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If you are faced with a major plumbing problem at home, hiring a reliable plumber is a must. While working with an experienced professional certainly improves the chance for the issue to be fixed much faster, you should address a few tasks before the plumber arrives.

Here is How to Prepare Yourself for a Plumber’s Visit and Make the Most of the Service

Locate the main shut-off valve

Chances are, you have never heard of a main shut-off valve, and you have no idea where to find it. But when you contact an experienced plumber, they will ask you to provide that information, as the valve prevents your place from being flooded by the city’s full main pressure. As soon as the technician arrives, you will also have to let them know the location of your main line repair valve. Of course, your pro will be more than willing to assist you in finding those valves, yet revealing their location upon arrival will save lots of precious time.

Check for other issues

Before the plumber arrives, inspect your plumbing installation and look for other possible problems. Doing so will allow you to rest assured your plumbing is in top condition and save money, as any visit adds up to the cost. Plus, if you identify a plumbing issue and let the plumber know about it, this problem may be related to the current one, and your professional will be able to get the job done faster.

Clear the space

To work quickly and more effectively; your plumber needs full access to the area surrounding the damaged part and the main water line. For that reason, you should clear the space before the visit and ensure no objects stay in the way of your technician. Doing so will also protect your belongings from possible damage during the repair. If you leak under the sink, remove and relocate the cleaning supplies you probably store there. In case the plumbing emergency is hidden in the basement, you may find it challenging to purge the clutter, yet this step is key to a successful plumbing job.

Lock the pets

We all adore our pets, but when it comes to a complicated plumbing issue, the best you can do for your beloved cat or dog is to keep them banished from the working space. As a plumbing job typically involves using heavy or sharp tools, the safest place for your curious pet is another room. Furthermore, a playful pet can be a true distraction for your plumber, especially if the problem is serious and requires much focus. To prevent possible injuries and distraction, you should consider asking a friend or a family member to look after your small children. Small kids can be just as curious as pets and need to be kept away during the plumber’s visit to prevent further complications or nasty injuries.

Share details

You may be unfamiliar with the right methods to fix a plumbing problem, but you certainly know the history of your home’s plumbing. Before the technician arrives, think about other issues you had with your plumbing in the past. Do your best to share every little detail with your plumber, even if it seems irrelevant information. Providing lots of information goes a long way to facilitate the expert; in many cases, current problems are correlated to issues you already have.

No matter what plumbing emergency you must deal with, ensure you are properly prepared for a plumber’s visit. This way, you can ensure the job will be addressed much faster, significantly reducing your bill once the technician leaves your place.

© Fast Building Company

Dealing with tiling in a new home or during a renovation can be quite the experience, especially if you’ve never had experience dealing with that sort of aspect of building work. There are a few things you will need to know before you can tackle a job of this magnitude, as we will cover in the following points:

When Tiling Shower Trays

You must ensure you tank before tiling your shower trays, both for bath areas and wet rooms, so you can make an area completely waterproof. This ensures you will have fewer issues in the future, and you can still keep the tiling fixtures you worked hard on.

Making a Small Bathroom Look Bigger

Wall-mounted sinks and toilets will give smaller bathrooms the illusion of more space while making them far easier to clean. Use light-coloured plain tiles, and ensure you keep the same shade on the walls and the floors. You can add more colour with towels and accessories.

Retiling Old Floors

When renovating, lifting the old vinyl flooring tiles may be hard or just downright tedious. You could tile right on top of the existing floor, assuming it’s secure and clean enough, but it’s not an ideal solution. You can prime it first with an appropriate primer and ready to go.

Drilling Tiles

Put masking tape on the spot you intend to drill. This will not only stop the drill from sliding around but also help keep it together. Avoid using the hammer action on the drill, and be gentle as you press down. Don’t push the drill into the tile; just let the drill do the work for you and work with patience. If the hole is meant for a screw that needs to go into a raw plug, make the hole in the tile bigger than the hole in your wall. The rawl plug goes into the wall and doesn’t overlap with the tile. Otherwise, that will end up breaking it.

