New Home Check List

There are many things to consider when choosing a new home.  Affordability is usually top of the list, but other considerations include jobs, proximity to family/friends, schools, transport and environment.

Finding top quality locations is the key to our success for our developments and we have a set of criteria which we follow.

Our main aim is to identify beautiful country locations which are also within easy reach of major cities and transport links, allowing the best of both worlds. Being close to a main road and rail artery or an airport can have far reaching consequences for the value of your home as well as the convenience and pleasure of a relaxed lifestyle. 

We identify thriving village communities which can offer many lifestyle benefits including speciality shopping and eating out, outdoor recreation, community activities and nature and wildlife.  Other more practical aspects include local facilities such as health centres and schools.

A further vital aspect of location is the position of the building plot within the neighbourhood or community.  Whether the site is within or on the edge of a town or village, the surrounding landscape, the views on offer and the orientation of the building to the sun are also vital considerations.

Find out more about our great locations - New Homes

Bright New Homes

Many people dream of living in an older property, we have been involved in renovating some spectacular properties, from Victorian townhouses to steading conversions.  They can certainly make beautiful homes, but there are also huge benefits of living in a modern, newly built property, designed for 21st century living.

If you’re keen on DIY or have a handy maintenance company, then wonky floors and original windows can add character to a house. As a rule of thumb the older the home, the more maintenance it will require. But, if you’re looking to minimise ongoing expenses, it’s worth looking at new homes. New homes give the buyer a certain level of reassurance. Our homes and those from reputable builders, come with a 10-year build warranty.

Everything will be new.  The windows won’t be draughty. The boiler won’t be faulty (and if there is a problem, it will be under guarantee). Building regulations have been strengthened over the years, so the old mantra that “they don’t build houses like they used to”, is no longer true and that means new build homes should be less likely to suffer problems than those of period properties.

If you opt to buy “off-plan” ie before it’s built, you often get a say in colour schemes and fixtures and fittings.

Our new homes are built specifically to be energy efficient and are therefore cheaper to run than older homes, which can make a huge ongoing difference to your gas and electric costs.

Finally, new build homes are chain free, which can take a huge amount of stress out of the buying process.

Find out more about our new build properties - New Homes

Worktop Dilemmas. Wood? Granite? Laminate?

There are a wide variety of kitchen worktops; they vary hugely in their cost and properties.  A few ideas to consider:  

• Maintenance.  If you have a young family stay away from surfaces that mark easily, like glass and steel.
• Heat resistance. Using materials such as granite, you can put a hot saucepan directly onto the surface.
• Look. What colour and texture do you like, and what will compliment your choice of kitchen cabinets.
• Hygiene. Some materials such as Corian and Stainless Steel have anti-bacterial properties.
• Speed. Some worktops need to be templated, so can only be measured for their fitting once your kitchen units are in place. Others can be measured in advance, so tend to be the quicker and cheaper options.

Hardwood

Wood gives a natural warmth to any kitchen.  Traditional style kitchens will suit oak, maple and beech. Wenge and Iroko will give a modern feel but may be harder to source. The wood will require higher maintenance than other materials and you will normally need to oil it every 3 months.

Granite

This natural stone is a popular choice for keen cooks. It’s strong and durable and comes in a variety of colours. Each work surface is unique with its own individual colours and markings, so it will vary from any samples you've seen in the showrooms.

Corian

Corian is a man-made acrylic material which can provide a seamless finish to your kitchen. It also comes in many colours and can be bent and moulded to fit most shapes. It’s a very hygienic surface as there are no gaps or joins to collect crumbs and other nasties.

Laminate

A durable and affordable worktop that's easy to clean.  Available in a large range of colours and finishes that can accurately mimic other worktop materials (such as granite, slate and wood) so will suit modern and traditional schemes.

And a couple of other things to think about:

Mix and Match

Add interest and texture by mixing materials.  It can also help reduce the cost; a mix of granite and wood will be much more affordable than using granite on every surface.

Height

Try varying the height of your worktops; you’ll need to keep to the standard height for cooking and preparation, but why not break things up with a higher level surface with bar stools, or a lower level breakfasting area.

5 Tips to avoid Garage Chaos this Summer!

Don’t let your garage become a dump for everything this summer. Here are a few spring-cleaning and tidying tips to get help you start on a good footing.

1. Make good use of the walls and ceiling

This is especially important if you actually plan on parking your car in your garage! Heavy duty hooks on the walls are great for keeping stuff off the floor. You can buy holders for brooms, rakes, mops etc from DIY stores.
Storage cabinets or shelves also keep the clutter from spreading over the whole garage and you can arrange a small workshop area on one of the shelves/cabinets to help with maintenance tasks.

2. Clear out the junk

The biggest problem is deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. Ask yourself “when was the last time I used this?” When in doubt, get rid of it.  You can use websites like freecycle to ensure your unwanted objects go to a good home and they are normally picked up from your house saving you a trip to the dump.

3. Create zones
Grouping the contents of your garage together will help maintain the organisation of your garage. Plan out an area for sports equipment storage, gardening equipment and DIY tools.

4. Eco-Ideas
Think about installing a motion detector inside the garage, it’s the one room where the family always forget to turn off the lights!

