Home Improvement Ideas From Let Me Build It!

This does require a degree of skill, but if you never try new DIY projects you never get any new skills that can be used again in the future. Plastering a wall is as good a place as any to begin.

Pour water into multi-finish plaster, mixing in a bucket extremely thoroughly until you have a nice creamy sludge – no lumps and not too runny, please.

Next slap some of the plaster onto a flat platform called a hawk, tilt the hawk toward the plastering float and transfer a good blob of plaster onto the float (as you get more practised, you’ll be able to do this in a flicking motion).

Press the plaster onto the wall, holding the float at an angle of about 30 degrees. Make sweeping upward movements, narrowing the angle the float as you reach the top of the arc (but don’t flatten the float against the wall – it’ll just pull plaster away). Aim for a 2mm thick basecoat – and don’t worry at this stage about ridges and unevenness.

Wait between 15-20 minutes until the plaster has hardened slightly but still remains pliable. Use the clean hawk to smooth over the ridges and bumps, keeping the angle very shallow.

Wait a further 40 or so minutes, then start polishing: flick water onto the walls with a paintbrush and wet the cleaned float thoroughly, working in sweeping strokes.

Acquiring a skill like this not only adds to your painting and decorating repertoire, it can save you a lot of money, too.

For an underfloor heating system to work efficiently it needs an insulation layer below, to ensure all the heat goes up directly into the floor. This also allows the floor to heat up more quickly and keeps running costs down. The type of underfloor heating insulation will depend on the type of system that you choose – water or electric – the type of floor, and the thickness it can accommodate. Choosing an acoustic thermal insulation product will have the added advantage of cutting down noise.

Solid floors, whether concrete or screed, are required to have some form of insulation layer, and the type and thickness is usually defined in the Building Regulations. Insulation comes in the form of boards or sheets, usually made from a combination of carbon, polystyrene and fibreglass. Aluminium foil insulation should only be used with wet underfloor heating systems. The water pipes, or electric cables are then placed on top and encased in a layer of screed, or tile adhesive. When underfloor heating is added to a suspended or floating wooden floor, the cables or pipes usually lie above the joists or are attached to the underside of chipboard, with space for insulation below.

Some electric underfloor heating kits designed to go onto an existing tiled floor don’t need an insulation layer. These are usually mats which are covered with flexible tile adhesive before new tiles are laid on top. Always check with the supplier and manufacturer about the type of underfloor heating insulation required.

Laying expensive stone tiles on a new kitchen or bathroom floor requires a very level surface or very shortly they’ll be looking like a set of dodgy teeth, wobbling alarmingly if you so much as touch them.

To avoid such a dismal outcome, a sure-fire way of getting a dead-level floor is to use a self-levelling screed. This is a DIY project requiring only a modest level of skill.

If you’re confident with painting and decorating, but not quite up to plastering, you’re probably there. No need for architects or advanced building skills with this one – just the right materials and an eye for detail. Laying floor tiles perfectly is an important component of any property development project, too.

Remove loose material from any holes and cracks in the floor and use mortar mix to fill any holes deeper than 5mm. Pry off any skirting and coat the exposed concrete with a suitable sealer. Then scrub off any grease or oil on the floor with detergent. Leave until completely dry.

Mix the self-levelling screed following the instructions on the pack. Take care to use a clean bucket and mixing stick – any grit will spoil it.

It tends to be fast setting, so you’ll need to cover large areas section by section. Beginning in the corner opposite the door, spread the mix evenly (and thinly) over the section of floor area you’re working on using a float. Cover the whole floor, and leave to set firmly. It’s ready to tile and ready to transform.

When it comes to fitting bathroom sinks, planning the exact location of your bathroom sink needs careful consideration. Bathroom sinks require sufficient space around them in order to ensure comfortable use. Bathroom sinks that are to be wall-mounted need to have substantial fixings – ensure that the wall is in good condition, with something solid to take the weight.

