There’s a change in the area – the mornings are crisper and the nights are getting dark earlier. But there’s still time to get your home ready for the throes of winter.
Autumn is the last chance for green-fingered gardeners to do work outside before the ground gets too hard. And with the gardening tools due to get packed away until after the new year, some people will need some new storage to house it all.
Inside, the cold weather means that keep your home cosy is more important. Checking that your home is energy efficient (including making sure the heat isn’t leaking outside) and that your heating systems are in good working order is the best way to avoid any unwanted problems over the winter.
Here’s just a few ways you can do some home improvements this autumn.
Hang on to a bit of summer with a summerhouse from Deeside Log Cabins
Many people have a shed in their garden. But how many have a summerhouse?
It’s probably true to say that summerhouses are not as common an item in back gardens as sheds are.
One feature that you must consider is to incorporate a summerhouse into the design of your garden, because this increases your living space and usability.
A great advantage of log cabins over other garden buildings is that you can create all sorts of uses for them. Whether you’ve dreamed of owning your own studio or would love to work from home, it’s all possible with a garden log cabin.
You can sit undercover and in warmth to enjoy the beauty of your garden with its wildlife creatures and birds.
Your new summerhouse can be a room for all the family; you can enjoy living in the garden on sunny days, have a nice meal away from the television, and have the simple pleasure of each other’s company.
Escape from the pressures of everyday life to your own garden haven retreat, sit in style and enjoy life’s labours at pleasure. A great place for you to hide from the family when you simply need space!
If you have a smaller garden, you can use a log cabin as a general storage shed as well as your idyllic space to relax and unwind. Some log cabins come with an additional lean-to which offers the garden storage of a shed.
Deeside Log Cabins has built an enviable reputation over many years, supplying and erecting everything from standard garden sheds, to large multi-room cabins, with thousands of happy customers.
They can also supply cabin kits for self-build, and willingly provide advice and helpful tips to make your job easier.
Find out more at the Deeside Log Cabins website.
Brighten your home and garden with accessories from Mains of Drum
Still on the garden theme, why not visit Mains of Drum this autumn and view their extensive range of indoor and outdoor accessories?
Based in Royal Deeside, they have received prestigious award from the Garden Centre Association (GCA). After rigorous seasonal inspections of garden centres across the UK the GCA awarded the Mains of Drum ‘Best Garden Centre in Scotland’ for the second year running.
The GCA also placed the Mains of Drum in the top three for the entire UK.
This is an incredible achievement for the family-run garden centre, which opened in 2009. The dedicated and highly-motivated staff at the popular garden centre are working hard to maintain and improve on the high benchmarks required by the GCA.
The winner of the coveted ‘Best in UK’ will be announced in January 2019 after a final round of judging.
The Mains of Drum Garden Centre also won the following categories: Customer Service, Garden Products Retailer, Indoor Lifestyle and Website. In addition, the Mains of Drum are finalists in the GCA Ruxley Rose Competition for the best Plant Area in the UK; the winner will be announced in January.
Craig Forbes, manager said: “We are all thrilled to receive this accolade and are proud to be members of the GCA. This award recognises the hard work of all the team at the Mains of Drum over the past year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal customers and suppliers for their continued support.”
The GCA requires all members to meet standards that represent the very best in garden centre retailing.
Ensuring customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of GCA activity. Every GCA garden centre is subjected to unannounced comprehensive inspections by independent consultants to satisfy the GCA expectation that members maintain and improve on these high standards.
Visit the Mains of Drum website for more information.
Keep your house cosy with new windows from Thistle Windows & Conservatories
Homeowners have once again voted Thistle Windows & Conservatories the best in the UK for customer satisfaction – its 16th major national award from the respected industry standards organisation Independent Network.
The Aberdeen-based company was named top in its class at Independent Network’s annual award ceremony and also has the honour of holding the most trophies in the entire organisation of over 140 member companies UK-wide.
Managing Director Ian Bruce said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised in this way – our entire team has played an important role in maintaining a high level of satisfaction at every stage of our customers’ projects, from the initial quotation experience all the way through to efficient installation and completion.
“We are also thrilled at gaining more customers than ever – while at the same time ensuring that exceptionally high levels of customer satisfaction are being delivered.”
