Free Glide

Double glazing reduces heat loss through your windows. You can save money on your heating bills. However, it will be a long time before you save enough money equal to the cost of the windows. If you can’t afford to replace *all* your windows, choose the rooms that cost you the most money to heat.

Double glazed windows come in a variety of sizes and styles. Check for any planning restrictions on your house due to age and location. Sometimes planning permission may be required, in the case in listed buildings and conservation areas. Also if you are converting a flat window into a bay window. Check this with the local authority.

Don’t rely on the Yellow Pages or advertisements to choose a supplier. Anyone can place an advert, join a trade body, or display badges they’re not entitled to.

Always use a reputable company that you have had independently checked out. Don’t rely on the fact that you have heard of them as even some of the biggest advertisers may have had several incarnations. It’s very easy in Britain to shut down one company and open up again under a similar name.

A 10% deposit is normal. A larger one is appropriate only if the work is ‘bespoke’ - such as unique timber window designs. Try to pay in stages according as the work in completed, and withhold the final payment until the work is completed to your satisfaction. Do not go for the cheapest quotation. There’s a price point below which you’ll be buying rubbish. Do not try to beat the price down too much. Less professional suppliers will agree to it, but sell you short later. Get the best you can afford. Ask your supplier how long the delivery will be. Have this stipulated on your contract. Additionally ask for an estimate of how long the work will take to finish once they are on-site.

Always pay deposits by credit card, as this will afford you some level of protection under the Consumer Credit Act. If the company will accept credit cards for the whole job then that’s even better. You have 30 days to make a claim with your credit-card company. You have to show how you were given bad goods or workmanship i.e. they contracted to give you X and gave you Y instead.

Check, double check and get independent advice on the contract before you sign, as some contracts are considerably more onerous than others.

The best way to avoid salesmen’s traps is to be sure of what you want before the salesman arrives. Present him with your requirements and use that as your bargaining chip. Get a specific quote against a specific set of requirements. Then you can be certain of getting like-for-like quotations. Ask if your chosen double glazing installer is a member of the Glass and Glazing Federation, check for FENSA accreditation and make sure that all products carry the safety standard kite mark.

Company checks to carry out:

How long have they been in business?

Check with Companies House.

What guarantees do they offer?

Are they insurance backed, lifetime or limited, are they transferable?

Membership of independent or paid for trading organisations.

These could include:

G.G.F. - Glass and Glazing Federation

B.P.F. - British Plastics Federation.

F.M.B. - Federation of Master Builders

Conservatory Council

Conservatory Association

Consumer Protection Association

Guild of Master Craftsman

E.B.C. - European Builders Confederation

Quality standards:

BS5750

B.B.A. certification

Public liability insurance.

Will the fitters and the company be covered if something should go wrong? You should look for at least 2 million pounds cover and check the certification covers the people who are actually doing the work.

Product standards to check out:

B.S.I. - British standards (kitemarks), for locking, security, safety, product, glass etc.

B.B.A. - British board of Agrement

FENSA - Document L of the building regulations.

You should make up a comparison checklist and confirm all claims independently of any sales claim or literature. The *good* contractors get work by word-of-mouth referrals from previous clients. They’ve plenty of work to keep them going, and so are worth waiting a few months for.

The bad ones are doing too many jobs at once, moving workers from site to site, don’t supervise them properly, and thus do poor work.

Ask yourself: Have I been given:

1. Full and honest information.

2. Samples

3. Installations locally to look at

4. Recommendations.

5. The small print

6. Acceptable levels of deposits and payment terms

7. Full drawings and specification (if you don’t have them prepared first).

8. Time to think!

About the author: T. O’ Donnell (http://www.tigertom.com/double-glazing-uk/index.shtml) offers double glazing quotes, advice, and an ebook, in London, UK.

