Home Improvement Quotes Blog

Solar panel savings on the 21p feed-in tariff

2012-02-13T12:13:00.000Z

If you've been wondering how much income a solar panel installation would generate on the 21p tariff rate, the Energy Saving Trust website has already done the calculations for you. Based on a typical 3kw photovoltaic (PV) solar panel installation, you could earn: £530 a year from the Generation Tariff of 21p £40 a year from the Export Tariff of 3p (paid directly by your energy provider)

5 years ago… Home Improvement Trends of 2007

2012-02-10T12:06:00.000Z

Has a lot changed since 2007? We took a quick peek back at the home improvement trends of 2007, which included the housing market, buy-to-let, DIY and eco-friendly homes. 2007 saw more people than even get bitten by the by-to-let property bug, whilst other homeowners thinking of selling their properties were confronted with the HIPS pack for 3 bedroom houses. Average house prices had risen

Why you might want to replace older plastic windows (upvc double glazing).

2012-02-07T12:05:00.002Z

Upvc double glazing (or plastic windows) isn't just for replacing old wooden or aluminium windows, or first time installation in new build properties. There's a steady stream of households replacing old upvc double glazed windows and doors too. There's a variety of reasons why you might want to replace existing upvc windows - we'll look at some of the more obvious ones below. Purely

Ditch the Gym membership

2012-02-06T16:13:00.000Z

Gym Membership Costs Mount Many gyms charge a joining fee; monthly membership can range from £25 to in excess of £100 and most expect you to commit to a 1-3 year contract. When you come to leave many will impose a minimum notice period of 1-3months. Stay fit gym free –exercise at home without the expense of gym membership. Here are some simple tips to help you stay fit: - Increase general

43p Solar Tariff update.

2012-02-03T16:06:00.000Z

After last week's excitement when the Government lost their appeal in the High Court and the solar installation industry began advertising installations at the 43p tariff rate, the last few days have seen one or two question that rate. It's true that the Government has applied for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court, ('applied for' mind you) in a bid to get the Appeal Courts decision

What's new in kitchens for 2012?

2012-02-01T14:09:00.000Z

With so much emphasis being placed on energy efficiency and choosing the right household appliances, the actual design of a fitted kitchen has been somewhat over-shadowed in recent months. So if you're contemplating just how 'un-friendly' your old kitchen design was this Christmas past, or you're ready for a breath-taking new kitchen that's as functional as it is stunning, then what sort of

Feeling the 'need for speed'.

2012-01-30T14:08:00.000Z

Speed seems to have been dominating the headlines this past few weeks, but the new high speed rail link everyones been talking about isn't the only headline. Here at Home Improvement Quotes, we've got our own 'Speedy' news to share with you. Our IT Guys have been busy improving the speed of your online quote experience by installing new, faster servers. Work's complete and homeowners

feed-in tariff uncertainty draws people to heat pumps

2012-01-27T14:07:00.000Z

If the recent solar tariff levels uncertainty has made you re-think your renewable energy options, then don't forget about Heat Pumps. There's currently up to £1250 worth of installation grants available through the Renewable Heat Incentive Premium Payment Scheme (which is controlled via the Energy Saving Trust), and from this October, there will be a similar tariff system to that of pv

Could you do with some more car parking space?

2012-01-12T12:05:00.000Z

Roads are getting busier, there seem to be more cars than ever and closer to home, a new family that moved into a previously empty property have caused parking havoc on our street by bringing 3 cars with them. That's a lot to fit onto an already crowded, residential street in town. Last year, there were an estimated 31 million cars on Britain's roads but with a quarter of households not

Solar Installations more popular since Tariff furore

2012-01-09T12:02:00.000Z

The recent FiT reductions have done nothing to quell homeowners appetite for installing solar. And judging by the amount of new solar installers registering on the MCS accreditation website, homeowners will have more choice than ever when it comes to choosing a company for their installation. The current High Court ruling that December's tariff cuts were unlawful could open the way for a

The first big freeze of the year….

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000Z

… is not time to be playing around with the heater controls on your electric storage heaters, as I've been discovering this week. Our resident blogger gets an energy bill shock and decides to act. He's such a man of action! The reason for my sudden mechanical interest is November's electricity bill - lets just say it was a good job I was sitting down when the energy company reeled off the

More of us than ever before have been shopping online this Christmas.

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000Z

It's hardly surprising given the results of a recent survey which revealed that more than two thirds of shoppers found high street shopping more stressful than moving house. Chief dislikes were the jostling with other shoppers and not being able to find items due to untidy stores. Convenience, reduced stress levels and cheaper prices are the reasons so many are turning to the Internet rather

Homes not ready for Winter despite warnings.

