Your home should be a haven through the ups and downs of life. Successfully reliable homes should be able to offer retreat when times are tough. When you’re going through major life changes, you really notice what your home is doing (or not able to do) for you. We ask what makes a reliable home through turbulent times? Because having a property that can support you can offer you a sense of reassurance both in and outside of your home.
Improve your energy efficiency and insulation
We recently interviewed our CEO and founder, Alex Depledge MBE, and her response to what her version of an ideal home looks like spoke volumes. She told us that, ‘It's really not sexy… but I would be looking for whole house insulation’. Given the hike in energy prices in recent years and the uncertainty that these spiralling costs can bring, we think that when it comes to improving your home’s reliability she may indeed have a point.
Properly insulating your home means needing less energy to heat the space and keep it warm so, even when life gets hectic, you can rely on your bills being in your control and staying warm at night. Now is a good time to prepare for rainier days and assess your insulation. Not sure where to begin? Start with reading our guide on how to check your home’s insulation. One of the key ways to find out your insulation quality is to find out your Energy Performance Certificate rating.
If you have a low scoring EPC, it can be disheartening. But, rest assured, there are solutions that will be outlined in the report you receive. The recommendations will be made alongside costs, estimated annual savings and the predicted change to the EPC rating. These can range from cavity wall insulation to solar panel installation. Whichever route you decide to take, we’re here to offer support and guidance. Book a free advice call to learn more about how to improve your insulation and make your home more reliable all year round.
Solidify your foundations
We’re handing the mic back to our CEO Alex again who told us that when it comes to our homes, ‘my advice to everybody is to spend money on the things that have to work the hardest and that are going to last.’ And when it comes to lasting features in the home, the foundations are key. But what exactly do we mean by solid foundations?
One aspect, as we’ve covered above, is assessing and addressing the insulation in your home. If you're embarking on a renovation project, use it as an opportunity to check and correct the functioning of your plumbing, electrics, the sturdiness of the floor and the quality of any previous works. These practicalities may not have the exciting allure of an interior design project but it could make all the difference to the long-term reliability of your home. Use our Quick Quote Calculator to see how much your project idea could set you back.
Create a healthy environment
There are plenty of ways for a home to be considered healthy but for the sake of this point, we’re going literal: is your home a hazard to your physical health? When we think of unhealthy homes, images of mould, the heaviness of damp and the shivers that accompany draughts come to mind. For a home to be a supportive place to retreat to, you need to be able to rely on it to keep you well or, at the very least, to not make you unwell.
That’s why we recommend conducting checks to identify the source of the issues in your home and develop a plan of action to combat them. Solving foundational issues now could save you a headache (and a lot of money) later. Speak to our experts to begin your renovation journey.
If a renovation is more of a long-term plan but you’re looking to improve in the meantime, invest in a well-reviewed dehumidifier to minimise the damp in your home and prevent mould from developing. When it comes to blocking draughts, a great short-term solution is hanging a curtain to seal off your front door and placing draught excluders around your home. It also pays to open windows while you cook and air out a room after a hot shower. In summer months, opt for hanging your washing outside to prevent additional damp. A combination of these should help to keep your mould, damp and draught at bay until you can resolve the foundational issues of your property.
© Veronica Rodriguez
Make your home function smoothly
If you can rely on the plumbing, electricity and heating in your home to run smoothly, it’ll take the weight off your shoulders when it comes to dealing with other aspects of your life. After all, the last thing you want at the end of a stressful week is to come home to cold water, leaky pipes and flickering lights. Get these elements right and the rest will follow. Here’s a list of some of the most highly regarded plumbing companies in the UK for you to use as a springboard for your search for the best person for the job.
Getting that extension done
Whether it’s something you’ve been putting off for a while or something you’re considering, an extension can make a huge difference to how you feel at home. Depending on your existing property, the amount of space you’re looking to create and what style you’re looking for, there are a huge array of options.
We’ve compiled an ultimate guide to home extensions to introduce you to the various types and advise on the practicalities along the way. After all, undergoing a home extension can be disruptive and expensive. But if more room is what you’re after, don’t be perturbed – keep your eyes on the prize and look forward to revelling in your new space at a later date.
Whether you opt for a utility room that’ll ease the pressure of chores or a home office to get some peace and quiet, your extension could provide space in the home to make you feel supported no matter what’s happening outside.
© Veronica Rodriguez
If the time has come to create that space, get the ball rolling and see how much it could cost you with our Quick Quote Calculator or book a free advice call with one of our experts.
