Owning your own home is probably one of the biggest investments you will make in your life. For this reason, alone you should give your home all the love and attention it needs to ensure it remains a valuable asset.

One of the best ways to enhance the overall value, aesthetics, and security of your home is to install new, high-quality windows. Even possible now are triple glazed windows. Not only will it increase the value of your home, but it will also save you a substantial amount of money on your energy bills.

Here are 5 reasons why installing new windows is a good investment choice and we take a closer look at what they can actually do for your home.

Energy Savings

Maintaining the quality of the air in your home is undoubtedly one of the major costs on your utility bill. With gas bills skyrocketing in winter and electric bills soaring in summer, it is clear to see that it takes a significant amount of energy and electric power to keep the temperature in your home at a comfortable level throughout the year.

Every single opening and crack in your home will act as a siphon, sucking out the heated or cooled air and with it your hard-earned money.
This is one of the main reasons why installing new windows is a good idea, especially if you have an older home. Modern window installations are designed to maximise energy conservation by ensuring that all the treated air inside your home stays in while preventing outside air from coming in.

Replacing your Windows Will Increase the Security of Your Home

The safety and security of your family are obviously one of your highest priorities. New window installations will go a long way to ensuring that you have peace of mind that your home is secure and that your loved ones are protected from harm. Modern frames and secure locks will give you the confidence you need to rest easy at night.

Nowadays potential home invaders are perceptive enough to spot signs of easy access to a home. While out on the prowl they are constantly on the lookout for telltale signs like cracked paint and worn window structures associated with old windows that makes it easier to gain entry to your home.

In the case of an emergency, old windows can place your family at risk. If a home catches fire, it is imperative that all paths of escape are kept clear. This means that the windows must be easy to open and close and there is no danger that they will get stuck in an emergency. This risk can be eliminated by installing new windows.

Investing in the Value and Curb Appeal of Your Home

Your house is not only your biggest investment, but it is also your home and like any valuable investment, you want to take care of it in such a way that you will get the best possible return on your investment.

Potential buyers will immediately appreciate the value of newly installed windows and estate agents will be quick to point it out as an asset to their clients.

Having your windows replaced is one of the most powerful and efficient ways to increase the value of your home.

On the other hand, if you are living in your dream home and don’t intend to move soon, new windows can still be a great idea for the aesthetic appeal and beauty it can add to your home.

Noise Reduction

Gaps in the window sealing’s of your home will not only allow air to enter but will also allow waves of unwanted noise to come in. Old, ill-fitting window frames are notorious for letting in outside sounds which can make it feel like the entire neighbourhood is invading your privacy.
By replacing your old windows with modern ones you no longer have to endure these intrusive noises as air and sound will be effectively blocked out.

The superior insulating properties of new windows will not only conserve energy, but will also provide an excellent barrier for undesirable ambient noise from sources such as traffic, dogs, and noisy neighbours.

If your home is situated close to high-output noise areas like freeways, airports, or demolition sites, you can install ultra-insulated window systems to ensure your home remains a place of peace and serenity.

Warranties

Warranties are one of the most overlooked benefits of new window installations but it may just be a complete game-changer for you.

Many of the contemporary window installation available today come with prolonged and extensive warranties. Industry standards include up to 10 years of coverage for the wooden frames of the installation and up to 20 years for the glass. That means a full decade of coverage at a minimum on new window installations.

 

One of the main decisions you’ll make when the time comes to plan your kitchen is the cabinetry. Cabinets are crucial, but so are the kitchen worktops. You should spend a significant amount of time choosing the right worktop for your kitchen – stone worktops from Zenstone, or glass, or even marble? There are many options available.

Materials used to make worktops have changed big time, thanks to advancements made in manufacturing methods and technology. Today, there is no shortage of options to choose from, and they are available in an array of prices. You will love having a virtually endless selection of worktops to pick from, but you should definitely consider glass worktops because glass is an excellent material.

Glass has been favoured by designers for many years and this is in part due to how it can brighten up any area, while attracting more light. Besides that, you can clean up messes that are made on glass much easier. In fact, glass is both an elegant and a functional material and that’s exactly why it makes sense to incorporate it within your kitchen design.

Glass is Contemporary and Exclusive

Besides glass worktops being functional, they are a great substitute for what you typically find in kitchens because they are suited for just about any kitchen, thanks to them being available in many designs and colours. Plus, if you need a focal point in the kitchen, then you can’t go wrong with placing it on a worktop, and it will capture the attention of everyone who enters the kitchen. It’s completely up to you if you want to go with a darker shade or vibrant colours, but at least you know you have those options.

