Jul 15, 2022 | Construction, Decorating, Maintenance
If you need to update a period property or fully refurbish a listed building, the process may be more involved than for a modern home with a less sensitive structure.
There are many ways to renovate a unique older residence with sympathy towards the traditional materials used and achieve a striking result that blends heritage with convenience.
Here we draw on our years of expertise in listed and period property maintenance and renovation to share some of our tips to help you get started.
The Challenges of Period Property Maintenance
The charm of an older building is undeniable – but many require a great deal of maintenance, if not a wider renovation, to deal with the dampness and draughts common in period homes.
With some skill and knowledge, this doesn’t have to drain your resources. By enhancing the existing character, you can preserve and refurbish rather than trying to replace each element, one brick at a time. Some of the biggest issues can be that older homes are simply bigger than the buildings we construct today.
Therefore, rather than spending your budget on outbuildings, landscaping or parts of the property that aren’t crucial, we’d suggest you begin with key spaces, such as the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. A systematic approach will ensure you prioritise those more important projects first. You will often find it far easier to finance ongoing works if you have already made improvements to the fundamental rooms within the property.
Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle
First – don’t discard any materials or flooring that don’t appear to be in immaculate condition. Heritage homes and listed buildings can be full of valuable materials and quality hardwoods that, even if they require maintenance or replacement, can easily be used elsewhere without buying anything new.
It can be tempting to start tearing down walls or ripping off old paper, but it is better to explore the available resources and live in the home for a short while to assess how you will use the space. Refurbishing what you already have might take longer than replacing each fitting, but original features add significant value and interest to the character of a period home. Think renovated floorboards, reconditioned balustrades, ceiling roses, light switches, stairways, glazing – all of these fixtures that you simply cannot replace like-for-like.
For example, you might need to rewire old electrics, but if you can retain those lighting points, switches and handles, your finished renovation will be all the better.
Explore Traditional Materials and Techniques
Older homes were built slowly, carefully, and with selected materials chosen for their performance properties and longevity. You’ll find many period properties still with horsehair plaster and oak beams that would be prohibitively expensive today.
Traditional materials such as lime mortar may be harder to come by at your local DIY store. Still, an experienced local professional often has years of knowledge to share. If you can replicate these crafts, you can often restore or improve existing walls and installations rather than trying to tear back elements of the property that have stood for generations.
Once you learn about the history of your building, you might also consider how it was built and maintained and look into using contractors who understand those approaches, often passed down as a family trade. Although a set of power tools might seem more efficient for some tasks, they could be detrimental and too harsh or powerful for the delicacy of an older building.
Choose a Contractor With Period Property Expertise
Looking after an older home isn’t a job that all modern contractors can undertake because the materials, applications, techniques and considerations are very different from a newer property.
Renovation is about much more than aesthetics and involves:
- Specialist knowledge about working with certain materials.
- Sourcing unusual fixtures or traditional building components.
- Applying the correct techniques to augment the property’s character.
- Protecting the structural integrity of the building.
Plastering, for example, would traditionally have been done with lime plaster and roofing with stone slate.
If you commission a local expert who has worked on similar period properties, they will be able to source those materials and apply them to prolong the building’s life and avoid replacing entire walls or ceilings unnecessarily.
Apply for the Correct Planning Permission
Generally, any property built before 1914 is considered a period home. Although planning permission rules vary between areas, you are more likely to need consent to alter or adapt a residence of this age.
If you have a listed building, you will certainly need formal permission to make changes to the structure and may be bound by rules about which materials you can use.
Some of the other factors to think about are:
- Permitted development vs planning permission – even if your maintenance project appears to fall within the scope of permitted development, you should always confirm this with the local authority before work begins.
- Conservation areas – homes that are not listed but are within protected conservation areas, or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, will require additional permission, normally following a site visit and presentation of detailed drawings.
- Listed buildings – Listed Building Consent is additional to planning permission. Unless your list entry says otherwise, the protection applies to the whole property, inside and out, fixtures and other nearby structures.