Homeowners sometimes ask themselves if they really need to replace the cabinets. Why not just “reface” them ? To decide if your kitchen remodel warrants replacing cabinets or you should consider refacing instead, take this brief quiz:

1. What is the MAIN reason you are considering remodeling?

A. Just want a fresh new look

B. Need more counterotop work space.

C. Need more storage or to add an ‘eat in space’

D. Need new appliances, sink of floor covering

E. Cabinet drawers stick or otherwise don’t work or other cabinet problems

2. Is the value of your home rising?

A. No

B. Yes

3. Have others in your neighborhood remodeled the kitchen in the past 5 years?

4. How long do you plan to stay in your home?

A. One year or less before we sell

B. Plan to stay 3-5 years before we sell

C. Plan to stay in this home indefinitely

If your answer to more than one of these questions is “A”, refacing might be the right choice. “Refacing” is a general term for a process of replacing doors and drawer fronts and includes placement of a veneer to match the new wood species and finish on the cabinet frames. (Some refacers also offer optional replacement of the entire drawer and drawer glide system and adding other interior functional features.)

Positive Results You May Obtain by Refacing Your Cabinets

• Costs less than cabinet replacement
• Fresh, new look for your cabinets
• More pleasant or up-to-date environment
• Possibly interior functional features for extra cost
• More appealing to potential home buyers

Refacing Cautions

• Same old traffic, workspace and storage problems have not been improved upon.
• Future decision to do the complete job and make floor plan improvements would mean replacing the countertop and sink a second time. The same for floor coverings and wallpaper.
• No opportunity to enhance the kitchen with specialty cabinets like dish or wine rack, etc.
• Interior of cabinet remains the same; so does interior maintenance
• Warranty is for new products only. Basic cabinets are not covered

Positive Results You Can Expect by Replacing Your Cabinets

• The opportunity to improve the traffic, work patterns and storage space in your floorplan
• One time sink and countertop replacement. (If a few years after refacing you decide to tackle the entire kitchen and make general improvements, countertops and sink cannot be re-installed on new cabinets
• Stronger, more durable cabinets throughout
• Solid wood face frames, not veneer applied to the surface
• The possibility of enhancing the beauty of the kitchen by adding specialty cabinets such as a wine rack or display cabinet
• Light, attractive easy to clean interiors
• Warranty on the entire cabinet, not just the doors and drawers

Best Advice

The price difference between refacing and replacing may be minimal when the overall value is considered. Replacing cabinets does dictate the replacement of countertops, sink, built-in appliances and probably floor covering. The additional cost for completely new cabinets compared to refaced old cabinets may be quite small. In some instances, the difference is as little as 10%. Be a wise shopper!

For more tips, visit SuperKitchens.com offers tips on getting the most out of your kitchen redesign projects. For more tips, visit http://www.superkitchens.com

2008 has seen a revival of 70’s style across the board. High-waisted, wide leg trousers and floaty, floral maxi dresses litter the fashion magazines, while Eagles and Led Zeppelin concerts are selling out nationwide. In terms of the home, Shagpile carpet flooring and deep shades of Biba-esque purple are becoming leading trends in interior design. Leading carpet manufacturers have announced a massive 400% increase in sales of Shagpile carpet since 2006* and the main focus in new carpet sales is in new-style, textured flooring - from jumbo yarns and irregular hand knotted styles, to carpets made to look like pom poms. In terms of colour, on trend customers and interior designers have been requesting classic 70’s shades such as deep purple, tangerine orange, and forest green. These colours have already started to appear as accents in high end interior products and accessories are now filtering down to the high street. Interior Designer Danielle Proud, spearheading the Fun On The Floor (funonthefloor.com) campaign says: “People are searching for something that little bit different and want to make their homes stand out whilst still remaining contemporary”. “70’s colour palettes and carpet styles are making a comeback. Deep shag piles in aubergine, tangerine and forest green are suddenly looking right again, while pattern from 70s style to Victorian flourishes is the big story of SS 2009.”

