Collectively, British homeowners have spent £40 billion improving their properties in the past five years, equating to around £2,000 per household.
 
The Gazette highlighted the research conducted by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), which found that redecorating, garden landscaping and installing new flooring are the most common things we spend our money on.
 
NAEA chief executive Mark Hayward said that there are many reasons why people are choosing to make improvements to their property.
 
“It may be because they have realised the value and sale potential it can add, or they cannot afford to move and are looking to make the most of what they’ve already got,” he suggested.
 
If you’re hoping to make improvements that will make it easier to sell your home, it’s best to focus on things that improve its appearance or create more space, Mr Hayward advised.
 
One area that you should always pay attention to if you’re going to put your house on the market is how it appears from the street. Kerb appeal is an important factor in selling homes and you should make sure that yours looks as good as possible to prospective buyers. That may mean paying for external house painting in London to give the right impression. 
 
You should also clean your windows and make sure that the front door is in a good state of repair and looks welcoming.
 
LancasterOnline recently offered some advice on the jobs you should do if you’re selling your home, which included finding the time to do those little DIY projects you’ve been putting off and decluttering rooms as much as you can. 

Trust is top of the agenda when booking a tradesperson to carry out your home improvement.
 
According to a YouGov survey for John Lewis Home Solutions reported in DIYweek.net, feeling happy to leave the job in the hands of an expert was the most important thing for 83 per cent of respondents, followed by value for money (76 per cent), credentials (76 per cent), ease of booking (41 per cent) and recommendations from previous customers (38 per cent).
 
Indeed, 65 per cent of people have sought the opinion of family or friends before hiring a professional to carry out jobs such as external house painting for their London property.
 
The capital city is, according to the survey, the place where people feel least comfortable carrying out home improvements on their own such as changing a fuse or fixing a leaky tap, and nationwide, 63 per cent of people said they are not at ease with the idea of completing tasks such as plumbing themselves.
 
This is a growing sentiment among British householders, with more and more people admitting to FOMU (fear of messing up) - and one-third (32 per cent) of respondents said they would be more likely to turn to a professional today than they were five years ago,
 
Opting for a professional rather than attempting the job yourself is just as popular among men as it is women, with the YouGov report revealing women are just as likely to book a tradesmen for their home improvement needs as men. 

If you’ve decided that it’s time to sell your home you’ll no doubt be looking to get the best possible price for your abode.
 
To realise its full potential, there are a few things you should do to ensure that you not only attract buyers, but that they’re prepared to offer your asking price, or possibly even higher. With fewer people in the UK moving home at the moment, it’s a seller’s market so you should make the most of it.
 
LancasterOnline recently offered some advice on what home improvement tasks you should tackle before you list your property for sale.
 
First up is making sure the outside of your home looks the part. A good first impression counts for a lot, so tidy up the garden, mow the lawn and consider putting some pretty potted plants by the front door to make it look welcoming.
 
If the outside of your house is looking a little worse for wear, you may decide it’s worth paying for external house painting to ensure it looks fresh and inviting to any potential buyers.
 
Taking care of any of those little DIY projects you haven’t yet got round to is also advisable, as is making sure you tidy up as much of the clutter in every room in your home as possible.
 
Checking the outside of your home to see if it could do with any work isn’t just something you should do if you’re selling up though. Realtor recently suggested that now is the perfect time to give your property a once-over to see if there are any maintenance jobs that need tackling after winter.
 
Doing a visual inspection of the outside of your home will allow you to spot any cracks, holes in the paint work or other damage that needs to be fixed, the site added. 

Everyone knows that purchasing a property can be a stressful process, but you’d hope that once you’ve moved in things will calm down.
 
However, new research by Which? shows that for many new homeowners there can be a host of problems waiting for them once they’ve completed the purchase and made the move. According to the organisation, 37 per cent of homeowners uncover significant problems after they’ve moved into their new abode.
 
