blacketts-doors.co.uk

DIY to Help Save Money
As the financial downturn rumbles on, there is an increased willingness among the public to try their hand at DIY. Research carried out by Homebase reveals that,  in a bid to save money, about half of people claim they would be willing to attempt home improvements.

The firm also reveals that more than four-fifths (83 per cent) of consumers have undertook at least one DIY project over the past 12 months. Sarah Silverwood, trading director of DIY and decorative at Homebase, points out that since the onset of the economic crisis, the firm has seen an increase in the number of people seeking guidance on DIY projects.

“Being able to do your own repairs or redecorating is not only a good way to save some cash but it also gives a sense or pride and achievement that makes the end result all the more pleasing,” she claims.

However, seeking out DIY advice could be advisable as half of respondents claim they would be more likely to carry out home improvements if they were given some guidance.

Blackettsdoors.co.uk are a UK based DIY store. They have a large collection of all types of doors including traditional doors, external wooden doors, glazed doors, internal doors, together with a large selection of quality door furniture and hardware.

Two Weeks Wasted Waiting for Tradesmen.
Brits spend more than two weeks of their lives waiting for tradesmen, according to new research. Over the course of a year, the average UK homeowner waits for three different tradesmen for a total of six hours and three minutes, adding up to 15 days over the average adult lifetime.

Some wait even longer as 82% of those polled said a contractor turned up late, and 60% said they waited all day for a tradesman who failed to show up at all.

Plumbers have been named as the worst for keeping people waiting, taking an average of 59 minutes to arrive, with heating engineers next in line.

The research, conducted by TrustMark, revealed bedroom fitters to be the most reliable, keeping people waiting for an average of just 23 minutes.

Blackettsdoors.co.uk are a UK based DIY store. They have a large collection of all types of doors including traditional doors, external wooden doors, glazed doors, internal doors, together with a large selection of quality door furniture and hardware.

Tradesmen in North feel the Pinch
Hopes that the credit crunch would lead to a boom for tradesmen as home owners look to improve their properties have been dashed by new figures showing the North of England as the worst hit.

UK job auction website, eGenie, which deals with hundreds of daily requests from house holders looking for tradesmen to carry out building, repair or decoration work on their homes, revealed that trades people in the North are bearing the brunt of the economic downturn.

Having monitored activity on the site over the past few months, it found that more than half (57%) of requests for work are coming from the South, compared to just 28% from the North and Scotland.  The results show a marked change from earlier in the year when demand was far more evenly spread throughout the country.

Blackettsdoors.co.uk are a UK based DIY store. They have a large collection of all types of doors including traditional doors, external wooden doors, glazed doors, internal doors, together with a large selection of quality door furniture and hardware.

Common Causes of Damp.
Common causes of damp include missing or blocked guttering and missing or loose flashing or roof tiles. Flat roofs can also lead to leaks and damp because they’re only watertight if properly sealed. If you think your home has any of these problems, you can tackle them yourself, although it’s often better, and safer, to get a builder or roofer in.

If your home’s damp-proof course is being prevented from doing its job, this can also cause damp. You should be able to see the line of the damp-proof course along the exterior of your home (several inches up from the ground) and if the level of your garden, patio or path is higher than the course, it won’t work properly, so make sure this isn’t happening anywhere.

Another cause of damp could be your home’s exterior walls, so check those over. Common problems include deteriorated pointing, deteriorated or cracked rendering, and bricks that have become porous. Again, you can often fix these things yourself, or you may prefer to get a builder to do it.

Blackettsdoors.co.uk are a UK based DIY store. They have a large collection of all types of doors including traditional doors, external wooden doors, glazed doors, internal doors, together with a large selection of quality door furniture and hardware.