Automatic retractable awnings - the benefits of

I was just asked to recap the main benefits of having Awnings and Canopies that automatically retract, from a visitor to our Awning Quoter website - instant online quotes for awnings.

There are two main benefits and they are associated with two very good reasons for having an awning in the first place.

Firstly, having automatic retractable (and extendable) awnings means that even if you're not at home, if the sun comes out, your awnings will extend and protect your home furnishings etc from the fading effects of strong sunlight.

Secondly, when used in conjunction with a small wind speed sensor, if the wind gets too strong, then your awning can be automatically retracted to prevent damage from the wind if you've left it out etc.

Of course, there is another reason for choosing the automatic extending and retracting awnings - you can set them to the right position from the comfort of your chair or hammock.

Now that's what I call putting technology to good use.

Don't forget, you can get an instant online quote for your Awning plans without the need for a salesman to call. Our quotation website includes remote control retraction / extending as well as other options like heating and lighting so you really can make the most of al-fresco dining and entertaining opportunities afforded by the professional installation of an awning from our approved UK network of Awning companies.

Click here to visit awningquoter.co.uk and get your instant online quote now. It only takes a few minutes to get an online price based on your measurements and specifications.

For other instant online quotations, please visit our home improvement quotes website which offers online quotes on everything from double glazing to conservatory blinds.

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Ooh La La (c'mon in, the waters lovely)

Your own swimming pool – once a dream is now reality for many. Innovative designs and easy maintenance have put pool ownership within easy reach of many. Whether they're indoor or outdoor swimming pools, and the boom in leisure pools is not just restricted to this country.

For example, you want an instant online quote for a swimming pool, but you live in France. Used to be a problem but not anymore.

Price Engines Ltd have just launched a new 'quoter site in France providing instant online swimming pool quotes.

We're watching reaction over the Chanel to the 'quoter way of doing things very closely and we'll use the results to refine and introduce our own 'Piscine Devis' (Pool Quoter) website service in the UK very shortly.

If you own a property in France, the why not try it out yourself. We promise instant online quotations based on your own measurements and requirements, completely free of charge without the need for a salesman to call. Visit www.piscinedevis.com now.

If you're a swimming pool installation company in the UK and you'd like to find out more about becoming part of our nationwide network of suppliers, please contact us via our website www.priceengines.co.uk for more information or if you know a reputable swimming pool installation company, then why not recommend them to us and do other home owners a big favour.

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We've included four of the most popular - Digg, Del.icio.us, Reddit and SlashDot.

Alternatively, you can use the Socializer - social bookmark this Blog link at the top of this page which will allow you to bookmark this Blog to over 40 top social bookmarking sites, for you to share with others.

Thank you for bookmarking those stories and articles that interest you.

Is this a Dishwasher?

Yes, it's a dishwasher and we love this one..

It's a Fisher and Paykel Double Integrated DishDrawer© What we liked about this is it's actually two dishwashers in one. You can have your delicate crystal in one drawer and your pots and pans in the other.

Pots and pans can be on a long cycle and your favourite mug can be done in the other drawer and back in service quickly without having to wait for the rest to finish. We think it's great.

To get a quote for a kitchen and inform the kitchen company you'd like to investigate one of these, here's the link to Kitchen Quoter

elephant or radiator?

Decorating a room in 2007 is not restricted to choosing a different colour scheme. It can mean re-designing the entire room, fixtures and fittings included. Installing a new radiator would have been unthought-of a few years ago but because of the vast array of designer radiators on the market today together with ease of installation, effective and affordable heating solutions are now available to complement any room setting.

Choosing the right product, however, can be a difficult business. Many of the designer radiators and heated towel rails do not have the highest BTU output, therefore it is essential that you are fully aware of dimensions versus heat source, and can select accordingly. Multi-function radiators, with combined electric and central heating options are becoming increasingly popular and always worth considering. These provide an individual heating source in each room and can be controlled effortlessly, but the real consumer benefit is that in the warmer months a radiator can be switched on or off independently. Therefore the heated towel rail in the bathroom can be left on whilst other heat sources throughout the home can be turned off.

