Our tips to help you avoid a boiler breakdown this winter.
From carpets to hardwood flooring.
We explore some of the best roadtrips out of Essex.
magazine
Welcome to another issue of Gateway. As financial uncertainty hits the country, and mortgage rates grow more than expected, a lot of people naturally wonder what the state of the housing market is. While the market is unsettled due to the recent mini-budget announcement from the Government, we can always be sure that the market always bounces back - after all, we all need somewhere to live, and most of us have the desire to move at somepoint in our lives. Only time will tell when this uncertainty will end.
If you have any questions regarding the market, and what it means to you if you’re buying or selling, please contact us, we’ll be more than happy to help.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Gateway.
John Pring FNAEA(Honoured) & MARLA | Director
Our tips to help you avoid a boiler breakdown this winter.
As the temperature starts dropping for the winter ahead, it’s important we take care of our boiler to keep warm and cosy this winter. The following tips are designed to keep your boiler healthy.
Make sure your thermostat is working correctly. Try adjusting the temperate setting on your thermostat and observe if your heating system responds in a timely fashion. If the heating system is slow to react, or doesn’t react at all, it’s time to call a registered heating engineer out to take a look at it.
Most of us overlook this tip, but cleaning your boiler is an essential way to maintain its health. Try cleaning the exterior of your boiler when you do housework to prevent dust clogging up the appliance’s tubes and pipes. Remember, you should never attempt to clean the interior of the boiler yourself – this task should always be left to a qualified engineer.
Things like rusting, oxidisation of the pipes or evaporated water in the boiler shell are tell-tale signs that you need to call a plumber out as soon as possible.
This tip will not only boost your radiators’ efficiency, but will also save you some cash on those heating bills too. If you’re wondering why we bleed radiators, then let us explain - it’s not uncommon for air bubbles to become trapped inside your central heating system, and when this happens, this will stop your radiators from reaching their optimal heat. Simple really.
Head to your local DIY store and buy some cheap easy-to-fit foam tubes. The extra protective layer on your pipes will reduce heat loss and save you money too.
We know it’s easy to skip, but getting your boiler serviced is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to your boiler health. Getting your boiler serviced by a registered engineer will prevent it from seizing up in the winter. A service will also detected issues before they become costly too.
Ian Carey Sales Manager
Harriet Plampton Sales & Lettings Consultant
Simon Pring Director
Nicola Rattenberry Director’s P.A.
John Pring Director
Tina Webster Management Accountant
Leanne Wright Administration Manager
Penny Ash Property Manager
Albie Poole Property Consultant
We cover the whole of South Essex. Contact us for a free valuation on 01268 565555
Kerrie Watts Property Consultant
Ben Nelson Property Consultant
The residential estate agency market is increasingly populated by large corporations; nevertheless, our independent family-run estate agency continues to succeed and grow a loyal client base, due to our core values, ethos and flexible approach to clients’ requirements.
Ebony Woods Office administrator
From carpets to hardwood flooring.
More and more of us are taking the plunge and ripping up our carpets - whether it’s a style choice, or a health one (carpets can hold all types of allergies), hardwood flooring is more popular than ever. Our following tips will help you go from carpet to wood in no time.
First of all, remove all the furniture from the room - get somebody to help you here if you’re moving heavy items. If you have any doors that open into the room, take those off.
Next up, it’s safety time. If you don’t have them already, it’s time to buy yourself some safety gloves and knee pads to protect yourself from the many stray tacks and nails you’ll no doubt face. If you’re sensitive to dust, wear a mask too.
Mostly all carpets are held in place by tack strips along the perimeter of the room. If you’re lucky, you can start detaching the carpet by finding a weak spot (normally by the corners and doors), if you’re not so lucky, a little bit of work is required - use a utility knife to cut a square in the corner of the room and start that way.
After you have about 3-foot of carpet ripped up, use a utility knife to cut the carpet into strips - cut the back of the carpet as it’s normally easier. This will make transporting the carpet easier.
Once you’ve said goodbye to the carpet, you’ll normally have to deal with the padding/underlay underneath. The padding/underlay normally comes in smaller pieces, so it will be much easier for you to deal with. Rule of thumb, if the floor is made of wood, then the padding/underlay will be stapled down (vise-grip pliers should do the trick in this case), if the floor is concrete, then the padding/ underlay will be glued down (use a bladed floor scraper in this case).
After the carpet and padding/underlay have been fully removed, it’s time to say goodbye to those tack strips around the room. Once you get your method right, this is actually easier than it seems. Slide a pry bar under the tack strip and pop it up. Always use safety gloves and glasses when you’re at the stage and dispose of the tach strips immediately.
If you haven’t already decided what you want from your new flooring, then next month in Gateway, we take a look at your options - e.g. laminated, painted, stained. Join us next month for our suggestions. See you then.
The industry has changed hugely with the development of digital technology - this has created two different styles of agency, the traditional high street agency, and the modern online agency. At Fisks, we believe that the best solution is to be both.
