CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

Under tile heating is a type of underfloor heating. Underfloor heating is an efficient, relatively low cost method of heating, which contrasts with conventional forms of heating such as radiator systems or wood, gas, coal or oil burners, by emitting radiant – and thereby longer lasting – instead of convected heat.

In rooms with a tiled floor, it is common to use electric underfloor heating instead of the other most common type of water underfloor heating. Under tile heating can be either based on electric cables or mesh, or electric heating mats. Cables, mesh and mats are quite easy to install, being easy to cut into shape and size. Installation can be done on a DIY basis by use of an underfloor heating kit.

Electric heating mats are waterproof and also act as the first layer of insulation from the temperature of the ground beneath the room tiles. The benefit of using an electric heating mat is that it evenly distributes heat emission underneath the tiles.

In rooms that are being newly built, under tile heating can be an easy part of the construction process. The under tile heating mat can be rolled out, cut into shape, fitted and tiled over in a very short stretch of time. Single, double or multiple coiled heating mats can be used, depending on the requirements. In smaller spaces such as bathrooms or utility rooms, single coiled under tile heating mats may well be sufficient, whereas conservatories can require multiple coiled heating mats.

If you’re considering a significant property development project, whether with your own home or somewhere you’ve acquired to renovate, there are a few things to bear in mind before you start. Unless you’re a very accomplished all-rounder, with excellent building skills, you’ll be grappling with a lot more than DIY. You can certainly help keep costs down if you’re confident with painting and decorating and if you can stretch to plastering, too, significant savings can be made. Depending on how adventurous you aim to be, calling on the advice of architects would be a wise early move, not least because they can also advise and apply for, any planning permission you may need before you begin. Prominent extensions and major internal alterations usually require the local planning department’s approval. Unless you have the required permission for building projects that alter the form and use of the building, you’ll be breaking the law.

In addition to planning permission, you’ll need to be familiar with the relevant building regulations. These generally don’t apply to minor alterations, like repairs, a new central heating system or installing a new bathroom or kitchen. However, new extensions or changes to elevations, including significant internal renovations, like loft conversions, will require building regulation conformity. Again, architects can ensure that the legal requirements are complied with, as can chartered surveyors and master builders. You need to be prepared for all of the costs involved with the fittings for a property. The main expenses will be the kitchen, so plan for every cost from appliances to granite worktops.

Always remember that if your project affects any wall between your property and another, you’ll need to obtain a ‘party wall agreement.’ This obliges you to pay to rectify any damage to the integrity of the party wall that any building work on your part might cause. A simple motto, ‘plan before you build’.

DIY installation of underfloor heating kits has become increasingly popular over the last few decades. Electric underfloor heating became prevalent in the 1960s but was at that time somewhat difficult and costly to install. This was because electric cables were laid in thick concrete pathways within the floor.  Water underfloor heating, which had been popularised in the early twentieth century by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, used a system of concrete water pipes connected to the main water supply.

Nowadays however, underfloor heating DIY has become relatively straightforward, with underfloor heating kits sold in many DIY shops or online. Kits will include a full set of instructions as well as technical support options, and the material is straightforward to use and light in nature.

Electric cables, heating mats or water pipes have to be carefully placed in the selected underfloor area, with close attention to an equal distribution of the material. Electrical control wiring is a key requirement. Also, before the material is laid out it is important to measure the amount needed in order to cover the entire selected area.

When laying out water underfloor heating pipes it is important to remove air from the system before first use.  This is done in the same way as in a regular water radiator system. Testing the thermostat is also important before final use. When first using the system, it is advised to raise the temperature gradually over a number of days so as not to overload the system.

If you’re planning a significant bit of property development, it would be wise to begin by employing architects. If you can afford the fees, they’ll ensure that any necessary planning permission is obtained. They’ll not only design your dream plan in detail, but ensure it conforms to current building regulations too. To economise on the project, rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck into the DIY aspects, such as painting, decorating and even, if you’re able, some plastering, will save you a significant amount of cash. The more sophisticated aspects of the project, however, will usually mean calling in another expert. A good, reliable builder is worth his weight in gold. Don’t randomly select one from Yellow Pages though, always go on trusted recommendations and ask to see examples of their work. Good builders are usually proud to display their handiwork.

Project management is pivotal. You’ll need to calculate out labour, materials and price schedules and wrap these up into a contract. Avoid paying hourly or daily rates, you need to know the price for the complete job and that the contractor will deliver. However, you should always allow an extra 10% for contingencies.

Work out all your major purchases at the design stage, including materials and items likes basins, baths, appliances and granite worktops don’t be left having to improvise as work proceeds as this can be very expensive. Upgrading your home involves installing basics that you shouldn’t compromise on, especially if it’s going to be significantly larger, like getting a new, more powerful boiler, expert plumbing and electrical installation. Most importantly, throughout the construction phase, daily communication with your builder will prevent expensive misunderstandings.

If you like to walk around your house barefoot, then you will know that the sensation of stepping on to warm tiled floors is absolute bliss. Underfloor heating feels like a real luxury. Whereas radiators heat a room through convection, allowing hot air to rise to the ceiling and then to fall as it cools, underfloor heating is much more efficient.  It radiates heat more evenly throughout a room and will keep your feet warm and the environment at the set temperature. The way that heat rises evenly throughout the whole room is very pleasant compared to the hotspots, cool zones and draughts created with traditional heating systems. Also, an underfloor heating kit is a perfect solution when you are building an extension or conservatory, as it is easier to install, doesn’t require wall space and is separately controlled.

