Homes come with various character features and depending on what these are and the condition of them, people usually want to preserve them. They can add to the charm and character of a home and potentially even up its value. Some homeowners may also install new timber features in their home such as a fireplace surround or new oak or wood flooring.

If you have structural features like beams these will need to be maintained well and might also need to be upgraded. Monitor them over time to make sure their don’t show signs of deterioration. Other features like fireplace surrounds and mantle pieces will generally be more for decoration. You could replace them when they begin to look older or use sleepers and other cuts of wood to replace parts and keep them in good condition over time. Use the correct type of wood, like character grade oak, or green oak if it can shrink.

You should always pay attention to your front entrance doors. Why? Think about it – whenever you go into someone else’s home, you notice their front door, don’t you? It is hard to miss an entrance door, because it is one of the first things you see when you arrive at someone’s property, or when you walk past it on the street. If you go inside their house, you will definitely pay attention to it, from the colour and design, to the door furniture that the door has. Think about your neighbours doors as well – if someone who lives on your street has a new entrance door installed, you definitely notice it. It is the same for your own front door and you should pay close attention to choosing the right one. It is more important than you might originally think.

The first step to choosing your perfect entrance door is picking the style and appearance that you want. This is not the easiest of tasks, as there is a wide range of doors available. This can make it an enjoyable process as well though – you have the opportunity to browse different door types and find the ones that jump out at you, letting you style your home in the way that you want. You can look for entrance doors you like online, you can flick through magazines, look at product catalogues, or simply just go for a walk! Taking a stroll through your neighbourhood will help you identify the types of entrance doors that you like for your own home.

Picking the right style of door for your property

It isn’t just about your own personal preferences of course. It is also very important that you choose a door that will suit your property and will bring out the best in its design. It should be carefully matched to existing features such as windows and, if you have a back door as well, you should consider replacing this at the same time to get consistency. Some people will also match their front door to their garage door to make sure they have a consistent appearance from all aspects of their home. This can be more visually appealing and will make a home look more uniform.

There are various styles of door you can choose – some will have inset shaker panels, others will have modern, gloss finishes. The door furniture you can pick will also make a big difference to the overall finish of the door. Modern doors often make use of contemporary door furniture such as large handles that make a bold statement, so these kinds of features should be considered alongside the rest of the door.

The final component that can make a key aesthetic difference is the glazing. Doors might have small panels of glazing, they may have a larger panel, or they might have none at all. Think about the positioning of your front door and decide on the glazing option that will provide the right amount of light, whilst also balancing this with the need for privacy.

Sectional garage doors are popular in the UK because they offer a premium alternative to up and over doors – and one that will last a long time as well. The UK is notorious for unstable weather conditions and a quality door such as a sectional door will be able to last through them, for a long time into the future. Quality doors are needed to stand up to rain one minute, and snow the next, and sun just moments later, something which is not uncommon at all in the UK.

Sectional doors are preferable for people who lead busy lives and need quick access to their garages. Many people in the UK don’t have the benefit of a garage so those who do, often want to make the most of it. Sectional doors are automatic and can be opened remotely so that a car can be driven straight into the garage.

As a landlord, it’s in your interests to make your property as appealing to renters as possible – you will know the challenges of finding and keeping good tenants. One of the key things that will attract someone to a property is the way it looks, so a more premium appearance is preferred if you want a better class of tenant to move in. This applies to all of the decoration, furniture and interiors: touches such as new wallpaper, a fireplace, character grade oak flooring or solid wood worktops can give the property real charm and appeal. Of course, you need to balance the requirement for practicality with the desire to make a property more beautiful, but the benefit of higher quality furnishings is that they will usually be longer lasting too.

Let’s focus on the flooring: why might you want to install oak, widely regarded as one of the most premium types of wood, in a rental property? Oak is very strong, hardy and long lasting, which are all characteristics you want for rental property flooring. It’s also incredibly beautiful and a much coveted floor covering, so tenants will notice touches like this immediately at their first viewing. It can help to attract the types of people who will appreciate the care you put in to finishing a property off beautifully.

Why is character grade oak a good decision for flooring?

Character grade oak is a natural type of oak – it is classified as being character grade because it still has the natural features you’d expect to see in wood. This is what gives it a unique character, and plenty of charm. Some of the features you might spot in character grade oak are knots, face shakes, fillable defects and colour variations. This serves to give the flooring more character, and makes it more obvious that it really is made from real, solid oak. If these features are removed, it might make people wonder whether it’s imitation wood instead.

Why do landlords choose to install character grade oak as flooring in their properties?

These are some of the top reasons why you might want to consider character oak flooring in your rental property:

• Premium features mean higher rental income. If you’re willing to spend the money on making your property more attractive, you can charge a higher price to live in it. People will be happy to pay more rent if they know a property has been well furnished and properly looked after.
• It’s a good way to attract, and keep, good tenants. Good tenants will spot premium features and it will help to seal the deal. If you have good tenants and you want to keep them, redecorating and laying new flooring can really help. Laying character grade oak flooring is a great idea that they should really appreciate.
• Character grade oak is a solid wood product that is designed to last. Wood is tough and hardwearing, perfect for laying in high traffic areas of the home like kitchens or living rooms.

All communal buildings, like communal residences, need to have safe, secure entrances for all residents. This include to any outbuildings such as garages or car parks as well as to the main building itself. It’s the responsibility of a property management company to make sure all doors are working correctly and are providing a safe home for residents.

Different types of doors that might be used include secure entrance doors, automatic doors, doors with an entry keypad, and roller shutter doors for outbuildings and garages. These are easy to maintain and are highly secure, giving residents peace of mind when entering and existing their building. Doors should have British Standard locks, as well as having safety glazing so that it can’t be easily broken. Manufacturers of entrance doors for commercial and communal properties will be able to give advice on the best options for particular properties, depending on requirements and opening sizes.