Welcome to Planet South Lakes Blog

f you’re looking to do some DIY around the house, maybe fit a new door, install some replacement windows, just generally shape up the house a bit. Here’s a word of warning:

It Goes Wrong!

You may be quite nifty with a hammer, a professor with a screwdriver, but when it comes to large projects, perhaps you should think twice about Doing It Yo’self.

For example take this Replacement Door that was fitted from the rear, the proprietor stupidly forgetting there was a difference in floor level on the other side.

There are several home improvement companies that offer good quality products for a decent price.

So if you’re looking at doing some good ol’ fashioned DIY, get a quote from Planet South Lakes first and see if it’s worth saving the hassle (and the pain) involved.

Planet South Lakes, one of the foremost providers of double glazing windows, PVC doors, conservatories and orangeries in the Lancaster, Morecambe and Barrow-in-Furness areas, are proud to announce their full range of products and services that will lead them from strength to strength for the rest of the year. With a combination of outstanding customer service, solid guarantees and bespoke design they are confident they have something to offer every homeowner in the North West.

PVC Conservatories
Planet South Lakes offer a completely bespoke design service, based on a variety of styles, which takes you right from the initial consultation in the Kendal showroom and includes all the building works, joinery and plumbing.  They will even provide an installation co-ordinator to make sure every stage of the construction goes smoothly.

Orangeries
Being the forerunner to the modern conservatory, often with a glazed roof, Orangeries prove to be a spacious and airy, yet cosy addition to any modern house, constructed with stone that will suit the style of the property itself.  A must for anyone wanting to add some old world panache, yet remain completely modern at the same time.

PVC Windows
Security is the order of the day with all the PVC windows that Planet South Lakes install.  As a member of FENSA, they take great pride in making sure all the windows they fit have the latest security features combined with an emphasis on ease of use.  Not only do they achieve this but their consultants will also make sure that from all the different varieties of windows  you choose, they will fit perfectly with the character of the building as well.

PVC Doors
Choose from a traditional PVC door to something more in line with safety and security like a stable door or residential PVC Rockdoor.  One thing you can be sure of is to get a door that is longer lasting, elegant and in a range of styles that will suit every taste and budget.  With a modern PVC construction you will never have to worry about them rotting, fading or the need to paint them ever again.

French Doors and Patio Doors
Offering an easy way to access the garden, patio or courtyard, French doors and patio doors are an old favourite and a great addition to any modern home.  Not only can they help to increase the value of your house, as will any Planet South Lakes product, they provide an invaluable cooling effect and improve air flow during the hot summer months.

Rooflines
Not a feature that readily springs to the mind of a homeowner, as a tidy roof line is something rarely noticed, yet a rotting, leaking, paint peeling one will always be spotted and reflected on by a visitor after they leave.  As the saying goes ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’ by having a PVC roofline fitted not only are you modernising your home but you are saving yourself the trouble of a lot of difficult ongoing maintenance.

Porches
For anyone wishing to add some extra space to the front of their property as well as some added elegance and style, a Planet South Lakes designer will work hand in hand with the homeowner to pick the best option for a front porch, as of course they do with any of their products.

A Planet South Lakes Spokesperson had this to add last week;
‘We are trying to achieve a situation where the homeowner has so much choice that we can  design a system that is truly bespoke and ticks all the right boxes to fit in perfectly with their desires and budget’

For more details about Planet South Lakes full range of products and services, to get a free online quotation or to book a free consultation then please visit www.planetsouthlakes.com, call free phone 0800 612 2255 or visit their Kendal Showroom.

Home-owners across Lancashire and Cumbria are looking to conservatories, orangeries and other home improvements as a faltering property market forces movers to stay put and improve their homes.

The recent credit-crunch and well-documented fall in house prices has meant that many simply cannot afford to move home and are forced to seek home improvements to enhance their living space.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors recently reported that housing transactions are at their lowest point since 1978. According to research from Sainsbury’s Bank, this has led to 21% of homeowners contemplating improvements over the next 12 months as opposed to moving house.

Reports suggest that 5.3 million homes are planning some form of structural work – of these, 1.2 million are looking to build a conservatory.

As one of the most versatile ways to improve your home, conservatories are cool in summer, warm in winter and can be used all year round. They can be used for entertaining, as an elegant dining or casual sitting room. A conservatory could also make the perfect home office environment, a playroom for the kids, or even a kitchen.

It is this versatility which makes conservatories one of the most popular forms of home improvement.