Many can build a fire pit as part of their garden furniture and they should, as the advantages are so many, especially when it comes to decoration and adding style to the house. Having a fire pit is very good and enhancing for a residence, but having it custom built, it gives that right touch of taste that is necessary to be fully appreciated by its users. Besides the matching style with the rest of the house, a custom built fire pit gives the opportunity to shape the size and also to make it functional for all the different tasks that it might serve.

Of course, the two main reasons to build a fire pit are to get more heat and eventually do some fire cooking and both reasons are equally important and respectable. The beauty of building something from scratch, is that there are not limits to the creativity and the final result should really deliver what is intended and desired. There is of course the option of purchasing pre-made fire pits, but why? When with a little extra economical effort, it is possible to obtain the perfect solution. It is my opinion that is always better to build a fire pit and live comfortably with it.

Find out more about outdoor fireplaces and brick fire pits for this coming fall and winter.

Color is very important design element for kitchens and bathrooms since it plays an important role in affecting our modes.

A good combination of kitchen colors in the scheme of your decoration can make your kitchen look livelier and more appealing. However mismatched color schemes can ruin your décor.

Color can influence the mood of a room. For example, studies have shown that red can quicken the pulse and breathing rate, as well as increase appetite. Yellow, especially soft yellows can make people feel happier. When used as a accent bright yellow can attract attention and brighten up a kitchen. You can also use color to influence how large or small a kitchen can feel.

With kitchen color taking on more importance, many manufacturers of cabinets, appliances, flooring and countertops are offering the consumer more choices in colors. The best kitchen colors should include shades of brown, peach, yellow, pink or blue.

Kitchen color schemes have come and gone over the years. Some kitchen color schemes have remained popular over time.

White as a kitchen color remains a popular choice because of it has a clean look. One disadvantage of an all-white kitchen is that it can have a sterile and cold look and feel. That is why white is usually accented with one other color such as blue. Also design elements such as a light colored oak floor, or soft accents provided by curtains can make a kitchen seem warmer. It is considered a good idea to select one color as the overall or base color and select one or two accent colors.

You can feel safe selecting just about any color for your kitchen by following some important guidelines
for using different kitchen color schemes:

It is considered a good idea in using color in a room to have a 60-30-10 split between three colors,
60% representing the main or dominant color, probably on the walls or cabinets. 30% of a secondary color used in the flooring or rugs, as well as window treatments. 10% for accents such as, dishes, artwork, pillows and other soft items.

Monochromatic color scheme is noted for only the use of one color. To create more variety you would used various tints, tones and shades of that color.

Complementary color scheme uses two colors placed opposite to each other on the color wheel. This scheme is quite intense and brings a more dramatic touch and energy to home décor.

Analogous color scheme includes three hues placed adjacent to each other on the color wheel with either warm colors or cool colors in combination, such as yellow and green, blue and violet, or red and orange. Kitchens generally wouldn’t be the type of room where the type of color scheme would be used. This color scheme would be better for more informal areas of the home, such as family rooms, dens and bedrooms or where one would be looking for rest and recovery from the activities of the day.

Neutral colors include taupe, tan, black, white, cream, and shades of gray. Neutral colors can be paired with almost any color as an accent. Because your cabinets make up most of the expense of kitchen decorating it would be best to choose a style in a more neutral finish. This also applies for countertops and flooring.

A good decorating scheme is to emulate the color schemes found in nature, such as sky blue or the various shades of green or earth brown or light or pale yellow. Light can also be an important element in emphasizing the colors and can bring about different shades and views of the color based on varying intensity.

James Mahoney is the author of many kitchen design articles and has a site about kitchen design ideas at Kitchen Designers Ideas.com. He also publishes a newletter on kitchen design.

If you are considering remodeling your home’s bathroom then you should add refinishing baseboard heating element covers to the list of tasks to do. Rusty baseboard heating element covers are frequent occurrences in older bathrooms.