You can get an instant online quote for bathrooms at Bathroomquoter - click here to get an instant online quote.

All comment attributable to Neil Dent, Managing Director of www.boundarybathrooms.co.uk

5 tips to consider before getting a new kitchen

Getting a new kitchen is a great way to improve your home, and add considerable value to your property. Whether you are building a completely new kitchen or simply renovating the existing one, here are five tips you must consider before you begin:

1 – Plan early and thoroughly
Whatever the work you have in mind, getting a new kitchen is a huge task so it’s essential to plan thoroughly before you start. The first question you need to ask yourself is ‘what am I going to use this room for?’ – for some people the kitchen is simply a food preparation area, but for others it is the social centre of the house. Are you going to have a seating area? Do you want new flooring or wall tiles? Will you need new electricity points? Ask yourself these questions well in advance to avoid problems once the work has begun.

2 – Appliances – remember the ‘triangle’
Anyone who’s designed a kitchen will tell you about the famous ‘triangle’ theory, between the sink, fridge and oven/hobs. These three points are the main areas of any kitchen, so it’s important they are not cramped into one place together so you can move freely between them – by putting them in a triangle in your kitchen, you’ll probably find all the other elements of the room fit in around them. This is also the time you will need to think about units: most kitchens fall into one of four design categories: single-line, double-line, L-shape or U-shape – the space you have to work with usually dictates which one you’ll go for.

3 – Who will do what?
It’s always best at this stage to delegate jobs – if you are simply updating the current kitchen with a lick of paint, you may be able to complete the work yourself. Alternatively, if you’ve bought all the components yourself, you may only need to hire someone to fit it for you. However, it is always advised that if you are unsure of any of the aspects of the job then call in the professionals. It’s also a good idea to identify any specialist services you will require, such as removal firms, electricians, or water & gas specialists.

4 – Don’t forget the regulations
If the new development involves an extension of your house, make sure you contact your local council as planning permission may be required. There are all sorts of regulations around cooking areas, and the distances between certain items. One area in particular where you must be careful is the hob. There are very strict regulations regarding the location of wall units around hobs, and the proximity of electrical points – if you don’t get this right your kitchen could end up being condemned by the authorities, and before you know it you’ll have to fork out for even more work to replace them.

5 – Get the professionals in for the utility points
If you’re having major work done to your kitchen, it’s likely you’re going to have to move the gas, water or electricity points. Even if you intend to do most of the kitchen project yourself, get the professionals in for this part – although it might add a bit to the cost of your new kitchen, it’s simply not worth the hassle of breaking regulations, or worse still causing an accident by doing it yourself! If you’re moving or installing a gas boiler or hobs, ensure that you get a CORGI (Council of Registered Gas Installers) registered installation firm – there are around 50,000 of them in the UK.

When looking for firms to carry out work for you, the universal rule for all home improvement companies applies: make sure that you employ a reputable firm with a proven track record! www.kitchenquoter.co.uk can help you choose your supplier.

Over 1.7 million quotes provided

Home Improvement Quotes provides home-owners with free, impartial advice on home improvement projects, as well as a nationwide directory of recommended companies – from local tradesmen to national organisations.

We deliver instant quotes to over 3,000 people every week through our ‘Quoter’ web sites which include Window Quoter, Paving Quoter and Kitchen Quoter.

Since its formation in 2000, Home Improvement Quotes has provided over 1,700,000 quotes for projects totalling £1.4 billion. The service was developed by Price Engines, the leading UK provider of targeted, qualified intelligence in the home improvements industries.

For more information, please visit www.homeimprovementquotes.co.uk and select the relevant 'Quoter website for an instant online quote.

Supply only kitchens - are they real value for money?

Is that 'supply only' kitchen the value for money you think it is?

