I live in a cottage that has some damp problems. The house is has been covered with pebbledash/stucco. And is in need of repaing etc. Would it be possible to advise me what would be best to resolve the damp issues and make the house look more attractive. Also could you give me a rough cost of doing this to a 3 bed detached house?
We shall be in contact with you shortly to discuss prices with you. Thank you
A user of the site writes…………………
I own a two bedroom bugalow which has the top half pebble dashed. I am considering having a protective coating applied to the top half and would like an estimate. Do you have an office in Northeast England?
Of course, we operate across england. Please call us FREE on 088 970 4928 to arrange a free quotation. Thank you, we look forward to meeting up with you.
G Bell
http://www.neverpaintagain.co.uk
A consumer from Leicestershire writes………….
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU USE YOUR PRODUCT ON CONCRETE AND IF SO WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO USE PRODUCT ON A 1 METRE CONCRETE PERIMETER WALL SURROUNDING OUR HOUSE?
I dont think I can help you today, we sell a service NOT a product. We would be happy to arrange a quotation regarding installing one of our weatherproof wall coatings to the whole house, AND the walls, but not the walls alone, sorry. Our coatings and paints can only be covered by our 15 year warranty if we install the wallcoatings or exterior paint systems ourselves.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in the NPA wall system and I hope that we may hear from you again soon.
Guy Alexander Bell. Bsc.(hons).Pg.Dp.
editor and Surveyor
www.neverpaintagain.co.uk
Oh well, the easter bank holiday loons again. While our business will actually be open for email enquiries over the weekend, here in the office we are taking a well earned break and PHEW (!) what a time its been!
While the news reports of doom and gloom in the housing market, we at NPA have never been busier! Odd really. I guess its the old phrase “Don’t move, Improve!”. So there you go, I sign off for the weekend a happy bunny, but if you need to get in touch, don’t worry, someone will be here. Have a great weekend.
G Bell
editor
http://www.neverpaintagain.co.uk
NOW CHECK THIS VERY INTERESTING VIDEO OUT. IT’S ALL ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENCOMPASS GREAT DESIGN IN OUR HOMES, WHILST BEING KIND TO THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE SAME TIME. lOTS OF KUDOS AND KARMA, COUPLED WITH CUTTING EDGE INTERIOR DESIGN, CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!
A user of this site from Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire writes………………..
I am in the process of having a wall built outside. I was under the impression that it was going to be built in lovely brick. However, lack of communication between me and hubby means that the beautiful wall is … breeze block. So your web site caught my eye. PLEASE send me a leaflet if possible or any info you can for me to present tomy hubby. Thankyou ***********
Hi, and thank you for your question. Our external coating service is available for a whole house or commercial building, including walls, and NOT just the walls on their own, as it would not be worth our time and trouble to do such a small area. Sorry for any disasapointment.
G Bell
www.neverpaintagain.co.uk
Mr Adil from Birmingham writes………………….
“Hi, i recently plastered the living room and painted over it. However, a pipe in the bathroom sprung a leak and that water ran into the living room wall and ceiling. Yesterday, i painted over the affected area, however the paint is peeling off again. Is there a solution to this i.e treatment etc. Thanks”
Well Mr Adil, you sound like you are having some decorating problems! First and foremost, I am presuming that you have fixed the leak!? Secondly, if a wall area, especially internal, gets wet, it can take in some cases MONTHS to dry out. As I cannot see the affected area, my advice to you is this……………….
Hire a dehumidifier and place it in the room. You may be surprised how much water it takes out from the air in the room, and will also start the drying process. Also make sure that the affected room has heating on, and open the windows too. You must repeat this for at least a month. Only then, will your walls be dry enough to paint on. I hope that helps.
G A Bell. BSc.(hons).Pg.Dp
Surveyor
www.neverpaintagain.co.uk
Now Spring is almost upon us, the daffodils are in full bloom; people are starting to mow their lawns, cars are being washed on driveways, we say a firm goodbye to winter, however the impending warm weather also brings out the scam artists and the cowboys, all of whom are after YOUR MONEY!!!! Lets take a look at some ways that you can avoid being ripped off during 2008.
As many people have more or less been confined to their homes for the duration of the winter, it’s common to see far more people out and around now than in the colder months, doing gardening, odd jobs, painting exterior woodwork etc and they are easy targets for con-men and cowboys looking to make a few extra quid from you. BEWARE!
Home Improvement scams and cons come in many guises, but most of them emulate, in some form, the “travelling handyman” or the builder who “happens to be in the area”. A person knocks on a door, saying they”re doing other work in the local area or that they have leftover supplies from a different job; rogue carpet fitters being a prime example of that. They offer to do some work, usually taking the money from the customer in advance, “to go and buy some materials for the job” and are often never seen again. Of course, there are many variations on this theme, but they all have the same goal: to separate trusting homeowners from their money.
