Put your pets out of the way on home improvement day!

The next time you've got your friendly local home improvement company round doing a spot of double glazing installation or loft converting - not to mention kitchen fitting or converting your garage - it might be a good idea to remove your pets to a safe, quiet out-of-the-way location.

Not that we're suggesting you put your pet in the shower as happened to our furry feline friend in the picture above.

No - despite the best efforts of your home improvement company, the occasional loud noise can be like a firework going off to a pet. Worse still, the inquisitive little animals can easily trip workmen up - not something you want when there's glass or worktops being carried around or even get in half opened spaces during construction.

Have you ever tried to get a pet out of somewhere that you can't physically reach into? They have a nasty habit of pleasing themselves when they come out.

So save yourself some possible time and trouble, your home improvement company some possible hazard and your pet some definate inconvenience by considering shutting them away in a quiet corner of the house or even perhaps consider holiday kennels for those few days.

It will all help make your home improvement as stress free as possible. For more tips on how to prepare for your double glazing installation day - click here to visit our handy guide on Home Improvement Quotes.

Paving the Porous Way

Planning regulations are now in force which require homeowners to seek planning permission to replace their driveway or pave over their garden unless porous materials are used. This is to combat the risk of a repeat of the flooding which hit Britain last year. 55,000 homes were flooded all across the country and, according to government figures, impermeable materials such as concrete and tarmac prevented the rain from soaking into the ground and exacerbated the problem.

According to the London Assembly, our capital city has already lost the equivalent of 22 Hyde Parks in “green space” as a result of people paving over their gardens.

With the average household in Britain currently owning two or more cars, it’s no surprise that we are constantly striving for that elusive extra parking space – in the garage, on the driveway, even laying concrete over our front lawns to give us an extra space! Keeping the car off the road also significantly lowers insurance premiums, so most families make sure their driveway is as usable as possible. Homeowners in larger cities with unused off-road parking are even renting spaces out! This benefits both the homeowner – spaces can be rented for as much as £3500 per year – and the car-owner, who has the advantage of a guaranteed, safe parking space and cheaper car insurance!

Remember, you can get an instant online quote for your paving and driveway projects at PavingQuoter

To take advantage of the space available you should consider using a porous surface for your paving project. Porous materials suitable for driveways include:

Gravel. Gravel is by far the cheapest porous material to use on your driveway or garden, and it’s also the one that best keeps your garden looking like a garden. Whichever colour you choose, remember to lay the stones onto a permeable membrane to stop weeds growing through. You can have still have plants growing in gravel, too: simply add “planting pockets” in the membrane - but remember to leave enough space to park your car, or place hardy plants that will survive if you accidentally drive over them! Try things like bugle, creeping jenny and thyme. Berry trees and shrubberies around the edge of your garden add life to a driveway where you (probably) won’t crash into them. These are especially hardy and able to cope with the fumes and heat from your car, and will add instant colour. If you are feeling exceptionally green, you can even buy recycled gravel, which is a by-product of the ceramics industry.

Gravel is also a good security measure around a house as it makes it difficult for thieves to approach a property without being heard.

Bricks. Brick-paving is still an option under the new driveway regulations, as long as you use permeable bricks. These are fitted in an interlocking style that allows rainwater to penetrate through the gaps in the brickwork and soak into the ground. Permeable bricks need to be laid by professionals. Brick paving arguably takes away the feel of a garden from your home, but you can add colour by placing pot plants around where your car will go.

Recycled Driveways, As well as recycled gravel, there are other “green” ways to replace your driveway. Cellular paving is made from hexagonal cells of recycled plastic which you fill with an aggregate, such as resin-bonded gravel or any other aggregate of your choice. The cells usually come in green, but there are other colours available at an extra cost. You can lay cellular paving yourself or get it laid professionally.

