Making the layout of the interior of your extension simple can be more cost-effective than trying to overcomplicate things. 

Draw out a plan of your extension and map out where your furniture or appliances will go to give you a better idea of the space you’re working with. Orientate the furniture to make clear walkways through the room. However, avoid making corridors with the furniture or particularly narrow spaces to keep the room looking bright and airy. 

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However, many homeowners don’t know how to make the most out of their vaulted ceilings or how to style them. Hence, this blog discusses the best ways to enhance the structural features of your home and how to ensure the vaulted ceilings of your rooms are stylish.

Painting the walls and ceilings a fresh white can keep things look sleek and crisp. Alternatively, adding a pop of colour can modernise the room for a more contemporary twist. Expose or hide the heritage features too to adjust the farmhouse feel.

Vaulted Ceilings Heritage Features

One of the most aesthetically pleasing ways to draw attention to vaulted ceilings is to show off their heritage features. Keep the exposed brickwork and the wooden beams on show instead of hiding them away. 

Heritage features like these are a great way of adding character to a property through natural decor. However, some homes may need the brickwork or beams restoring first, which can sometimes be costly. 

Moreover, these features can frame the room. Structural beams can enhance the appearance of windows, support the ceiling and retain the silhouette of the room. 

Minimalistic Vaulted Ceilings

If you’re wanting to achieve a more simple look, focus on the basics, especially if you don’t have any period features to enhance. 

Plaster over the walls and paint them a crisp white to keep the room looking minimalistic and fresh. Moreover, doing so means you can style the room however you like with furniture. 

Panelling

Adding panels to the ceilings can amplify its appearance by sprucing up what would otherwise be a plain, plastered ceiling. 

Fitting spotlights within can also add a finishing touch, brightening up the angled space. The panels will also hide any electrical or structural features neatly. 

Furthermore, the panelling can be rustic wood or plastic to add texture, decor and personality to the space. 

The post How To Make The Most Out Of Vaulted Ceilings appeared first on Windows Manchester.

It is a piece of government legislation that protects homeowners who have a property that is adjoined to another. These properties include terraced houses, semi-detached homes, flats or apartments. 

The Party Wall Act can help to resolve any disputes between neighbours that involve boundary walls and fences, structures and excavation work. 

Hence, if you intend on carrying out any work on or near a wall that adjoins to another, a Party Wall Notice should be drawn up and presented to the neighbour. 

Once the notice is served, the neighbour has the chance to permit or reject the work. Only when consent is given can an Agreement be drawn up. 

Types Of Work

• Work on garden walls and fences
• Any repairs to adjoining walls
• Demolishing an adjoining wall or rebuilding it
• Excavation work
• Loft or basement conversions
• Garage conversions
• Damp proof courses
• Building a second-storey extension to a party wall

The likes of replastering, drilling and cutting in or channelling out walls are often considered too minor to consult the neighbour about. 

Issuing A Party Wall Notice

The homeowner should discuss the planned works with the affected neighbours. Hence, doing so will prevent misunderstandings and disputes.

Once they are aware of the plans, a Notice can be issued alongside the Agreement. Including a copy of the Party Wall Act 1996 may also be beneficial. 

Within the documents, the homeowner’s contact information, a detailed report of the planned works, the date for commencement and any access requirements should be included. 

The Notice should be served between two months and one year of the work being carried out. Moreover, the Notice is valid for one year from the date it is served too. Otherwise, a new Notice will need to be issued. 

Receiving A Party Wall Notice

The adjoining homeowner can provide consent in writing, serve a counter-notice requesting some changes, refuse to consent or do nothing. 

When Can Work Begin?

Once consent has been given from the adjoining homeowner or an agreement has been made, work can begin. 

However, if the Notice is rejected then a dispute resolution needs to be actioned.

The post What Is The Party Wall Act? appeared first on Windows Manchester.

Moreover, loft conversions can increase the value of your home and can prevent you from needing to move to benefit from more space anyway. 

Rather than using your loft as a storage place for clutter, why not make use of it as an extra room? Here we have some ideas for fun loft conversions. 

Playroom Loft Conversion

Have you got children? If so, their toys will properly be scattered across the house, under furniture and in cupboards. Moreover, it probably feels impossible to keep your home clean and tidy because of the toys. Instead of letting it take over the home, why not add a playroom? 

Converting the loft to a playroom will allow the children to have their own space and a room of their own to play in. It will keep all the toys out of the way. Plus, they can be as loud as they want up there too. 

