March 2018 - All THINGS PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION

Small bathroom ideas

Making the most out of a small and large bathroom

Bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes and they can be a real selling point whether large or small.

I do think it’s a waste of space having a really large bathroom but on the other hand I know the impracticality of a small bathroom.

So I am going to give you some ideas of working with small and large bathrooms and making the most out of them.

With a small bathroom its always difficult to move things about but there are a couple options, the easiest is if you don’t mind not having a bath, fit a shower cubicle something like an 800mm x 800mm cubicle is quite a nice size or even a 1200 x 700mm shower cubicle is nice and it makes the bathroom appear a lot larger.

If you’re a real bath person or you have kids then you really want to keep a bath but there is still an option, in a property I lived in rather than have a 1700mm

long bath (standard size) we opted for a 1500mm bath, meaning we could put it on the far wall under the window and swap the toilet and sink around. Then with some really nice white tiles and mosaics it really opened the bathroom up and gave us some much needed floor space and this option you still get to have a nice bath, but really utilise the space and you’re only going to sacrifice a bit of laying out space and this is hardly noticeable.

On that same bathroom I was quite clever in utilising a cupboard that was beside the bathroom an unused airing cupboard one that is above the stair well so not full length but enough to get a basin in there at a good height off the floor. So what I did was pinch a bit of the cupboard and fit a free standing basin in that new alcove and it worked a treat. The bathroom had more than enough space for the family to be in and out at the same time and it made it a real feature of the property all the while not jeopardising any bedroom space.

Another tip is to do away with a big old shower curtain and install a nice looking over bath shower screen, they give the bathroom a real clean tidy appearance and open the room up visually. S with some good lighting and mirrors and bathroom will look twice the size.

Having said this sometimes there just really isn’t any scope to jig the bathroom around, I have a rental property where the bathroom is ground floor and the bath is under the slope of the stairs, a sink pretty much over hangs the bath and the toilet is beside the sink. With this type of layout of property I have really no other options but to build a small extension to take the depth of the bath. By doing this it will massively open the whole bathroom up. It’s not ideal but it’s the only way forward with this type of set up. I want to keep a bath as I would prefer a small family to rent this property.

Hopefully there is a few nuggets of advice here for you to help with your small bathroom set up.

Large Bathrooms

Large bathrooms really don’t have the same problem, but what they do is take away much needed space from the rest of the house. I have gone into property where the bathroom is bigger then some of the bedrooms, obviously if this is the case see if you can switch the rooms around if the pipework/waste pipes can do it.

If not what about split it into 2 different bathrooms, so would it work using a part of it and closing it off as an en suite if a bedroom is beside it, then the other half can be a family bathroom.

Or I have just priced a job recently where they have a large house/family so they want a bathroom for the adults and a shower room for the kids which can also work really well.

Another option to think about is can the bathroom be shrunk down completely and by doing that adding another bedroom/office?

If you have more ideas or want to discuss your bathroom problems please comment below.

Check out Sanctuary Bathrooms for all your bathroom needs, click on the symbol to be redirected to their site.

Thanks for reading,

Toby

Real Estate tips for seller

I’m looking at a new property to move to at the moment and although I’m not expecting everything to be perfect I am amazed at how dirty these properties are and we are not talking about cheap properties that the vendor just wants to get rid off, we are talking about the vendor needing top whack to move on.

My wife and I went to one the other day and the whole family where in (a family of 5) We were greeted by a dog barking at us and just the signs off not a well looked after property and I don’t mean just lack of maintenance I mean cleanliness. Mould was in every corner of the what should have been white walls but now were a tobacco stained yellow, dusty cobwebs and the smell of dog, on top of that I have heard of baking a loaf of bread for when perspective buyers visit to give them a sense of home, but they were boiling some sort of cabbage soup that honestly it did not give the same sense of home that nice fresh bread would.

Then on top of that they had marketed the property as a 4 bed but when they showed me the fourth room in the loft and that I practically had to climb a ladder to get into I was not happy and mentioned to the agent that no way this would have been passed by building control and as such cannot be marketed as a 4^th bedroom.

