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INTRODUCTION<br />
www.homemoverspack.info<br />
Where do you start?<br />
Moving house is notoriously<br />
stressful, but it doesn’t<br />
have to be that way! With<br />
good preparation and planning<br />
you can make it easier. It’s hard<br />
to know where to start as there<br />
are so many things to think about –<br />
packing is just a small part of<br />
the process.<br />
The key to a successful move is<br />
to ensure that you are as organised<br />
as you possibly can be. Something<br />
as huge as moving an entire family,<br />
as well as the contents of a big<br />
house, in one day is no easy feat<br />
for anybody!<br />
One of the most important things<br />
to remember when moving house<br />
is to plan ahead.<br />
This guide will tell you everything<br />
you need to know about what to<br />
expect on the day, once you’re in,<br />
and other important aspects such<br />
as decor and furnishing ideas.<br />
Sit down and take the stress out<br />
of your move with these top tips on<br />
making it go smoothly.<br />
Above all, try to enjoy the<br />
experience. It may seem, daunting<br />
at the outset, but remember to<br />
keep the reasons behind the<br />
move in focus.<br />
Once you’re all packed up<br />
and have survived moving day,<br />
everything else should start falling<br />
into place with a little guidance.<br />
Good luck!<br />
04
PLANNING AHEAD<br />
It’s all in the planning<br />
Whether you’re moving into a newly rented apartment or a home that<br />
you’ve saved up for yourself, you’ll have to deal with one stressful<br />
certainty: moving day. It creeps up on you with unnerving stealth, and<br />
it makes a forgetful so-and-so of everyone involved. Checklists are<br />
invaluable on occasions like this, especially when they list up all of those<br />
last-minute bits and pieces that you’re otherwise bound to forget – bits<br />
and pieces such as these...<br />
1<br />
Chase the postman<br />
Not in any dog-like fashion, of course, but you do<br />
need to ensure he knows that you’re off. Make<br />
sure you leave a forwarding address with the new<br />
owners or tenants, and be sure to inform the post<br />
office of your new location – all easily done online.<br />
2Dispense with the lurkers<br />
You’ve hired your man with a van, he’s collected<br />
your stuff and you’ve waved it a happy bon<br />
voyage. You head back into the flat, only to find that<br />
cupboard under the stairs littered with Christmas<br />
decorations and your other half’s dusty old CD<br />
collection. You could throw them out, or you could<br />
put them into on-demand storage until you’re ready<br />
to get them back. At least with the latter you can<br />
prevaricate a little longer. Who knows? CDs may<br />
make a comeback…<br />
3<br />
Treat yourself well<br />
Whether you’re moving across London or across<br />
the country, the experience is bound to take it<br />
out of you, so do yourself a favour: make up a comfy<br />
bed and stake out your nearest takeaway as soon<br />
as you get there. By the time the day ends, you’ll be<br />
thankful for a little forethought.<br />
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4<br />
Fix up your utilities<br />
There are so many authorities<br />
to notify, it’s probably best we<br />
cross them off one by one. Have<br />
you told your gas and electricity<br />
people, and taken final readings on<br />
gas, electricity and water? Have you<br />
let your bank, building society and<br />
credit card company know about<br />
your new address? How about the<br />
Inland Revenue, DVLA, kids’ schools<br />
and local council? Are your magazine<br />
subscriptions up to date? Tick, tick,<br />
tick? Then you’re all good.<br />
5<strong>Pack</strong> your kit bag<br />
You’re only hours away from<br />
starting a new life in a new<br />
home. How are you going to do that<br />
without coffee or tea? Make sure<br />
you’ve packed up a few essentials for<br />
your empty new apartment, including<br />
a change of clothes, bedding and<br />
towels, a kettle (did we mention coffee<br />
or tea?), snacks, toilet paper, your<br />
phone and your new keys (don’t say<br />
you’ve lost them already!).<br />
07
HOME INSURANCE<br />
Protecting your new home<br />
What would you do if your worldly goods were destroyed, or your house fell down? In<br />
the hope that neither will ever happen, here’s our guide to finding suitable insurance<br />
Insurance cover<br />
When a renewal notice pops through the<br />
door to celebrate the anniversary of your<br />
moving house, it may proclaim on the cover<br />
that it’s for your ‘home insurance’. But as<br />
we have all realised, that could refer to two<br />
types of cover – contents or buildings. For<br />
those who are about to enter the property<br />
market, however, these terms are not<br />
always as distinct as they should be. Let’s<br />
look at them in more detail.<br />
Buildings insurance refers to the actual<br />
bricks and mortar of the property – the<br />
structure and things permanently attached<br />
to it, such as the roof, windows and<br />
doors. The value may seem at odds with<br />
what you paid for the property, but that’s<br />
because it refers to the actual rebuild cost,<br />
rather than the value of the finished item.<br />
Ideally, this will be index-linked, so it will<br />
rise automatically in line with inflation. If<br />
not, it’s up to you to make sure the value<br />
is accurate. Underinsuring could lead to a<br />
claim being declared void.<br />
Buildings insurance<br />
This is necessary when you take out a<br />
mortgage and the company will often offer<br />
its own policy. You don’t have to take it<br />
unless it’s a condition of the mortgage,<br />
in which case you should study what’s<br />
covered very carefully. Otherwise, make a<br />
few phone calls to major insurers and see<br />
if you can’t do better. Insurance firms often<br />
provide discounted cover if you have more<br />
than one policy, so it’s worth seeing what<br />
your car insurance firm can offer.<br />
Contents insurance<br />
As opposed to buildings cover, ‘contents’<br />
refers to the movable bits in the home, such<br />
as the furniture, clothing, rugs and so on –<br />
in general, the possessions you’d take with<br />
you, should you leave. Should you have<br />
a collection or equipment of exceptional<br />
value, draw this to the insurer’s attention to<br />
make sure that it’s specified in the cover, as<br />
they don’t like nasty shocks any more than<br />
you do, and they should be aware of such<br />
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items. <strong>Home</strong> computers are an obvious<br />
example, along with digital cameras, CD<br />
collections, jewellery or paintings. Be<br />
careful with electronic or other equipment,<br />
however, which may sometimes be for<br />
business use. Your potential insurer may<br />
ask and if the answer’s yes, you may have<br />
to look into business cover, rather than<br />
the usual household contents, for that<br />
equipment.<br />
<strong>Home</strong> & dry?<br />
In general, between them, buildings and<br />
contents insurance cover your house<br />
and possessions against damage or loss<br />
from fire, water, earth and air – including<br />
explosions, smoke damage, flood damage,<br />
subsidence, storm damage, theft, or<br />
vandalism. Bear in mind, however, that<br />
these conditions and the price you pay<br />
for cover vary dramatically, depending on<br />
area. Should one part of a town have been<br />
flooded in the past couple of years, many<br />
insurers may not provide flood cover. Yet<br />
your house is perched on a hillside and<br />
unlikely to suffer such a fate. That ’s when<br />
insurers with strong local knowledge can<br />
work to your advantage. But don’t decide<br />
on anything until you’ve spoken to a<br />
number of potential insurers.<br />
Safe as houses<br />
The reason why they’re referred to as<br />
‘home insurance’ is that the insurer wants<br />
your money for both types of insurance,<br />
and hopes that you’ll prefer the simplicity<br />
of dealing with them simultaneously,<br />
through one company. However, that may<br />
not be the most financially advantageous<br />
route for you to take.<br />
Of course, it stands to reason that you<br />
get what you pay for and if a particular<br />
quote for cover seems remarkably cheap,<br />
it’s vital to investigate why. For example,<br />
some policies offer new for old. Should<br />
you have bought a top-of-the-range stereo<br />
in 1985, it could have cost, say £500, but<br />
a similar model today may be £1,500. With<br />
a new-for-old policy, you’d get a £1,500<br />
replacement. This kind of cover is generally<br />
at a premium. Insurers often assume<br />
various amounts of excess, which can<br />
make the final quotes vary considerably.<br />
The excess is the amount you’d pay out<br />
before a claim could be considered – it<br />
works the same way with car insurance.<br />
The larger your excess, the lower the<br />
quote. Should our stereo owner have an<br />
excess of £200, he’d receive £1,400 for<br />
his new equipment. You have to calculate<br />
which risk you prefer to take: the likelihood<br />
of making a claim against the premium –<br />
the actual insurance cost – which you’re<br />
happy to pay.<br />
What’s the damage?<br />
You may be told that accidental damage<br />
cover is included for a few quid extra. If<br />
you’re no stranger to dropping crockery or<br />
breaking things, weigh up whether this is<br />
worth having. But if you’re sure you don’t<br />
need it, why pay for it? You’re likely to be<br />
asked if you have locks on the windows,<br />
smoke alarms or intruder alert systems.<br />
Taking such easy precautions may not only<br />
save your life, but reduce your premium,<br />