In addition to this, erecting a conservatory could save the hassle of moving home, which studies show to be one of the most stressful experiences that most people face in life.

A spokesman for Planet South Lakes, specialists in conservatories & orangeries across Lancaster, Kendal and Barrow-in-Furness had this to say.
“Conservatories are a great way to add extra living space and improve the value to your home. If you are not in a position to move, then a conservatory is certainly something you should consider.”

“We are expecting to be very busy over the next 12 months and beyond, as more and more people experience the benefits of our conservatories.”

For further information on Planet’s Conservatories & Orangeries, freephone 0800 612 2255 or contact us online.

It would be an obvious point to make that having new uPVC doors and uPVC windows fitted would provide several benefits to your house as a whole. The addition of these new features would undoubtedly increase the value of your home and the good news is that they do not have to detract from the external styling of the property either. In fact, by adding something like a porch, conservatory or orangery you not only compliment the building but also add more room and in many cases a touch of elegance to your house.

Energy efficiency is also another good reason for having new uPVC windows or uPVC doors fitted. This measure helps to save the environment by reducing your carbon footprint but it can also save money in your pocket by reducing energy bills.

The one overriding feature that I believe is the most significant point to take into consideration, though, is the added security features that modern uPVC doors or uPVC windows have to offer.  Not only do you benefit from the most modern and sturdy of materials but the equipment is likely to be fitted with good locks and bolts and even something as seemingly insignificant as internal beading can prove to be a useful addition to security.

Here we will look at some of the more significant features that modern uPVC doors and uPVC windows have to offer.

Internal Beading
At the end of the day a double glazed window is not designed to survive a sustained attack. After all, the emergency services need to gain quick access into your home if need be, but the idea of having modern windows fitted would be to deter the opportunist thief.  Older double glazed windows had the beading fitted on the outside of the glass, meaning that a potential burglar could pop out the plastic seal around the frame with a screwdriver and literally remove the entire unit.

Nowadays internal beading is fitted pretty much as standard which takes away this option.  If somebody wanted to break into your house with modern uPVC windows fitted they would literally have to smash the glass thus creating a lot of noise and bringing the attention of the neighbours to the fact that something was wrong.

Fire Safety
Having new uPVC windows fitted opens up the opportunity to make the house safer in the incidence of fire as well as improving the security of the property.  If you use a company that offers a bespoke design service you can make sure that they run through all the features and benefits of fitting windows within certain areas of the property that would allow for a quick escape during the rare instance of a fire in the home.  By having new windows fitted you are not only benefiting from all the points above, but it could also be the difference between life and death for you and your family.

Modern Locks and Bolts
Older doors in particular only have one lock that clicks into the frame at the middle of the door, making it easier for an intruder to force his way into the property.  The newest doors however have things such as multiple locking points, barrel locks with an anti drill design and anti-lift pins and hinge protectors, literally designed to prevent a would be burglar from lifting doors (especially in the case of an older conservatory or sliding patio door) right off their hinges.  These many added security features of modern uPVC windows and uPVC doors have evolved over the last 20-30 years of trial and error.

A process of developing technologies that would beat the ever increasing ingenuity of the burglar has led to the development of ever more secure locks and bolts to be added.  A burglar tends to be opportunistic and will deliberately seek out a soft target.  The best way to send out a message to them is to have new windows and doors fitted so they do not even give your property a second glance after noticing how the fittings look rock solid from the outside.

To explore your options the best step forward would be to book a session with a company that offers a bespoke design service.  There are a few good companies out there that offer this and not only will you be able be able to come up with a plan that suites the style of your building, takes into such external factors like a risk assessment of your property to determine the weak points but will also take into consideration your budget.

Planet South Lakes have decided to let in the New Year by launching a set of resolutions that are specifically targeted to anyone looking to buy any of their conservatories, windows or doors throughout the Lancaster, Morecambe, Barrow-in-Furness or Kendal areas.

Resolution number one
As part of their massive January sale they are promising to save customers hundreds of £’s on all Conservatories, Orangeries, Windows and doors with a £99 deposit, interest free until 2010 offer.

Resolution number two
All Planet South Lakes’ range of high quality home improvement products is available with up to 30% off.  Their excellent range of styles and finishes are designed to blend perfectly into the ambience of any home.

