The Most Important Room In Your Home

We’re so accustomed to the front door and garden giving the right impression that it’s easy to forget the hallway. Yes, the door and garden are the first things people see when they enter your property, but once in the first impressions continue and give the visitor a brief nosegay of what lies within.

Let Your Hallway Be As Important and As Interesting As It Deserves To Be

What you should be aiming for is a hallway that takes over from where your front entrance left off and give your visitors a really good welcome. Yes, your hallway is the most important room in your home and could influence what people think of not just you, but the rest of your house. As successful Joiners in West Lothian we work on people’s hallways a lot, and sometimes all it takes is a couple of worthwhile changes before your hallway is looking so good you want to spend more time in it yourself!!

It Can Play an Important Role in Your Home

Yes, your hallway will give a glimpse to your guests of what lies beyond but it also has other roles to play too. With it being a gateway to the outdoors and the inner sanctum of your living area, your hallways help as a buffer to protect it from the cold in winter and heat in summer. It should have a strong enough flooring or carpet to withstand foot traffic and offer enough room to manoeuvre deliveries or furniture and pushchairs to be make it child friendly.

Let The Hallway Take Centre Stage

But your hallway isn’t just a portal to the inside of your home. It’s also a place where you can accentuate certain features, such as the staircase and also act as a hint of great things to come, perhaps the colour scheme starts here, leading to more daring accents later in the living room or kitchen. It can make an area of your home that’s often overlooked into a centrepiece. Here you can display paintings or photographs that reveal your personal tastes and intriguing glimpses into your personal life.

Light Up Your Hallway

Lighting can also make a dramatic difference too, if you have a hall that is narrow and dark why not create some clever lighting, you can create mood, drama and make the hallway seem much bigger than it is.

Let Your Hallway Be The Kind of Room You Want To Be In

Your hallway isn’t just a room that leads on to something more interesting, it can be the first course that stays in your memory long after you’ve moved on to the main (your living room). It’s a place where you can chat, spend time getting to know your hosts and relaxing in a well-lit room that’s full of atmosphere and charm. By making some subtle changes you could also add value to your property, so well worth the investment.

JG Joiners and Builders in West Lothian

If you’re interested in transforming your hallway and need some quality joinery to get the work completed to your satisfaction, then why not get in touch with us today. Give us a call.

How to Increase the Value of Your Property

If you’re thinking of selling your property in the near future, then increasing its value is a great start. You may need a few new ideas and inspiration to help you do this and today, here at JG Joiners and Builders we’re going to be doing exactly that, so read on and see how we can help you increase the value of your home! We love to help and give value because we work as professional joiners in West Lothian, and we want your home to be as perfect as you’d like it to be.

Loft conversion

one way of increasing the value of your property is to invest in a loft conversion. An extra living space in the house will definitely increase the value of your property, and if you have it done by reputable builders you’ll have a really classy extra room. You could change it into another bathroom or an extra bedroom, giving your home more room to move about and some much-deserved privacy. And what’s more, you’ll get to enjoy it while you’re waiting for your house to sell.

Build an extension

A whole extension is a lot more adventurous than just a loft conversion, but if you’re house is on the small side it might be just what you’re looking for. You could build on to the end of your house and extend your kitchen or add an extra dining area. In fact, it could be whatever you want it to be, but what it will do is improve your living space as well as increase the value of your home.

Refurbish and renovate your kitchen or bathroom

If you don’t want to go as far as building an extension, how about refurbishing or renovating your kitchen? This can be done on a budget but can still make a massive difference. You could refurbish your kitchen with more eco-friendly materials, that’s something everyone is concerned about, and you could also choose a particular style that’s neutral rather than too personalized, as buyers may want to personalize the kitchen to their own tastes. A bathroom renovation is a great idea if your current bathroom is starting to look a little tired. A new bathroom suite could be the one thing that swings it, choose either modern or classic, but choose something that fits in with the style and theme going on in the rest of your home.

First Impressions Count – How About Some Curb Appeal?

You could work on making that front garden and doorway extra slick, and it doesn’t have to cost the earth. When people come to visit, and that includes potential buyers, your front garden and door are going to be the first thing they see. Make sure it’s tidy, presentable and if your front door is looking a little rough, carry out some repairs if you don’t want to invest in a new one. Give it a lick of paint and get some lights for the doorway, it’ll offer security as well as a nice lighting effect.

JG Joiners – The Best Quality Builders in West Lothian

We hope you found our post today on increasing the value of your home useful. Even if you’re not thinking of selling anytime soon and you just want your house to feel more like home, it’s always useful to increase its value if you can. Get in touch with us here at JG Joiners & Builders and we’ll be more than happy to help and go over your requirements.

How to Plan For an Ensuite Bathroom Installation

If you’ve decided to have some work done on your bathroom you’re probably really excited about the prospect of having it completed. And who can blame you, after all a newly installed en-suite bathroom is not only the answer to too many people queuing to the bathroom each morning, it’s a beautiful addition to your home which could significantly add to the value of your property.

As experienced builders in West Lothian we believe it’s a good idea to plan in advance, so you know exactly what you want.

What Is Your Budget?

