With interest rates remaining at a record low it’s difficult to find investments that offer a reasonable return. However, putting money into your own home is one of the best ways to put your savings to work; it also has the added benefit of improving your quality of life. But what should you do? We believe the suggestions set out below will give you the maximum return on your investment.

Here are our top 5 tips

1. Be Objective – This may sound obvious, but you will only convert your investment into a return if you are able to sell your home at a good price, therefore it is important to stop and consider whether the improvements you are making have a broad appeal. Optics Bars or ‘roll top’ baths in the middle of a bedroom will only ever appeal to a small section of the market, especially if they are at the expense of valuable living space. Remember, most people would like their living room to be a living room and not a reconstruction of the ‘Rovers Return’! So, if they don’t have a broad appeal, they are probably risky and inadvisable investments.

2. Extend/Convert – The 2 main factors that determine a property’s price are size and location. Therefore adding space is usually the most effective way of adding value. Try and get into the habit of thinking on a price per square meter basis and apply this to your property. Spending 100k rearranging the layout of your property doesn’t mean you will add £100k in value, and you are unlikely to add enough value to cover the cost of the works. Why – because you haven’t added a single extra square metre of floor space. Loft conversions are the most cost effective way to add value to your property and on average increase the price by 20-40%, with a rear extension adding slightly less. So if you can, build up or build out.

3. Local Research – It is vital to research your local area and market, as a ‘Glass Ceiling’ or maximum price that your house can be valued at exists, and this will remain regardless of the improvements you make. Bear in mind that even if you agree a price with a buyer they may not be able to get a mortgage for that amount. The way it works is that surveyors will use a rule of ‘3 comparable properties’ meaning that they look at 3 similar properties in your immediate area to act as a price guide and are reluctant to value properties much above this. You must consider the value of the works you are doing with in relation to the maximum sale value of similar properties in your area, and keep in mind that going over this figure is risky.

4. Improve Energy Efficiency – Estimates for fuel inflation mean that by the end of the decade fuel costs will be the second largest household payment after your mortgage. In light of this having a fuel efficient home will be a big advantage, and buyers are becoming increasingly conscious of a home’s running costs. So whilst you are extending or converting it is an excellent idea to insulate your walls and ceilings (as 70% of all heat is lost through them). Changing to a fuel efficient condensing boiler will also reduce bills, and if you’re feeling adventurous you could install under floor heating. We have found that many simple low cost measures are effective at reducing energy costs, which will become increasingly important as time goes on.

5. Layout – It is really important when considering the layout of your property to try and avoid losing rooms! Even if you are creating a superb layout, if in the process you go from a 3 to a 2 bedroom property it is extremely likely that you will be reducing the value of your home. Also, try and keep layouts flexible, so that if you create an open plan ground floor layout consider installing dividing doors and make it easy to reinstate stud walls so that potential purchasers see that if needs be they can change the layout to meet their needs.

So before you begin planning your next move, take a step back and consider the possibilities all around you as your home could be bursting with opportunities. Think carefully about how you invest your money as the choices you make now may greatly affect the value of your home…

For more information or some friendly advice please contact info@illustrioushomes.co.uk or call us on 0208 242 4366.

Considering every 37 seconds a home somewhere in Britain is burgled, we think it’s high time that homeowners receive more than just the same old advice. Instead, we recommend our Smart lighting systems, which not only safeguard your home and decrease your lighting bills, but also add some great features to your property.

With the recent dramatic rise in reported burglaries and attempted burglaries in North London we believe Smart lighting systems might hold the answer to this ever-unchanging problem. As the majority of burglaries occur when a property is empty, maybe the best deterrent is to convince people that you are actually in the house.

Our Smart lighting systems can do exactly that by utilising the latest Smart lighting driver from Crestron. These drivers (effectively a mini computer) electronically control all aspect of your homes lighting, from when lights switch on or off to how bright the lights are once switched on. What’s more, because the Crestron system is connected to the internet your lighting system can be controlled remotely form the office or even a beach in Barbados!