too! Joining a Neighbourhood Watch<br />
scheme also boosts your rating with<br />
insurers, and may even add resale value to<br />
your house.<br />
When you take contents out of the home<br />
– for example, a wallet or handbag, bicycle<br />
or mobile phone, establish with the insurer<br />
exactly what is covered and how much it<br />
costs. This may mean an extra premium,<br />
but it’s better to establish this at the<br />
beginning rather than find out after your<br />
wallet’s been stolen. In any case, get the<br />
cards cancelled and call the police before<br />
going any further.<br />
Many people use freezers, and they’re<br />
often kept in a garage or rarely visited<br />
room. Should there be a power cut, or<br />
the freezer breaks down, you could easily<br />
have to destroy the defrosted contents,<br />
the value of which may run to several<br />
hundred pounds. A number of insurers<br />
include freezer contents up to a specified<br />
value at no extra cost to you. That’s of little<br />
concern to the person living alone, but<br />
when you have a large family and depend<br />
on a fully stocked freezer, that can make a<br />
big difference to your outgoings.<br />
So now you know exactly what you’re<br />
getting from your insurer and how much<br />
it’s going to cost you.<br />
But imagine you come home to find<br />
out that you’ve been burgled. There are<br />
hundreds of books on the floor, all the<br />
cupboards have been tipped out, there are<br />
CDs everywhere … what’s missing?<br />
09
HOME INSURANCE<br />
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10<br />
Record collections<br />
There are a few steps you can take right<br />
now to minimise stress during the aftermath<br />
of such an event. Making an inventory of<br />
all your worldly goods may take hours,<br />
and hopefully you’ll never need it. But if<br />
you do, you’ll certainly appreciate having<br />
made the effort. List room by room what<br />
you own, and make sure any collections<br />
are fully described. Take photos of jewellery<br />
or valuable ornaments so they can be<br />
identified easily, should they be recovered.<br />
And tempting as it is to store all this<br />
information on computer, that’s not much<br />
good if it’s been taken, too. For peace of<br />
mind, print and date your inventory and<br />
clearly labelled photos. Store them in a<br />
small, fireproof safe – they don’t cost more<br />
than a few pounds – which you should<br />
hide and secure. Use an invisible security<br />
pen to write your house number and post<br />
code on valuable items, and make sure you<br />
keep your inventory updated by checking<br />
it once a year or so. As a failsafe, it’s worth<br />
hanging on to receipts, instruction booklets<br />
and warranties so you can see at once how<br />
much something cost, or at least estimate<br />
its value accurately.<br />
A river runs through it<br />
And what if there’s a fire, or the water’s<br />
rising fast outside the door? Your insurance<br />
company doesn’t expect you to be on<br />
the phone asking for a claim form when<br />
you should be getting rescued. Call the<br />
emergency services if they’re required, and<br />
deal with keeping everybody safe.<br />
If a mysterious crack has appeared in the<br />
wall overnight, you should go ahead with<br />
a temporary repair if it will minimise further<br />
damage. You don’t need to discuss it with<br />
the insurer first – just go ahead and do it.<br />
Your insurance documents will specify what<br />
claim you can make for such fixes, and will<br />
contain an emergency number if you don’t<br />
know what to do. Another one for the safe,<br />
perhaps.<br />
A dogged disaster<br />
Let’s say, however, that you’re running<br />
a bath in your new house when the dog<br />
somehow manages to get out of the front<br />
door and run outside. You charge after<br />
it, knocking into the hall table and your<br />
camera falls to the floor. While you’re<br />
flapping round after the dog and trying to<br />
protect your modesty, the bath runs over<br />
and ruins the carpet. Canine scolded and<br />
definitely indoors, floor mopped and sanity<br />
resumed, you lift the bathroom carpet only<br />
to find that the floorboards are rotten. Not<br />
quite the relaxing evening you’d planned.<br />
But what’s covered by insurance? Which is<br />
buildings, and which is contents?<br />
As you can take the camera out of the<br />
building, it falls under contents. The same<br />
goes for the hall table. The carpet, however,<br />
forms part of the fixtures of the house, so<br />
a claim should be made to the buildings<br />
insurer. Those floorboards are a different<br />
matter. As they were already rotten when<br />
you moved into the house, they were in that<br />
state before your insurance started, so may<br />
not be covered at all.<br />
Having worked out what’s covered by<br />
whom, call the insurance companies and<br />
explain in detail what happened. It’s a<br />
good idea to have written down events as<br />
soon as possible after they took place so<br />
you don’t have to rely on your memory.<br />
A claim form will be posted to you, and<br />
you’ll be expected to provide estimates for<br />
replacement or repair costs. In the event<br />
of several households being affected at<br />
once – for example, a hurricane ripping<br />
into the roofs of an entire street – you may<br />
have to hang on and wait your turn to get<br />
estimates, as roofers in this case will be<br />
rather busy. Simply let your insurer know<br />
that there may be a wait.<br />
As well as being able to lay your hands<br />
on an inventory or proofs of purchase,<br />
keep a hold of any damaged possessions<br />
so there can be no doubt that your claim<br />
is genuine. If all goes well, your insurance<br />
company should send you a cheque after<br />
having processed your claim. On the other<br />
hand, the insurer won’t want to pay out<br />
more than they have to, and might send<br />
in a loss adjuster. This person works for<br />
the insurance company to prevent overreimbursement.<br />
If you’re told that one’s<br />
coming your way, call on the services of<br />
a loss assessor. Being wise to the ways<br />
of insurance companies, they’ll work on<br />
your behalf to make sure you get what you<br />
should. Hopefully it’ll never come to that,<br />
though, and all you’ll have to do is pay<br />
the premium – and sleep sound, knowing<br />
you’re fully covered.
PACKING & REMOVALS<br />
<strong>Pack</strong> it up!<br />
<strong>Pack</strong>ing everything up is probably one of the most<br />
stressful aspects of moving. Whether you’ve decided<br />
to rope in friends and go it alone, or you’ve opted for a<br />
specialist removals company, there is lots to consider<br />
Wise packing<br />
Spend some time taking into<br />
consideration how you are going<br />
to pack your property. Books are<br />
straightforward but weighty, valuables<br />
need particular care when wrapping<br />
and will take time, and certain furniture<br />
may need to be dismantled.<br />
<strong>Pack</strong> a room at a time, labelling each<br />
box with details of its contents and<br />
where it should be placed in your new<br />
home e.g. kitchen, bathroom, garage<br />
visibly mark Fragile on boxes which<br />
actually have fragile items inside. Be<br />
as detailed as you can it will make<br />
unpacking a good deal easier.<br />
Keep the load of your boxes sensible<br />
if possible to avoid any back injuries,<br />
put heavy objects in small boxes<br />
to make them easier to carry. Place<br />
lighter items in bigger boxes.<br />
Do not use packing tape directly on<br />
polished or painted wood surfaces.<br />
stripping off the packing tape could<br />
spoil the surface.<br />
It is an idea to tape a sign on<br />
rooms in new house with names so<br />
corresponding boxes can be placed<br />
directly in these rooms.<br />
<strong>Pack</strong> most important papers<br />
together, for instance birth and<br />
marriage certificates passports, and<br />
keep them in a safe place.<br />
Necessities box<br />
Put together a box of essentials and<br />
mark it “Open Me First.” Put this box<br />
to the side to be loaded last so its first<br />
of the van or transport it yourself.<br />
The Essential box should contain:<br />
Basic tools such as torch, pocket<br />
knife, hammer, screwdrivers, tape<br />
measure and light bulbs.<br />
Bathroom essentials such as hand<br />
towel, soap, toilet paper, shampoo,<br />
tooth brush. Kitchen needs such as<br />
paper towels, kettle and teapot, plates<br />
and cups, cutlery, pet foods, bin liners.<br />
System furniture<br />
When disassembling any furnishings,<br />
beds, wardrobes, etc. put the screws<br />
nuts or bolts into a plastic bag along<br />
with any assembly instructions and<br />
tape it to the item itself.<br />
List boxes<br />
Make a main list of all household<br />
possessions and your personal effects.<br />
Number boxes when they are packed<br />
and sealed. Note on the main list the<br />
contents of the numbered boxes.<br />
<strong>Pack</strong>ing boxes<br />
Prior to packing cartons, you’ll need<br />
to wrap most items to guard them<br />
from scratching and shatter. There<br />
are a selection of supplies to be had,<br />
including bubble pack, foam peanuts<br />
and tissue paper. Support the bottom<br />
of boxes with adhesive packing<br />
tape the last thing we want is to<br />
pick a box up and the bottom open<br />
up and everything crashes to the<br />
floor. Fill boxes securely and pack<br />
well to prevent the contents from<br />
moving during your move. Close<br />
up boxes securely with packing tape.<br />
Boxes should be no more than 30kg<br />
in weight.<br />
Group records and CDs vertically in<br />
boxes do not stack them flat. Place<br />
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weighty items in<br />