The best place to start is always with your budget, make sure you know exactly what you can afford. What you don’t want is to realise that you need ventilation that you hadn’t considered, or you haven’t figured in window coverage or tiling. There are extra things to consider with a new bathroom due to heat, moisture and the potential for dampness, it is therefore important you go over everything you’re going to need and figure it into your budget, that way there are no nasty surprises.

How Much Space Is There?

Space is something which requires a lot of thought. Where you place your fixtures for instance, this won’t always be entirely up to you as it will depend on the layout of the room and the plumbing. If you’re fighting for space within a small area, then you can choose more minimal enclosures for your showers and make everything fit in a more pleasing way without seeming cramped. Think about where the doors are going and how they will open and shut, so there’s enough room.

Storage

If there’s enough space, consider storage as this will give you less opportunity for clutter. Good storage is crucial to your en-suite bathroom, especially if it is on the small side. You should give some thought as to where you are going to place the storage, you could use a vanity unit and combine a sink with cupboard space, so rather than having a sink on its own, a vanity unit attached will give you extra storage without taking up much in the way of storage space.

The Best Joiners in West Lothian Where En-suite Bathrooms Are The Highest Quality.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our hints and tips on planning your en-suite bathroom. Here at JG Joiners and Builders, we pride ourselves on our knowledge, experience and expertise developed over the years. If you decide you want an en-suite bathroom for you home, then get in touch and we can talk about what you want. We’re a friendly and communicative team, always with a big emphasis on customers service.

How to Minimise Disruption to Your Home During a House Extension

If you’re having a house extension, you’ll know that it is going to cause quite a bit of disruption. This means that your house could be thrown into chaos for a few weeks. You may have reached the point where you’ve come to accept this because it’s all part of the process. However, we believe there are ways to minimise the disruption to your home while all this work is going on.

Move Out

The most radical solution is to move out while the work is being carried out. There will naturally be a cost involved if you stay in a hotel or rent an apartment, however keep in mind the builders will be able to finish up quicker if they continue to do the work alone. You could pop in every now and again to check how the work is going.

Phasing The Work

If you don’t really like the idea of having to move out, then another solution could be to phase the project in such a way that you can live in one part of the house while the builders work on another. If you’re just having one part done, say for instance the kitchen, you could set up a microwave, kettle toaster, and even a sink somewhere else.

Talk To Your Neighbours

If you have neighbours, and unless you live on your own land some distance away from town life, you probably do, you’ll need to try and minimise the disruption for them as well as for yourself. Living next to a site where there’s lots of noise is stressful, so as well as letting your neighbours know the work is being done, you could ask your builders to take them into consideration. For instance, if you’ve have alleys, shared entrances or any communal areas, make sure the builders are aware of them and that they don’t block them. You could also introduce your neighbours to your builders, so they know who they are, rather than have the anxiety of strangers being in their proximity.

Clearing Up The Mess

You may be the one who has to clear up, so it’s better to make sure you do, especially outside. Good quality builders should always try to keep their work area tidy, but it’s only inevitable that there’ll be some mess so a quick sweep up and tidy at the end of each day will help. It will also be less of a mess for you to deal with at the end when the builders have finished the job.

JG Joiners and Builders in West Lothian – The Best In Quality House Extensions.

We always try to minimise disruption when we’re on a job creating a home extension, and we’ve certainly made a fair few over the years. If we carry out an extension on your home we’ll always make sure we communicate fully with you, the home owners, so you know what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. We want the building of your house extension to be as stress free as possible so if you hire us, you’ll have a far better experience. If you have any questions about what we’ve discussed today, give us a call, we’re always happy to help.

How to Plan for an Extension

Today we’re looking at house extensions and how you can plan it well enough to enjoy the transition from cramped space to room to move, with minimum chaos. Yes, there’ll be a certain degree of disruption, but forward planning will help you get through it in a way that makes it all less stressful and much more manageable.

Your reasons for wanting to move may centre around the fact you need extra space. It’ll certainly add value to your home in the long-term should you decide to sell in the future. It’ll also help you stay put in the one area that you love, rather than having to move to another town, and all the upheaval that comes with it.

How Much Can You Afford To Spend?

To help avoid cost creep, try sticking to a budget. Once you know what you have to spend you’ll have more idea of the type of extension you can afford. Try not to go over it as you could end up with half-finished work if you can’t finish paying for it. Sit down and decide on exactly what it is you want, and then decide how much you have to spend. You’ll need to include your builder’s, the cost of any planning application and architect’s fees, and you’ll need to factor in VAT so include the 20%.

The Next Question You’ll Need To Ask Is How Long It Will Take?

As you can imagine, house extensions take time, and you may have to factor in building regulations and planning permission, and these can take months to go through. You’ll need to be extremely patient and there’ll be some interruption and upheaval so keep that in mind. What time of year will you be having your extension? You’ll need to think about any planned holidays and family events you have arranged. Once you’ve found the best time in your calendar to start, book it and plan as far ahead as you can.

Planning Permission

We’ve already mentioned planning permission and how you’ll need to consider it depending on the type of extension you’ve decided on. Check with your local planning officer before starting anything.

Architects

We also mentioned architects, will you be needing one? It will depend on how complex the extension is and if you want a good job that won’t cause you problems later, then the consideration of an architect is a great idea. Major alterations will require planning permission and your application may require you to have included plans that have been commissioned by an architect.