The awards are based on feedback questionnaire responses from more than 15,000 customers of all member companies of the Independent Network. Thistle came top in the highest-tier UK award category.
Thistle has continued to grow and expand with a move into a 35,000 sq. ft head office, showroom and warehouse facility in the city’s Bridge of Don area. The local firm currently employs over 130 staff and is also due to open a brand-new showroom in the next few months.
Find out more at the Thistle Windows & Conservatories website.
Get stunning flooring from Aberdeen Tile
For flooring solutions with the wow factor this autumn, consider the benefits of tile flooring.
Available from Aberdeen Tile, porcelain tiles look and feel incredibly like real wood, making it the ideal solution for those looking to have stylish, yet practical, flooring.
Owner Eric Meston explained: “They really do look like real wood and it is very difficult to tell the difference between the two.
“Wooden flooring can be beautiful but sometimes can be quite impractical. Whether it is cleaning, maintaining or simply being unsuitable for a given room, wooden flooring is not always the best option. Now there is a solution allowing you to have the look of real wood but without the disadvantages that go along with it – wood effect tiles.”
Wood effect tiles are incredibly durable and will last a long time. They can be used near hot stoves and fireplaces and also in bathrooms and kitchens where wood and wood laminates can suffer from constant exposure to water splashes. Furthermore, they are perfect for underfloor heating.
Eric adds “Porcelain tiles, once installed, will stay flat. Wood and particularly wood laminates can curl up over time, so they are perfect for use both indoors and outdoors.
“But don’t forget – wooden effect tiling is not just restricted to the floor; they can even be used on walls and other vertical surfaces.”
Visit Aberdeen Tiles extensive showroom to meet their friendly, expert team and see the collection of wooden effect tiles for yourself.
Find out more at the Aberdeen Tile website.
Keep your electrics in tiptop condition with SWES
With the darker nights approaching, now is the right time to consider a health check on your home or workplace electrics – so call the experts at SWES!
Today, there are so many safety measures and checks that we undertake in day-to-day life – whether it be an MOT to ensure cars are safe to drive or an annual service on boiler and gas appliances. We even go to the expense of having private health checks on ourselves.
With new legislation due to come into effect in January, the SWES team explained the importance of making sure your electrics are checked regularly.
The significant changes, naming but a few, are in the provisions for protection against fire resulting from the electrical installation, a new section to cover energy efficiency and changes to cover heating systems that are embedded.
An electrical Inspection Condition Report or often called a Fixed Wiring Test is normally a relatively painless, affordable and non-invasive procedure to check your home or workplace electrics.
A report will then be created to provide you a compressive description on the wiring condition and where any faults, observations are noted will be coded according to their risk factor.
More commonly now insurers will ask if these checks have been made and in some cases this can result in lower premiums and provide peace of mind to home owners and employers.
So this autumn, be safe and give your home an electrical MOT – guarantee peace of mind with the local, professional team at SWES.
Go to the SWES website to find out more.
Make sure you get a good night’s sleep with The Good Sleep Company
Family run for over three years The Good Sleep Company, based in Banff, has gone from strength to strength delivering the north east with a good night’s sleep.
Their quality range of beds, mattresses and expert advice have resulted in a good reputation for the business – and with it, many repeat customers.
Owners Scott and Jill Birnie, who over 10 years’ experience in the bed industry, explained their aim: “Our beds and mattresses are all carefully selected to give you the best choice for a great night’s sleep. With expert advice, free delivery and our exclusive Good Sleep Guarantee, we’ll make sure you love what you lie in!”
The Good Sleep Guarantee has proved to be an important part of the shop’s success.
Scott added: “Buying a mattress can be tricky and we understand that. We will be there every step of the way to help you make the right decision but sometimes it takes time and that’s what we want to give you.
“Buy your mattress from us, take it home, try it for 30 days and if you decide it really isn’t for you (although we are convinced that you will love it) then we will be happy to change it for a brand new one of your choice!”
The Banff showroom boasts 2000 sq ft, displaying a complete range of bed frames, mattresses, divan sets and bedroom furniture will offer everything you need for a good sleep, from the best quality mattresses and furniture to a hand-selected range of coordinating linens.
With an ever-growing range of complimentary furniture now available, you can choose those must-have accessories to finish off the perfect room!
Open Monday to Saturday on High Street, Banff, click here to visit their Facebook page.