Last week I mentioned the potential advantages of compiling a House Log Book for your property - but what exactly is it?

First of all let’s talk about what it’s not. It is not a Home Information Pack(HIP). Despite months of will they/won’t they speculation in the press HIPS are now mandatory for virtually all properties. These contain

• an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC),which is a software based calculation which aims to demonstrate how much it will cost to heat the property now and after the introduction of energy saving measures and looks at the impact the property has on the environment;
• a Sale Statement stating the address of the property, name of owner and whether the property is freehold or leasehold;
• evidence of the title (obtained from the Land Registry) and
• Local and Drainage Searches

The packs were originally intended by the government to provide more information upfront to buyers at no cost to them, to speed up the time between offer and exchange and prevent transactions falling through. However they have never been popular with the majority of the property industry, much of the most useful information (in particular the survey) is no longer mandatory, one size clearly doesn’t fit all and consequently they are not really having the hoped for impact.

Buying a house is the biggest financial commitment most people make and if a vendor can demonstrate that they have taken care of a property a client is more likely to be interested in it. After all we’re all more inclined to buy a car with a full service history than without! By compiling a House Log Book any potential purchaser has concrete proof that ongoing maintenance has taken place and home owners have a ready reference to help keep track of essential paperwork and information relating to their property.

It’s never too late to start one, although it is much easier to begin as soon as you take on a property. You can be as detailed as you like. Aim to have a book or file which records the following basic areas:-

• details of any surveys completed on the property
• plans and signed off paperwork for any building work carried out at the property
• names and contact details of any reliable tradesmen who have worked on the property. You could include a list of tradesmen recommended by friends and neighbours too.
• warranties for maintenance work carried out eg servicing of boiler, new windows, replacement guttering
• warranties and paperwork for any white goods etc that you would leave in the house were you to sell it
• decorating details eg makes and shades of paint used
• monthly log of general maintenance carried out by you

If you’re aiming for the delux model then you could also include:-

• details of annual fuel costs
• plans or sketches of projects that you’ve considered for the property but not completed
• a photographic record of how you’ve developed the property or of how it’s changed over time
• any information about the history of your house, particularly if its a period property. In a previous house of ours we found some initials carved into the newel posts on the stairs. A chat with a very elderly neighbour provided us with information about the family who had occupied the house many years before and we duly made a note of this.
• useful information for a new homeowner eg what day the bin or recycling box is collected, whether there is a milk delivery and who to contact, details of you veg box scheme……use your initiative. What would you find useful if you were moving into an area?

None of this is rocket science. It just requires a little thought and forward planning and, above all, organisation. You’ll be on top of your essential paperwork and it will make a difference to potential purchasers, particularly when the market is more uncertain. Vendors are looking for peace of mind at the moment. By compiling a House Log Book you can help ease their worries and one hopes, secure a stress free deal on your property.

Have a good week.

Cally

My children are distraught at the lack of snow in Wiltshire compared to the huge drifts experienced by their American cousins. Frankly I too feel envious thinking of walks across virgin snow, sledging, snowmen and home for cinammon toast and steaming mugs of hot chocolate beside a crackling fire…….Instead we have just endured a familiar trip along the M4 to our “ethical holiday home” (inherited property occupied rent- free by elderly relative) in bleak conditions.

Welsh rain has a peculiar quality whether sweeping dramatically over the Preseli hills or the now deserted beaches of Pembrokeshire - finer and I swear wetter than the Wiltshire water currently pounding on the window. Consequently I am content to remain indoors, heartened by tomorrow’s forecast and a pot of early daffs on the kitchen windowsill.

And I am no less idle than several of our neighbours who have chosen this week for major house projects. Roofing, windows, conservatories - they’re all receiving a makeover on this side of Bradford. My projects are a little easier on the bank balance but guaranteed to boost the flagging spirits of any homeowner on what Radio 4 reports is officially “the most depressing day of the year”.

January is the ideal time to tackle useful indoor projects and set yourself up for an organised approach to caring for your home and ultimately protecting your investment. Choose projects which will take only a few hours and will have an immediate impact on your indoor environment and your state of mind - the kind of things which cannot be faced on better days when you need to clear the cobwebs or catch a few rays.

Organise Paperwork

Now is a good time to get your household paperwork in order, be that filing your receipts for work done during last year or locating and organising operating manuals and warranties for appliances. Keeping paperwork related to your property well organised is even more important now that Home Information Packs are here to stay for the foreseeable future, as you will need to provide much of this information prior to marketing your property. Personally I’d go the whole hog and start a House Log Book where you record absolutely everything related to your home. In fact I’ve known a comprehensive House Log Book to clinch a sale. No idea what I’m talking about? Read next week’s blog for all the information.

Freshen up your Carpets

Now may not be the time for wholescale shampooing of your carpets and rugs but you can still freshen them up after the Christmas party season. Starting the year with fresh carpets will make your whole house smell better and will lift your mood. You can buy commercial products to deoderise but I prefer to follow my grandmother’s approach of sprinkling on a layer of baking soda, leaving for a few hours and then vacuuming up in the usual manner. I buy my baking soda in refillable industrial quantities from the green store at Green Park Station in Bath, but you can get it from some farmshops and health stores with a cleaning section or online.