Think About The Impact Your Extension Will Have on Your Neighbours

Consider your neighbours, because they will be on the receiving end of any noise and disruption too. If you’re making major change to your property, then let them know in advance. Could what you’re doing potentially damage their own property? If your plans are going to impact on your relationship with your neighbours, then it’s a good idea to tell them what’s going on and keep them informed every step of the way.

For The Best Builders and Joiners in West Lothian

Now we’ve covered some of the things you need to consider when planning a house extension, you may have more questions than you started with! If this is the case, then why not get in touch with us here at JG Joiners and Builders in West Lothian, we’re more than happy to help and we have lots of experience in building house extensions. Give us a call today.

Add Value To Your Property With an Extension

If your home is bursting at the seams and you’re thinking of moving to a bigger property, think again. You may find that you can just as easily stay in your current home by simply adding an extension to it. What’s more, by adding an extension to your property, you’re also adding to its value. This is no bad thing, because not only will you save money on moving, you’ll also increase the value of your own property.

Can You Add Value to Your Property With an Extension?

You could convert your loft, the type of loft you have will largely depend on the type of property you own and how it was designed, but not only do you get a new bedroom/bathroom/games room, you get to significantly add financial value. Therefore, when you eventually decide to sell, anything you’ve spent, you’ll get back. Make sure you get someone you trust to create your loft extension, you want it to fit in seamlessly with the rest of your home, and only a trustworthy, qualified and experienced builder can provide that.

How About a Conservatory?

Yes, you could have a conservatory as an extension on the back of your property. A conservatory can serve a variety of different purposes, usually used as an extra seating area, however your conservatory can also be turned into another dining area if you’re short on space, or another children’s play area. There is more cost involved with a conservatory but again it could add to the value of your property making it a worthwhile investment. Again, you need a good builder for your conservatory, if this is what you decide on, a badly built conservatory could bring down the value of your property and deter buyers. So be careful who you hire for your conservatory build.

Kitchen Refurbishment

You could convert your kitchen by refurbishing it and extending it, so you have more room. This could be by building an add-on or removing a wall in your kitchen so it extends into the living area, giving you more light and room. Something clean and modern with new fixtures and fittings could add a significant amount to the value of your home as well as making your kitchen area a little more bearable if it’s stuffed to the gills with people!

Updates to your kitchen should of course fit in with the rest of your home and add seamless changes that are an enhancement rather than an eyesore.

Builders & Joiners in West Lothian don’t get much better than JG

If you think you’d like to make some of these changes to your home by adding an extension you’ll need a reliable team of builders. So, look no further than JG Joiners & Builders in West Lothian who come with the right level of training, experience and knowledge to get the job done to your satisfaction. Give us a call and we can discuss your ideas and help them make them a reality.

Tips to Choose the Right Builder

So, you’ve decided to make changes to your home. This could be anything from a simple loft conversion to something more complex such as a house extension. The next step, once you’ve worked out your budget and when you want to start, will be to find a builder. A good builder who knows his trade and comes with the right amount of knowledge and expertise is worth his weight in gold, but the question is how do you find the right one? In today’s post, we go over some tips on choosing the right builder for you, making sure that the first one is the right one.

Not all builders are the same

We only have to turn on the TV and read a magazine to hear about some of the dodgy builders there are out there, leaving behind half-finished builds and leaving messy, poorly made constructions. It’s enough to fill you with worry, but keep in mind not all builders are like that, find the right one and you’ll soon have a new bedroom, bathroom or dining area and it’ll have been a worthwhile investment in time and money.

Family and friend’s recommendations

It’s great if you can get recommendations from family and friends in order to find someone reliable and qualified. You’ll be able to see their workmanship for yourself, and your friends will be able to tell you exactly what they were like to work with. If you’re in the unfortunate position of not knowing anyone who’s had building work done recently, then you may have to do your own research.

Quotes and that final 3

Check online and whittle it down to 3 of the best. Those last 3 should be the ones you get quotes from. Check out their reviews and testimonials to see how good they are before asking for their quotes if you like the look of them.

Trust, confidence and reliability

Meeting them in person is always a good idea, from here you can assess their communication skills and see whether you feel comfortable enough to have that person in your home. Having confidence in your builder is crucial, and trust is also important, without these two things you won’t feel able to fully trust your home to them. Keep in mind there’ll be times when they’re in your home and you’re not and you should be able to trust them enough to get on with it and deal with any unexpected event that can happen on a build.

Insurance and clearing up that mess

Finally, make sure you know which type of insurance they have in case your home is damaged during the work or if they go out of business. You also want to find out who cleans the mess up at the end. There’s nothing worse than finding pleasure in your new bathroom only to go outside and find a garden full of rubble. You may need a skip to get rid of it, so it’s worth finding out from the builder whether this is something they provide as part of the build, or whether it’s something you’re going to have to stump up for separately.

JG Joiners & Builders in West Lothian – for reliable, quality conversion and extensions

Finally, if you’re still looking for that reliable builder then you won’t find one better than us here at JG Joiners in West Lothian. We’ve got a long and reliable record of beautiful builds and we’d love you to see our testimonials and samples of the work we’ve done before. Give us a call and we can discuss your building requirements.