Damp, which can be costly to fix, was the third most common issue found by people shortly after moving, with 22 per cent of people reporting that this is a problem they have to deal with.
 
Top of the list are plumbing issues among 28 per cent, and problems with fixtures and fittings, among 23 per cent.
 
The consumer rights organisation pointed out that having a comprehensive survey carried out is important to identify any potential issues before you’ve completed, so that you can either walk away or negotiate a lower price to allow for the cost of repairs.
 
If you do discover damp in your home, it’s vital that you contact experts in damp proofing in Surrey as soon as you can, to minimise the damage caused and prevent the issue from getting worse.
 
Finding costly problems that need to be fixed after moving into a new home can be challenging financially, and with research from Lloyds recently showing that second steppers typically need to find around £136,000 to move up the property ladder and purchase a bigger abode it seems they’re unlikely to have much cash to spare to rectify issues like damp. 

The sluggish property market is prompting more householders to change their mind-set about moving up the property ladder, instead opting to make what they have fit their lifestyle.
 
External house painting, a new kitchen, the perfect set of French doors - all of these things could be part of the plans of growing numbers of Brits who are renovating rather than selling up, with this trend proving especially popular among millennials.
 
Data from Hiscox published in The Independent shows that while just three per cent of householders were choosing to renovate rather than move in 2013, this figure now stands at 15 per cent - and one-in four under-35s with a mortgage feel this way.
 
But Hiscox has warned householders to take a good look at how they can afford a big home renovation task, as these projects are frequently underestimated both in terms of time and money.
 
"Many view home renovations as an easier or more economical alternative to moving, but our report highlights that these projects are often underestimated in both cost and scale," Phil Thorn, home insurance spokesperson at Hiscox, was quoted by The Independent as saying.
 
But there are plenty reasons why renovating makes perfect sense given the sluggishness of the present-day property market, backed up by the fact interest rates look set to rise.
 
Moreover, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors reports that the number of properties being managed by estate agents is currently at a record low - and with a lack of choice, it's no wonder property owners are choosing to stick rather than twist.

Homeowners who want to upgrade their house will need to find a further £136,000 to buy their next house, making it hard for second-steppers to move up the property ladder.
 
According to Lloyds Bank, this group of homebuyers are deeply concerned about the market, as they need £135,985 to buy their perfect home; 35 per cent worry it will be hard to sell their existing property; and 39 per cent are stressed about interest rate hikes and the state of the economy.
 
Lloyds Bank mortgage director Andrew Mason said despite this, market conditions are “better than they’ve been for over five years”.
 
While there is quite a leap from the sale price of their first homes to the asking cost of their desired property, they have built up “substantial equity in their homes and [with] more first-time buyers entering the market, their next move may not be far away”.
 
Second-steppers typically spent £167,137 when they bought their first homes, and these properties are currently worth £211,296 on average. Therefore, homeowners have boosted their equity by £85,877.
 
This stake means they only have to find an extra £50,108 to put down as a deposit for their next property.
 
Those who are selling their homes will want to make them more saleable by doing simple but effective jobs on their home. External house painting in London is one of the most influential improvements that can boost chances of selling, as potential buyers are instantly more attracted to properties that look good on the outside, enabling venders to get more viewings.
 
Despite the challenges of upgrading your home, this is not deterring many households, as Lloyds Bank revealed last year that nearly a quarter are planning to move by 2022. 

Getting the best damp proofing London has to offer is essential if you are going to keep you and your family healthy and safe.
 
Mould and damp can cause a wide range of health problems of people of all ages but particularly effects young people, older people and those with respiratory illnesses such as asthma. It can even affect people with skin problems such as eczema and those with a weakened immune system.
 
In fact, it is thought that the rates of chest infection and asthma in children could be significantly reduced if they didn’t grow up in homes with damp problems.
 
The NHS choices website says that mould can cause problems as it causes allergens, reading: “Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and, sometimes, toxic substances. Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.’
 