Ensuring you have permission and the support of the local authority is essential to avoid fines, legal challenges or even criminal charges if you have failed to apply for mandatory consent.
The Highs and Lows of Period Property Maintenance and Renovation
Listed or period homes command care and attention from their present-day custodians. Although they sometimes feel like a labour of love, it is well worth the experience of living in a distinctive older property with a wealth of history.
Pinnacle Works are a full-service West Sussex building firm and are privileged to have worked on some very special local properties – if you need any support with your renovation or maintenance, please get in touch at your convenience. Our skilled contractors can support you at each stage, whether you are planning a full-scale renovation of a newly acquired period home or need professional advice to prepare for ongoing maintenance requirements.
Jun 14, 2022 | Construction
There are countless ways to boost your property value, expand your living space, and improve the capacity of your home.
We regularly work with homeowners keen to expand but unsure how to start the design process or whether to extend upwards, outwards or down. We’ve collated some tips and advice to showcase some popular property upgrades, what’s involved, and factors to consider.
The Advantages of Investing in Your Home
First, let’s answer the obvious question – isn’t it easier to simply sell up and move to a larger property? The decision is, of course, entirely yours, but the average house move costs around £9,000 (plus the cost of purchasing a bigger home) and is considerably more disruptive than a few weeks of improvement work.
It also takes around 295 days to sell your current property (about ten months), and you’d need to think about marketing your existing home and buying somewhere new.
If you like your neighbourhood and are settled in the area, it’s well worth investigating the cost of a property upgrade rather than needing to relocate and potentially enrol in new schools or find alternative job opportunities.
Why Extend Your Property?
The advantages of an extension are compelling, and depending on what you’d like to achieve; it can be a relatively fast and cost-effective way of transforming your home:
- Repurposing unused space: many properties, particularly period homes, have small side returns and areas that don’t serve a viable purpose. Using that capacity to extend can make use of empty land while significantly improving your property.
- Increasing property value: the average extension adds 23% to your property value – with a sizeable 71% return on investment, or £14,000 profit reflected in the revised market valuation.
- Creating extra rooms: most homeowners decide to move because they need a spare bedroom, home office or work area. An extension can add one or more additional bedrooms to your property or create a new kitchen or bathroom.
- Cheaper and quicker than moving: while a larger-scale two-storey extension is an investment, it is also considerably faster and more cost-efficient than selling your home. Extension can be completed in weeks and ready for immediate use.
- Upgrading your living standards: designing a bespoke extension is a fantastic opportunity to reconfigure your layout! Whether you’d love picture windows, a sleek contemporary design or classic heritage brickwork, you can play with inspiration to tailor your home to your personality and style.
- Energy-efficiency benefits: modern extensions comprise all the essential features for improved energy efficiency, such as insulation, double or triple glazing and under-floor heating, making your home lower cost to run and better for the environment.
There are also many choices of material, finish and extension design.
If you have a limited budget, please get in touch for advice about the best ways to achieve your desired outcome while controlling overall costs.
Planning Permission Rules for a Full Property Extension
Planning permission is often perceived as a stumbling block to upgrading your property, but it can be straightforward if you understand the rules and file a comprehensive application.
The government’s Planning Portal explains all the exemptions and limits within which you can extend your home under permitted development rights.
Where planning rules do apply, the process works like this:
- Buy a location or site plan from the Planning Portal – you use this to show how the design will look and how close it will be to borders, roads or adjoining properties.
- Create drawings and architectural plans demonstrating the materials, construction and finished result of your planned extension.
- Work out the project dimensions using a volume calculator to determine the additional cubic metres your extension would create.
- Complete the planning application paperwork for Full Planning Permission, attaching your site plan and designs. The associated fee for most extensions is £238.20, including VAT.
Pinnacle Works is always available to assist with each step of the process, draw up technical designs and ensure your application is accurate and within all the relevant guidelines.
