Gadgets - Tile Dimmer

So you want to set the mood for a relaxing bath experience. You have the sented candles, the exotic spices in the bath and the classical music humming in the back ground. But your down spots are still burning at 1000w which kills the mood.

No more. Sensor have designed a dimmer switch that can be installed behind your tiles. No more unsightly pull cords and no more bright lighting. Safe and sexy I believe the saying should be.

More info at www.sensor.co.uk

Bathroom Gadgets Uncategorized

Tips - Kitchen and Bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms require similar expertise for checking and installation of plumbing, hot-water systems and electrics. In both rooms, plan space for opening cupboards and appliances and, in kitchens, allow for comfortable movement when using sinks or preparing food.

We recommend you design your kitchen around a compact working triangle that links your fridge, cooker and sink (see ‘Planning a kitchen‘). Changing the position of taps, showers, power points and waste pipes can be complicated and increase cost, so it’s important to plan your space carefully.

You can’t afford to be without a kitchen or bathroom for long, so plan ahead and remember that the best tradespeople are often booked months in advance.

Regulations

Radiators, underfloor heating or hot-water systems should be installed by a Corgi-registered plumber, and a Part-P registered electrician should be used for all electrical work in these rooms.

You’ll also need building regulations approval for a new waste pipe as well as for ventilation, drainage, structural stability and fire safety.

However, you won’t need planning permission if you’re just taking out old kitchen units or bathroom suites and replacing them.

Cost and timings

Expect to pay between £11,000 and £120,000 for a built-in kitchen or, if you have experience and time, use a budget self-assembly kit within your remodelled space to keep costs down. These cost from around £600.

Bathrooms can cost between £4,000 and £40,000, including removal of old suites and installation of new units, fittings, flooring, tiling and decoration. Costs for both will vary greatly depending on materials and style.

A complete kitchen refurbishment can take two to three weeks and upwards, depending on size and complexity, while a bathroom should take two to eight weeks.

Insider tips

Mike Lawrence, author of the Which? Book of Home Improvements:

• Always get at least three quotes and insist on paying against specific jobs completed to your satisfaction.
• Always check past workmanship. Cheapest isn’t always best; enthusiasm and commitment to a project are important.
• Doing some of the finishing work yourself can save a lot of money, but make sure you can do it to a professional standard.
• Work on sloping sites can mean unexpectedly costly groundwork and extra work to match existing floor levels.

Home-improvement expert Alison Cork:

• Always get the detail in writing. It’s not enough to rely on the ‘goodwill’ that may exist between you and the contractor.
• Trusting a single-line quote is a recipe for disaster. Quotes should be detailed. Break the job into logical components.
• Anything to do with foundations has potential for complications. Allow a 20 per cent margin of error in your budget for this.

source: Which

Bathroom Kitchen Tips

News - B&Q sells Wind Turbines

A DIY chain is launching a new range of budget-priced wind turbines and solar panels from next month to help householders generate their own energy.

The turbines will cost £1,498 and fit on to domestic roofs and transmit electricity directly into household wiring, according to B&Q.

The solar panels, which come in packs of two, will cost the same.

Householders should ask their local council whether planning permission is needed for the 10ft-high wind turbines, the chain’s customer advice brochure says.

The company says householders should see the turbines pay for themselves within four to five years based on average wind speeds and current energy prices.

It’s also increasing its range of energy efficient devices such as low energy lightbulbs.

B&Q will sell the solar panels and the wind turbines from its larger stores and its website.

B&Q Chief Executive Ian Cheshire said: ‘B&Q is responding to a genuine consumer interest in environmental issues by helping everyone to see that taking a few simple steps can save money and the environment, at the same time.’

Electrical retailer Currys started selling solar panels as part of a trial scheme in the summer.

B&Q said the wind turbines, which are made in Scotland, could be eligible for a 30 per cent grant from the Energy Saving Trust.

The solar panels are made in Germany and Slovenia.

source: Which

Gadgets Going Green Info News

Tips - Bathroom Planning

As with kitchen planning, keep in mind where the existing service points (water, electricity, etc) are. Also think about how you’ll use your new bathroom and whether it will be easy to keep clean.

Keep enough free space to dry yourself next to the bath and enough elbow and head room at the washbasin.

You can get help with planning a bathroom from many showrooms.

source: Which

Bathroom planning Tips

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