Author Archives: Phil

decorating-mistakes

Decorating dos and don’ts

decorating-mistakesAutumnÔÇÖs here again, signalling a switch from outdoor maintenance and gardening to indoor decorating. But before you tackle DIY jobs big or small, read our guide to the decorating mistakes you really should avoid if you want your home to stand out for all the right reasons!

DONÔÇÖT start to decorate without proper planning. Think you can do without those fiddly tester pots? Paint can look a lot different on the walls than on a paint chart, so it really is worth investing in a few tester pots before splashing out on litres and litres of the wrong colour. Leave the sample on the wall for at least 24 hours before making a decision, too, because a colour can vary depending on the light.

DO make sure you prep the room first. Sanding down skirting boards before varnishing and masking off switches and sockets can be pretty boringÔǪ but taking the time to prepare properly will make a big difference to the overall finish.┬á

DONT buy all your furnishings from one retailer unless you actually want your lounge to exactly replicate the home department of your favourite store, that is! Mix quality pieces with inexpensive accessories and look for quirky one-offs in antique shops or online that no one else will have.

DONÔÇÖT blindly follow trends if they donÔÇÖt suit your style. A home without your own personal stamp will just look bland, so make sure your d├®cor reflects your personality or that you at least include a few individual items in each room. And remember that fashions donÔÇÖt last anyway, so being utterly on-trend is a bad idea unless you can afford to redecorate every year!

DO measure up before you start; dont just guess. This goes for the number of rolls of wallpaper needed and the length and width of curtains and blinds. Always measure the allocated space for an item of furniture and take the measurements with you when shopping not forgetting to consider extra factors such as whether large pieces will fit through the door or up the stairs!

DO invest in the right tools. A spirit level is a must if youÔÇÖre putting up shelves or towel rails, whilst trying to make do with a cross-head screwdriver when you really need a flat-head is asking for trouble. When it comes to paintbrushes, thereÔÇÖs no need to buy the most expensive on the market but very low-end budget brushes are best avoided, as they tend to leave bristles in those nice, freshly painted walls.

wall-lightsDONÔÇÖT ÔÇÿswitch offÔÇÖ interest after the painting and papering is done! Even the most expertly decorated room will be let down by poor lighting, so make sure this is included in your plans and your budget. The effort put into decorating a large room stylishly wonÔÇÖt be reflected with one measly central bulb, so think about installing a line of downlights or buying┬átable lamps to place in gloomy corners. And a small room can be made to look much bigger by bouncing light off the walls and ceiling with uplighters.

DO call in the professionals if a job is too big or tricky. DIY is all well and good for small jobs or if you know what youÔÇÖre doing, but tackling a job youÔÇÖre unsure of might prove a false economy ÔÇô especially if you have to call in the experts anyway to put right your disaster! Be particularly careful around electrics and plumbing and, if you are confident you can tackle a job yourself, make sure young children and pets are safely out of the way first.

self-build

Don’t lose the plot over Right to Build!

self-build

Building your own home is now meant to be easier than ever. The government has unveiled its Right to Build campaign to promote self-building as a more affordable way and cost-effective way to provide a family home. Unveiled by planning minister Nick Boles earlier this summer, Right to Build encourages would-be self-builders to work with specialist designers to custom build their property and to dramatically increase the 10,000 homes currently built this way each year.

But what about finding the right plot for the home of your dreams in the first place? With brownfield sites, garden plots and demolition sites to choose from – and obtain planning permission for – the process can be daunting. Carol Parry, marketing manager at oak frame designers and builders Welsh Oak Frame, says: “There are so many different types of plot available, from brownfield sites to agricultural dwellings, and how easily you can gain planning permission will usually depend on the type of plot you choose.” Luckily, Welsh Oak Frame has the following advice!

