DIY & Build Advice 30 Ways To Improve Your Home

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1. I have friends who purchased a house in an area plagued by seasonal drought. They added immense value to the resale value of their home by installing a combination rainwater capture / gray water recycling system to see them through the lean times. It may seem like a trivial thing but they are often the only house in the summer able to maintain a thriving garden, some of their neighbors even go a week or two without being able to launder clothes for fear of running out of water for bathing and flushing toilets. Needless to say they are quite happy with how the eco-renovation turned out.

   Posted by Dave Tool on 03/11/2009 04:05:03

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2. Going green and using more sustainable and renewable materials I believe is the way forward. I fully agree with Georges comment on UPVC frames..they are not environmentally freindly and there are better alternatives. The Government is trying to encourage us to be more eco friendly, thus saving energy & money. Grants are now available for energy saving projects..loft & wall insulation, solar panels, changing to more efficient boilers

   Posted by manny on 22/09/2009 09:09:54

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3. We have a lovely country house with a good sized garden. The only thing that is lacking is direct access to the garden from the kitchen. It is a very long way to the patio from my kitchen sink!! We have a separate (smallish)dining room as well as a big kitchen, where we have a table to seat 6 people. Am sort of taken with the idea of creating a HUGE kitchen, dining, woodburing stove heated, comfy seated area with direct access and view to the garden. But I do wonder whether it would be a disadvantage, when we come to sell, not to have a dining room. I know that today's living is so centred round the kitchen but I do still wonder, with a larger house, as ours is, whether people DO STILL WANT THAT SEPARATE DINING room. So am torn between just gaining access to the garden or creating an amazing space, which.... may not be to everybody's cup of tea. SO, MY QUESTION IS, bearing in mind that our house is already spacious, DINING ROOM OR NO?

   Posted by arcanum on 13/09/2009 18:20:48

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4. Can anyone tell me if it is feasable to build a dependant granny flat in a space of 12ft wide by 41 ft long. It will run along the side of the main house. We need a lounge, bedroom with ensuite and a utility room connecting it to the main residence. I am wondering if the width of the extension will be too narrow when the bricks and plaster is taken into account. I would be very gratefull for any advice.

   Posted by Sandra on 23/08/2009 02:48:22

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5. We have just bought a house for myself, partner and two young children. The house is a character property in Buxton, 3 beds, 1 small bathroom and kitchen , plus drive and good sized garden. Apart from changing stair position to create a bigger bathroom, and complete renovation of house we are looking to extend the 3x3m2 kitchen to add approx 4m along the 8 m metre width to create a kitchen, diner, lounge area that overlooks the garden and can be used for a familly space, but have been struggling with will this be long enough, do we glaze it, shall we add downstairs toilets etc etc. Our architect keeps saying thats an idea when I mention things to him ie not alot comes back. Any advice on this potential use of space would be appreciated before we start. Thanks

   Posted by Steve J on 18/08/2009 21:48:57

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6. We really need help with the outside of our house. We live in an extended 30s semi. We have a driveway and small front garden. They both need redesigning. The outside of the house needs painting and we need a new porch/ front door too. Where is the best place to go to get style ideas? Also, why do home shows rarely tackle the outside of houses? I'd more than willingly volunteer our house as a project. Please please help, it's getting to the point where I don't like driving up to our house.

   Posted by frejet on 18/08/2009 10:26:43

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7. were in the process of re modelling our kitchen weve taken out two walls to open it all up lets alot of natural light in now but were stuck what colours to use husband wants neutral colours im all for going crazy with colours any suggestions please its for the loung through to the kitchen. new kitchen is white with darker worktops havent chosen flooring as yet need help here too!!!any suggestions at all please anyone.