the bottom of the<br />
box and lighter items at<br />
the top. Detach tops and<br />
lids from jars and china and<br />
wrap them separately. Fasten<br />
any opened boxes and bottles<br />
before packing them to prevent spills<br />
and seepage.<br />
Don’t pack more than 30 kg of books<br />
in a box, unless you’re taking part in<br />
worlds strongest man competition.<br />
Plug in small spaces in each box with<br />
smaller paperbacks. rotate bindings<br />
every few books to keep piles level<br />
in each box tape shut and mark box<br />
books.<br />
Where appropriate mark boxes that<br />
need to be a certain way up we always<br />
move boxes in a upright position but<br />
there are items that need to be “THIS<br />
WAY UP”<br />
How to pack clothes<br />
Wardrobe boxes are ideal and make<br />
life easier unpacking, clothes can<br />
be taken straight from wardrobe<br />
on hangers and hung straight into<br />
wardrobe box with no added ironing to<br />
do afterwards although they can be<br />
expensive If the boxes still have some<br />
space think<br />
about filling them<br />
with lightweight<br />
items like lamp shades<br />
covered in bubble wrap.<br />
Suitcases can be used for<br />
packing clothes. Write on boxes<br />
clothing or with the person’s name<br />
on so they can placed in their room.<br />
Computers and electronic items<br />
Where possible pack electrical items<br />
TVs stereos amplifiers, cassette<br />
players, CD players, video players, and<br />
turntables in their original cardboard<br />
box. If you did not keep original<br />
packaging they can be packed in<br />
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PACKING & REMOVALS<br />
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boxes with proper packing materials<br />
used like bubble wrap, blankets and<br />
pillows along with clothing, electronics<br />
need to be packed in sturdy boxes.<br />
Label the wires, cords, and jacks of<br />
your piece of equipment to make<br />
reconnecting your system quick and<br />
easy. Label the boxes Fragile and with<br />
the room of the house and what the<br />
box contains. remove cds or disks and<br />
back up important files.<br />
<strong>Pack</strong>ing mirrors and framed pictures<br />
<strong>Pack</strong> individual pieces or groups into<br />
adjustable mirror boxes surrounded<br />
by adequate packing materials to<br />
ensure a safe journey. Label the boxes<br />
with Fragile and with the room<br />
destination. Wrap the picture or mirror<br />
in a ample amount of padding bubble<br />
wrap or paper. Place in a flattened<br />
packing box carton. Carefully tape and<br />
seal the carton. Always stand glass,<br />
pictures and mirrors on their edge do<br />
not lay flat. If you have no purpose<br />
made picture boxes normal removal<br />
boxes can be used by cutting them<br />
up and wrapping around mirrors or<br />
pictures always remember to protect<br />
corners and tape star shape<br />
14
MOVING DAY<br />
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Let’s get moving!<br />
16<br />
Moving day is exciting - but it’s also stressful. What can you do to<br />
make moving day a breeze?<br />
Moving day is exciting. You’re<br />
starting a new adventure, putting<br />
down roots in a new place. You’ve<br />
been dreaming about the new home<br />
you’ve acquired, and it’s fun to see how<br />
fresh and different your furniture and<br />
pictures look when they’re placed in a<br />
brand new environment.<br />
But moving day can also be stressful.<br />
There’s a lot to do, and you want it to run<br />
smoothly. Whether you’ve hired movers or<br />
gathered a group of friends and relatives<br />
to help you move, what can you do to<br />
make moving day a breeze? Find out on<br />
the next five pages.<br />
You know what will save you time and<br />
eliminate confusion on moving day? Try<br />
drawing a floor plan of your new home<br />
before you move. Sketch in and number<br />
your furnishings the way you want them<br />
to be arranged in each room. Then tag<br />
the furniture pieces to correspond with<br />
the numbers on the floor plan. That way,<br />
the movers know where to put each piece<br />
of furniture. You don’t want to be making<br />
decisions about where each piece of<br />
furniture goes on the day of the move. It’s<br />
better to make those decisions ahead of<br />
time, so the movers can carry the heavy<br />
pieces directly to the rooms in which<br />
they’ll live.<br />
If you’ve hired movers to pack, pick up<br />
and deliver your furniture and boxes, then<br />
you need to be on hand when they’re<br />
doing the packing and picking up. If<br />
you can’t be there, then you should ask<br />
someone to stand in for you -- a relative<br />
or friend. The movers will issue you an<br />
inventory of all items. Look over the list<br />
carefully and make sure the inventory list<br />
is correct and legible before you sign it.<br />
If an item is lost or damaged, you don’t<br />
want to find out later that it’s not on their<br />
list of inventory.<br />
If you didn’t hire movers and you’re<br />
having friends and family members help<br />
with your move instead, then make it as<br />
easy and organised as possible for them.<br />
Don’t expect them to pack boxes for<br />
you. Have all the boxes packed before<br />
they arrive, so all they have to do is pick<br />
up a box and carry it to the moving van.<br />
You can even decide beforehand which<br />
friend will be assigned to which furniture<br />
and boxes. Be sure to have plenty of<br />
beverages and snacks on hand. And send<br />
out for food if the moving encroaches on<br />
lunch or dinner. They deserve it.<br />
No matter who is moving your things<br />
professional movers or friends they don’t<br />
want a barking dog or a rambunctious<br />
kid running around while they’re carrying<br />
heavy boxes and furniture. It’s distracting<br />
for the movers and it’s unsafe for the<br />
children and the pets. So, it might be a<br />
good idea to have a friend babysit the<br />
children the day of the move. And the<br />
same goes for your pet. If you take them<br />
out of the equation for the day, you’ll be<br />
able to focus on getting the move done.
ONCE IN<br />
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<strong>Home</strong> sweet home!<br />
Now that most of the hard work is over,<br />
you deserve to sit down, (if you have<br />
furniture that is) and relax. At least<br />
until tomorrow.<br />
Once you’ve moved in, sort out any<br />
issues with utility providers as quickly as<br />
possible. It’ll help you feel more at home if<br />
you have your usual facilities available.<br />
Check that all of the fixtures within the<br />
property are working, including heating,<br />
hot water system, kitchen appliances,<br />
lighting and showers. If there is anything<br />
wrong, contact your solicitor immediately<br />
as you will have 5 working days to raise the<br />
issue with the sellers. Also make sure that<br />
anything you negotiated as part of the sale<br />
is actually there, like curtains and blinds.<br />
Unfortunately, there is no law to make<br />
sellers leave a property clean and tidy.<br />
However, they do have to remove all their<br />
own possessions. If they don’t do so, and<br />
you incur costs in doing this yourself, you<br />
can speak to your solicitor about claiming<br />
the costs back.<br />
If you’ve bought a new build property,<br />
there may be minor defects in the<br />
construction, called “snags”. Create a<br />
list of these and submit it in writing to the<br />
developers. You can do this as often as you<br />
like for the first two years.<br />
Depending on what type of property<br />
you have bought, another imperative job<br />
might be to change the locks. If you have<br />
purchased off an owner-occupier then this<br />
is probably an unnecessary precaution, but<br />
if the property had been tenanted or vacant<br />
then it’s could be a wise move.<br />
It’s a good idea to introduce yourself<br />
to your neighbours as soon as possible.<br />
Leaving it late might be a bit of an<br />
awkward task!<br />
Next you have to think about changing<br />
your address. This can be rather frustrating,<br />
but we’ve taken care of that for you by<br />
creating a helpful list of companies to call.<br />
18
CHANGE OF ADDRESS<br />
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As you’ve come to realise,<br />
there are a million and one<br />
things to think about when<br />
you’re moving home. Now<br />
that the furniture is in place<br />
and the boxes are unpacked<br />
(or not as the case may be!)<br />
there is still the incredibly<br />
time-consuming but vital<br />
part of the moving process;<br />
letting people know your<br />
new address.<br />
We’ve made it a bit easier<br />
for you with our helpful<br />
checklist of people and<br />
companies to notify about<br />
your move.<br />
20
RENOVATIONS<br />
Building your<br />
dream home<br />
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Avoid making expensive beginner’s errors when putting<br />
your ideal home together, and follow these five important<br />
steps to ensure that everything goes according to the plans<br />
1<br />
Plan your budget<br />
Start by thinking about how<br />
much you can afford to spend<br />
and how much building your new<br />
home is likely to cost. Chances<br />
are, you will need a construction<br />
loan and a mortgage. It’s not too<br />
early to find out what size loan<br />
you will qualify for. Also, knowing<br />
the approximate costs all help you<br />
modify your building plans to meet<br />
your budget.<br />
2Pick a style<br />
Many new homes are built<br />
using stock plans from the<br />
catalogue. The builder or home<br />
designer might make minor<br />
modifications in room size, window<br />
style or other details. In most<br />
cases, custom-designed homes<br />
