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Archive for September, 2011

The ultimate DIY job

Thursday, September 29th, 2011

Every year in the UK around 15,000 couples take on one of the most testing challenges a relationship can experience. No it’s not entering a Mr & Mrs contest, nor is it listing each other’s faults, it’s more serious than both of those, it’s building their own home.

A rewarding challenge

At a time when mortgages for first time buyers have never been harder to find, it would seem ludicrous that couples should actually think of going out, finding a loan provider and taking out new home insurance on a property that doesn’t even exist, but thousands do and though it isn’t easy, the great majority will tell you it’s the best thing they ever did, apart from that special day of course.

Land prices have dropped

In fact building your own home may not be such a bad idea. The current stagnation in the housing sector has not just been restricted to house prices; the cost of land has also plummeted. If you bought a plot of land in 2008 for £100,000 the same plot of land today would cost about £75,000, so there is plenty of scope with regard to costs. Of course it will help if the couple have some of the skills that fit comfortably into house building as well as an appetite for hard work.

The profit is all yours

The other great financial benefit comes in at the end of the build. If a building company can complete a house for £200,000 they then bump the price up to make the profit that all companies need to survive. This does not apply to someone who is building a home for themselves. Looking at the bare facts one can easily see the sense it makes, but what must not be underestimated is the time it will take to create the property, it could take up to a couple of years.

New builds VAT exempt

For those serious about the prospect of building their own home, further good news is that a lot more mutual societies are prepared to lend money out on this type of project. Norwich and Peterborough, Chorley, Ipswich and Hanley are just a few of the societies now prepared to provide a mortgage and household insurance to people with the determination to self build. And one last financial gain you get with building a new home is that they are VAT exempt and that should also apply to materials and labour done by any professionals who are employed on the project.

Tags: Build Your Own Home, Home Insurance, household insurance, Mortgage Lenders, mortgages
Posted in Build Your Own Home, Home Insurance, New Homes | No Comments »

House prices set to rise?

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Although financial news from around the world seems to suggest that the next few years are going to be even more austere than the Government first warned, there appears to be a more upbeat attitude from the people in the UK looking to take out homeowners insurance on a property.

According to a survey carried out by the Building Societies Association (BSA) prospective homebuyers believe now is the perfect time to be investing in a property. Although 7 out of 10 said they thought it was harder than ever to get a mortgage, the rewards would be tangible if they did. And contrary to many reports we read, the young people of the UK have not given up on the idea of owning their own home. Eight out of ten said they still had ambitions to purchase a property, and four out of ten said they believed house prices would rise in the next year.

£100 a week!

They may be right because another report from online estate agents findaproperty.com suggests that property prices have been going up £100 a week throughout the year. Although it is hard to decipher whether the company are referring to asking prices or achieved sales. There is a massive difference. However, the difficulty prospective homebuyers have encountered in getting a mortgage has without doubt filtered all the way through the sector to builders, and the resultant shortage of housing will at some point affect the price people will pay.

Mortgage payments not the only worry

Of course it is not only getting a mortgage that is difficult. Although low interest rates mean that many people can pay their mortgage without too much trouble, soaring fuel prices, the cost of a home insurance quote and the uncertainty on the employment front will hold many people back from committing to a new home purchase. The housing sector has seen more than its fair share of false dawns over the last couple of years but perhaps the coming together of certain circumstances will bring a new day and a new life to the housing market.

Long way to go

Certainly some building societies are offering better loan to value deals to first time buyers but until this becomes commonplace with all of the big lenders, it is hard to see house prices getting anywhere near the 14% increase suggested by the Centre for Economics and Business Research by 2015.

Tags: Building Societies Association, Home Insurance Quote, Homeowners insurance, House prices
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Don’t spend money on things you have no need for

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Everyday homeowners in the UK seemed to be faced with yet another dose of bad news. If it isn’t a rise in the inflation rate then it is a rise in fuel prices, if it isn’t the price of energy bills going up then it’s the soaring cost of household insurance. Money is getting tighter and most people are struggling to make ends meet.

Vicious circle

People are now trying to go without buying new products which in turn is bad news for the shops on the high street and therefore jobs. It is a vicious circle but there is a way to find the cash to buy new products, it’s just that not many people realise what they have at home and don’t use.

Make a hobby pay

Setting up an eBay account or something similar is quite easy to do and many local newspapers allow an element of free advertising. All you have to do is recognise objects you own and never use, and before you know it you have a new hobby and a new income stream.

