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One of the biggest concerns many people will have when it comes to radiant floor heating is the efficiency. They often naturally assume that heating an entire floor space is going to cost more than heating radiator which looks far smaller. However, this is not the case. Studies have shown that radiant heating like this can use up to 52% less energy which over time can equate to a huge saving on an electricity bill. Of course, exactly how much energy and money a person saves depends entirely on their ability to retain heat. It is often the case that older houses with inefficient insulation will typically cost more to heat, regardless of which type of heating method is chosen, simply because of their design.

So long as a homeowner is confident in their insulation, then radiant heat should be able to heat the ambient temperature in a more subtle way which allows a person to feel comfortable at a lower temperature. To achieve the same effect, a traditional heat system would have to use one radiator to a maximum and then wait for the ambient temperature to rise. With underfloor heating, this process happens naturally, and with minimal power usage.

Further savings can be made due to the fact that floor heating can be controlled room by room. This allows people to turn down or turn off heating in rooms that aren’t frequently used, or are large and thus take longer to heat. If a person observes the principles, they could make up to a 15% energy saving on their bills.

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Buying a home in modern Britain can be a long drawn out process, especially if the people that you are buying from are involved in a chain. A chain is where two or more people have to sell their homes in order for your seller to close a deal with you. When you are thinking about investing in a home of your own, try and find a property where there is no chain involved, especially if you are a first time buyer.
Most mortgages are for 25 or even 30 years, which implies that most home owners will stay in their property for some considerable time. If you are looking for a home for life then it makes sense to ensure that you get something you really want and that can be adapted to suit the needs of a growing family.
Getting Your Finances in Order
If you want to find a mortgage broker or building society that is willing to lend you the money to buy a home, you should have your finances in order. Most lenders now expect a 20 percent deposit, which means that if you are trying to buy a home that is priced at £100,000, you need £20,000 as a deposit.
Just because you have the deposit is no guarantee that you will get the loan; most lenders will want to check your general credit rating first. If you have a lot of outstanding debts you are unlikely to get a mortgage, getting your finances in order is an important step to getting a home of your own.
Fall in Love with a Property
Unless you really like a property and could envisage living in it for a number of years, think twice about buying it. Unless you are very well off or the housing market takes an upward swing again, you could be in that property for a good number of years. Think about whether you would be happy to remain in a property that you are not even sure that you like, let alone love. Some people spend a couple of years looking for the kind of property that they actually want to live in.
Expanding Your Space
If you know that you want to add to your family over the coming years, and your budget will only run to a two bedroom property you need to look for other features. You may be lucky enough to find a property within your budget that already has a loft conversion. At the very least you want a property with a loft that is big enough to be converted into an extra bedroom. Providing you don’t need the extra bedroom right away, you should be able to save the 15 or 20,000 pounds you will need for the loft conversion.
An increasing number of people now buy smaller properties, providing there is room for expansion later on. If you like a property and you know that it has the potential for conversion, then go ahead and buy it.
This post was written on behalf of Buckley Loft Conversions, who supply loft conversions Birmingham and loft conversions Staffordshire.

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Green housing developments are a big deal in Britain these days. They come in several shapes and sizes, from “zero carbon” modern developments, to less ostentatious improvements of existing homes. Which developments are fads, and which ones are worth a second look?
Reduce, Re-Use, Re-cycle
The basic idea behind green development is to reduce what you use, re-use what you can, and recycle as much as possible. The fancier modern zero-carbon homes take this principle to extremes, with buildings designed to use as little energy as possible, source power from renewable sources, and use only sustainable building materials wherever possible.
These modern homes are a great idea in principle, but they take a long time to build, and don’t suit all locations. That’s why some councils have decided to follow a different tack – refurbishing derelict homes.
From Derelict to Palace
There are almost two million families in the UK that need a home but can’t buy or rent because there aren’t enough homes available, and yet there are hundreds of thousands of empty homes just waiting to be lived in.
Many of those homes are Victorian properties that are in a pretty bad way. They’re rotten, drafty, poorly insulated, and unfurnished. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to bring these properties up to scratch. Well, at least not compared to building entirely new homes in their place.
In the documentary The Great British Property Scandal, designer George Clark highlights this urgent issue. He talks to a group of architects that have an idea for bringing those old homes up to scratch. The idea goes further than sticking on some double glazing and laying down some carpets, too. Mark Hines has a solution that he believes will make the homes suitable for another 100 years of use.
The solution that Hines suggests involves “bolding on” some highly insulated two-storey rear extensions. These extensions would create more living space, and also act as energy-efficient insulated back walls. In addition, he would add roof and floor insulation, energy efficient lighting, and other improvements. The total cost of the improvements would be between £10,000 and £60,000, depending on the type of extension chosen. The extended homes should be cheap to purchase, and offer enough space for two bedrooms and an upstairs bathroom.
The goal is to offer low cost, low bill homes that are easy for families to purchase and maintain. The idea is that the buyers should not end up in financial difficulties after buying the homes – they should be able to afford to furnish them with carpets, beds, and basic furniture, and keep up with their bills at the same time.
The UK is facing a homelessness crisis, and this development, if it takes off, could go a long way towards improving the quality of life for many young people. There’s no reason, in this day and age, for so many people to be struggling with cramped conditions and housing uncertainty – especially when there are empty homes all over the country.
This post was written on behalf of Stewart Groom Flooring, a carpet fitter Leicester who also sells carpets Northampton.

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