Torys will let homeowners extend without traditional planning permission: Good or Bad news?
Written by George
A new tory bill will give neighbourhood groups the power to approve local developments through local referendums.
In theory, this means that neighbourhood groups will have a real say in how their community looks as well as the rate and type of development in their area. According to the government, many local planning authorities approve developments without giving any real thought to the feelings of the local people. These new plans allow communities to block developments they do not want.
Sounding too good to be true? Well of course there will be a limit to local resident’s rights if the development is classed as being of national interest. So opponents of the Birmingham high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham will not be able to stop it under this bill.
We want to know what YOU think? Is this good or bad news for you?
Whether planning permission really is put into the people’s hands or not, Eastway will always be here to support all your building and development needs, just give us a call on +442087867633.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/05/tory-bill-homeowners-extend-permission
Before you embark on any DIY, ask yourself whether it might be easier and safer to get a professional in.
The truth is that although a small amount of DIY can be cheaper and more satisfying; most jobs are best left to the professionals.
A lot of DIY may only require a basic level of skill: drilling a hole and using a spirit level, however you must remember that using these skills effectively requires a lot of preparation and cleaning up afterwards. The shapes and sizes of things are also an important factor, when tiling or wallpapering, if you’ve got any awkward curves or angles, this is best left to the big boys, as are big jobs which involve heavy materials.
And do make sure if you are planning to knock any walls down you have consulted an expert first, even modest looking walls could turn out to be the one wall holding your house up!
To consult one of our experts contact us here: http://eastwaybuilders.co.uk/contact-eastway-builders.html
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/mar/01/diy.homes49
Loft conversions: The profitable way to beat the VAT rise in 2011
Written by George
If you are looking for a way to improve your home whilst increasing your properties value by up to 7.1% then NOW is the time to do it!
With VAT rates set to rise in 2011, any major construction is going to cost 2.5% more than it does this year.So now really is the time to move with any construction work you are planning.
Cardiff-based designer and loft conversion specialist Deborah Drew says that it’s definitely the way to be heading if you are thinking of improving your home. It is a great way of increasing the property's size and adding value to it, without losing any garden space and without the hassle of moving.
However, here at Eastway builders we understand that during this loft conversion boom, extra care must be taken in finding the RIGHT people who will do the job at the RIGHT price. So if you need a more personalized service and exceptional quality of work, why not give us a call? Eastway Builders is a local, reliable building company trading since 1980 in Surrey and South London. We will be able to help you with your loft conversion or any other building projects you might have.
You look around your house and you decide it needs a facelift! That old kitchen looks too drab and the bathroom has seen better days. Then you begin to imagine a nice warm, light conservatory extending your home into your garden...
You decide on the kitchen first as your budget would only allow one home improvement and you know that it's going to be the kitchen. You really want to freshen up your surroundings and improve your home but your DIY skills are limited. What do you do next?
Before you choose a contractor or a local builder, know exactly what needs to be renovated in your kitchen, otherwise they will talk you into all sorts of things you never knew you needed! Try to imagine how things will look after the renovation - go over everything from color schemes to floor plans.
You should be able to explain what you want to the builder or contractor. Make sure that all agreements and estimates are in writing. Educate yourself by going online and researching the prices of materials and services - Google “home improvement costs”. Do not pay for incomplete jobs and make all efforts to pay minimal down payment.
Now you're ready to search for that special local builder that covers Surrey and South London... But your search results are overwhelming - lots of builders, but no idea who to trust. Then you find Eastway Builders - and make the wise decision to give them a call - not because their website looks professional, not because their building and construction work looks first rate, and not because of the wonderful testimonies from their many satisfied customers. No, you just think it’s worth giving them a call - after all, they’re local and have a brilliant reputation.
You just know you can trust this local builder in Surrey to deliver your home improvement needs.
Eastway Builders' Facebook fan page!
Home repairs can be costly but are a necessary evil. Even if you're not overly bothered about the appearance of your home, making timely repairs both maintains the value of your home and prevents minor problems from becoming major ones.
Some repairs of course can be handled by a competent DIYer, and a DIY approach can save you hundreds of hard-earned pounds. But many home repairs require the services of a building, plumbing or electrical professional. Making mistakes with substantial building, plumbing or electrical work can be very dangerous.
For many of us, having or lacking the expertise is not the issue. Sometimes we just don't have the time, and hiring a builder is the only option.
Here are some things to consider when hiring a local builder:
Ask around. Talk to your friends and relatives who have had experiences with home builders. They may be able to refer good home builders (or tell you the bad ones).
Research them on the web. Check out their websites. If their sites are professionally done, then you know they can demonstrate professionalism. Check out customer endorsements and testimonials. Good feedback tells a lot.
Call them and ask for their credentials. Check what insurance they have. Ask if they have current projects. Go to the worksite and ask the homeowner about the work ethic of the home builder.
Find out how long it will take them to finish the work. Ask for a work schedule. Find out about the costs, about fees and any extra costs that are associated with the house repair. Ask to see the contract to see what you are required to do and what the home builder is promising to do.
If you're not able to visit building sites and previous building work, ask for pictures of their construction work. If you do your research, you can be sure that you can find the right home builder for you--someone who has experience but is affordable and who can complete the house repair on time.
Many growing families need extra space for a lot of reasons and the best way to obtain that much needed space without transferring to a bigger house or taking away land from garden space would be loft conversion or attic conversion.
Loft conversion is one of the most popular forms of home improvement in the UK today due to ever increasing price of land and also due to its numerous benefits such as increase in floor area. Such improvement would not only add the extra living space, an extra bedroom or bathroom but would add considerable value to the house up to as much as 20%. It is also cheaper to build up instead of out as building is done on the existing footprint of the house rather than adding to it.
When planning for loft conversion, make sure that the roof structure is structurally sound, is weather proof and that there is enough space under the ridge of the roof. There are lots of Do-it-Yourself tutorials on loft conversion that could guide you from start to finish but extra precaution should be taken care of as there is a large amount of work involved and it's quite a complicated process.
There are also planning permission and building controls to consider when building your own loft conversion. Hence to be safe and to be stress-free, find and hire local builders in your area to do the work for you.
If you need a more personalized service and exceptional quality of work, why not give us a call? Eastway Builders is a local, reliable building company trading since 1980 in Surrey and South London. We can help you with your loft conversion or other building projects you might have.
There's no one single answer, but as a rule there are those jobs that add more value to your home than others. A loft conversion is popular for good reason. If it's planned and built well, then it is practically guaranteed to add more value to your home than you spent on the work. People use loft conversions mainly for new master bedrooms with en suite shower and bath, but they can also be used for home offices.
If you're on a tight budget, a garden office can be built for a fraction of the cost of extending your home to accommodate an office, and again, is a sure fire way to add value to your home.
If extra room downstairs is what you need, adding an extra reception room or conservatory, if done well, will also add at least as much value to your home as you will spend on it.
If you'd like to explore any of these options with us or have any other buidling related questions we can answer, we're here to help!
Telephone: 020 8786 7633
Mobile: 07956 35 99 14
Eastway Builders,
Higher Drive, Banstead, Surrey.