The NHS also suggests that removing mould is definitely a job for professionals, advising people to only attempt to remove mould if it is over a small area, less then 1m2, and you are sure it has been caused by condensation.
 
If the area of mould is larger than this or the damp is due to problems other than condensation, then you need to get a professional in to deal with it.
 
We can help you with identifying the cause of your damp and then advise you on the best treatments, whether that is damp proofing or applying a certain kind of exterior wall coating to help you keep your home safe and dry. 

Use the best bathroom tiles Hertfordshire has got to pep up your bathroom, no matter how small.
 
If you are planning a new bathroom in your home, or figuring to how best to configure your current tiny bathroom, then you should make yourself aware of the tiny bathroom trend.
 
Clever bathroom design isn’t just for Tokyo, as our living spaces get ever smaller our designs for them will have to get cleverer.
 
If you have a tiny bathroom, use these tips to get the most out of it:
 
Storage: If you can fit a drawer in it, put a drawer in it. And no tiny drawers either. Fit the deepest draw you can beneath your sink so you can actually fit some of your things in. Towels for example, rather than just your toothbrush.
 
Wall mounted: Wall-mounted towel rails look sleek and take up minimal rooms, so invest in these where you can.
 
Small suites: You can also create the illusion of space by investing in smaller bathroom suite pieces. A narrower sink or a wall mounted toilet will all save space.
 
Light and neutral: colour scheme is important in a small space, and we can help you pick up the perfect tiles for your bathroom. Go with light colours to make the space seem as large as possible. However, you can always make a feature of the size and use it to exhibit bold patterns and maybe even more expensive tiles you couldn’t afford to cover larger areas with, or aren’t brave enough to use in a main living space. 

If you are looking for the best damp proofing Kent has to offer following the recent cold snaps, then here is why.
 
Many people may find themselves battling damp when the weather turns cooler, and if you were already living in a house with a damp problem the recent weather may have made you feel that you were fighting a losing battle.
 
Damp tends to show up in ‘cold spots’ in houses, though this name may feel quite euphemistic if you have a bad case of damp in your home. Cold spots may be particular points on external walls that they get so cold that any moisture can form condensation, that leads to damp.
 
What leads to these patches? Well any of the following:
 
Hygroscopic Salts: These appear like tiny salt gains on your wall. They are actually caused by damaged plaster and can built up to create white staining, or a raised, crunchy salt deposit. These attract more moisture than non-damaged plaster, and can cause damp problems.
 
Rusty or cracked wall tiles: Gaps between the tile and the wall can harbour damp, which can eventually cause tiles to crack and fall off, as well as a general damp problem in the wall.
 
Poor weather proofing: Bricks are weather proofed to last for a certain amount of time. Old brick on Victorian properties may have worn down or had the showing faces blown off them, which can allow damp to penetrate and cause a damp problem. 

​If you are unlucky enough to have mould in your property it can feel as though you’re fighting a never-ending battle to get rid of it.
 
But one expert in mould removal and damp proofing recently explained that there is no easy or quick way to fix the issue - and that it often requires expensive work to be carried out to the building.
 
Speaking to the Plymouth Herald, Guy Alexander Bell explained that doing things like opening windows and cleaning the affected area with mould-removing products isn’t enough.
 
In extreme cases where the mould has been left to get out of control, you need to start with the exterior of the building, before tackling what’s going on inside.
 
This may mean re-rendering the outside of the building, before applying a weatherproof paint. It’s only once this is fixed that it’s worth working on the internal issues, otherwise the damp will just keep recurring, Mr Bell said.
 
There are often stories in the media about people living in rented accommodation that’s in a terrible state - such as being affected badly by damp.
 
In response to this, the government is looking at ways to increase tenant rights to ensure landlords are held accountable for properties in a poor state of repair and therefore take appropriate measures to fix issues like damp and mould.
 
If you need help with damp proofing in London, either for your own home or a property that you rent out, contact us to find out more about our services and how we can help.