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Details: Published: 11 July 2023; Hits: 232

Is Your Home A Safe Place For Your Family?

Since we spend around 90% of our daily lives indoors, ensuring that your property in Grayshott is a safe place for your family to live couldn’t be more critical. With our complete healthy home checklist, you can make simple changes in every room and keep stale air, chemicals, and unseen pathogens to a minimum.

In Your Bedroom

Buy a quality mattress. Getting enough high-quality sleep is essential for good health, with obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and type II diabetes all associated with insufficient sleep.
Air your duvet and sheets. Before making your bed, allow the duvet and sheets to air for at least an hour to control dust mites.
Maintain a healthy sleep environment. Bedrooms should be kept at a temperature between 15.5 and 19.5 degrees Celsius. Use blackout curtains and wear earplugs to promote more restful sleep.

In Your Bathroom

Eliminate mould. Maintain the caulking and grout to prevent mould growth around the sink, bath, and shower.
Use a fan. After showering, always run your bathroom fan for at least 20 minutes to draw the damp air out of the room and avoid mould spreading.
Close your toilet lid. Every time you flush, make sure you shut the lid! If you don’t, microscopic particles will be blown out and land on everything inside a 2m radius.

In Your Kitchen

Bin your sponges. Your kitchen sponge retains food particles and water and is full of bacteria. Use a scrubbing brush or thin cloth instead.
Disinfect the sink. You should disinfect the bottom and sides of your sink at least once weekly to eliminate germs.

In Your Living Room

Switch soft fabrics for machine-washable alternatives. Ensure all your throws, cushion covers, and curtains can be machine-washed to keep allergens and dust under control.
Clean carpets regularly. Your carpets are full of mould spores, pet hair, and dust mites that can cause allergic reactions. Vacuum them regularly and wash them at least once a year.
Buy house plants. Indoor plants have been proven to reduce psychological and physiological stress.
Clean the TV remote. Your TV remote gets handled every day multiple times and by multiple people, so it’s not surprising that it’s full of germs. Use a disinfectant wipe to clean it and kill the bacteria.
Use homemade cleaning products. When cleaning hardwood floors, forget chemical cleaners that can irritate your lungs. Instead, use a mix of water and lemon oil or vinegar. It will keep your floors looking spotless without any harmful elements.
Open a window. Compared with the amount of chemical pollutants in the air outside, the air inside your home contains up to five times more. Chemicals are found in everything from paint to flame retardants in your furniture, so opening up your windows to allow fresh air to circulate is the best way to ensure your indoor environment remains as healthy as possible.

If you’re ready to make a fresh new start with a healthy new home, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Warren Powell-Richards.. As experts in the local property market, we will help you find the perfect home!

Details: Published: 28 June 2023; Hits: 500

While surveys aren’t compulsory when you buy a home, it’s highly recommended. They mostly provide reassurance to buyers. But they also give you an objective view of the property’s condition and a heads-up about anything that needs fixing, either immediately or in the future.

Since a home can be one of the biggest purchases you make in your life, it’s natural to worry about the results of a survey.

If you’re concerned about what your survey could show, here are three common issues found in UK properties and how serious they are.

Asbestos

When buying an older property, there may be asbestos lurking within. While it’s not dangerous to simply have something in your home that contains asbestos, it is dangerous to remove it unsafely. If proper precautions aren’t taken, fibres that cause severe lung damage can be released into the air of your home.

Asbestos is commonly found on the roof, in pipework and within floor tiles. If your home renovation plans include needing to remove something that contains asbestos, it can be a costly experience because of the dangers involved.

Since asbestos was banned in 1999 in the UK, you don’t have to worry about asbestos issues cropping up in your survey of a new build.

Unchecked Electricity

Surveyors will visually check the property’s electrics. But since they aren’t electricians, they won’t be able to identify specific issues. The main thing they’ll do is check whether the property has a recent Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).

Without a recent report, it’s likely the property doesn’t meet the latest safety regulations. That means you may have to have a full rewire of the property’s electrics, which can cause a lot of damage.

Before jumping to any conclusions, it’s best to get an electrician round to check things out if the survey identifies no recent EICR.

Damp

Damp in a property is an important issue that needs immediate fixing. Leaving it can cause significant damage to the property and your health. A surveyor will do two main things to check for damp. They’ll look at everything at a visual level, including the walls, floorboards and loft, and they’ll do a sweep of the property using a handheld moisture meter.

Damp is usually caused by two things: water getting in from outside or water leaking from inside the house itself. Sometimes, changes to heating and ventilation systems can fix the issue. Other times, you’ll need to fix the damp course or even the roof.

A survey may not identify the specific cause of the damp. But they should be able to tell if your property has it.

Looking to Buy?

If you’re looking to buy a home in our area, Warren Powell-Richards are your local property experts. Our friendly team are happy to chat with you about our available listings and offer advice on the home buying process. Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or pop into one of our offices.