Non-porous materials increase rainwater run-off by 50 per cent, which then has to flow into drains which could block or overflow and cause flood. Non-porous materials also stop rain from soaking into the ground, which makes the ground dry and can cause subsidence. However, more traditional paving and driveway styles like block paving, impressed concrete and tarmac, when laid correctly with proper drainage channels connected to a proper drainage system are still widely popular and still the choice of most homeowners. Councils and homeowners are agreed that off-street parking is of benefit to the home owner and other road users, and off-street parking can add thousands to the value of your property. Depending on the area you live in, off road parking can be very high on not only the list of requirements prospective home buyers look for, but also one of the reasons that people move in the first place.

Don't Let Frozen Plumbing Ruin Your Christmas

Reducing the risk of frozen pipes.

Even the newest property can be at risk from freezing pipes in the coldest of temperatures, and whilst we all hope it doesn’t happen, it certainly doesn’t hurt to take a few precautions before it does. Doing so could save you an awful lot of time, discomfort and money. Not to mention an increase in your contents insurance premium if the worst happens.

So before you’re affected by frozen and burst pipes, take a moment to read out tips and advice. At least you’ll be prepared for the worst.

Check your home insurance to see if you are covered for emergency repairs. Some may have approved plumbers that you should call in the event of an emergency.

Keep the name and number of a couple of reputable plumbers handy in case of emergency.

Find your main stop taps for the supply into your home. These are usually located in kitchens or utility rooms, ground floor bathrooms or even garages where the ‘mains’ enters your home. Check to make sure they work properly – it’s no good waiting until you need them to find out a valve won’t turn. It’s a good idea to label them one you’ve located them. You may not be the one who has to turn them off!

Outside stop valves (where the supply branches off to your home from the street) are usually best left to the local authority. They have specialist tools in case of a frozen pipe that renders the valve in-operative. Remember though that you are responsible for the pipework the moment it enters your boundary / your side of the street stop valve.

Maintaining a low heat in your home can help you avoid many problems, especially whilst you’re out during the day or asleep at night and especially if you’re planning on being away for a few days. Your home is more at risk if it’s vacant for a few days. Ask a reliable neighbour to check in occasionally and make sure they know where the stop tap is located.

Dripping taps are a sign of problems and repairs should be made straight away rather than leaving for weeks. Especially hot water taps – you’re heating water just to let it go down the drain! According to the experts, even a gentle trickle of water can freeze and block a pipe.

Pay special attention to outside taps. Make sure they are well insulated (including the pipework) or better still, isolate them by turning off their stop tap during the winter (usually located on the inside wall adjacent to where the supply pipe exits the wall).

Some advice suggests leaving your loft hatch slightly open to allow warm air to enter the loft space and help prevent the loft space freezing. Many modern homes where insulation has been fitted – you may find the space under the main loft tanks is a layer of insulation missing – deliberately to allow more warmth to escape to that area.

Even if your house is new, check the insulation is secure – check lagging around tanks is wrapped in place and pipework is not exposed.

You can source devices called “Frostat”. They’re fitted to the coldest areas within your homes central heating system and act like a normal thermostat although instead of turning the heating off when it gets too warm, these turn the heating on when it drops too cold and pipework is at risk.

Protect the pipework that leads to your water meter (if you have one). They seem to have a knack for being positioned in places especially vulnerable to freezing temperatures.

Insulate, insulate and insulate.

It’s a good idea to insulate all pipework and tanks in unheated areas like roofs, lofts, garages and outbuildings including outdoor toilets. Your local DIY store or plumbers merchants usually sell all the materials. It’s recommended to insulate your water tank around the sides and top only. Leaving the underneath un-insulated will allow warm air from your home to help reduce the risk of freezing.

Alternatively, call in a professional to carry out the insulation for you. It could still be cheaper than dealing with the clear up after a frozen pipe incident.

If the worst happens.

If you think you may be suffering from frozen pipes, check with a neighbour to see if their supply is also affected. If they have running water, then the problem may be frozen pipes in your property.

