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If you were living in a large Stately home in the 1800s and felt it was looking a little tatty there was just one man that you’d be sending your ornately headed writing paper too. That man was John Nash, the house “improver” extraordinary. He was a Handy Andy, Lawrence Llyellen Bowen, Peter Andre 60 minute makeover all rolled into one. Unlike them, however, he would take years to plan out your home and have an army of artisans and workmen in tow. John Nash was the type of guy that would roll up to your Jacobean dwelling, have a wander around it listening to the Lord of the Manor say what they wanted and then Nash would chip in with some ideas of his own. These were usually massively over the top Italianate additions designed to beautify the place. Just look at Witley Court or the Brighton Royal Pavillion to see what we mean.  The Lord would then say “and all for the low, low price off?” And Nash probably would stick a pencil behind his ear, let out a long whistle and say “well…it might cost you a bit but I’ll see what I can do”.

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Lucky for you then that the Conservatories Cheltenham experts https://www.firmfix.co.uk/conservatories/ can give you a nice conservatory at a great price that will beautify your house a lot quicker and cheaper than John Nash and his Doric columns. Who was this man who rose to such prominence?

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Nash was born into simple circumstances in Lambeth his Dad being a Welsh millwright. After school was done Nash bagged himself an apprenticeship with the best in the field at the time and got his head down for a year studying the craft of architectural design.  He set up his own practice and began work. He also got married whoever this did not last long and she was packed off to Wales to live with various of Nash’s cousins after she provided him with “spurious children” that weren’t his and racking up debts without telling him and (so that relationship went downhill quickly). This didn’t work as she had a relationship with one Charles Charles (seriously) and had a child with him for good measure. They were then divorced.

Nash gave up on London and he moved to Carmarthen where he found local builders to form alliances with. He set about getting work designing medium to large villas in Wales and he soon got a good reputation. He became friends with Sir Humphry Repton the garden designer but that went south when Repton accused him of ripping off his garden designs. Nash had got some money behind him by this point and returned to try again in London being much more successful this time..

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General

We don’t often think about our heating during the summer months, but it’s a time when we really should. It’s very easy to leave the heating on its normal setting from spring into summer and waste valuable energy. Here are a few tips to help you save money on your energy bills in summer.

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House design

If your rooms are all open plan a good way to keep warm air in one area is to put up curtains and get a new source of heat like from a Stoves Northern Ireland company which could be found at websites including www.stovebay.com/stoves#.xlct9-hkhpy. This could be a quick and easy solution to warming the room you are currently in without heating the whole house.

Reset your thermostat

There are a couple of things to consider here – not only the temperature that it’s set too, but also the on-off times. It won’t be as cold in the mornings or evenings as it is in winter. Of course, you could also consider turning it off completely and only switching your heating on when you notice the cold.

The Energy Saving Trust has lots of useful information for homeowners to help them understand their existing systems, as well as tips on how to save energy.

Make sure your boiler is serviced

An inefficient boiler can really ramp up the cost of your energy bills, so it’s important to have it serviced annually by a Gas Safe trained engineer. It’s useful to have this done during the summer months so that if it needs repair or replacement, you can have the work completed without having to worry about being freezing cold if you’re without your boiler for a couple of days.

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If you are looking to replace your existing boiler, you should make sure that the supplier you choose is Gas Safe trained.
Get smart

Most appliances, nowadays, can be controlled using your smartphone, and your heating is no different. This technology means that if you install a smart thermostat, you can control your heating remotely. So, if the weather improves while you’re at work, you can turn the temperature down or switch the heating off entirely.

There are a number of smart thermostats on the market today and it’s worth doing some research before you choose one to ensure that it meets your needs.

You can also invest in a smart meter, which will help you to identify where you’re using the most energy and can also alert you to an inefficient boiler or other appliance. Your energy provider will often be able to supply and fit one in your home free of charge.

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General

Having a man cave of your own is the ultimate dream (and you don’t have to be a man to have one!). It is simply a place that you can retreat to, close the door on the outside world and spend some time doing whatever you want! If this idea appeals to you, then get started and make one! You don’t even have to sacrifice a room of your house – the perfect spot is a garage. If you are using yours to hoard junk, then the first thing to do is to get in there and have a sort-out. You could even sell all of the things that you don’t want and no longer use, to fund your new man cave.

Think about what the use of the man cave will be – do you want to pursue a hobby that is noisy or requires a lot of room that you don’t have in the house? Maybe you fancy learning the drums, or doing some DIY and want a place to be able to use all your tools? If you are wanting to store your tools neatly and get a bit of organization in there, you could use the services of https://www.rackzone.ie/pre-owned/racking who provide Used Pallet Racking for any extra shelving in a safe and secure, cost-effective way.  If you are wanting to take up the drums, you may be thinking where do I get my own drum kit? The key is to plan what you will want from your man cave before you begin.

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You may want the room to be able to have friends round for a few drinks and a game of pool? The garage is the perfect place for a pool table. You can even create your own bar by screwing some optics to the wall and buying a few kegs for that authentic pub feel. Even invest in a fruit machine to go in the corner!

If you are into gaming, then this is the ideal place for a couple of gaming chairs and a big television! You won’t have to watch the volume so closely in the garage either.

