Home maintenance is a lot like going to the gym, work it into your routine, because the penalty for not doing it, is worse than the job itself. Fortunately, Summer gives you a chance to repair damage, protect your home and keep its curb appeal to the world looking bright.

Paint
A fresh coat of paint to the outside of your house doesn’t just make your home look great, it’s also a protective skin against UV light and moisture.

Clear Gutters
Clearing the gutter can be one of those jobs we tend to put off – but it’s essential if you want to prevent water damage to your roof and the walls of your house. Selecting the right ladder is key to staying safe. If you live in a bungalow, a stepladder may be adequate, but in any house two storeys or higher, you’ll want an aluminium extension ladder. Don’t forget to get all your measurements before committing to a product.

Fix Concrete Cracks
If you have a concrete driveway, patio or path you know that the Winter months can be brutal on these areas. The constant freezing and melting can contribute to cracks. If left unattended, these cracks will get wider with each successive Winter. If the crack is small, buy concrete caulk, simply clean out the crack with a pressure washer and apply the caulk, if the cracks are large, then you’ll need to apply concrete patch.

Upgrade or Replace Windows
There are several reasons to do consider replacing your windows when it’s warm. First, you won’t be letting in chilly drafts that will force you to pump up your heat — and therefore your heating bill! This is especially true if you’re replacing multiple windows. Secondly, caulk adheres better in the warmer weather than it does in the freezing cold. Finally, there’s what’s builders call the “movement of the substrate.” Some materials — particularly vinyl and aluminium — expand in warm weather and contract in the cold. If you or your builder caulk your windows when the weather is too cold, the caulk could crack and split when the materials eventually contract because of temperature drop.

Revive Weathered Garden Furniture or Fencing
Many of us feel a bit run down after the long and cold winter, so we shouldn’t be too surprised if our outdoor furniture is in a similar condition. To prepare for sunny spring days in the garden, make sure to give it a spruce up. For wooden furniture, use a stiff wire brush to scrub down any splintered wood or chipped paint. Any larger splinters can be glued back using strong, waterproof glue. Then cover damaged areas such as cracks or holes with a wood filler, using a putty knife, and let the wood filler dry overnight before using a sandpaper to smoothen out the patches to make them less visible. Once done, wipe down the whole surface using a damp cloth and then you’re ready to start the fun part! Apply one layer of exterior primer using brush strokes in the same direction as the wood grain. Once this is dry, you are ready to apply a layer of exterior paint, again painting in the direction of the grain. When choosing your paint, you could give your garden a new lease of life, and turn your furniture into an attention-grabbing feature, by opting for a bright, quirky colour. All you need then is some sunny days to enjoy the fruits of your efforts outdoors.

Internal Painting And Wallpaper
Painting the interior part of a home is best carried out during the summer days as it gives you the advantage of opening all your windows for proper ventilation and drying. This idea gives you the opportunity to retain or change the colour of your home interior to the colour of your choice while being creative with colours. Repainting the entire part of your house can be costly and tedious. However, strategically touching up some parts of your home interior will save you time and money. Simply covering up the dirty spots on your wall will do the job but the colour must match the existing one. The new appearance and feelings a new paint and wallpapers will create to spruce up your home cannot be overemphasized.

Upgrade Your Kitchen
During a kitchen renovation, the builder will kick you out of the space to complete the job. So, what will you do about eating meals? During the summer months, that is a problem solved by a small refrigerator in another room of the house, a tiny prep area, a few disposable dishes, and a nice grill. Enjoy the great outdoors and have dinner al fresco every night while the kitchen is out of commission.

Many homeowners find that some home upgrades are best completed during the warm summer months. The weather is much nicer, builders have longer daylight hours in which to work, schedules tend to slow down, and labour costs might be lower. Remember that these projects are just a sampling of home improvements to do during the summer. Caulking windows, trimming trees, or repairing fences are just a few of the other options you have during the long, lazy days of summer. Start your planning early for those long weekends and enjoy your new renovations before the autumn leaves fly.

Living in an absurdly small flat is a sad reality – and almost rite of passage – for the majority of Londoners. Whether it’s navigating a studio flat solo, getting cosy with a partner or enduring a sardine-like situation in a flat share, it can be hard to find ways to keep your interiors pretty.

That’s why you need to make sure you’re using the space to its full potential – because it’s precious. It may seem challenging. But it doesn’t have to be.

