Conservatories are attractive additions to most homes, barring the occasional horror story or cowboy builder. They’re light and open, adding a great deal of value to your home. The most significant problem with conservatories is their ecological impact, which can be vast, depending on who you entrust with the build. What with the materials and potential heating issues involved, it can be difficult to know where to begin if you want to retain an environmentally conscious lifestyle, and also save yourself a bit of money on bills. Follow these steps, though, and the process will be much simpler. 1. Choose the Right Glazing Glazing is probably the most substantial element of your conservatory, and will certainly be the most noticeable. Shoddy glazing, or glazing inappropriate for a conservatory, will leave you shivering all winter and scorching in the summer. When choosing your glazing, look out for low-e (low thermal emissivity) glazing, complete insulating glass units, and high “R-ratings”. An R-rating is quite simple to understand – 0.35 is normal glass, 3 is a decent start, and about 5 is good. Some glass units have reached R-ratings as high as 12.5, but this will definitely be overkill for the average conservatory. Most customers will have to ask their builder on this one, so make sure you get one who is trustworthy and knows what they’re talking about. 2. Choose the Right Material for the Framework The choice here is mostly between metals (aluminium), hardwoods and uPVC. In terms of eco-friendliness, all three have different strengths and weaknesses. – Choosing uPVC Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride is often considered less attractive than hardwoods or metal, but is a good insulator, lasts a long time, and represents very good value for money. The biggest environmental issue you will face with it is that, when it comes to the end of its life, recycling is more difficult than for other products. uPVC does not biodegrade, although there are schemes in place to enable consumers to recycle their used uPVC, though. You don’t have to worry about replacing your conservatory framework when it starts to deteriorate. uPVC spares are plentiful, cheap, and easy to get hold of. – Choosing Metal Dealing with metal in conservatories is not as common as it used to be, but it is also much easier than it was in the days of cast-iron monoliths. Aluminium is probably the most common metal in use on conservatories, and is fairly typical of metals; it provides a strong, flexible framework which is useful for areas with a lot of ‘clay heave’ (clay bulging and contracting) or soft ground, but it lets out a lot of heat. There are also hidden environmental costs, in the strip mining and vast amounts of industry required to produce Aluminium in large amounts, although once you have it in place it’ll last for a long time. – Choosing A Hardwood Hardwood is probably one of the trickiest issues for the layperson to approach. Price is not necessarily an indicator of quality: many valuable hardwoods are prized more for their rarity and attractive grain rather than practical properties. Conversely, cheaper hardwoods are not automatically from more sustainable plantations. Look for woods which have been certified as sustainable – Forest Stewardship Council wood, Pro Forest wood, PEFC wood. Avoid tropical or exotic woods unless you are sure that they are not under threat, and if in doubt, look for a second opinion. In terms of wood quality, look for strength, natural oil and moisture content, and ability to receive coats of varnish or paint. 3. Think Carefully About the Interior In terms of conservatory furniture and miscellaneous items, a certain amount of research is required, but these are the general rules to follow: Steer clear of air conditioners if you know you can cool the room down by opening windows Don’t buy expensive heating solutions if you can prevent heat loss in the first place Go for beech or wicker rather than oak or mahogany You can also seek out companies that specialise in eco-friendly solutions. This way you can be a little more confident that your efforts really are helping the environment, and get everything from one convenient and relatively trustworthy place. Ideally, you’ll end up with a conservatory that keeps you and your plants warm from February to early October, and doesn’t drag your heating bills up the rest of the year. Plus you get that warm inner glow from having helped save the world!   Patrick Robson is a regular blogger and eco-enthusiast. He blogs for David Salisbury Conservatories, who provide a bespoke hardwood conservatory design service, utilising a range of FSC and PEFC certified timbers. Read more »

