If you’re considering installing electric underfloor heating in your home, then you’ve probably already asked yourself this common question: ‘Is electric underfloor heating expensive to run?’ Historically, it’s been seen as a costly luxury – but this isn’t always the case. Many homeowners are installing electric underfloor heating for its cost-saving, environmental and design benefits. In fact, it was the fourth most popular eco job posted on Rated People in 2020, according to The Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report: 2021.

Did you know? It costs less than 30p to heat an average sized bathroom in the UK (4.4m2) for 3 hours with electric underfloor heating.

Get to grips with the essentials of electric underfloor heating by reading the blog post put together by the team at ThermoSphere, below.

Let’s get some perspective on the cost of electric underfloor heating

To make a fair comparison, we looked at multiple articles and research findings online, and combined this with the knowledge of our resident experts.

The typical cost of running household appliances

The typical cost of running electric underfloor heating

Remember, an electric heating system could replace your traditional central heating system, so your heating costs won’t double.

From the comparison table, you can see that electric underfloor heating isn’t as expensive to run as many people think. So much so, that it’s cheaper to run electric underfloor heating than it is to run a washing machine, kettle, electric shower and many more appliances.  Plus, if you have a well-insulated home, it costs less than the average takeaway coffee to run ThermoSphere electric underfloor heating in a 2m² bathroom for a month, on average!

Want to find out how much it would cost to run electric underfloor heating in your home? Take a look at our Running Cost Calculator.  It’ll give you a good estimation of the daily cost. 

The next key consideration is insulation…

How insulation helps

You’ve decided to install electric underfloor heating. But how do you make it run as energy efficiently and effectively as possible? If you have insulation installed in your home, every penny you spend on heating will be converted into useable heat. Without it, some of the heat you’ve paid for will be lost through the sub floor below.  Good insulation means shorter floor warm up times and reduced heat loss. That means the room will stay at your chosen temperature for longer, so you won’t need to keep your electric underfloor heating on for as long. That saves you money!

What’s the right insulation to use and what are the costs?

ThermoSphere insulation boards are lightweight and easy to cut with a craft knife, making installation incredibly fast.  In addition, they’re 100% water and rot proof compared to plywood.  ThermoSphere coated insulation boards also add strength and lateral stability to timber floors. 

Extra considerations when buying electric underfloor heating

Next, you need a thermostat to gain more control over your heating.  Using insulation and a thermostat together provides comfort and control, making your electric underfloor heating extremely efficient.  With a wide variety of options at your fingertips, it can be hard to know what’s right for you.  There are a range of thermostats available on the market. 

What are the different types of thermostat?

• Manual – Basic functionality allowing on/off, temperature adjustment and built in ambient and floor sensors.
• Programmable – The same as Manual, but they automatically adjust the room temperature from programmed desired temperatures for set times.
• Dual Control – The same as programmable, but you can also control two heat sources from the one thermostat.  ThermoSphere’s dual control thermostat is the only one of its type in the UK.
• Smart – The same as programmable but taken to the next level.  It can track your energy usage and even identify how you can save more energy.  Using this with a smart hub and an app gives you control of your heating from any location. Plus you can connect up to 100 thermostats, so everything can be controlled from one place.  You can also connect it to your audio products like Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
• Bluetooth – Gives you everything a smart thermostat does, but with the added security of Bluetooth.  This means you don’t need to be connected to the internet to use the app. Easy-to-use features allow you to set a schedule in under 60 seconds.

Find out more information about thermostats.

It’s all about electric!

Electricity is at the forefront of people’s minds.  One reason for this is because of the government’s talks around using fossil fuel alternatives in homes, like electricity, in order to hit the UK’s net-zero CO2 emission targets. This includes banning gas boilers in all new builds by 2025.

CO2 emission factors for electricity have also been reduced in SAP 10 calculations, which is what is used to help form an EPC rating when you buy or sell a home. Find out more about SAP 10 and how it relates to EPC certificates in our quick guide to SAP 10.

Another reason for the growing interest in electricity is the fact that it’s being more renewably sourced. In 2019, more than a third of the electricity generated in the UK came from renewable sources, according to government research. 57% of homeowners want to be more eco-friendly in 2021, making electric underfloor heating a popular home improvement (The Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report: 2021).

Aside from its energy efficiency, one of the best benefits of electric underfloor heating is that it frees up floor space and enables design freedom for homeowners.  The time to switch is now! If you have any questions about the best way to install an electric underfloor heating system, contact the ThermoSphere team or find a retailer close to you.

