Homes & Gardens

The Growing Popularity of Porcelain Paving in the UK and Ireland

In recent years, porcelain paving has seen a major surge in popularity across the UK and Ireland. Once considered a luxury material reserved for high-end homes and commercial projects, it has now become a sought-after option for homeowners, landscapers, and designers alike. Offering a combination of style, durability, and low maintenance, porcelain paving is redefining outdoor living spaces in remarkable ways.

Let’s take a closer look at why porcelain paving is trending and why more people are choosing it over traditional materials.

What is Porcelain Paving?

...

Full story

Devon pledges to compost more

More than 2,000 pledges to recycle food waste has been made by Devon residents, thanks to a prize draw.

Last month Devon residents were given the chance to win a composting bin - if they pledged online to compost their kitchen or garden waste.

The prize draw was all part of a county-wide initiative by Recycle Devon, a partnership of 10 councils including Devon County Council, eight district authorities and one unitary council.

The aim was to encourage more people to either compost food or garden waste at home or make use of their food waste collection in areas where...

House prices rising firmly in South West

Momentum is continuing to ebb in the South West housing market as both newly agreed sales and buyer interest remains flat in April. The results of the RICS UK Residential Market Survey, April 2017, general consensus point to new instructions continue to drop in the region. Anecdotal evidence cites a lack of choice; uncertainty due to the calling of an early election; and the ramifications of stamp duty changes as factors hampering activity.

The lack of choice for would-be buyers across the South West is still a key issue and in April new instructions remained negative for a third...

East Devon recycling and waste collections information events

Want to know more about changes to your recycling and waste collections starting in June? Come along to one of our information days

Service change already introduced in Exmouth and will be rolled out district-wide from June 12, 2017

East Devon’s recycling and waste team is holding a series of information events across the district over the next few weeks to help residents with the new collection changes which begin next month.

From June 12, all East Devon households will be able to recycle more than ever before as the council has added extra recycling materials to...

New developments in SW achieve Built for Life accreditation

Three new developments in the south west have achieved top marks in the Building for Life 12 accreditation which recognises the very best in design quality, safety and community.

Barratt Developments, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, has received the prestigious award for developments in Exeter, Brixton and Plymouth.

Barratt’s new Plympton development Redwood Heights and Minerva in Exeter, which will feature homes from Barratt and David Wilson Homes, have received the highest accolade of outstanding and Canes Meadow in Brixton, a David Wilson Homes site...

Historic foundation stone at The Point marks the end of Exmouth Quay development

The Mayor of Exmouth, Cllr Brian Cole, joined Chris Fayers, Director of Exeter-based Eagle One Homes to unveil the historic dock foundation stone, from the original 1886 offices, now embedded in The Point at Exmouth Quay.

The completion of The Point brings the quay full circle and marks the 20-year transformation from run-down, derelict dock area to vibrant waterside community.

The Point apartment complex has fourteen waterside apartments with a mix of two and three bedroom homes arranged over four storeys. The building has two stunning penthouses with expansive glass walls...

Mortgage lending is easier for the first time since 2014

Those looking to get onto the property ladder in Exeter and Devon will be happy to hear that it is easier to get a mortgage right now than any time since 2014.

After the housing crisis, mortgage lending standards became unreasonably tight for many years. The inability to source a mortgage has been an issue particularly acute among first-time buyers.

However, the tide appears to be changing as research has shown that nearly a third of mortgage brokers hadn't encountered any problems sourcing mortgage for any type of client in the latter half of last year. This figure was up...

Bee creative in the garden!

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Wildlife Trusts have joined forces to urge gardeners to do more to help protect bumblebees and solitary bees, heroes of the pollinator world. The Bee Creative in the Garden! call comes as bees are under increasing pressure largely due to loss of habitat. In the countryside, 97% of lowland meadow has already been lost and the dramatic decrease in suitable habitats isn’t just confined to rural areas. The network of 15 million gardens that once formed ‘green corridors’ for wildlife is also disappearing at an alarming rate. In response here in the...

Letters go out to East Devon residents detailing new recycling service

Cardboard, plastics, cartons and small electrical items added to weekly recycling collections and grey wheeled waste bins to be collected every three weeks

Key information is being sent out next week (w/b April 24) to around 51,000 homes in East Devon giving details of a new improved recycling collection service which is being introduced by East Devon District Council from Monday June 12.

The new service, which has already started in Exmouth, is being rolled out to the rest of the district and it means that all residents will be able to recycle more items than ever before....

Exmouth now recycling 60% of their waste every week

Exmouth householders are now recycling almost 60% of their waste every week thanks to a new improved recycling service introduced by East Devon District Council in February.

Provisional findings show that recycling in the town has risen from 44% before the service was launched, to 59% in the first six weeks of the new scheme. Significantly, the amount of rubbish people are throwing away has dropped during the same period from 56% to 41%.

The council’s contractors SUEZ is now collecting, on average, around 90 tonnes of recycling from the town every week – an increase of more...

How to Furnish a Rental Property

The majority of properties in the private rental sector are offered to tenants unfurnished. Most tenants don’t want to take on someone else’s furniture as they have their own, but if you are managing a holiday let or targeting vulnerable tenants, you will need to supply basic items such as a bed, sofa, and other bits and pieces. Here are some tips to help you source the right furnishings without breaking the bank.

Wear and Tear

Rental properties are subject to more wear and tear than the average property. Tenants don’t always take care of your property as you might like, so...

Homes & Gardens

The Growing Popularity of Porcelain Paving in the UK and Ireland

Devon pledges to compost more

House prices rising firmly in South West

East Devon recycling and waste collections information events

New developments in SW achieve Built for Life accreditation

Historic foundation stone at The Point marks the end of Exmouth Quay development

Mortgage lending is easier for the first time since 2014

Bee creative in the garden!

Letters go out to East Devon residents detailing new recycling service

Exmouth now recycling 60% of their waste every week

How to Furnish a Rental Property

It's your Daily

You make the news

Top video

Selco Builders Warehouse | England Rugby star Jack Nowell visits Exeter Saracens junior teams

Exeter Weather

Search form

Homes & Gardens

Top video

Exeter Weather