There are advantages and disadvantages to the different kinds of bathroom sinks that are on offer. Small bathroom sinks, such as corner sinks, are more appropriate for bathrooms of limited space, whereas larger bathroom sinks are tailored for larger bathrooms and can even be made a focal point dependent on the extravagance of their style and design.

When fitting wall-hung bathroom sinks you will certainly need assistance.  It has to be held against the wall for levelling and marking purposes. Mark the fixing holes for the bathroom sink, then drill and plug the holes. Insert the special screw in bolts that should be supplied with your bathroom sink, then place the bathroom sink over the bolts. Then add the washers and tighten the nuts, which again should be supplied with your bathroom sink.

For a pedestal basin, simply place the pedestal in position and then sit the bathroom sink upon the pedestal. Again mark the fixing holes and drill the holes with a masonry bit. Be sure to plug the holes properly, and as with a wall-hung sink fix the screws that are supplied with your chosen bathroom sink and then add the washers and tighten the nuts.

Bathrooms are an integral part of any household and are considered to be a very important part of any home. Whether bathrooms are cupboard-like or palatial, there is a huge range of features that can be applied to bathrooms to make them work well for you and the family.

Choosing the right bathroom furniture, basin taps, bath taps or bathroom sink are all vital aspects of bringing your bathroom to life. It may be that you are looking to fit a shower cubicle or a shower enclosure in your bathroom. You may be looking to add that touch of class with designer radiators or high quality bathroom accessories. Or you may be going for a complete overhaul in order to bring your bathroom up to a high standard.

Whatever your aim, improving bathrooms does not only lift the character of the household, but can add significant value to your home, so this DIY task is most certainly worth undertaking. Adding shower cubicles or shower enclosures to your bathroom is recommended in order to save water and energy, and adding bathroom radiators can go a long way in helping improving the energy efficiency of your bathroom.

Bathrooms nowadays can be complemented by a myriad of decorative basin taps, bath taps, bathroom furniture, bathroom accessories and even the bathroom mirror can become a focal feature for all modern day bathrooms.
So if you are looking to improve the look and value of your home the bathroom is a  good place to start as the design possibilities are endless.

Underfloor heating is gaining a huge amount of popularity these days because it has got a lot of benefits over the conventional heating system like low maintenance and installation costs. The best thing about this kind of a heating system is that the heat produced spreads over the entire room this makes it very popular. Unlike room convectors, it is not reduced to a specific portion of the room. The heat generated is also radiant which kills all house germs and dust produced. This kind of a heat is a perfect solution for asthma patients.

If you are thinking about using room based heating systems, a nice suggestion is to get the floors insulated otherwise the heat has a chance of escaping into the lower floor. This is a great heat loss and increases the total consumption of electrical energy used to generate heat for the entire room.

Electric underfloor heating systems are used in most homes today, where the electric cables are placed directly under the floor. These cables are connected with the insulation board which gets covered with the floor. This is one of the best ways to get ideal room heating since the temperature is modified with the help of a programmable digital thermostat. This kind of a heating system has a definite advantage because the wires carrying the heat are under the floor, so it gets warm quickly saving on electricity bills. The top reason for using an electric under floor heating system is that it does not unnecessarily clog up the room like a radiator. You can have plenty of space in the room to place furniture wherever you want to.

Underfloor heating systems are available with DIY instructions but it is advisable that you use the help of an electrician to attach them to the main connections of the house.

Gazebos have been part of gardens for thousands of years; the earliest historical gazebos were in use in Egyptian gardens 5,000 years ago.  The architecture of gardens was drawn on the tombs of Egyptian royals, murals depicting the complete plan of the garden.

The earliest known plan belongs to an Egyptian courtier whose garden design in Thebes has shown that gardens were probably enclosed and had freestanding architectural structures similar to pergolas or gazebos.

Gardens in Egypt were built close to a body of water, either a river or a canal, and were normally used for producing food.  The rich, however, as well as growing crops, could afford to grow trees and flowers, the flowers used to make garlands to wear at festivals and to be harvested for medicinal purposes, the trees to provide welcome shade.  Pools were filled with fish and guinea fowl while pergolas were built in order that vines could grow, producing wine and raisins.