Stepping over the rubbish and waste left in the garden I was then showed the half-finished block shed that looked a mess and the agent tried their best to sell it to me as a lovely unfinished project (good try).

After looking though the rest of the property where there were more areas of black mould and junk everywhere and because they had done a really bad job with converting the attic the stairs took a section out of 3 of the rooms and the rooms appeared small and pokey.

The house however had potential I could see passed the state of place because I see this sort of thing all the time but how many people could do that?

I felt like I wanted to go back and help the seller and advise them on how to get a property ready for selling.

I did feel for them they had a big family in a relatively small house and they were relying on getting the maximum amount for their property to move on.

Now Lets assume money was tight and with a family of 5 very easily could be the case, but giving the place a deep clean, doing away with all the junk, finishing the unfinished projects and a coat of white paint throughout costs next to nothing and I really think if they did that they would achieve the asking price.

So after my experience I have decided to write down some tips for getting a property sold and that is not going to cost you a lot of money. I am assuming we are not replacing things we are just tarting the place up.

TOP TIPS

Tip 1, Give the place a really good clean and keep on top of it

Tip 2, Remove all the junk, stuff that’s not used on a daily basis does not have to be on show. For this task its sometimes good to have a third party come in and help as they are not use to what’s been left out so they can question you on certain things.

Tip 3, Get the black mould sorted, usually a ventilation problem but it can also be to do with the structure. If you have been doing all the right things such as airing the property, having extractors on when showering etc, then get the mould of with a nice strong cleaner, once dry paint with a stain block, then paint with a anti mould paint or buy the anti mould solution to add to it.

Tip 4, My pet hate is going into the bathroom and you are welcomed by dirty tile grout and a mouldy seal around the bath. Rake the grout out by a 3mm and re-grout or go over it with a grout reviver and re-seal the bath. If you are no good at sealing use a sealing tape I would rather see that then a mouldy silicone sealant.

Tip 5. As mentioned earlier finish off those little jobs you have been meaning to do, such as finishing a bit of laminate flooring or some skirting or fixing that broken kitchen cupboard door. The problem is they are not big things to you as you have been living with them but people having a look around will pick all these things up.

Tip 6. A fresh coat of paint on the walls and wood work, you don’t have to do feature walls and different colours everywhere in fact a nice neutral colour is best if in doubt just white matt emulsion on the ceilings and walls. Give the wood work a little rub down and use a satin wood paint on them just to freshen it all up. The beauty of using the white on walls and ceilings is that you don’t have to be a pro with cutting in and I don’t care what you say £100 can buy you a shed load of white matt emulsion. £50 for some satin wood, £10 for a set of brushes and then it’s just your time and believe me it will sell quick just by doing this small thing.

Tip 7, Don’t be around when the agent is showing your place off it makes people uncomfortable

Tip, 8 if you are around don’t cook horrible smelly stuff.

Tip 9, if you’re a smoker DO NOT SMOKE INSIDE this will quite literally put people of buying.

Tip 10, If you do have problems with the property such as roof leaks or structural problems, don’t just cover them up and hope people don’t notice. I always recommend getting the cause of the problem solved not just what the problem causes. It can be pricey to solve but if it was highlighted in a survey the buyer will expect money off so either get it sorted or bring it up at the start of the negotiations so it can be factored into the price at an early stage.

Tip 11, If you have been cooking or have pets, spend a few quid on some air fresheners, the ones that plug in getting something nice but not to strong.

Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean other people won’t.

Tip 12, If the carpets are looking tired spend some money and get them professional cleaned it makes the house look a lot fresher and cleaner.

Tip13, Don’t leave all your pots and pans out/dirty washing for all to see.

Tip 14, If keeping on top of things is a real problem and you have a large family etc so keeping it clean is impossible, ask the agent to arrange an open day or have all the viewings booked in on the same day, then you only have to really get on top of everything leading up to that day then you can relax after.

Tip 15, Make sure windows and gutters are clean and clear from debris, hot soapy water can do marvels, or better yet look at my rated products page for window and plastic cleaning solvents.