   Posted by meme on 30/07/2009 10:49:31

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8. I can't agree more with the comments you make, especially regarding the kitchen and the value a home remodeling plan around a new kitchen can improve the not only the value of the house but the marketability of the house. Not everyone of course has the option you state in number 6. a loft conversion. But when this is an option the two choices, if you must make one regarding kitchen and loft remodeling needs to be carefully weighed up. You should consult with your home builder thoroughly as to the costs involved for each project before making your decision. Great tips for anyone looking at home improvement especially in relation to saleability. Regards Chris

   Posted by Chris Builder on 13/07/2009 04:37:35

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9. Hi, Absolutely CRAZY about the show. Hate hate hate our house, everything needs fixing/changing/upgrading and don't know where to begin. How can we apply for the next series????? Desperate! Jo

   Posted by Jo on 12/07/2009 21:16:17

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10. What about going green? I think that incorporating green aspects into the home is an excellent way to improve it. There are so many things that we can all do now at home that can help reduce our electrical bills, improve our indoor air quality and reduce our over all waste. I created a website to help people make greener decisions at home. Maybe it will also help your viewers!

    Posted by Jennie on 01/07/2009 03:50:14

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11. I'm really inspired by Georges creativaty, his work always looks terrific when finished but why does he feel the need to put those big sliding glass doors in almost every house, patio doors have the same effect & probably a fraction of the cost, yes they let the light in but so do patio doors & i am sure the home owners would prefer the money to be spent elsewhere!!

    Posted by Pam Simpson on 26/06/2009 13:31:16

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12. i have seen on the home improvement shows some steel & glass bannisters. Does anyone know of a particular supplier? i am finding it difficult to lacate one aprt from an industrial supplier that isn't interested in domestic purchaser. Please let me know if you have any. I live in west yorkshire kind regards Ian Harley

    Posted by ian harley on 25/06/2009 22:00:09

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13. A cost effective way to refresh your living room is to have your sofa dyed. You may be able to change the colour and for less than the price of a new sofa.

    Posted by John on 24/06/2009 11:52:01

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14. we have got a good sized living room and a opening the size of two doors leading into the dining room and then a door leading into the kithcen, the kitchen has a door leading outside to the garden and a door to adownstairs toilet, our house is done nice and modern but the dining room is not used and the kitchen although a good size not enough room for dining table.The kitchen is the hob of our house and always full of people i would like to knock kitchen and dining room into one and then put some for of doors or door leading into the living room put with the toilet that we dont want to lose we just dont no where to start i may have to just move huse instead?

    Posted by lynn frankland on 08/12/2008 13:07:22

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15. We have lived in our 3 bed semi for 18 yrs but have not really been able to afford any major decorating or renovations, we now have some spare cash and would love to convert our integral garage into a modern kitchen to give us more room, the kitchen that currently backs onto the garage into a dining room and add a small conservatory please help we dont know where to start.

    Posted by Cheryl Tea on 26/11/2008 22:43:22

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16. I think that this show is fab, especially in the current market. I have a 3 bed semi in a nice suburb in Newcastle. I live alone now as my son has more or less flown the nest. I would like to make some improvements to my home to enhance my lifestyle as a now single woman instead of a single parent. I have always wanted an en suite and have a bit of noise at the back due to the metro. I also want a more eco friendly house. What advice could be given, plus I dont have a lot of money to spend, also my garage is now too small for my new car. I would like somewhere to do painting and art again, have thought of a loft conversion but just not sure and again, it might cost a bomb.

    Posted by Gill Valentine on 26/11/2008 20:40:01

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17. How do we go about applying for the next series?

    Posted by zoe macbean on 20/11/2008 09:36:03

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18. Am feeling very dis-illusioned with our 4 bed house. Have good size bed rooms ( no en suits and as only lady with 3 little boys and a husand would love one) Down stairs we have a conservatory -nice in theory but cold for Xmas. Need help of a confident, visionary ; you! Please.

    Posted by beth on 19/11/2008 22:27:48

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19. We have a 4 bedroomed terraced house which has a flat roof We are interested in an creating and eco roof but we have no idea of the cost. My husband was a carpenter but he is now in his seventies and I am not too keen on him working on the roof.Can you help with any suggestions please? The house is 1960's build townhouse withn integral garage.