Let’s not forget to mention that there are worktops that are appealing. This means your kitchen will actually look a bit bigger than it actually is. Not only that, but your entire space will look a lot different.

Hygienic and Safe

Glass worktops are hygienic and safe, and this is due to them being heat resistant and compact. Your family, friends and you will remain safe. Besides that, you can easily maintain and clean glass worktops because they are non-porous.

Kitchen worktops in general come in dozens and dozens of options, but glass is still among the top choice for many people. They offer an array of benefits and they look amazing. The bottom line is investing in a glass worktop for the kitchen is well worth it.

More and more people prefer replacing stuff than repairing it. However, glass worktops have been modernised thanks to being produced with traditional materials and innovative tech. Let’s not forget to mention style, colour and designs.

Do you want a worktop that is striking in appearance? How about one that is easy to take care of? If so, then opt for a glass worktop kitchen top today, but make sure you take your time to explore your options before deciding on which kitchen glass worktop to invest in.

Are you looking forward to owning a contemporary, unique kitchen? Or perhaps a space that allows creativity and energises you. You can come up with a dynamic design that has both aesthetic and practical benefits with worktops, funky glass splashbacks, or even both. So, what exactly is a funky splashback? And how can you balance your different design ideas to avoid doing too much? Glass Inspiration may provide the answers.

Injecting Colour

Make use of the numerous possibilities that you get from the Pantone colour palette. Since there are more than 2,000 possibilities in the market, pick the one that you truly desire. You can pay more attention to green and blue hues to obtain an undertone of calm serenity. Yellows and oranges are an excellent option for a space that celebrates creativity. Red expresses action while purple feels regal! Regardless of the shade that floats your boat, an ideal way to modernise a space is by utilising bold, funky splashbacks, which are in a block colour.

Ideal Patterns

You can’t deny a perfect pattern. Prints are generally moving from strength to strength in this diverse world of fashion. So, it’s a fundamental thing when it comes to interior design. A glass that showcases the elaborate detail of patterning is the best material you can have in your kitchen.

Art Deco

You can get some incredible images and patterns by looking back to the roaring twenties. Generally, the inspiration comes from art deco architecture, with a combination of geometric and curved lines, fans and feathers. Gold and black colour schemes reveal the exuberance of such kind of patterns.

Geometric

Geometric patterns bring out the majesty of maths, whether it’s the simple or the complex. With such designs, worktops and splashbacks will celebrate a timeless appeal. These patterns can compliment a lot of the kitchen concepts with simply two-tone colour schemes.

Flower Power

If you want some hippy designs on your splashbacks, you can thank Mary Quant daisies. The endurance of this design concept has made it become a classic style. You should check out for patterns that bring together abstract leaves and flowers to obtain a contemporary edge.

Retro

It includes a vast swathe of pattern concepts. Whether it’s from the ‘50s or ‘80s, there is the creation of an atmosphere of funky nostalgia with a retro pattern. You could also include a ‘tiled’ effect on this concept to achieve a nostalgic style.

Illumination

Consider illuminating your worktops and splashbacks in creative ways to achieve a remarkable depth of design in your kitchen. Backlit and underlit glass implies that you can change the surface appearance in terms of atmosphere and colour. At the touch of a button, your calmly contemporary glass surfaces can change into funky splashbacks.

Funky Splashback Images

You can go abstract to obtain a funky style, especially for those who like the endless possibilities that you can get from the printed image glass splashbacks. Consider exaggerated, bubbles, and steam water droplets. To achieve this look, extreme close-up images work effectively.

Overall Design

The crucial factor to consider when utilising funky splashbacks and worktops to obtain a noticeable and fashionable design is in attracting the eye to such features. That means keeping your remaining space clean and more muted. Therefore, you’ll need to counteract with neutral cabinets if you opt for splashes of colour. For those who prefer bold patterns, ensure to balance with streamlined, simple flooring. When enhancing your funky splashbacks and worktops, your kitchen accessories can be useful. Look out for handleless kitchen units to obtain a flawless feel, and for clean lines, go for super modern blinds.

Why Glass?

As aforementioned, funky splashbacks and worktops provide aesthetic and practical benefits. Glass surfaces are incredibly easy to maintain. Since the toughened material isn’t porous, there isn’t an accumulation of mould and grime, which permeate porous surfaces and tiled walls. A simple wipe down, therefore, is enough for daily cleaning. Your kitchen experience is much less troublesome with glass since you can’t damage the surface with spillages or hot pans.