Tip 16, Make sure entrance and exist are clear so the buyer isn’t struggling to manoeuvre about the place.

Tip 17, Get all the weeds up and any plants planted and garden trimmed ready so people don’t have to imagine they can see the potential.

Tip 18, Make sure curtains are drawn and windows on vent to maximise the natural light and fresh air.

Tip 19, If you have a room that is not used still dress it with a bed and bedroom furniture, even if you just borrow someone’s spare. It easily highlights what the room can fit.

Tip 20, Don’t just chuck everything in a cupboard chances are that cupboard will be opened and the potential purchasers will just see what a mess it is.

I hope these 20 tips help and if you have any questions or want more tips please leave a comment.

Fence Post hole digger

I do tons of fencing and I couldn’t do without out my post hole digger.

This one comes with wooden handles, which are easily replaced unlike the fibreglass version, its well balanced and not to heavy so a bit nicer on the shoulders when digging a lot of holes. The business end is very strong heavy duty steel so can usually break up small lumps of brick and stone that are in the way.

Very useful tool at an affordable price and ideal for your fencing projects or if you just need to dig some trial holes.

Click on the picture to be taken to ebay where you can purchase the digger

Window cleaners

Window plastics cleaner (Solvent cleaner)

This is a great product if you have really bad stains on your window frames, fascias and anything plastic.

I use it all the time after fitting new windows and doors and it gets rid of those glues and stickers that come plastered over new windows and doors when first purchased.

Very strong stuff so wear all the correct PPE and also best to do it in well ventilated areas as it smells really strong and will make you dizzy if exposed to it in confined spaces

Glass cleaner

While on the subject of windows I always use a decent glass cleaner. Its amazing at getting the glass clean and all the marks off.

One of my first jobs as a trainee was to clean all the windows after they had been fitted and what I use to do was clean all the frames with the solvent cleaner then with the same handful of tissue paper spray the window down give is a good wipe down, then get a clean piece of roll and buff it up and it would come up sparkling.

Use some sort of heavy duty roll (as shown below) to use with these products for best results.

UPVC window maintenance

Windows are always overlooked in a property and never maintained and its so easy to do so and just by annually maintaining them it really can add years onto their life.

Window seals

A tip is to buy some Vaseline and coat up all the seals, these are the bits that are around the window vents they are made out of rubber and will perish really quickly if not kept lubricated so literally get some Vaseline on your finger and rub it all over the seals.

If they are really cracked and are falling apart they can be replaced easily, any window guy will be able to undertake this for you. Also by replacing the seals it will help with the actual seal of the window and reduce the amount of cold air leaking through.

Window Hinges

The hinges on the window vents can either be coated with Vaseline as well or a 3 in 1 oil this is particularly important to remember to do in places like the kitchen and bathroom where there is a lot of moisture and by lubricating the hinge it will prevent the metal going rusty and the hinge unable to work properly.

However do not dismay if your hinges are already in a state the window does not need replacing you can replace the hinges. I would suggest using a window fitter for this as the window vent will need to come out to change them and this can be fiddly, also the hinges come in 2 different thicknesses (stack height) so this will need to be measured before purchasing the new hinges and sometimes its just easier to leave it to the professional.

Cleaning the frame and glass

It sounds simple but keep the plastic frame clean, its good practice to go over the frames once a year to get all the previous winters crud off. Hot soapy water as standard, but also when I used to fit windows for a window fitting company we used a solvent cleaner to get all the glues and marks of. So for the real stubborn marks I would invest in some of this (check out my products page to purchase) There is also a glass cleaner we use to use that is amazing at getting the glass clean and all the marks of, one of my first jobs as a trainee was to clean all the windows after they had been fitted and what I use to do was clean all the frames with the solvent cleaner then with the same handful of tissue paper spray the window down give is a good wipe down, then get a clean piece of roll and buff it up and it would look amazing..(check out my link for the window spray)

Weep holes

Make sure all the weep holes are clear and running free, over time they get blocked up so a paper clip and a prod about would unblock these.

