Start the weekend by replacing your bathroom taps. If yours leaks, drips, constantly squeaks or has the look of a bygone era, check out the models available today. They’re quiet and efficient, with no leaks or drips and there are bathroom taps available in every shape, size and colour. You simply need to decide on a style that suits you and your bathroom or the way you would like it to look and simply install it.

In a week or two, replace your shower. Today’s showerheads are marvels of engineering that make you feel like you’re in the middle of a tropical rain, when you’re actually conserving water. Some have thermostatic controls, so you’ll always get the temperature that’s right for you. A variety of finishes are available, so whether you’re looking for polished chrome, brushed metal or a specific colour, you’re sure to find the perfect showerhead.

A few weeks later, add a bathroom radiator to keep your new space warm. If you’ve never had a radiator before, look at the designer radiators that can hang flush on a wall or that also function as a towel warmer. Some radiators are thermostatically controlled and can be programmed to turn on and warm the bathroom before you rise in the morning. 

Little changes, done over a period of time, can give you a new bathroom without emptying your wallet.

Paint Brushes and Rollers

Paint brushes are best for applying paint to skirting boards, windowsills, door frames, and around the edges of walls where rollers can’t reach. The size of your brush really depends upon the size of the surface, but don’t be fooled into thinking you can do it all with one size. It’s a good idea to buy a few different sizes; and make sure they are decent quality and clean – otherwise, you’ll end up with bristles in your paintwork.

Rollers are the best for covering a wall. There are two sizes to choose from – 100mm and 228mm. They also come in two types; foam and cloth. Foam rollers provide a smoother surface, whereas cloth gives a bit of texture.

Sand Paper and Block

The key to professional-looking decorating work is good preparation, and sanding is often an essential part of that. Sand paper comes in varying levels of “grit”. Lower grits are good for initial sanding, while higher grits provide a smooth surface.

Filling Knife

Part of the prepping process includes filling cracks and holes in your walls or wood; the best tool for that job is a filling knife. It’s also handy if you’re removing wallpaper.

White Spirit

If you’re using oil-based paints, white spirit is a must for thinning too-thick paint, cleaning up accidental spills and splatters, and keeping your brushes clean.

If you only have a small patio then the gazebo you choose will need to be fairly small.  Styles consisting of a basic metal frame with a canvas or vinyl canopy are ideal for this purpose. The bigger sized gazebos are ideal for larger patios; perfect if you are inviting friends around for a BBQ. 

Another option for a patio gazebo is the swing seat gazebo. Consisting of a gazebo frame with a canvas canopy and a built in swing seat, this style of gazebo usually has a waterproof cover. As this style is not that easy to dismantle and move around, it is better suited to those who like to use their outdoor space to relax.

Finding the right patio gazebo is easy if you go shopping with a size and a price in mind.  Shopping online can also take the hard work out of finding a gazebo, as it will be delivered to your door and can often prove to be cheaper than shopping in a store.

Cut and Loop

Cut and loop gets its name from the cuts and loops of varying sizes that come together to form a pattern. Cut and loop carpet is great for high-traffic areas because its patterns tend to hide a myriad of flaws.

Saxony

Saxony is a thick carpet that’s been through a softening process after having been woven. The cut pile surface makes it great for formal areas. The carpet’s thickness makes it nice for rooms where you’d like to keep more heat in – like bathrooms or bedrooms.

Velvet

Just as the name implies, velvet carpeting has a fine, sheared surface. While gorgeous to look at, velvet carpet is high-maintenance and is therefore, more suitable to formal rooms and lower traffic areas.

Textured Plush

One of the most popular carpets, textured plush is cut so that all of the yarn lengths are at the same height. It’s a versatile carpet that can be used in almost any room and its textured appearance tends to hide stains and marks.

Berber Loop

Berber loop is a favourite of high-traffic, hard-used areas, as the dense looping resists being crushed down.

When choosing your solid wood boards, it’s important to select the right board sizes –not only for look, but for durability. A general rule of thumb is that the width should never exceed depth by more than 10 times the thickness (for instance, a 10 mm-thick board should never be wider than 100 mm). Otherwise, your floor will be prone to buckling and cupping.

If you’re floating your boards, the minimum width should be 100mm and it is recommended that your room should be no than 5 to 6m wide. For tongue-and-groove boards installed directly onto joists, your minimum thickness should be 18mm. It’s also advisable to select tongue-and-groove boards with the tongue-and-groove central to the board; those with it near the bottom are more susceptible to cupping.

Finally, to ensure you’re not creating too many joins and creating an unstable floor, minimise the use of boards shorter than 400mm, allowing them in no more than 15% of your flooring area.

This is when you need to consider adding a bathroom cabinet of some kind to your design. It doesn’t matter whether you have much space or not, you can always purchase a slim-line bathroom cabinet or perhaps even one that sits on the floor so you can move it around if need be.

If you only have a small medicine cabinet at the moment, you can easily add a bathroom cabinet into the mix. Once you have something you can put all those odds and ends in, you will notice how much less cluttered the whole room becomes and then will be easier to keep clean and tidy. Once you have used your shampoo you can simply pop the bottle back in the cupboard and keep the room a pleasant and nice place to be.