“Don”t ever hire someone unless you know, without question, their permanent business address, and they can prove it”, says Guy of NPA. Check they have a land line phone number, and/or a business card or something similar, with their details on. That’’s only the first question you should ask them. Reputable business people and established contractors will have no problem answering your questions and supplying proof of who they are and their expertise. If they have a sign written van outside, that can sometimes be a good sign that they are traceable. Also if you are looking for a TRUE PROFESSIONAL to work on your home, it is unlikely that they will demand payment in CASH notes only. Sometimes, a cheque at the end of the job is sufficient, or they may even send you an invoice for the work, with payment terms clearly stated, such as “payment to be made in 14 days” or similar.
Remember if you pay someone cash-in-hand, it is highly likely that there will be no comeback and no guarantee, so if they paint your house, and a week later it washes off, tough luck! (If this happens, it’s your own fault!…………..& you should take a bit better note of what we tell you!). In addition, it is an OFFENCE to pay cash, you have been warned, do NOT underestimate the Inland Revenue!
• 1) Scrutinise anyone who might perform home improvement services for you—especially those who knock on your door and just happen to be in the locality at that time. Our advice is to say a firm “no” to anyone who APPROACHES YOU for work. They can’t be all that good if they have to knock your door. The best way from experience, is to tell the person that you rent the house. That usually does the trick.
• 2) Always demand to see proof of their permanent business address, proper identification and appropriate licensing and insurance BEFORE letting anyone into your home. Don’t be afraid to ask for official ID such as driving licence, or a CIS card. (A CIS card is a European contractor’s tax certificate, in the form of a plastic card with their photo on it). If they are genuine, they will be happy to show you.
• 3) Make sure you work out the details of the amount of the payment, the payment schedule, and the exact scope of work (the details of what work is to be completed on your home) before any money is exchanged and before work begins. Some contractors may ask for a small deposit. You should not pay more than a third of the total value as a deposit, and NEVER PAY THIS IN CASH!!! While the cheque is clearing, that can also give you time to check them out to see if they really are who they say they are.
• 4) Get everything in writing. Asking for a written estimate might probably discourage a con-artist, as traditionally, a cowboy builder will provide you with his interpretation of the work, rather than perhaps what you want or thought you were getting. Any reputable home improvement contractor will understand that they are competing for your business and should be happy to give you a written estimate. This is a great way to judge the differences in professionalism and cost.
• 5) Don”t allow yourself to be rushed or pressured into agreeing to work that, (until they turned up on your doorstep an hour ago), you didn’t know you needed! Do your research. The internet is a great place to start, plus ask friends or family, or even neighbours, who they got to do any work previously, then do the right thing and CONTACT THE CONTRACTOR, instead of waiting to be preyed on by a con man..
……………..and rather importantly, remember you have every right to say “NO” to anyone offering to do work on your home and you have every right to ask them to leave your premises/doorstep. If they do not do so, call the police!
I hope that the above information is food for thought. I would not wish for any reader to be the victim of a con or scam this spring or summer. Remember, there are many companies about who will knock your door and try and con you. Many of these people may be turned out smart, well spoken and seem very plausible, but they are NOT YOUR FRIENDS!!!!! They are not doing you a favour, they are after your hard earned money! DON’T GIVE IT TO THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!….and especially, if you live in the UK, and are approached by a well known external coating company, offering an awful trowel applied coating with a rough bark effect, who will say that he is the “marketing manager”, this is an out and out lie, do not be fooled! They will almost certainly be a “commission only” door knocking manager.
Tell them you rent the house, that will get shot of them. There are nothing wrong with exterior coatings at all, if they are from a reputable company, but the company I am talking of will charge you a price of up to 3 times what the competition do and are renowned for ultra high pressure sales pitches, often lasting well into the night!
While the above advice is given in good faith, there are many very good companies and contractors who you can choose from to carry out works to your home. There are however particular industries that lead themselves to high pressure selling or dodgy conmen on the doorstep. The affected industries that get the worst press are usually exterior wallcoatings (Trowel applied render based coatings being the worst example), Kitchens, bathrooms, Conservatories, Double Glazing, Driveways and of course the “odd job” man. There are some reputable firms offering this, but there are equally firms who cant wait to rip you off, so be warned.
…………Be warned and be careful if someone approaches you out of the blue.
TO READ MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM ROGUE TRADERS, WHY NOT FOLLOW THE LINK BY CLICKING HERE.
Article by NPA. Posted 21st January 2008.
Yet another house painting video from the United States. Its a pity painting contractors in the UK or Spain dont do something like this?? This video shows a variety of painting methods including spraying paint onto the walls of a house, traditional painting with a paint brush, and also of course, applying a wall coating or external coating with a roller, common in the USA after spraying but not a method used so much in the UK.