Popular Property Extension Design Ideas
If you’re unsure of the style or size of extension that would provide the most benefit to you and your family, it’s wise to review other property extensions and shortlist your priorities in terms of budget, additional rooms, and space required.
Two-Story Property Extension
Double-storey extensions can be in any shape – a rear extension, a side return or a wrap-around extension over two new floors.
The advantage is that you double the living space added, although a two-storey extension does not cost twice that of a smaller one-storey conversion. Homeowners who want to expand their property as much as possible opt for double-storey extensions since the cost is generally around 50% more than a single storey.
Much of the groundwork is identical, so you get more living space for each pound spent and can add an extra bedroom, home office or bathroom upstairs.
Modern Property Extension
A home extension doesn’t need to be a traditional ‘box’ added to the front, side or back of your property.
Alternatives include:
- Extending the ceiling to create a double-height living space with a dramatic impact and an influx of natural light.
- Replicating period features with modern, sustainable materials and efficient features such as triple glazing or roof lights.
- Knocking through internal walls to open up living spaces and combine an outward extension with a larger scale open indoor room.
- Blending the indoors with a garden is a popular option in urban properties. A garden room or panoramic windows can make darker rooms and even subfloor-level apartments feel bright and spacious.
Side Return House Extensions
A side return is an excellent choice if you wish to retain outdoor space but need a larger living area within your property.
Disused alleyways or slim areas where you keep bins and garden equipment can be repurposed, adding value to your home and plotting the extension across the length of the room and outward.
Side return extensions can be one or two storeys high and usually take around three to four months to complete, from digging the foundations to applying the final touches.
Choosing the Right Extension Design to Upgrade Your Property
We hope we’ve provided you food for thought and some ideas and information about the different home extension types to choose from and the factors to consider before you make any decisions.
Get in touch if you’d like further advice about any of the extensions discussed here, help with a planning application, or support from an experienced design team.
May 11, 2022 | Construction, Decorating
Pinnacle Works loves to combine craftsmanship with exceptional finishes, and here we want to talk about the seamless beauty of balconies with glass balustrades.
Traditional balconies, porches, decks and roof gardens often feature blocky wooden fencing and brick walls, obstructing the view and taking up valuable floor space. Toughened glass makes for an excellent focal point and, blended with stainless steel, can transform how your home looks and feels.
Our focus, as always, is on first-class service, from designing a unique balustrade to match your aesthetic through to finishing off your installation with impeccable attention to detail.
The Benefits of Glass Balustrade Balconies and Decks
Precision-engineered glass, handrails, frames and bases enable us to construct a vast array of glass balustrade designs, with laminated glass that is strong and durable yet with lightweight framing suitable for most roof spaces. As a sophisticated feature, a glass balustrade is also practical, rust-resistant and low maintenance offering multiple benefits that don’t stop with increasing light filtration.
Turning a Flat Roof Into a Focal Point
For many homeowners, a flat roof is wasted space and often a nuisance where felting requires regular repairs or maintenance – but it could be an exciting opportunity to customise your home.
Dreaming of sipping your coffee on a summer morning and watching the world go by or entertaining in the evenings on a beautifully constructed balcony space? The lightweight aluminium or stainless steel frame profile is perfectly suited to even small roof spaces, turning a patch of property that doesn’t serve a purpose into a versatile area.
Adding Value and Appeal to Your Property
Adding a balcony to your home can boost its value by around 12% – and potentially much more if you have a streamlined, modern glass balustrade to amplify the view and surrounding scenery!
The appeal of a balcony space is in its varied uses:
- Sunbathing and relaxing
- Entertaining and dining
- Safe kid’s play space
- Extra outdoor area
- Yoga or workout deck
- Balcony or kitchen gardens
- Private reading nooks
- Outdoor office in pleasant weather
Tailoring your balcony to your intended use is part of the fun; perhaps rattan furniture for a classic dining space, suspended hooks for hanging baskets, or waterproof storage units to keep your outdoor cushions dry.