You will also notice how easy it is to clean the room, since you just have to wipe over the bathroom cabinet from time to time. All the other surfaces will also be easier to clean since they won’t have bottles and other similar items sitting on them. Buying a bathroom cabinet couldn’t be easier, since there is a wide range of designs to choose from and various bathroom suppliers such as UK Bathrooms who can provide expert advise about your purchase. Which one will prove to be the ideal solution for you?

If you are good at DIY, for instance, and do not mind the hard physical work involved, there is no reason why you should not be able to make a success out of property development.

The main thing to remember is that the lower the price the bigger the potential profit margin, and that you must not stint on research before leaping in. You need to check out the area and its property prices, through the press, online, and with local estate agents. Make sure the property you are going to buy is suited to its purpose. If you are thinking of letting it out to students, for example, it had better be near a local college or university. Students ideally prefer to fall straight out of bed and into their classes, rather than take a couple of hours to get there, so you might be disappointed with the wrong strategy.

Another thing to remember is that property prices are constantly fluctuating. They go down on occasion, as well as up, so do not be tempted to stretch your budget, or you might find yourself up a creek without a paddle.

Bearing these points in mind, get a good property with potential at the lowest price you can, then set to work transforming it into someone’s dream house or groovy digs, and see the cash start rolling in.

Firstly you gain some versatility in that you can either have a shower or a bath. Even if you already have a shower over the bath, you will doubtless see the advantages and added pleasure you get from having a shower in a proper shower cubicle. Just imagine, no more wasted water shooting out the side of the bath or soaking the floor as you struggle to negotiate a wet shower curtain.

You can also make sure that everything you need to have a shower is kept inside the shower cubicle. As such you don’t need to find somewhere to keep your shower gel and other shower accessories when not being used. Instead you can simply close the door on the shower cubicle and leave them all in there out of the way.

It will also change the layout of your bathroom, since you will have to find somewhere suitable to put the shower. This may not be possible in some bathrooms as size can be a problem, but if you opt for a shower cubicle with one corner cut off to provide a doorway, you can sit a sink and a toilet on either side, which will minimise the space required. This could be an ideal solution if you have a smallish bathroom. Whatever solution you decide on, a bathroom supplier like UK Bathrooms can help you choose the right shower cubicle for your bathroom.

Normally, when installing an underfloor heating system, the thermostat is located in the same room as the system. However, when installing an under tile heating system in a bathroom, the thermostat must be placed outside of that room. A 13-amp underfloor heating thermostat can control a maximum of 3000 watts, a 15-amp thermostat will control up to 3450 watts, and a 16-amp thermostat controls a maximum wattage of 3680 watts.

If two or more heating cables are connected to a single thermostat, an electrician’s connector block with a sufficient amps loading should be used.  For controlling underfloor heating systems larger than 3680 watts, you can either divide the heated area into two separate zones, each controlled by its own thermostat, or otherwise use a contactor.

Contactors

Contactors are used when a single thermostat is being used to control an underfloor heating system that exceeds 3680 watts, or 16 amps total loading. In general, suitable home-use contactors are designed to control up to 22,000 watts of heating cable, or a total loading capacity of 96 amps. Look for a contactor that includes a DC coil for silent operation.

Installing a Floor Sensor

It is important to place the floor sensor in a suitable location near the thermostat, so the first line of business is to determine where the thermostat will be placed. Then, following the manufacturer’s instructions, cut a channel in either the sub-floor or the insulation (if used). Always ensure the sensor is properly sealed to prevent damage from levelling compound or tile adhesive.

An underfloor heating supplier such as Floor Heating Online can help you choose the right thermostat and contactor for your underfloor heating system.

Yes it can be – especially if you are using tile backer boards. However, the use of underfloor heating insulation results in long-term savings that far outweighs the initial costs of the insulation board itself.

What kind of underfloor heating insulation provides the best performance for all-round use?

While certain underfloor heating insulation works better in specific situations than others, when it comes to all round performance, extruded polystyrene foams are best. Polystyrene has high compressive strength and good insulation properties. It is waterproof, rot-resistant, lightweight, easy to handle, and easy to cut and shape. It is also low cost, and available in a wide range of depths.

How much underfloor heating insulation do I need?

The rule of thumb is: the thicker your insulation board, the better the performance. For new-build homes, this is easily accomplished during the design phase. However, when re-fitting an already existing home, it is not always possible to use thicker boards due to height restrictions. But for the best results, always go with the thickest you can get away with.

Can underfloor heating insulation boards be used without an underfloor heating system?

Yes. Even if you do not choose to install an underfloor heating system straight away (or ever), affixing underfloor heating insulation boards to your sub-flooring will keep your floors warmer.

Can I install underfloor heating without using insulation boards?

Yes you can, but it is not advisable. The short-term cost savings will not outweigh the long-term loss because, without insulation, heat will continually dissipate into the sub-flooring.