Home Improvement Quotes Blog

VAT back on the rise

2009-11-04T09:56:00.001Z

As of January 1st 2010, the standard rate of VAT will be returning to 17.5%. If you want to take advantage of the reduced rate, and potentially save hundreds of pounds on your upcoming home improvements project, you should be thinking about getting started as soon as possible.In November 2008, the government reduced the standard rate of VAT to 15% in an effort to stimulate economic growth. This

Don’t wait for Winter, Get Your Heating Sorted Now.

2009-10-27T14:31:00.000Z

As Autumn draws in, if you haven’t already then now is a good time to get your home’s heating system checked over by a professional. In fact, if you’ve got some form of heating cover, then check your policy as these sometimes include a free annual health check of your homes central heating and hot water systems.You might think it’s a little early to be thinking about burst pipes, but after a long

PHOTO FEATURE: Sociable Kitchens

2009-10-23T11:32:00.000Z

In many homes, the kitchen is becoming one of the most important rooms, so it’s no surprise that today’s kitchens focus on sleek designs and stylish materials, whilst emphasising a spacious and ‘open’ feel.Pictures for this month’s photo feature are from Kitchen Co-Ordination Ltd, a design and installation company who work around the London area.)For an instant online fitted kitchen quote, visit

Thinking of Upgrading or installing your Windows?

2009-10-22T09:05:00.005Z

(not that type of Windows!)If you're thinking of upgrading your Windows or installing Windows in your home, then we have the answer - online.Forget costly call-centers or premium rate phone lines, we can offer you an instant online quote for replacement windows and doors, double glazing and conservatories & porches etc from the comfort of your own computer.Visit Window Quoter today. Our clever

£1000 Or More Towards Your Double Glazing

2009-10-15T08:35:00.000Z

Government Grants For Glazing?A new campaign gathering momentum online calls upon the government to provide a grant for energy saving double glazing installations. Whilst current grants exist to cover installation of cavity wall insulation and other energy saving measures, this is unsuitable for many homes and some people are left unable to claim any money for improving their energy efficiency.If

Recycled upvc double glazing - are your old windows being recycled?

2009-10-05T04:00:00.000Z

We Can Recycle It. We Have the Technology.Recycling used uPVC windows, doors and other glazing products is not the stuff of science fiction - the technology is there and commercially available, so you should make sure you ask your supplier what they will do with the old units they're replacing.Most homes in Britain now have recycling bins alongside their normal waste collection, and most people

Your Home Improvement Company feedback makes the difference

2009-10-02T04:12:00.000Z

Here at Home Improvement Quotes, we've seen the way feedback you've been leaving on companies we've recommended to you has really changed the way they do business.After we've matched your details to a home improvement provider from our network, we give you the opportunity to leave feedback on the company, their salespeople, and the job they did.Through your comments, both good and not-so-good,

While the kids are away...

2009-09-28T14:48:00.004Z

For the last four years, our local Primary School has carried out major building improvements during the Summer holiday period.Four years ago it was a new hardwood floor in the main hall, three years ago, the roof was replaced, last year, the windows were replaced with new double glazed upvc windows that actually opened - amazing to think a whole generation of children had gone to school without

Is the Credit Crisis Coming to a Close? Find Out For Yourself!

2009-09-16T10:40:00.000Z

Is the Credit Crisis Coming to a Close? Find Out For Yourself!Last week, the Institute of Chartered Accountants released a report suggested that business confidence was beginning to rise again, and that this could spell the end for Britain’s recession.They said that the confidence levels of business people had risen drastically, and were positive for the first time since the credit crunch hit in

Flat Pack Kitchens - It's OK to call in the professionals

2009-09-13T10:55:00.000Z

It's OK to call in the professionals.We’ve written before about how easy it is to get the kitchen of your dreams, what to look for when choosing a kitchen company and how to take advantage of computer-based planning to get a good idea of what you’re new kitchen could look like.We’ve covered topics like ensuring any plumbing work is carried out by a Corgi registered engineer if any gas appliances

Conservatories with a difference

2009-09-11T13:01:00.000Z

As the Summer holidays draw to a close, it suddenly seems like the nights get dark very quickly, making the garden virtually unusable outside the weekends.Which makes it fairly unsurprising that conservatory enquiries pick up at the as homeowners begin to miss having their own little slice of outdoors, and look for ways to share and enjoy their gardens the whole year round.With the incredible

Protect yourself from pushy door-to-door home improvement salesmen

2009-09-08T12:53:00.002Z

Door-to-door home improvement salesmen have a bad reputation. In terms of popularity with the general public, they must rank somewhere between estate agents and politicians.Here at Home Improvement Quotes, we’ve been working for over a decade to help homeowners like you get the best of the dreaded cold-callers.We do this in two ways – firstly, we supply you with free guide prices before you ever

Solar Panel Quotes - new solar energy blog and twitter account

2009-08-28T13:59:00.002Z

We've just launched two new online resources to support Solar Panel Quoter and Home Improvement Quotes websites.FIrstly - a new blog dedicated to Solar Energy and renewable energy with news snippets and information from around the web which can be found at solarpanelquoter.blogspot.com.We'll be exploring everything from installing solar panels to Inverter wiring, batteries, expanding an existing