Maximising Panoramic Views
We often work with clients with a balcony that tends to be overlooked, with brick walls, thick fencing or unsightly barriers incorporated as a safety feature. Glass overcomes those limitations by replacing solid walls with an equally robust and secure material that will not block the light. Natural light flows freely into your home, making your rooms feel more open and airy.
Expanding Your Usable Spaces
The simplicity of crystal clear glass conceals a considerable amount of technology that goes into manufacturing incredibly safe, strong glazing. Glass balustrades are as tough and durable as any other balcony material. It would require significant structural pressure to cause the glass to crack or break (it’s a similar strength to steel!).
For families, the extension into a balcony is a chance to create new outdoor spaces with plenty of fresh air and sunlight without any safety risks – even if the glass were exposed to huge amounts of weight, tempered glass does not break into sharp shards.
Featuring Ultra-Modern Frameless Glass
Frameless glass is the most modern design possible and means that your balustrade appears to be floating, creating an ethereal and striking statement. The natural illusion is one of greater space, like an infinity pool where there are no harsh lines to break up your lines of sight.
Stainless Steel Handrails for Safety and Style
The sharp contrast between sheer glass and stainless steel is a great way to maximise the impact of your glass balustrade. Stainless steel won’t crumble, chip, bend, fade or warp and has a few added environmental benefits.
Using bright stainless steel ensures your balustrade is better visible to birds and wildlife, making it safe for local ecosystems. It is also 100% recyclable, ideal for eco-friendly homes and conscious living spaces.
Incorporating Statement Architectural Steel
High-quality architectural steels are an excellent choice for outdoor balconies, walkways and platforms, providing stability and a polished appearance with a wealth of fabrication options to suit your desired appearance. Custom architectural steel can create a clean, modern design or a more ornate styling, with railheads and embellishments to reflect the period of your home.
Choosing a Balustrade Design for Your Balcony
There are countless options when designing a glass balustrade – if you need any support, the Pinnacle Works team is here to help.
As a summary of some of the most popular finishes and construction methods, we have run through a few of the alternative designs you might select below.
- Handrails, risers or bannisters made from wood, metal or stone.
- Clear, opaque or patterned glass, with numerous texture, framing, and colour choices.
- Juliet balcony spaces, opening windows and doors, post and rail (vertical bars with a fixed handrail), or frameless glass balustrades.
- Subtle spigot glass systems with steel clamps to secure the glass panels.
The right glass balustrade balcony will normally depend on the age of your property, the size of the balcony space, and the overall effect you’d like to achieve – whether a flawless finish to avoid detracting from heritage stonework or a highly modernised glass and steel extension.
It’s also possible to use glass balustrades in inventive ways, to segregate seating areas in your garden, add a safety element beside swimming pools, or create optimal lighting within a stairwell. One of the key advantages to glass balcony balustrades is that the bulk of the work is completed off-site, with panels engineered to fit your specific sizing and then installed in minimal time to avoid unnecessary disruption.
For more inspiration about the diverse ways to incorporate a glass balustrade within your balcony design or property, please contact the Pinnacle Works team for guidance and advice from the home improvement professionals.
Mar 24, 2022 | Sustainable Energy, Construction
There’s no escaping soaring energy prices, increasing living costs, and the fact that our properties are becoming ever-more expensive to heat, cool and run. Ground and air source heat pumps have been around for a decade, and are coming into their own as alternative heating devices with excellent benefits for the environment, and your bank balance.
Pinnacle Works is passionate about renewable energy and has extensive experience installing high-performance pumps that are fast, reliable, and economical.
What are Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps?
Many homeowners are unfamiliar with these eco-friendly heating appliances, but the concept is simple:
- Pumps absorb environmental heat, converting it into a liquid.
- The fluid is then compressed to a higher temperature.
- That heat is used for central heating and to produce hot water.