A price tag of £1000 or £1500 for a brand new kitchen sounds tempting doesn't it? For the sake of a few hours with a screwdriver and a drill surely that's a worthwhile saving over the price of a full installation?

Not always. Even taking advantage of many suppliers' planning and advice services may not provide the results you're looking for, and don't forget that the showroom that shows off supply-only kitchen units has been designed around the units – not the other way around.

At the KitchenQuoter.co.uk desk we receive calls every day from people who have got as far as half way through the installation of their flat-packs and then end up calling us to see if we can recommend a local tradesman.

Kitchen Quoter's Vernon Baptiste explains: “There's a lot more that goes into the design, planning and construction of a kitchen than people often think. Unless you happen to live in a brand new house, the chances are the kitchen will be far from square for a start, so off-the-shelf units will only fit to a point. After that you either put up with gaps and unused spaces or you have to embark on some pretty fancy carpentry.”

“The other difficult parts come along when you need to plumb in appliances. Modern integrated appliances will often need some degree of coordination with the cabinet design or require the manufacture of doors or panels to blend in with the rest of the kitchen. It's these touches that add those extra thousands of pounds of value to your house and that extra quality of life.”

“There are also lots of specialist and unusual products available that our network of installers can suggest and source for you. Taking a flat-pack design off the shelf probably means you're going to be limited severely by the range of the catalogue you're choosing from.”

By law you will also require competent certified tradesmen to make plumbing or routing changes to gas or electric supplies, and these are all costs that need to be factored into any price comparison. By the time these are added in and you've done with the hammer, chisel and plane yourself then there's always much less of a difference than you think.

If you're thinking about a new kitchen, make sure you get independent quotes from registered and approved local companies to you by using KitchenQuoter for an instant online quote. Click here to get your online quote now.

33% said... the results of our last homeowner survey into creating extra room

Survey results

Last month in our monthly newsletter, we asked our readers "If you were to build a spare room, where would you build it and what would you use it for?"

Out of 327,000 home owners surveyed from our newsletter, the results were as follows:

When asked “Where would you build your spare room”?
33% said extension
27% said loft
18% said garage
10% said conservatory
6% said garden cabin
6% said other

Whilst an extension was the most popular choice, and people still favoured the loft over the garage, interestingly, 6% would consider a garden ‘log cabin’ for extra space.

These clever structures can be used for everything including home office, dining and even home gyms.

When asked “What would you use this space for”?
33% said bedroom
26% said living space
23% said home office
8% said dining
6% said home cinema
2% said games room
2% said other

Most home owners seem keen to add an extra bedroom, whilst home cinema proved a more popular option than a games room – sorry kids!

If you use these statistics for your own purposes, please credit them to Price Engines Ltd and link to www.priceengines.co.uk or this blog. Thank you.

A security checklist for windows and doors

Is your home safe in the summer months? A Security Checklist: Windows and Doors

Police officers are called out more regularly to burglaries in the summer because people become far more lax over their security – giving thieves the perfect opportunity to strike!

With the summer months upon us home-owners naturally have their windows and doors open more often, and the amount of time that we all will spend in the garden, perhaps entertaining guests with Barbeques, will grow.

Here, Mark Cooper, Managing Director of Homeimprovementquotes.co.uk, highlights how an investment in new windows could help home-owners to protect their homes from thieves.

Why does the amount of burglaries that the Police are called out to in the summer grow? Answer – Because people are less cautious when they are out in the garden having fun.

A report just issued in May this year by leading insurance organisation, Endsleigh, highlighted that in some UK cities, the chances of a home being broken into have more than doubled. ‘Burglary hotspots’ – the cities most at risk – include Nottingham, Leeds, Hull and London. People living in Guildford, Swindon and Dundee on the other hand were the least likely to be broken into.

With so many security products available on the market today, it’s often quite overwhelming when deciding what to buy. But there are many simple and cost-effective ways for home-owners to protect their property which will ensure that you don’t become a burglary statistic.

