Fisks Gateway issue 98

CONTENTS

TOP COLOUR TRENDS OF 2023

New year, new colour trend. What one will you choose?

RETROFIT YOUR HOME

Save money and keep warm while doing it.

YOUR CHIMNEY’S HEALTH

We bring you some helpful advice to keep your chimney in good working order.

Welcome to our

magazine

Welcome back to our popular Gateway magazine - our first issue of 2023!

A new year means a fresh start for many - whether you’re looking to buy your dream property, or sell your current one and downsize to something more suited, here at Fisks we’re here to help you with every step of the way. If you’re looking for an estate agents that puts YOU first, then please contact us at Fisks Estate Agents.

In this issue of Gateway, we take a look at the trending colours of 2023, shed some light on retrofitting, and give you some advice on keeping that chimney of yours in good health during the rainy months ahead.

Enjoy!

John Pring FNAEA(Honoured) & MARLA | Director

TOP COLOUR TRENDS OF 2023

New year, new colour trend. What one will you choose?

Another year, another trend. This year, the nation’s top color experts are predicting that warmer colours will skyrocket in popularity in 2023. What’s the reason for this we hear you ask? Well, thanks to a recent survey, people are apparently becoming more and more adventurous with their color choices. Out go all those neutral and cool tones, and in comes those warm and bold colours that turn heads.

REDS, ORANGES AND TERRACOTTAS

Nothing gives off that warm feeling quite like those reds, oranges and terracottas. After several years of neutrals and muted hues taking over our homes, it’s time for a big change. Reds, oranges and terracottas are projected to soar in popularity due to their ability to take homeowners out of their comfort zone.

MAGNIFICENT MAGENTA

With more and more of us wanting to make more of a statement in our homes, you can’t go wrong with this choice in 2023. This colour isn’t for everybody, but if you’re brave enough, this one will grow on you. Magenta will bring out your inner vibrant spirit and flawlessly complements many different color palettestry mixing it with an earthy palette.

UNEXPECTED GREENS

If you want something different, but aren’t willing to go ‘all-out’, then greens such as Savannah Green is your perfect choice. Its citrusy green tone is unexpected, but creates a playful and sophisticated look that will make any room in the house a stand out. Whatever green shade you pick, it will look modern and fresh for 2023.

KEEPING IT NEUTRAL

Although bold colours will be the trend of 2023, it’s important to remember that a lot of us still love neutral colours. If you’re looking for a neutral colour but still want to be “on trend” for 2023, then go with shades of warm brown that are reminiscent of different types of woods and minerals. These tones will make any room feel warm and welcoming.

ALTERNATIVES TO BLACK

Most of us don’t want to paint our rooms black, but 2023 is all about being bold and dramatic with our colour choices, so let’s look at alternative colours. Deep shades of brown, purple, and green will all make appearances throughout 2023. Lifting the dark colours with lighter furniture will make a statement in any room. If the deeper colour shades are too much for you, but you still want to try them, then paint a single feature wall in your chosen deep colour.

Meet the team...

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

Our Vision & Strategy

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

If you’re worrying about the eye-watering energy prices (like most of us), you’re probably asking yourself the same questions as everyone else: Should I limit my usage? Should I turn my heating off completely? While limiting your usage is always a goods idea, there are others ways to save, too...

WHAT IS RETROFITTING?

Retrofitting will improve the energy efficiency of your home and will save you money on those bills. If you’re looking to do any of the below, it’s time to consider retrofitting:

• Are you looking to improve the building fabric?

• Are you looking to insulate your floors, walls and roofs?

• Do you want to improve airtightness of your property?

• Want to install more efficient heating and hot water systems?

• Do you want to replace windows or improving double glazing?

• Are you looking to provide adequate ventilation?

• Do you want to install renewable heating technology?

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF RETROFITTING?

Retrofitting aims to improve energy efficiency and reduced your carbon footprint, give you a warmer, draught-free home, stop those pesky condensation and mould issues, and, of course, help reduce energy bills.

WHAT DOES RETROFITTING INVOLVE?

There are two types of retrofitting you could do or have done. The more shallow type of retrofitting includes simple things such as installing low energy LED lightbulbs, smart plugs, and draught-proofing those windows and doors, while a more radical type of retrofitting includes internal and external wall insulation, insulating roofs and floors, improving airtightness to minimise gaps, adding a low carbon heating and hot water system, and/or adding renewable energy measures such as solar thermal.

HOW MUCH DOES RETROFITTING COST?

This obviously depends how much you want to spend, the size of your home, and its current energy provision - the aim is to recoup the spending in long term savings. For the more radical type of retrofitting, we’d recommend setting aside between £800-£1300/m2.

For further help and advice on procedures and costs, visit the TrustMark website - TrustMark is the only Government Endorsed Quality Scheme covering work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home.

Why use FISKS?

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.

Our Ethos & Values

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.

At Fisks, we believe we have all your marketing needs covered to get you SOLD!

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!

Landlords: Protect your investment with our full property management and marketing...

Don’t just take our word for it, we have many happy customers...

YOUR CHIMNEY’S HEALTH

We bring you some helpful advice to keep your chimney in good working order.

Whether you have a working chimney or not, it’s important you take care of its health, especially during the rainy months. If you don’t give your chimney the attention it deserves, then you could find yourself with water damage, structural damage, or even potential fires. Read on for our tips to keep your chimney healthy, safe, and cost-effective...

WORKING FIREPLACE? DON’T FORGET TO HAVE A FUNCTIONING DAMPER

If you’re keeping an eye on energy costs, then your fireplace damper will make a huge difference. When you’re not using your fireplace, your fireplace damper should be closed at all times to stop those pesky outside drafts from getting into your home. Remember, if your damper is broken and won’t open, do not use your fireplace as the damper will trap the smoke inside your home. If your damper is broken, get it replaced as soon as possible.

MAKE SURE YOUR CHIMNEY IS WATERPROOF

Whether your chimney is a working one or not, you always need to make sure it’s waterproof or rainwater will creep in and could weaken the structural integrity of your property. This is one of those jobs you shouldn’t do yourself, so hire a professional - they will check if your chimney is in good health and recommend what to do if it isn’t. More often than not, by adding a waterproof sealant to the outside of your chimney and replacing the flashing should do the trick if there’s any type of leakage.

DO I NEED MY CHIMNEY SWEPT?

Working or not, your chimney needs to be swept. If it’s working, we suggest sweeping it every 50 burns - that’s roughly once the chimney liner has 1/8” of soot. Even if the chimney is not in use, it still needs to be cleaned and inspected annually. Your chimney helps your house ‘breathe’ so it’s important you make sure it’s in peak physical condition to help stop damp and mold appearing around your home.

CHECK THE BRICKS AND MORTAR

It’s no secret, the bricks and mortar of your chimney play a crucial role in avoiding water damage to the chimney itself and your home structure in general. If your bricks and mortar have seen better days, then chimney tuckpointing could be exactly what you need - chimney tuckpointing is an act of repairing your chimney’s mortar without replacing the whole thing. Contact a local professional for help and advice.

CHIMNEY INSPECTION

This is probably the most important act you can do in regards to your chimney’s health - just looking at your chimney is not good enough, and won’t spot pressing issues, so having your chimney inspected once a year is crucial for your chimney’s health.