Some historians speculate that early gazebos were actually used as temples; temples were the representation of heaven and the Egyptians believed was the home of a god.  Thus the garden was designed so that sacred trees were planted in front of the gazebo and certain flowers were grown to be given as a sacrifice to the god.

Egyptians believed that when they died, their garden including the gazebos, followed them on the journey to heaven.

An ambitious DIY project, not too far removed from serious property development, is installing a new kitchen. Underfloor heating is a great way to heat it and should only take you about a weekend to do. Don’t worry, it may sound daunting, but it’s hardly the province of architects and you won’t need a degree in engineering. 

Underfloor heating is essentially a heating coil, which is held in position by mesh. All you have to do is unroll the mesh and lay it flat on the floor. When you come to a wall, cut the mesh, but not the wire and come back in the opposite direction, right next to the first strip. Take care not to overlap the wires and avoid laying the mesh beneath kitchen units.

You’ll see that the system has a separate sensor, which must be wired directly into the thermostat. This wiring must pass through an electrical conduit, which needs to be chiselled into the wall and behind the skirting. You’ll need to tidy up afterwards with a touch of painting, decorating and plastering, but no serious building work is involved.

Where the wires enter the conduit through the skirting, apply some silicone to seal the aperture, this stops tile adhesive from setting around the sensor. At this point you’ll need to call in a qualified electrician to connect the system to the mains power.

The final step is to lay adhesive over the mesh and coil matting, put your floor tiles in place and you’re done. If you’re laying a laminate or wood floor, you may have to include an additional layer of Marmox insulation board.

In the past, bathrooms were considered places of pure functionality. However, in more recent times the bathroom has assumed a place as one of the most important rooms in the home. Indeed, apart from the kitchen, the bathroom is probably the place where we spend most of our time.

No wonder then, that more and more attention is being paid to making the bathroom design a refuge from the trials of modern day living.

The rise in popularity of the bathroom spa exemplifies this trend. House owners are increasingly utilising any spare space in the house to enlarge the bathroom and turn it into a luxury area in which to thoroughly relax after a busy day. Indeed, many homeowners view a refurbished bathroom as an investment and one that will pay a good return if and when the property is sold.

Interior designers and bathroom appliance manufacturers have been quick to spot the trend. Virtually every day, new appliances are launched onto the market. Innovations such as the steam sauna, state-of-the-art bathroom sinks and toilets, baths in every shape and hue, underfloor bathroom heating and invisible ventilation systems, have all made their appearance and been quickly absorbed into the mainstream.

In essence, the vision is to turn the once humble bathroom into a luxurious spa. Where once you would only encounter such opulence in a 5-star hotel, new technology and design has completely transformed the way we use and see the bathroom. Today, homeowners from all walks of life have been quick to embrace the trend.

They say that Rome was built on Travertine, which to some extent it was, certainly many parts of it was, including large quantities of Travertine used for the Colosseum which dates back to the year 80AD! Belonging to the limestone family of stone Travertine is a beautiful natural stone which in its purest form is white, but impurities can cause the colour of travertine to vary and to be yellow and brown.

There are many forms of finish to be seen in Travertine which is a stone that is soft and delicate to look at. The classic aged look of Travertine tumbled stone will warm your home. A polished or honed travertine becomes a bit more formal, yet it’s still inviting. The soft earthy hues of this natural stone keep it in tune with nature. The stone surface can be left in its natural state with the small holes and pits unfilled. This is a warmer aged look which will acquire a beautiful patina over time. Leaving the stone unfilled will affect the durability and it can attract dirt much easier than a filled travertine making it harder to keep clean.

Travertine is a long lasting stone and its durability lends itself to all kinds of application, from private homes to commercial developments.  It provides a truly classical look and has a timeless beauty. Travertine tiles are used in flooring and wall cladding and it is a popular choice for bathrooms, kitchens and hallways, as well as being used for external paving and masonry.