Underfloor heating systems are controlled by programmable thermostats that control the temperature in every room, making them extremely flexible. They can be set to lower temperatures than conventional central heating to achieve the same level of comfort. The lack of radiators and pipes in a room with electric underfloor heating keeps it free from visual clutter as well as being easier to clean. This means that when designing room layouts the positioning of components such as pipes and heaters does not restrict you. Underfloor heating is hidden, but the controls are accessible for easy maintenance. Best of all, the cost of installing floor heating is comparable to, and often less than conventional systems, particularly when building or renovating a home.

Kitchen and bathroom floors covered in new stone tiles can look absolutely gorgeous, but old, cracked tiles can look like a set of crooked, broken teeth. You don’t need to be latent architects or have sophisticated building skills to get rid of an old tiled floor; your DIY skills will suffice. It’s strangely gratifying, but while painting, decorating and plastering all require a degree of patience, you can just let rip on this one.

Arm yourself with a long-handled tile scraper, lever under a tile and push. If it won’t lift easily and it really is satisfying when it does, you might have to break the tile up with a club hammer, gentle taps will do the job. Generally, though, you’ll be able to slip that strong, broad blade through the grout and push through the adhesive, bang goes another tile.

Sadly, this is rarely the end of the story. You’ll almost certainly be left with clumps and splodges of adhesive residue. The best solution is to melt them into docile mush with a hot air gun and use a stripping knife as you go to scrape the mess away. If this works, all you need to do before laying your new floor covering is seal the area with a coat of diluted PVA. If you’re out of luck and the old adhesive is too stubborn to remove, your best bet is to cover the area with a layer of plywood or hardwood and get on with setting those new tiles. You’ll end up with a DIY job that looks like real property development.

Fixing a bookshelf, bathtub or basin to a hollow wall can be a nightmare, unless you strengthen it first. Many buildings have internal ‘stud walls’, which are constructed from sheets of plasterboard fixed between timber studding. Happily, strengthening them is relatively easy; all that is needed to complete the job will be a touch of painting and decorating. You won’t need to be an architect, basic building skills will do.

To strengthen the wall, you’ll need to locate the timber studs beneath the plaster, taking care to check that there are no cables or pipes running through the area you want to work on, using a cable sensor. Work out which studs you’re going to use as upright supports for the horizontal timber bridge you’ll be using to strengthen the wall. The bridge will need to be at the correct height and of sufficient length for your fixing. Place it on the wall using a spirit level and draw an outline around it.

Drill holes into the plaster at each corner and then use a pad saw to remove the plaster between studs. Clear out the strip of plaster and recess the studs, where your bridge crosses them, using a chisel. First tap in some rows of horizontal chisel grooves to the thickness of the bridge then pare the wood out. You might need to recess your bridge, too, if it’s very thick or you’ll weaken the studs. Fix the bridge into place on the studs and screw it into position, using screws of sufficient size to carry the load. Finish off with a little plastering followed by a lick of paint and hang your fixing.

Underfloor heating systems seem to be the best solution to heating a room; they are environmentally friendly and more cost effective than heating a room with the more traditional radiator systems. So are they really too good to be true or are there some downsides?

There is one downside relating to performance, but this can be got round by making small changes to heating habits. The problem is the time it takes to get the house warm. This is not an instant heat system and it does take over half an hour to warm up, which is obviously a pain if you are really cold. However this can be overcome by making sure you use a timer system and ensuring that you get the system to turn on at least thirty minutes before it is needed. Set the system to turn on well before anyone is likely to get out of bed in the morning and the problem is neatly avoided.

The only other downside and perhaps the reason why underfloor heating systems are not installed as standard in lots of new build developments, is the cost. On paper, when compared with a traditional central heating radiator system, this option is significantly more expensive, so developers are not going to install it. For the occupant of the house it is cheaper to run and maintain, but unless you are the one paying to have the system put in, you are unlikely to find them as standard.

Renovating or updating your house can not only make it a better place to live, but also adds value to the property. Most home renovations such as painting and decorating are DIY projects and can be done by the homeowner, but more complex jobs like fitting a kitchen should be left for the professional fitters and electricians.

Updating the bathroom has become a popular project for a homeowner and adds a great deal of value to the home if done correctly. Again, the painting and decorating and even the tilling and floor laying can be done by the homeowner, but fitting the bathroom suite or new shower enclosure should be done by a qualified plumber.

Other popular DIY projects are gardens, where the homeowner can easily lay decking or paving stones and plant trees and flowers to create stunning results. At the end of the day only do the DIY projects you are happy to do and leave the rest to the professional builders, electricians and plumbers.

Quartz worktops are made from a combination of natural quartz and epoxy resin which is vacuum pressed to create standard slab sizes. Quartz worktops have become popular with homeowners because of its strength and durability as well as its hygienic properties and low maintenance needs.

Quartz worktops and slabs are manufactured in an automated and monitored process and starts by blending the raw materials together in a big mixer. Next, the mixture is poured into a mould and then compacted with a special vacuum machine that vibrates the mixture at the same time. The quartz slab is then cured using a kiln heated to 90 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes; this bonds the mixture together giving it its strength. The slabs are then polished to give a high quality finish and pass through a quality control process to ensure the highest quality.

Now that all the hard work is done, all you have to do is choose the colour and size of your quartz worktop and begin experiencing the benefits of this great product.