Broken glass unit

Last but not least the glass. Now I mentioned about cleaning it but what can happen is that the glass unit can break down, this is best illustrated by the glass becoming misty/condensation but in the middle of the glass so between the 2 sections that make up the glass unit. This happens over time as the glass unit breaks down and the argon gas escapes. Again don’t fear the whole window doesn’t need replacing just the glass. Again speak to a window fitter as they will need to come out to measure the glass and find out its thickness then this is usually easily changed over.

Hopefully this gives you a bit more insight into UPVC windows and by carrying out these small tasks will inevitably add years onto the life span, keep energy costs down and make the house look smart.

If you have any questions about upvc windows please comment on the post.

Many thanks for reading.

Door clamp

Its a real pain trying to plane a door or fit hinges and handles with the thing clamped between your knees or trying to lean it up against something. It always moves or your legs get in the way.

Not anymore I was on site working and came across a carpenter with these:

Door clamps, they make the job so much easier and the door is safe and secure while you work on it so no more falling over as you lean over to pick up a sharper chisel.

Such an easy idea but so useful.

click on the image where you will be taken to ebay to be able to view and purchase.

Stop Mould and Condensation

I have always come across properties where they suffer with a lot of mould and condensation. I have only ever been able to say the same thing, “make sure widows are on vent during the day and the extractors are running in the bathroom and kitchen” This is all well and good the reply would come but try telling that to my tenant.

I have researched this a lot and its about getting the right amount of fresh dry air into a property and the stale moisture laden air out. I went to a property a friend of mine has who rents it to six students and he has had this exact problem. He has tried everything and nothing would work until he was put onto this product:

Its quite simple it sucks the fresh air from a loft space in, filters it and pumps it into the house. This in turn pushes the moisture laden air out of the property through all its cracks and crevices leaving the property with fresh clean air all the time thus eliminating condensation and black mould.

My friend has never looked back and he says what a difference the feel of the property now has.

click on the picture to be directed to the ebay page that sells the product.

HOW TO INVEST IN PROPERTY IN THE UK

Investing In property is not as straight forward as it used to be, the government are really making it hard for investors and it’s just a completely different game now then it was even 10 years ago.

But you have started on your investing path correctly, you reading this post tells me you are doing things right, you are starting to “educate yourself”. You will hear this term a lot in the property investing game so get used to it and get educating.

Anyone you speak to will advise you to educate yourself and by that it means reading up on the subject, attending courses and especially attend your local property networking groups which there are a lot of now, I regularly attend a Property Investors Network meeting (PIN MEETING) and this puts you in a room with people that are doing, have done and are looking at doing investing, so you will really be in the right place and environment to learn.

If you have some capital it makes it easier to start, there are some popular models around to start looking into for your property investing career these are HMO, RENT TO RENT, SERVICED ACCOMMODATION, BUY TO LET there are more but these are the most used and straightforward.

It completely depends on your end game as to which route you would like to go. For example do you want a few extra pounds a month to go towards your holiday, do you want X amount of cash to be able to spend without going into you savings. Mine is very straight forward,

“I want a passive income that will equal my outgoings”.

THE PROS AND CONS OF THE DIFFERENT MODELS.

You will find loads of information on this subject and it always depends on what you want out of it, I wanted to cut my teeth on buy to lets but after educating myself more I could see there is more to gain in an HMO whereas I’m sure in a year or two I will be looking at another system entirely, especially with the way the tax is changing on property income.

BUY TO LET

This is when you buy a property flat or house and rent it out as a whole usually to a what we call one household, such as a family or a couple. They pay you a rent and they pay there own bills and you look after the property, so if the boiler goes or the electrics its your responsibility to sort it out. This is a nice style of investment. You only have to deal with one household at a time, Minimum 6 months but if your lucky its for a lot longer and you get a set amount a month. Obviously you may get the odd call saying something has broken down so you need to arrange for it to be fixed but apart from that it’s a pretty hands off investment and if you really want to be completely hands free you can hire an agent to deal with the property.

It’s a low maintenance investment Return on investment isn’t going to be massive but its usually constant and safe. So a good long term investment.

