What colour adds most value to your house – again
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What colour adds most value to your house – again

We hear a lot about the value of a fresh coat of paint to raise property resale price, but according to survey we value artistic expression above mere profit, and only 4% of homeowners paint for that reason. Fifty-five percent just want a different look, and the main reason homeowners decide to paint is a…

Redecorating boosts your house value – but what colours sell best?
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Redecorating boosts your house value – but what colours sell best?

When I was just a lad, I convinced my Dad to let me decorate my own room. Today, as my bank account waves farewell to yet another mortgage payment, I spare my Dad a thought as I think what the orange wallpaper and purple paint did to the value of the family home. Regular readers…

The prettiest way to add £40,000 to your property value
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The prettiest way to add £40,000 to your property value

I was pleased to see a story in the Daily Telegraph comparing various home improvements, and estimating the added value each of them puts on your property. Yes, it’s official – decorating is one of the most cost-efficient ways of adding property value. The online tool takes your property value, the amount you might spend…

Preserving the history of London homes
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Preserving the history of London homes

Despite very strict planning laws, we’re famous in London for the way we put modernist buildings next to fabulous old buildings. Somehow, it all seems work. House prices have also driven owners to add extensions, often using the same mixture of new and old. Personally, I think it works very well most of the time….

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Cold, Wet and Windy – keep your house from catching the flu

Our good friends in the weather service are predicting plenty of rain and storms for this winter. No-one has ruled out a plague of woolly mammoths. The last really wet winter caused all manner of problems in properties across London, and this is the time of year to start preparing for the onslaught. Even a mild London…

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What to watch out for after all this rain

All this rain is causing damp problems to homes all over London, even in areas which have avoided flooding. 
I hope you’ve not had any serious damage, but I thought you might want to know the main things to watch out for.

Water can get into walls through various ways, including: Cracked or missing roof tiles Gaps around door and window frames Breaks in…

Restoring old paint finishes and choice of paint for exteriors
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Restoring old paint finishes and choice of paint for exteriors

Sales of green paint have been going well since my last newsletter (in case you missed it, it’s supposed to be the paint equivalent of viagra). But I thought I should raise the tone a little. We sometimes find houses with old paint finishes that haven’t been redecorated since the 70’s, and often enough we…

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How to tell if it’s time for repainting

Here in the South we seem to be moving towards Spring, despite the pictures I saw of cars in Yorkshire stranded in the snow.
It’s a good time of year to take stock of a home and look at what jobs will need to be done, including decorating jobs of course.

External paintwork
What should you look for…

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Avoiding home damage from the cold

This kind of weather makes people worry about everything from burst pipes to collapsing roofs. It also makes my workmen fight over who gets to work in the warmest houses. But there are points to watch out for in a cold snap that could save nasty bills later, so I thought I’d pass on what…