When space is at a premium, incorporating furniture that serves multiple purposes into your interior is a must. One of hardest working furniture pieces around is the multitasking ottoman, which can be used as a coffee table, extra seating or a footrest. Likewise, a stool can also be used as a side table in your living zone or as a bedside table.

It’s basic maths: small room plus large mirror equals space doubled (well, visually at least). Suited to everything from bathrooms and bedrooms to living rooms and hallways, a sizable mirror will reflect light and give the illusion of a larger space. This means it’s particularly good for flats with small or few windows. For a light and storage double whammy, why not try a floor-to-ceiling mirrored wardrobe? Ideal for compact bedrooms with little wardrobe space.

It’s also important to be creative with your general storage. Identify areas in your flat that can be manipulated for this purpose – such under the stairs or along corridors – and find a way to work in storage. Simple things, like using the ledge on a staircase to line up books, can also be just as effective as buying a clever new storage unit.

Sure, a crisp white palette can make a spatially challenged apartment feel airy and open, but all-white schemes can sometimes feel cold and lifeless. Rather than dressing your space in this classic tone from ceiling to floor, introduce muted shades, such as soft pastels or light neutrals, that achieve the same space-maximising effect but offer character and visual interest, as well. This compact culinary zone features a calming colour combination of fresh mint and white that makes the room feel more spacious and infuses it with personality.

So whether your house hasn’t been lived in for a while and has become run down and an eye sore, or you just fancy a change that will revive it and return it to its former beauty. We have the expertise and the people to make it happen with our house renovation service. We don’t take a one-solution approach to our clients, so we work to understand your requirements, your family needs and we create a home renovation plan tailored for you. We can renovate part of your house or carry out a complete overhaul that will transform your property into the dream home you desire. Our team of kitchen installers can carry out the entire project from design, preparation and installation to completion of the finest detail of your new kitchen.

With more than twenty years combined experience the Entire Houze team have been dedicated to offering the highest standard of building work and impeccable service with a complete hands on approach to every project whether large or small.

A lot of home activities — cooking, cleaning, eating, drinking, socialising — take place in the kitchen. That’s why it needs to be both beautiful and functional. Regardless of your kitchen design style, organisation and layout are essential.

Don’t forget your workflow – When planning your remodel, remember your kitchen’s busiest areas: the sink, cooker, and fridge. Make sure these areas and appliances are in an efficient location that is relevant to one another. Many designers refer to this as the kitchen “work triangle,” as the relation of these to one another typically resembles a triangle.

Wasting storage space – Kitchens typically contain lots of stuff, not only that but items are often concealed behind kitchen cabinets and require lots of space, such as food processors or juicers. Built-in’s are expensive and the overall size of the area may be limited, one big mistake is not included enough storage space, but this can be minimised with adequate planning and forethought.

Giving Up Work Space – Work space is one of the most important elements of your kitchen so don’t settle for less. Extend your work top space by using additional shelving supports or hangers to remove items up and off your work surfaces allowing you more space.

Poor Lighting – The kitchen is one room where you can’t afford to have poor lighting. It’s not only a matter of design and atmosphere, but also safety when it comes to handling sharp knives and other kitchen tools. Plus, the more light you have in the room, the better you can show off your design elements.

Poor Ventilation – The best kitchen design fades in the presence of noxious odours. If you’ve ever walked into someone’s home and smelled last night’s fish lingering in the air, you’ll understand the importance of good ventilation. Inexpensive range hoods simply circulate dirty, stale air, while a good ventilation system will improve the quality of your indoor air and also help keep your kitchen cleaner. It also helps to extend the life of your appliances.

Going It Alone – Even if you’re the DIY type, make sure you consult a kitchen design expert or installer before starting your project. A professional will be able to help fine-tune your remodel plan, offer tips and advice and recommend ideas you probably hadn’t already considered.

Stick To A Budget – Creating a budget is an essential part of a kitchen installation. Decide what features of your kitchen are the most important and allocate your finances accordingly. Keep in mind that kitchen cabinets usually take up about one-third of the typical installation budget.

Like most people you likely spend most parts of your day in the kitchen whether it’s to cook for you or your family, have a meal with friends or even enjoy a glass of wine after dinner. Your kitchen needs to fill each of its roles with efficiency and style, allowing you to enjoy its surroundings whatever the purpose of your visit. If you are looking for a unique luxurious kitchen to be fit, we are able to offer the highest standard of craftsmanship.

