With your help - we're beating the Cowboys

With your help we're beating the cowboys.

Using the 'Quoter family of websites to get a quotation for a home improvement project is far safer than the 'pot-luck' approach of sticking a pin in a newspaper or directory advert thanks to your help compiling a massive list of recommendations over the past 8 years.

To date we have collected a massive 50,000 feedback comments from our readers and from users of the 'Quoter family of websites. This allows us to keep improving our network and it's all down to you. Every recommendation we make is followed up by the chance to comment on the tradesmen you use. We use a 'five star' scale. Simply rating the companies from one star up to five gives us an invaluable insight into how they perform.

Here's just one of the dozens of 'five-star' comments we see every day:

"Stuart took time with me in explaining block paving in detail and persuaded me in having the [right] blocks. Phil & Dougie have done an excellent job and I am pleased with the finished product. I am thrilled that customer satisfaction and true professionalism still exist." - Mr Brothers, Portsmouth.

We know who the good guys are. Click on one of the 'Quoter site links to find them and leave your own feedback.

Use your loft for more than storing the Xmas Tree

Lofts provide a fantastic light and airy living space plus, in some cases, wonderful views of the local village or countryside. But too many home owners across the UK have forgotten about their lofts and are using them simply to store dusty boxes and unwanted items.

Remember our new quoter website LoftQuoter gives you instant online quotes for a loft conversion without the need for a salesman to call. Try LoftQuoter today.

Loft conversions not only add space inside a house but can also add an attractive dimension to the outside. Dormer windows with a pitched roof can blend in with any colour and style of house but adds that extra bit of character – removing the need for low, sloping ceiling that can put some people off loft conversions.

Loft conversions make fantastic bedrooms as they offer generous space, high ceilings and make great sun-catchers. En-suites or dressing rooms can easily be included, making the room very private – ideal for Mum and Dad or as a guest room.

Lofts provide very sleek and airy spaces, so consider including ‘Velux’ windows and spot lights to keep out unnecessary clutter. Staircases are also custom built to use up as little space as possible.

If you’ve always wanted fitted wardrobes now is the perfect opportunity. Furniture can be custom built to fit under any shaped ceiling and is specifically designed to make the most of available space. And, if you’re still not convinced just think of that view over trees and neighbouring houses.

Remember our new quoter website LoftQuoter can help you find local quotes and loft conversion companies and give you an instant online quote without the need for a salesman to call.

Forget Flat-Pack Kitchens - Go Fitted

Forget flat-packed kitchens if you want something a little more unique and perfectly suited to your needs.

A fitted kitchen design will not only give you the perfect kitchen, it will also add value to your property and overcome those hidden jobs like plumbing, gas and electrics which can turn a flat-pack into a nightmare.

We've highlighted some of the more popular design choices below but it's your kitchen so don't be afraid to give your input when the designer calls.

For an instant online fitted kitchen quote, visit: kitchenquoter.co.uk.

Bursts of colour add a bold, contemporary statement without being overpowering or garish. Try bright splashbacks or work surface alongside neutral cupboards and flooring, to add a splash of your own personality.

Modern kitchens now focus on comfort and lifestyle as well as good old fashioned cooking. Using an island as a seating area means you won’t miss out on any of the conversation while you’re preparing dinner for family or friends and parents can also use it to spend more time with their children over breakfast or homework.

Not everything about a chic kitchen has to be black, white, silver and shiny! Don’t be afraid to incorporate a modern kitchen into your style of home – they can be perfectly mixed with natural wood floors and wicker furniture.

Bespoke kitchens not only make use of every little nook-and-cranny, but also keep the overall design as sleek as possible. Walls and ceilings flow into one another when kept the same colour and appliances, such as microwaves, add to the smooth finish if integrated into cupboard space.

If it's turning warmer, that means re-painting the fascia or does it?

When the weather starts turning warmer, and the days longer, you know it's time to start thinking about all those nasty outside maintenance jobs you've got to do - like re-painting the fascias.

Re-painting the fascias, soffits, bargeboards and cladding on a house is a real pain too. It involves ladders, heights (usually) and lots of climbing up and down for dropped sandpaper or re-plenishing the paint pot.

And it's amazing how much time it actually takes if you do it right. And even when you do all the surface preperation and coats of paint correctly, it still look like it needs doing again the next year.

Luckily, there is a low maintenance option thanks to the miracle of PVCu (or uPVC) - replacement fascias etc are a very worthwhile investment.