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Getting the garden in shape is top of many summer to-do lists. But, there are also plenty of other jobs that are best done before the warm weather hits. Find out what these summer home improvement jobs are, and why you should prioritise them, below.

1. Service your boiler

One of the many great things about summer is that our heating bills most likely go down, as we’re using our boilers less. You shouldn’t put your boiler to the back of your mind though! It’s a great idea to get it serviced in the summer, before the gas and heating engineers in your area get booked up in winter and autumn. That way, you’ll avoid the risk of your boiler breaking down during the cold weather. Don’t forget, there are plenty of grants and other financial support to help you make your home more energy efficient.

A gas and heating engineer can let you know if your boiler’s efficient too. This is a good indicator as to whether you could save more money on your heating bill. Read more about how to find out if your boiler is efficient and whether you could save money on your energy bills.

2. Install or upgrade your CCTV

You might think that security cameras are most useful during the winter, due the longer evenings, not to mention the fact that our Christmas presents can attract the attention of burglars. But they’re just as valuable in the summer because we aren’t in our homes as much, whether that’s due to warm evenings spent in a beer garden or a well-deserved holiday abroad. For true peace of mind whilst you’re out having fun, get a security specialist to install CCTV and secure your home.

There are plenty of advanced CCTV systems on the market that’ll help you create a smart home. The options include models that connect to your smartphone, so you’ll know exactly what’s going on in your home in real time.

3. Insulate your pipes

Pipes are the last thing you’re thinking about during the hot weather. However, you’ll thank yourself for sorting them out once winter kicks in and you have no problems to sort out.

Summer is a good time to get a plumber to:

• Insulate indoor and outdoor pipes to reduce heat loss.
• Fix dripping taps and leaky pipes, to protect them from the winter frost.
• Fit a smart leak detector or automatic stop valve.

4. Replace inefficient windows

It’s a well-known fact that double and triple glazing stops heat from escaping your home, which is essential for the colder months. But did you know that it also helps your home stay cool during hot weather? Double and triple glazing your windows means that heat will stop transferring from one side of the window to the other. That means heat from outside won’t pass through and into your home. If you often get frustrated because you find it too warm to sleep during summer, but can’t keep your windows open for security reasons, upgrading to double or triple glazing should help. It’ll also make your home more energy efficient.

To keep your home even cooler during summer, install blackout blinds for a quick fix. Motorised blinds are also a good option, as you can lower them at the touch of a button to bring shade into your home. Plus, you can set a schedule so they open at a certain time in the morning. That means you’ll enjoy a relaxing wakeup call courtesy of the morning sun – much less stressful than your phone’s alarm tone!

5. Install new worktops

Replacing your worktop is a cost-effective modern kitchen makeover hack that’s recommended by the experts. A kitchen fitter will need to carry out the old one, and it’s safer for them to do that when the path, driveway or street outside your home isn’t icy and slippery due to snow or rain.

17% of homeowners are planning to renovate their kitchen in 2021, according to The Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report: 2021. If you’re one of them, but you haven’t gotten around to renovating yet, installing a new worktop is a great starting point.

6. Repaint your rooms

You might think it’s better to paint when you’re spending more time indoors during the winter. However, it’s also a fun DIY project to do with the kids whilst they’re off school for the summer. If you’re looking for more easy summer home improvement jobs, check out our blog post on DIY jobs to do whilst social distancing.

If you’re working from home and want to revamp your workspace, a fresh lick of paint will invigorate you even on the hottest of days when you’d rather be outside!

The post 6 jobs to do in summer (that you might think are better done in winter) appeared first on Rated People Blog.

Knocking down a wall to create an open plan layout is a popular choice for homeowners looking to make their homes brighter and airier. But before you pick up your sledgehammer, you need to make sure that you know whether the wall’s load-bearing or a stud partition – otherwise you could damage the structural integrity of your home!

To help you avoid a potential DIY disaster, we’ve explained the difference between stud partition walls and load-bearing walls below.

Stud partition vs load-bearing walls

Whilst knocking down any wall in your home might seem daunting at first, there are two key differences which make one type of wall harder to remove than the other.  

Load-bearing walls are riskier to remove

Load-bearing walls support the weight of either the floor above it or the roof, so knocking it down or making any changes to it could cause major structural problems if you don’t know what you’re doing.

They’re made of different materials

Stud partition walls are usually made from a timber frame and plasterboard. On the other hand, load-bearing walls are usually (but not always) made from much sturdier materials like concrete, steel and brick, because of the role they play in supporting your home’s structure.