require the services of a licensed<br />
architect. Whether you opt for a<br />
stock or a custom design, you will<br />
meet your needs got many years<br />
to come.<br />
3Consider the key features<br />
A fabulous home should not<br />
only look good, it’s job is to<br />
also serve the needs of those who<br />
live there.<br />
Although many products and<br />
interior feature ideas you may<br />
come across at home exhibitions<br />
are not more than gimmicks, others<br />
will really make your house stand<br />
head and shoulders above your<br />
neighbours!<br />
4Hire the right trades people<br />
Select three contractors and<br />
ask them to give you a written,<br />
fixed-price quote. Also ask them for<br />
three references and follow them<br />
up, asking previous employers<br />
whether they were happy with the<br />
job they did. Do all this even if they<br />
come recommended. Finally, check<br />
their insurance cover by asking to<br />
see their builder’s liability insurance<br />
certificate.<br />
5Negotiate a contract<br />
Be sure to get a written contract, which has been signed and dated<br />
by both the builder or contractor and the architect. or designer. A<br />
contract for new home construction will describe the project in detail and<br />
include a listing of all the parts to be included in the house. Remember to<br />
amend the contract if you or your team make any changes to the project<br />
later on.<br />
23
RENOVATIONS<br />
www.homemoverspack.info<br />
What are you paying for?<br />
When you employ a tradesman, keep in mind exactly what you are paying<br />
for. It may not cost you very much to change a washer, but if you call in a<br />
plumber to do the job, it will cost much more.<br />
Why? The list below details what he is charging for (and you<br />
will be expected to pay!)<br />
• His skills.<br />
• The full range of specialist equipment<br />
• Obtaining the materials for the job<br />
• The transport and parking<br />
• Time spent on the job<br />
• Clearing up and packing away<br />
• Business overheads<br />
Be a sharp operator<br />
Before he arrives, make sure you both know exactly what work you want<br />
him to do and what he is being paid for. The main problem may be your<br />
leaking loo, so before you call a plumber, check that there aren’t any other<br />
jobs that you would like to use him for while he is there. And when you<br />
contact him, be sure to itemise all the work you agreed upon - however<br />
trivial some of it may seem. If you start adding extra tasks after he arrives,<br />
do not be surprised if you’re changed for them and your final bill is higher<br />
than the original estimate.<br />
24
DECORATING<br />
Perfect<br />
your<br />
property<br />
Choosing between wallpaper<br />
and paint when decorating<br />
your home can be tricky -<br />
follow our advice for the<br />
perfect finish<br />
Roll up, roll up<br />
• Choose wallpaper to create impact. Decorate<br />
a single wall with a fabulous design to give a<br />
room a stylish focal point without spending a<br />
fortune. Reserve bold motifs for large rooms<br />
that can show them off properly, and use<br />
more discreet ones to add warmth and detail<br />
elsewhere. Busy designs shrink a room, while<br />
vertical stripes on walls flatter a low ceiling.<br />
For selling or renting, a simple, inoffensive<br />
pattern is safest.<br />
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• Get the right stuff - wallpapers come<br />
in a range of prices and qualities for<br />
different locations, such as wipeable<br />
PVC-coated paper for use in damp<br />
environments like bathrooms, hardwearing<br />
papers for halls and stairs<br />
and and more delicate products for<br />
low-traffic areas such as bedrooms<br />
or living rooms. Check your chosen<br />
paper is suitable, and ensure you use<br />
the correct kind of paste.<br />
• Retailers have charts showing the<br />
number of rolls of wallpaper required<br />
- all you need to know is the ceiling<br />
height and wall-length of your room,<br />
excluding French windows. Always<br />
buy some extra on a sale-or-return<br />
basis and open each roll only when<br />
you need it. Check all your rolls have<br />
the same batch number to avoid<br />
shade variations.<br />
• Newly plastered walls need to be<br />
sealed before papering to stop the<br />
wall from absorbing the paste, as this<br />
will prevent the paper from sticking<br />
properly. This can be done by<br />
applying a product called size. Buy<br />
powdered size to add to water, or<br />
use a dilute mixture of your chosen<br />
paste - always check the pack for<br />
the manufacturer’s instructions.<br />
• Use the right equipment hire, borrow<br />
or buy, but don’t be without a few<br />
basic essentials. You’ll need a<br />
folding pasting table, damp cloth,<br />
paste bucket and brush, steel rule,<br />
wallpaper scissors and wallpaper<br />
brush. For safety, always use proper<br />
stepladders diy question time at<br />
home solves all of your papering and<br />
painting problems<br />
27
DECORATING<br />
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Perfect painting<br />
• Choose paint to revive a room<br />
quickly and with minimum expense.<br />
It’s the ideal medium if you want to<br />
freshen up your home in preparation<br />
for selling or renting. It’s easy to<br />
change or touch up if marked. Stick<br />
to white for ceilings and go for wall<br />
colours that compliment the space<br />
and won’t turn people off.<br />
• Get the right stuff - there are<br />
specially-formulated paints for a<br />
wide range of different situations,<br />
including floors, humid environments<br />
such as bathrooms and kitchens,<br />
woodwork and traditional lime<br />
plaster walls. Always read the<br />
manufacturer’s instructions to make<br />
sure that you select the right product<br />
for the job.<br />
• Prime new plaster before painting,<br />
to prevent the paint soaking into<br />
the wall. Choose a specific plaster<br />
primer or use an all-purpose product<br />
if you are working on other materials<br />
like woodwork at the same time.<br />
• Clean tools promptly once you<br />
finish work. Emulsion paint is easy<br />
to clean off with warm water. Rinse<br />
until all trace of colour has gone. For<br />
oil-based paints, soak the bristles<br />
or roller sleeve in white spirit, then<br />
wipe on newspaper. Repeat several<br />
times, then wash in warm water and<br />
washing-up liquid, rinse thoroughly<br />
and allow to dry<br />
• Pick the right tools - Rollers make<br />
quick work of large expanses like<br />
a wall and a tiny one is ideal for<br />
achieving a sharp finish in awkward<br />
spots such as behind a radiator.<br />
Synthetic bristles or rollers work best<br />
with water-based paints. For oilbased<br />
products, go for a lambswool<br />
roller or natural, bristle brushes.<br />
28
KITCHENS<br />
Kitchen: Hub of the home?<br />
You probably spend loads of time in<br />
your kitchen, so it’s worth creating a<br />
functional and gorgeous room.<br />
For many people, the kitchen is the heart<br />
of their home –a space for more than just<br />
cooking. So it makes sense to invest time<br />
and money to ensure it meets the family’s<br />
needs.<br />
If you’re thinking about starting from<br />
scratch, it may be best to work closely with<br />
a designer or architect to develop sketches<br />
and floor plans that will help you meet your<br />
goals for your dream kitchen. That way,<br />
you’ll keep on track and on budget. But<br />
there’s a lot you can do yourself...<br />
Before you start<br />
Draw up a plan Planning a modern kitchen<br />
design involves numerous elements that<br />
work together to make a livable, enjoyable<br />
and inviting space in your home. Some of<br />
the most important decisions you will have<br />
to make are about the worktop, flooring,<br />
cabinetry and appliances you will select. But<br />
there are a few essential steps you’ll need to<br />
take to ensure that your finished kitchen lives<br />
up to your expectations.<br />
Work out how much space you have to<br />
work with: before drawing up your wish-list<br />
of all the things you want to include in the<br />
design, first measure the exact dimensions<br />
of everything in your kitchen. In this way<br />
you’re less likely to make fundamental<br />
planning errors. Overcrowding your kitchen<br />
with too much in the way of furniture and<br />
appliances is a common mistake, as is not<br />
planning enough storage. So, start off by<br />
drawing up a list of the basic essentials your<br />
Here’s our quick<br />
guide to fitting a<br />
new kitchen…<br />
1<br />
Out with the old<br />
Remove the previous<br />
kitchen but leave the<br />
sink unit in place for the<br />
time being – don’t mess<br />
around with the plumbing<br />
until you really have to.<br />
2<br />
Get filling<br />
Fill any gaps with quick<br />
setting filler, leave to<br />
dry and sand down. Next,<br />
sand the walls and ceiling<br />
using fine sandpaper.<br />
Vacuum up the dust then<br />
wash the walls and ceiling<br />
with sugar soap. Now paint<br />
the walls and ceiling with<br />
quality kitchen paint.<br />
3<br />
Wonderful wall units<br />
Flat-pack wall units are<br />
economical and easy<br />
to put up. They should be<br />
erected one at a time, using<br />
their nifty little mounting<br />
systems to get them in the<br />
correct places on the wall.<br />
Finally, fix the base units to<br />
the wall using heavy-duty<br />
screws.<br />
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kitchen must have, the snazzy extras can be<br />
added later if needs be.<br />
Decide on a style Ideally, the look and<br />
feel of your kitchen needs to reflect both<br />
your personal taste but also your home. If<br />
you’ve got a modern property with strong<br />
