Gas Fires in Tamworth ~ Gas Fires in the UK ~ Electric Fires in Tamworth ~ Electric Fires in the UK ~ Premier Fireplace in the UK ~ Marble Fireplaces ~ Lime Stone Fireplaces ~ Tamworth Fireplaces ~ Plumbing and Heating
News - Installing fireplaces that will last them a number of years.
Many people are future-proofing their properties and making them suitable for later life, it has been claimed. The editor of Build It magazine, said "sensible" homeowners are making improvements and installing fireplaces that will last them a number of years.
"In this time of austerity, people are thinking more about their future and thinking about how they will afford to live once retired et cetera," she explained.
Research carried out by Moneysupermarket found that 16 per cent of Britons spent money on home improvements over bank holiday weekends. Furthermore, it was revealed that 21 per cent of homeowners have borrowed money for improvements in the past, with the average loan value being £14,037.
The editor went on to say she is not surprised at the amount being borrowed by homeowners, as major improvements "of course cost money".
News - UK homeowners to invest in improvements such as a new fireplace so as to add value to their properties.
Fireplaces can not only help boost the value of a home, but they can also keep occupants fit and healthy, a newly-published paper suggests. According to research carried out by the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health on behalf of Friends of the Earth, cold housing is still a major problem, even in 21st-century Britain. Indeed, the study found that illnesses caused by cold housing cost the NHS £145 million a year, mainly due to the need to treat people for respiratory illnesses and hypothermia.
Furthermore, the institute's head of policy David Kidney has noted that this figure is likely to be just "the tip of the iceberg", with a definitive cost to the health service hard to nail down due to the difficulty of linking cold homes with a wide range of illnesses.
Commenting, Friends of the Earth's warm home campaigner Dave Timms said that it is "shocking" that people still have to put up with homes with cold rooms, suggesting property owners invest in good-quality insulation in order to address the problem.
This comes in the same week that MyHammer's Jim Hustwit advised UK homeowners to invest in improvements such as a new fireplace so as to add value to their properties.
News - Installations of features such as a gas fireplace are better left to professional tradesmen.
Undertaking home improvements without the input of a professional can help save money, but it can also result in a poor quality finish and be more costly when involving complicated work.
Installations of features such as a gas fireplace are better left to professional tradesmen as their expertise will not only guarantee safety for users, but also minimise the need for remedial work due to poor execution.
DIY has long been associated with men, but Britain's women are against their partners meddling, with 61 per cent admitting in a poll that they would rather call in a professional than have them doing the work. According to the study by MyHammer, nearly half of the women questioned dread their partner doing any DIY, while 58 per cent said they could only rely on them for the very basic tasks.
MyHammer's Gerrit Mueller said: "If you are not terribly skilled it can be more cost effective to pay for work to be done to be sure of a professional job and save money in the long run.
News - Fireplaces and surrounds are a great way to add 'wow' factor to a home.
Stylish gas fireplaces can be obtained from specialist retailers, some of whom may provide professional fitters. Homeowners planning to install fireplaces and surrounds to add value to their homes should consider investing in high-quality materials for long-term benefits. For instance, a marble or limestone fireplace surround will likely hold up better than those made from cheaper materials, as well as requiring less maintenance.
"When upgrading building materials, look for options that require little maintenance and have a high perceived value," it explained.
Fireplaces and surrounds are a great way to add 'wow' factor to a home. James Hardie lists landscaping and refinished flooring as other home improvements that can leave an instant impression on potential buyers.