So, stud walls are usually much easier to remove than load-bearing walls. However, it’s important to remember that you may still undercover electric wiring and plumbing when removing a stud wall, which makes the job slightly more complicated. In this case, it’s best to speak to an expert builder before taking down a wall.

Connect with a vetted builder on Rated People.

How to tell if a wall is a stud partition wall or a load-bearing wall

There are many different checks that you can perform to get an idea about whether a wall is load-bearing, but there are no black and white rules. If you’re in any doubt, it’s always best to seek advice from a builder.

1. Knock on the wall

One common check is to simply knock on the wall and see if it sounds hollow. Load-bearing walls are usually solid, whereas stud partition walls are hollow. But, this isn’t always the case, so don’t use this as your only check!

2. Check the wall above

If the wall you’re thinking about removing is downstairs, check the wall directly above it upstairs first. If this wall is solid, it could indicate that the one downstairs is load-bearing.

3. Is it an exterior wall?

Exterior walls are almost always load-bearing, regardless of what material they’re made from.

4. Look at your property’s foundations

Have your property’s foundations examined to identify which walls have beams that go directly into the concrete foundations. These will usually be load-bearing walls.

5. Consult construction documents or floor plans

If you have access to construction documents or floor plans for your house, then these may contain detailed information about where the beams in your house are. Beams can stretch through multiple walls and floors. Those that start at your property’s foundation and stretch through to the wall above are usually load-bearing.

6. Look at your property’s joists

Usually, walls that are perpendicular to joists are load-bearing, whilst those that run parallel are not.

Whilst all the above points can be good indicators of whether a wall is load-bearing, they aren’t 100% reliable individually. Accidentally removing or making changes to a load-bearing wall can be extremely dangerous, as it could cause your home’s whole structure to collapse over time. It’s always safest to consult the opinion of an expert before starting to knock anything down.

Find an expert builder to help you out on Rated People.

The post What’s the difference between a load-bearing wall and a stud partition wall? appeared first on Rated People Blog.

Transforming your home this year doesn’t have to be costly. Want to update your bathroom on a budget? Looking to renovate a fixer-upper property? Read our affordable home improvement ideas below and get inspired to make some stylish updates or fix your home on a budget.

Shop second hand or vintage furniture

Gumtree, eBay and vintage sellers on social media are great places to buy second hand or vintage furniture on a budget. If there’s a brand or particular style you want, set up email alerts so you don’t have to keep checking the listings. Freecycle or local community pages are great for sourcing free items locally, too.

Try rental services

These days, you can rent anything – from dining tables, to sofas, lights and desks. If you’ve recently bought a home or signed for a new rental property, and your existing furniture doesn’t fit or you’re waiting for new furniture to arrive, why not try renting some instead? Fat Llama, John Lewis and Harth all offer furniture rental. Rental services are also great if you want to try out new furniture trends without the commitment or hefty price tag.

Revamp your home with paint

Repainting your walls, cabinets and furniture will instantly brighten and smarten up your home, without you having to spend a fortune. Take this opportunity to experiment, by using bolder colours in smaller spaces such as your bathroom or toilet. If you’re repainting furniture, cabinets or shelving, it’s a good idea to update any knobs, handles or brackets too, for a finished look.

Looking for a painter? Find a recommended professional by posting your job on Rated People​.

Switch your curtains or blinds, or install shutters

Curtains and blinds often get forgotten about, but updating them is a brilliant and affordable way to redecorate. Large, heavy curtains can often dominate a room and make it feel small. Roman blinds or wooden shutters could be more practical – they can flood a room with light and block it out completely – while also looking stylish and elegant. Alternatively, opt for a cosy feel with new, statement curtains. 

Give your bathroom a makeover

Refresh your bathroom with a few simple, inexpensive changes: try a new wall colour or tiles; replace your shower curtain; repaint cabinets or install a larger mirror to create the illusion of more space.

You could also update your bathroom with plants and space-saving storage accessories (think bamboo bath caddies, racks or towel stands) to create an organised and clutter-free atmosphere. Find more budget bathroom ideas on our Homeowner Advice Centre.

Thinking of renovating your bathroom? Connect with a qualified bathroom fitter on Rated People.

Reupholster your sofa

If you like your sofa, but the fabric is looking faded, try reupholstering it instead of buying a new one. It’s not only the more sustainable option, but you’ll also have the choice of the exact colour and fabric you want. Going for this option can even improve your sofa’s resale value, if it’s an antique.