Details: Published: 28 June 2023; Hits: 213

The best reason to renovate any room in your home is because you want to make it more comfortable or in-keeping with your taste. However, it could also be because you want to improve the aesthetics of your home whilst you are living in it, absorb the costs of the renovation, and then when you are ready to sell, reap the rewards from having a more valuable home. That being said, when renovating, it is important to be smart about your investment. A new kitchen can add a lot of value to your home, but only if it is done correctly.

It’s the Heart – or stomach – of the home

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the home. It is the heart, or stomach! And designed well, the kitchen can become the true social hub of your property. That is why a well-designed kitchen is so critical. It is the personality of the home, and if a potential buyer falls in love with this personality, you will have them hooked.

It is also one of the trickiest renovations for buyers. Changing the colour of the walls is easy to do on their own, and arranging their furniture is all possible without the help of professionals, so if you can offer them a beautiful space that they want to keep exactly as is, then they may be willing to go above their budget because they no longer need to think about renovation costs.

It’s the preferred renovation of choice amongst buyers

Buyers want beautiful kitchens. In a survey conducted by MoneySuperMarket, it was discovered that kitchens were the most desired renovation at 22%. The second most preferred renovation? A garden makeover.

With the position of many kitchens being towards the back of the home towards the rear garden, this is your opportunity to really make a cohesive, stunning space that flows and enriches. A garden can be purely aesthetic, it could have an outdoor dining area for those sunny summer days, and it could even have elements of a kitchen garden. All of these features will sell your home faster, because you aren’t just selling a property, you’re selling a lifestyle.

It adds monetary value to your home

Kitchen renovations add, on average, 5.5% to the value of your property so it’s important to be careful and not overspend on a renovation. An overly expensive kitchen will not automatically mean that the cost is added to the value of your property.

To put this into perspective, consider you own a property valued at £300,000. Adding a kitchen renovation that costs £100,000 is not going to make your property worth £400,000. Instead, keep your renovation in line with the rest of your property.

Typically prices for a new kitchen start at £2000 and average out at around £12,000. It is in this range you will see the most value for your money.

It’s the fourth most worthwhile renovation

Kitchens are the fourth most worthwhile renovation in terms of value increase, coming in behind a new bedroom in the loft which offers approximately 10.8% increase in value, a rear extension which adds 8.8%, and a conservatory which adds 6%.

This means if you increase the size of your kitchen into an extension in your home, you can potentially see a huge increase in the value of your home and an improvement in both the functionality and design of your property.

It’s the most cost efficient renovation

Of all the renovations listed above, a kitchen renovation also happens to be the most cost-effective, meaning you’ll get more value added for your investment. The average kitchen renovation costs between £2000 to £12,000, and that money can add 5.5% value to your home.

There are also plenty of opportunities to bring the cost down. If you are moving plumbing or electrical wiring, then you will need professionals, but if you have some skill in tiling or laying flooring then you can reduce the cost substantially.

A great kitchen can result in achieving the asking price

If your home is beautiful, with a fabulous kitchen which welcomes you as a true hub of the home, plus it’s also in a great location and does not require any work then you potentially have the perfect property to bring in many interested buyers who will be happy to pay the asking price.

For a free valuation of your property, please contact our expert team here at Warren Powell-Richards; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Details: Published: 28 June 2023; Hits: 223

Don’t Miss Out On A Sale While You’re Enjoying A Break!

Selling your home can be stressful, so it isn’t surprising that you can’t wait to get away for a while. However, you don’t want to miss out on a potential sale while you’re enjoying a well deserved break. With this in mind, the team at Warren Powell-Richards has developed five tips to ensure your home is viewing-ready, even when you’re not at home.

Keep The Air Fresh

Although fresh flowers smell and look wonderful, it’s unlikely that they’ll survive until you return from holiday. If you’re going away for longer than a few days, it’s best to forgo the flowers and opt for other ways of keeping the air fresh for your prospective buyers instead.

Keep the windows locked in the ventilation position so that natural airflow can come through every day, and strategically place a couple of reed diffusers to exude a floral fragrance into your rooms. Ensure that the fridge, fruit bowl, and vegetable rack have all been cleared and cleaned before you set off on your holiday and don’t forget to put out the rubbish before you leave. Buyers will always remember how a property smells, so give them positive memories with delightfully fragranced air!

Sort Out Your Keys And Locks

One of the best things about using a trusted estate agent like Warren Powell-Richards is that (if you are happy for us to) we will show prospective buyers around your home even if you’re away, so you won’t miss out on a potential offer. However, to do this, we need a full set of keys for the front door, access instructions to allow us to get into any sheds, garages, cabins, and the garden and instructions to set and deactivate the alarm.

First Impressions Count

Although you’re away from home, your viewers want to feel as if they’re being warmly welcomed to your property, so creating the right first impression couldn’t be more important. Keep the blinds, internal doors, and curtains open to ensure that light can flow through the rooms, and ask your estate agent to pick any post up when they visit the property and put it in a pre-arranged location so it won’t pile up in between viewings.

If you have window boxes, hanging baskets, or potted plants, arrange for somebody to water them while you’re away so that they remain in bloom, and if you have small pets at home such as a cat, rabbits, even a goldfish, share the cleaning and feeding times with the estate agent so there won’t be any clashes with viewings.