And you're not restricted to just white coloured fascia anymore as many companies now offer a choice of at least mahogany or oak finishes to match existing windows and doors etc.

The best news is that you don't have to suffer a door to door salesman to find out how much it would cost to replace your homes fascias and cladding etc. You can now get your own quotation online in minutes via our home owner website - FasciaQuoter.

Just type in your details, enter your own measurements (approximate is fine) and select eaves or straight runs, whether you'd like to include new guttering etc and our clever online tool will give you a range of prices there and then.

It quite literally takes a few minutes to do, but could save you pounds by giving you a direct comparison - perhaps with quotes you've already got?

So prepare to enjoy the summer, knowing that if not the lawn, then at least the fascia is sorted!

Click here to visit FasciaQuoter.co.uk and get your Instant Online Fascia Quote.

Patio Perfection

Patio Perfection.

With spring well and truly here, thoughts inevitably turn to preparing the garden for summer. Whether you dream of lazy days on a sun lounger, or having fun with friends around the barbeque, a patio can act as a transition area between house and garden, creating an area to entertain, dine and relax. A patio can provide you with an attractive outdoor space, and with some well chosen accessories, it’s also an extra 'room' that can be enjoyed all year round.

In these times of uncertainty in the housing market, it is worth considering that a stylish patio can increase a home's value above and beyond the price of the patio itself, and unlike many home improvement projects, there is usually no need for planning permission. Here are the five essential stages to getting the most out of your investment:

Remember our new quoter website Pavingquoter can help you find local quotes and paving companies.

And if you're just looking for a Patio awning, our new Awningquoter can give you an instant online quote, without a salesman having to call.

Stage One – Time to call in the professionals?
The first thing to consider is whether to employ the services of a professional. You have a number of options here. Many landscape contractors will design, project manage and install your new patio, making it a relatively stress-free process. However, if you have very strong ideas on the look you would like to create, you may want to design and manage the patio yourself and then get the professionals in to do all the hard work! Of course, if you are competent at DIY you may decide to complete it all yourself, from design through to completion. However, remember that patios can be tricky to get right and are often very hard work, so this is not a decision to take lightly.

If you do decide to use a landscape contractor, it's best to rely on recommendations from family and friends, or to identify local companies that have been approved by The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) or The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) by using the search facilities on their websites. Try to get more than one quote (ideally three) for the work you want doing.

Stage Two – Making the best use of space
The obvious location for a patio is immediately outside the patio doors or the back door of the house. This way you have quick access to the kitchen when entertaining, and can easily keep an eye on children playing on the patio from the house. However, there are other considerations when deciding on the placement of your patio. Even if you're not a sun worshipper, it's a good idea to pick a sunny spot – after all, you can create shade, but you can't create sun. You could also consider using a spot that's sheltered from the wind, though it is always possible to create protection using shrubs, fencing, or perhaps a trellis screen.

You also need to think carefully about the size of your patio. What will you use the space for? If you're a fan of alfresco dining, think about how many people you want to be able to seat. As a minimum, a space of three metres square will allow enough space for a table and four chairs, while a bigger family or a couple who like to entertain will require a bigger space. However, be careful that your patio takes up no more than a quarter of your garden or it will dominate the space and make it appear smaller.

Stage Three – Choosing your materials
There are many materials to choose from when designing your patio, and there are several things to bear in mind. While gravel can be cheaper and easier to lay, furniture tends to sink into it and sit unevenly. While materials like brick, sandstone and slate are very attractive, they are also rather pricey, and non-porous materials can become very slippery when wet. Paving slabs are generally the most practical and affordable choice, and are now available in a whole range of colours and textures. It is a good idea to choose a colour that contrasts or complements the colour of the house, so if your house has light brickwork, choose dark materials for your patio and vice versa. However, when using light materials, do be mindful of glare. Also, darker slabs retain and radiate the heat of the day, creating a warm feeling well into the evening.

At this stage it is a good idea to consider which accessories will enhance the usability of this new space, so that you can work these into your budget. Your first purchase will inevitably be patio furniture, which is available in many different sizes, styles, shapes and materials.

There is also a wide range of patio heaters available, making your patio usable all year round. Fans of alfresco dining might like to invest in a state-of-the-art barbeque, while those who see their patio as a place to relax might like a water feature to be central to their design.