Looking for an even easier solution? Buy a large throw and cushions to restyle your sofa in seconds.

Hide clutter and make use of dead space with customised storage units

Customised storage units and shelving can have some brilliant benefits. They can make use of dead space in your home (such as under the stairs) and look smarter and sleeker than bulkier, pre-made shop options. Plus, you can choose the dimensions so your possessions fit perfectly. Bespoke storage doesn’t need to be pricey either – when you post a job on Rated People you can get up to three competitive quotes from local tradespeople.

Ready to smarten up your home? Find a local carpenter/joiner by posting your job on Rated People now.

The post How to improve your home on a budget appeared first on Rated People Blog.

There’s something about the start of a new year that gets us in the mood for home improvements and renovations. Looking to solve niggling issues such as loose roof tiles? In need of a home clear-out to signal the end of 2020 and the arrival of 2021? Want to make your home makeover or kitchen renovation dreams a reality? Our tradespeople are ready to help. If you’re not sure where to start – scroll down for interior design trends and inspiration for home improvements, including bathroom and kitchen decor ideas.

1. Sort those emergency jobs

Don’t start the new year on the wrong foot. Get those ‘to-do list’ jobs done before bad weather sets in and starts causing problems. Remember to get your boiler serviced and ​protect your pipes ahead of cold January weather.

2. Get your roofing done

It’s not the most glamorous thing to spend your money on, but a well insulated and tiled roof will help keep your home warm and dry throughout the winter months. High winds and storms mean loose tiles can easily lift and fall from your roof, causing damage and leaks. One of our specialist roofers can inspect your roof and let you know what needs replacing.

Looking for a roofer? ​Find a qualified roofing professional by posting your job on Rated People​.

3. Do a deep clean

Dust off the cobwebs and get your home feeling fresh for 2021. Our cleaners can help with those hard to reach places – whether it’s dirty windows, grubby post-Christmas ovens or bathroom and kitchen grime. Next up: organise cabinets, shelves and wardrobes for a tidy home and tidy mind.

4. Update your bathroom

Dreaming of going to the tropics or to a luxurious spa? Perhaps it’s time to renovate your bathroom instead. Tropical, spa-like bathrooms, are on trend for 2021. Think lots of greenery, natural materials, open walk-in showers and freestanding baths.

5. Renovate your kitchen

Pantone has revealed not one, but two colours for 2021 – Ultimate Grey and Illuminating Yellow – which could look great together, especially in a modern kitchen. We love the sunny optimism of yellow and the balancing, refined feel of grey. If you’re not sure about bright yellow, introduce touches of this adventurous hue in the form of crockery or furniture.

Looking for a kitchen specialist? ​Find a vetted professional to help you out by posting your job on Rated People​.

6. Spruce up your outdoor space

The ‘new normal’ will continue in 2021 with outdoor socialising and social distancing. Host small groups of friends and family (if rules allow) safely outside in your garden. Add seating, plants and decking to create an inviting space. Tidy up the garden and flower beds and when the darkness and cold sets in, make it cosy with candles, fairy lights, heaters or fire pits.

7. Upgrade your driveway or front porch

Sometimes the exterior of our homes can get forgotten about. Repave your driveway or smarten up your front porch ready for those doorstep catch ups with friends and neighbours. If you cycle, find a clever way to store your bike. Finally, don’t forget smart security lights and fencing to keep your home safe and sound.

8. Go green

Help the planet and your bank balance with eco-friendly home improvements. In 2021, we’ll see a continuing demand for green home updates. Stay ahead of the curve and think about installing smart heating and lighting, solar panels or better insulation.

Are you thinking of making your home greener? Find a recommended tradesperson to turn your home into an eco haven – post your project on Rated People today​.

9. Convert your shed or build garden studio

Remote working is another trend that’s set to continue in 2021. Up your WFH game and turn your shed into a studio or build your dream garden office. You could even convert your garage into a dreamy work space. We love these home offices!

10. Build an extension to create more space

Reinvent your home and prioritise what you love doing most – watching films, working out, or cooking incredible food – with a home extension. Not only could a home gym, film room or extended kitchen add value to your home, but it could increase your home life satisfaction – especially if you found yourself experiencing cabin fever in 2020. Maximise square footage and building costs with a two-storey extension.

Dreaming of a house extension? Turn your vision into a reality with the help of a local builder – ​post your project on Rated People today.

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