ÔÇ£ Brownfield sites

In urban areas, the government positively encourages building on these sites. If you’re looking at a rural site, despite the existence of countryside protection policies, you may still achieve planning permission if you’re planning to replace an unwelcome existing building, which may be unsightly.┬á

Self-builder projects

Some councils are now embracing self-build projects with available land specifically for this purpose, so check whether your local council offers this by contacting their planning policy department.

Garden plots

Planning departments tend to look at these plots favourably ÔÇô make sure your proposal is within the settlement boundaries. Your new build will need to be sympathetic in design to the surroundings and not create an obstruction to neighbours, such as loss of light. At Welsh Oak Frame, our teams excel at designing character-filled, stylish homes that are in keeping with other properties in the area.

Demolition locations

We find many of our clients buy a plot of land with an existing home, which they then knock down to replace with a luxury oak frame structure. However, make sure the existing property isn’t listed. And if you’re buying in a rural location where the existing house has not been occupied for some years and it’s derelict, this space will be seen as open countryside by planning departments. If the existing property is smaller than your needs, check the size your council’s planning department will allow, as the increase may not be big enough for your needs.┬á┬áÔÇØ

Other countries are well ahead of the UK in terms of the number of self and custom-built houses compared to homes built by regular developers. In Austria about 80% of all homes are self-built whilst in Germany, France and Italy the figure is about 60%. In the US and Australia about 40% of homes are self-built yet in the UK just eight to 10% of homes are custom-built.

A 2013 survey by Ipsos Mori on behalf of what is now the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) found that one in eight Brits planned to research how to build a home for themselves in the following 12 months and that around one in 50 planned to buy a building plot, obtain detailed planning consent or start construction work.

Welsh Oak Frame, based in Caersws, Powys, has more than 20 yearsÔÇÖ experience in designing and building oak frames for self-build homes and recently won the prestigious Best Use of Oak Frame in the Build It awards.

 

How to… replace a light fixture

light-fixtureIn response to all the questions put to the DIY Advice team about home and garden DIY, weÔÇÖve decided to launch a new ÔÇÿHow toÔǪÔÇÖ series. And what more of an ÔÇÿilluminatingÔÇÖ way to start than with a step-by-step guide to one of the most useful DIY skills you can have ÔÇô fitting a new light fixture to the ceiling!

  1. The first step is to switch off the power supply at the mains – simply switching off the light you are going to change at its switch is not enough and could cause you serious harm. If the light was previously on, wait for the bulb to cool down
  2. Remove the old shade via the screws or clips. Unscrew the light bulbs to prevent them from smashing and then remove the fixture base via the bolts
  3. Using a non-contact voltage tester, double check that the circuit is off. ItÔÇÖs now safe to loosen and disconnect the wiring before removing the old fixture completely. Be prepared for some dust to fall on you!
  4. If the new light is of a fairly similar design (and age) to the old one, it might be possible to use the original mounting bracket. If they are different, remove the old one and attach the bracket that comes with your replacement light
  5. Wire the new fitting. Connect the brown (or if itÔÇÖs older, red) cable to the live terminal connection. Connect the blue (or if itÔÇÖs older, black) cable to the neutral terminal connection. Connect the green and yellow earth cable to the earth terminal, covering any exposed copper with earth cable sleeving.┬áNB. You might need somebody to hold the light fitting for you to take its weight whilst┬áyou connect the wiring
  6. Carefully push the wires into the ceiling box and, following the manufacturerÔÇÖs instructions, secure the light fixture base to the mounting bracket, making sure no wires are caught between the fitting and the ceiling
  7. Install the light bulbs and screw on the new light shade
  8. Turn the mains electricity back on, flip the light switch and stand back to admire your handiwork!

Installing a new ceiling light is not a difficult job or one that requires a great deal of DIY experience. The golden rule with DIY, however, is that if youÔÇÖre really uncomfortable attempting a task ÔÇô donÔÇÖt. Calling in an electrician might seem like an unnecessary expense but itÔÇÖs far better to pay up than risk injuring yourself or other people in your home.