Make Sure Everything Is Tidy Before You Leave

It may sound obvious to ensure everything is tidy before you leave home, but if you’re in a rush, it can be easy to overlook the mess. Plan ahead to ensure your home looks viewing-ready before setting off.

Leave your bathroom and kitchen clean with essentials like toothpaste, dishcloths, toilet brushes and washing-up liquid hidden out of view. Plump up the cushions and sofas, vacuum the floors, and clear any surfaces. Ensure beds are made and that nightstands and dressing tables are tidy. Make sure that any laundry is hidden in a basket and put children’s toys away in crates or a cupboard so that the floor spaces are clear. If you have garden furniture, keep it set up, but make sure that any non-waterproof seat covers and cushions are stored away.

A bonus of setting your home up for viewings before going on holiday is that, not only will you impress your prospective buyers, but you’ll also be returning to a beautiful, clean and tidy house!

Keep The Channels Of Communication Open

Although we won’t bother you unnecessarily while you’re on holiday, it’s still important that we can reach you if we have offers to submit or questions to ask. Let us know the best ways of contacting you, whether by email, WhatsApp, phone, or text, and make sure we know the time zone that you’ll be in so we’ll know when to call, and when to expect an answer.

As experts in the property market, the team at Warren Powell-Richards will help you secure a sale, even if you aren’t in the country! So get in touch with us today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or pop into one of our offices to find out more.

Details: Published: 27 June 2023; Hits: 236

If you’re enjoying the glorious summer weather we’re having and want to take your garden up a notch with a perfectly pruned oasis that takes minimal effort and is easy on the environment, then read on.

Studies have shown that gardening is known to have significant mental health benefits, but let’s face it, it can feel like a bit of a chore at times. It can also be harmful to the environment in some ways if you don’t follow sustainable gardening methods.

It’s easy to extend your eco-friendly practices to your gardening habits without much effort, so our team at Warren Powell-Richards has rounded up some of our favourite eco-friendly gardening tips. Not only are they easy to implement, but they’re as good for the rest of our planet as they are for your garden in Grayshott! It’s a win-win.

Plant your own produce

Ever eaten anything that you grew yourself? Trust us, you’ll get a kick out of it. Our number one eco-friendly gardening tip is to grow your own vegetable patch and herb garden. On top of the feel-good factor of watching your plants grow, you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint by not buying fresh supermarket produce, which often takes a lot more energy to produce than you may think!

The good news? You don’t need vast amounts of land to grow your own veg. You can even start with an easy-to-care-for little veg patch on a small balcony if that’s all the space you have. We’d recommend kicking things off with a low maintenance herb garden before moving on to vegetables. Or, just dive straight in and start planting courgettes!

Make your own compost

Hear us out before you write this one off for being too complicated.

Setting up your own compost is a lot simpler than it sounds. It’s an excellent sustainable gardening practice too, as it means you can get rid of waste without adding to landfill. Bonus: your compost will also produce lots of nutrient-rich soil for your plants.

So, how do you make your own compost? First, find a sunny corner in your garden, grab a garden fork, a mix of nitrogen and carbon-rich waste and a compost bin. Then follow the steps below:

Set your compost bin up directly on the soil
Add in an equal mix of green and brown materials to be composted
Mix around with a garden fork to aerate it
Cover your compost bin to keep any rain out
As soon as the mixture turns crumbly and brown, the composting process is complete!

Keep water usage to a minimum

Want to know the easiest way to make your gardening practices more eco-friendly?

Limit your water usage.

Here’s how:

Feed your plants with rainwater by installing a rain barrel or a water butt. We have enough rain to go around in the UK, so why not put it to good use?
Water your plants and soil directly with a hose instead of getting a sprinkler. Admittedly, sprinklers are more fun and effortless. But they do end up wasting quite a lot of water unless they’re on a timer.
Choose plants that don’t require frequent watering. Popular options include poppies, lavender and verbena.
Start the mulching process by covering soil with a porous material. Not only will this produce more moisture for soil, but it also provides nutrients and stops weeds.

Plant native plants and trees

Want a garden that’s truly low maintenance?

Opt for plants and trees that are native to your region. It’ll be a lot easier to maintain them as they’re designed to thrive naturally in their local habitat and climate. Which also makes tending to them more eco-friendly, as they’re suited to their environment.

A quick Google search will give you some ideas as to which plants native to your country you should choose.

Use natural alternatives to pesticides

Help the environment by never using chemical-laden pesticides to maintain your garden. Unfortunately though, that rules out most of the popular pesticide products on the market!

Luckily, many natural alternatives work just as well at preventing pests. Unexpected solutions include a mixture of garlic and chilli or a splash of beer with salt. Yes, you read that right. You can spray a mix of flat beer and salt to keep pests away from your garden.

Another pesticide hack is applying petroleum jelly around your plant pots. It makes it difficult for pests to climb up inside them, keeping your precious plants well protected.

Now is the ideal time to transform your garden while remaining eco-friendly and you’ll add extra appeal to your property at the same time!

If you are thinking of selling your property, please contact our friendly and helpful team at Warren Powell-Richards at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.