Be Cautious!
Windows and doors that are left open offer an easy access route into your home for thieves. Make sure that you are cautious and shut your windows and doors when going out, even if you are just in the garden for a long period, perhaps gardening. It could mean the difference between losing and keeping your valuables. However, it is not always the only option, as any thief will tell you! Many have perfected the art of breaking in through closed doors and windows – it sometimes only takes a brick and/or a screw driver.

Many homes already have modern windows but if you are thinking of updating your windows and doors it’s always worth asking about the security features of the products. All reputable double-glazing companies will be able to tell you what security standards their products meet and with all companies having to comply with general British Performance Standards, such as making sure that the products are wind and water tight, enhanced security features will be an additional incentive to buy – so any salesman will enjoy discussing them with you! Here’s a few to think about.

Check your locks meet standards
The double-glazing industry has come a long way over the last 15 years. Most companies now fit sophisticated locks as standard onto both windows and doors. In the past, windows were fitted with cockspur handles which were inefficient and easy for burglars to crack open because they did not have secure internal locking capabilities.

The industry then went on to use Espagnolette handles – favoured over the cockspur ones for their internal locking mechanism – that have a push down lock which could be opened with a key.

The lock that is most favoured today however is the sophisticated shootbolt lock. Again fitted with an internal locking mechanism, the shootbolt lock is often fitted as standard by some of the UK’s leading double-glazing companies. Some even combine the Espagnolette handles with the shootbolt lock to offer more comprehensive window locking functionality.

Check the type of Glass available – and the fitting
In addition to locks, it is vital that when selecting your new windows you ensure that the glass used by the company meets not only industry standard FENSA regulations concerning light and heat consumption, but it is also advisable to ensure that the glass is beaded internally. This means that all glass is fitted and held in from the inside which stops people gaining entry into the property externally.

It is also wise to check with your manufacturer what type of glass panels are used in the double-glazed doors. Many people opt for PVC doors – most are internally beaded and look attractive on the front of your house. However, although the door may look quite striking, it is worth looking into what type of material the company uses for the glass panel as this also presents would-be burglars with an entry point into your home.

Composite doors are also becoming increasingly popular with UK home owners – this is because they are low maintenance, look attractive and offer an enhanced level of security as they are made from tough fibre-glass.

Doors have standards too!
In addition to the FENSA regulations that govern window manufacturing, door manufacturers also have strict criteria which they must meet. Recent talks between door users, manufacturers, industry bodies and standards institutions have resulted in two new standards being developed.

1) PAS 23 – General Performance Requirements – A performance standard for door sets, which certifies that a particular door set is fit for purpose. Tests at this level could include scratch resistance and checks to see whether or not the door is watertight.

2) PAS 24 – Enhanced security performance requirements for door assemblies – Tests are conducted on the door to show that the door, frame, lock and hardware can withstand the common methods of burglary. If the door passes this test, it is know as a ‘door with enhanced security’ and is accepted to be the minimum police requirement. Tests at this level can range from human body impact to test resistance against a range of different forces, as well as human tampering using a range of typical ‘house breaking’ tools.

Installing new windows and doors comes at a price so it is always advisable to shop around. Remember that you always get what you pay for – what you are spending on products you will reap in rewards, knowing that your home is safe. You may also be able to benefit from reduced home insurance premiums – saving money whilst avoiding the ever growing burglary statistics!

For More information please visit www.Homeimprovementquotes.co.uk

Beginner's guide to double glazing

Beginner’s guide: Five Good Reasons to get New Windows

We all probably think we know the arguments for double glazing – but do we? Glazing and window technology has moved on, there are green issues to take into account and security issues to consider. Here are five great reasons to replace your windows with double glazing – a low cost investment with many benefits:

1 – Energy savings mean money for being green
Investing in double glazing will save you roughly a quarter of your heating bills, potentially hundreds of pounds a year. Houses with single-glazed windows lose about two thirds of the heat they generate during a day through their windows. Double glazing can significantly cut this heat loss, sometimes by as much as 50 per cent. And for those of us who are concerned about the environment, reducing domestic energy consumption is going to play a major part in cutting down the greenhouse gas emissions we produce. With the government’s new home information pack (HIPs) regulations coming into force in August, people with properties with four or more bedrooms will need to make sure they are as energy efficient as possible. Getting double glazing means you will use less energy to generate heat for your home, and play a part in reducing the total power demands of our society.