The installation of new toilets, tubs, sinks, vanities, and flooring are typically involved in a bathroom remodeling job, however sometimes the heating element is forgotten. If not refinished or replaced, the rusty baseboard heating element covers can look even more unsightly after the rest of the bathroom has been remodeled. Refinishing your Bathroom’s Baseboard Heating Element Covers can play a major role in restoring a new look to your bathroom.

If your home is a few years old and has hot water baseboard heating in it, chances are your bathroom baseboard heating element covers are rusted and in need of refinishing.

Bathrooms, as well as Kitchens, Laundry rooms and basements, are more likely to see rusty baseboard heating element covers due to the high moisture levels and condensation that typically occur in them.

There are several rust resistant baseboard heating element covers available on the market today, however it can be very expensive to replace your existing baseboard heating elements with these new products. The other alternative is to refinish and restore your existing baseboard heating element covers with a little sweat equity.

Refinishing or restoring baseboard heating elements is something simple enough for a DIY homeowner to do (with the right knowledge) and can save significant dollars. Installing new baseboard heating elements, on the other hand, typically involves the cost of an entire new heating element and a plumber.

Most hot water baseboard heating elements can be easily dissassembled by simply pulling away the front covers from the bracket assembly. The panels can then be cleaned, sanded and repainted to be restored to a like-new finish and appearance.

So if your thinking about remodeling your bathroom don’t forget to include your hot water baseboard heating element covers to the list of tasks to do.

For more information on refinishing and restoring baseboard heating element covers see the Refinishing Baseboard Heating Element Cover Ebook from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Refinishing Baseboard Heating Element Cover EBook will quickly teach you the step-by-step process for restoring baseboard heating element covers and includes how-to pictures for every key step in the process.

Spanish style home decorating is a great way to get a rustic but colorful look in your home. This style, popular in the south, is really suitable for any area and can add a unique touch to any home.

When you want to decorate your home in a Spanish style, you will have a lot of fun. The Spanish style is very interesting with vibrant colors and textures used within it. You can bet that no matter how the home is decorated, you will need to incorporate the sense of family and community into the design. Take a look at how you can easily incorporate the Spanish style into your home. It can be really easy and fun!

Photos

One easy way to incorporate Spanish style into your home is with the use of family photos. You can use photos that you have taken yourself to get the task done. Simply choose various types of photo frames and put out your favorite pictures of family and friends. You should add them to each room to give the home a really comforting feeling.

Colors

When it comes to Spanish colors, you should think about using bright colors like red, yellow, orange, and blue. You will be able to bring out the Spanish décor elements with these bold colors. Be sure to add a beige or white to the mix as well to give the colors a nice background.

Furniture

Although it really doesn’t matter what type of furniture you use when you are using Spanish style home decorating, it should be comfortable and casual. Unless you are decorating a formal dining or living room, Spanish styled furniture is not overly formal. So be sure it is comfortable and big enough for everyone in the family to lounge on. Spanish style uses a lot of dark woods - worm wood in particular is nice.

Accessories

Use Spanish accessories to add an authentic touch to your décor. Grill grates and other accessories that use wrought iron can add a great touch, especially if they are vintage. Spanish pottery is another item that can be displayed in any room - on shelves or hang plates on scrolly plate hangers to give a unique homey feel.

Flooring

A Spanish style looks great with rustic tile flooring. Not the shiny porcelain stuff but the big reddish tiles with dark grout. Also, hardwood floors can go wonderful with this style. To soften up the room accent it with Spanish style rugs.

When you choose to decorate your home with Spanish style home decorating you can bring the elements in without spending a lot of money. You can simply add photos of your family, bright colors and comfortable furniture to get the look you want.

Adding a sauna room to your home can help your health and personal finances.