Free up space and earn some cash

When was the last time you read a book, a proper book? Millions of us now use eBooks and although nothing in a home looks better than a well stocked bookshelf, how many books do you possess up in the loft, on the bottom of coffee tables, and basically just spread about the home? If they are in decent condition they have a sell on price and also help you un-clutter your home. The beauty of this is that you never need to pay to read a book again if you own an e-reader. Project Gutenberg is a website that allows visitors to download books for free, and they have a library of literally thousands to choose from.

Put your camera out of the picture

The same applies to CDs, when was the last time you actually played a CD to listen to your music? You more than likely pay a monthly contract fee to use your mobile phone and most of the time you use it to listen to your albums. So sell the CDs and don’t buy another. The savings are starting to mount up and the mention of a mobile phone should provide you with something else in the home that is redundant. That’s right, the digital camera, how many people realise most mobile phones have a very good digital camera. They are easier to handle and store and once again included in the price you are already paying on your contract. Sell the digital camera.

Who needs a landline?

Guess what’s coming next. The landline phone of course. You will be paying a monthly rental charge no matter how little you use your phone and if you have good reception and are as reliant on your mobile phone as many are today, then ditch the landline and save even more money.

The savings you can make on selling unwanted items and just not replacing goods you no longer use can easily pay for something like your monthly home insurance premium or even the fuel to get you to work and back. It is just a matter of approaching a problem in a different way.

Tags: Generating Money, Home Insurance, Home Insurance Premium, Selling Unwanted Items
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Don’t forget your clothes!

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

The latest unemployment figures show just how much the financial downturn is affecting people across the UK. The figure of 2.5 million people unemployed can only be seen as a massively disappointing amount, but experts are warning that over the next few months even that figure may be surpassed. With such a worrying backdrop affecting families in every corner of the country many will be looking to cut their outgoings as much as possible, and it is at this time that people should be wary of just where they cut down.

Hard to see the value?

One area that many people consider doing without is insurance. It is easy to see the reasoning behind anyone who is struggling to pay their bills; cutting out a payment they can’t tangibly see the benefit from. That is the idea of insurance and in a perfect world perhaps no-one would need to purchase cover against disaster striking. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world.

Don’t break the law

It is even illegal to go without some insurance. Car insurance is a legal necessity and if you have a mortgage then your loan provider will legally require you to have household insurance that covers the external shell of your property. It is when we get down to things like home contents insurance that some people consider doing without or indeed cutting down on the cost of their premiums.

A bargain is always worth looking for

It is always a good idea that home owners consider whether they are paying too much for a product, and in the case of home insurance they can easily get a good idea of what they should be paying by visiting a home insurance comparison site and filling out a quick and easy form. It really is a simple process but not something that should be done without first identifying your needs.

Make a note

First of all it is worth remembering that being under insured is little better than not being insured at all. Insurance companies can easily nullify your claim if it is apparent that you are massively under insured. So first of all take a pen and paper and go from room to room. Don’t forget things such as kitchen utensils (you’ll be amazed at how many you have), ornaments and bowls dotted around the house, books, DVDs, and photo frames. If you didn’t go from room to room you would probably forget about your clothes, your shoes, your camera and maybe your mobile phone. That little list will come to several thousand pounds as will your clothes and shoes. It is amazing how many fashion conscious ladies forget to include them all together.

Tags: Contents Insurance, Home Insurance, household insurance, Legal Requirement, Unemployment
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Green roofs could be the future

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Imagine a rooftop oasis that actually lives, grows and cleans the air. Green roofs have been popular in parts of Europe and Canada for many years but are now starting to gain popularity in the United Kingdom. They give energy efficiency to a building and can actually increase the longevity of the roof.

Two types to consider

The laying of a green roof starts with the introduction of a rubber membrane which will protect the underlying roof before adding the soil and plants. Green roofs are normally divided into two categories, extensive and intensive. An extensive green roof will have very little soil so the plant selection is quite limited while an intensive green roof is able to have several inches of soil and this means it can very easily accommodate any size plant and even some small trees.

Specialised insurance available

A green roof can be installed on flat roofs or on a roof that has a slope of up to 45 degrees. The addition of a green roof to a property means that it will aesthetically enhance the living space while at the same time it is helping to protect the environment for everyone else. Almost all green roofs will need very little weeding if they are planted properly and the wide array of flowers will bring colour to the living roof. It is also possible to get a home insurance quotation specifically for a green roofed building. Household insurance providers should be asked for a green or living roof policy and you should make sure the cover is suitable for your building.