Cinema Room

If you’re looking for a more relaxing transformation of your loft, why not convert it into a cinema room? Add a widescreen TV or a projector and a screen, some comfy chairs or sofa’s and a surround sound system for the ultimate experience. 

Subtle, dim lighting can help to set the tone and create the ideal ambience for your luxurious cinema room too. 

Games Room

Similar to a playroom for the children, set up a games room for the big kids too. Set up all your games and gadgets in there, like a pool table, dartboard, football table or jukebox to create a relaxed environment. 

Studio Loft Conversion

Perhaps you have a musical or an artistic and creative talent. So tailor your loft conversion to suit your hobbies. 

A recording studio might be ideal for you if you’re a musician. Utilise the sloping walls and ceilings for the acoustics. You might want to soundproof the room though to ensure you don’t disturb the rest of the house or the neighbours.

If you’re arty, why not set up an art studio up there? Ensure the room is bright and light to allow you to create your artwork in natural light. 

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By doing so, you can make your property as smooth or as textured as you require on the outside. On the other hand, applying a coat of cement to internal walls is known as plastering. But why should you render your home? 

Render To Improve The Appearance Of Your Home

First impressions make a huge difference. Moreover, rendering can make a home look more appealing and modern. It can enhance the curb appeal of your home and add a sense of luxury. 

Furthermore, if you are considering selling your home in the future, render will attract potential buyers. There is a wide range of colours, textures and finishes available for the render, meaning you can customise the style of your home. 

Poor brickwork or a mixture of masonry can be hidden with rendering. Moreover, render can tie in new additions of the home to the old structure – making newer extensions blend in. 

The home’s appearance can therefore be transformed to look more fresh and crisp. Rendering can prevent cracking of walls too and prevents the need for painting externally! 

Improve Thermal Performance

Rendering can act as an external insulation system if your home is draughty or if you can’t insulate internally. Hence, render can improve the thermal performance of your home’s solid walls and enhance energy efficiency. 

Moreover, rendering keeps your walls weather-resistant against the elements. It protects the walls against water ingress and prevents damp penetration. Furthermore, render can let your walls breathe. 

Summary

Rendering your home can be costly, but the benefits of doing so are worth it. It is durable and provides longevity as well as weatherproofing your property. It’s also fire resistant in some cases and improves the overall aesthetic of your home. 

The post Should I Render My Home? appeared first on Windows Manchester.

Many people opt to hire a painter and decorator to decorate for them. But doing it yourself can save you money and help you put your stamp on your home. 

If you’re a novice, then use this simple guide to help you get your hands dirty and successfully decorate your home. 

Planning Your Design

Before you get down to the nitty-gritty, you need a careful and thorough plan of how you want to decorate your home. 

You might have an idea of the colour scheme you are hoping to achieve. You might have pieces of furniture you are planning on incorporating. Create a mood board on paper or on your phone to plan out your décor. 

Colour Choices 

When you decide to decorate your home, picking the perfect colour can be difficult. The colour of your dreams might not be ideal for the room. You need to consider: 

• The size of your room
• The direction that your room faces
• The furniture you have or want
• The colour your thinking of

Each colour has different shades, which have underlying tones and hues. Are you hoping to achieve a cold space or a warm space? 

No room has just one colour. Furthermore, the paintwork usually incorporates the main colour of the room. But paintwork only contributes to 60% of the room. 

Around 30% of the room uses a secondary colour. Usually, this takes the form of a feature wall, flooring, ceilings, and so on. 

However, don’t mix the colours up too much when decorating your home. Instead, create a cohesive feel within the room, and more importantly, within the home. 

Choose three complementary colours and use them throughout the home to tie the rooms together. Furthermore, maintain consistency. 

Decorate Your Home With Furniture Choice And Placement

Pulling your furniture out from the wall can make a huge difference when you decorate your home. 

Many people think that pushing the furniture up to the wall creates more space within the room. However, this is not the case. 

Moreover, allowing your furniture to float and gravitate towards the centre of the room can help to group the pieces. Allow your furniture space to breathe. 

Decorate Your Home With Light Fittings

Light fittings are usually an afterthought when decorating your home. Make them more centre of attention. 

Using your light fitting as a statement piece can transform the design of your room. Many people would previously opt for chandelier style lights. Nowadays, there’s much more choice.

Moreover, try a dimmer switch in some rooms. Doing so will allow you to change the mood of a room at the touch of a button. 

Introduce Texture and Materials

If you’re looking to add dimension when you decorate your home, add some texture. Introduce a rug to the floor or add some scatter cushions to your sofa or bed.

Furthermore, shapes can also add interest to a room – so invest in a funky coffee table for something more eye-catching or a piece of wall art. 