Resolution number 3
Totally secure, maintenance free Rockdoors from £775 fully fitted.  This is a possible saving of up to £324.  With Planet South Lakes, every one of their Rockdoors is tailor made for your home – manufactured to virtually any height and, as with all their installations, fitted to the highest of standards.

As with all Planet South Lakes’ Conservatories, Windows or Doors you are provided with the piece of mind of their 1 2 3 guarantee, which offers a £1000 security guarantee, 10 years manufacturers guarantee and an insurance backed guarantee as well as their bespoke online Quotation service.

Alternatively you can visit their Kendal showroom where you will be warmly welcomed into a friendly atmosphere giving you the chance to see a great range of beautifully finished PVC conservatories and a comprehensive display of windows and doors up close.

A spokesperson from planet windows added;
“With all the great deals we have on offer we are trying to match the mood of the customer in the current climate.  Just because times may be hard at the moment, doesn’t mean that people still don’t take pride in the appearance of their homes.  We feel that these unbeatable savings will indicate that this is indeed the time to invest in the best for Conservatories, Windows and doors”

As more people are looking for ways to increase the value of their homes or improve their living space due to the well documented recent downturn in the housing market, you could do a lot worse than consider the possibility of installing a Conservatory or an Orangery.

But what is the difference between the two and what leads to their enduring fascination with householders? To answer these questions we need to go back into history and examine the structures’ origins.

The Conservatory did exactly what it said on the tin originally. The name came from a combination of Latin and Italian and was quite literally a place to store and preserve food and was traditionally thought of as an un-glazed structure. It was only later, with the introduction of glazed structures that they were used to house and protect plants from the cold weather, but even then we would understand them better if we thought of them to be more like greenhouses or glasshouses.

Over time it appears they evolved into the structure we know and love today that attach to the side of the house and which acts as a pleasant place to sit, not only in summer where they remain cooler than the rest of the house but also in Winter when they have the reverse effect of generally being warmer.

Probably the greatest example of a glass house from an engineering perspective is that of the crystal palace at the time of the great exhibition in 1851. Taking 22 weeks to erect and covering 19 acres it had 293,635 panes of glass and at the time was the largest enclosed space on earth. I think it is fair to say you would need a pretty large house to consider having a conservatory like that on the side.

Orangeries, although being similar in concept to the Conservatory do have some distinct differences. For instance they are generally found within the borders of a garden with an outer door, rather than being attached to the house like a modern conservatory is.

Some of the more elaborate Orangeries down the ages would resemble large glazed buildings in their own right and were a definite symbol of the elite, being incorporated within the garden design of the wealthier people who often had their own private exotic gardens. This popularity led to advancements in the construction technology making them bigger and better, leading to such innovations as under floor heating and windows that opened in the roof for ventilation.

Of course the original purpose of Orangeries is quite self explanatory. They were houses literally used to cultivate and grow exotic plants and fruits that the elite could show off but they would also quite often have fountains, grottos and areas in which to entertain guests when the weather took a turn for the worse. In modern times we are fortunate that we can now still take some of the original concepts, if maybe on a more modest scale, and build ourselves a place within the garden that we can use for social interaction or even somewhere to go and escape from the world.

Going back to the original point that was made at the beginning about building a glazed structure within the boundary of your home, to either improve your standard of living, your house value or indeed both. Whichever you decide upon will ultimately come down to such details as space and accessibility but the good news is that there are some companies, especially on the internet, that are happy to put together bespoke plans to suit your individual needs, rather than make you try to fit a pre-fabricated design into the space that you have available. If you are still unsure whether a Conservatory or Orangery is for you then take comfort in the fact that several hundred years worth of design and popularity is unlikely to be wrong.

With the majority of the UK being battered by both high winds and torrential rain throughout August, now is the time to have your guttering, cladding, fascia boards, barge boards & soffits checked for blockages and damage.

The west coast regions such as Cornwall, Wales, South Cumbria & Barrow have bared the brunt of this battering and Planet South Lakes cannot stress enough the importance of having a pre winter check up.

The recent high winds have littered our streets and gardens with leaves & twigs from many trees. This coupled with the torrential rain which has dislodged much of the moss which grows on many roofs has highly increased the chances of a blockage in either your guttering or drainpipes from this debris.

When a drainpipe is blocked with dislodged moss and/or leaves the water in the guttering cannot drain away.  Ineffective drainage can lead on to further problems with your fascia boards, barge boards, soffits & cladding.   When rain water fails to drain from the gutters, or in a case of the rain being too heavy for your gutting system to cope with, the excess rainwater overflows the guttering and cascades against the protective fascia boards or cladding.