5. What not to store in your garage
Propane tanks for your barbecue should always be stored outdoors, a spark could ignite the fumes.
Paint – extreme heat or cold can ruin paint, the cans need to be kept in a temperate area.
Pet food – If you’re going to store it in the garage, keep it in a sealed container so it doesn't attract unwanted visitors.

Laundry and Utility Room Essentials

Here are a few tips to create a functional and efficient utility room.  They come as standard in all our new build properties and though it’s not always the most inspirational room in the house, a well-planned utility room is a real bonus.

Location: 
Noise, humidity and plumbing are the main considerations.  Not all homes have a separate area and if that’s the case, the washing machine and tumble drier area easily hidden by kitchen unit doors. In smaller spaces, you can choose to stack your washer and dryer on top of each other.

Work Flow:

Think about what you will use the room for - sorting clothes, washing, drying, and folding. Arrange the work surfaces and appliances to facilitate that flow. Shelves for detergents, hanging space for air-drying and a sink for handing washing delicate items are also useful. A stainless steel sink single bowl, chrome mixer tap and stainless steel drainer are perfect for the job.

Lighting:

You need to be able to see what you’re doing.  A utility room with natural light is great, but you’ll also need lighting over work areas so that you can see just how mucky your clothes are!

Surfaces:

We always try and use work surfaces and cabinets to compliment kitchen. Ceramic flooring is easy to clean in case of spills.

Add some style:

Just because it’s a functional room, it doesn't need to be boring. How about some colourful wallpaper or back-splash?

Added extras:

Built in ironing board

TV (for whilst you’re doing the ironing)

Energy Saving Heating

There are a range of basic energy considerations for any new home, these include:

• A high level of insulation 
• Choosing local materials in the construction
• Using materials from sustainable sources
• Choosing energy-saving building materials
• Installing energy-saving household equipment.

1. Heating controls

The cost of replacing an old boiler can be prohibitive, so the next best option is to upgrade your heating controls. These will vary depending on the type of heating you have. Some of the options available are:

• Timer – turns your boiler on or off at the times you set
• Room thermostat – measures how warm your room is and adjusts the boiler operation
• Programmer – lets you set different times and temperatures for different days of the week
• Thermostatic radiator valves – allow you to adjust the temperature of individual radiators and turn them off completely
• Smart heating system – allows you to control your heating remotely via an app.

2. Room thermostat

Your thermostat should be placed in a room that is used often with a good through-flow of air. This is because the thermostat will turn the boiler off once the room it’s situated in reaches the correct temperature. You should also make sure it’s not blocked by curtains or furniture and away from electric fires, TVs and lighting.

3. Heat the rooms you use

This seems obvious, but setting the thermostat (radiator or room) lower in areas of the house you don’t use will save energy and money.  Keeping the temperature low all the time is thought to use more energy than turning the heating on and off when you are actually using a room.

A programmer lets you set different times and temperatures throughout the week so you can customise the settings to fit your lifestyle. There is normally an override button that you can use if your usual routine changes so that you don’t have to completely reset the programmer.

4. Radiators

You can help your radiators work more efficiently by making sure they aren't covered by furniture or curtains. Radiators work by convection, drawing cold air in the bottom and producing hot air out the top.

Your radiator thermostat (TRV) will help you control the temperature of the room.  Find the level that’s comfortable for you.

Sustainability and energy saving is always a priority with our new homes. Each home in our most Chesterhill Wood, comes with a high-efficiency condensing gas boiler and is insulated beyond local authority requirements to keep bills to a minimum.  Windows are timber frames with Low “E” double glazing for heat retention.
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Beautiful Bathrooms - Design Tips.

Make choices that will still look good in 5 years or 20 years’ time.  You can avoid bathroom renovations with good design choices and quality products, saving a lot of expense in the future.

Our new properties in Chesterhill Wood all have bathroom suites from Porcelanosa, chosen for their top-quality manufacturing standards and great design.

1: Storage

An obvious need that is often overlooked.  Toilet paper, toiletries and medicines all need a home

that’s convenient for the family. Medicine cabinets are great for smaller bathrooms, but a small cupboard under the sink or a linen cupboard is a practical solution that will tidy all the clutter away.

2: Durable finishes

In high moisture areas, furniture made from hard woods will be more hard wearing than laminates (which can peel and warp). Porcelain tiles are a popular and practical choice, but remembers, the smaller the tile is the more grout you have and the more grout you'll have to clean. Find the perfect balance.

3: Lighting

There is such a huge choice of lighting products these days, it can be baffling. Do you want mood lighting that can be dimmed? Don’t forget to light your face from the front and put a light in your shower, it will help wake you up in the mornings!  The recessed spot lights in our newest development complement the clean lines of the bathroom and provide good lighting cover in all areas.

4. Privacy

We design the family bathroom with a different set of criteria than our en-suites.  It all revolves around the amount of privacy you'd like in your bathroom. Glass shower doors are great in private spaces and open up the space.  

5. Flooring

The flooring shouldn't clash with the hallway or bedroom beside it.  Tile and stone are the easiest to maintain.  We love the idea of a tile “rug” to add a bit of interest in a bathroom.

Our new development uses ceramic floor tiles for their durability, stain resistance and ease of care.  

6: Get in a professional

Layout of bathrooms takes a bit of thought and experience.  Where should the toilet go, how much room do you need for two sinks and do you have room for separate or combined bath and shower?  Our team of architects save us the headache of working this out.  Trust in a professional!