The core difference between the two heat pumps is where the heat originates. As the names suggest, air pumps absorb heat from the air, whereas ground heat pumps rely on thermal heat in the ground. We’re often asked how this works, particularly given that we don’t enjoy the warmest climates in the UK! Even when it feels cold, quality heat pumps can still extract heat, and remain operational at sub-zero temperatures, with the ideal tolerance being 25 °C to -5 °C.
Without getting into the technicalities, a ground source heat pump utilises a network of underground pipes (called a loop) with the pump at ground level. Air source heat pumps absorb warmth from outside air using a liquid refrigerant. The compression and condensation process releases stored heat to warm your home and water.
Air Source Heat Pumps
Although the technology behind heat pumps is advanced, the installation is relatively straightforward.
Fitting an air heat pump is quite quick provided you work with a qualified installer, and the pumping and controls are similar to those used on your existing boiler. Ground source heat pumps are a little more involved because we lay a network of piping underground, which requires a certain amount of space.
If you’re interested in comparing these low-cost heating solutions, we can arrange a survey to offer advice about the suitability of each option.
We can install a heat pump in almost any home, but the right choice for you will depend on a few variables:
- Insulation is key, and the pump must be correctly insulated to ensure it operates efficiently and doesn’t experience heat loss.
- Most clients who opt for a ground source pump are either not reliant on the mains gas network or have a wider outdoor space.
- Pumps can be fitted in properties of all ages, but renovated homes and new-builds can present higher energy efficiency ratings, making them ideal for an eco-friendly heat pump.
Average costs sit at around £7,000 – £13,000 for an air source heat pump, and between £14,000 and £19,000 for a ground source pump, with the cost differential owing to the external groundworks.
The investment balances out because a ground pump is a more efficient renewable energy source and produces greater cost savings and lower utility bills. It’s also worth noting that the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) provided higher financial incentives for ground source heat pumps. However, the current application round has closed and been replaced with a new scheme, which we’ll explain shortly.
The Benefits of Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps
The biggest advantage of a renewable heat pump over a conventional boiler is that it will undoubtedly reduce your household costs. A heat pump is significantly cheaper to run than any electrical heating system oil boiler and most gas boilers. Either type of pump is fully automated, so they have an advantage over biomass boilers, requiring much less work.
Other benefits of replacing an older boiler with a heat pump include:
- Superior energy efficiency, with performance ratings of 200% to 400% higher than a standard heating system.
- A substantially lower carbon footprint, with no emissions other than those at the point of electricity production – the compressors use very little electricity and non-harmful refrigerants that don’t impact the environment.
- Condensation prevention, with automatic dehumidifying properties.
- Improved air quality – the heat pump doesn’t burn anything to produce the warmth, so no fumes or smoke filter into the air.
Heat pumps are ideal for families with allergies, as the circulation process purifies the air and removes spores, odours, smoke, particles, and dust.
How Much Money a Heat Pump Could Save You
Much depends on your energy consumption and property, but you could stand to save:
- Over £1,000 a year compared to electric heating systems.
- Up to £570 a year if you use an LPG heating system.
- Around £30 a year against oil or gas boilers.
Of course, with the energy price cap increasing this month by 54%, those statistics may soon multiply.
Government Heat Pump Grants
We mentioned the incentive scheme earlier, which closed on 31st March 2022 – but has been replaced with a more straightforward initiative.
This programme offers a £5,000 grant, or £6,000 towards the cost of a ground source heat pump, and covers any part of the supply or installation cost. The government won’t be accepting direct applications, but Pinnacle Works can apply to Ofgem (the energy regulator) on your behalf, securing a voucher confirming the grant value.
Due to launch this month, these grants are part of a £3.9 billion programme to encourage all households to switch to a low-carbon alternative by 2035.
Exterior Ground Source Heat Pump Case Study
If you’re looking at replacing an old boiler or inefficient heating system, an air or ground source heat pump is an outstanding option, providing long-term, low-carbon and cost-effective heating.