    Posted by Joan Byrne on 24/09/2008 16:29:32

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20. Help! I have a 3 bed Victorian Terrace, larger than average but not huge. We have 2 good size reception rooms and a good square kitchen (but 3 doors come off this to outside, the cellar and the lounge.) Beyond the kitchen is an outside loo and brick built shed but these are only accesible from outside. I want to knock through, puttting french doors onto the patio which would make if a fabulous space and we can tie it up as a kitchen diner. However, there is a Chimney at the end of the kitchen and we would have to take part of that out to do so. As the chimney is linked to one of our neighbours I am told this is major works and will be costly and difficult. (Would employ trades, I am no builder!)What I want to know, is that as we already have a Dining room, is the expense and hassle of the knock through going to be worth it? Is it really that huge a deal? Also, I'm not keen on having a downstairs loo in the kitchen and there is no other space for one at all. As we already have an outside loo (although we don't use it) and this is a family home, would we maybe be better to just create a door way that would lead to a loo and say, a utility area instead? It would be cheaper and more practical though not necessarily impressive? What do you think? Thank you, Catherine

    Posted by Catherine Franks on 22/09/2008 15:59:30

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21. Hi Tyrone Sorry for the late reply on this - my 'post your comment' button wasn't posting! This is all about balance. If your house had three big bedrooms upstairs (or better still, four), it would clearly be a family home, in which case, I'd say yes to a shower room downstairs. As it is, it doesn't sound like the size of the house would justify it. As for extending, the cost you'd have to pay out to extend by 1.5 metres really wouldn't justify it - if you're going to do it, it needs to be big enough (ie, 3m at least) to make it worthwhile, or you'll never get the money back on it. Equally, you should only do all this if your house won't then be over sized and overpriced within the road. Can I suggest you get a builder to give you some rough estimates, then get an estate agent to give you some guestimates on what the new improved house would be worth. That simple sum should help you decide.

    Posted by Lucy 4Homes Ed on 02/09/2008 21:25:37

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22. Hi there ive bought a small semi detached 3 bed home to do up i purchased for 80k which had no double glazin and no central heating which i deeply regret now.i have a 3 small bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and a decent size lounge and a large kitchen diner room which i have done myself by knocking a wall down and fitting a brand new kitchen downstairs.It has a downstairs toilet and cloakroom which is very small which is positioned on the front of the property like a small extention coming off the house. my question is will i put much value on the house if i extend the downstairs toilet and cloakroom and put a shower room there is it worth me doing so.ive gutted the whole house and its been modernised completely new floor boards new carpets new bathroom its been rewired with spotlights and expensive electrical points new double glazing and new heating etc.I have a small back garden and small front garden i have also transformed the garden with a pond and flowers and re turfed the garden because it was a complete mess. My other question is that i have spent approximately 10k already on this property and i want to sell it within the next 5 years and i would like to earn some money back when i sell rather than break even is there any ideas or suggestions you can give me to proceed further the house has character a good shape and style to it i could extend the side of the house but i only got 3 metres maximum i can extend it by. the only positive thing i can say is that if i extend it by a metre and a half then il still have a pathway to walk around the house and the 2 biggest bedrooms of the 3 will be extended too by the 1.5 m along with the bathroom and the lounge and kitchen diner area too.it will be a large 3 bed home then but are the ideas worth it will i be wasting my money or doing a good thing if you could please help me at all thank you. kind regards Tyrone Bowley

    Posted by Tyrone Bowley on 26/08/2008 15:46:27

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23. Hi Carolyn The turning circle I think is only a good idea if you will have decent garden space to put in some flower beds right in front of the house, round the side and possibly at the front. There's nothing uglier than a fully paved/gravelled driveway - you need to think of the view from the outside of the house, but also from inside looking out, which would be changed from one of greenery to one of cars... It doesn't sound like there's a massive parking problem where you live - if I was you, I'd leave it as it is.

    Posted by Lucy 4Homes Ed on 14/08/2008 21:40:08

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24. We have a small drive to side of house & can park 2 cars 1 behind the other - no turning space or garage. Front garden,now lawn, could make a gravel turning space & park 2 more cars. Would this make your 'good idea' list? We can park in the road outside but it get's busy when school run on as the school is next door. You don't mention this subject in your otherwise excellant list on how to improve your house.

    Posted by Carolyn Finbow on 13/08/2008 14:41:18

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25. I had the luxury of a useful budget when putting together a flat to let for self catering holidays. Your articles have given me ideas on how to do something similar with my own flat which doesn't enjoy the same funds. Particulary thwe advice on bathrroms and kitchens. A conservatory would be great but my space is miniscule.

    Posted by Peter Ellis on 08/08/2008 18:46:03

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