Your living space should be/have a true reflection of your style and personality. It should also flow just the way you like it, one of the reasons many people strive to create just that. Although you could be able to put the pieces together, working with an interior designer can help bring out the best from your little haven. Among other advantages, interior designers have a keen eye to detail and can transform an otherwise dull space, like a business office, into an incredible one, with skilful use of natural light, office partition systems and colour. They are also trained to do just that, which is why it would be best if you hired an interior designer to help bring light and style to your home. In many people’s minds, an interior designer is far too expensive for them. This isn’t, however, the case. All you need to do is find a good, trustworthy, and affordable interior designer near you. Outlined below are some of the reasons for and benefits of working with an interior designer.

1. It Will Save You Lots of Money

We have all been there; you buy a piece of furniture that looked great in the store, only to get home and it won’t go through the door, let alone fit in your space. You might also have tried painting the living room several shades of paint looking for the perfect one to go with everything else in the house. These are just but a few of the many mistakes many people make in the name of not wanting to hire an interior designer. An interior designer will, however, save you the frustration and money spend on pieces that won’t fit/go well with everything else in the house. The designer’s fee is just a fraction of what you would pay on a piece of furniture that probably won’t fit. In addition to this, interior designers will get you the best value for your money, and for a discount as well. This is because they know just the right place to pick that antique furniture you have been looking for.

2. It Saves You Time

Having an interior designer handle all the design work in your home will save you tons of time. An interior designer can achieve a lot more in 30 minutes than you would in several hours. They also know what needs to go where (according to your preferences), hence will take less time to give your home the glow and radiance it needed. In addition to this, the designer can anticipate obstacles that may come up in the process and work around them for an even flow.

3. Professional Assessment

Some of the best interior designers in this field have many years of experience and obviously went to school to perfect this art. That said, the first thing an interior designer will do is create a plan of action for the space. This is more like a business plan, but for interior designers. The action plan helps the designer balance science and art to bring out the best out of living space, no matter how cramped or awkward it may seem at first. The professional touch is what makes your house immaculate and fun to live in.

4. Qualified Liaison

A good interior designer can put the pieces together on what you want to achieve by merely listening to your dreams and desires. In addition to this, he/she speaks contractor, building owners, and architect language, hence knows just what needs to go where for that perfect flow and loo. The designer will recommend/advise you on the best furnishing, lighting, and architecture for your home too. Whether struggling with how the furniture needs to be arranged, or the light fixture to use in your bathroom, the interior designer will have all these covered.

5. Better Resources and Contacts

Interior designers strive to perfect their art by creating a relationship with suppliers and stores that offer the best pieces for their work. These connections usually come in handy when you, the client, aren’t sure of where to source that chandelier or furniture, but at a lower price. Designers also work hand in hand with the best plumbers, electricians, and contractors. This is to say; you will have the best minds and artisans working on your property with one goal, to give you the best. You can always turn to your interior designer whenever in need of advice or help to choose the right fabric or product for your house.

6. The Wow Factor

Interior designers are naturally creative. They can create or even envision everything your home needs in their minds before executing it. This is one of the reasons their work is almost flawless and comes with the wow factor. The keen attention to detail, ability to source the best electrician, or even help with furniture placement, are some of the selling points for them. Call an interior designer today to discuss their fees. You will be surprised at how affordable they can be.

If you talk to a search engine optimisations consultant about ranking, you will most likely hear that it is not possible to beat the system. If you want your website to rise to the top of search engine results, then you will have to be the best match for the keyword or query by the user. You need to have a high quality and well-respected site. A mobile app development agency will tell you this is the same case with the app store.

Google Play is the best app store when compared to the others because it will naturally promote apps to the top, as long as they are good quality. Users can find the best apps without having to do a lot of searches, and if a developer is good, they are rewarded. How does Google determine whether an app is a quality app or not?

Currently, they are looking at retention. If Google sees that the user has been using a given app for a month, then they assume they have had a good experience. This means your app is going to be rated by how many users are going to be using it for days and weeks to come.

In the past, it used to be about ratings, updates, and reviews (this included responses to reviews). These factors are no longer that important. They might have some impact on the formula used by Google, but retention is what trumps everything else.

How Can You Improve Retention?

Making it Easy to Use

This looks like a piece of obvious advice to give someone. But what you can do to make your software easy to use is a big topic. One way of reducing drop-off in retention is by having a good UI/UX that is easy to use.