One of our recent commissions involved the installation of an exceptional ground source heat pump housed in a pump house with bespoke fitted oak doors. This example shows the aesthetic achievable, with internal ply lining and professional quality insulation to provide the ultimate energy-saving solution, with maximised pump efficiency. With subtle touches, such as bat boxes in the rafters to encourage local animals to relocate to the pump house, you can see the finished project via our social media HERE.
For more information about whether a renewable heat pump would be right for your property or to enquire about the best option and apply for a government grant, please contact Pinnacle Works at your convenience. Our skilled teams work closely with every client to ensure your finished pump meets every expectation, creating future-proof eco-homes that are as cost-effective as possible.
Feb 15, 2022 | Construction
With continuing rises in living costs and expected energy bill hikes as high as 50% in April, Pinnacle Works regularly speaks to clients exploring the options to make their homes greener and leaner.
There are massive benefits to making your property more efficient:
- Reducing utility costs
- Creating spaces that are easier to heat
- Increases in market value
- Accessing grants and support schemes
Let’s look at some of the most popular green home improvements, what you stand to save, and how it all works.
Updating Heating Systems to Reduce Utility Costs
Most properties rely on gas boilers to heat their rooms and water – but with gas prices getting ever steeper and the typical maintenance issues (and repair costs) to think about, a new heating system is a fantastic option. We’ve recently completed work on an eco-friendly exterior ground-source heat pump, encased in a beautiful outhouse with bespoke oak doors if you’d like some inspiration.
There are multiple advantages:
- Switching an old gas boiler for a condensing model or a ground-source or air-source heat pump makes your home more sustainable, reducing CO2 emissions by a huge 15-30%.
- If all UK properties replaced their gas boilers, energy bills nationwide would drop by £1.3 billion.
- Air-source pumps are reliable and continue generating heat in outside temperatures from an arctic -15 °C, so they are dependable and low-cost to run.
In terms of pricing, a new air-source pump system costs around £7,000 to £11,000 on average, making it a big investment. However, you could save from £295 to £1,805 every year, with a system paying for itself in around six years.
If you’re interested in swapping your gas boiler for something more efficient, keep an eye out for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, due to launch in spring 2022. The initiative will offer upfront capital grants for homeowners to cover the costs of a heat pump.
Harnessing Natural Energy Through Solar Panels
Solar panels are one of the best-known eco-friendly upgrades, but they can take several years to pay back the investment.
The positive is that once you’ve fitted your solar panels, you can wave goodbye to huge electricity charges. If you have an aspect that soaks up a good amount of solar energy, you might find yourself living sustainably off the grid altogether. Fitting a new set of solar panels will set you back around £4,800 on average, but the perks include:
- Utility cost savings of £165 to £440 a year based on typical household usage.
- Income generated from selling excess power back to the grid.
- Reliable electricity, with solar panels generating power even on dull days..
Warming Your Home With Quality Insulation
One of the main reasons energy bills become so costly is that homes are not insulated properly – so the heating remains on around the clock because the chill sets in the second the boiler turns off.
Insulation is one of the most affordable ways to make a home greener, and you can look at:
- Replacing loft insulation.
- Boosting cavity wall insulation.
- Investing in underfloor insulation or heating.
The exact cost of fitting new, quality insulation depends on where the work is required and the size of your property, but simply insulating your loft adequately will save an average of £315 a year.
Underfloor Heating to Keep Your Toes Cosy
Underfloor heating is a wonderful addition to an eco-friendly home that is a joy to live in. It’s more discreet than blocky radiators or wall-mounted heaters and can be retrofitted to older homes as well as installed in new builds.
Heating pipes laid under your flooring use between 15% and 40% less energy than a conventional radiator, and the broad surface area means you can set your thermostat lower for the same level of warmth.
Effective Lighting With Energy-Efficient Bulbs
Light bulbs might not seem to make the biggest dent in your electricity bill, but the reality is that if you replaced every halogen bulb in your home with an LED light, you’d instantly knock off £40 a year from your running costs.