Check for signs of splitting in the pipes. If a pipe is damaged, it won’t show until the pipe thaws and water can run freely again.

Switch off the central heating and any water heating appliances (immersion heater etc). Turn off the water supply at the main stop tap inside the property. Drain your system by flushing toilets and opening the cold taps over sinks and baths. Make sure the plugs are removed! We don’t want to add to the problem.

If pipes are intact, use hot water bottles or heated cloths laid over the frozen pipe to thaw them out. Never apply a direct flame and beware of using electric hair dryers or fans as if water does suddenly escape, you run the risk of electrocution! It’s recommended you star thawing a pipe at the end nearest a tap.

Once you’ve thawed out the pipe/s affected and you’re satisfied there was no damage to the pipe itself and there’s no sign of any leaking, close the tap nearest to where you were working and slowly open the main stop tap. Check your work as now the system is under pressure. Once you’re satisfied there are no leaks, you can switch on the heating system and other water heaters. Don’t do this until you’re sure the system is completely thawed out! There is a risk of explosion if heat is suddenly applied after freezing has occurred.

Drying out.

If despite your best attempts, your home is affected and flooded. Check your insurance policy as it may cover alternative accommodation costs for you and your family. Leave windows, doors and any built in cupboard doors / drawers open to aid drying out.

Keep affected rooms heated but do not over heat as this could result in further damage. Store any damaged items in a dry place. Your insurance company may want to see them as part of your claim. Many tool hire centers will hire out de-humidifyers which you can use to draw moisture out of the air. Remember they usually need emptying periodically though!

It only takes a few minutes to check where stop valves are. That they work and that your pipe insulation and lagging is secure and effective. If you know of an elderly neighbour, why not pop round and offer to check their stop taps and insulation for them?

If you’re climbing into any loft spaces, please take care and make sure you use a ladder capable of the job. we don’t want any broken bones or other accidents.

Remember, the advice given above is general and if you are in any doubt whatsoever, you should always consult a qualified plumber first – especially if you are attempting to thaw out pipes yourself.

Price Engines Ltd - The name behind Home Improvement Quotes

Price Engines Ltd are the company behind your favourite instant online home improvement quote websites - the 'Quoter family of websites.

Price Engines pioneered instant online quotes in 2000 when they introduced WindowQuoter - instant online quotes for double glazing - windows, doors and conservatories.

Since then, they've gone on to develop the same online quoting technology for a range of other home improvement projects including fitted kitchens and bedrooms, paving and driveways, fascia, loft conversions and even exterior rendering to name but a few.

Getting an online quote is only part of the service Price Engines offer. They also manage a database of home improvement companies across the UK, all vetted and approved for your additional peace of mind. Once you've got your online quote, their own customer team will call you and offer you the opportunity to get your online quote confirmed in writing by up to three local companies to you (from our approved database).

The quotes are free and valid for 6 months.

If you decide to accept one of the quotes, then you'll find you get access to your own online area where you can not only view details of the companies we recommend, you can also leave your feedback on them. We use your feedback to help us monitor each and every companies performance as part of our continual vetting processes.


Price Engines Ltd - Derby, Derbyshire.

Twice the Savings with Match the VAT

Today the Chancellor reduced the rate of VAT to 5%. Here at Home Improvement Quotes we like to go an extra mile, though - so we've been working with our network of home improvements companies to give you an EXTRA 2.5% discount on home improvement projects you get quotes for through any of our Quoter sites.

Yes, that means you can have a special VAT rate of 12.5% for your home improvements. While 2.% off a wooly jumper might not mean very much, 5% off a conservatory or a house full of double glazed windows could save you a whole load of money.

The offer is called "Match the VAT", and company's who made the pledge will have the Match the VAT logo displayed with their company information after you've had a quote. Remember to ask your home improvements supplier if they've made the pledge to match the VAT cut.