Over the long term, this constant torrent of abuse from the elements can cause irreparable damage to your property, and being just below the roofline, this damage is hard to spot and even harder to repair.

Many properties will feature their original wooden fascia boards, barge boards, soffits and cladding as these features were designed to last for decades.  However, due to the exposed position of such protective features, coupled with the now typical British summer’s high rainfall, strong winds and the occasional warm sunny day, the potential damage to these original wooden features could be immense for the following reasons;

Strong Winds – Strong, blustery winds can damage the paintwork of your protective cladding, fascias, soffits & bargeboards. If you have trees close by, debris can be blown from the trees and hurled towards your property, causing chips and cracks in the paintwork of doors and windows, as well as the protective roof cladding.  These chips & cracks lead to vulnerabilities in the cladding which the unforgiving elements are all to keen to take advantage of.

Heavy Rainfall – If your paintwork is compromised in any way, then the rain can get beneath it.   Wood being a natural material will soak up moisture and change its size by several millimeters.  For this reason we tend to seal exposed woodwork with paint or varnish in order to minimize the way wood reacts to weather conditions, however, if moisture can get in, it will get in and the porous nature of the wood will more than happily soak up this excess moisture.

Warm Sunny Days – Once the wind and rain has retreated to make way for some actual ’summer’ weather, many of us breathe a sigh of relief and make the most of the fine weather.  However it’s a different story for the exposed woodwork which protects our homes.  Bearing in mind strong winds which damage the paintwork, heavy persistent rainfall which causes the wood to soak up excess moisture through the hairline cracks and chips followed by warm sunny days which then cause the wood to dry out.

Due to the fact the wood is sealed with either paint of varnish, this drying out process is hindered somewhat.  Poorly treated woodwork can easily swell and warp as the cycle of wind, rain and the odd warm summer day perpetuates.   Although this swelling and warping is of little concern as the weeks or months progress, over several years this will lead to more troublesome cracks and splits in the woodwork which will in turn lead to rotting, a problem which needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

The latest uPVC fascias, barge boards, soffits and cladding do not suffer these problems which are inherent in their wooden counterparts. They do not need painting, making them maintenance free and very cost efficient in the long term.  They are strong and durable and will withstand a good battering from the elements for decades.  Being a man made product, they will not take on moisture as wood does and do not swell or warp over time, giving you piece of mind for many, many years to come.

Planet’s range of Roofline products is available in the ever popular classic white finish, a stylish light oak finish and an elegant rosewood finish.  The range of uPVC guttering, uPVC cladding, uPVC fascia boards and uPVC barge boards are designed to suit and complement any home, regardless of age or style.

Whether your property is a 200 year old converted barn, a Georgian town house or a modern property, Planet South Lakes have a maintenance free solution to suit both your budget and your needs.

With fossil fuel supplies dwindling and sustainable energy in its infancy, our wasteful ways have become not just a political football, but a global emergency. Awareness of the issue has reached new heights over the last decade, but a cavalier attitude to energy and energy-saving still persists. Each time a light is left on, a window left open and an unnecessary boilwash done we sap the national grid of its precious power for no reason other than carelessness. There are a few very simple ways in which we can make our homes more energy-efficient, less expensive to run and still maintain the all mod con lifestyle to which we’re so accustomed.

Lighting is probably the most consistent drain on your energy supply, and it’s easy to forget how much you rely on it, especially during the dark days of winter. Energy-saving lightbulbs may be slightly more expensive to buy, but they last a lot longer. Halogen bulbs usually run with 35 watts of power, but you could be greener still with a 9 watt candle, and lend a dickensian mood to your home into the bargain. Switch lights off not only when you leave the house, but as you leave each room.

Washing machines can waste an enormous amount of energy. If you wash clothes at lower temperatures not only will they last longer but you will hugely reduce your energy expenditure. Next time you buy a new washing machine – or any other appliance for that matter – look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. Any product carrying this logo has met strict criteria on energy efficiency and will therefore cost less to run and reduce carbon emissions.

Boilers play a huge part in our energy consumption, typically accounting for around 60% of domestic carbon emissions. How old is your boiler? If it’s more than 15 years old, then it’s probably time to look for a new one. Fit a high efficiency condensing boiler and you could save around £200 per year on your bill. A new boiler works by recovering the heat that it would traditionally have wasted, making it around 15% more efficient than a conventional boiler. British Gas offers a comprehensive range of new boilers as well as a boiler maintenance service to ensure it is kept in good working order.