Designing a family friendly loft conversion

Looking to create a family friendly loft conversion? Well, we’ve put together some helpful tips which should help you create the perfect space for you and your family. We know that families are getting bigger and it’s often not simply a case of buying another house somewhere else. Moving can work out expensive, so converting your loft is by far the most convenient and cheapest option.

Stylish, practical, relaxing

You want it to be stylish obviously but at the same time you also want to make it a practical area in which to relax and be able to find your games, books, DVDs and anything else you might need. You could also add things like a window or a balcony even.

Books, cupboards and places to hang those special memories - safely

Bookshelves are a must if you’re using it as an area in which to relax and it’ll be the same even if it’s for the children. You’ll want more shelves and cupboards, and you’ll need to make sure they’re unable to keel over, especially if children are going to be using them.

Stairs. Get up and down safely

Stairs will be better if they’re wide enough to accommodate children and the elderly, the steeper they are, the more likely it is that someone will have an accident. Make sure they’re wide, safe and of course, child proof. You’ll have to make sure they offer an easy exit should there be a fire and that there are no obstacles.

Windows – let there be light, but always with curious children in mind

We mentioned windows earlier, and having one installed would be a good idea. What we’d also suggest is that again, you think about the safety aspect. You could add restrictors to any new windows so they won’t be able to open them.

Sound and warmth – stay warm, stay cool, keep the noise down.

Also, as well as the safety aspects, think about insulation from sound and the cold. You’ll need adequate insulation and this can be created with quality wall insulation. Also think about noise. If you insulate against sound your children can play as loudly as they like.

JG Joiners & Builders – for perfectly well-crafted loft conversions that work

If you’ve decided on a loft conversion why not get in touch with us here at JG Joiners & Builders, and we can start creating your dream loft conversion, perfect for family friendly space and creating those special moments. You know where to find us.

Considerations Before a Kitchen Renovation

If you’re going for the big kitchen renovation then there’ll be a few things to take into consideration first. You need to make sure you’ve planned it well first before you start anything else. There’s nothing worse than going full steam ahead only to realise some of the things you’ve decided on either don’t work, or your budget’s run out. You may also find that the things you’ve chosen for your kitchen simply don’t work due to size.

Think carefully about the following:

How do you like to use your kitchen?

If you like to socialise then why not figure this into your plans? You’ll need a breakfast or dining area where everyone can sit. Perhaps your kitchen is nothing more than an area where you and your family simply eat, cook and leave. Create a kitchen that works for you when you’re cooking, preparing food and make it fit around your family’s needs, especially at the busiest times when you’re all rushing around.

Are you short of storage space? 

Build that in to your fitted kitchen, perhaps you can add storage into a kitchen island, add more cupboards, be inventive, perhaps add a swing into a corner unit, or a cupboard where you can store stuff. How about an extra larder, or putting in some extra shelving?

Appliances, are you big on tech?

If you like your kitchen to have all the latest gadgets it won’t just be storage you need but the right number of sockets and space. Perhaps you’re after a ceramic hob or a newly designed oven which will fit into your kitchen. There’s no reason why you can’t have all of these things, but think about space, sockets and where the rest of the kitchen fits in with all of this.

Lights

There’s nothing that creates a mood better than lighting, because it helps with creating the right atmosphere, so choose your lighting carefully. In areas where you’re likely to spend the most time, such as cooking or sitting down and entertaining make sure there’s enough light, especially if it’s used as an area to work in. If you like to create mood around the dining area, if this is where you eat, then have some lighting installed with dimmers so you can lower the lights when needed.

The Best Builders In West Lothian

Of course we’re as renowned for our joiners in West Lothian as we are for our building, which means we are an all-round team of experts when it comes to creating a kitchen. If you’ve planned, cogitated and discussed your kitchen, and you now know exactly what it is you want, then why not give us a call here at JG Joiners & Builders, and we can sit down and discuss your ideas with you. We’re waiting to take your call.

How to Prepare For a House Extension

We’re going to be looking at how you can prepare for a house extension. As you will realise, a house extension is going to be extremely disruptive to everyday life. Naturally, you’re going to have something worthwhile at the end of it, but it’s important to make sure you’re well prepared first so you don’t have any nasty surprises once you’ve finished.

Rather than move on to a larger property, a lot of people are deciding to stay put and add space to their home instead. In the long-run, after an initial investment, it will save you money, and naturally, it will be less of a disruption for your family. You’ll need to plan it out carefully and you’ll have a few things to think through first.

Do you know what you want from a house extension?

It’s a good idea to decide on what it is you want. There’s no point going to your builders with a half-baked idea and then realising you haven’t thought it through carefully. Spend some valuable time working out what it is you want. Draw it on a blank piece of paper with a pencil if you think this gets your ideas across better. You’ll also need to think about the budget. What do you want to spend, how much can you afford to spend? Decide on a budget, then stick to it.

House Extension Architect

The next question is will you need an architect? This will depend on what you’re having done, more complex building work that requires changes to the outside of the house will need someone qualified to take it on. You’ll need someone with experience and who’s confident enough to do something that’s a little more sophisticated than usual.

Planning Permission

Will you need planning permission? This may be the case, again it will depend on what it is you’re having done to your house. Significant changes to your home, ones that will alter the outer appearance may need permission. If you’re going to be making changes which may potentially alter the view your neighbours have perhaps, or if your house extension touches on protected land, perhaps land that’s protected by a Trust, then you’ll need permission. Always check with planning permission and building regulations prior to doing anything, or you may be asked to take it down. If you’re not sure who to go to ask at your local council, they’ll be able to put you on to the appropriate person.