The holidays are just around the corner, and as we begin to prepare our homes for parties and get togethers, it’s a good time to cast our gaze upon the guest bedroom. Sometimes it’s necessary for house guests to stay overnight due to bad weather or long distances to travel to their next destination, and sometimes family comes to stay for a planned visit. Whatever the reason, it’s a wonderful idea to have a warm, comfortable, and welcoming guest room prepared for these sort of occasions. Here are some tips to help you create just such a space: Use Neutral Tones The goal is to create a space in which anyone and everyone can feel comfortable and at home. By utilizing a more minimal approach to paint, and bed linens, you avoid overwhelming your male guests with gardens of flowers and lace, and your female guests will also appreciate your chic sense of style. Provide Adequate Space No matter the actual size of the room, it’s important to make it feel as if your guests have what they need to be comfortable. It’s best to have more than just a bed and a dresser if possible. Arrange one corner of the room as a small sitting area so that your guests can work or read for a while before going to sleep, as these rituals might be part of their usual nightly routines. Place a chair and a table, along with a lamp and a small ottoman if you have enough space, to create a relaxing nook. Make sure that the closet is empty except for hangers and perhaps a set of extra linens and a couple of blankets neatly folded and stored away on the top shelf. The same goes for the dresser drawers – make sure they’re empty and neatly lined with attractive paper. Invest Money in High End Linens and Pillows It may seem impractical at first, but it’s actually a very sound investment. It’s important to create comfort for your guests, and as much as I dislike admitting it, being the frugal gal that I am, higher thread count sheets and comforters really are more comfortable and worth every penny of the extra money we shell out for them. In addition to being more comfortable, they wear beautifully and last seemingly forever – the more you launder them, the softer they become – you can’t beat that. Also make sure to have comfortable pillows – not too soft and not too firm. Choose the Right Window Coverings This is easy enough to provide. Just make sure to have blinds that can be opened or closed depending on how much or how little light your guests want to allow into the room, and if you have full length curtains, they should have tie-backs so that they can also be adjusted. Lighting Provide table and/or floor lamps in addition to any overhead lighting that may be present in the room. Lamp light is always much more comfortable and welcoming than harsh, overhead lights. A lamp directly at the beside is crucial. Your guests will be unfamiliar with the arrangement of the room and might bump into things or -worst case- trip over something and fall, trying to make it back to the bed after turning off the light. These situations can be avoided by having a lamp right at hand that can be switched off from the bed. Reading Material While expected guests will most likely have their own reading material, unexpected guests might appreciate a selection of books and magazines in the room to help them relax. Many people are in the habit of reading before bed, and it can be difficult to sleep when you’re in an unfamiliar bed even under the best of circumstances, so, having something available to read is a good idea. Provide a Clock Radio or Alarm Clock It can be disorienting to wake up in a strange place, and having a clock to glance at helps to bring everything into a more familiar focus. Even though most everyone has a clock and alarm feature on their mobile phones, it’s still a good idea to have a clock in the room, and it makes things seem more home like as well. Follow these tips and add your own personal touches and ideas to create the perfect guest room. You’ll always be ready, and even eager, to welcome overnight guests into your home. This article is by Lauren Kelly, a freelance writer for Advance Me Inc., America’s leading provider of the merchant cash advance – an alternative to traditional, collateral based bank loans, for small-medium sized businesses. Read more »

I’m half Scottish and half Yorkshire, and though I heartily disapprove of cultural stereotyping, I have to admit that I’m a tight-fisted devil.  This particular part of my genetic makeup is, in general, a good thing.  I can spot a bargain at 100 meters (the Scottish side) and I refuse to hire a workman to do a job if there’s even the possibility of ‘having a go’ (that’s the Yorkshire heritage).  However, this approach to life’s little efficiencies has certainly led to some interesting times.  In possibly my biggest effort to save a few quid – well probably tens of thousands of them actually – the last house I bought was not so much a ‘doer-up’ as a ‘oh my god it should be demolished’.  As with any old house and renovation you can never really say that ‘the end is nigh’ but these days the little jobs outweigh the big ones.  So having spent years working from the ground up, can I recommend this extreme do it yourself approach?  Sort of! The pros and the cons What are the pros then?  Money, money, money.  Materials are costly enough, but when you add to that the labour costs, you can wave goodbye to an exotic holiday or two.  Labour is by far the biggest cost when it comes to renovation.  If you aren’t afraid of hard work – and lots of it – then you can save a small fortune.  Labour costs can be £100 a day per labourer and I’ll leave you, as our American cousins would say, to do the math. The cons?  Well, in truth, not many.  Not if you enjoy learning curves!  The biggest problem you’ll face is simply that what a skilled labourer can accomplish in a day, you’ll find it will take you a week.  Sometimes you’ll find it’s all gone a bit wrong and you have to start afresh.  If you are not already of an optimistic frame of mind, you will at least probably develop one. But I’m a bit clueless This is no good excuse – as I was to start with!  