We’ve all spent the odd afternoon watching things like “Homes Under the Hammer” and “Property Ladder” – they make selling a home look so easy! A quick montage and the place is spick, span and sold. But remembering all their hints and tips can be a bit tough, especially if we’re only watching the show because of a streaming cold or crushing migraine!
We spend a lot of time working with customers looking to sell their homes – what’s the best guttering/fascia/plastic wall cladding etc? – so here are the simplest, most widely recommended resale tips we come across.
1. Tidy Up
A bit of elbow grease is all that’s needed! Clear out the weeds, power-wash the drive, make sure the kids’ toys are put away, clear out the grids over drainage pipes, have the dishes done – it’s amazing what an effect a good scrub can have!
2. Re-Paint
Cheap and easy – repainting the front door, skirting boards, garden fence, and any garishly decorated rooms with neutral colours can help viewers set themselves into the blank canvas. Make sure dark-prone spots are brightly painted in a light colour.
3. Invest in the Basics
Selling your home is an investment in itself. Without double glazing, a decent kitchen, pleasant bathroom floor etc, it will be harder to command the price negotiations.
4. Remove Your Personality
This is perhaps the hardest thing to do. Essentially, you want your home to have as little in it as possible. It helps potential buyers visualise themselves in the clean, clear, simple space.
Spring has FINALLY sprung after a few false starts, and that means it’s time to give your old abode the onceover to remedy any seasonal problems or structural difficulties that might have developed over the dull U.K winter.
• Check guttering and downspouts for clogs. Both plastic and cast iron guttering can fall foul of detritus, so enlist the help of a buddy (for safety) and make sure everything is in working order.
• Check the roof for crumbling, blistering or cracking. The high winds of last winter mean we’re all now having to make sure our roofs are safe and secure for the year ahead. Spring/summer are definitely the best times to carry out repairs.
• Seasonal re-testing of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors is advisable.
• Check fascias and soffits for signs of rotting, damage or degradation. UPVC fascia boards rarely need to be replaced, but wooden ones can degrade quickly.
• Give outdoor spaces the onceover – decking, patios etc. Check for peeling paint, damaged boards, sagging roofs etc. This can be a great time to power-wash paved areas before the flowers arrive. Cracks in the driveway etc will soon fill with weeds and can grow quickly, so carry out repairs once the winter frosts have abated.
• De-clutter the shed and garage. Although not strictly a structural maintenance task, spring is the least invasive time to get that garden and home in shape for the predicted balmy warmth of summer.
Do you know your wall cladding from your vented soffit board? Sometimes calling in the professionals is a matter of necessity, but it can be tough to navigate the ins and outs of negotiating with tradesman. Here are a few points to keep in mind when selecting a tradesman or building firm.
• Do they offer a free written QUOTATION? Some offer free ESTIMATES but you have to pay for the actual quotation.
• Do they offer a written guarantee of the duration of the project? This helps you minimise any extra costs. We all know sometimes jobs overrun or unforeseen issues crop up, but a written guarantee can help keep things clear.
• Do they offer Public Liability Insurance? Make sure this is clear on the quotation.
• Make a note of their VAT number at the quotation stage.
• Will the main tradesman be on site all the time? Will he sub-contract or delegate work to other employees? This isn’t necessarily right or wrong, but more about you understanding exactly whose hands your Deepflow Guttering is in!
• Who is responsible for sourcing materials? E.g. plastic fascias, scaffolding, specialist tools etc.
• Who is responsible for waste management? E.g. the removal of old fascias, waste etc. from your property.
• Will they require use of your household facilities such as the toilet, kettle etc?
Sorting out the details is a huge part of feeling comfortable and secure in your arrangement with reputable builders and tradesman.
We’re a family run business that loves to maintain strong, down-to-earth links with our customers. Offering advice is something we’re more than happy to do. Rogue traders and cowboys can be a huge issue for folks who are investing in things like necessary fascia replacement, so here’s a short guide as to what prices tend to work out as the responsible average. Please bear in mind these are only rough prices; actual prices vary depending on area, landscape etc.
Example 1 – All soffit boards and fascias on a semi-detached house need replacing. No problems with access. Usually a two-man team can complete this job in less than two days for a labour-only cost of about £500 + scaffolding + materials.
Example 2 – A Victorian terraced house needing the front and rear fascias replaced with UPVC. No access issues. Expect a labour-only fee of around £375 for one and a half days of work. Scaffolding, if necessary is extra.
Asking the right questions is a big part of getting the best rates and selecting the best person for the job. Do a little research before speaking to the tradesman so you know exactly what YOU think needs doing. Ask whether they think the soffits need replacing – most soffits are hardy and rarely need to be replaced, however it’s worth having them clad if you’re investing the cladding the fascias.
You don’t need to be an expert to avoid being taken for a ride. Remember that word of mouth is the best recommendation, especially for tradesman!
Drains are usually thought of as one of those brilliant little life essentials we use every single day but never give a second thought to… until they’re clogged and flood the garden! Keeping an eye on drainage pipes, grids, guttering and potential blockage spots is easy, especially if it’s something you put into practice on a regular basis. Here are a few expert tips we’ve gathered on our tradesman travels!
• One of the worst things to do is to allow food and similar particles to go down the drain. Leftovers can cause a real problem eventually! Remove food detritus from dishwater before draining and always scrape leftovers from plates into the bin before washing.
• Avoid throwing greasy or oily fluids down the plughole or drain. Things like cooking grease can solidify in the soil pipe or even the underground land drainage pipes, causing massive blockages as other detritus clings to them.
• Keeping drainage running smoothly isn’t always about chemicals or professional services. Pour boiling water down the drain every now and then (preceded by some bicarbonate of soda to clear fats or oils) to prevent grime build-up and minimise the likelihood of potential blockages.