Energy-efficient alternatives are so much cheaper to use, better for the environment, and a priority for people wanting to live sustainably. You’ll also find that LED bulbs are cheaper to buy and last significantly longer than their counterparts – so you make a saving twice over.
The big benefit is to our planet – if every home in Britain switched to 100% LED bulb usage, we’d cut our carbon emissions by an impressive 1.7 million tonnes.
Controlling Energy Usage With a Smart Meter
As the winter starts to bite, it’s easy to be tempted to leave the heating running – which contributes to excessive energy usage and booming living costs. A smart meter is a simple, effective way to keep an eye on what you’re using and when.
For example, if you’re out of the house at work during the day, and the kids are at school, you can programme your meter to switch off when you leave and back on before you return, so your home is always warm – but only when you need it to be. If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint or your energy bills, knowing how you consume electricity can help you make good choices, such as only running the washing machine when you have a full load.
Smart meters work best when they come with a timer and thermostat and are equally useful for gas or oil central heating systems if you’re taking your eco-friendly renovation one step at a time. A timer, thermostatic radiator valves and a room thermostat will save the average three-bedroom property from £70 and 300 kg of carbon emissions every 12 months.
Replacing Old Glazing and Updating Window Frames
Double or triple glazing can work wonders to reduce the flow of heat that escapes through thin, single glazed glass panels that do nothing to contribute to an efficient home.
Families serious about being green can also opt for durable, professionally fitted wooden frames instead of UPVC to avoid the toxic compound emissions and pollution associated with plastics. Excellent quality glazing can reduce heat loss by a whopping 30% and save £110 to £140 a year on heating costs.
Reducing Water Consumption
Our final suggestion is to think about water usage – because, although your water bill might not sting as much as other utilities, you’re still using heating and electricity systems to warm the water you use and send it through your pipework.
Only boiling as much water as you need, investing in an eco-kettle, or upgrading to those incredible smart taps means you’ll use less electricity and avoid unnecessary water wastage. A low-flow shower head is also a great idea, which uses less energy while being just as powerful.
Adding Value to Your Property Through Green Energy Upgrades
We’ve mentioned a few indicative costs and savings to give a rough idea about the financial benefits of making your home more eco-friendly – but there is a tangible economic advantage that goes far beyond your household bills.
Whenever you sell a property or rent one out, you must present the buyer or tenant with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Your assigned rating indicates how efficient your home is and, therefore, what it will cost to run. A recent survey shows that 55% of homeowners want to make sustainable changes to the way they live, and 33% of buyers consider the EPC rating very important. While a higher energy rating might not seem like a pivotal selling point, in 2021, a better EPC added a £40,000 premium to sustainable property selling prices.
Even if it takes a few years to repay a green investment through your utility bills, it’s also adding value back elsewhere.
For more information about any of these eco-friendly home ideas or advice on the best projects to tackle your green property upgrade, please get in touch with the Pinnacle Works team. Our experienced, friendly team can recommend sustainable swaps that will pay the best dividends in energy costs and make your home warmer, greener, and easier to sell in the future.
Jan 26, 2022 | Construction, Decorating
Rendering involves applying a coat to your external walls, creating a smooth or textured finish that provides a seamless appearance. This process protects your brickwork from the weather and damage, and you can opt to render every aspect of your home or use a mixture of brickwork and render, depending on the aesthetic you would like.
One of the most advanced exterior render systems is made with a silicone base as an alternative to conventional sand and cement.
We’ll explain the benefits shortly, but silicone may be the ideal option if you would like a durable, flawless finish and a high-performance render.
What is Exterior Rendering?
There are two key reasons to add render to the outside of your property:
- To prevent moisture and dampness from penetrating your walls.
- Providing an attractive, uniform finish.
Traditional render is made from a sand and cement mixture, which can be the cheapest solution since the materials are widely available. It can also be patched if the render breaks down or cracks over time. You’ll likely be familiar with some of the finishes applied, such as pebbledash.