Framing Alcoves in a Shower

Make your shower alcoves smaller if you need to, but making them bigger takes more work and more details involved. You should decide on a finished measurement initially, then move to build the alcove about 20 to 40mm wider than that. Most tiles are 8-10mm thick, so you have some wiggle room to adjust for adhesive depth and alignment with the grout joints.

Decorating a New House with Multiple Bathrooms

Your choice of tiles may be a source of confusion regarding having more than a single bathroom. It may be a good idea to keep things simple, especially regarding kids’ rooms. Choose plain white tiles, as they won’t date and brighten those up with a mosaic border or some sprinkles of colour. This timeless look will be easy to maintain for many years.

Tiling of Bath Panels

If you are tiling the panel on a bath or boxing the whole place, you should ensure you use great quality waterproof plywood. This will allow you to gain access to the plumbing when necessary without the use of ugly screws. Cut a segment of plywood and fix it to the panel with magnets. You can find them at most DIY stores, as they are used for cupboards without handles and similar solutions. Once the segment is tiled, you should attach it to the main panel and grout the joint. When you’re done, you will have a convenient way of accessing the underside of the bath, simply removing the grout and the panel. You can replace the grout when you’re done working on the plumbing.

©Fast Building Company

The contractors and subcontractors you employ make all the difference in your project. So, how do you find the right contractor for your project? Check out this guide for tested places to find contractors.

Do you know the contractor in charge of your project determines if the project succeeds or comes out as a total disaster? It is not enough to get just anyone to assign the task to, the question is, are they capable of bringing your dream to reality?
Some of the issues you may likely face in the flipping business will be related to contractors or subcontractors. It includes;

- The unending hunt for the right contractor for your project
- How to manage contractors and subcontractors
- Contractor taking too long to complete the project, etc

Truth is, you can completely avoid every contractor-related issue by simply choosing the right contractors from the get-go. We put together this article to reveal 5 Tried and Tested Places to Find Contractors for Your Project. Stay glued till the end to get a bonus tip. Also, this will be a good time to Subscribe if you haven’t done that already.

Professional Real Estate Investment Bodies

This is probably the best place for both new and old realtors. That is why it is our top recommendation. Professional real estate organizations or clubs will have better referrals compared to online options. Seminars and meetups are also good places to find professionals. Don’t sleep on this.

Online Marketplace

You can also get trusted and experienced contractors from online marketplaces like Facebook. True, you may have to search through a long list to pick a likely qualified contractor but we cannot deny online marketplaces are one of the trusted Places to find contractors.

Pro tip: Take your time to search and vet the contractors before signing a deal so you don’t get blindsided.

Craigslist and Angie’s List

Both Craiglist and Angie’s list have proved to be great for finding reliable contractors and professionals. Be that as it may, you could also fall a victim to the wrong ones. Therefore, it pays to do your homework and ask the right questions before hiring.
Craigslist is free contractors to post so you may have a larger pool of contractors there. Angie’s list, on the other hand, requires contractors to pay to be listed. This slight difference makes many people believe Angie’s list may be more reliable. But that is not entirely true. It is possible to find good and bad contractors on both sites. Please do the needful.

Hardware Stores

This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you are looking to hire a contractor for your project but it counts. If you visit any hardware store in the morning, you will likely find a few contractors and subcontractors. They are frequent customers of hardware stores so it makes sense that you will find some contractors here. However, that doesn’t always translate to finding the right contractor for your project. But it is worth giving it a try.

HomeAdvisor

We find this site also amazing. Here, you will also find a bunch of contractors for different projects. It is totally up to you to weed out the wrong fits and choose the right one for your project.

Bonus Tip!

Word of Mouth Recommendation

Saving the best for the last, we must quickly add that word of mouth recommendation tops all the lists of the best places to find contractors. Nothing beats recommendations from people who already worked with the contractor. This way, you have already vetted the contractor and you are almost certain they can handle the project perfectly based on how well they handled past projects. Your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, etc are the best people to get recommendations from. You are certain they won’t lie to you just to land the job.

