Tips - Expert Advice

Get the best from builders Mike Lawrence, author of the Which? Book of Home Improvements, explains how to get along with your traders.

• Get it in writing Always draw up a contract, or a simple letter of agreement for smaller projects, to be signed by both parties. This makes clear what’s involved, and will help you avoid conflict. Get full contact details and don’t settle for a mobile number alone.
• Agree the best route for traders to access the property. Clear obstacles, and request heavy-duty plastic runners and fixed-down dustsheets. Protect door frames against damage from tools and passing loads by taping packing material to them.
• Tea time Agree which taps, sinks and toilets workers can use and provide a kettle, cheap mugs and tea supplies and plenty of sugar.
• Don’t get too close to the job. Check progress each evening and raise any issues with the head contractor at the start of the next day. For long projects, arrange regular progress discussions on site to iron out any problems.
• Make agreed payments on time, unless there is a dispute over the work.

Know your rights Which? Legal Service’s Peter McCarthy on what to do if things go wrong:

Be specific Get three written quotes for the work. A quote is an agreed fixed price for the work, usually after inspection by the trader. Don’t settle for an estimate. An estimate is a rough guideline price. Be specific about what you want done. Time sensitive A contract is formed when you accept a trader’s offer to carry out work. If you need work finished by a certain date, write this down. Minimise extra work Get written quotes for all extras and confirm what you want in writing, as it could affect your completion date and costs. If work will cost more, this should be agreed before proceeding. Cash matters Be wary of traders who offer a lower price for cash. Always insist on a receipt. If you pay by credit card for work costing over £100 but less than £30,000, don’t put more than £25,000 on your card – a deposit will do. Your card provider and the contractor then have equal liability, so if things go wrong, you can make a claim against both. Avoid paying upfront Make sure the trader has insurance to protect payments you make on work or materials. Retain 5 per cent of the cost until work is finished and you’re happy with it. Cash in hand Your rights for paying cash in hand are exactly the same as for other work. The company or trader must carry out the service with reasonable skill and care; it must do work within a reasonable time if no fixed date’s been agreed; it can make a reasonable charge for work where a fee hasn’t been agreed; and it must use materials fit for their purpose and of satisfactory quality. How to complain Tell the trader as soon as you have a problem. If this fails, write to the person in charge and take photos of poor work. If you’re adding an extension, you’ll want it to look like part of the original building, so it’s worth paying close attention to design and materials. source: Which

builders Tips

Tips - 12 Top Jobs to add Value to your home

Top home improvements

Make a tidy profit by renovating your house

Estate agency firms rank the 12 jobs which add the most value to your home.

• Building an extension/loft conversions (equal ranking)
• Adding a bedroom
• Creating off-street parking
• Fitting a new kitchen
• New bathroom
• Building a conservatory
• Installing new central heating
• Replacing doors and windows/fitting double glazing
• Improving the flooring/improving the roofing (equal ranking)
• General decorating and painting

Getting started

Before a job begins, you must have an idea of the cost. For each project, we have given prices (including VAT and skip hire) from the Building Cost Information Service but they are a guide only and subject to change.

If you need an architect, they must be registered with the Architects Registration Board and it may be wise to find one who is also a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

A surveyor or structural engineer can help submit plans and oversee work. Choose a member of a registered body such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Planning and regulations
Once you’ve got the plans right, you must submit them to the local authority for planning permission. This covers appearance, use and access to extensions and new buildings. The work will also need building regulations approval. This relates to structural alterations, construction standards and safety.

Collect forms from your local authority and ask about fees. You will also be charged for visits by the building inspector.
Ask your local authority about obtaining a building warrant in Scotland. If you carry out work without planning approval, the authority can order it to be demolished.
Keep all inspection certificates to prove work was approved – you’ll need them when you sell.
In England and Wales, for most electrical jobs you must use a certified ‘competent person’ – an electrician registered with a Part P scheme.
In Scotland, you must use a certified electrician if the job is covered by a building warrant.
In Northern Ireland, there are no government schemes for electrical installation but there are registers of competent installers
For gas or hot water systems, we recommend using a Corgi-registered fitter.

Getting someone in
When hiring, ask for recommendations from friends or family and make sure the trades you choose are affiliated to a registered body such as the Federation of Master Builders. Also check whether your trades are with TrustMark, which lays down government-backed standards for the building trade.

The Construction Licensing Executive runs a similar scheme in Scotland. Even if professionals are members of a registered body, always get three written quotes and references to check previous work.

coming soon > Expert Tips

source: Which

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Tips - Smart homes - Q&A

Is the process disruptive?
Installing cables is messy, so the best time to create a smart home is when you are building a new house from scratch or undertaking a significant renovation project, where you plan to rip your house apart and plaster — or replaster — all your walls anyway.

I don’t want any mess —what can I do?
If you are not keen to install cables in walls and ceilings that you will then have to replaster, wireless technology is perfect. You can even take the equipment with you if you move house, and it’s easy to start small, and then build up your technology in time.

That sounds good; where do I start?
Best wireless buys include the self-installation BT home monitoring system, which costs about £180, from www.bt.com/shop
 Sonos multi-room music system can wirelessly play different pieces of music stored on your computer — including online music services, internet radio and iPods —simultaneously in up to 32 rooms. All you need is broadband internet access to make it work. Prices start at about £375, from Sonos, 08000 195 595, www.sonos-uk.co.uk.

I’m paranoid. Is there a cheap security system?
The Bio-Lock 1000 is a fingerprint-sensitive stand-alone lock that can be fitted on top of any existing lock. The device runs on AA batteries and requires no hard wiring. It costs from about £180, from Bio-Lock, 0845 221 1363, www.biolock-uk.com/.

What if my smart home breaks down?
The answer is it doesn’t — at least not to spectacular effect. Even though everything can be controlled from one keypad, and all goes back to your distribution point — usually a cupboard, or a small room if you have lots of equipment — if one system shuts down, it won’t take the entire network system with it.
Lighting, for example, is set up on many circuits so that it would take a power cut to take out every last
one. If a power cut occurs, the system comes back on the way you’d expect it to when the power does. But if a circuit fails, the lighting is designed so that it stays on and you operate it manually.
Installation companies also have technicians on call to come out to attend to problems, at an hourly rate, in much the same way as a plumber would charge.

source: Times-homes

Future Gadgets smart homes technology Tips

Tips - 10 ways to add value without the hassle of planning permission.

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