No money to extend and not the right time to move? Perhaps by revitalising your outdoor space you could make your home work better for you this summer.
As the weather gets warmer, adding a patio or decking can create an outdoor eating area, outside playroom or even a place where the children can do their homework - freeing up overcrowded kitchen and living areas.
The best way forward is to put some ideas on paper and talk to a local builder about putting it into action. Builders can help with all aspects of landscaping - from patios, walls, fencing, driveways, water features and planters - by providing that professional touch.
Patio or decking?
A patio provides a natural eating and leisure area all year round. There are a huge variety of materials available, from granite, to flagstones, terracotta to slate, in a variety of shapes and sizes, so seek advice and prepare well. Check out your local DIY shop, builders merchants or garden centre for the options and if you are unsure about building it, get a quote from your local builder. To find an FMB builder in your area who specialises in landscaping click through www.fmb.org.uk/findabuilder.
Decking, made from softwood or hardwood, is another alternative for the eating area. While softwoods can be stained to a variety of colours or left to weather to a silver-grey colour, the more expensive hardwoods offer lovely rich colours that weather well, require minimal maintenance and are durable. Talk to your local garden centre or builders merchant about the pros and cons. They can also offer advice on fencing, pergolas, gazebos, garden seats and trellis work.
Design
Experts advise matching elements of the rooms that lead on to the garden with the outdoor space, to make less of a break between the indoor and outdoor space. For example, using the same colour for your conservatory walls as the fence or decking.
Pergolas, small walls or raised planters are all ways of creating natural breaks between areas of the garden.
A pond, water feature or fountain can provide interest to any size of garden, however it's important to consider where this is sited. Talk to your builder about the accessibility to a water supply, the position and protection of electrical cables, the location of existing bedrock, pipe-work or septic tanks close to where you would like to have your water garden.
Building Basics
As with every building project, careful planning makes all the difference.
There are plenty of garden designers, so if you're unsure how to plan the space, you can seek professional design advice. As with any other building job, obtain two or three quotes, check references and visit previous jobs. Agree everything in writing, fix your budget and manage the project and budget very carefully.
Enjoy the summer!
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| One of the best ways to enjoy your revitalised outdoor space, even when the air is a little chilly, is to use a patio heater. The FMB are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a small patio heater. Click here for more details. Competition closes: 25th April 2009. |
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 Morrisons supermarkets across Britain are now stocking 'Make Mine a Builders' tea. Developed for the building trade and supported by the FMB, Make Mine a Builders is also available to the great British tea drinking public at ASDA supermarkets.
Make Mine a Builders is an ethically sourced tea made from East African leaves which brews to full strength in 20 seconds. |
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| The FMB welcomed the vote last month by European Finance Ministers to allow EU Member States to cut VAT on home maintenance and repairs, giving the UK Government the option to reduce VAT to 5% on this type of building work. |
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| Vote for Builders Breakfast now! |
There's less than a month to go before voting ends in the Walkers Crisps "Do us a flavour" competition, the FMB is urging crisp-lovers to place their vote for the 'Builders Breakfast' flavour, one of six new flavours competing to be the latest addition to the Walkers crisps range.
'Builders Breakfast', a combination of bacon, buttered toast, eggs and tomato sauce, is the FMB's favourite in the competition against some very strange combinations including 'Chilli and Chocolate' and 'Cajun Squirrel'.
You have until 1st May to vote for your favourite flavour, so visit Walker's website at www.walkers.co.uk to find out more.
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Hot off the press is the latest edition of the Essential Guide to Home Improvement.
With interesting interior design ideas and advice on the best ways of using available space from Naomi Cleaver, C4 presenter of Grand Designs Trade Secrets, as well as real-life case studies to give you some food for thought.
Download the Guide from www.fmb.org.uk/guide.
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| CORGI becomes Gas Safe Register |
Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI gas registration in Great Britain on 1st April 2009.
The register exists to protect you, your family and your property from dangerous gas work. By law, anyone carrying out work on gas installations and appliances in your home must be on the Gas Safe Register. Be gas safe - always use a Gas Safe registered engineer. And always ask to see their Gas Safe Register ID card.
Find out how the new Gas Safe Register protects you and your family from unsafe gas work at www.gassaferegister.co.uk.
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Scotland - SECC, Glasgow 16-17 May 2009
Peterborough - East of England Showground 30-31 May 2009
Surrey - Sandown Park - 27-28 June 2009
Harrogate - Harrogate International Centre 6-8 November 2009
Somerset - Bath & West Showground 21-22 November 2009
National - NEC Birmingham - 18 - 21 March 2010 |
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