Choosing the right contractor for your flipping business is very important. This list puts together all the reliable places to find contractors for any project. 

© Fast Building Company

Having your loft transformed into a brand-new premise is the easiest way for you to expand your home and get some extra comfort. Even though the conversion process is relatively simple, mistakes are likely to happen, so you should approach the task reasonably. Here are a few typical mistakes people make when they decide on a loft conversion. Make sure that you get informed and avoid any of these mistakes so that your project could be a true success:

• Don’t assume each loft can be converted – there are some basic requirements you need to meet so that the new room can be legal. Many people often realise that their lofts can’t be remade when it’s too late and the project has already started. Did you know that you should check if your loft has a head height of at least 2.3 meters? That’s an essential requirement your loft should inevitably meet. In some cases you have the chance to raise the height, but under no circumstances should you get involved with a task you can’t complete.

• Don’t skip on the planning permission – indeed, usually, loft conversion projects don’t need to be approved by the local council to be legal. Yet depending on the type of home you own, planning permission might be necessary, otherwise, you shouldn’t go on with the conversion. It is a common mistake for homeowners, to begin with, the project before they consult with the authorities whether their place is convertible. That’s why this is a step you should never skip. Ask your local council if you are obligated to apply for permission or your rights to convert the loft have already been granted. This way you would ensure that the improvement your property is about to go through is within the law.

• Don’t make it a DIY project – are you an expert builder? Do you have any experience in renovating an entire premise from scratch? If not, you should better hire a professional contractor to tackle your loft conversion. Even though loft conversions are claimed to be relatively simple tasks, there are many details only experts are familiar with. It is great that you have faith in your skills, but don’t make the mistake to go for a DIY project, unless you are qualified for the job. Possible issues you may face during the conversion would cost you lots of time, money and stress. So once you make sure your loft space is suitable for conversion, search for a professional company to complete the project.

• Don’t rush into hiring a contractor – no doubt you want your loft to be transformed into a brand-new room as quickly as possible, but take your time to find the best contractor for the purpose. People who have no experience in remodelling their homes often fall victim to making snap decisions. Finding a reliable loft conversion contractor usually takes a while, but it is worth the effort. Read online reviews, ask friends and family or demand to see completed projects – one way or another, you should get the necessary recommendations for the company you intend to hire before you sign a contract.

• Don’t overlook the interior – when it comes to a loft conversion, the interior of the future premise is just as crucial as all legal aspects and the need to rely on a proven contractor. If you fail to plan the goal of the room, as well as its furniture and accessories, chances are you end up with a disappointing project. Since interior design is not something that comes naturally to everyone, perhaps hiring an expert to deal with the job is worth considering.

Any of these five loft conversion mistakes is capable of ruining your project. Now that you are prepared for steps that may go wrong, you have a greater chance to tackle the task smoothly.

© Fast Building Company

Most people are not always content with their space due to different reasons. It may be because of the size of the family, a need for more privacy, social reasons, or any other reasons. Thankfully, there is an answer, Loft conversion. It may seem trivial but loft conversion may cost a whole lot of money, and that is why if you want to do it, you have to do it right. People make mistakes in their loft conversion, and they live to regret it.

House prices in most countries are so high that it is sometimes difficult for some people to move out and get a new house. This leaves them with little or no option than to stay in their current homes and try to make adjustments to them. A loft conversion may add a new room or rooms to an already existing house. The new room or rooms may be used for different reasons, be it a den, an office, a playroom for kids, or even another room. Some of the blunders people make while trying to convert their lofts are:

1. Not deciding on the right contractor for the job: Loft conversions are very special projects, and so it requires expert hands. When you want to convert a loft, there is a great need to let a professional handle the job. One of the ways you can get these kinds of professionals is through personal recommendations or online community groups, places where you can hear people voice their honest opinions and experiences. However, it is also possible to check reviews from several construction websites.