architectural elements, a rustic, country-style<br />
kitchen may look out of place, as will an<br />
ultra-modern style in a cosy country cottage.<br />
Make use of technology, which can help to<br />
create a well-crafted design. For example,<br />
you can download special kitchen design<br />
software. Many people also refer to interior<br />
design websites for inspiration.<br />
Figure out the flow As<br />
you pull together your<br />
kitchen design, bear in<br />
mind the flow – that<br />
is the transition from<br />
one room to the next. Ideally, what you’re<br />
trying to do is create seamless flow, so<br />
the adjacent rooms don’t look completely<br />
different in terms of style.<br />
Keep it practical Don’t forget your kitchen<br />
needs to be practical. Try not to let yourself<br />
become so immersed in its look that you<br />
lose sight of the fact that the room needs<br />
to be used to carry out all your day-to-day<br />
tasks.<br />
A well-designed kitchen will not only look<br />
great, it will function just as well.<br />
Renovating your kitchen step-by-step<br />
If you’re DIY-savvy, you can save money<br />
by installing some of the plumbing and<br />
fixtures yourself.<br />
4<br />
Cut the water supply<br />
Turn off the mains<br />
then turn off the hot<br />
and cold water valves that<br />
feed the water tanks. In the<br />
kitchen, undo all of the old<br />
plumbing you can by hand<br />
and cut the old tap pipes<br />
off. Pull out the sink and old<br />
worktop, and put the final<br />
base unit in place.<br />
5<br />
Work in the worktop<br />
This is not a job to<br />
tackle on your own.<br />
Measure and cut the<br />
worktop to size using a<br />
jigsaw with a down cutting<br />
wood blade to avoid<br />
chipping. If you’re going<br />
to tile the kitchen, you can<br />
leave 3mm-5mm either end<br />
as the tiles will cover this<br />
gap. Then measure out the<br />
hole for the sink, you may<br />
have a template for this.<br />
6<br />
Door duty<br />
Now you need to fix<br />
the hinges and doors,<br />
their handles and the plinth.<br />
The doors should slot nicely<br />
into place, although some<br />
adjustments will need to<br />
be made to get them level.<br />
Then put the plinth on,<br />
this just needs to be cut to<br />
length, a few mounting clips<br />
placed in the right places,<br />
and pushed on.<br />
And that’s that!<br />
31
KITCHENS<br />
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BRIGHTEN UP<br />
The right lighting is essential for a bright, happy room<br />
When possible, your kitchen design should incorporate natural lighting. A kitchen<br />
needs to be practical, sociable and comfortable. Here are a few options for you<br />
to consider:<br />
Spotlights<br />
Recessed into the ceiling<br />
or on a track, these are<br />
great for ambient and task<br />
lighting.<br />
Cupboard lighting<br />
Glass fronted cupboards<br />
lit from within by LEDs or a<br />
fluorescent tube to create an<br />
atmospheric look.<br />
Over-the-counter lights<br />
Task lighting which<br />
illuminates what you’re<br />
doing, but worktops can fall<br />
into a shadow if you stand in<br />
the wrong place.<br />
00 00
BATHROOMS<br />
Build bathroom<br />
indulgence<br />
When planning and designing<br />
your bathroom, whether<br />
large or small – the key starting<br />
point is knowing what you have to<br />
work with. It’s all very well having<br />
your heart set on an enormous<br />
freestanding bath – but if you don’t<br />
have the room for it, no amount<br />
of money will make it fit! It’s also<br />
important to consider the waterpressure<br />
into your property – you<br />
will need a decent level of pressure<br />
– 2 bar or above to operate high<br />
flow rate shower options such as<br />
body jets or large shower heads.<br />
Once you’ve established how<br />
much room you have and what<br />
shower options are realistic – the<br />
fun part can begin. There are<br />
plenty of different options for every<br />
aspect of your bathroom, so it can<br />
be good to consult your plumber,<br />
although don’t let them push you<br />
into having fittings just because<br />
they find them easy to install – a<br />
bar shower is not for everyone!<br />
Storage is often overlooked –<br />
but you’ll miss it when your shiny<br />
new bathroom is installed and<br />
there’s nowhere to put the loo rolls<br />
and spare towels. Storage can<br />
be achieved in a number of ways<br />
– from drawers in a vanity unit,<br />
to tallboys and cupboards – not<br />
forgetting the old faithful mirror<br />
cabinet. Again, there are lots of<br />
options available – it all depends<br />
on what suits your room.<br />
There are some fantastic focal<br />
point pieces around – from brightly<br />
coloured vanity units, funky radiator<br />
designs and mirrors with lighting<br />
effects , so enjoy yourself and<br />
create a space that’s really yours.<br />
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BATHROOMS<br />
www.homemoverspack.info<br />
Create a bathing sanctuary using<br />
luxury materials and fab fittings...<br />
1<br />
Mirror, mirror on the wall<br />
Your bathroom mirror doesn’t<br />
just have to be practical, it can<br />
be a style statement, too. Whatever<br />
size your bathroom, go for drama<br />
– steal an eye-catching mirror<br />
from another room in your house<br />
or invest in a vintage find and add<br />
instant glamour by spraying with<br />
gold or silver paint.<br />
2<br />
Give it some flannel<br />
Head to the ladies room of<br />
a smart hotel and you<br />
won’t find damp towels to dry<br />
hands – instead there’ll be piles of<br />
luxurious hand flannels, each one<br />
neatly rolled, often in baskets, on<br />
the side of the basins. Follow suit –<br />
it’s an easy touch and won’t break<br />
the bank.<br />
3<br />
Sink and swim<br />
The common bathroom sink<br />
has come a long way from<br />
being just a boring round bowl<br />
to catch water. Deep, slick and<br />
elegant designs come in a variety<br />
of shapes and can transform your<br />
room. Choose from free-standing,<br />
wall mounted or counter-top.<br />
4<br />
Be choosy with your display<br />
Storage is often at a<br />
premium in bathrooms so it’s<br />
understandable that some items<br />
have to be on display. Make sure<br />
anything on show looks good –<br />
glass bottles, gathered in groups<br />
of three, look classy – and you<br />
can decanter most cleansing<br />
products into them. Go for vintage<br />
or modern, clear or coloured,<br />
depending on taste.<br />
36
FLOORING<br />
Choosing the<br />
right flooring<br />
Whatever your lifestyle, whether you live alone or there are dozens of<br />
people trooping in and out of your house, there is a flooring type to suit<br />
all. The first thing to decide on in any conversion or renovation of your<br />
home is the floor – or floors. The area to be covered is invariably large<br />
and immediately noticeable, so a well-chosen floor will literally ‘root’<br />
the rest of the scheme. The thing to remember is to choose something<br />
that looks good but that also fits with the primary purpose of your room<br />
and what you are going to use it for.<br />
38<br />
Stone/marble<br />
Best for a farmhouse feel<br />
Stone floors are natural, beautiful, and<br />
always stylish. The naturally cool, hard<br />
surface is ideal for warm climates and<br />
does not harbour dust or allergens. Before<br />
choosing a specific type of stone, arm<br />
yourself with knowledge to find the best fit.<br />
Mostly used in kitchens, bathrooms and<br />
hallways, it is now becoming increasingly<br />
common for stone to be used in a bedroom<br />
or even a sitting room. There is also a<br />
growing trend to have the same stone<br />
laid throughout the ground floor which<br />
goes through to a terrace area to create a<br />
wonderful flow and sense of space both<br />
indoors and out.<br />
Stone floors can be made from marble,<br />
limestone, travertine, sandstone, granite and<br />
flagstone. Marble, which is the most fragile<br />
and expensive, does come in a range of<br />
interesting and stunning colours from pure<br />
white and grey to rust and rosy reds, greens,<br />
a tawny or rosy yellow and various shades<br />
of black. It scratches and stains easily but<br />
because it looks so beautiful, for some,<br />
this does outweigh those negatives. Other<br />
stones are more hard-wearing and though<br />
expensive initially, should last a lifetime.<br />
Vinyl<br />
Best for spills and splashes<br />
Vinyl tiles add interest to a large space and<br />
liven up plain cabinetry — ideal for stamping<br />
personality on your home.<br />
In rooms where water and food are likely to<br />
end up on the floor, such as bathrooms and<br />
kitchens, vinyl flooring is a popular choice.<br />
Naturally water-repellent, there are a huge<br />
range of styles and patterns that can be<br />
cut to fit even the most awkwardly shaped<br />
room. Vinyl is one of the most affordable<br />
choices when it comes to hard flooring. It<br />
can be both decorative and softer underfoot<br />
than any of the stone or fired-clay floor<br />
choices. Vinyl is a particularly good choice<br />
for kitchens, halls, children’s rooms and even<br />
some living rooms.<br />
Made from polyvinyl chloride, vinyl is<br />
available in two main varieties: a more<br />
expensive, longer-lasting, one, and the<br />
cheaper style, which is a mixture of fillers<br />
and pigments with a thermoplastic binder<br />
that can either be cushioned or flat. Both<br />
varieties come in increasingly realistic copies<br />
of natural materials. Since it is available in<br />
sheet or tile form, the block colours can be<br />
made into various checkerboard and inlaid<br />
designs. It’s often mixed with cork for tough<br />
but soft kitchen and children’s room floors.