Contingencies

Always have a fund you can go to, extra money you can use if the work is more complex than you originally thought, or it runs into unforeseen problems. You don’t want to be caught without any money to deal with nasty surprises that may come up.

Premier Builders in West Lothian

Contact us if you have any questions about what we’ve discussed today. If you’re looking to change your home and you’re thinking about a house extension, then we’re the team to work with. We have plenty of experience in building house extensions and whatever you’ve decided on we can discuss your ideas with you, talk it through and work with your architect, and work hard to create something really special. Let us know, give us a call.

Is Your Garage Suitable for a Garage Conversion?

If you’re trying to improve space in your home then you might have settled on a garage conversion as the perfect solution. This is a great idea, because as well as freeing up space, it’ll add value to your property, so it’s all win-win. Except perhaps that you need to consider whether your garage is in fact suitable for a garage conversion in the first place.

Today, we’re going to be looking at how you can determine whether or not your garage is suitable for conversion. This way, you’ll be able to make an educated decision on whether or not it’s worth going ahead.

Check the house deeds

Firstly, start from the very beginning, go back to your house deeds and check what it is you can and can’t do with your property. There may be covenants or clauses that restrict what you do to change the external appearance. Often, they can be sidestepped for a fee, but you’ll need to check this out first.

Converting, internal spaces and specifications

However, on the other hand you may be able to convert the interior part of your garage as long as you don’t change the external appearance. Size and specification of your garage will determine what you can do with the internal space, but it’s possible to convert the remaining space within and still make it use-able.

Planning permissions and building regulations

If you think you’ll need planning permission find out. It will largely depend on what you’re thinking of doing, if you’re going to extend the size, you will probably need permission and you will have to abide by government building regulations if you are going to use your garage as living space. Building regulations differ from one area of the country to another, so always check this out.

Listed buildings

Listed buildings are another matter and you’ll need to check what you can and can’t do, you will probably have to maintain the outside of the building and keep the external part intact.

Drainage, parking restrictions and insulation

Drainage and any potential flooding will need to be looked at as will additional insulation, and any restrictions on parking. Always check, always ask, your local planning department should have relevant information, so always fact check before you start anything.

JG Joiners and Builders – for quality garage conversions

If you’re thinking of converting your garage and you’ve done your homework, you may be thinking of now going ahead. If you are, then consider JG Joiners and Builders. We’re a team of experienced and qualified builders with experience in garage conversions. Much of our work comes from recommendations, so if you’re now ready to go ahead, you won’t find a better team. Get in touch today.

House Extension vs Moving Home

If your home is becoming a nightmare because of lack of space for whatever reason, perhaps it’s time you considered moving, or should you? Have you factored in extending your property or converting part of your house? Today we’re talking about the house extensions vs moving to a new house.

Your home may have come to seem much smaller than it was once due to an increase in children, a new lodger, or you’ve decided to work from home and somewhere in your house is being used as a home office. If you’ve been using the kitchen table, you realise that your own office would be a much better option.

If you’ve been considering a move you’ll have to consider all the things that come with a big move, such as the location. How far will you have to move to find the ideal home? Depending on where you live, you may have to spend more on a property, especially if it also has to be larger, so factor in living expenses. If you are moving within London you could face spending more on a property and seeing an increase in living expenses. If you have children then you’ll need to think about schooling and moving away, depending on the distance, which could mean making new friends and adjusting to a new area.

So, if you are thinking of moving to a new house, then you’ll need to consider the costs, how attached you are to your current property, the cost of moving including either hiring a van or paying a removals firm.

If you feel you have too many memories in your current house you may think it’s better to just extend or convert a room you’re no longer using. Consider, that depending on what you do to your house, you’ll need to get planning permission and building regulations in certain circumstances, and there’ll also be costs. Depending on how complex the changes you require are, you may also need structural engineers and/or architects, and don’t forget the builders. There’ll be VAT of 20% on all construction.

There’ll be a certain degree of disruption too, what with the mess that a new build will cause, and the impact this will have on daily family life. A conversion should create less impact, although a basement or loft conversion will create more noise and disturbance than a garage.

You’ll need to way up the pros and cons of both and come to an informed decision. Once you do, you can start planning for the future whatever the costs or disruption either choice gives you.

JG Joiners & Builders – Premier Builders in West Lothian

We are experienced joiners in West Lothian, so whether you’ve decided on either an house extension or a conversion, you’ll need someone experienced and qualified to carry out the work. You won’t find better than JG Joiners & Builders, so get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.

Kitchen Design Tips

If you’re thinking of refurbishing your kitchen, we’ve come up with some design tips to help you along. We hope you find it useful because we our guide, once you come to do it, it won’t seem so daunting. Here at JG Joiners we are qualified kitchen fitters with experience in kitchen design and fitting, so you’ll be in safe hands. Of course, you need to know what you’re going to do first, with a firm idea of what you want in terms of style, design and colour.

Space

If you’re pushed for space, and this may be the reason which has motivated you to redesign it, then you can cleverly rethink kitchen space by adding work surfaces, cupboards, and corner units that swing out, tucked away in one of the cupboards, but perfectly easy to open. A countertop will give you added luxury as well as space and why not add top shelving for pots and pans instead of relying heavily on cupboards to store them.