Once you begin to contact builders, you should always ask for references, maybe of completed projects and customer reviews. You should also keep in mind that the best contractors may not be the cheapest. Loft conversions can also take some time, so it should not be a rushed project. Around five to six weeks should be enough to convert lofts. You should also be prepared to accommodate people in your home daily until the loft conversion process is finished. You should also establish a clear relationship between yourself and the contractors so you would be able to ask any relevant questions you may have.

1. Not properly checking if the property is suitable for the process: Most times, converting your loft is not the problem. The problem is knowing if the loft can be converted. There are requirements a property has to meet before loft conversion is possible. One of those requirements is the head height of at least 2.3 metres. It is possible to raise the heights in some few cases, but the standard height for a loft conversion is at least 2.3 metres.
   
   
2. Not seeking planning permission: Most of the time, planning permission is not needed for you to carry out a loft conversion since it falls under permitted development category. It is one of the exciting things about loft conversions. But the truth is you may need to check and see if you need one and stop assuming. If your loft conversion plan involves altering or extending your roof space in a way that exceeds conditions and limits, you may need planning permission. How do you do that? You need to get in touch with your local council to confirm if there is a need to apply for planning permission. It is very important if you occupy a flat or period property, or reside in a conservation area.
   
   
3.   The act of ignoring people who live around you: Do you live in a terraced or semi-detached property? Or do you share a wall with some of your neighbours? Then, you need to tell them of your loft conversion plans and obtain a valid legal document before you continue your construction or loft conversion. Remember, the neighbours you share a party wall with has the right to dispute your construction plans so you may need to communicate reasonably with them to avoid misunderstandings, delays or issues.
   
   
4. Not putting the design details into consideration: It is at this point that you may need professional help from an expert in a loft conversion. You should know a thing or two about buildings to consider your options before you start the project. That way, you will be delighted with what you see at the end of the project.

Converting your loft may be a little stressful, but it is a better alternative to acquiring a new property. It is especially more comfortable if you own the house or property. That way, you will not need to seek permission from anyone to do whatever you want with your property. Always seek the professionals and know that quality does not come cheap.

© Fast Building Company

Do you want to have more space? Did you know that the loft is the most uncomplicated space to convert, plus, it does not cost that much? It is also less stressful compared to moving house.  

Benefits Of Loft Conversion

Why should you opt for a loft conversion? That is the first thing that comes to mind when someone tells you about this home project. 

First of all, you need to know that a loft conversion can add as much as 20% to the value of your property. That is a lot! Right? Several families opt to convert their loft so that they can have more space without having to spend too much. They also do not have to go through the stressful process of relocating to a new house. While the loft is being renovated, you also don’t have to worry about your daily routine getting disrupted. 

However, you also need to be careful. You don’t want to invest too much and overdo the loft conversion. If you do, you will not see any return on your investment. Spending too much or overdoing it will not be beneficial for you. 

Assess If Your Loft Has A Usable Space

You need to begin by determining if the roof space could be converted. Most of the time, the answer is yes. However, there are three essential things that you need to check. 

The first one is the internal height. It must be 2,500 mm for it to be suitable for conversion. The next one is the roof pitch. You have to measure the angle of the roof. The central head height is likely to be higher if the pitch angle is also high. The third one is the footprint. Generally speaking, the internal rules must measure 5,500mm from one side to another, this includes the chimney, and then 7,500mm from the front and then to the back. 

How Can You Use The Available Space?

When you have determined that your home is ideal for a loft conversion, you have to consider how you want to use it. Maybe you can have an extra bathroom, bedroom, playroom, or den? You can even create a special place where you can study or relax. You can also make it into a multipurpose room that can be used for different purposes

How Long Will It Take and How Much Is Your Budget?

A basic loft conversion is a project that can be done within 4 to 5 weeks. This is considered as the least disruptive home project when it comes to adding more living space. You will use scaffolding until the staircase that links the loft to the rest of the house is installed. That means no materials will be hauled through your home. Any waste will also go down the chute and directly into a skip that is placed outside. Although the entire work is going to be noisy, it won’t create as much ruckus as a typical ground floor extension. 

© Fast Building Company