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There is nothing worse than being comfortably tucked up in bed and the thought of someone breaking into your home popping into your head. So, to ensure that your front door is nice and secure and that you get a good night’s sleep, here are a few things you can do to improve your home security.

1. Have your own in-home Big Brother

Before we even get onto what you can do to your front door, there’s one way to deter an intruder from breaking into your home from the onset and that’s to install security cameras.

Having security cameras inside but more importantly outside of your home, will discourage burglars as they won’t want to risk getting caught on camera. You might even want to choose smart security cameras that can sync to your phone, meaning that no matter where you are you can keep an eye on your home.

2. Turn your home into Fort Knox

Choosing to install high security locks is imperative, as they provide the most suitable protection against the sneaky methods that intruders’ use to break into a home.

With that in mind, it’s important to do your research. Don’t just pick the first lock you find at your local hardware store.

Firstly, you need to make sure that you’re choosing a lock from a well-known and trusted brand as this’ll give you a peace of mind about the quality of their products. You’ll also need to find out which of their products are highly rated by other customers to make sure you’re getting value for your money.

We recommend buying a British Standards Lock as the British Standards Institution (BSI) establish the standards for the quality of goods and services across the UK. You can distinguish whether your lock of choice is a BSI approved lock or not by looking for the British Standard Kite Mark on the product.

When it comes to securing your front door, it’s the deadbolt within the lock that does all the hard work. With that in mind, you’ll need to make sure to choose a deadbolt that can withstand intense levels of force – especially in the event that an intruder may attempt to kick your front door down when breaking in.

Not sure how to work out how strong your deadbolt is? No worries. You can determine how effective the lock is going to be by finding out which metal it’s been made from and the quantity of metal used to make the lock.

For example, even if a lock has been composed of hardened steel it may be significantly hollow inside. This means that the empty space in the lock outweighs the amount of metal used which results in the lock being notably less robust than a thicker lock.

To ensure that your lock provides you with the maximum amount of security, we’d recommend you get it installed by a professional, which is why the Handy Squad have a team of experienced London locksmiths who can take the task off your hands and complete it efficiently to ensure your front door is secure in no time.

As well as this, having a first-rate door combined with high quality door furniture – the screws, strike plates and hinges – will help to improve the security of your front door significantly.

3. Catch them red handed

Now as long as you’re not attempting to sneak in after a late one, installing motion sensor lights seems like a good idea, right?

Well, having good lighting is crucial when it comes to improving the security of your front door as it acts as an alert for whoever is home. It also increases visibility for security cameras to capture intruders like a deer in headlights.

It’s also a good idea to make sure that any hedges or bushes you have are well-maintained to avoid making your front garden or drive overly dark and to also prevent obscuring any of your security cameras.

4. Make sure you’re notified

 Securing your front door goes beyond making sure you’ve got the correct lock for your door or installing security cameras to capture any attempted break-ins, especially when you’re out of the city. The Handy Squad can install an intruder alarm at your London home to ensure that if you do have any intruders that the necessary people are notified – whether that just be yourself or the police.

There are various types of alarm systems to choose from including auto-dialler alarms, monitored alarms and smart alarms.

Smart alarms

Smart alarms detect unusual activity in your home and will notify you or a selected family member of the situation.

Auto-dialler alarms

You’ll need to install an auto-dialler alarm if you’re in the market for an alarm that automatically calls a specified number – either a chosen friend or an automated message can be selected – when your alarm goes off.

Monitored alarms

If you’d like your alarm to be connected to a monitoring centre that can contact the police for you – if necessary – monitored alarms are perfect for you.

If any of those options sound like something you’d like to be installed in your home, call our team today on 0800 0 12 12 12 and we can book you in for an intruder alarm installation appointment.

In the event of a break in

If you arrive home and your front door has been damaged, contact the police immediately using 999 and file a report – this way the incident is on record for any of your insurance claims. Also, make sure not to touch anything in your property as you may accidentally tamper with evidence.

If this has happened to you, we’re sorry to hear that. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team who can make your home feel safe again, whether you’re in need of one our carpenters in London who can repair door frames and if necessary, undertake an emergency door replacement if the damage is irreparable. As well as this, our emergency locksmiths in London can repair door locks and even replace your old door lock with a better one. Simply give our team a call on 0800 0 12 12 12 or request a quote by filling in our online booking form.

 

Disclaimer

At the Handy Squad we strongly advise that you always take safety precautions into consideration when undertaking a DIY project. We also strongly suggest that you closely read and follow the instructions, that are provided by the manufacturer, of any building materials, products or tools you use for your projects.

Our aim is to provide you with clear and correct instructions, so that you can easily complete any DIY project you desire. However, please note that the information we provide should only be used as a guideline and that some information within the text may not be entirely accurate.

When using our articles for information and advice, please note that it is your own responsibility to determine whether you are capable of undertaking and executing the task you wish to complete.

Before starting a DIY task, it is essential that you inform yourself of any existing building, gas, water and electrical works regulations. If you were to have any further concerns, we recommend that you complete additional research and/or contact the necessary professional body.

We also strongly recommend that a qualified tradesperson completes the relevant safety tests and checks on any DIY work you have completed.

 

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It’s June, which means the hot weather should be just around the corner (or we’d hope so!). As we all know, warm weather in England is a synonym of beer gardens and garden parties. You can start (or at least thinking of) pulling out the barbeque, dusting off the furniture and cleaning the patio. There are also a few other things you can do to get your garden ready for summer and all its glory.