Indeed, many health benefits have been attributed to regular sauna bathing, including improved blood circulation, improved lung function, and strengthened immunity to illness. A study by the British Medical Association found that people who take sauna baths two or three times a week reduce their incidence of colds and flu by more than 65 percent. Imagine the impact that could have on your own life: fewer visits to the doctor and pharmacy, and fewer days away from work spent feeling worried, run down, and just plain miserable.

Even if a health insurance plan covers your medical expenses, a sauna room in your home can still save and even earn you a considerable amount of money. If you already enjoy the benefits of sauna bathing at a local health club, gym or spa, calculate what you would save in usage fees and gas expenses if you stayed at home to sauna.

Also worthy of consideration is the extra money a sauna room could provide you if and when you decide to sell your home. Often perceived as luxury items by real estate agents, special features such as indoor saunas typically help to increase the resale values of homes. Yes, there will always be an initial investment attached to the addition of a sauna room, but the potential payoffs will more than make up for it.

Remember that an indoor sauna room doesn’t have to be the same size as your living room or family room. Many people choose to transform just a portion of their bedroom, bathroom or basement into a sauna room. After all, the smaller your sauna room is, the more efficiently you will be able to heat it.

For practical purposes, however, you don’t want your indoor sauna room to be too small. You’ll need to have enough space in your sauna room to be able to move around freely, lie down on the sauna benches, and share your sauna comfortably with family and friends. Ultimately, the decisions on size and other aspects of design are yours to make, as your indoor sauna room can be fully customized to reflect your unique personality and preferences.

And with the popular option of do-it-yourself sauna kits, you can be as involved in the sauna building process as you choose to be. Once you decide on the size and features of your sauna room, finding and assembling a DIY sauna kit should be relatively easy. Don’t be intimidated if you don’t possess any previous sauna building experience; the do-it-yourself sauna kits contain the pre-cut materials and detailed instructions needed to assist even the most apprehensive first-timer.

Whatever steps you take to add a sauna room to your home, do not ignore the importance of home sauna accessories. Sauna accessories like cedar headrests and backrests, loofah sponges and sauna fragrances can constitute the difference between a sauna bath experience that true sauna enthusiasts would judge as being mediocre and one that is superbly relaxing, refreshing and remarkable.

For its proven positive impact on human health and happiness, an indoor sauna room should be regarded as a necessity for anyone who owns a home.

Pertti Olavi Jalasjaa is the Finnish-born author of “The Art of Sauna Building,” an acclaimed reference book on sauna construction. He is also the general manager of Great Saunas, which has been manufacturing and selling high-quality saunas and sauna kits to sauna enthusiasts around the world since 1974. Visit Great Saunas online at http://www.greatsaunas.com.

Selecting a kitchen or bathroom sink use to be easy. There were just a few large companies selling ceramic, enameled steel, cast iron and stainless steel sinks. In the past decade, there has been an explosion of new products in the sink category and a growing demand for hand crafted and custom work. There have been several “new” sink mediums gaining recent acceptance - glass, various stones, brass, copper, and even wood. This article will focus on copper sinks and what to look for before making your purchase.

Copper is man’s oldest metal, dating back more than 10,000 years. Its use in the home in modern times ranges from copper tubing in your plumbing system to some of the finest cookware available. Restaurateurs, hoteliers and interior decorators look to copper and brass as naturally inviting metals that make a statement of quality, comfort and beauty. It is no wonder that copper has also become a popular material for sinks in the kitchen, bath and bar.

Copper artisans abound throughout the world, however the artisans that have gained a reputation for making sinks has been primarily centered in India, Mexico and the US. Most of the shops making “hand crafted” copper sinks are small and the methods used to construct sinks goes back centuries. The term “hand hammered” has recently become synonymous with Mexican sinks. This term refers to the original ancient techniques that artisans have been using for centuries in this area. Copper sheets are literally hammered into shape and hand finished.