Make sure that if you are going down this route you have the required electrical supply to your garage and you may want to think about some sort of heating in there too, especially in the colder months. But really, whatever you decide to do with it, make it your own sanctuary where you can have a bit of your time.

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Home

It is a sobering statistic. Of the many deaths caused by fire every year in the UK, over three quarters occur in the home. In 2014 alone, over 200 people lost their lives in domestic fires. A large proportion of these fatalities could probably have been avoided had better fire protection, such as that provided by companies like the Main point, official Automist installers in Bristol, been in place.

More information on fire safety in the home can be found at the official website of the UK Government. In the meantime, here are some top fire safety tips which all homeowners should be aware of.

Test Smoke Alarms Regularly

As detailed on the UK Government website, people are four times more likely to lose their lives in a domestic fire if there is no working smoke alarm present. Testing a smoke alarm is a simple process and should be carried out every month.

Install a Sprinkler or Misting System

Fire safety experts have been campaigning for the compulsory installation of sprinkler systems in new build homes for many years. Misting systems, such as those provided by Mainpoint Automist installers in Bristol, are the more modern equivalent of the sprinkler. They are proven to be highly effective in tackling outbreaks of fire.

Safety Tips at Night

Families can stay safer at night by closing all interior doors when they go to bed, thereby helping to prevent the fire from spreading should a blaze break out. Door and window keys should be kept where everyone can readily find them.

Electrical Precautions

Domestic fires caused by electric malfunctions are an unfortunately common occurrence. Plug sockets should never be overloaded as this could easily result in the electrics blowing and a fire subsequently breaking out. Electrical items that are not constantly in use should be unplugged from the mains overnight.

Extra Care in the Kitchen

The kitchen is the most likely room in the house in which a fire could break out. Pans and saucepans should never be left on the heat unattended. If a pan does happen to catch fire, never try to douse the flames with water as this will only make it worse. If it is safe to do so, turn off the heat source. Close the door to the kitchen and call the emergency services.

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General

Keeping your home and family safe from fire is something that everyone should be aware of, but many people don’t know the best way to go about it. Whether it’s alert systems such as smoke detectors or sprinkler systems from Automist installers in Bristol, there are many things to consider.

Existing Property

Existing domestic property is exempt from much fire safety legislation. A smoke detector is the main thing most people choose to fit – indeed, they’re usually installed in new houses. This will give you an early warning of a fire and give you time to escape. Do make sure you test it occasionally, though, and change the battery when needed. Even mains-powered systems generally have a back-up battery to guard against power cuts.

Give some thought to how you would escape from the property in the event of a fire, and keep internal doors closed at night. You should also take care not to place objects close to heaters and open fires.

Many fires start in the kitchen, and a useful precaution is to have a fire blanket. This can be used to safely smother pan fires. An extinguisher is another option, but for kitchen, fires make sure it’s not a water-based type.

If you’re adding an extension, converting the attic or doing other work, it will need to conform to the latest Building Regulations

Landlords and Letting

If you’re letting out your property, then you are responsible for the fire safety of your tenants. This means carrying out a risk assessment, identifying any hazards and removing or protecting against those risks.

In older houses, you should have the wiring checked by an electrician and give consideration to removing any flammable older décor, such as polystyrene tiles. Make sure smoke detectors are fitted; this will mean having linked mains-powered detectors covering the main escape routes. You might also want to give consideration to a mist type sprinkler system such as those supplied by Mainpoint Automist installers in Bristol.

Multiple-occupancy properties – such as student accommodation – will need extra measures such as a heat detector in the kitchen and emergency lighting in communal areas and escape routes. There will also need to be signs indicating escape routes and any fire-fighting equipment such as extinguishers and fire blankets.

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Business

The latest construction headlines hitting the UK say it all: there is a brick shortage coming. For those with brick projects under construction and brick products not yet secured, this means a steep rise in costs. For many companies and individuals in London the gap between supply and demand simply means the viability of their projects, and even home improvements, are severely at risk.

What is the solution?

Many people are throwing around the idea of importing. This is a possibility, but it doesn’t solve the cost issue. Alternatively, by importing the skills needed via an immigrant workforce, the bricks could be made in the UK. This is more practical, but the question that needs to be asked is why not consider a different material?

For many people, there is no alternative. Bricks are the fabric of Britain and the capital. Anyone riding on a bus through London can see this. Bricks are our heritage and history, they are practical, hard-wearing, beautiful and durable. Buildings constructed out of brick last for centuries.

New cutting-edge research

All this could be about to change. With sustainable design and construction playing a huge part in many projects, from city hospitals to manufacturing facilities to private residences, sooner or later a solution will arise. British universities and architects in London are already pushing forward in the research, development, and use of alternative materials. Fantastic products such as self-healing concrete, 3D printed ceramic brick units, vacuum glazing, smog-absorbing concrete, algae walls, and engineered timber frames are taking off. It is a process that once started will not stop, but when will it start?

Every year we are becoming bolder and braver with our product choice, which is showing in the quality and look of our homes and offices. The brick will always be a fantastically strong and stable product; however, as with a stone, there may come a time when it is no longer commercially or environmentally viable. Let’s prepare for the future and not get too hung up on the past.

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