Pay Attention to House Plants

I love plants, particularly those which give a splash of colour in the Winter. Surveyors are all too aware of the problems of ‘outgassing’ from some building materials, carpets and manufactured furniture and fittings in well sealed centrally-heated houses. Common household gases such as formaldehyde are easily absorbed by houseplants such as rubber plants, which are so indestructible that even the brown fingered can keep them alive. So treat yourself to a few plants. They really are good for you - lifting your mood and purifying the air.

Reorganise Cupboards

Now here’s something for quick results to warm the heart and lift the spirits and an ideal occupation for a rainy afternoon. Turn out your cupboards (whitewash the walls if you feel really inspired), line the shelves with scented paper or an old roll of pretty wallpaper and add a paper trim if you like. Restack in an organised way and write neat labels to stick on. Small items look great in baskets or hat boxes. After all that effort you can feel really rather smug, knowing that you can lay your hands on anything in a fraction of the time.

Plan

Perfect work for an afternoon or evening in front of the fire, whether you’re pouring over seed catalogues to find something to fill a space in the border or stock the allotment or thinking back to last Summer to decide what extra storage you might need outside. If you have somewhere sheltered, an old piece of furniture repainted and stencilled might be a more cost effective solution than anything purpose made - and it’s a great project for a Winter weekend.

Have a great week. look out for my ramblings about House Log Books next time and if you feel we can help with your property problems, do get in touch.

Cally

I’m not just talking rain here although unsurprisingly the talk in the school playground this morning entirely concerned which drains were overflowing, whose guttering needed clearing, and who had driven through the largest puddle without getting stuck.

I’ve experienced the kind of week which plagues us all from time to time. I’m talking about the “themed” week, where all roads lead to the same subject and all problems are connected in some way. This week’s theme is plumbing. It started with a clunking in our rather ancient pipework and has moved through blocked drains, guttering which cannot cope with the volume of water on the roof, overflowing soakaways and cold radiators to concerns over old heating systems in the light of publicity over the Rhianna Hardie case. To use another water analogy, rather than swimming against the tide I will go with the flow (ouch!) and blog about such matters.

Lets be clear - any problems which are serious or urgent will almost always require the services of a qualified plumber. However many such problems can be avoided with a little know how and regular maintenance (Regular blog readers will know what a fan I am of regular maintenance!). So if nothing horrendous has happened to you yet, here are a few tips to help keep it that way.

Blocked drains

Check your drains regularly, lifting the cover and removing any blockages, particularly if like me, you are the proud owner of a rural property. Keep drains clear of moss, leaves, debris from your guttering and gravel. Clean regularly with disinfectant and warm water.

Excess water around your property

Pools of standing water around your property after heavy rain are usually indicative of the poor performance of guttering. Check that yours (and that of your neighbour in semi-detached or terraced properties) is clear and free from defects. Sometimes extension work or changes to an older property can affect the ability of your property to channel water away. If this is the case you may need to consider installing extra soakaways or downpipes.

Boilers

Whatever the age of your boiler it will serve you best if you have it serviced regularly by a Corgi Registered engineer. Aim for once a year in the early Autumn.

Cold radiators

Ensure that there are no airlocks in your system by regularly ‘bleeding’ your radiators. A radiator key will cost you about £1.50 in a hardware shop.

Domestic hot water systems

There has been enormous publicity surrounding the tragic case of baby Rhianna Hardie who died as a result of the failure of the hot water system in her parents’ home when gallons of boiling water poured through the ceiling onto her cot whilst she slept. There is plenty of excellent information available for homeowners or tenants on the website of the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.uk). Check your system, particularly if it is more than ten years old, where you are unsure of the quality of work to the system in the past or where immersion heater is the only method of heating water in your home. Modern immersion heaters have a safety cut out mechanism which trips if the thermostat fails. An overheating system will normally show warning signs - unbearably hot water coming out of the hot tap, excessive noise or bubbling from the hot water system, hot water coming out of the cold tap and steam or condensation in the loft are indicators.

Shower not working properly

When showers go wrong it is often because the shower head is blocked with limescale from the water supply. Investing in a water softener will help your shower flow smoothly but taking off the shower head and soaking it in lemon juice and giving it a poke with a stiff brush is equally effective. (I put mine in a plastic bag filled with lemon juice for a few hours.)

Toliet blockages

These are usually caused by objects which shouldn’t be there so avoid flushing away nappies, wet wipes, sanitary items and excess toilet paper. (My children used to use it as if it were going out of fashion.) Whilst we’re on the subject of small children keep an eye out for budding scientists experimenting with the sinking properties of socks, soft toys and marbles and don’t use those clip on toilet fresheners as they can easily become dislodged and find their way down the pan.

If there is a blockage then scooping out excess water into another container and using a plunger or toilet brush to create a vacuum and cause pressure by pumping vigorously usually works. If it doesn’t it’s time to call in the big guns.

