If you’re looking for a particular trader to help you along with some of your home improvement plans, a good place to start is the Free Index. To find plumbers, plasterers, builders and architects alike try heading over to this online directory, which also features other services such as home removals, solicitors, shower installers and even estate agents. The method used on the site is fairly straightforward but very effective at the same time. You can get five traders to quote on a job that you may have available by filling in an online form. You can then follow up with a review after the work is completed.  The site itself doesn’t have reviews for every trader on their database, but more are being added each day.

A useful section on the site is the “Materials” section, which works in a similar way to getting quotes. For example, if you’re looking for someone to provide bathroom equipment and furniture, you can see each company in your area compiled in a neat list complete with any reviews if they have them, and photographs of past projects that they have worked on. If you’re a trader looking for work, there is a job directory section on there too.

http://www.freeindex.co.uk

• Under Stairs Cloakroom -  Simplicity is the key – It’s important to not over clutter the area. Small wash basins safe space both visually and practically. Combining a large wall mirror with bright Matt colours can provide a sense of openness. Utilising a heated towel rail is great way to keep the area feeling warm in the winter, whilst providing an attractive feature.
• Cloakroom – If your lucky enough to have a larger space to work with, it may the case that you want to create a second bathroom in your home for guests and friends alike. Incorporating a second shower is a great idea if you have a large family. With so many 900 x 900 shower designs and smaller available on the market, your bound to find something that works for you. In addition to the added convenience, a second shower is guaranteed to add extra value to your home.

A cloakroom bathroom solution makes the most of a small space, with stylish and contemporary detail adding a touch of glamour and practicality to any home. With complete solutions starting from as little as £1000, it’s a great investment for any homeowner that’s guaranteed to provide long term rewards.

Of course the size of your bathroom will dictate your primary choice of tub. Larger bathrooms tend to swallow large corner tubs whilst small rectangular shaped rooms require more standardised shaped. However, standard shape doesn’t mean standard features. Many designs now incorporate luxury features such as underwater hydro massage jets and pulsating air massage within standard shaped baths, making the prospect of having your own spa very possible.

When looking at materials of your new bath, acrylic is the most common as it’s good for heat rentention and relatively light weight, whilst being affordable at the same time. Some other designs incorporate other materials such as glass, tin, steel, cast iron, copper and even stone producing real show pieces that sell themselves.  These other materials tend to be more expensive so it’s important to shop around.

Di Vapor offer a number of different bath designs to suit the sizes and style demands of most. The Varda offers a simple standard bath look coupled with the added luxury of hydro massage water jets, air massage jets and headrests on each end. To meet the needs of a high end bathroom, Di Vapor offer the Cosmo – A single person bath complete with hydro massage jets, air massage jets all finished with a 17inch television. What more could you ask for?

Head on over to Di Vapor today to see what’s on offer.

Other offers include a £100 discount off the stylish all glass Savona steam cabin. Standing at just 900 x 900, this cabin will work in most bathrooms when space is limited, whilst maintaining a luxury contemporary look. If your working within a budget, an extra £50.00 off the 900 x 900 Ivela corner quadrant steam shower is hard is miss.

Head on over to Di Vapor today and see what’s on offer!

Be weary however, as the TrustMark is by no means a guarantee that your project will run smoothly. TrustMark states that necessary checks are made on registered companies regularly, however small print shows that checks are carried out by a roster of “approved scheme operators” and may not necessarily be up to date. TrustMark also relies very much on some trade bodies carrying out checks themselves – and there is anecdotal evidence around of some homeowners who have relied on TrustMark only to find themselves caught in dispute.

The key to using the TrustMark is to be realistic with any expections you may have.  It also provides a great place to start when looking for a realible source of traders names who are more than likely to be reliable, but it shouldn’t be seen a quick way of selecting a trader and getting work started as soon as possible. Be weary to ensure that you get the bathroom of your dreams or that extension you’ve been waiting for without any hiccups.

Source: Homebuilding Magazine

• Find yourself a top builder – The best way to do this is through recommendation, so try and stay away from the Yellow Pages. Use somebody that has worked with family or friends and see the work they completed first hand. If they are good builders that take care in their work, they won’t mind you looking at any of their past projects. It will give you a true reflection of their ability and competence in completing the task at hand.
• Manage your project – It’s good to treat your home project like a small business. Set it up properly with detailed budgets, schedules, and a project timing programme. Set a total price for the entire job with the builders, avoiding an hourly or daily rate at all costs. This stops project’s getting out of hand and builders allowing themselves to get carried away with the time it takes to do certain tasks.
• Keep control of your cash flow – It’s important to keep an eye on your money throughout the entire build. It’s not about having a budget and spending it, it’s about spending it in the correct way. It’s worth doing research before the build also. Furthermore, provide a detailed and accurate brief to your builder so they are entirely clear on what you want.
• Always have a financial back-up - It’s wise to hold back a contingency budget just in case. We recommend a minimum of 10% of your total budget. Don’t make the mistake of telling your builder about this or they’ll end up spending it for you!
• Make your decisions quickly – Try and make any key design decisions before contractors and builders are on site. Design time is cheap so invest plenty of your own time before your build starts, working out how it’s going to look and what materials you will be using. Changing your mind at the last minute can be costly and give your builder the excuse to add any additional costs.

Source: Selfbuild&Design

A compact range of systems that provide renewable heating, hot water, cooling and ventilation are now widely available from Comfosystems working within even the tightest spaces. They also provide a highly efficient heat recovery system, designed to draw out stale air and mix it with fresh air through a clever heat exchange. By taking advantage of this clever technology, less heating is needed to keep your home a comfortable temperature. Furthermore, these systems also allow you to recycle the wasted water collected from daily tasks such as showering or washing. Not only do you save money, your helping the environment without allocating the entire loft to house it.

A perfect solution for those looking to build small, but “ecosafe” at the same time.

Commenting on the statistics, Jace Tyrrell noted that bathrooms and showers are particularly important at the moment.  With bathrooms being the most popular room to improve, the study showed that 38% of people would invest into their bathroom first over any other room.

It seems that the UK are in love with their bathrooms, with trend directed towards new home spa ideas such as steam showers, whirlpool baths and bathroom entertainment such as televisions.

According to the expert, May has always been a popular month for home improvement, as 2 bank holidays give homeowners a little more time to get things done.

What are you planning to change this May? If your stuck for ideas, head over to www.divapor.com for inspiration!

Voice is produced by many different workings in the upper body. To form the sound of voice that we are familiar with, the muscles of the abdominal wall and rib cage squeeze the lungs, making them exhale breath. When airflow comes up the windpipe it passes through the vocal cords, causing them to vibrate creating a buzzing noise. At the same time, the larynx – or voice box as it commonly known – adjusts the tension of the chord producing pitch.

As you get older, these vital tissues become tired. But something as simple as singing in the shower every day can help decrease the speed of the ageing process.  This is one of the best ways to help preserve your voice, as it keeps the laryx muscles strong whilst the steam lubricates the voice box.

“Singing is gymnastics for voice” states Dr Andrew McCombe. “The control and neuro-muscular co-ordination you need means the voice is being used in a good way.” Joining a choir is one of the best ways to preserve a youthful tone, says Dr McCoombe. “Professional singers voices take longer to age as they muscles strong.”

So maintaining your youth may be as easy as belting out a few power ballads in the shower, just before your start your day.