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Friends spill their drinks on our carpets and then hide the evidence

Is it just me or are people who answer surveys too honest for their own good?

With the shocking results of a new survey carried out by BISSELL released this week, claiming that Britons are not as clean as they would like to be when it comes to doing the housework, I have to wonder at the reason people are prepared to be so frank when discussing their lack of skills.

A third of the 2,000 people surveyed admitted they would be ashamed to tell family and friends how little cleaning they do (although not too ashamed to tell a total stranger with a clip board – obviously!)

11% said they only clean when they have visitors coming and a whopping two thirds admitted that they have moved furniture to hide stains on their carpets. This could make for an awkward dinner party if the sofa ends up in the middle of the room.

22% blame visitors for making a mess, and in fact they could be right as as a third also admitted to spilling a drink at a friends house and not telling them, (and some people even resorted to hiding the evidence!) A similar number also confessed to walking mud into a friends house and then playing ignorant.

These same drink spills make up the majority of stains on household carpets, but what astonishes me is that 19% of people confess to having pet urine stains on their carpets – these are just the people who confessed, and let’s be honest who would admit that?

So in conclusion we are a nation of slobs who hide our mistakes, lie to our friends and allow our pets to wee on the floor.

Hopefully the statistics will also prove that 98% of people who are asked to fill in surveys decline the offer, and the other 2% are similarly dishonest about their cleaning habits.

OK rant over – if you have had some grubby friends over and you need to clean up after them, or if you are about to have friends over and need to clean up before they arrive you can check out our quick carpet cleaning guide on the main site.

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First select your doors

Though choosing a wooden door can sometimes be hard enough, one of the many predicaments that people often face is how exactly to install it.

Of course, not everyone has the privilege of being an expert carpenter or joiner, however with a little help you can get your door onto its hinges in no time, with the right advice, and we hope to help you with that here.

If you are about to select doors for your home there is a great door gallery for each area of the home at Oakwood Doors. They also stock locks, hinges and other door furniture.

Upon Delivery

The most important thing to do when you receive your new door is to check the quality; ensure that the components of the door, along with the protective packaging, has not been damaged.

This is important, as the appropriate moisture content must be maintained during the storage of the door in accordance with BS1186 parts 1 and 2 to ensure the quality of timber and joinery workmanship.

If you have to store the door for a short period of time, you should treat it as you would an expensive piece of furniture, if possible. Ensure that the door is stored on a flat surface in a dry, ventilated building.

Installation

Never use rule of thumb to install a door, you should use a range of tools to ensure that the door is fitted squarely, true and plumb and to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Take care to fit enough hinges to an external door, and do not damage the joints when fitting a lock

If you are fitting a door that weighs more than 20 kilograms or a door which would experience large temperature differences on opposing surfaces such as a front or back door, known as an External door, then three hinges should be fitted.

As some people want to install locks on doors, it is important to ensure that the locks do not cut through the joints of the door. Doing so will risk impairing the performance and structure of a rail joint.

For those installing fire resisting doors, it is important to note that these should not be altered on site, such work should only be carried out with the approval of the door manufacturer and a local fire officer.

Finishing

If a door is not finished, upon delivery you should apply the finishing coats as soon as you have checked that all surfaces and edges are in good condition.

External doors, as you can imagine, should have more care taken to ensure that no gaps within the coat have been missed. Only use quality paints or ‘high build’ stain. A low quality stain should not be used on any external door whatsoever, because it will not offer the appropriate protection for the door.

As many craftsmen will tell you, the secret to a smooth finish is a series of sanding stages. If you do wish to sand the door down, work with the grain and work with progressively finer sandpaper.

Three coats of wood stain should be applied to exterior doors alongside two coats of preservative.

If you are installing an internal door, one coat of preservative and three coats of wood stain should prove adequate.

The type of wooden door you select should not change the number of coats of your chosen finishing product that are necessary. Whether it is an Oak wood, pine or beech door, the above guide to the number of coats should be all your door needs.

Maintenance

Paint Varnish onto the door with a good quality brush and use 3-4 coats to give good protection

To ensure that your door is properly cared for, check all parts of it at least twice a year and carry out work as required.

Manufacturers often provide a two to three year warranty on their doors. However, making it last as long as possible is important, and can save you large amounts of money in the long run.

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Luxury features ensure you house will sell quickly and for a great price

Selling A House Fast

If you want a quick house sale you have to have an edge in the Housing Market.

‘How do I make my house attractive to buyers?’ – you ask, well you give them a touch of luxury.

Our televisions have been flooded with aspirational makeover, self build, and property renovation shows which aim to make the most of our living spaces. We are also constantly bombarded with images of celebrity homes in luxury magazines, all of which make us aspire to a designer lifestyle.

A recent survey conducted for Polypipe Home Solutions has shown that house hunters want this touch of luxury, having designer features in a house persuades them to buy, and more importantly they are prepared to pay extra for it.

Top Tips to Boost Sales Price

Being energy efficient was the main reason house hunters gave for paying a premium price. The survey revealed that some house buyers are prepared to pay around £12,500 more for a house which had the features they wanted, which included a conservatory, underfloor heating and double garage.

Other desirable property features listed by those surveyed included, walk-in wardrobes, hot tub, air conditioning and even a set of stables. Now while most of us couldn’t build a stable block for the next owners of our home, it is a relatively easy thing to build a partition wall for a walk in wardrobe, and you can then get help with fitting sliding doors to finish off your project.

Top ten aspirational features house hunters are searching for:

1. A house that’s energy efficient
2. Conservatory
3. Underfloor heating
4. A double garage
5. Air conditioning
6. Jacuzzi bath
7. Mood lighting
8. Kitchen/diner

9. Balcony overlooking a large garden
10. A modern interior

DIY Doctor has more help and advice on selling your house and choosing an agent in our guide to choosing an Estate Agent to sell your home, which also explains how to get the best out of your estate agent once you have appointed them.