Stage Four – Preparing the ground
If you have decided to install the patio yourself, this part of the process is both the most important and the most difficult to get right. Many a patio has been ruined by uneven foundations! The first step is to mark out the area and remove turf, soil and stones to a depth of 15cm below the intended final height of the patio. Be aware that the level of the patio at the house wall must be at least 150mm below the damp proof course. This is usually visible as an extra wide line of mortar in the brickwork. Then put a layer of hardcore roughly seven centimetres deep, rake the entire area to ensure the material is evenly spread and use a wacker plate (these can be hired) to flatten out the area.

Next, use wooden pegs to mark the final height of the patio. Position several all over the patio site, using a spirit level to ensure they are all even. If you have chosen to build your patio next to the house, you must remember to include a slight gradient away from the building, so that rainwater runs off.

Stage Five – Installation and finishing off
Once the foundations are prepared you can lay your patio. Make a mortar mix of five parts building sand to one part cement. You could do the mixing in a wheelbarrow, but it's probably a good idea to hire a small cement mixer. Trowel five generous dabs of mortar on to the base and lay the first slab in place. If you have chosen to lay your patio up against the house, start against the wall. Tap the surface of the slab with a rubber mallet and check with a spirit level in both directions remembering to allow for the fall, using the string as a guide.

Continue to lay the remaining slabs in the same way, checking each slab with a spirit level as you go. Once you have laid several square metres, spread some mix on top and brush it into the joints. You may have to do this several times as the mix settles in. Laying a patio will take you several days, so with this in mind, at the end of each day wash down the slabs you've laid, making sure you remove any splattered mortar before it can harden and stain the paving. When the work is complete, you can sit back and admire a job well done!

Price Engines' new quoter website Pavingquoter can help you find local quotes and paving companies. And if you're just looking for a Patio awning, our new Awningquoter can give you an instant online awning quote, without a salesman having to call.

Home Buyer Incentives - which ones are really worthwhile?

Home-buyer incentives – which ones are really worthwhile?

We look at the different incentives on offer for home-buyers, from the traditional to the wacky, and investigate which ones are the most valuable for both buyers and sellers.

If you're thinking of improving your home prior to selling it or have decided to stay put and spend the legal and stamp duty fees etc on improving your home, then don't forget to try and get more than one quote (preferably three) for comparison. You can get free, no obligation, online quotes for all your home improvements - from double glazing to driveways, loft conversions to solar panels at Home Improvement Quotes .co.uk - click here to try it now.

According to the Land Registry, the average house price peaked at £182,914 last year – more than seven times the average income, which according to the Office for National Statistics stands at £24,000. With this in mind, buyers are increasingly attracted by generous incentive packages offered on new-build homes. However it’s not just new-builds which have incentives attached – private sellers are also adding valuable extras to their properties in a bid to sell fast, and still achieve the full asking price.

First-time Buyers
Home-Buyer incentives have traditionally been targeted at first-time buyers, who would otherwise be unable to afford a home of their own. With many incentives this is still the case and there are various schemes which first-time buyers can take advantage of, including shared ownership, deposit schemes and percentage buys.

Shared ownership was originally set up to allow key workers, such as firefighters, police officers and teachers to afford a house close to their place of work. However with property prices rising, the scheme has been opened up to anyone with a regular income, provided they are unable to afford a house using the traditional buying channels. Under shared ownership, the home-buyer purchases a share of the property – usually between 25 and 75 per cent – by taking out a mortgage with an ordinary lender. The housing association or property developer will own the remaining percentage of the house, which the buyer will pay heavily subsidised rent on. The rent is pegged to inflation and is usually reviewed by the landlord annually – though most will cap the rent at a certain point. Each year, buyers are invited to purchase further shares in their property under a process known as ‘staircasing’, until they own 100 per cent.

Another incentive offered by new-build developers is a percentage buy, where the housing company will let buyers purchase 100 per cent of a new house, at only 75 per cent of the asking price. The buyer then repays the developer over a period of ten years or when the property is sold – and is charged no interest on the repayments. However the repayments are reflective of the price of the house, so as the house value increases, so do your repayments.

The final, and perhaps simplest, first-time buyer incentive is the deposit scheme. These are sometimes advertised by developers as “Move-in for £99” schemes – where the developer will pay your five per cent deposit, stamp duty and legal fees. Sometimes these schemes go even further, with some housing companies giving away £1000 cashback and furnishing the property with £5000 worth of goods. Some new-builds targeted specifically at first-time buyers come with everything from fridges and cookers, to linen and cheese-graters! The total value of all these goods is on average £11,500, so it is well worth looking into – and you don’t have to worry about finding extra money to furnish your new home!

