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Details: Published: 21 December 2022; Hits: 277

In Many Cases, Using An Architect Can Save Money And Time

If you want to extend your property, how much do you pay in architect’s fees? Good question! That’s why the team at Warren Powell-Richards has done the research for you, and can now bring you the information you need.

We’ll explain how the fees are worked out and the things you’ll need to keep in mind if you’re hiring a firm of architects to work on your project.

Do I Really Need To Use An Architect?

If you’re keen to extend your home on a budget, you may be wondering whether you really need to use an architect’s services, especially if the project is quite small and requires no planning permission. Many homeowners believe it’ll be more cost-effective and simple to approach a builder, tell them what they want, and then allow them to get the job done. But, while this may sound like a perfectly sound approach, it may often backfire!

In many cases, using an architect can save you money and time as they will offer advice about how to maximise both your budget and the room in question. Architects can identify things that will be overlooked by non-design professionals, and that means they can improve your project design, help you get even more out of the space, and give you the best possible return on your investment. When you have architectural drawings, you’ll also be able to compare quotes from different builders more easily.

What Will Engaging An Architect Cost?

Of course, there are numerous variables that come into play when determining what an architect will charge for their services. Some of the factors to keep in mind include:

The complexity and size of your project. The bigger and more challenging the project is, the more you can expect to pay.
How the work is charged. Different architects charge for their work in different ways. Some quote hourly rates while others use a fixed fee system. Others ask for a percentage of the total final cost of your project, which could vary from 5% to 15%.
Your postcode. Where you live matters too. Architects operating in certain areas will charge a premium.

What Do Architects Include In Their Fees?

Different firms will offer different services, and the services that one company will provide at a standard cost may be charged at a higher rate by others. Nevertheless, there are a few common services which will almost always be included within a quote. These include:

Existing layout drawings
Architectural drawings for the project
A planning package for securing planning permission, if necessary
Technical drawings highlighting building regulations

It’s important to look carefully at what is included in each quote before you make a final decision about which firm to use. While an initial quote may appear low, there may be other charges applied at a later date that could take the cost of your project significantly higher.

Take the time to examine the figures carefully and always ask exactly what is included within the quote. Reputable architects will always explain their costs in detail, so never be afraid to ask questions!

If you’re interested in moving home rather than extending your existing property, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Warren Powell-Richards or take a look at the properties that we have listed on our website wpr.co.uk.

Details: Published: 21 December 2022; Hits: 260

Home décor trends just keep on coming, but there’s one popular trend that seems to be a permanent fixture – bringing the outdoors indoors – and it seems that there is a scientific reason for this, since nature has been proven to have calming effects on humans.

It makes sense, then, to consider finding ways to add more greenery to your home if you’re looking to sell. But how can you create an oasis of nature that will have prospective buyers queuing up to make an offer on your house? Here are a few top tips to point you in the right direction.

Create Some Drama With Live Plants

Live plants are an obvious first choice when bringing the outdoors into your home, and the best place to begin is by adding some drama with a couple of trailing or tall plants. Placing trailing plants so that they cascade from a ledge or open shelf can be extremely effective, while a single tall plant strategically placed in your living space can be equally spectacular. One thing to remember when choosing houseplants is to pick the right containers. Terracotta or ceramic planters in neutral tones are the best options – avoid using plastic pots whenever you can.

Faux Greenery Still Works

Indoor plants may look beautiful and may inspire people viewing your property to make an offer, but real greenery can be difficult to look after. Luckily, faux plants don’t need to be watered regularly and can look just as good. The trick is to choose faux plants that look natural at a glance – after all, it’s the green appearance of plants that gives that ‘outdoors-in’ feeling that prospective buyers love. Faux succulents are particularly effective for brightening up dark rooms and are small enough to place anywhere – even on a coffee table or bookcase.

Adding Natural Elements

Bringing the outdoors inside doesn’t just mean adding plants to your room. You can enhance the effect by adding other natural elements to the space. In fact, if you use artwork, sculpture, photography, and decorative objects to represent nature and evoke the same feelings, you don’t need to add any plants to your rooms at all! Dried flower arrangements, natural-inspired objects carved from wood, pinecones, and pebbles, paired with natural materials like wicker, rattan, stone, and wood can work wonders in your home to create the impression of the outdoors indoors with minimal maintenance required.

The Perfect Finishing Touches

If you’re preparing your home for sale and are considering refreshing your home décor in readiness, you may want to choose a natural colour palette. Earthy tones, greens, and blues are all popular choices and work well with your newly introduced greenery.

If you’re ready to sell a property, the team here at Warren Powell-Richards is on hand and ready to help. Give us a call now or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We’re looking forward to helping you sell your home.