Adding Cabinets and Cupboards

Adding more cabinets/cupboards will also give you more storage options and help free your work surfaces from clutter. Don’t over compensate for lack of space however, because you don’t want large areas of space where you have nothing left to store, it will make it look a little too bare.

Space and Storage

Once you start thinking about space and storage, you’ll also be able to factor in appliances, because you’ll have the space for more sophisticated kitchen equipment, making cooking, eating and moving around a lot easier. It could be simply a case of adding ceramic hobs to a work surface, or adding ventilation that’s a more attractive option than a ventilation hood. There are all sorts of things to consider so sit down and make a list of how you’d like to make your kitchen somewhere you’d like to spend more time in.

When designing a kitchen never forget the flooring. It’s as important as the fixtures and fittings. Depending on your budget, you can go for tiles, lino or stone, and there’s a lot of choice in terms of textures, colours and patterns out there.

JG Joiners Expert Kitchen Fitters for Perfect Kitchen Design

If you’re looking for a kitchen that is functional, well made and fits in perfectly with your personal style, then get in touch with us here at JG Joiners. We have many years’ experience in creating beautiful kitchens and we’d be more than happy to show you our previous work if it helps convince you we’re the right team for the job, just get in touch today and tell us your ideas.

Questions to Ask When Choosing Kitchen Fitters

If you’ve decided to have your kitchen refurbished you may be at the stage where you’re choosing kitchen fitters, and that’s not easy. You’ll have hopefully wound it down to around 3 fitters who you think may be a good fit. All you need to do now is ask the right questions so you get the best kitchen fitter for you. In today’s post, we’re going to be talking about the questions you should be asking so you get the best kitchen fitter it’s possible to get, one that speaks your language and understands what you want.

Naturally, in order to get the best kitchen, you need the best kitchen fitters out there, but how do you find them? They’re all going to be telling you how amazing they are, but how will you know they’re exactly what you’re looking for?

Recommendations

This is probably one of the most failsafe ways of finding a good kitchen fitter. Recommendations can come from friends or family, they’ll be able to tell you whether they were any good, and be able to show you their kitchens so you’ll get first-hand experience of their workmanship.

Quotes

Make sure you get 3 quotes and you can work from here. Depending on your budget, price is going to be a major factor, so price will feature importantly. However, look out for helpful suggestions and any new ideas on how to make your kitchen a reality, enthusiasm is key and is a good way of demonstrating their expertise and attention to detail.

Ask For a Timeline

You’ll need to know how much time it’s going to take. It should roughly take around 4 to 6 weeks for your kitchen to arrive, so you’ll have that time before your kitchen fitter can start work. What you don’t want is a gap between when your kitchen arrives and when your kitchen fitter can start work. Ideally, you’d want the fitters to start work on the kitchen more or less as soon as its arrived.

Portfolio

Ask to see if they have a portfolio, it could be access via the website or they may have something physical for you to look at. You could also ask their previous clients, (if the details are available) what their work was like.

Utilities

Keep in mind you’ll need to have your electrical and gas work sorted out for the new kitchen so you need to find out whether or not the kitchen fitter can provide these services themselves (and if so, are they qualified). Otherwise, they may outsource and if this is the case, then you’ll need to make sure they outsourcing to qualified, trained and registered electrical engineers and plumbers.

Sorting the mess out

How will you get rid of the old kitchen once the new one has been installed? Ask your potential kitchen fitters whether removal of the old kitchen is included in the price. If you have to do it yourself, this could add considerably to your budget.

Is the work guaranteed, and if so, for how long?

Ask whether the work your kitchen installer and any outsourced plumbing/electrical work is guaranteed, and how long for. If there are any problems afterwards you need to know what you can do to get it put right. Also, make sure you ask whether the quote they’ve given you includes VAT.

Cash Upfront at the Start

You should have alarm bells ringing if your kitchen installer asks for cash up front, if he disappears, you’ll left out of pocket and he may have disappeared with your hard-earned cash. Always make sure that payment is made in stages, at the beginning, possibly in the middle, and the rest at completion of the job.

JG Joiners & Builders – Scotland’s Best Kitchen Fitters

If you have any questions about what we’ve discussed, get in touch and a member of our dedicated team will be more than happy to help you.

Garage Conversion Tips

If you’re thinking of having a garage conversion carried out then it’s an exciting time ahead. You’ll be creating a new room that will perhaps accommodate a new family member, a space to relax or simply an extra dining area or bathroom. You may be supremely confident of what you’re doing, or you may be feeling slightly nervous at the prospect of all that mess and finding the right people to convert your garage space.

No planning permission but building regulation application

What you may not realise as you start out with your plans is that a garage conversion won’t always need planning permission, having said this, it’s always good to check the development rights before starting so you know you’re not doing anything you shouldn’t.

What you will need is to apply for a building regulation application before converting your garage. You’ll need to give detailed specifications about what’s going to be carried out and this should give you peace of mind.

There are other things you need to check too, and these can be broken up into the following sections:

Weatherproof

You need to make sure your garage is weatherproof, there are several treatment options available and this could include using vapour permeable membranes or lightweight block work inner leaf. You can discuss this with your builder who will advice on the right course of action.

