New Year's resolutions - for your home

Taking more exercise, drinking less and quitting smoking are what Mary Poppins would liken to pie-crust promises - easily made, easily broken, and indeed once the initial enthusiasm wears off, how many of us can really claim to having stuck to our resolutions?

New Year's resolutions don't just have to be about yourself though, why not include your improving your home?

It doesn't have to be big expensive projects, although the goal of a new conservatory through moderation in your daily spending is an excellent reward, as many projects will require very little time and expense in comparison to the way they'll change your lifestyle or save you money.

Here's our top 5 home improvement resolutions:

Don't neglect your roof.
Carry out a visual inspection of your roof, taking note of any loose or missing tiles, blocked or leaking guttering etc. Early action and maintenance will save you a huge bill later on, not to mention the potential for damaging the interior of your home if a leak is allowed to develop.

Service your heating system.
Regular maintenance of your heating system will ensure that it's burning at peak efficiency, plus you'll cut down on the risk of costly breakdowns or worse, poisonous fume leaks which could threaten you and your families safety.

If you haven't got them already then think about fitting radiator and emersion tank thermostats to help you save money on your energy bills.

Insulate your loft and your pipework.
Loft insulation is relatively straightforward and cheap, yet the savings can be huge, plus there are many grants available for loft and cavity wall insulation.

Lagging your hot water pipework will ensure you're not wasting energy.

Donate unwanted belongings.
Clear out the loft, empty the basement or rummage through the garage. Whatever you do, you may find the reclaimed space opens up possibilities of loft or garage conversions, increasing the usable family space of your home without having to go to the expense and hassle of moving.

Stop draughts.
Hang a curtain over the entrance door, use draught excluder around old door frames and don't forget letterboxes. Old windows also deserve attention. There are a number of draught excluding products available from most DIY stores etc to seal old windows with - from strips that fit around window openers to films that fit over glass panes and surrounding frames.

Re-putty loose or missing putty on the outside and use sealants around frames and non-opening panes.

Long-term, think about replacing your old windows and doors with a-rated double glazed units.

And finally, if eating more healthily is on your resolutions list, then consider updating your kitchen. Fitted kitchens were the big story last year as homeowners improved, rather than moved. A trend that looks set to continue in 2011.

photo credit: sasha wolff

Home Improvement Quotes on Facebook (and a few other places)

You'll have noticed our more recent newsletters have started displaying links to top social network sites like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

Unlike the baddest 'Bond villain ever, It's not a quest for world dominance. Just a desire to make our online resources and homeowner articles available where, when and how you want them.

So if you're a fan of Facebook (for example), you can get all the latest articles and offers without having to 'log off'.

The same is true for our Twitter and new Tumblr (micro-blogging platform) accounts. Regular uses will know they can follow us to get the latest updates via their computers or mobile devices.

Our Home Improvements Blog and RSS Feed alerts can deliver the latest headlines directly into your news feed reader programme saving you having to re-visit the blog or website to see if there have been any updates - especially if you've left a comment or question on any of our Blog articles.

And the goodies don't stop there. Since before the massive interest in renewable energy began, we've been writing a daily article dedicated to the latest renewable energy news. Our Solar Panel blog carries informative articles on all forms of renewable energy, the latest grants and energy saving ideas. Renewable energy is to big a topic to ignore so we also launched a dedicated Twitter account and RSS feed just for you.

photo credit: jay cameron

This story first appeared in our weekly homeowner newsletter - week beginning Monday 13th December 2010 - click here to read the newsletter in full.

Only a couple of weeks left to beat the VAT increase.

When the VAT increase was first announced, 2011 seemed a very long way off.

However, it's suddenly come around very quickly indeed. From January 1st, you'll be paying 20% instead of 17.5% VAT on everything including home improvements.

There's still time to get in though and beat the increase but you'll have to be quick - especially with larger home improvements like conservatories, garage and loft conversions or extensions.

A typical £25K extension means on the new rate, you'll be paying £5000 in VAT alone. On a £4K double glazing installation, you'll be paying £800 in VAT. Makes you think doesn't it?

To help you, everyone from conversion companies to window, paving and kitchen companies are offering a dazzling array of VAT saving offers at the moment.

And if you're already into a large project that's going to run into the New Year, you could still save some money. Try to arrange part-payment on work or materials to date before the January 1st deadline to pay the present rate of VAT. The difference could mean not having to settle for a cheaper fitting or accessory or just leave you more money in your pocket at the end of the job.

Don't delay any further - get your online quote and book your home improvement today to be quids in on leaving the job until the New Year.

photo credit: alan cleaver

A Wealth of home improvement information at your fingertips

Home improvements - the kind involving double glazing or fitted kitchens etc are major investments so its important to be fully prepared with the right information which will help you find the right company with the best product within your budget.

Our online quote service is an obvious place to start - by entering a few simple measurements and selecting your preferences, you get an instant online price guide for that particular project.

But there's also a whole collection of features, tips and what to watch out for's within the pages of our 'Quoter family website - Home Improvement Quotes .co.uk. You'll find articles and features on everything from double glazing for listed buildings to fitted kitchens for disabled users, permeable paving to how loft conversions are carried out.

Backing this free online resource up is a dedicated Home Improvement Blog, which carries extra features and how-to's based on topics covered in our fortnightly homeowner newsletters and our latest online 'goody bag' - Solar Panel Blog - a new dedicated area exclusively for solar energy and renewable energy stories in general. Daily posts keep you informed of new innovations, latest installation and system grants as well as what's happening around the rest of the world.

If you prefer your Home Improvement news in bite-size chunks, then both Home Improvement Quotes Blog and Solar Panel Blog are fully supported by their own Twitter accounts.

Click here to follow Home Improvement Quotes on Twitter.

Click here to follow Solar Panel Quoter Blog on Twitter.

Finally - once you've used one of our online quoting websites and if you've gone on to use our location service to find three companies that offer that improvement in your local area, you'll also be able download (or view) a range of homeowner guides which can help you with everything from financing your home improvement to contracts and handling queries.