If you are going to be buying a house for the first time then you could check out our first time buyers guide.

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Replacement sash windows by Gowercroft Joinery

Unseen and blessedly unfelt – a revolutionary draft proofing system for sash windows

I will be honest I was not really interested in ‘just another replacement window company’ when I went to Grand Designs Live at Excel in London. I was looking for something new and innovative that would wow our blog readers. Like our Tree Tent article or the write up on LoftZone products in previous posts

However then I met David Brown on the Gowercroft Joinery stand. He was so earnestly enthusiastic about his products, that he prompted me to spend more time talking to him, and by the end of our conversation he had officially proved himself to be The Window Specialist.

Accoya Timber Treatment

We initially started the conversation discussing the merits of Accoya timber. This is a non-toxic method of treating timber to resist weather damage, by treating the wood with ascetic acid to create a durable and stable surface.

Ascetic acid (also known as vinegar) makes the timber harder and more resistant to water. The process is similar to hardening conkers in vinegar. David joked that the treatment process means that his workshop smells of fish and chips. If you ever want to visit them in North Derbyshire he will be pleased to give you the tour, but I am guessing you will feel hungry as you wander around.

How To fit Sash Windows without the drafts

Not only does David’s company sell traditional wooden windows and sliding sash replacement windows, he also has a solution for completely draft proofing your home by fitting a window with his new Sash Sealer system. So if you are thinking of fitting a window but you believe that you can only avoid drafts by getting rid of your existing sash windows for the dreaded UPVc, then think again.

Although David was enthusiastic about his Accoya Timber, what he really wanted to show me was the SashSealer, this is Gowercroft’s answer to draughty sash windows. It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you want the aesthetic features of sash windows then you have to put up with a draught. However if the display model on the stand was anything to go by, Gowercraft may have found the solution. They certainly have the test results to back up their assertions.

Proving the system works

Gowercoft have been granted a patent for the SashSealer and they chose Grand Designs Live to launch it to market, visit their website to find out more about it. David is understandably proud of the product. He explains tests by the British Standards Institute showed performances equivalent to casement windows. He says “our sliding sash windows now exceeds Class 4 Air Permeability standards”.

It is an entirely invisible system and it does not alter the way the mechanism works so it can be used in conservation and heritage areas. It can be installed on all types of sash windows including spiral balanced or weighted sash windows whether double hung, single hung or fixed configurations.

So I left the stand reminding myself that sometimes the most effective building systems are unseen once they have been installed.

Quick Fix Remedies

If your renovation doesn’t run to a replacement sash window and you need to know how to referb a sash, you can learn how to replace a sash cord or how to paint a sash window in the DIY Doctor Projects section or visit our forum for help and advice on all sorts of Do It Yourself and Home Improvement problems such as repairing rotten sash windows

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The Storefloor loft boarding system allows more insulation material to be fitted under loft boards

Get a suspended loft floor and buy more insulation to save on fuel consumption this year

This is the third in our series of reports on this year’s Grand Designs Live. You can read more in the series like what DIY Doctor thought of Tree Tents and our report on clay plaster at the show. While I was at the exhibition I was looking for the unusual, the stylish, and the innovative.

This product by Loftzone comes in the last category, and is unashamedly useful. In fact you could say this system just floored me!

The Storefloor is a system of loft flooring that uses the strength of the existing roof joists to take a flooring ‘bracket’ that you can load with loft boards. The Storefloor system spreads the load of the boards, and whatever is on top of them, while also allowing enough space underneath it to let you add the recommended amount of insulation, with an all-important air gap to ensure the insulating properties of the insulating material are most effective.

Dave Raval from Loftzone explained about the height of the flooring system: “It is sized to allow up to 300mm of insulation . . . plus an air gap above the insulation and below the boards. We asked the Buildings Research Establishment to advise us on the size of this gap, which helps to reduce any possible moisture build-up on the underside of the boards.”

The system is formed of sectional pieces that use the structure of the existing roof joists to builds a structurally sound floating or suspended floor that can be used for storage and occasional access, and can be strengthened if you want to walk on it regularly, or to allow you to store heavier items.

Compressed loft insulation material is only half as effective

What many people don’t realise is that if they squash the minimum recommended fibreglass wool insulation, it becomes less than half as effective as it would be with enough space for it to sit unmolested by loft boards. You know how it is, you need space to store Christmas decorations, old school books and your scuba diving kit, so you place loft boards on top of your insulation so then it is compressed down to the height of the joists and it has no air void between it and the loft boards.

When you consider that fibreglass insulation is one of the best loft insulation materials, in that it gives you the best energy saving returns pound for pound, plus the fact that nearly all of us have items stashed in our loft (whether it is properly boarded out or not), then it makes absolute sense to have this system.

Having effective loft insulation makes economic sense

We are all becoming increasingly aware of the costs of energy bills and the savings to be made by improving insulation in our homes. Energy ratings or EPC’s are now mandatory for any property that is marketed for rent or for sale, and so it is likely that systems like this will be taken up to satisfy the need for increased loft insulation while allowing us the convenience of having our loft boarded for storage.

It wouldn’t surprise us to find this system being fitted into new build properties by companies for whom eco building is of paramount importance.

However even if it isn’t already in the loft of the house you buy it would a such a simple job to retrofit, using simple basic DIY skills. The system is modular so you can even fit it without clearing your loft first. To read more about the Loftzone Storefloor system check out their website – and I know we are raving about it but I can assure you no money changed hands for the making of this post.

If it’s good it’s good…

The StoreFloor, raised platform loft storage system, fits to the ceiling joists to suspend the floor well above the insulation

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