When adding wall-art or mirrors, choose wisely. If you’re installing them on large, bare walls – they’ll drown in the space. Instead, go big. Add a collage of photos or art pieces to a wall, or invest in a large mirror that will fill most of the space. 

Floating shelves can also enhance a large room, as well as busy wallpaper. 

Summary

Centre each room around a few key pieces when you decorate your home. Furthermore, decorate your home by focusing on colours, materials and textures that tie together.

The post How To Decorate Your Home For Beginner’s appeared first on Windows Manchester.

Once installed, bi-folding doors need very little maintaining. Other than cleaning them, bi-folds need to be kept free of debris in their tracks. If they are timber-clad, they will also need treating as per other wooden furniture.

Bi-Folds Are Long-Lasting

Furthermore, aluminium bi-folds are hardwearing and can last for around 45 years. Their longevity is a benefit and makes bi-folds a worthy investment. 

The investment is also worthy as if you decide to sell your home, bi-folds can boost the value of your home. 

Bi-Folding Doors Are Aesthetically Pleasing

Bi-folds are modern and contemporary and add elegance to any home. Furthermore, they can sit at the back of an extension or on the corner. Moreover, they can be installed in your kitchen, overlooking your garden. These doors look seamless and open up the room to the outdoors.

Bi-Folds Are Energy-Efficient

Not only are they pleasing to the eye, but bi-folding doors allow large amounts of natural light into a room. Their large panes of glass let the sunlight shine through all day long.

As bi-folding doors are mainly glass, they will capture the maximum amount of sunlight. Moreover, this will make your home feel warm and bright – even in the winter months with the winter sunshine. 

Bi-Folding Doors Are Space Saving

One of the main selling points of a bi-folding door is that they don’t swing inwards or outwards. They fold onto themselves instead and are compact. Furthermore, this is ideal for smaller rooms as no space is needed to accommodate the door.

Bi-Folds Offer High Levels Of Security

Another benefit of a bi-folding door is that they offer high levels of security. There are multiple points on the door that can lock. Bi-folds are unlike French and sliding doors, which usually only have one locking mechanism. 

Moreover, some bi-folds have panel-catch technology. Therefore, the door cannot blow shut or accidentally close.

Summary

Bi-folding doors have countless benefits and are one of the most versatile options currently on the market. 

The post What Are The Benefits Of Bi-Folding Doors? appeared first on Windows Manchester.

There are several varieties of the kitchen extension. From combining adjoining rooms to re-building the kitchen. Or from adding a conservatory to building down into the basement. 

Creating A Thoughtful Kitchen Extension Layout

A lot of kitchen extensions are now open-plan and extend into the back garden. They can often take inspiration from orangeries.

Extending to the side can also be beneficial when you want to keep your garden space. 

One kitchen extension idea is to utilise storage space. Large, tall cupboards can create plenty of useable storage. Open shelving systems ensure the items you most often use are to hand when you need them – ideal for family homes. 

Extending Into The Outside

Expansive glass doors and skylights can help to fill the space with natural light. Thus, bringing the outside indoors.  

Kitchen extensions benefit from losing a wall and installing glass panels or doors. Sliding or bi-folding doors can open the space to unite the two areas in summer and allow plenty of natural light in winter.

A seamless flow into the garden can prevent a small kitchen from feeling enclosed. Instead, the kitchen extension feels open and airy.  

Mixing Materials In Your Kitchen Extension

Leaving bricks exposed on the inside will give your extension character and warmth. Irregularity of colour and texture will pick up other tones throughout the room too. 

Splashes of colour to the furnishings and even to the wall can lift the kitchen extension too. 

As an alternative, you could unify with a theme. Another kitchen extension idea is to use a single material throughout to keep an open feel. For example, wood works well in a country kitchen. A breakfast bar, seating area and dining space can all incorporate and unite the scheme. 

Creating A Multi-Purpose Space 

More and more people are now living, dining and working from their kitchens. The open-plan kitchen is the epicentre for modern living in new builds and period homes.  

You could create distinct and separate zones for cooking, dining and relaxing. Use a central island to divide the room, or add a breakfast bar to make the space more social. Kitchens can have colour-coded areas to reflect the multi-function of the living space. 

Summary 

Kitchen extensions can cost a lot of money and take time, thought and consideration. Yet, they have the potential to transform your home. They can boost your floorspace and have the potential to increase your home’s value. After all, kitchens are the heart of our home. 

The post How To Maximise The Potential Of Your Kitchen Extension appeared first on Windows Manchester.