www.homemoverspack.info<br />
Wooden floors<br />
Best for a sophisticated look<br />
When it comes to home improvements,<br />
there are many investments that can add<br />
significant value to your home, and one of<br />
them is wooden flooring<br />
Wooden floors can look amazing and<br />
depending on which type of wood you<br />
choose, can be very long-lasting and<br />
hard-wearing. There are so many different<br />
types of wood you can choose from that it<br />
can seem a little overwhelming but, in short,<br />
the main decision is whether to opt<br />
for hardwood or softwood.<br />
Hardwood is the timber obtained from<br />
broad-leafed and deciduous trees, such as<br />
oak; extra-hard maple; beech; sycamore;<br />
teak; mahogany; ebony; and handsome<br />
walnut; cherry; bamboo and dark Australian<br />
ironwood which, as its name implies, is the<br />
hardest of the lot.<br />
Softwood comes from conifers, such as<br />
pine, spruce, fir and hemlock. It’s cheaper<br />
than hardwood, but it can be dented<br />
far more easily, therefore it needs to be<br />
particularly well sealed and fitted in areas<br />
with lighter use – and not, for example, in<br />
hallways, corridors, kitchens or the<br />
children’s playroom, where there is a lot<br />
of daily activity.<br />
Carpet<br />
Best for a cosy feel<br />
This looks and feels great in bedrooms<br />
and on staircases – and it has a practical<br />
purpose, too, as it muffles sound and<br />
creates a sense of warmth and comfort.<br />
With a multitude of design and textural<br />
possibilities, carpets are a really versatile<br />
option for flooring in most homes.<br />
Clever use of colour can transform the<br />
feel of a room. A light-coloured carpet will<br />
make a room appear bigger than it is while<br />
a dark carpet can hide stains and dirt more<br />
easily. Plain carpets are timeless and can be<br />
used alongside any decorating style, giving<br />
you more flexibility with wallpapers and soft<br />
furnishings.<br />
Using the same colour throughout the<br />
house gives a spacious feeling and can<br />
link different styles from room to room<br />
with ease.<br />
Neutral shades look modern; keep it clean<br />
and simple or pair with bright wallpaper<br />
if you want to avoid being dull. Patterned<br />
carpet has been enjoying a renaissance<br />
recently. Using fashionable patterns, whether<br />
a contemporary design or classic floral,<br />
ensures the flooring is the focal point in the<br />
room. Textures can add another dimension<br />
to any room – using a deep-pile carpet can<br />
create a really soft, cosy atmosphere.<br />
And there’s more...<br />
The days of having just carpet or wood in your home are over, as the choice of durable<br />
materials is vast.<br />
Laminate: Never truly out of fashion thanks<br />
to the wide choice of styles, designs<br />
and quality available, laminate flooring is<br />
basically a compressed fibreboard plank<br />
covered by an image of wood, stone or tile,<br />
with a protective overlay.<br />
Engineered wood: A popular choice<br />
because it is cheap and the fact that its<br />
structure makes it even more stable than<br />
a solid piece of wood.<br />
Floor tiles: A good option because they are<br />
easy to lay and come in so many different<br />
materials. Natural tiles are bang on trend<br />
and include limestone and polished<br />
granite which can work in a period or<br />
contemporary interior, too. Expensive, they<br />
will, however, last for years and grow more<br />
beautiful with age.<br />
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are a good<br />
alternative to natural materials – they’re hard<br />
wearing, light and easy to lay.<br />
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CARPETS<br />
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Keep it clean!<br />
Odours are one thing - spots and spills are quite<br />
another. Spots and spills happen to just about<br />
every carpet and can be difficult to remove. In the<br />
next section, we’ll offer some pointers for getting<br />
rid of those blemishes.<br />
Carpets are like giant filters that trap food<br />
debris, dust mite droppings, pet fur oil,<br />
urine crystals, flakes of shed human skin,<br />
pollutants from cigarette smoke, soil and<br />
allergy-inducing pollens. As not everyone<br />
can afford to fit new carpets throughout<br />
their new home, a wet extraction deep<br />
clean - before you set your furniture out -<br />
will help remove the ‘residues’ left behind<br />
by the previous owners. A Rug Doctor<br />
can be rented from over 3,500 outlets<br />
nationwide from around £23 for 24 hours<br />
and, by cleaning from the bottom up, it<br />
will give carpets back their bounce and<br />
leave them smelling fresh, rejuvenated,<br />
deodorised and protected against<br />
future spills.<br />
Carpet cleaning<br />
1 eliminates trapped<br />
pollutants.<br />
A dirty carpet can retain<br />
several sources of indoor<br />
air pollutants, including pet<br />
dander, cockroach allergens,<br />
lead, particle pollution, and<br />
everyday dirt and dust. Toxic<br />
airborne gases can adhere to<br />
these particles and also get<br />
trapped within the carpet.<br />
These toxic gases can be<br />
released through everyday<br />
activities such as vacuuming<br />
and walking across the<br />
carpet, which can cause<br />
them to contaminate the air<br />
in your home. Professional<br />
carpet cleaning services<br />
kills these bacteria through<br />
special shampooing<br />
formulas and can remove<br />
deeply trapped pollutants<br />
with high-powered vacuums.<br />
Carpet cleaning can<br />
2 clear out dust mite<br />
infestations.<br />
Many homes have dust<br />
mite infestations, yet most<br />
homeowners aren’t aware of<br />
the infestation, because the<br />
creatures are microscopic.<br />
Dust mites themselves aren’t<br />
allergens, but they often<br />
leave behind faeces and<br />
body fragments which are.<br />
Because of the<br />
microscopic size of these<br />
particles, they can easily<br />
be inhaled when the area<br />
is disturbed, which can<br />
exacerbate allergies.<br />
Many professional carpet<br />
cleaning companies utilise a<br />
technique known as steam<br />
cleaning when performing<br />
carpet maintenance work,<br />
which exposes your carpet<br />
to high temperatures that<br />
dust mites can’t survive.<br />
• Pay special attention to the areas where<br />
people sit and move their feet. Vacuum<br />
these areas of heavy traffic with a<br />
crisscross pattern of overlapping strokes.<br />
• Soil retardants can be applied to new<br />
carpets or to newly cleaned carpets.<br />
Follow manufacturers’ advice. Apply<br />
soil retardants only with professional<br />
equipment using the recommended<br />
application techniques.<br />
• Add baking soda to the bag in your<br />
vacuum to fight odours.<br />
Carpet cleaning can help<br />
3 prevent mould growth.<br />
Especially in areas with<br />
high humidity levels, dirty<br />
carpets are at a high risk of<br />
developing mould growth<br />
when exposed to moisture.<br />
In precipitous weather,<br />
moisture frequently gets<br />
tracked into the home<br />
and can sink deep in the<br />
carpet fibres if not dried and<br />
vacuumed immediately.<br />
Having your carpet<br />
cleaned regularly can prevent<br />
mould and mildew growth,<br />
because professional carpet<br />
cleaners have high-powered<br />
drying tools that annihilate<br />
moisture. By eliminating<br />
moisture, you can prevent<br />
mould growth that can be<br />
harmful to your health if<br />
ignored for too long.<br />
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UNDER FLOOR HEATING<br />
Use this handy guide to learn all about the<br />
benefits of underfloor systems and to find<br />
the heating option that’s perfect for you and<br />
your home.<br />
Why has underfloor heating become<br />
so popular?<br />
Alongside the luxury feel, there are many<br />
benefits offered by underfloor heating,<br />
which have helped seal its approval from<br />
homeowners, including:<br />
Hidden trend:<br />
Underfloor Heating<br />
Underfloor heating continues to rise in<br />
popularity with UK homeowners so<br />
here is some advice on selecting the<br />
perfect system for your home.<br />
Although underfloor heating is becoming<br />
more sought-after in UK properties and<br />
increasingly on the radar of house hunters,<br />
it seems many people don’t know a lot<br />
about it, or what it can do for their homes.<br />
Underfloor heating was listed as the<br />
most commonly found high-end feature in<br />
UK homes according to 2013 research by<br />
insurance provider Avivai. More research,<br />
this time a survey by Polypipe <strong>Home</strong><br />
Solutions (www.homesolutions.polypipe.<br />
com), found that house hunters were<br />
increasingly looking for ‘celebrity’ fixtures<br />
and fittings such as underfloor heating –<br />
and were prepared to pay more for a<br />
home which matched these celebrity<br />
inspired features.<br />
• Radiant heat – The warmth from<br />
underfloor heating rises up and fills<br />
the entire room, leaving no cold spots<br />
and keeping a comfortable and even<br />
temperature throughout the home<br />
• Freedom – You can design your home<br />
the way you want to, because there is no<br />
need to consider the location of unsightly<br />
or cumbersome radiators<br />
• A family-friendly environment – An<br />
underfloor heating system removes the<br />
need for low-level, hot surfaces and metal<br />
edges which often come with radiators,<br />
eliminating the risk of accidents,<br />
particularly in houses with small children<br />
or pets<br />
• Indulgence – Padding around on a warm<br />
floor, especially on a cold winter morning,<br />
is always a treat<br />
• The ability to connect to renewable heat<br />
sources – This is possible because the<br />
systems operate at low temperatures,<br />
meaning that in the long run, they can<br />