One mistake that developers tend to make is providing instructions on how the app should be used. If you have an app that needs instructions, then the design is bad. If you have to tell the users something, then it is a good idea to use a tooltip or similar, but only when the information you are providing is going to help them.

Setting the right expectation for first use users is going to give your listing very little time; this will just look at the screenshots instead of reading what you have written. When looking at an app, a user is going to have a specific task or experience in mind, and this is why they give the listing little time. If they see that the app is going to meet their needs, they are going to install it and give it a try.

But if they install the app but they are not able to see what the description promised, then they will install it fast and never use it again.

Keeping it Fresh

If the app is content-based, e.g. a level-based game instead of utility, then make sure you keep adding content. When users know they are going to get something new when they open the app, they will most likely revisit it. If you were to visit the BBC app 5 times a day, you can expect to see a different thing every time you open it.

Improving User Experience on First Use

When you want users to sign up the first time they use the app, then make sure you ask as little as possible. If the process of signing up is complex or has too many questions, then many people will not do it. You should make small tweaks that make the process more straightforward and remove any complications that can complicate things.

Inviting Users Back

A good way of re-inviting users back to the app is by using push messaging. When creating the push message, make sure it is a personal message instead of something generic. Let’s say the user has bought a product before, have a message that is related to what they bought or something that goes with it.

There are basically two main types of timber – softwood or hardwood.

The terms softwood and hardwood can be a bit misleading since some softwoods are hard and some hardwoods are soft. Balsa wood is a deciduous angiosperm and is classified as hardwood even though the wood itself is quite soft! The most important thing to keep in mind is both of these kinds of woods have unique properties that are suited to a home’s different needs. The differences between softwoods and hardwoods are based on their cellular structure.

The softwood and hardwood terminology does make sense. After all, evergreens have a tendency to be less dense compared to a deciduous tree which makes it easier to cut. On the other hand, most hardwoods are more difficult to cut because they are so dense. So as the balsa wood classification shows, there are no minimum weight requirements for being a hardwood.

Our manufacturer for KGM Group has various types of woods that are available.

Sapele-Type Hardwood

Sapele is the most popular option offered by KJM. It is a very durable, stable, and strong tropical hardwood that is well-suited for joinery manufacture. This timber is sourced from Cameroon and West Africa and classified as being moderately durable with a durability rating of Class 3 to 4. It is quite attractive, due to its dark reddish-brown appearance, and well-suited to use as a transparent coating.

Benefits

• Over 50% of our purchases of Sapele are Verified Progress from our manufacturer
• Density/hardness is 640 kg/m2 (In contrast, European Oak is 720 kg/m2 and European Redwood is 510
• Preservation treatment is not required since the lack of permeability of the species means it is resistant to treatment.

  Suited to: Properties within conservation areas, heritage properties.

Oak-Type Hardwood

Oak has been the traditional material choice for timber windows and has been used in window construction for hundreds of years. It is a hardwood with amazing strength and durability and well-suited for heavy uses and when properly maintained can last for a lifetime. Also, oak timber windows have amazing aesthetics, due to the grain of each tree. It is the perfect, traditional option.

Benefits

• Traditional, authentic option for windows
• Long-lasting
• Very durable and strong
• Beautiful woodgrain effects that provide a striking heritage aesthetic.

  Suited to: Traditional aesthetic homes, properties within conversation areas, heritage properties.

Redwood-Type Softwood

There is a reduced moisture uptake in redwood timer that helps to extend the working lifespan of the window and improve weatherproofing. It makes it well suited for use in a number of different settings.

Redwood timber windows are ideal to provide a property with an added touch of traditional charm, without modern aesthetics being compromised.

Benefits

• Modern, subtle aesthetic
• Reduced moisture uptake prolongs the lifespan
• Outstanding durability and dimension stability.

Suited to: new builds, modern-look properties.

Accoya-Type Softwood

Accoya wood is a type of specially treated softwood with amazing properties. Accoya is treated using an acetylation non-toxic treatment process, which changes the timber’s cellular structure and enhances its performance. The lifespan of Accoya wood is estimated at 60 years, and it has outstanding weatherproofing, aesthetic, and thermal performance properties. It is even able to repel insects and is sourced sustainably. Accoya wood windows are well-suited for both modern and traditional properties. Our Accoya page has a video presentation and additional information on this timber.

Benefits

• It is less likely for products made out of Accoya wood to distort
• Factory-applied coatings last longer on Accoya
• Compared to hardwood,s, Accoya is a 40% more effective insulator
• Incredibly durable with a 60 year or longer working lifespan.