If the worst does happen and no amount of caustic soda or boiling water can budge that blockage, invest in the right professional services. A CCTV survey and professional clean are likely a better investment than pouring endless solutions down the plughole.
Fascia replacement isn’t usually something that most homeowners need to undertake more than a couple of times in a lifetime, especially if you have plastic fascias. But a little insight can go a long way, so here are a few of the options we can help with when those wooden fascias need replacing.
1. Remove the old fascias completely and replace them with long-lasting plastic fascias. Plastic fascias are durable, easy to install, adaptable and generally a less complicated option to getting new wooden fascias. Take a look at our selection and give us a call to discuss your fascia needs on 01233 720 486.
2. Clad your current fascias with UPVC. This is typically the cheapest option, but you can only clad fascias that are in a decent state. UPVC fascias are best for folks who are looking to maximise the life of their reasonably good condition wooden fascias.
3. Fitting new wooden fascias is usually the most costly option. Wood rarely arrives weatherproofed and usually there are various stages where work can’t be done due to treatments drying etc.
A few other key things to remember – just because your fascias need replacing doesn’t mean the soffit boards do. Although it’s quite straightforward to replace fascias yourself if you have the right skills, getting the professionals in is sometimes the best idea. Word of mouth is usually the best way to find a reputable tradesman in your area.
Although gutter maintenance is not one of the most appealing topics to concern yourself with, it is something which you need to address. Regardless of whether you have cast iron or uPVC guttering, you will need to make sure you clear out your gutters at least once a year otherwise they will fall into a state of disrepair and need replacing all too soon.
The best time to clear your gutters is at the end of autumn/start of winter. This is because you can remove all of the leaves which have just fallen without fear of their being anymore for at least another nine or ten months. Furthermore, it is always handy to have fully working gutters in the winter as the inclement weather can often play havoc with your drainage pipes.
The actual task of clearing gutters is relatively straightforward when you use a suitable tool such as a scraper or trowel. However, if you are not physically able to clear your own guttering then you should source the services of a local gutter clearing professional (or willing relative) to take care of the task for you.
If you live in an area where lots of leaves or additional debris gets into your gutters then you might like to consider covering them with some fine mesh wiring. This will help to prevent anything large from getting stuck in your drainage pipe, although it will most likely need clearing more often than once a year.
No matter if you are a tradesmen or a keen DIY enthusiast, you don’t want to spend a fortune when buying building supplies. Furthermore, you also don’t want to spend hours of your precious time trying to find materials that are suitable to your budget.
Thankfully, buying your building plastics online with us here at Bliby Plastics can ensure that you don’t waste either your time or your money.
Time
Shopping online for your drainage pipes, fascias and soffits is incredibly quick and easy. You don’t have to waste any time or petrol driving from one retail park to another or on making several journeys because “That item hasn’t come in yet”. Shopping online allows you to browse at your leisure and order what you want in just a few simple clicks. And, as the internet never sleeps, you can order your items whenever you want rather than squeeze your shopping in during traditional opening hours.
Money
Because we conduct our business online, we here at Bliby Plastics do not have to pay the same large overheads that traditional bricks and mortar stores do. This means that the money we save can be passed on to our valued customers in the form of ultra competitive pricing.
To find out more and view our excellent range of guttering, fascia boards and PVC cladding in greater detail; explore our pages further or call one of or customer advisors on 01233 720 486.
Although they may not be as obvious as windows, driveways or gardens; the state of your fascias can make a huge difference to how your home looks.
If you live in an older home then your roofline may still be made from the property’s original timber. These timber rooflines look good and function perfectly well when they are in good condition. Sadly, as charming as they might be, these timbers do not last forever and inevitably succumb to rot over time. Once this happens, it can not only prevent your roof from doing what it is designed to do but also make your home look far less appealing.
Thankfully, replacing your timber rooflines with UPVC fascia boards can ensure that your roof space will always be adequately protected. UPVC facia solutions create a very effective barrier between your roof edge and interior wall which not only enables rainwater to flow away quickly and efficiently, but also creates a very neat and tidy looking roofline.
UPVC fascia solutions are very quick, easy and inexpensive to install. Indeed, they are available in a variety of lengths and thicknesses, offer a wide selection of styles and can be fitted directly onto your roof rafters. So, if you‘re looking to give your home a facelift, make sure you consider your fascias along with your windows, garden and driveway. Not only will they ensure that your roof does its job properly; they’ll also keep your home looking good!
Although many people may think otherwise, guttering is one of the most important structural features of a property. Indeed, gutters and drainage pipes that are damaged or inefficient can cause immeasurable damage to a home if left unchecked.
Happily, even if you dislike DIY you should find it relatively easy to replace domestic gutters and pipes. However, when it comes to the actual installation, you will first need to be clear about the material you want to use and the way it is manufactured.
Materials
Although there are several different gutter and pipe materials available these days, most people choose from either cast iron or UPVC. Cast iron guttering is incredibly hard wearing and looks very attractive; however, this is reflected in the price. UPVC guttering on the other hand is a much more affordable option, although it will typically need replacing more regularly than cast iron.
Sectional or seamless?
Domestic gutters are normally constructed in either seamless or sectional units. Seamless gutters are effectively one long strip, whereas sectional gutters come in several smaller strips. Although seamless gutters are generally less prone to leakages, they can be sometimes be problematic to install. In contrast, sectional gutters afford a more straightforward installation as they are very easy to transport. However, they are more likely to develop leaks than their seamless counterparts.
Regardless of whether you choose cast iron or UPVC; sectional or seamless: you can be sure that effective gutters and pipes will keep your home in tip-top condition.