Many advantages

Green roofs offer many benefits to the environment over the more traditional form. Following heavy rainfall a green roof will retain the rain which will minimise the initial heavy run-off which happens on conventional roofs. The rainwater will then drain off slowly, allowing more rain to remain in the natural water cycle. A green roof will absorb sound, as opposed to many conventional roofs which reflect it. In what is an already noisy environment this can be beneficial. Adding a green roof to a property will increase its thermal insulation properties. This will make it warmer in winter and cooler during the warmer months which will help to reduce those expensive energy costs.

Nature will also benefit

Green roofs can help to compensate for the loss of any green areas which were sacrificed to build new housing developments. They will also help to provide an environment for birds, plants and insects which will increase the biodiversity of the area. When the property is located in an urban area, the addition of a green roof will introduce a very welcome green area in what is otherwise a heavily built up town or city where green spaces are sparse.

Tags: Green roof, household insurance, Specialised insurance
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Dinner may be a little later than usual

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Monday September 12th was the day the banking sector in the UK found out just exactly what it would have to do to bring its own house in order; unfortunately millions of ordinary Britons were left underwhelmed by the findings of the Independent Commission on Banking. It would seem for sure that none of those people who queued outside the Northern Rock Bank to make sure their life savings were not served up on a plate to bankruptcy courts sat on the commission, although one or two representatives of the banks may well have found a seat at the table.

Crumbs of discomfort

Chairman of the committee Sir John Vickers stood up and told all present the deliberations of the committee, and the recommendations it found would need to be put in place to ensure the banking crisis of 2009/2010 never happened again. This was a time for bankers to eat humble pie …or was it.

Predictable menu

The splitting of the banks retail and investment sectors had always been a certainty and so surprised no-one, it was the starter widely anticipated by all who had been invited. The enforced sale of some of Lloyds banking group was widely expected to be on the menu and the cooks did not disappoint. Although it may have been hard to swallow for some of the banks’ hierarchy everyone knew it would be served up. The sweet of course was delightfully presented in the form of a “redirection service” that ensured mortgages, loans and savings accounts would be safe from the wolves in the investment arms that looked to devour easy prey. No-one would be in danger of losing their mortgage or household insurance.

So far so good then, it was a menu that was totally predictable and guaranteed to satisfy those at the table, but still there was a surprise waiting for those ready to eat from the table. Ahem, dinner may be a little late. Well 8 years late to be precise!

Guess who’s paying for dinner

Sir John’s committee have stipulated the new measures must be in place by 2019 and although some bankers made suitably irate noises about how much this would cost the industry they must have been chortling away inside. The banks have got away with it again. They will not even be required to do anything in the term of this Parliament, nor will they really have to dip into their own pockets or those of their shareholders to pay for the changes. Those mortgages, loans and home insurance packages Joe Public buys from the banks will probably just have a little tweak on the percentage rate in the next couple of years to make sure the money is in place just in case anyone remembers what was suggested all those years ago.

Tags: Banking, Dinner, household insurance, Independent commission
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Choose cover carefully

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

For people moving into a new property some things can be sorted out easily. Making sure you have set up payments for such things as the mortgage, utility bills and house insurance brokers is straightforward. Placing your old furniture in a new home is not so easy but you eventually get there, organising floor covering for your new home may not be so simple. Putting the right type of floor covering down is one of the most important aspects of the home. The market for floor coverings in the UK is diverse and there really is something out there to cater for all styles and more importantly all budgets, but choosing different coverings for different rooms may be complicated.

Choosing the right pile

Cut pile is the most common type of carpet. Standard textured cut pile has alternating lengths of fibres that can mask footprints and vacuum cleaning marks and can be used anywhere in the house. It is economical and used in many rooms. Plush cut pile is better quality and has thinner, level fibres. It is very soft and will be most suitable for bedrooms. Unlike the standard textured cut pile, it however will not mask footprints or cleaning marks. Berber is loop pile and has repeating looped fibres of the same length. It is generally very durable so will be most suitable for high traffic areas such as stairs and hallways. It will also mask footprints and cleaning marks. Multi-level Berber creates various textures and patterns such as floral and diamond. Cut loop is a combination of Berber and cut pile and also creates textures and patterns.

