London Homeowners Improve Rather Than Move

As the recession continues to bite more homeowners are opting to improve their London homes rather than move in this financially sluggish climate. In 2011 a survey carried out by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors discovered that 48% of homeowners chose to improve rather than move with extensions, loft conversions and room renovations top of the list. Further research carried out a year later in the latter part of 2012 revealed that the percentage of UK home improver had risen to more than 50%.

Adding extra rooms to a home is a big undertaking and one that London householders will consider carefully. Whilst an extension will obviously cause domestic upheaval it is better to go through the process just the once! In other words, when planning a new room take the time to consider what type of flooring you are looking for. A new or reclaimed real wood floor can be fitted once the extension work has been completed, giving you a beautiful new room that is ready to use.

The only flooring which will last a lifetime

Whether you are looking to blend your new floor with the flooring you already have or maybe you are installing a wood floor for the first time – either way you will be delighted at the innovations and ease of maintenance of a real wood floor; the only floor which can last a lifetime.

Wood floors lend themselves to a variety of styles and décor. Small rooms look airy and bright, large rooms look uncluttered and chic. More London homeowners recognise the benefits of wood flooring, and everything from Granny flats to garden offices and outdoor decking also look great with a real wood floor.

A well fitted wood floor can add thousands to the resale value of a home and even if your home is not for sale any time soon you will gain so much in aesthetic value and style. A shiny and smooth wood floor works as a great centrepiece in dining rooms and hallways and is always a talking point with guests.

Choose the professionals

However, just as you would not choose to have your extension built by electricians or your wiring put in by builders, it follows that your wood floor should only be installed by a professional london floor sanding company using the latest range of hi-tech equipment and a fully qualified flooring team.

Unlike carpeting and laminates, real wood will last your lifetime with minimal maintenance and a little bit of occasional TLC. It is therefore worth investing in a wood floor, which can only bring additional value to your home.

Cleaner, safer and more attractive than other types of flooring, what’s not to like with a real wood floor? There are so many types and styles to choose from and if you would like your floor to match an existing sanding parquet design or wood type then a wood floor specialist will be able to help you source and install your wood of choice with minimal fuss.

 

Loft conversions in particular look really well with a wood floor as it adds space and volume to irregularly shaped areas. Scatter rugs can be used to add colour and a little panache and placed in high traffic areas to protect the floor. But do consider the ‘noise’ factor for anyone in rooms beneath a wooden floor – it’s a good idea to ban high heels both to protect the surface of the wood and the eardrums of those trying to relax in the room below!

Hard wood floors are tough and can generally hold their own against the normal wear and tear of family life. However with a little care in the way of sweeping, the occasional mopping and a refinishing every decade or so will ensure your floor remains a feature of which you can justly be proud.

Stop the Rot on Real Wood Floors

If you are fortunate enough to have uncovered an original wood floor under a heap of old carpeting or lino in your home then the chances are that you will want to restore it to its former glory. But before you get into the whole refurbishment process the first thing you need do (once you have removed the carpet of course) is to check for rot and mould, especially if the room is an attic, basement or annexe with exterior untreated walls.

If rot is discovered it must be treated at once otherwise, it will not only ruin the whole of the floor but also cause some serious damage to the foundations of the house. Both dry and wet rot thrive in damp areas and when rot gets a hold it makes its presence known by a distinctively unpleasant fungal-type smell.

Dry rot

Dry rot can live in any type of wood construction, from roof beams to flooring. Over time the fungus destroys the timber, leaving it a crumbling mass so brittle it can be broken away by hand. So called because it turns the wood to dry, crumbling dust, dry rot actually needs an abundance of humidity to grow. A constant moisture content (unventilated) of about 1/5^th will ensure dry rot lives comfortably. Dry rot conditions are most commonly found on the underside of the floor boards. If the rot has advanced to such an extent that it can be seen from above then it is likely that the wood cannot be saved.

Dry rot spreads with alarming speed so if you discover this pest you must take action immediately. Left unchecked dry rot can spread through not only the wooden structures but also plaster and brickwork too.

