You can always tell when someone takes pride in their property. It’s the house you walk by that catches your eye for all the right reasons. Home improvements will add value and improve the curb appeal of your property, and when you invest in top-quality materials and workmanship, the returns are even greater.
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It can feel like a minefield when you require work carried out to your property and you’re not sure where to turn. Balancing cost and quality can be tricky – and you won’t want to compromise on either.
Dundee based company EC2 specialises in home improvements and renovations, and its commitment to quality materials and workmanship has earned it an impressive reputation over 18 years in business, with over 30 years of experience within the roofing trade.
We spoke to owner, Dave Robertson, who explained three key home improvements where investing in quality will have long-lasting benefits for both you and your home.
Windows and doors
New windows will give your home an instant facelift, but they will also undoubtedly increase the energy efficiency in your home to. With rising energy costs, that’s no small thing.
Dave told us more: “Fitting new quality windows and doors not only increases the value of the property, but it also saves you money in terms of reducing your energy bills. These days, anyone that gets new windows notices right away how much better the heat retention within the property is – it improves dramatically with a good new double-glazing system.
“By the time double glazing gets to about 15 years you should be looking to replace it. The windows that were put in years ago are far inferior to the products that are on the market now.”
Dave continued: “The system that we use, Liniar, is the most technically advanced window there is in the UK. The improvements in them compared to what would have been fitted by any manufacturer 10 years ago are huge.
“Everything from the handles to heat retention products, gaskets and how the windows work with thermal efficiency have all massively improved.”
For example, Liniar windows have warm spacer bars which stops the cold travelling from outside to inside. So, if you are considering replacing your windows, don’t have any doubt: the windows fitted by EC2 will be dramatically better compared to your older double glazing – in both look, and performance.
PVC roofline systems: Cladding, Fascias, Soffits, Gutters & Downpipes
It may not be the most glamourous of home improvements, but replacing your old roofline system can give a new lease of life to the look of your property and give decades of reliable performance.
Dave told us more: “Like everything else there is good, bad and indifferent products that can be used for roofline systems, even amongst new products. We use only heavy-duty roofline systems with the best PVC boards on the market.”
With roofline systems, it can be easy to cut corners when it comes to quality, after all, it’s not something you are hands-on with as a homeowner. But Dave warns against taking shortcuts with materials.
He said: “For our PVC roofline systems we only ever use solid boards. You can get a hollow board, but these can rattle about in the wind. You can also get boards that are just 10mm thick, used as capping boards over old timber, but then you’re closing in potential problems.
“Whereas when we replace roofline systems, we strip the timber completely back to the rafters. Then we fit a solid 18mm magnum board which is the best one that’s manufactured.”
Like so many things, good quality materials and fittings pay off long term. Dave continued: “We replaced rooflines – including boards, gutters and downpipes – 30 years ago, and they are still looking and performing well today. And these days products have improved even further.
“The Freefoam boards we use have a colour stabiliser in both the white and coloured boards. Previously with coloured boards there was always a problem with them retaining heat and warping very quickly, but the boards we use are made to withstand heat and won’t expand or warp.
“It’s the same with PVC gutters and downpipes. If you look at a good quality black gutter that was put up 20 years ago, today it will be starting to go grey. If we put a good quality black gutter up now, in 20 years’ time it will still be the same colour.”
Flat roofing
It may, unfairly, have a bit of a bad reputation, but flat roofing needn’t cause problems or require excessive maintenance. An expert on flat roofing, Dave told us: “The key to flat roofing is the quality. The only system we use is the Sika Sarnafil single-ply membrane. That’s renowned as the best single-ply membrane on the market.
“People get problems with flat roofing as it was done in felt 30 or 40 years ago and it’s broken down. That’s the reason flat roofs can be a problem, because they’ve not been replaced in a long period of time.
“Flat roofs themselves are as good as any roof, especially with the product we use which is as good, if not better, than any on the market. The guarantee with the Sika roofing we use and our installation process are second to none, so you have peace of mind.”
Experienced specialist tradesmen
It’s not just the products and materials EC2 use that sets them apart. The inhouse team of tradesmen are vastly experienced, and that’s apparent in the quality and durability of the work.
“When you spend money on quality you see the results,” said Dave. “You also get the longevity of the products that protects you for the future. We pride ourselves on our quality.
“The guys in our installation teams are hugely experienced. It’s all they’ve worked on for 15 or 16 years every day of the week. Some companies have different trades trying to do other trades – a plumber trying to be a joiner for example – that just doesn’t work. We ensure the job you’re getting done is being done by the proper tradesmen.
“Our teams are hugely experienced, so you know when something is fitted, it’s fitted properly. We have had thousands of customers over the years, and very, very, few repairs. Our quality guarantee holds firm.”
For top quality Windows and Doors, PVC Roofline Systems and Sika Sarnafil flat roofing, don’t take chances with quality and workmanship, contact EC2 for a free no obligation quote today.
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