1. Mow the lawn

It’s the obvious one, however, it’s probably one of the most important things to do when the weather starts getting better. Yes, mowing the lawn can be a tedious chore, but not only will it help prevent weeds from growing, it will also instantly make your garden look tidier. Additionally, you can use a trimmer around the edges and bases of any trees to neaten things up a bit.

If your lawn has patches where grass won’t seem to grow, then you may need re-seed those bare patches. If all fails, you can always buy artificial turf, which will reduce the overall maintenance time of your garden to a minimum.

2. Clean the Patio

Just like mowing the lawn, cleaning the patio has an instant impact on the look of your garden, making it appear immediately better than it did over the winter months. Depending on what your patio is made of (bricks, decking, slabs) a jet wash is usually a good option. This will remove any dirt and debris left on your patio and will make it look more visually appealing. If you do not own or want to purchase a jet washer, we offer various pressure washing services all around London.

You may find that weeds have grown, in which case you will need to remove them. You can pull them up from the roots to prevent them from returning or you can contact our team to get completely rid of them with our jet washers. Simply call 0800-0-12-12-12.

3. Purchase some plants

Whether you already own some or have never cared for a plant in your life, purchasing plants is a great way to make your garden look livelier and more colourful. Plants can be used as ornaments around the garden by using pots in different colours and sizes. There are many types of plants to choose from, including bright red flowers, leafy green plants or even some small trees.

4. Garden Furniture

The most important garden furniture to have would be some form of seating. Whether you just want to sit and read a good book or have some guests over, seating is key. If you have old furniture then that’s great, even if it’s looking a bit shabby. Sand it down and maybe give it a lick of paint to have it looking as good as new. Too much of a hassle? Our team can also pressure wash garden furniture to bring it back to life.

If you are planning on buying new furniture, think about whether you have a specific colour scheme in your garden. Minimalistic colours are usually the best to go for as they won’t draw too much attention away from your plants, but still become the centrepiece of your garden.

 

A garden table to match your seating is another important purchase if you haven’t already got one. Whether it’s for eating a meal at or just to put down your drink, it’s another thing that will bring your garden together. Again, you don’t necessarily have to go out and buy a brand new one, you can spruce up your old table and make it look as great as when you bought it.

If you do not feel you have the time to liven up your furniture, then you can contact our handymen in London who will give you a second pair of hands with your furniture. We can treat wooden furniture and even repaint furniture. In case you’ve bought some new garden flat pack furniture, call our team to assemble your flat pack furniture.

5. Lighting for your garden

Lighting is a lovely touch that can make your garden seem that much more interesting. Solar powered fairy lights are a great idea, you can get some to go along the edge of your fence or across a wall of your house, depending on what works for you. Fairy lights create a cosy ambience in your garden and if they are solar powered it also means that you don’t have to worry about changing the batteries or finding some way of wiring them into your home.

You may need to get some stronger lights if you are planning on staying in your newly refreshed garden later into the night. Some wall lights may be what you need. These can be solar powered as well, or you can get ones that require wiring in. If you do not know where to begin then our team of London electricians are more than happy to help.

If you don’t have enough time in your hands to give your garden the spruce-up it needs, then don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know what it is we can assist you with. Whether it be pressure washing, installing outdoor lighting or assembling your garden furniture, the Squad is always happy to help.

The post How to get your garden summer-ready appeared first on Handy Squad Handyman London | Fast & Reliable London Handyman.

Have you just renovated your bedroom and are looking to install floating shelves in order to have more storage space? Maybe you simply want to fit new shelves to showcase your family pictures, whether this means your kids photos, photos of you and your partner or even photos with you and your pet cockroach. No matter what you want to display on your floating shelves, this article will help you know how to actually put them up.

Step 1

Firstly, you’ll have to either purchase a pre-made floating shelf kit or make your own floating shelf from scratch. A pre-made kit will come complete with all the necessary fixings and instructions on how to put the shelf up, however, if you do choose to create your own shelf, you won’t have any limitations in terms of size or colour. Perhaps making a shelf seems like too much work for you, but for our London carpenters, it will be like a walk in the park. So, if you are looking for a custom-made shelf contact our team on 0800-0-12-12-12.

Step 2 

Before drilling anything to the wall, you’ll have to double-check what’s behind it with a pipe, cable and stud detector. These electronic devices will let you know if there are any pipes, cables or studs on the wall. This is a very important step which mustn’t be ignored in any circumstance.

Step 3

Hold the bracket against the wall and use a spirit level to ensure that the bracket is straight. Then, mark the fixing hole positions with a pencil.

Step 4

Start by slowly drilling your marked fixing hole positions and increase the speed as the drill bit bites into the surface. Continue drilling until you reach your required depth. Use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum any dust from inside the hole and fit your wall plugs.

Step 5

Place the bracket against the wall and start by fastening the screws. Slide the floating shelf on the bracket and hold the spirit level to ensure that it’s level. And that’s it – you’ve put up a floating shelf.

If for any reason you’ve weren’t able to install your floating shelf or you simply don’t have enough time to do so, our team of highly-experienced handymen in London will be able to help out. Request a free quote today by filling our online form or call us on 0800-0-12-12-12.

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