Our Smart lighting systems can be programmed to switch lights on or off to mimic your actual movements around the property, and can be varied so that each day the timings and sequence of lighting changes are different. For example at 8pm on a Tuesday the lights to the hall, then landing, then back bedroom go on to make it look as though someone is moving through the house. The system is also connected to the astrological clock and will therefore automatically make adjustments for changes in sunrise and sunset times. The possibilities are literally endless, and that’s why we call it “Smart” lighting.

This is a much better deterrent to the usual timed switches that turn a single light on or off, which to the determined burglar is an obvious ploy. Remember the scene from ‘Home Alone’ when the burglars wait on the street as they predict when the lights turn on and off in each house. As fictional as this example might be, experienced burglars are likely to be aware of single timed switches as they tend to study the houses before they make their move.

Another benefit of this system is that it can save you at least 20% on your yearly lighting bill, as lights can be set to turn on at only 80% brightness, this reduction in brightness is virtually indistinguishable to the naked eye but saves you at least 20%.

One of the issues with Smart Lighting systems is the cost of installation; however our technicians have worked on techniques to fit these systems in a more cost effective way. There are 2 main costs involved in this type of installation, 1) the infrastructure (cables) which accounts for around 30% of overall costs, and 2) the equipment (drivers and controls) which accounts for around 70% of the cost. Up until now clients have had to do both parts of the installation at the same time, but our technicians have developed a new installation technique that means we are able to install your infrastructure so that it works with a conventional circuit board/fuse box. This allows the customer to upgrade their system at their own pace and budget, making this type of system much more affordable.

The Crestron driver can even be used to control your heating system, and audio visuals systems, it can even be used to open and shut blinds and windows. Call our SmartHomes team now or email Smarthomes@illustrioushomes.co.uk for more information.

Emmaus South Lambeth is dedicated to providing the former homeless and rough sleepers with work and a place to call home, thus providing the individual support and training needed for any personal or vocational development. Illustrious Homes donated almost 50% of the funds needed for the project, all thanks to our charity golf day in aid of CRASH.

We are pleased to report that with our help the Emmaus South Lambeth received the funds they needed to increase their storage space for furniture donations and restorations, meaning they can now accommodate more good quality donations for the homeless. The lack of heating, ventilation, lighting and power points has also been resolved, providing better working conditions for the staff, volunteers and companions.

Emmaus South Lambeth

“We are so grateful for the generosity of Illustrious Homes. Their support meant that Emmaus could make vital improvements to their working environment and provide much needed storage space,” said CRASH Project Manager Nicola Baskerville.

“The renovations not only mean that companions, volunteers and staff can now make the most of all the donations of furniture they receive, they also have an appropriately heated and lit environment boosting their sense of well being and their productivity.”

For more information about these great causes please visit the CRASH website at www.crash.org.uk, or Emmaus at www.emmaus.org.uk.

So how about a loft conversion? Through using the money you would otherwise spend in estate agent fees, solicitor fees, removal fees and stamp duty you could easily add a loft conversion. Not only will this provide all the space you need but with Illustrious Homes a loft conversion will not impact the external appearance of your existing property. Our skilled staff have developed a system that means over 90% of the works are carried out from outside of the property and have no effect on the existing fabric of the building. Therefore the only way you will know that we are even there is the scaffolding hidden at the back of the building.

We carry out all structural works, including electrics, plumbing, plastering and carpentry without entering your existing property. This means that by the time we have to fit your staircase and make a hole to the existing structure we only have 1-2 weeks of work left, with the property already water tight, safe and warm. We have even developed a process that allows us to lift the section of ceiling that we cut away for the staircase back through the loft conversion. This section is then dismantled and removed through the loft so not affecting the fabric of your building. With high attention to detail we ensure that the rest of your house is protected with dust sheets, then we simply fit the staircase, remove the dust sheets and sweep up, easy as 1,2,3.