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000Z

"over 3 million homes damaged by freeze last year" 40% of homeowners have done nothing to prepare their home for freezing conditions. That's the shock finding in a report by Churchill Home Insurance. Two thirds have not even had their boiler serviced, ahead of the Winter. Last year, over 3 million homes were damaged by the freezing conditions with the worst affected areas being

Solar prices tumble.

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000Z

thumbs up as solar panel prices plummet The Government reduction in the Feed-in Tariff isn't necessarily all doom and gloom for homeowners. True, the amount you'll get paid by the tariff has reduced, but we've also had a lot of solar installers telling us the prices they're paying for the panels is also dropping - some prices have dropped by 50%. And these are savings getting passed

Think green this Christmas.

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000Z

If you've resisted the festive urge to be the first to get your Christmas decorations up and alight, then good news - we've got some handy tips to help you save energy this Christmas. Did you know it's now possible to buy energy saving and solar powered rope lights and other exterior Christmas lights? Solar lights that charge during the day and timer technology to switch them on just in the

The cost of not maintaining your home

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000Z

It's no surprise that food and fuel inflation, coupled with energy price hikes, has left many homes feeling more than just a pinch. Subsequently, with families juggling income between bills and food, maintenance of their homes is coming way down on the list of priorities. However, figures suggest we should be aiming to spend around 1% of our homes value on annual maintenance. Whether

Window cleaners getting briefed on conservatories

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000Z

Commercial and domestic cleaning companies are brushing up on their conservatory cleaning techniques after the recent boom in installations across the UK. With many homeowners opting for a conservatory as the cheapest, value for money way of adding extra interior space to their existing homes, rather than risk moving in what is a testing time for the property market, so window cleaners are

Enjoying the Winter sun - conservatory style

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000Z

Whilst many homeowners think of advances in insulation and energy efficiency in upvc double glazed windows as now standard features, many are still surprised to learn that the same advances have also been applied to upvc conservatories. Upvc conservatories have been with us for a few years now and most people's experiences of them are often older, first-generation models. If their 'cold

Warning to choose the right conservatory heater

2011-11-22T15:16:00.001Z

Heating experts are warning home owners to think carefully about the heating arrangements for their new conservatories, as Winter approaches. Whilst it might seem like one expense you can cut corners on, heating engineers are advising you not to cut costs which in the long run will actually end up costing you more. You may think that a portable electric heater - warm air of oil filled

More Renewable Energy Options for Homeowners with launch of new Heat Pump Quotes website.

2011-11-15T09:10:00.001Z

To help homeowners control their energy bills even further, or 'go green', we've designed Heat Pump Quoter. Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps are an alternative renewable energy to solar or wind, and can power your hot water as well as your heating, via underfloor heating, hot air convection or even radiators. Unlike some renewable energy sources, Heat Pumps are not reliant on wind or

Instant online Air & Ground Source Heat Pump Quotes

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000Z

"Heat Pump Quoter - instant online quotes" The 'Quoter family of websites proudly announces a NEW 'Quoter website.... Heat Pump Quoter. Like our other 'Quoter websites, Heat Pump Quoter will give homeowners an instant online quote for both Air and Ground Source Heat Pump installations on their homes. If you're interested in generating renewable heat for your home, why not give our new

Can you recommend someone? The dreaded question.

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000Z

How many times does it happen? A neighbour, friend or family member, even a work colleague, will ask you "do you know anyone that could?" or ask you to recommend someone. Unless you've had a similar home improvement done (and even then, you may not want to recommend that particular company), it can be very difficult to be help. You want to be helpful but either you don't know anyone or

Lack of housing stock forces people to extend and convert for extra room.

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000Z

If you're currently trying to move house of you're thinking you might move home, to get the extra space for a growing family or a the hobby / work area you've always promised yourself, then prepare for disappointment. Estate agents around the UK are lamenting the fact that there just isn't enough housing stock on the market, to offer people 'just what they're looking for'. Would-be home

Energy Summit's mantra - Check, Switch & insulate to save.

2011-10-26T10:34:00.000Z

Last week saw The Government, energy suppliers, consumer groups and Ofgem meet to agree a way forward on saving homeowners from crippling energy bills, as the Summer's energy price rises start coming into force. Whilst the headlines were all about the profits the big six energy providers were making since the increases, many would have been hoping for some form of of compulsory capping and

Don't leave your car keys in the car.

2011-10-07T08:30:00.000Z

Last year, around 18% of car thefts are the result of opportunist thieves taking cars where the owner has left the keys in the ignition. It's a timely warning with cold winter mornings approaching, where it may be tempting to start your car up, to warm up and defrost windows, whilst you go back inside. But it doesn't have to happen on your drive. Drivers are also falling foul of