Half of the heat that escapes from your home is lost through the walls and the loft. It stands to reason that you could make huge energy savings by installing insulation, or looking into how efficient your current insulation is and improving it. Have you ever thought how much heat you could be losing through that rickety letterbox? Fitting a brush is a simple measure you can take to prevent such heat loss. Double-glazing and pipe insulation are also highly effective energy-saving methods.

Mortgage approvals fell to a nine-year low in November, according to new statistics from the Bank of England, and lending is expected to fall further in the coming months.

There 27,000 house purchase mortgage approvals recorded.

A total of 42,000 remortgages were approved in November – substantially down on the 72,000 recorded in October.

Lending to consumers and businesses is also not expected to improve in 2009.

The Bank of England’s Credit Conditions Survey shows lenders expect a further decline in the availability of mortgage lending – with banks over the last three months lowering loan-to-value (LTV) rates on mortgages tightening credit scoring criteria.

This fall in lending is being put down to expectations of further house price falls and concerns about the economy.

As supply of mortgages drops, demand remains stable, the survey of lenders reveals, meaning borrowers are now left in the situation where they must really seek out a mortgage deal.

Andrew Montlake, partner at mortgage broker Cobalt Capital, said: “It may be 2009 but the ghosts of 2008 will continue to haunt us, and for some time yet.

“The November mortgage lending figures are just another grim reminder of the death, last year, of easy money and consumer confidence, and there will be many more in the months ahead before things finally start to improve.”

The Bank of England survey also shows a rise in people defaulting on mortgages and larger losses for mortgage lenders from defaults – as house prices fall.

Default rates are expected to rise further in 2009.

Liberal Democrat shadow chancellor Vince Cable said: “It does appear that the inevitable big correction in the housing market is being exaggerated by the complete collapse of mortgage lending by the banks.

“The government is completely paralysed at this crucial moment.

“Ministers should consider promoting a simple, standardised mortgage with a market guarantee for the first few years of interest payments in order to help first time buyers who can genuinely afford to take on home ownership.”

This is not something that immediately springs to mind when we think of the onset of global warming but, with house values falling and energy prices constantly on the rise, it is becoming increasingly important for home owners to make sure that they pay more attention to the upkeep of their existing properties. Energy efficiency has become a topic that needs to be given increasing credibility in today’s modern economic climate.

Firstly we need to examine where our homes are most likely to be losing heat from.  One of the obvious places would be the loft space and the walls and to make sure that the house’s insulation was doing its job, but one of the areas that may be overlooked is the windows and doors of a property.

Obviously we cannot avoid opening the windows and doors and this is where we think we lose most of the heat from within our homes, when we have to leave the house or open the windows for fresh air, but if the windows and doors are of a certain age then we could be losing unneeded energy for the sake of an upgrade. By making an investment now we could be saving thousands of pounds in the long run and also enhance the value of the house, at a time when taking into consideration how much a property is worth is as important as ever.

Did you know for instance that all modern windows have an energy rating the same as fridges, boilers and washing machines do?  This is to allow the consumer to make the most informed choice possible, especially now that there is lots of different type of glazing on the market.  Basically if you have something like an A-rated energiMAX™  PVC window installed then you stand to lose absolutely no heat from your home.

Not only will you increase the value of your property and become more energy efficient, resulting in cheaper heating bills, but you will also be helping to save the planet by producing less CO2 emissions.  Now that can’t be a bad thing can it? Saving money and making the world a better place to live for future generations just by making a modest investment in some home improvements.

The advantages of having modern, sealed, PVC units doesn’t end their though.  To use the example of the energiMAX™ window above, by combining the right types of glazing, the windows that face southwards will trap the Sun’s warmth in the house and actually contribute to heating the house, which will see even more of a reduction in your heating costs.

So, having new doors and windows fitted that not only prevent the property from losing heat but actually help to produce energy is a way we can all contribute to cutting down on the amount of CO2 that is produced.  It is thought that by having properly sealed units installed by a reputable home improvement company that a house can reduce its emissions by as much as 2 tons of Carbon Dioxide a year.  Imagine how far that would go to reducing the accelerated effects of global warming.  By combining this with other simple energy saving measures like not leaving household appliances on standby etc we can all make one massive contribution to saving the planet, whilst at the same time saving a bit of money for ourselves in the long run.