This process means that you can literally leave the house in the morning and return after work with a brand new loft conversion in your property. Paul a recent client even commented, “I was initially concerned with the prospect of a loft conversion as we had just spent thousands decorating and renovating our house. I was astounded that so much work was done without us even knowing and even more amazed on the day I returned home to see a new staircase and loft as if by magic, with no marks or damage to the walls at all”.

Our lofts are stylish, affordable and cheaper than moving so contact us now for more information.

At Illustrious Homes our SmartHomes team have been working on ways to make this type of technology available to the average household, and we think we have cracked it. Illustrious SmartHomes have just completed the installation of an integrated SmartHome Audio Visual system in its 5 bedroom ‘Test Home’ located in North West London.

Utilising the ‘Test Homes’ cat5 network it is possible to use cost effective solutions such as the Sonos ‘Connect’ and ‘Play 5’ modules to enable the streaming of music throughout the entire house. The great news is that even though our SmartHomes team will always say ‘Wire is best’ the Sonos system can also be set up over a Wi-Fi network, eliminating the need for expensive cabling works.

Sonos connect

Sonos Play:5 black front

The Sonos system is totally modular which means that unlike other solutions which require substantial upfront investment, you can build your system bit by bit based on your needs and budget. The Sonos system allows you to utilise existing equipment so there is no need to throw away your favourite stereo system. An added advantage is that Sonos have also released a free iPhone/iPad app to control their systems, removing the need to purchase controllers for each zone (which cost over £250 each!)

Sonos soft controllers

The Sonos system connects directly to your existing PC/Mac music library which is then available to play in any room (zone) that you have set up in the property. The ‘grouping’ function allows you to stream the same music simultaneously to each room, or to play different music in different rooms, the choice is yours. So whether you’re throwing a party or just having a relaxing day at home, the Sonos system allows you to set the scene.

The Sonos system also has a line-in-jack connector that allows you to play music from an alternative source.  At our ‘Test Home’ we have this connected to an old record player, so that all that old vinyl can be put to good use. A clever feature is that on group mode you can actually stream this ‘line in’ input throughout the whole house, it’s pretty nice to be able to play that Miles Davis LP in the lounge and listen to it in the loft.

As this system is connected to the internet you can also access a raft of internet content such as internet radio and applications such as ‘Spotify’ and ‘Napster’, giving you a vast library to choose from.

This solution is a fraction of the cost but not a fraction of the quality, providing great functionality that can be enjoyed by everyone.

For more information on this and our other SmartHomes solutions please contact Smarthomes@illustrioushomes.co.uk

Buying a new house is always exciting as we begin to plan our dream home. For many of us the opportunity to start over can be very rewarding as we look to ‘put our mark’ on the property. This might be through replacing the kitchen, bathroom, or for the more adventurous, constructing a new conservatory or loft conversion. But what about the original features, how can we restore or even reinstall these characteristics in order to preserve the style and authenticity of the property?

A difficult area when trying to maintain the feel of a period property can be the windows, as people believe they have to choose between aesthetically pleasing (yet drafty) sash windows or new energy efficient UPVC copies which ruin the character of the property.

This however may not be the case, as Illustrious Homes have been working for the past decade to develop techniques and processes that means you don’t have to choose between period features and efficiency, an example of this could be the dilemma many face with period windows, original sash windows or PVC copies?

For this dilemma, we are able to manufacture bespoke windows that exactly match the existing ones but contain double glazed glass. This will give the customer the benefits of modern windows while maintaining the look of period windows.

We are also able to recreate bespoke furniture, cupboards and wardrobes that allow clients to maintain the period beauty of an old property whilst emphasising and accentuating key characteristics that make a property unique. Using skilled workmen, features can also be duplicated and made to fit seamlessly into your property.

Through working closely with a good interiors team it’s also possible to take advantage of ‘Up Cycling’ (the use of old original features for new or different purposes). This is a perfect way of bringing old features back to life by making use of them in a new and exciting way whilst adding an element of period style to your property, for example, the use of a 120 year old sash window as a mirror in your ensuite.