If the problem is water seepage into the bowl after the tank has refilled there may be leakage from the tank itself. You can trace any leaks by adding food colouring and tracing the water’s path. A leaky or very dirty float ball will not allow the shut off of the water. Check also that the connecting rod between ballcock valve and float ball is not bent or stiff.

Blocked sinks

Don’t pour cooking fat down the sink or drain and avoid the temptation to poke food scraps down the plughole. Take care to remove hairs from bath or shower plugholes.

I’m off to wade through the wet stuff. Whatever your property problems, have a good week and if you feel we can help, do get in touch.

Cally

Well, it’s a month since my last blog post - all time spent putting my own house in order, I assure you and preparing for the New Year. Significantly a huge collective sigh of relief has been breathed around the Smart household as two years of Postgraduate study has drawn to a close and (fanfare) I am soon to be a fully paid up member of the Surveying fraternity. Hello family, fresh air, social life, sleep……… Before I become truly carried away with plans to fill the void I will pause, take stock, consider the options and plan a sensible course of action, which is the advice I give to clients whose property aspirations have crystallised over the Christmas holidays and are now looking for a new home or to improve their existing property.

Preparation is the key to getting what you want. A little time invested at the start of your search or home improvement project will save you time, money and heartache further down the line. Traditionally the housing market picks up in January so it’s a good time to start shopping around for your next home. On the other hand, as you’re probably going to be selling one too, you need to stand out from the competition. Here are a few tips to bear in mind and keep you ahead of the game, whether you’re intending to place your house on the market soon or to create a better home for yourself which will sell easily in the future.

PREPARING FOR SALE

• Don’t decide to put your house up for sale on Monday and expect to be ready to welcome viewers on Wednesday. Even the most organised vendor will need a couple of weeks to prepare for marketing.
• In the current market spending thousands to make your home more saleable is not sensible. You may never recoup the cost. Personally I have never felt comfortable with the concept of putting in features only to find them languishing in a skip six months later. Concentrate instead on essential maintenance. In my experience buyers are far more worried about what else might be wrong with a property if the drain is blocked, the guttering leaks and the front door is jammed. Properties with potential are attractive to buyers at the moment but many just want to redecorate and refit kitchens and bathrooms. Work on the roof, the boiler or the windows is frightening.
• First impressions do count.The area to spend a little money is in sprucing up the front garden and repainting the front door. Most potential buyers will decide whether to view a property on the strength of a photograph of the front of the agent’s details or on a website - and many drive by a property before making an appointment.
• Clean like you’ve never cleaned before. The whole house should be sparkling. Kitchens, bathrooms, windows and carpets need special attention. Never try to mask unpleasant odours with powerful air fresheners. Deal with the problem.
• Define spaces. Four bedrooms is better than three and a store room cum office cum occasional guest room. Lay the dining room table even if you usually use the space for ironing. Make sure the bathroom looks ready to use. Make the beds. Set up the trainset in the children’s playroom. It sometimes helps to imagine that you are preparing to welcome the photographer from an interiors magazine.
• Mentally move out of your property. In practice this might mean putting some furniture or items into storage,tidying away the unused breadmaker Aunty Flo gave you for Christmas three years ago, getting rid of anything you no longer want or need. Activities such as this help to make the process real and inject some energy into the process. It will help your buyer see themselves living in your house. Any clutter is distracting for buyers who will waste time looking at your possessions and not at the fabric of the house. It also suggests a lack of storage room and if you don’t have enough, your buyer will feel the same.
• Find the right agent and set a realistic price. An evening spent on the internet, talking to friends who have sold recently and looking in agent’s windows will give you plenty of information about who will do a good job for you and what your house will sell for realistically.

IMPROVEMENTS WHICH WILL ADD VALUE

• Homeowners and estate agents differ in their views on what type of improvements are desirable in a home and research suggests a male/female divide too with men valuing quality of workmanship over decor. Research and experience suggests that leisure add-ons like hot tubs, entertainment systems and landscaped gardens add less value than creating extra space in a home so if you have money to spend add space.
• Loft conversions start at around £15,000, depending on the structure of your roof and the nature of the extra accommodation required but can add 30% +to the value of your property if you create extra bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Garden rooms or conservatories are cost effective ways of creating extra space but beware creating rooms which are unbearably hot in Summer and cold in Winter and out of keeping with the character of your property. Think carefully about the design.
• Extended kitchens, extra bathrooms or a downstairs cloakroom are sensible additions to a property.
• Parking and garages are once more highly desirable, particularly those with home office, workshop or granny annexe capabilities.

Just a note on planning permission and building regulations. Make sure that you are well prepared before you pay money to commission designs for building work. Not all work requires planning permission but there will be restrictions on what you can do if you live in a listed building, in a conservation area or where there are covenants placed on the property. Any previous additions to the property may restrict what you can do and you should seek advice for any work requiring the removal of trees. A quick look at what your neighbours have been able to do and a chat with the duty planning officer at your local council will provide you with valuable information before you go to any expense.

Happy New Year. If you feel we can help with your plans, do get in touch.

Cally