Entire Houze boasts some of the best kitchen fitters in the business. We know how to match a kitchen to the unique character of each home so that it both suits the way your work and complements your sense of style. Our kitchen fitters will take the necessary time to discuss your particular kitchen needs, put together a custom-made plan and design and install the kitchen just as you had imagined it. But don’t take our word for it – take a look at some stunning examples of our work and see for yourself. Get in touch to discuss your kitchen installation requirements and for a free quote, call us today.

When it comes to roofing, we frequently believe that if our roofs are not leaking, we don’t need to bother with them. This out of sight out of mind attitude can fast lead to expensive repair costs further down the road. Regular maintenance is crucial in helping you to save money. Without regular maintenance, you would have to part with huge sums of money on roofing repairs and replacements. Maintenance is also great because it helps you to identify roofing problems early before the situation gets worse, and furthermore costly.

One of the largest investments people make is their home. Performing ongoing maintenance on your roof will help prolong its life, and by extension the life of your whole property. Roofs are a fundamental element to your home.

A roof is also a selling point on a home and increases its value. From beautiful materials such as tile and metal, to an energy-efficient roof, many homebuyers take those extras into account.

A major leak in your roof will be evident quickly as it will soak through your ceiling and potentially damage internal walls and flooring. But if you’re not performing routine maintenance on your roof, there could be quieter, more insidious damage occurring without your knowledge. A small leak, one that doesn’t enter your living space, could be happening in your loft at this moment.

Dripping water every time it rains, even a small amount, can cause rot damage to beams in your loft. The repair can be quite costly (not to mention unhealthy, if it promotes the growth of mould), if it’s not found and fixed quickly. Preventative maintenance would expose such hazards and remedy them before they became major problems.

Your roof braves the elements. A properly ventilated and insulated roof will also save you money on heating and cooling. The roof releases humidity and heat from your home. Heat and humidity coming from your home can be as damaging as rain from the outside. If the roof vents are not working properly, that heat and humidity become trapped, and they will eat away at the wood rafters in the attic and underpinnings of your roof.

Ensuring you have good insulation is key to cooler summer temperatures and warmer winter ones inside your home. You pay a lot to heat and cool your home. Don’t let your money escape out of a poorly insulated roof.

A roof is one of the least thought of components of a home but one of the most important. It protects your investment, adds value to your property, and saves money on heating and cooling costs. If you’re not maintaining it, you’re doing yourself—and your wallet—a disservice.

If your roof is in bad shape and is in desperate need of replacement, then you need specialist from a team that has experience and knowledge in all roofing work. At Entire Houze we have a team with experience in all roof repair work.

We offer full roof replacement too at an affordable price to our customers throughout North London.

Entire Houze’ roofing service provides roof repairs and renewals for all types of roof, from pitch to flat and asphalt roofs. Since having a new roof built is a major undertaking, we will guide you through the process and ensure we meet your expectations at every stage.

We provide you with a full roof repair service including repointing work, repairing leaks and replacing guttering, lead-works including lead sheet roofs, lead box gutters and chimney gutters and dormer cladding, slating and tiling.

Our company directors will personally supervise your project, from helping you choose the right tiles to providing the necessary scaffolding and overseeing the work to completion. We don’t take a one-size-fits all approach because we know every roof repair or roof replacement job is different. So we advise on the best solution for your house and offer you a tailored service and materials to meet your requirements.

Extending is a popular way to add space without having to move. We explain everything you need to know from planning permission to costs, design work and much more

It is said that for every person who self builds there are 15 that add extensions to their homes. The reasons for all this are easy to see. It often makes more economic sense to stay put and avoids the need to find a plot. It means we can stay in the same neighbourhood if we like it and that the children can remain at the same school.

What’s your budget?
This is probably one of the most fundamental questions – and it’s usually the first thing we have to ask our clients.

What do you want to achieve with your property extension?
Are you looking for a new living area that the whole family can enjoy, an extra bedroom for a new arrival or a home office?

How long will it take?
House extensions don’t happen overnight – and even getting planning permission and building regulations approval can sometimes take months. So be patient, and expect some upheaval and interruption to normal family life while the building is going on.