This sympathetic treatment of original features in your home will help retain its overall aesthetic and feel. These days there is no need to compromise as we can combine the beauty and authenticity of the old with the efficiency of the new.

Below are 5 top tips to keeping your heating in and minimizing your heating bills.

1) Turn down the heating temperature on your boiler –

By simply reducing this heat, it normally goes up to 6, to between 2 & 4, you could save up to 60% on your heating. Running a boiler at maximum heats the water to over 60 degrees whilst running it at around setting 4 will heat the water to round 40 degrees, whichrepresents an energy saving of over 50%.

With modern condensing boilers, setting your boiler to a lower temperature will mean it can stay in condensing mode for much longer. This means that the water is being heated without burning any gas – effectively costing you nothing.

These techniques are best utilised with wet under floor heating systems, but the basic principles can be used in any home to save money.

2) Turn Down hot water Temperature on boiler

Most people will have the hot water temperature set to maximum, turning this down can save money as you don’t have to cool it down with cold water. Ever scold yourself washing up? Why not just heat it less in the first place, rather than adding cold water to cool it down?

3) Keep all internal doors shut

Heat loss is the single biggest problem in all houses, in particular period properties. Heating your house to a comfortable temperature is simple, the energy needed to maintain a comfortable temperature is exactly the same as the amount of energy lost, so -reduce the amount of heat lost, reduce the amount of energy used to maintain the temperature. This is also true in terms of heat loss between rooms, especially if rooms are not heated when not in use. Keep these and all internal doors closed and keep the heat in the places you need.

4) Close curtains / Blinds

70% of heat loss is through roofs and exterior walls, this is even greater where windows are concerned, so by keeping curtains closed you can dramatically reduce heat loss, and so less energy is needed to heat rooms. In winter,keep the curtain closed during the day when as this reduces heat lost through the day, so the boiler does not have to work as hard in terms energy consumption to get the house to a comfortable temperature.

5) Turn off heating in unoccupied rooms –

This is quite a simple and obvious thing to do,even standard heating systems can utilise this simple method. Simply turn down/off your radiators in unused rooms, but be careful to leave them on slightly or on frost mode (if you have thermostatic valves) to avoid freezing pipes, although this really should not be a problem in well insulated homes.

Bonus tip –
Whatever your form of heating, and whether you use all or some of the tips above, it can always be best utilised by having quality insulation installed, although it may cost more initially, the long-term savings are substantial as less heating will be needed in the first place, but that heat will stay in a building for longer. This will have a large impact on reducing your heating bills.

If you would like to discuss other ways to cut costs and keep more heat in your home, or would like to discuss how beat to cut energy costs for a commercial or industry property, please CONTACT  one of the Illustrious Homes team for information and free technical advice.

And remember – the easiest way to keep warm this season – wrap up! Try not to go straight for the heating every time, wrap up in a jumper, hoodie, dressing gown – it’s what they’re there for!

The results were as follows…

• 1st Place Team………….Mansell with 94 points.
• 2nd Place Team………Apollo 2 (John Dorling) with 87 points
• 3rd Place Team…………Lakehouse with 82 points
• Best Individual Score..Wesley Cass (Mansell) 35 points. Special mention to Andy Collie 2nd place with 34points playing off of a handicap of 3.
• Nearest the Pin…………Kieran Buckowski (24inchs)
• Longest Drive……………Dan Kucharski

We were generously supported by all those companies who attended and we plan to continue our association with CRASH and hold the event again next year.
To view pictures of the event please use the following link and login details

http://www3.snapfish.co.uk/snapfishuk/home/
Username jane@illustrioushomes.co.uk
Password Illustrious
(If you want to view photos only of your own team please use the ‘Narrow by’ heading at the top and just select your team)

Thanks again to the following companies for helping to support the event

• AKT II
• Apollo
• Applied Landscape Design
• Argent
• BAM Nutall
• Carillion
• Davis Langdon
• Herts. Builders
• Kier
• Lakehouse
• Mansell
• PMX
• Rush Construction Services