You know you have dry rot when:

·       the planks have a light coloured growth which may be yellow or lilac tinged

·       the distinctive fungal smell is apparent

·       wood is gappy and crumbling and splits easily – poke a nail into the wood and if it sinks in easily chances are it’s dry rot

Dry rot in the advanced stage looks like a circular growth with a reddish knot at the centre.

Unless you are a DIY whiz you should bring in professional floor experts to deal with any rot problem. But you can check out the room thoroughly and note areas of leakages, broken or missing pipework, gaps in exterior doors and windows, missing tiles. Also check the last time your property was damp-proofed.

Wet rot

The more common enemy of the untreated Wood Floor Renovation is wet rot. It is less severe than dry rot, but only because this type of pest tends to keep to the wet patches and does not travel across the planking as does its dry rot cousin. Nevertheless, wet rot must be professionally treated as soon as it is discovered.

You know your floor has wet rot when the affected areas are darker than the rest of the floor. However, if the wood has been stained or painted the discolouration may be difficult to spot. Wet rot feels soft and sponge-like to the touch and will emit a foetid, mushroom-like odour.

In either case, the quicker you act the more of the floor you can save.

After treatment what next?

Once the Floor Sanding has been fully treated and is ready for a well-deserved makeover you can undertake the sanding and refinishing process yourself. Alternatively, you can obtain a free quotation from a professional floor sanding company that uses the latest technology to ensure your salvaged wood floor is returned to its original and sparkling beauty.

The Benefits of Hardwood Flooring

Even though the UK property market is beginning to pick up a little, it would be fair to say that 2013-14 will continue to prove difficult with marketplace jostling and competition between sellers still very much in evidence. With two or sometimes even three houses for sale on the same street it is wise to give your home a USP (unique selling point). And what better selling point can there be than a beautifully constructed real wood floor.

Endorsed by a survey carried out in 2011 by the National Wood Flooring Association, wise sellers who add a real wood masterpiece to their home sell more quickly. In some cases the owner decides to stay and enjoy the benefits of their new floor themselves! But homeowners who definitely wish to sell can take heart from the encouraging numbers in this survey. Almost all estate agencies who took part in the survey said that their own statistics showed that homes with real wood flooring were an easier sell. A whopping 90% agreed that a house with wood flooring sells for more money than a comparable house without wooden flooring.

Move or improve?

With many people choosing now to stay and improve rather than move to a new property entirely, extensions and annexe constructions have never been more popular. So with this in mind many astute homeowners have taken the opportunity to install hardwood flooring throughout their homes as part of the improvement process. Viewed as profit enhancing if you sell and a lifetime investment if you don’t, all types of hardwoods are enhancing homes throughout the UK. And with more eco-options available than ever before, now is a great time to install that wooden floor you have always wanted.

If you have never had a wooden floor in your home but have always wanted one you may be surprised to know how easy it is to maintain and clean a good wood floor. A well-kept floor will last around 100 years. Installing laminates and types of engineered wood will give a decade or so of good service with normal wear and tear, which surpasses the claims of even the very best carpets!

Wood floor has so many advantages, many of which you will already know including the health benefits, especially in homes with asthmatic and allergy sufferers. Correctly installed hardwood flooring will, with just a little TLC, last you a lifetime and beyond. When time comes that the floor does begin to lose its lustre and sheen then it can easily be revamped with a sanding and refinishing makeover without changing any of the boards.

In addition, the range of hardwoods available is so vast there is something out there to suit every taste and budget. Formal rooms, hallways, dens, bedrooms as well as outdoor flooring such as decking and pathways all benefit from good quality hardwood flooring.

Advice is always available

If you are unsure as to the type of wood best suited to your home then you can choose expert advice in the form of a free quotation and assessment of your home and the room in particular. This way you know you are choosing the right type of wood for you and your family. Professional Floor Sanding and installation companies will be delighted to help you make the best choice for your home and within budget.

If you have flooring that is tired and dulled by years of high heels, children’s toys and pet paws then you can restore that floor with the minimum of fuss and bother. If you have some carpentry experience you can re-do the floor yourself, or if you prefer to trust your hardwood to the specialists who will care about your floor as much as you do then get a quote – you may be pleasantly surprised. The price of a quality Wood Floor Refinishing may not be as costly as you imagine, giving you in return many years of elegance and real wood beauty.