be more economical than a radiator<br />
based system<br />
How do you find a system that’s right<br />
for you?<br />
Many homeowners think that underfloor<br />
heating is only available for ground floors<br />
and will require extensive renovations and<br />
upheaval to their daily routines. In fact,<br />
there is a system available to suit most floor<br />
types and floor coverings, meaning fitting<br />
them doesn’t have to be a hassle.<br />
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The most commonly available systems are:<br />
• Solid floor – The perfect solution for<br />
placing underfloor heating in concrete<br />
floors. Although suitable for all floor<br />
coverings, solid floor underfloor heating<br />
can be installed on the ground floor only,<br />
and is therefore best suited for new build<br />
or renovation projects<br />
• Overlays – These super-slim systems<br />
can be fitted on top of existing floors,<br />
removing the need for expensive<br />
and extensive excavation work. The<br />
lightweight nature of these products<br />
make them perfect for use underneath<br />
laminate flooring and carpets<br />
• Modular Heating Panels – These consist<br />
of ready-made panels, which can be<br />
quickly installed in suspended floors,<br />
making them perfect for fitting underfloor<br />
heating in upstairs rooms, particularly<br />
bathrooms<br />
• Floating floor – This can be used where a<br />
floor isn’t able to withstand a heavy solid<br />
floor system. Made up of panels which<br />
can be fitted from above or below, these<br />
systems are ideal for use at any level of<br />
the house, but especially upstairs<br />
• Suspended floor –These systems are<br />
fitted in and around the home’s ceiling<br />
joists or beams, and are ideal for homes<br />
which use timber. A suspended floor<br />
is most effectively used in new builds<br />
because the system is fitted alongside<br />
the ceiling or floor joists<br />
Once you’ve chosen an installer, you can<br />
start to collaborate on the layout of your<br />
underfloor heating. As well as discussing<br />
initial ideas and project requirements, they<br />
will also be able to give you a project plan<br />
and detailed cost breakdown.<br />
Have a chat with them about how and<br />
where you’d like your home to be heated.<br />
They can then calculate how much product<br />
you’ll need and all the other technicalities<br />
associated with fitting the system. This<br />
frees up your time to do all the fun things<br />
that come with home improvement, such<br />
as shopping for furnishings or choosing a<br />
colour scheme.<br />
How do you fit underfloor heating in a<br />
single room?<br />
To quickly transform an area of your<br />
house, consider a single room application,<br />
where only one area of the house is fitted<br />
with underfloor heating. Single room<br />
applications are especially useful when<br />
building an extension or refitting a kitchen<br />
or bathroom.<br />
Although it may feel like a daunting<br />
project, fitting underfloor heating is a<br />
surprisingly simple and highly effective<br />
way of heating a home. Thanks to the wide<br />
range of systems available, there’s a choice<br />
for every property, flooring and situation.<br />
Don’t worry if you’re unsure of what<br />
system is best for you, an installer will<br />
be able to advise.<br />
Where can you find an installer?<br />
A good place to start when searching for<br />
a tradesman is a heating manufacturer’s<br />
network of recommended installers. These<br />
professionals will have passed strict entry<br />
standards in order to be associated with<br />
the scheme, giving you peace of mind<br />
that the project will be completed to a<br />
high standard.<br />
45
FURNITURE<br />
Furnishing your new home<br />
Is your new home interior in<br />
need of an update? Before<br />
you head out to the nearest<br />
furniture megastore to load up on<br />
piles of flat-pack wardrobes and<br />
bookshelves, have you considered<br />
the greener option?<br />
Yes we’re all getting quite good<br />
at recycling our rubbish, but what<br />
about going secondhand and<br />
giving old or antique furniture a new<br />
home? Or even jazzing up what you<br />
already have with new upholstery.<br />
And then there’s the very latest<br />
green furniture, made from recycled<br />
materials. How smug will you feel<br />
hosting your next dinner party, safe<br />
in the knowledge that your guests’<br />
bottoms are perched<br />
on something<br />
eco-friendly?<br />
Go secondhand<br />
With the advent of eBay and<br />
gazillions of car boot sales, it’s<br />
easier than ever to get your hands<br />
on secondhand furniture. But the<br />
trick is finding something decent for<br />
your budget that’s going to last. Be<br />
patient - this is going to take you<br />
longer than simply nipping down to<br />
the nearest flat-pack furniture store.<br />
Charity shops with their own<br />
furniture outlets are a good place to<br />
start - try Oxfam or the Red Cross.<br />
House clearances are another way<br />
to unearth hidden gems - check for<br />
those happening near you at www.<br />
loot.com and www.gumtree.com.<br />
Or if your budget is zero look for<br />
your local Freecycle group on www.<br />
freecycle.org. These groups aim to<br />
match people who have things they<br />
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want to get rid of with those who<br />
need them.<br />
But do be realistic about the<br />
extent of your DIY skills. Stripping<br />
off old paint or changing handles<br />
are jobs anyone can manage, but<br />
could you replace old doors? No,<br />
then don’t buy the piece. And if<br />
you’re buying stuffed or upholstered<br />
furniture, check that it complies<br />
with Furniture and Fire Safety<br />
Regulations at www.firesafe.org.uk<br />
Buy eco<br />
The difficulty of buying secondhand<br />
is finding a piece that fits your<br />
taste. But there are companies now<br />
turning old wood into pieces of your<br />
design. ‘Our goal is to continually<br />
create beautiful quality affordable<br />
reclaimed furniture while helping<br />
the environment and doing our bit<br />
to turn the tide on the flat-pack<br />
culture of today,’ says Mark Godsell<br />
Fletcher of Eat, Sleep, Live<br />
(www.eatsleeplive.co.uk).And how<br />
do you know the wood is good?<br />
Paul Walsh of Trunk Ltd<br />
(www.trunkreclaimed.co.uk)<br />
explains how his customers can<br />
learn exactly where the timber<br />
going into their new table came<br />
from. And it’s not an expensive<br />
option. Elsewhere, Friends of the<br />
Earth (www.foe.co.uk) have lots<br />
of useful advice on buying ecofriendly<br />
wood. But as a guide look<br />
for the Forest Stewardship Council<br />
(FSC) mark on wood products to<br />
ensure that they are made from<br />
responsibly grown<br />
timber.<br />
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FURNITURE<br />
www.homemoverspack.info<br />
Re-upholster<br />
You wanted that sofa enough to splash out the<br />
cash for it a few years ago, so surely you could<br />
learn to love it again? With a little facelift of course!<br />
Getting tired, old furniture re-upholstered is<br />
apparently becoming trendy again.<br />
Young people are realising they can’t just<br />
buy and then chuck away a few years later.<br />
And although upholstery is not always<br />
the cheapest option in the short term,<br />
you’ll be saving money in the long<br />
term as the work will last.<br />
Try antiques<br />
Like upholstery, plumping for antiques to furnish your house<br />
might not be the cheapest way to go but, let’s face it, if that<br />
table has been around for more than 100 years, you’re not<br />
going to need to replace it for some time. It’s a genuinely<br />
good time to buy brown furniture.<br />
By which we mean mahogany or walnut pieces that are out<br />
of fashion at the moment. But make sure you buy from a<br />
reputable dealer.<br />
Seven per cent of the world’s forests are fsc certified.<br />
50
GARDENING<br />
How does your garden grow?<br />
Your garden can be what you want it to be. Understand what<br />
you have, get inspired then let your imagination take over<br />
When faced with a blank piece of paper and told to draw<br />
something, quite a few people feel lost as to what to do.<br />
The same can happen when trying to plan your garden. So<br />
much space, so much nothingness - what do you do with it?<br />
To turn a parcel of land into a garden to be proud of<br />
needs practical application and an understanding of what<br />
lies beneath the surface. At this stage it’s important to<br />
remember that most problems can be overcome, but<br />
some basic research is necessary.<br />
Read on and enjoy the great outdoors.<br />
PLANNING TIPS<br />
The garden’s aspect<br />
Is your garden north/<br />
south/east/west facing?<br />
This will affect the type of<br />
plants you can grow and<br />
which areas of the garden<br />
receive sun and at what<br />
times of day.<br />
Soil type<br />
Is it heavy, light, dry, wet,<br />
acidic, neutral, or alkaline?<br />
Again, this affects the type<br />
of plants you can grow and<br />
what soil modifications you<br />
may need for your chosen<br />
plans.<br />
Soil drainage<br />
Do you have areas of standing<br />
water, or is it dry? Unless you<br />
want a bog garden, you may<br />
need to condition the soil to<br />
help excess water drain away.<br />
Plant exposure<br />
Is it exposed to wind, frost,<br />
or sheltered? This can affect<br />
the type of plants you can<br />
grow and how well your plants<br />
flourish.<br />
Topography<br />
Is your garden level or<br />
sloping, and to what extent? If<br />
it slopes, are you happy with<br />
it? Think about whether you<br />
want to level it off.<br />
Back to basics<br />
Having offered you carte blanche with your garden, there are<br />
elements that are common to all styles - they are the skeleton<br />
on which you build you dream design.