House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO)

This is a step up from the single buy to lets. In a nutshell Its when the property is split into separate rooms and you rent each room individually and where the tenant will share the communal rooms, such as kitchen and living space with the other tenants.

There’s a lot more to learn about HMO’s with regards to getting the property up to spec which needs to be researched thoroughly but the ROI can be a lot more than the single let due to the fact you will be getting a monthly rent from each individual tenant, you usually charge an all-inclusive rent to include bills and utilities. The downside is that you are dealing with new tenants more frequently as it’s a higher turnover model and wear and tear is more. However its usually localised to individual rooms so compared to the buy to let strategies usually the whole property needs redecorating after each tenant, with the HMO its only the individual room if that, then the communal rooms upgraded at longer intervals typically every 2-3 years.

A higher return model, but more work involved.

RENT TO RENT

This is where you will rent a property off a landlord and rent the rooms out like an HMO. Pros are that you don’t need a lot of money to set this up and someone else is liable for the property and you can make some really good money, the bad points are you will have to give the property back unless you have done a deal with an option to purchase at the end of the set period.

This is a good model if you want to get out of your day job and build up some capital of your own to get set up in property. You will usually have to spend some money out getting the property up to spec and obviously this will only be a gain for the landlord when you give the property back however a great way to get started and learning how to manage properties and deal with tenants..

Serviced accommodation

This is the most talked about model in the property circles at the moment.

It’s when instead of having long term tenants in (Minimum 6months), instead you rent the property out on a nightly basis. There can be a lot more profit from this type of investment as you can charge from £50 to £150 a night in the right area.

But there is a lot more to do and arrange with this model and you would have to weigh up the extra wear and tear, the changeovers new laundry/cleaning after each person vacates, but if you’re in the right location and you’re looking for a very hands on investment this good be the way to go.

A lot of experienced investors are dipping their toes into this as is taxed differently for one thing and not subjected to the new article 24 tax on buy to lets and because of the great returns.

So a good high cash flow model, but with a lot of extra work and a lot of educating required.

Working out the figures

Once you have decided on the model you prefer it’s time to get started, obviously if you have the funds usually 25% of total purchase price for the mortgage then you have to allow for the additional stamp duty, conveyancing fees, also a survey of the property. So as mentioned in my (buying a property for the first time post-https://allthings-property.com/buying-a-house-first-time/.

Speak to all the relevant professions before to get an idea of the costings, a mortgage broker if your using one, solicitors fees and get savvy with the additional cost for stamp duty, there loads of stamp duty calculators on the internet but make sure its working out stamp duty on 2^nd homes not just on the first as the 2 are very different now. For example if you’re buying a second property for £300,000 you now have to pay an additional £14,000 in stamp duty fees.

You will obviously need to take all this into account to work out initial outgoings but also to work out if the property is worth buying as a potential investment.

A typical property is working out at a yield of 5-6% so that’s worked out by dividing the annual rent divided by the property value. So it’s a nice quick way of looking at a property to see what the potential returns are. But obviously this is only part the picture as this is based on you buying the property outright which is fine if you’re a cash buyer, but if you are using additional borrowing such as a mortgage then what you really want to know is your return on investment (ROI).

You will want to know how much you’re going to make on my money invested. So you will need a few more figures for this but in a nutshell, if you work out the rent you receive annually on the property, minus the mortgage amount & maintenance etc, and take the figure for the total money you have invested, including solicitor fees, stamp duty and so on then divide your annual figure of rent received minus the mortgage cost by the total money invested that will give you your true ROI.

This will be something you definitely need to look into if your serious about a property. If all the figures stack up then it could be the one for you..

So to summarise:

-educate yourself
-Start with the end in mind
-choose which model to follow and adapt if necessary
-check the figures work, then check again

“This is great” you say “If you have the money to put down but what if I don’t?”.

Then start with the rent to rent model, you will need a bit of money but not as much as the others models you can then build your money up and get started on your own. Also the other option is to look for someone to invest with (A Joint venture partner) they can bring the money if you can source the deal.

It’s important not to limit yourself and look outside the box.

I hope this helps you on your property investing path and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to comment on the post.

Good luck!