Prior to my own renovation project I could change a light bulb and knew roughly how to bleed a radiator.  In the first house I’d owned we’d had the kitchen done by a builder, he’d offered to let us pull the old ceiling down to save costs so we did.  That was, roughly, the full extent of my knowledge.  Between myself and the better half we can now do the following:  demolish stuff; build walls, fit RSJs, build fireplaces, mortar, plaster, plumb and wire.  We can also put scaffolding up and take it down again – surprisingly important – fit chimney liners and chimney pots, point walls, fit radiators, light fittings and sockets.  To be honest the list goes on.  If i can do it from my slow start of being able to change a light bulb, most people probably can. Sheer brute force and a slightly perverse enjoyment of hard labour are a surprisingly big part of renovating.  You don’t need a lot of skill for this part of the work.  There are some more technical areas that you may need a little advice, training and the occasional builder to call round and shake his head knowingly about; but most jobs can, with patience, be tackled.  Two areas that usually provoke the most nerves amongst the un-initiated are plumbing and electrical work – so a couple of pointers: Plumbing needn’t drive you round the bend Plumbing is essentially a lot of pipes.  Not the hardest concept in the world to master, although this can depend on the nature of the plumbing.  Running the pipe work for domestic supply or central heating systems is definitely not rocket science.  Copper piping is the traditional method, but what some plumbers won’t be willing to tell you is that there is a cheaper and easier type today.  Plastic piping and connectors are available which make the job simpler and you can mix and match with copper where necessary.  Having a plumber listed amongst your friends or family can help with the technical details, although advice is easy to come by on the internet these days. Electrical work This is one area that is probably best not approached as a novice – although there is certainly a lot of the hard labour that you can do yourself.  Finding a good electrician who is qualified to do the work is the safest way, but if you’re working on the site yourself you may be able to come to a deal.  The majority of electrical work now falls under the evils of the Building Regulations department of your local authority – so employing a competent person with the right piece of paper is crucial.  Some, though they are few and far between, electricians who specialise in the self-build arena will be willing to let you do the ‘groundwork’, monitor your progress and sign off the work to the satisfaction of the local Building Regs office.  Though scarce, these electricians can help in the battle to cut costs without costing lives.  Alternatives include taking the necessary qualifications yourself – not perhaps cost effective in the short term, but potentially earning you money in the future. The main benefit to taking a project on yourself is of course the warm glow that you get when your home is complete; he lied.  Yes, you do get considerable satisfaction, but you also save considerable amounts of money and get to learn a lot of new skills.  Self-building and renovation is not for the faint hearted – but for those willing to learn and work hard (really hard) and be prepared to laugh at the unexpected it is certainly an incredibly fulfilling option!   Covering Dorset electricians Connect Electrical can provide a comprehensive service to those hands on, or hands off, self-builders. Read more »

If you really care about style and elegance that shows, fixing a wall mounted toilet is definitely the way to go. As popular as they are, it is mostly commercial establishments such as hotels that use them. The good news is that you can get one that can be fixed in your own home and very quickly experience the added luxury in your life. If you have a very small bathroom this can be a very brilliant way to make it appear bigger. These toilets give your floor space a really nice and open feeling. Despite the fact that you can fix many of them yourself you are better off speaking to professional first. This is because this is slightly more complicated than fixing a regular toilet. This is partly due to the fact that there is a bracing frame that must be installed as part of the unit. The cistern in this WC unit is concealed so you want to really know what you are doing. The truth is that these toilets are usually slightly more expensive, as compared to regular toilets. Nevertheless, they are still worth the money. The immediately make your house stand out and make it really special. You will love hearing the compliments you will receive from everybody who sees it. Adding a wall mounted faucet will further enhance the look of your bathroom especially if the toilet is installed in the in the same space. You can find many deals available on the internet. They can be very attractive on their own and this combination will simply take your bathroom to a whole new level. Before you get a wall mounted toilet make sure that the material your wall is made of is strong enough to support it. Above all, enjoy the huge improvement this will add to your home. Read more »

If you are considering purchasing a uPVC conservatory, then you want a quality conservatory at the best value. Read more »