Prolonging the life of your uPVC windows and doors - essential maintenance tips

2009-08-21T09:30:00.000Z

Prolonging the life of your uPVC windows and doors.One of the major selling points of uPVC frames is the relatively small amount of ongoing maintenance they require, in comparison to other materials.Whilst it’s true that they do not require a great deal of maintenance, though, there are still a few things you should keep a close check on if you want to maximise the potential life of your units –

Knowing your Gable End from your Elbow - guide to fascia

2009-08-20T09:00:00.000Z

Knowing your Gable End from your Elbow.Our fasciaquoter website shows you diagrams to help you identify how and what to measure – all measurements should be able to be taken from the ground, including the gable ends so you haven’t got to reach for the ladders to get an online quote.Roofline refers to the wood or plastic boarding around your home that runs between the roof and the tops of the

The damage rain can cause to your home's walls

2009-08-17T09:00:00.000Z

You might be surprised to learn just how much damage the rain can cause to your home’s walls if left unchecked and untreated. Particularly after a wet summer like we’ve had this year – without the warm, dry months, by next spring your walls may have taken quite a battering at the hands of the elements.Without protecting your walls, you may start seeing cracked, blown and discoloured patches over

Is the Housing Market Starting to Perk Up?

2009-08-14T08:16:00.004Z

Is the Housing Market Starting to Perk Up?Economists believe that house price falls have begun to flatten out, and some suggest we may see rises in coming months.The two biggest mortgage brokers, Halifax and Nationwide, recorded 1.1% and 1.3% rises in prices in July, and the year-on-year fall in prices went from 15% in June to 12.1% in July. Halifax has also revised its estimates of house price

Double Glazing - Energy Efficient Glazing Glossary

2009-08-05T12:00:00.000Z

Energy Efficient Glazing GlossaryWe all know, nowadays, that we’re supposed to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Were you are, though, that heat loss through windows and doors in a typical home accounts for 30% of the energy used to heat the building in the first place? In other words, simply by installing highly efficient windows, you could start saving a big chunk of change on

Listed Buildings: What are your double glazing options?

2009-08-02T12:00:00.000Z

Listed Buildings: What are your options?Buildings which are listed, or are within a conservation area, can sometimes seem like a headache to improve or renovate. Strict planning laws often prevent modern renovations being made, or specific materials being used.When it comes to installing double glazing on a listed building, it seems the advice that English Heritage are happiest to give out is “

When buying paint - survey results

2009-07-31T11:57:00.003Z

We asked regular visitors to this blog 'when buying paint - do you'....Here were the 4 choices:Buy the cheapestBuy a major brandBuy shops own brandAlways buy a new brush/roller.Here are the results:80% bought a major brand, whilst the other 20% who voted favoured shop's own brands.Interestingly - 80% also stated they bought a new brush or roller everytime they bought paint.Now wasn't that more

Any upvc frame colour you like - as long as it's white?

2009-07-30T12:00:00.000Z

Not so long ago, if you were choosing upvc double glazing to replace your old windows, then the frame colour choice was usually limited to white, white or… White.You can’t keep a good plastic extrusion manufacturer down, though, and they quickly caught onto the fact that us homeowners quite like wooden windows – and that if they could make their plastics look a bit more like wood, they might just

Self Cleaning windows explained - are they worth it?

2009-07-27T12:56:00.002Z

Self-cleaning windows have been available for a little while now, but over the years we’ve seen plenty of fads, fashions and must-have new features come and go. We want to know, are self-cleaning panes here to stay – and are they worth the extra money?Self cleaning glass is available from a variety of glass makers under a number of different brand names, but they all work by the same basic

Online register of 'dodgy' estate agents from Office of Fair Trading

2009-07-23T09:26:00.005Z

Office of Fair Trading launch online register of dodgy estate agents....The Office of Fair Trading has just launched an online version of its register of dodgy estate agents.Estate agents listed have all been given warnings or been banned from estate agency work. The list can be viewed at www.oft.gov.uk/estateagentregisterUsers can browse alphebetically or by date; the register provides details

Transformers: Garages In Disguise

2009-07-17T09:00:00.000Z

In the vast majority of houses, getting more space doesn’t require getting the builders in – the space is already there, being wasted. Here’s three ways you can turn the unused space you already have into valuable living space, so you can get the most out of the house you live in.GaragesThe possible uses for a converted garage are only limited by your imagination. Whether you need a Granny annex,

How much to paint a room?

2009-07-15T13:30:00.002Z

If you want to freshen up the look and feel of a room, then its said there's nothing cheaper (or quicker) than a lick of paint. But how cheap an option is that really? Time you've added brushes or rollers, trays and surface preparation/protection, the cost can soon mount.Home Improvement Quotes took the basic Dulux Pure Brilliant White Matt Emulsion (5 litre can), and compared a few prices from