Details: Published: 21 December 2022; Hits: 291

When A Property Is Vacant It Can Be Vulnerable To Potential Problems

As a landlord, you’ll almost certainly have had times when your rental property was vacant. Sometimes, it’ll only be a short-term vacancy in between tenancies, but sometimes, the void period will be longer.

During those long vacancies, apart from a loss of income, there are some other potential problems that could arise. Here we highlight some of those possible issues and give you our four top tips for handling your vacant properties.

What Kind Of Problems May Arise If Rental Properties Are Vacant?

Whenever your property is vacant, it’s vulnerable to all kinds of potential problems. Should adverse weather or a water leak cause damage, it may remain unnoticed for some time until you inspect your property again. If it’s clear that nobody is living in the property, it may also be a target for vandals or squatters. All of these issues take money and time to resolve.

So, what’s the best way of dealing with a vacant rental property?

Tell Your Insurer

Many insurance policies for landlords only cover vacant properties for a maximum of 30 days. Therefore, contacting your insurer is always sensible from the moment you’re made aware the property will be empty. Failing to do this could lead to your policy becoming void should something happen that necessitates a claim being made.

The insurance company will let you know about anything you have to do to ensure the policy stays valid. For example, you may be required to turn the gas off or keep the central heating on a low setting during the cold months so the pipes don’t freeze and the property won’t develop a mould problem. You can also discuss when it will be necessary to change over to “unoccupied property insurance”. Although it may cost more, it’s worth it for the assurance that you’ll be protected.

Make Regular Property Checks

It’s likely your insurance provider will need you to carry out regular visits to your property during the vacant period, typically every seven days, to ensure it remains in good condition and is secure.

On arrival, check the doors and windows to ensure they’re properly locked and that there aren’t any signs of forced entry. Go through every room checking for dampness and allow some air to circulate by opening the windows – but make sure you close them again before leaving!

It’s always a good idea to put timers on some lamps inside the property to switch off and on at various times. Fit motion sensor lights outside the property too to deter vandals and burglars.

Carry Out A Deep Clean

In between tenancies, when the property is vacant, get a professional company to deep clean the property and remove any trace of mould on surfaces, get the fittings sparkling, and ensure the property has a fresh feel and look for viewings. If any rubbish has been left behind outside the property by the previous tenants, get it removed immediately, so it doesn’t become a fire hazard or attract fly-tippers.

Use A Property Management CompanyThe best way to deal with vacant properties is by using a property management company like Warren Powell-Richards. We work hard to secure new tenants quickly to minimise void periods, and we’ll deal with all cleaning and maintenance requirements in between tenancies on your behalf.

Call us today or drop us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more about how we can help

Details: Published: 14 November 2022; Hits: 303

How to Update Your Home on a Budget

When you want to update your home, you might assume it’s going to cost you a lot of money. However, there are a number of ways you can give your home a makeover that won’t cost you the earth. If you’re on a tight budget, simply follow these tips.

Make your kitchen look like new

When it comes to decorating your house, the kitchen is usually the most expensive room to upgrade because there are so many fittings and appliances. However, you can give your kitchen a makeover while on a tight budget by:

Covering the kitchen doors in vinyl or repainting them in chalk paint
Covering old flooring with vinyl tiles
Adding a new splashback or painting tiles
Adding a small kitchen island
Replacing door and drawer handles
Replacing small appliances such as kettles and toasters

While you may not be able to afford a full kitchen renovation, just carrying out these jobs won’t take much time or money and can make a huge difference.

Bring your bathroom up to date

A dated bathroom can ruin the look of a house, and whilst an entirely new one might be out of your price range, there are ways to refresh your bathroom on a budget. If you have an old suite that really needs replacing, you can often buy one cheaply in a trade store, then get a plumber to fit it in a day or two. Most people can learn to tile, and there are plenty of tutorials online, while floors can be easily covered with vinyl or similar to make them look fresh and new. If you’re painting your bathroom, always use specialist bathroom paint that can stand up to steam and humidity, otherwise it will soon start to peel.

Open up and light the space

A home that’s full of dusty items and clutter will soon feel dated and depressing. Spend some time decluttering, and you’ll soon see a big improvement to your home. Many people complain that their homes are too small, but a bit of re-organisation and tidying up can give the feeling of space.

Once the space is opened up, make sure you have adequate lighting. Rooms look smaller if they have dim corners, and ceilings can appear lower if they aren’t lit. Add some corner lamps and your home will look lighter and more contemporary.

Find second-hand supplies and furniture

Look on Facebook marketplace and you’ll find lots of local people selling DIY bits and pieces they no longer need, or have changed their minds over. You can easily buy paint, wallpaper and second-hand tools for just a few pounds, so there’s no need to put off certain projects.

Second-hand furniture is also easy to find online, and if you rent a van for a weekend, you can fill your home with new furniture for much less than the retail price. Many people sell sofas, dining sets and beds that have barely been used, as they get bored with them or decide to go for a different look. Some of the bigger charity shops also sell furniture, and while some of it might be a little dated, it can easily be revived with some chalk paint or varnish to make it appear more modern.