Fisks still do the traditional marketing methods that you are comfortable with, such as high street shop locations with window displays, applicant mailing lists, text and email facilities, linked offices, portals such as Rightmove, leaflet drops, floor plans, boards and branded cars.
These marketing tools have been tried and tested for many years, but with the ongoing digital revolution we have also embraced change. These new marketing methods come in the form of a digital property lifestyle magazine that’s produced in house and emailed to over eight thousand people a month, targeted social media campaigns across all the major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, 4k video tours of your property for our successful YouTube channel, enhanced portal marketing, and from a customer service point of view, we have vendor log-ins so you can see viewers feedback and offers on your home at any time.
We focus on our clients’ requirements and instructions rather than just doing what’s quickest and easiest for us.
Our comprehensive training program ensures that our staff channels their entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for the benefit of our clients, whilst maintaining the professionalism and customer service associated with our brand.
Protecting your investment should not be taken lightly, with our full management service you can be sure to get the support you deserve...
ARLA - the gold standard professional industry body.
Audited and insured client accounts to protect your money.
Rent guarantee and legal cover - protect yourself with insurance and the increased costs of evicting (subject to status).
Legal hotline - specialised property lawyers helping to answer your questions.
Inventories - protect your deposit with a professional inventory, including time stamped photographs.
Inspection - allay your fears that your asset is being looked after.
Section notices - fully trained and experienced staff can advise and serve the appropriate notice.
Accurate accounting - from monthly statements to overseas landlords, to expenditure and income, we hold all the information the accountant will need.
Gas certificates and EPCs - keep your property complying with the law.
“Happy customer. Very professional service. We had no problems with the sale of our house or the purchase of our new home through Fisks. Staff very pleasant, would definitely recommend.”
- Mr and Mrs Hall
“Fantastic team that pulled out all the stops and helped every step of the way. Friendly pleasant staff.”
- Mrs S Sheavyn
... come and put us to the test!
Don’t just take our word for it, we have many happy customers...
We explore some of the best roadtrips out of Essex.
The UK is full of beautiful sights to see and roads to drive on, and The Peak District is the perfect example of this. People often go to see the stunning views on foot, but you should never overlook the beautiful twisting roads that run through it. The most famous road to drive on is the Snake Pass - and, as the name suggests, the snake like curves road carves through the Pennines with, at one point, a vertigo-inducing 1679 feet above sea level. If you’re thinking of heading to The Peak District, we suggest around 3/4 days should do it. Fill up that tank, book a cosy nearby hotel, and enjoy.
If vast and imposing is what you want on your roadtrip, then look no further than the Scottish Highlands. Stretches a whopping 500 miles from Inverness, you’ll be spoilt with things to see. Driving clockwise through the wild landscape, your visit will kick off with Loch Ness - monster or no monster, this place must be seen. During your drive you’ll also pass through Ullapool, one of the most stunningly beautiful villages in the UK where whitewashed fishermen’s cottages dot the harbour. We recommend at least 5 days for this roadtrip so you can stop off and take in all the sights and sounds.
It’s healthy to get away and explore every now and then, that is why we’ve put together a few roadtrip suggestions for you. It’s time to close that work laptop, grab your car keys, and get ready for a bit of exploring.The stunning North Coast 500, Scotland
One of the shortest roadtrips of the bunch, but still should be considered is The Black Mountain Pass. Not only do you get the spectacular Brecon Beacons scenery, but this epic mountain road gives you unrivalled views of the Tywi Valley. Full of hairpin bends, this roadtrip is perfect for those that don’t have too much time on their hands but still want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Along your way, you’ll see rustic farmhouses, ruddyfaced farmers, and wayward sheep. Even though it is one of the shortest roadtrips on our list, we still recommend going for at least 2 days to take it all in.
Thanks to its sweeping beaches, farmlands, old buildings turned into antique shops and restaurants, Norfolk has always been a popular roadtrip destination. The entire stretch of the north Norfolk shoreline is truly stunning - one of the highlights is Wells-next-the-Sea, a cute seaside looking town with eye-catching candy-coloured beach huts. Making your way from the coast, the landscape changes dramatically - good in any whether, the heath-like landscape of south Norfolk is brilliant for tramping across if you want some time out of the car. Breckland and Thetford Forest are Special Protection Areas where wildlife wanders freely - meaning, you can get some great photos on your visit. You should set aside 2/3 days for this roadtip to take everything in.
If you’re looking for a roadtrip a little further away (depending on where you actually live of course) thren the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland is the perfect spot for you. This road trip covers over 200 miles between Belfast and Derry. Less visited by tourists until recently, Belfast has grown in popularity hugely over the years. The famous Giant’s Causeway is just an hour’s drive north Belfast - meaning, you could be seeing this massive naturemade monument in no time. Heading about 25 minutes inland, you’ll see an avenue of beech trees known as the Dark Hedges - the creepy road has been used for many television and film productions throughout the years, including Game of Thrones. To finish your trip, we suggest taking a drive to Derry, Northern Ireland’s second-largest city, where you can easily find a nice place for a bite to eat and a quick drink.