The results are somewhat rustic, but truly unique and one of a kind. Copper sinks in the US are made with similar techniques but are more often “smooth” rather than “hammered”. US copper craftsmen are dominated by shops doing custom work primarily for commercial projects such as restaurants. You can see examples of all these sinks at Sinks Gallery. They specialize in artisan crafted sinks and have one of the largest selections of copper sinks available, as well as sinks from all different mediums including glass, ceramic, various stones and even wood.

There are three primary differentiators determining quality - construction technique, copper thickness and the company you are buying from. Construction quality is made up of several factors - how corners are constructed, welding technique and proper dimensions for ease of installation. Quality can vary even when considering sinks made in the same town such as many of the sinks from Mexico. The buyer should make sure they are buying from a legitimate company that knows the product and is not selling “seconds”. In the world of hand crafted products, not all sinks are created equal and oftentimes there are two or more quality levels sold by the same shop (i.e. “firsts” and “seconds”).

Copper starts out in sheets of various thicknesses or “gauge”. The thickness of the metal can also be referred to by the weight per square foot. The thicker the gauge copper, the lower the number. Most bath sinks are made from 20 gauge (the thinnest) to 16 gauge (the thickest) and most kitchen sinks range from 18 gauge to 14 gauge. When shopping for copper sinks, always ask about the gauge and be aware that a thicker gauge sink will cost more - and in many cases is worth it! A lightweight gauge metal can result in a “tinny” sound when running the faucet.

Finally consider the store you are buying from. If a copper sink seems “cheap” in price, there is usually a reason. I have seen many of the copper sinks sold on the most famous “auction site” . All I can say is “buyer beware”, or more to the point “you get what you pay for”…. If something goes wrong with your sink or there is a problem when it arrives, you want to make sure the company you purchased from will stand behind their product. Think carefully about buying internationally. Too often, a sink that is received isn’t as represented. A reputable dealer should identify their shipping location, clearly state their warranty and return policy and be available for consultation.

I am a fan of copper sinks. I think they are rugged yet elegant - especially as they age. The rich highlights and undertones of the patina process are constantly evolving. A copper finish is a “living finish” and never really stops changing in color. That being said, the evolution of a copper finish is gradual, and as it ages it becomes even more handsome. You can greatly reduce this change with the use of wax or even a lacquer product, but personally I like to let the copper evolve. Most often this process results in a mellow brownish weathered copper patina. I like to refer to it as the basins soul.

Copper sinks often come in various finishes from a bright copper finish (like a new penny) to a dark patina (we call ours “Dark Smoke”) and everything in between. The copper finish you choose is a matter of personal taste, but oftentimes our clients prefer the more “weathered” patinas to avoid the upkeep or uncertainty associated with shiny copper. If you want to slow down the patina process, try applying a wax like “Renaissance Wax”. Applied every few months, the wax will provide a barrier between the copper and the environment. You can read more about the care & maintenance of copper sinks here.

Copper sinks for the kitchen come in two basic forms: Under Counter Mount or Farmhouse style. The rustic nature of copper sinks lends itself well to the farm sink style. Sometimes referred to as “apron front” sinks, these sinks come in a variety of sizes, shapes and with different configurations - i.e. single bowl, double bowl and even triple bowl. Bath sinks are generally available in three styles: vessel (above counter mount), “drop-in” or under counter mount. Usually the lip style determines whether the bath sink is a drop in or undermount. Be sure to order the proper lip style to accommodate your project. A recent trend in bathroom design is matching a copper mirror frame to the sink in the same patina. This can help create consistency in the look and feel of the décor.

If you have any other questions before you purchase any sink, feel free to give us a call at Sinks Gallery or Copper Sinks Online - 1-877-320-0800. We would be happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Jack Healy is part owner of Sinks Gallery and Copper Sinks Online. Sinks Gallery offers the largest collection of artisan and designer kitchen, bath and bar sinks available in North America. As a 20 year veteran of the plumbing industry, Jack has written several articles aimed at helping the homeowner make more informed choices when purchasing plumbing products.