Some people don’t like the idea of second-hand furniture as they’re worried it might be dirty. It’s easy to rent an upholstery cleaner and get a sofa looking like new, or you can use antibacterial kitchen sprays on most surfaces.

Change your colour scheme without redecorating

If your room is a little dated, but you don’t have the time or money to redecorate, then simply switching some of your décor can work well. For example, try covering old flooring with a rug, or adding splashes of colour with vases, plant pots, ottomans or other accessories. While it’s not quite the same as a full makeover, it can help refresh the space for now.

Painting or wallpapering a feature wall can also change the look of a room without needing to completely redecorate. It also means that if you go off a colour, or it goes out of fashion in a few months, it’s easy to change it again.

Your home is your castle, but there’s no point in maxing out your credit card just to give it a makeover. There are plenty of ways you can get the look you want without spending a fortune, whether it’s hunting for vintage finds or using some of your DIY skills and before you know it your home will be ready to place on the market and welcome viewers.

For no-obligation advice on buying or selling a home please contact our expert property team at Warren Powell-Richards or call in and see us. We look forward to seeing you.

Details: Published: 14 November 2022; Hits: 298

How to get on the Property Ladder

Taking your first step onto the property ladder can seem like a daunting prospect, especially considering that a typical deposit is usually between 10% and 20% of a property’s value.

We often get asked by first-time buyers: “How do I get on the property ladder” and we always tell them that it is achievable with some patience, hard work and dedication to make it a reality.

If you are a first time buyer, our useful tips on how to get on the property ladder could help you make your dreams a reality sooner than you think!

Start Saving Early

The sooner you start saving, the sooner you’ll be able to get your foot on the ladder. And not only that, but the earlier you start saving, the more it will become a habit, meaning you’re less likely to take lump sums out of your account for impulse purchases.

A great way to maintain consistent savings is to set up a direct debit from your bank account to your savings account every month. Try to achieve a regular transfer of a specific amount each month on payday. That way, you won’t miss the money each month as you stash it away!

Stay With Your Parents if you can

It can be tempting to move out and be independent at the very first opportunity, and of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

However, if you’re serious about owning your own property, then forking out at least a few hundred pounds a month on rent is not the best idea. Those monthly payments could instead add up to a substantial deposit over time.

So if you’re still living at home then don’t be in too much of a hurry to leave, as staying with Mum and Dad could help you buy your own place much quicker.

Make Sacrifices and Prioritise

Be sensible about how you spend your money. If buying a property is your focus, then you may need to make a few small sacrifices to reach your goal.

It could just be missing the odd night out, or not buying an expensive pair of trainers you’ve got your eye on. Any chance to save money is an opportunity to get a little closer to the first rung of the property ladder, so think twice before making any impulse purchases.

Be Realistic and Flexible

It’s unlikely that your first property will be your dream home, or your forever home, and the location might not be your first choice either. However, if you’re serious about buying a property, there needs to be some room for compromise.

It might be that you choose a smaller property, for example, a one bed flat instead of two, or you find an ideal sized property but with a slightly longer commute than you’d like.

When it comes to your first property, the most important thing is just getting on the ladder.

Speak to a Mortgage Advisor Before you View any Properties

When you’re in a position to put down a deposit, arrange meetings with a couple of mortgage advisors to find out exactly how much you can borrow.

Mortgage calculators on banking websites aren’t always an accurate indicator, and you may be able to borrow slightly more or less than you think. Therefore, it’s essential to know exactly what budget you have to work with so that you don’t view the perfect property, only to find that it’s out of your reach.

Save Your Money Wisely

Keeping your savings in the right place can make a big difference to the time it takes to achieve your deposit.

It’s best not to keep your savings in your current account. Not only will you gain little or no interest, but you’ll be far more likely to dip into them when you fancy a treat.

Instead, consider opening a Lifetime ISA. These accounts allow you to earn a 25% annual bonus from the government up to a maximum of £1000.

So for every £1000 you save, you’ll receive a £250 top up until you reach the maximum savings amount of £4000 per year.

Look into all Your Options

There are many different initiatives available to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder, and while some of them might not seem ideal solutions, they can help you get there more quickly.

Help to Buy is one example of a government-backed scheme that allows you to buy a property with just a 5% deposit, with the government lending you 20% interest free for five years.

Alternatively, you could look into shared ownership. This allows you to own a percentage of the property while paying rent on the other part.

Again, it’s worth speaking to a mortgage advisor first, who will go through all the options with you.

Warren Powell-Richards are your local property experts for the area. We can also recommend mortgage experts to help you with your finances.

Call us or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to chat with a member of our friendly and experienced team.