Council’s carpet binning policy criticised

Richmondshire District Council has been criticised over its policy of throwing out carpets before new tenants arrive at their authority-owned housing. This appears to go against the council’s policy of moving towards zero-carbon emissions.

One of the critics of this policy, councillor Stuart Parsons, said that housing officers should speak to incoming tenants about whether they wish for the existing carpets to remain. A three bedroom home can cost £1,000 to carpet and many tenants cannot afford this – it is much cheaper to have existing carpets cleaned.

A charity that funds new carpets for tenants who cannot afford them reported that carpets only two months old and still in excellent condition have been thrown away from council houses.

Senior council officers said that it was easier from a management perspective to throw carpets out and expect new tenants to install new ones.

Carpets in North Wales and Chester rental properties are changed before new tenants arrive if they are in a bad condition, but if they are stained or dirty, they can usually be revived by professional carpet cleaners.

A quality carpet should last for many years, even in a busy household. Provided it is regularly vacuumed and deep cleaned at least once a year, it should be useable for a long time. Some stain-resistant carpets are bleach cleanable to keep them virus free, and even those that are light-coloured can remain in good condition.

Landlords should install high-quality carpets in their properties, which will not need replacing during tenancy changes.

How much does it cost to install vinyl flooring?

There’s no doubt that the modern approach to designing vinyl flooring has resulted in a stylish solution for homeowners seeking a cost-effective but highly attractive floor. Vinyl flooring is incredibly durable and supremely simple to maintain, ensuring those who select it get an exceptional return on their investment. Today’s vinyl floors are presented in planks resembling natural wood or tiles that recreate both the look and feel of stone, but how much does it cost to install these modern floor coverings?

Vinyl flooring is readily available in a wide range of formats of varying quality to suit different budgets, but how much it costs to install your chosen style will depend on multiple factors. The following sections will detail the various points that can impact an installation, so you can consider your own circumstances and decide whether vinyl is right for your rooms.

Who’s installing your floor?

Most reliable companies selling vinyl flooring will typically give you the option of either buying just the materials you require or assisting you with a comprehensive installation service.

If you request that they only supply the flooring, you can opt to fit it yourself, but make sure you feel confident in your DIY skills and have time to take on the task. Alternatively, you can hire a local handyman to help out, but to get the most out of what can be an important investment, you might be served better by a professional installer of vinyl flooring.

When you select to use a professional floor installer, you’ll typically find it’s more efficient and less costly to take advantage of the service available from your supplier. Experienced in your particular product, they will be ideally equipped to install it quickly and correctly and often supply the service free of charge.

Do you require additional services?

Whether it’s carpet or linoleum, any current flooring option will need to be removed prior to your vinyl installation. Many specialist floor fitters will offer an additional service that will not only remove existing flooring but dispose of it for you too. This can be an incredibly convenient option worth considering.

In rooms with a lot of furnishings, you can also use a service that removes items beforehand and replaces them perfectly following installation.

How complicated is your room to floor?

Professional vinyl floor installers take pride in being able to perfectly fit flooring in even the most complex rooms that have multiple corners. If you use the free fitting service available from your supplier, you can avoid extra costs, as hiring your own contractor by the hour may become expensive if the task is tricky.

Leaving it to the professionals

Flooring in your home represents a long-term investment and replacing it should be infrequent. To ensure your vinyl flooring is installed properly and to save time, unknown costs and disruption around your home, it’s always wise to seek out skilled assistance. Correctly fitted, you’ll be able to appreciate your new vinyl flooring for many years to come.

Artificial grass sales soar during lockdown

According to suppliers of artificial grass, sales have boomed during the coronavirus lockdown.

Many people have been spending more time in their garden during lockdown, and families that were concerned about the bad state of their lawns were looking for a solution. Nicola Daniels from Manchester described her particular problem to the Daily Mail:

“The kids wore the grass away. It became like a mudbath, the kids were constantly dirty. It just didn’t look very good.”

Her solution was to spend the money saved from a cancelled holiday on an artificial grass lawn. After the transformation, Daniels said:

“Everybody who comes in can’t believe how good it looks. It is amazing. We’ve had a stripe put in it so it looks like Wembley.”

Up until about ten years ago, artificial grass did not look realistic, but technology has improved since then, and a modern artificial lawn now looks very similar to real grass. Before the pandemic, sales were increasing, but the lockdown has boosted sales further.

Artificial grass can be used in all weathers and does not need watering in heatwaves. In addition, there is no problem walking on the grass after heavy rainfall, which means that families can spend more time in the garden.

There will always be people who prefer a natural lawn, but it’s estimated that around eight million square feet of artificial grass lawns are installed every year in the UK. There are a large number of artificial grass lawns in Chester, whose owners like the appearance and the time-saving benefits of artificial grass.

NFU backs wool carpet and insulation campaign

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling on the government to encourage insulation and the installation of carpets made from wool in all public financed building projects. This follows the revelation that a great number of farmers are dumping fleeces instead of selling them to British Wool.

Richard Findlay of the NFU said that wool:

“Is a natural, sustainable product and is suitable for a range of uses from carpets, textiles and clothing as well as housing insulation.”

He urged the government to encourage builders to use natural wool instead of man-made alternatives.

An online petition to encourage wool use has attracted over 18,000 signatures. The petition’s goal is to have a sustainable wool market where farmers are given a fair price for every fleece they sell. Increased demand for wool will make selling wool more cost-effective.

In 2019, the price farmers received for a fleece was less than the cost of shearing, and this caused many farmers to plough their wool into fields rather than sell it. Farmers are also concerned about the effect of Brexit, which could see a tariff of around 40% on sheep meat exports.

Many people have wool carpets in their North Wales homes due to the many benefits of the material. A wool carpet helps to keep rooms warm, is soft to walk on and is bio-degradable. A top-quality wool carpet is also long-lasting, provided it is kept clean, and a room with both wool insulation and a wool carpet increases the overall energy efficiency of a home.

Wooden floors are top rented home improvement

In order to attract wealthier tenants who are prepared to pay higher torrents, landlords need to improve their rental homes. The most requested improvement that tenants ask for is solid wood or engineered wood floors.

Dawn Smith, from Militarybyowner.com, a company which finds home rentals for military personnel in the USA, advises landlords to improve their properties to attract better tenants. There are some obvious safety improvements that older properties need, such as a safe electrics, the removal of lead and mould and secure locks. Other improvements are not strictly necessary but attract better tenants.

On the top of Smith’s list of requested features from tenants is hardwood floors. Wood floors are more practical than carpets, which can easily be stained and often need replacing between tenancies.

Bathroom floors should be vinyl or another hard floor covering that is both easy to clean and waterproof. Tenants prefer kitchens with modern appliances, and appreciate freshly painted rooms in neutral colours.

Gardens should be easy to maintain, especially for busy tenants that don’t have time for much gardening. Artificial grass is a low-maintenance alternative to a natural lawn.

Smith advises landlords to retain some of their improvement budgets for when repairs and appliance replacements are needed.

While Smith operates in the USA market, her advice is also applicable to UK landlords. Installing solid wood flooring in a Chester property is recommended to landlords who want to charge higher rents and to attract people who aspire to live in premium-quality rented homes.