Do you need planning permission?
For some property alterations such as loft conversions and single storey extensions, or certain types of sun rooms, you may not need planning permission. But you are well advised to check all local planning regulations and requirements first before making any definite plans to proceed.

Does your property extension mean you need an architect?
Big projects such as loft conversions or external home extensions are not simple DIY jobs, and we’ve seen them go wrong too many times when even skilled DIYers have had a go themselves, so ensure you seek advice from the professionals.

Will your plan impact on your neighbours?
This is a particularly important consideration, especially if you are making major alterations to your property. Do you share a party wall with your neighbours, and will your alterations potentially damage their property?

Are you in a conservation area?
If your home is in a designated conservation area or is a listed building, there may be very strict controls governing what alterations you can and cannot make, so make sure you do your homework and find out how this could affect you.

Up, Down or Out to the side?
Where you put your house extension is the next decision. Loft conversions are increasingly popular – so if you have the option of converting your attic space into a new room without any external signs of extending the property it’s worth considering. The most common option for simply gaining extra space either is either a single storey or two storey extension, for which you may want to build out to the side of your home.

Know a good builder?
Unless you’re an experienced builder yourself, the likelihood is that you will need to get a professional building firm in to do the work – even if it’s a smaller job like a loft conversion.

Choose wisely, and take note of the recommendations of friends who have had work done on their properties, or see if your architect can provide contacts.

What’s your timeframe?
As we said earlier, it’s wise to plan well in advance. Set yourself a strict timetable for completion. The chances are that it will over-run, but if you lay down the ground rules for completion at the very start of the project you can avoid living on a building site for months on end.

Having read the above key points you have a great basis in which to form your brief with your builder or architect. This will save time throughout the process allowing you to be clear about your expectations from the outset, and tasking your professionals to deliver the desired finished result.

We have been building extensions since our inception and can advise, design and build the right extension for you and your property. All our work is personally supervised by our company directors to ensure it is carried out to the very highest standard. So, whatever your extension needs, we will manage all aspects of the project from the initial planning and design stages through to building work, plumbing, heating, electrical works, insulation and anything else that may be needed.

Easter marks the start of the home improvements season, with Londoners eager to create more space with extensions. Many have decided that staying put and improving their home makes more sense than moving on — saving on stamp duty, legal and mortgage fees and moving costs — especially because most new homes will need improvements anyway. So before doing anything to your North London home stay in control of your budget with these great suggestions from Entire Houze team.

Keep your design simple
Keeping your extension design as simple as possible such as a rectangle or square footprint with a simple pitched roof will vastly reduce the cost of your home extension. Curves and corners are costly to build, designing your extension around off the shelf products such as standard sized doors and windows will vastly reduce spend.

Save money with a DIY extension
Labour represents between half and two-thirds of the outlay cost for a home extension, so if you can do some of the work yourself, there is great scope to make savings. The easier tasks to take on board are labouring, decorating and landscaping and for the slightly braver kitchen and bathroom fitting.

Project manage the extension
A builder will add 15–25 per cent onto the total cost of labour and materials to cover their time for managing the project. You can save some of this cost by effectively taking on the role of building contractor yourself.

Neighbourhood Relationships
If you are building on or near the boundary of a neighbour, your extension will need to comply with the Party Wall Act (England & Wales) 1996. Avoid the cost of £700 per neighbour by writing about your extension plans eight weeks before you start. If you can get the neighbours to write back that they do not object, you can avoid using a surveyor to arrange a party wall settlement and save on fees.

Save On Fees
For a simple, low-cost build, find an architect, architectural technician, chartered surveyor or structural engineer who will produce planning and Building Regulations drawings for a fixed, all-in price. Look for a track record in designing low-cost projects.

Avoid Cowboy Builders
To avoid being ripped off, always ask for references — and check them. Never, ever pay for building work in advance; pay only for work that has been completed and that you are happy with.

Measure Everything Twice
Making changes or mistakes that waste labour and materials is a major factor in the final bill for many projects. Measuring everything onsite, rather than off your plans will help reduce wastage. Having accurate, scaled plans in the first place will help.

Reuse, Recycle, Repair
Existing materials can be reused or sold rather than thrown in a skip. Old floorboards, doors, radiators, towel rails, kitchen units etc. can all be revived and reused, cleaned up and given a new finish. Sell or trade what you can’t use.

Negotiate Trade Discounts
Find out where those in the trade buy their materials and aim to get the same wholesale/trade prices.

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