Wall Stability

This can be done in different ways, it’s important to get it right so it’s passed by a building control surveyor.

Insulation

All walls must be insulated and also include the floor and roof. Your builder can help you choose the right insulation, they will know how to make sure it’s fitted tightly enough to be functional and which one is right for your conversion.

Ventilation

If you have windows, then they’ll have to have vents which open to 1/20th of the floor area. You’ll also need trickle vents so you have what’s known as background ventilation. You’ll need a window with a good, clear opening if you can only exit the conversion through another room. This means there’s better means of escape in an emergency.

Sound Insulation

You need to provide good sound insulation, and you may need to do more work on the existing walls as well as the new ones so they stop sound transmission.

Electricity

All installations within your new garage conversion will need to comply with British Standards BS 7671. Your builder will need to know all about this and to be able to tell you more about this. If he outsources this to another contractor, a qualified electrician, make sure he’s suitably qualified and experienced enough to carry out this part of the work.

JG Joiners & Builders – Quality Garage Conversions

If you need a qualified and experienced team of builders to work on your garage conversion, then get in touch with us here at JG Joiners & Builders. We’d love to work with you on your garage conversion and our friendly team will be more than happy to talk you through the details.

House Extension Beginners Guide

Are you considering a house extension? It may be something you’ve been thinking about for some time, and in this post, we’re going to be looking at what you can do to help yourself prepare beforehand if you’re a beginner.

Materials and Style

Think about how you want your finished extension to look. The extension will become part of the existing house, and it’ll need to blend in with what you already have. It needs to fit seamlessly with the room it follows on from, so it doesn’t look out of place. If you are finding it hard to match materials to the house extension with the rest of the house, you may have to compromise with a fusion of two different contemporary and older styles. Think it through and how you’re going to fit it all in with the current style of your home.

What is your extension for?

Why do you want an extension? Perhaps you have a specific function in mind. Look around your home and see which parts aren’t being utilised effectively and how you could use your extension to solve it. Remember, your extension can consist of more than one room.

Ceiling Heights

You’ll have to give some practical thought to the fittings, size and shape. Ceilings need to meet a minimum height. You can get in touch with your local Building Office where someone will be able to help you with this. You could also ask a professional builder too, perhaps the one who’ll be working on your house extension.

Conservatory House Extensions

The Building Regulations are something you’ll need to consider should you decide on a conservatory. It will need to be separate from the rest of the house with exterior doors to close it off.

Building Office

It helps if you talk to someone at your local building office, they’ll be able to speak with you about windows and doors, and whether there’s the possibility of any issues.

JG Joiners & Builders – For Your Dream House Extension

We’d be happy if you chose us to create your dream house extension. We’re a team of professional builders who are both well-qualified and experienced. We come with the right level of expertise all our clients have come to expect over the years. We know what we’re doing and we’re trusted to get on with it and produce well-built house extensions that work.

Get in touch, and one of our friendly team members will be more than happy to arrange an appointment to discuss your house extension and provide a free, no-obligation quote.

Loft Conversion Beginners Guide

Are you considering a loft conversion? If you are, then look no further than our comprehensive loft conversion beginners guide, here to take you through the considerations and concerns you need to think about before you take the plunge.

Getting Started

Firstly, the question everybody asks when they’re thinking about a loft conversion is whether their loft is suitable for conversion.

You will need to know whether the pitch, head height and the type of structure is suitable, as well as any other obstacles like chimney stacks or water tanks. You’ll need a professional to examine the roof space to ascertain whether the physical dimensions and structure is suited to a loft conversion.

Head Height – this should be measured from the top of the ceiling joist to the bottom ridge timber.

The Roof Structure – Two structures, traditional frame and a truss section form part of a roof structure. The traditional frame is the most suitable for loft conversions and the second, usually built post 1960s, will usually require added structure, as it isn’t as sturdy as the former. It may involve insertion of metal beams at the ridge and between walls. You’ll need an experienced team of builders for this.

Cost – The cost of a loft conversion will largely depend on the roof structure, if it is a post 60s one, then the cost to add structure to it will add to the cost.

Types of Loft Conversion

There are different types of loft conversions, and the type of house you live in will determine the type of loft conversion which is best.

Dormer Loft Conversion – These are more expensive and are best suited for semi-detached, end of terrace and detached houses. Staircases are easier to fit above one that’s already been made.

Mansard Loft Conversion – This will help you to maximise space so you may find it’s perfect if you don’t have enough.

Hip-to-Gable Loft Conversion – This is a loft conversion that requires a lot of restructuring. If you have a property where you need a lot of space, and where you’re happy to go through a lot of changes and more complex work, then this is ideal.

Velux Loft Conversion – This is quite simple to erect and doesn’t need planning permission, it’s great for those on a budget and the roof structure itself isn’t touched. It’s great if you need lots of light, and you’ll also get Velux windows as part of the conversion which you can cover with some stylish, minimalist window blinds.

JG Joiners – Premier Builders at Your Service

If you’re considering a loft conversion for your home, then why not get in touch for a free, no obligation consultation. We’re a professional, experienced, qualified and friendly team of builders who’ve been creating loft conversions for people for many, many years, so we know what we’re doing. 