2 – First-rate security
As any cat burglar will tell you, the easiest entry points for intruders into people’s homes are the windows and doors. Old windows often utilise primitive locks, and are easy for criminals to force their way through. There have been many advances in window locking mechanisms in recent years, and modern double glazed windows come with built in multi-point locking systems as standard. This is, as well as high grade toughened glass, so an upgrade might be the best way to secure your home. It’s also possible to install simple fire-exit windows if you require.

3 – Add some style to your home
Getting new double glazing is a great opportunity to kit your home out with the latest frame designs – adding a touch of class to your property, as well as increasing its value. Most double glazing companies will offer you a good variety of styles, from diamond and square lead patterns, to coloured glass and bevel effects. Frame finishes include softwood, hardwood, timber and even aluminium, and don’t forget it’s not just square windows you can get – specialties such as French windows and patio doors look great too. Fitting in stylish new windows is a great way to complement other home improvement work you’re doing.

4 – Reduced noise pollution
If you live near a busy road or near an airport, you’ll know all about the stress of noise pollution. Double glazing can significantly reduce the sound that comes through your windows, and turn your home into a much more peaceful environment. If reducing noise pollution is your main motivation for getting new windows, your best bet is to get aluminium frames installed as they provided the most rigidity of the different options available.

5 – Low maintenance
Modern double glazing firms install and deliver ready-made windows into your home, which require minimal effort to maintain for many years. Most companies offer high quality PVCu frames that will not rot or discolour, and never need painting – unlike their old wooden counterparts.

When looking for firms to carry out work for you, the universal rule for all home improvement companies applies: make sure that you employ a reputable firm with a proven track record! www.windowquoter.co.uk can help you choose your supplier.

Preparing for your double glazing installation day

Preparing for your double glazing installation day

Your double glazing installation day approaches and whilst reputable companies will do everything to minimalise disruption to your home and your furnishings, there are a few things you do yourself to help.

The installation team will usually bring dust sheets to lay on floors to help protect carpets etc whilst walking between indoors and outdoors. If the installation involves knocking down any brickwork – perhaps a patio door installation, they may also provide plastic sheeting to mask off the rest of the house from brick and plaster dust.

However, remember that building dust travels so cover up any furniture or additional floor areas yourself. Perhaps put your own plastic sheeting up over doors that require no access to the room beyond.

Clear the decks!
It’s sensible to remove anything from window sills and put safely away until the installation is complete. That includes anything hanging like blinds or curtains, especially if the fixings are in the frame itself. Move large items of furniture a safe distance away from any installation points the night before.

Don’t be afraid to lay your own flooring protection before they arrive. The more layers the better, however, make sure what you lay doesn’t present a tripping risk.

Any cables – phone, TV etc should be left alone (unless previously advised by the company) as the installation company will do their best to re-route those cables through the new window.

What about outside?
Remember, the installation teams will need access to the outside areas around your windows etc, so it’s a good idea to move any planters or garden ornaments out of harms way.

Pet problem.
If you have pets, consider putting them out of the way. Loud drills may be used during installation, which can frighten animals (a bit like Bonfire Night). Pets can also present a tripping hazard to installers.

Fancy a cuppa?
It’s probably a bit stereotypical of the industry – most of today’s reputable company installation teams work really hard and efficiently to complete your installation, however, the offer of a cup of tea is a welcome perk and usually accepted with gratitude.

Not quite there yet?
If you're still at the stage wher you're considering double glazing - perhaps new windows, doors or a conservatory, then let WindowQuoter help by giving you an instant online quote based on your own measurements. Click here to get an instant online quote without the need for a double glazing salesman to call.