The issue with cement render is that it isn’t the most durable material. You’ll often need to regularly paint the outside of your property since exposed render isn’t appealing to most homeowners.
How Do Silicone-Based Exterior Render Systems Work?
Pinnacle Works offers an alternative exterior render system, using silicone render, which is water-resistant and can be coloured as you wish – removing the time and cost of painting.
Silicone-based render systems have superior performance qualities compared even with other newer systems, including acrylic, providing greater breathability and lasting longer. While it may be slightly more expensive to apply, silicone render lasts an average of 25 to 30 years, so it is an investment that pays dividends over the long term. This top of the range render is easy to apply and is inherently hydrophobic, with excellent water repellent qualities that avoid dirt and moisture from accumulating on your property.
We can render most properties with a spray machine and the application process takes very little time if the external walls are carefully prepared.
Rendering requires just one coat of a thin application, although we’ll usually advise using a basecoat to create a stable, level and strong surface. Once the basecoat is dry, the silicone is applied, usually across each elevation in one go, to avoid any lines or patches between adjoining render.
The Advantages of Exterior Render Systems
Silicone-based external render systems have a range of compelling benefits!
Some of the most important include:
- Waterproofing your property from the outside in – mitigating any potential issues around leaks, staining, damp and mould.
- Improving the thermal value of your property. Incorporating insulation boards can make your home significantly more energy-efficient.
- Silicone render can be applied directly onto an existing finish, provided it is in reasonable condition, reducing the application timescale and costs.
- The uniform render looks stunning once dried, without any need to paint your external walls or touch up paintwork over the years.
- This render is self-cleaning and gives a contemporary, fresh appearance to properties of any age.
Once your rendering is complete, it is highly unlikely that the silicone-based finish will crack, extending its useful life, and remaining in perfect condition for up to around 30 years.
Can I Choose a Coloured Silicone-Based Render?
Render can be tailored to your style and design aspiration in any colour you wish. A pigment can be blended with the render before application or we can offer a range of pre-coloured renders, creating a far more durable, coloured finish than any external paintwork.
Coloured render lasts considerably longer than paint and provides a beautiful, smooth finish.
Are There Any Disadvantages to Using a Silicone Render System?
The only real downside to silicone render is that it is more costly than acrylic or sand and cement render. Still, it is more durable, water repellent, maintenance-free and self-cleaning, easily offsetting the usual maintenance expenses involved with property upkeep.
Choosing Between Traditional and Modern Rendering
There are pros and cons to both traditional and modern rendering, and the systems operate very differently.
Silicone render is self-coloured, which is one of the popular advantages, and excels above and beyond conventional render, incorporating silicone to make the render more flexible and thus less prone to cracking or damage. Breathability is also important; balancing the trade-off between water resistance ensures the brickwork remains in good condition underneath.
Listed buildings and period homes may have a lime render system used on most properties built before the 1930s. Lime mortar was generally used in construction and matched with a lime render. Issues commonly arise because these older render systems are:
- Not particularly water-resistant, which can cause untold damage to external walls, and problems with dampness, water damage and rot.
- Of a basic finish. Silicone render can be applied to properly prepared walls with a base coat to ensure adequate adhesion. A bad quality render may need to be removed if there is any risk of falling away from the wall.
- Old render usually needs to be painted once every four years (on average) since the colour will fade and stain, and paintwork will chip and crack over time.
- Lime render cracks as the property moves and settles, which is natural. Cracks must then be patched over or the property re-rendered.
Much depends on your home, budget, and the finish you wish to achieve.
Expert Advice Choosing a Render System for Your Home
If you’re unsure which type of rendering would suit your property and provide the right finish, please contact the Pinnacle Works team.
Properties with underlying challenges such as damp or cracked render may require remedial work beforehand to ensure your external walls are ready for the new render application and provide a perfectly smooth appearance. It’s advisable to seek guidance before investing in a render system that may not last as long as you expect.
Our experienced professionals can discuss the various types of render and suggest the right solutions to fit your requirements.