Material important

Nylon is the most popular fibre which is soft and stain resistant and much better quality than the nylon carpets of yesteryear. Nylon Tactesse is an alternative fibre which is more expensive but is stronger and much softer. Wool is the softest and most durable carpet fibre so is naturally the most expensive, but it may be difficult to remove stains from wool carpet. A good buildings and contents insurance policy will be necessary if you buy carpets that are susceptible to staining.

Colours and patterns

The general rule is to choose carpet which is darker than the walls and furniture. The safest choice will be to choose a neutral tone that fits in with the overall colour scheme of the house and that you can happily live with for a long time. Patterned carpets look interesting but you must make sure that the interior would not look too busy or confusing. Multi-coloured stripes are very much in fashion at the moment, and animal and foot prints may be suitable for kids and teenagers’ rooms.

Tags: Carpet, Colours, interior decor, new property, Nylon, Pile
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Berkeley’s square deal for shareholders

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

The latest figures provided by South East building group Berkeley show they are having no problems whatsoever persuading customers to commit themselves to mortgages and household insurance on a home built by the well known group.

Sector taken aback by strong performance

In a move that has rocked the housing market they have announced that they will double their profits in three years as opposed to the five year plan they originally aimed for. The group’s success provides strong evidence that the South East corner of the country is experiencing different conditions from the rest of the country which seems to be lagging far behind. Berkeley only operates in this lucrative area of the UK and it definitely shows.

Location attracting overseas investment

The company’s report shows that almost three quarters of their building programme is centred right in the middle of the capital, with the average price of the houses they sell coming in at around £300,000. This is almost double the national average of a home in the UK and shows the wisdom of Berkeley’s modus operandi. Another interesting insight into the sort of customer who buys a Berkeley home is provided by the information that only 30% of their house buyers require a mortgage. This points to the fact that overseas buyers are still ploughing money into the London property market despite the recent riots, and are obviously content to get a good home insurance quote to cover their investment.

AGM brings good news for shareholders

At the recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) meeting, investors were told that the company had purchased a further seven sites in the South East, including some in Kent and saw no reason why their success story would not go on. To the delight of shareholders the company decided that profits would be largely channelled into big dividend payouts rather than investment in the business, with the profits in the first third of the current financial year yielding even better results.

Sector split on Berkeley’s future

It is no secret that others in the business have looked at Berkeley with envious eyes over the last couple of years and some housing sector experts are predicting the recent drops in share markets across the globe could bring about the end of their run of success. However, there are plenty of companies out there who also look at Berkeley as the leaders of the sector and would only be too happy to follow in their footsteps.

Tags: Berkeley square, Home Insurance Quote, household insurance, London, Mayfair
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Comfort is the key

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

When it comes to furnishing a new home there is little more that’s important than creating a comfortable main living space. It is the place where the family come together most often and where comfort encourages relaxation and openness.

Make sure it fits

The seating in this room is crucial and worth spending a little extra on to get right. It is important to choose a sofa that will look good and be proportionate in your living room, so take careful measurements and make sure that what you are buying is the best fit for your home before you make a final decision. You will more than likely have buildings and contents insurance so make sure your sofa is covered by it, if not then remember sofas are easily damaged by children and pets and a household insurance policy or special cover by the manufacturers should be bought.

Check interior and exterior

Whether you have pets, small children, and energetic teenagers, or live a quiet retirement life, your sofa should be well made to give you maximum comfort and value for money. The frame should be sturdy, preferably made of kiln-dried hardwood and should be screwed and glued. The support should consist of proper springs, preferably 8-way tied, and the upholstery should consist of good foam – an inner core of foam with an outer wrapping of feathers is one of the best.

All shapes and sizes

For arm style you can choose from traditional rolled arm, curved English arm, a straight Parsons style or armless. Curved English arm is very elegant while straight arm and armless are suitable for contemporary interior. A skirted sofa may suit French style interior with lots of drapery. Otherwise you can choose from a variety of leg styles ranging from chunky to delicately tapered and carved.

Material choice important

Patterned fabric is not so popular at the moment but can cover the dirt and stains. If you want a soft and durable material choose chenille. Leather is also durable and looks attractive. Velvet has a nice texture but can wear out within a few years. If you are on a budget choose a simply designed sofa and add variations with cushion and pillows. Many furniture manufacturers offer custom-made slipcovers which you can use for a seasonal change or keep as an emergency spare.

Tags: buildings and contents insurance, household insurance, interior decor, living room, sofa
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