Making Your Loft Conversion Child Proof

You may be building a loft conversion for another member of the family and if you’re thinking about creating extra space, then a loft conversion is perfect, especially for children. However, there are all sorts of hazards and potential accidents waiting to happen, especially where the little people are concerned, so how can we make a loft conversion area safe for children?

Safe Stairs

If your loft conversion is set to be a child’s bedroom then it’s very important you keep safety considerations in mind at all times, especially as a loft conversion is upstairs. As access is always going to be this way, it makes sense that you have some safety gates installed at both the top and bottom of the stairs leading up to the conversion.

How Do You Childproof Their Bedrooms?

Always make sure your furniture is safely installed and that they’re unable to pull it down over themselves. Fixing units to the wall is a great idea rather than having free standing furniture, reducing the risk of tipping. Keep their favourite toys within easy reach, but keep things like books and heavier toys where they can’t, they can ask you if they want to play with them.

Loft Conversion Windows

If your child can reach the window, then there’s a good chance they can climb out of it, and as the loft conversion will be at a reasonable height, it could cause a serious accident, or worse. Fitting a window guard is one way around it so your child can never open it wide enough to climb out. You can also fit child friendly blinds with no cords or chains so your child can’t harm themselves.

Naturally, you’ll have electric sockets, lights and appliances in your child’s room, so use wire guards to keep electrical cables safe where possible, and make sure you use plug covers over the sockets. Never leave appliances plugged into a live socket unattended, curious hands can cause an accident.

JG Joiners & Builders –Loft Conversion Specialists

We hope we’ve given you enough to think about regarding child safety if you’re thinking of using your loft conversion as a child’s bedroom. If you haven’t decided yet on what type of loft conversion is right for you, then why not get in touch with us here at JG Joiners & Builders, and one of our team will be more than happy to talk you through your options.

Tips for Choosing a Builder

Choosing the wrong builders could be a stressful costly mistake, so it’s important to spend time choosing the right one. Here, in this post, we’re going to be giving you some helpful hints in order to help you choose the right builder.

We hope that with our guide, you’ll be able to successfully choose the right builder so you get a brilliant job done well.

It’s usually a good sign if you get your builders via recommendations and word of mouth, this is how a good builder gets his name out there, and if enough people are recommending him/her, then he/she must be good. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions, about whether they’re a member of a trade, customer testimonials, their experience and ask for pictures. You should also ask for insurance papers; do they have public liability insurance?

If they do claim to be members of a trade association check this out. A poor builder may lie about membership, but any trade association will have a register of its members so take a look.

What’s covered in the quote?

Once you’ve got your shortlist of possible builders, you then want to shortlist them again to the final 3 and then ask each of them for a quote. Ask them to give you a breakdown of what their quote includes so there are no nasty surprises.

How do you pay your builder?

Once you’ve decided on which builders you’re going to go with, you need to ask them how they wish to be paid. Is it with a deposit, followed by a final payment once the job is complete, or is it by small instalments as each job is complete along the way?

JG Joiners & Builders – Builders West Lothian

We rely on customer recommendations here at JG Joiners & Builders, it’s a big part of how we get our work, if we do a good job, our customers recommend us on to new ones. We place great value on customer’s satisfaction and we like to make sure we do an excellent job each and every time.

We’d like to be on your shortlist of builders, so come in or call us and ask for our customer recommendations, testimonials and evidence of previous work. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to take our time and talk it through with you.

Things to Consider When Planning a House Extension

Before going ahead with a house extension it’s a good idea to put together a brief that covers everything you need to consider before going ahead. Don’t spend too much time on specific ideas, simplify it and think about how you want to extend floor space or perhaps you need a bigger kitchen or bedroom. The best type of layout for your house extension may not look anything like you originally wanted it to be, or what you imagined it would be like.

What Materials Should You Use?

You may have to try and match materials so both parts, the old and new, match perfectly. You may find it hard to find materials that match, so what you could do is create a completely different sort of house extension, one that mixes contemporary with older styles.

Take a good look around your home, what parts of it aren’t being utilised effectively? You can convert existing space and use garage space too. You can take a large room and divide it into two, this could save you a lot of time and expense, so think about that before you go ahead with a full house extension.

House Extension Ceilings

Remember that the ceilings may not be something you need to worry about with regard to the Building Regulations, but you will have to consider the height, because there is a minimum height to think about. The height of any room within an extension should be around 2.1m from the floor to the ceiling. A sloping ceiling within a room means that half of the room should have at least a 2.1m floor to ceiling height.

House Extensions & Conservatories

If you want a conservatory as part of the house extension, then you will need to take the Building Regulations into consideration. A conservatory needs to be separate from the house and demarcated by separate exterior doors.

Talk to Your Local Building Office

Let them know what you’re doing, about how many doors and windows there’s going to be, and show them your calculations for the whole extension.

Size of Rooms

Think about the size of each room and how big they are. Who’s going to be occupying these rooms? You’ll need to make sure they’re big enough. They’ll also need external windows, the only time this won’t be necessary is if they’re either a study, a kitchen, dining room or bathroom.

JG Joiners & Builders – House Extensions Experts

Here at JG Joiners we pride ourselves on our professionalism and our ability to deliver first class results on all our work. If you're considering a house extension, then get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to talk it through and show you our past work, and you can see what our previous clients have to say about us.