Eco Home Renovation Advice For Larger Profits

Creating a sustainable, healthy planet is high up on many people’s agenda.  With a massive surge in recycling, eco clothing and electric vehicles, it is time for the construction industry to catch up.

“The future of house building and renovation is green, with new techniques and products coming to market all the time. Eco homes have great re-sell value and are very attractive to millennials who are big buyers coming into 2019. We expect to see a sharp rise in this sort of property next year.” – Property Development & Bridging Loan Experts UK Property Finance

Energy Efficient Lighting

Consider careful planning for wiring requirements for home lighting, electronics and appliances.  These types of equipment typically draw a lot of energy from your home and you might be able to reduce the need for some electronic lighting by increasing the natural light source.  Planning the layout of your property is vital and wisely installing walls and windows to maximise the natural light is a great move.  It is best to go with energy efficient bulbs, based on LED technology to keep your carbon footprint low.  Furthermore, using motion sensors to turn lights on and off will help to reduce energy costs.

Reuse Old Materials Where You Can

Your ageing property might be a great source of usable materials.  The building and renovation industry can be very wasteful, with many contractors throwing away decent fixtures.  It is a good idea to reuse as much as you can, keeping with the traditional look of the property.  Using old wooden beams in new ways won’t look out of place in your renovation, adding them as a feature in the garden can look amazing and unique.

If you cannot make use of certain materials, taking them to a respectable recycling company is a good plan b.  It might be an idea to take care in demolishing walls and structures, making it easier to scavenge reusable materials and creating less of a mess.  Studying pre-existing architectural plans of the property for hints to what design features might be hiding behind walls can help you maintain the original features.  This will give the project more historic value and give it a bespoke feel.  Give careful attention to dangerous materials, you might uncover during the renovation, for example, mould, and asbestos, and dispose of them using a reputable company.

Reclaiming Materials

Buying new materials can quickly start to add up, spiralling your budget out of control.  Opting for reclaimed materials can massively help to reduce these costs.  Utilising old timber boards for flooring can look great and cost only a fraction of new materials.  Searching for second-hand furniture stores for used doors is a great idea, as you can pick them up cheaply.  Not only are these materials within budget, but they save energy it would require to produce a new one.  Overall, it is a very green method of designing and decorating your house.

A Greener Garden

Renovation does not have to stop at your house.  Creating a self-sufficient garden is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.  Starting off with collecting rainwater for the summer months and feeding your houseplants.  If your greenhouse suffers from mould and humidity issues, install a solar extraction fan, this will keep your vegetable disease free.  Some green developers use smaller lawn sizes to make more space for native, wild plants.  This can help the local wildlife, especially Bee numbers, which have fallen dramatically over the last decade in the UK.