www.homemoverspack.info<br />
The key components are:<br />
Pathways<br />
To link up areas of the garden, and<br />
provide safe and dry access.<br />
Storage<br />
A shed to store garden tools,<br />
lawnmowers and other equipment.<br />
Compost heap<br />
To discard your organic waste<br />
and provide a free source of<br />
nutrient-rich compost.<br />
Outdoor electricity supply<br />
Properly installed so electrical<br />
equipment can be used safely.<br />
Water supply<br />
For easy access to water for hoses<br />
and watering.<br />
Body & Soil<br />
Do you want fruit, vegetables,<br />
flowers, or all three? Start small<br />
and expand later. Do a soil test to<br />
determine the pH level of the soil<br />
and what nutrients you may need<br />
to add, depending on the plants<br />
you want to grow. Draw a plan of<br />
what you’d like your garden to look<br />
like once its finished. If you want<br />
plants that will come back year<br />
after year, plant perennials. This<br />
type of plant lives three or more<br />
years. Examples and calla lilies;<br />
some perennial vegetables are<br />
asparagus, rhubarb and berries.<br />
If you want to see different plants<br />
every year, plant annuals, which<br />
grow for only one season. Annual<br />
vegetables include peas, beans<br />
and spinach; annual flowers are<br />
marigolds and sunflowers. ><br />
What’s your style?<br />
English cottage garden:<br />
Think old-world thatched<br />
cottage. When in bloom,<br />
it’s stunning but in winter it<br />
can look drab. You’ll need a<br />
detailed knowledge of plants<br />
and gardening techniques<br />
and plenty of time as it’s<br />
high maintenance.<br />
Contemporary:<br />
Henry Moore comes to mind.<br />
Minimalist with few plants<br />
and materials such as gravel,<br />
galvanised metal containers,<br />
glass blocks and steel.<br />
Suited to roof gardens and<br />
modern apartments.<br />
Low maintenance.<br />
Formal:<br />
Think of a stately home -<br />
straight lines, symmetry<br />
and geometry, with a<br />
few different plants. Low<br />
maintenance, but not<br />
child-friendly.<br />
Mediterranean:<br />
Like gardens in Greece and<br />
southern Spain. Informal<br />
with bright colours from<br />
plants and containers. Suited<br />
to a sunny garden. Gravel<br />
tends to be the surface,<br />
not grass. Drought-tolerant<br />
plants such as lavender<br />
and rosemary thrive. Low<br />
maintenance and suited to<br />
small spaces.<br />
Exotic:<br />
Think big, green leaves.<br />
Good for small and sheltered<br />
spaces and plants such as<br />
banana, chusan palm and<br />
bamboo. High maintenance<br />
and requiring a good<br />
knowledge of plants.<br />
People-friendly:<br />
All the above gardens can<br />
fit this criteria. Whether<br />
you need to accommodate<br />
children and their play needs<br />
or for any other purpose,<br />
you needn’t stick to one<br />
style - personalise.<br />
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GARDENING<br />
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><br />
Define your boundaries<br />
The type of fence, screen or hedge you<br />
choose for your garden provides more than a<br />
division of space.<br />
Boundaries create the framework that<br />
defines a garden, both externally and as<br />
dividers within the plot. A fence, hedge or<br />
screen is the backdrop against which the<br />
whole garden is viewed.<br />
Privacy and security is the main role of the<br />
garden’s boundary, which needs to keep out<br />
unwanted eyes and visitors while keeping<br />
children or pets in. First of all, choose<br />
between a fence, a hedge, or a combination<br />
of the two. Walls tend to be out of the<br />
reckoning unless your budget is vast or you<br />
have bricklaying skills.<br />
Fences are unbeatable for immediate<br />
effect. Many designs of wooden fence panel<br />
are available as well as metal panels and<br />
mesh screens. Browse catalogues for styles<br />
and prices, then check out different brands.<br />
Keep in mind the style of the garden in<br />
relation to your house and tailor the look to<br />
blend in, or go for a contrast by using rustic<br />
materials in urban surroundings or vice versa.<br />
Location, location, location<br />
Pick a spot that receives plenty of light all<br />
day long and avoid planting by trees and<br />
shrubs that may shade and compete with<br />
your garden for water and nutrients.<br />
If you don’t have much space, or your<br />
soil’s not conducive to growing what you<br />
would like, create a garden on your patio by<br />
clustering different pots together. It is best<br />
to plant annuals if you need to take the pots<br />
inside in the winter. You can empty out the<br />
soil and start again next spring.<br />
A good idea is to put the taller plants at the<br />
back of your garden and plant them on the<br />
north side, so they won’t shade the smaller<br />
ones. If you’re tackling a larger vegetable<br />
garden, don’t forget to plan for space to walk<br />
between the rows.<br />
The big cover-up<br />
Unless your chosen material is decorative<br />
enough to make a feature in its own right,<br />
chances are you’ll want to cover fences<br />
with plants. Go for the big cover-up by<br />
using trellis all over, or with a framework of<br />
galvanised wires run through vine eyes. If<br />
there’s a long run of fence, add an occasional<br />
panel of trellis at right angles to break up the<br />
monotony and add colour.<br />
Screens of bamboo, willow, reed and<br />
heather are versatile but less durable, lasting<br />
four to seven years. These screens also<br />
make great garden wallpaper’ to transform<br />
an unsightly fence or wall - perfect if the<br />
boundary belongs to your neighbour and is<br />
outside your control.<br />
Hedges make superb living screens and<br />
also help to absorb noise and pollution. The<br />
drawbacks are that a hedge takes up more<br />
space than a fence and requires trimming<br />
from one to three times a year. You can<br />
create instant privacy with a short-lived<br />
screen using one of the materials described<br />
above and plant a hedge at the same time.<br />
The shelter helps the hedge establish<br />
more quickly.<br />
Screens and hedges can be used in a huge<br />
variety of ways to enhance your garden’s<br />
overall design. Shelter and seclusion are<br />
desirable around the patio and other seating<br />
areas, and it’s a good idea to conceal<br />
features such as sheds, compost bins and<br />
washing lines.<br />
Timing is everything<br />
The best time to plant your garden is in the<br />
spring and autumn. Wait until late spring<br />
when the soil is no longer too wet from snow<br />
or spring rains and is kept warm by higher<br />
temperatures. Good soil will be loose, level,<br />
fertile, and well-drained - avoid clay and<br />
very sandy soil. You can begin by planting<br />
seeds that can take cooler soil and as the<br />
temperature hots up, introduce more seeds<br />
and plants.<br />
54