Existing Homeowners
Incentives are not just for first-time buyers – there are plenty around for those of you who are looking to sell as well as buy. Again, most of these come from new-build property developers, but they often have great benefits to the seller and can really take the hassle out of moving house.

The main incentive for house sellers is the 100 per cent part exchange. Under this scheme, the new-build developer will buy your old house, freeing you to move into your new home quickly and without the hassle of selling yourself. This eliminates the stresses that come with a property chain, and completely cuts out the need for an estate agent – which means you pay no agency fees. Remember that because the developer will want to sell your old house quickly, you will typically be offered ten per cent less than the asking price – but weigh this up against a chain-free move and no agency fees and you will usually come out of it better off.

To qualify for the part exchange scheme, your new house must be more valuable than your old one – usually worth between 25 and 30 per cent more.

There are many similar incentives on offer. Under the chain-breaker scheme, the housing company will buy a lower value property further down your property chain – enabling the rest of the chain to move fast, and your sale to complete. Other housing companies will employ agents to take over the selling process on your behalf while you move into you new house, with no fees involved.

From the sublime to the ridiculous
There are some home-buyer incentives which just border on the ridiculous – and these are not just limited to new-build developments. With houses on the property market moving very slowly, some private sellers are throwing in extras to sway buyers into paying the full asking price – and fast!

The list of incentives which private sellers are offering ranges from £20,000 sports cars to four-week holidays – with sellers offering buyers use of their own holiday homes, provided they pay for their flights. In a case recently, one seller was offering a place for one child at the prestigious prep school round the corner from the house – the school was fully subscribed until 2011, and needless to say, the house sold within the week!

Other incentives include commuter train tickets for the year – which can cost upwards of £10,000, and special, bespoke incentives based on the location of the house itself. For example, a flat above a nightclub in London recently sold with a fully paid annual membership to the club below. The former flat of a Jeans designer in London even came with the offer of cost-price women’s Jeans for the duration that the buyer lived there!

New-build developers have been offering prospective buyers free products for years – white goods, carpets, curtains, but recently their incentive packages have changed somewhat. The latest family incentive packages include offering buyers a £19,000 BMW, gym memberships for the family, or a package of four plasma screen TV’s!

If you are thinking of enticing buyers to your property, do remember to be careful! Don’t get carried away, and end up parting with something worth a small fortune – or promise something you can’t deliver on.

If you're thinking of improving your home prior to selling it or have decided to stay put and spend the legal and stamp duty fees etc on improving your home, then don't forget to try and get more than one quote (preferably three) for comparison. You can get free, no obligation, online quotes for all your home improvements - from double glazing to driveways, loft conversions to solar panels at Home Improvement Quotes .co.uk - click here to try it now.

Photo Feature - The Perfect Conservatory

Photo Feature - The Perfect Conservatory
Conservatories are the perfect way to get that all important extra space without the hassle of moving home. Conservatories are available in every shape and colour you could want and can be beautifully added to any home – be it a modest semi-detached or a Victorian mansion.

To get an instant online quote for a conservatory, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of styles all online.

To get an instant online quote for conservatory blinds, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of different blinds styles all online.

You don’t have to own a big house to add a conservatory. Even small conservatories mean that bit of extra space that provides the kids with a great playroom or yourself with a relaxing breakfast room.

Just because your conservatory may have been an afterthought doesn’t mean it should look like one. Ask for the external features to blend in with the brickwork and window frames. Adding big double doors will also allow the feeling of the garden to run through into your home.

Many people who live in an old Georgian-style house may worry that adding a brand new conservatory will ruin the look of their grand home. Yet manufacturers of tailor-made conservatories can use bricks and designs that are in-keeping with the Georgian theme – and provide a very attractive garden feature that looks like it was built along with the house.

If you have the space for a big conservatory, try using it as a dining room. Come summer or winter, it’ll provide the perfect setting for a dinner party for family and friends – whether it’s a warm summer’s evening or a chilly night under the stars, just don’t forget to think about heating!

A double glazed conservatory can add extra value to your house, and can be a cost effective way to provide you with a new, fully-insulated room that’s perfect for all seasons.

The construction process on a double glazed conservatory is actually a quick and painless process – the design team will work with you to come up with exactly the product you require, and the construction team will install pre-prepared window panes in only a few days.

To get an instant online quote for a conservatory, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of styles all online.

To get an instant online quote for conservatory blinds, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of different blinds styles all online.