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Types of Hotel Renovations

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At some point in the life of every building, a renovation is needed by qualified hotel refurbishment contractors. Whether you run a busy hotel in the city or a quiet bed and breakfast in the countryside, both need to be maintained to keep your business booming! Without renovations, your interiors will soon become dated and your infrastructure will fall apart. If you’re thinking about renovations but aren’t sure exactly what you need doing, take a look at our guide to the different types you could have done.

Why Get a Renovation?

Renovating your hotel is likely to be pretty expensive, so why bother? There are actually a few reasons and they’re definitely worth paying attention to!

Firstly, nothing’s built to last forever. From the wood in your attic to the paint on your walls, all of it will fall apart at some point without the proper maintenance. Renovations are designed to fix issues as they arise, solving small problems to prevent huge disasters. In the long run, they could actually save you much more than they cost!

Another perk to renovating your hotel is that it’s good for business. A well-designed, well-kept hotel is much more likely to attract customers, and the better your interiors the higher you’ll be able to charge. If you ever sell the property, frequent renovations will also bump up the sale price, leaving you and your bank balance very happy.

Renovations can also help you save money as you run your hotel. By carrying out small jobs like improving your insulation or switching single-glazed for double-glazed windows, you’ll help your hotel use energy more efficiently and reduce your bills.

The Three Types of Hotel Renovations

There are three types of hotel renovation; minimum, minor, and major renovations. Minimum renovations involve replacing your less durable fixtures without changing the layout, and they often happen every few years.

Minor renovations are usually a little less frequent and are mainly to keep your hotel looking it’s best. These can include painting, fitting new carpets, and carrying out repairs.

Major renovations are the biggest jobs and can include changes to your physical layout. You might carry out major renovations to create more space inside your hotel, to change its purpose, or to upgrade your decor.

Areas That Often Need Renovating

Without proper maintenance, your hotel won’t survive the test of time. After just a few years without minimum renovations, your rooms will start to look dated, dirty, and in need of some TLC. To keep your hotel looking fresh and inviting, here are some renovations that can make a big difference:

  • Fixing cracks and holes in the walls
  • Replacing old carpets and curtains
  • Removing rust from doors and windows
  • Repainting rooms
  • Updating your lighting system
  • Fixing damp and mould problems

Call in the Experts

If you think your hotel is in need of a renovation, get in touch with the Revo team. They are fully licensed, trusted hotel renovators who can help you breathe new life into your space and help your hotel flourish.

Surrey Hills – The Place to Be for London Commuters

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The Surrey Hills are one of the most beautiful locations on our little island – even the Government agrees, awarding it the title of an Area of Outstanding Beauty way back in 1958. It is one of the finest spots in England! With rolling hills, an abundance of woodland and deep valleys that reveal themselves to you at the last moment, this place really takes your breath away.

So it is not too surprising that the Surrey Hills and surrounding areas have become such a hot spot amongst property hunters, particularly those coming from London. As estate agents with property near Upper Longcross to Virginia Water, Barton Wyatt thought they would take a closer look at the popularity of this place.

Why Is It Perfect for Londoners?

For London commuters, the Surrey Hills are the dream place to live. Leaving the city to retreat to the calm, stunning countryside after a day of work is certainly a treat that shouldn’t be taken lightly! With frequent trains in and out of London, ranging from around half an hour to an hour journeys, the travel isn’t strenuous, and the rewards are huge.

More Reasons to Live Here

There are a whole bunch of reasons as to why people chose to live in the Surrey Hills. Aside from its natural beauty, there are also opportunities for great vineyards (areas of the Hills have the same soil as in Champagne, France), some gorgeous opera houses nestled in between thick areas of woodland and a whole lot of artist appeal. In fact, many famous artists, such as Hugh Thackeray Turner and Charles Voysey, worked in a few of the many arts and crafts houses that litter the Hills.

The area is also in close proximity to both Gatwick and Heathrow, meaning that you have the rest of the world at your doorstep. There are also an abundance of great schools and the open, fresh spaces make it an ideal setting for raising children, away from the hustle and bustle of modern day living.

The Cost

As with any desirable location, the prices of homes in The Surrey Hills are fairly steep and continue to rise along with the rest of the country’s house prices. It is, in fact, the most expensive of the Areas of Outstanding Beauty, which just goes to show how incredible a location it is. The average sale price of a property in this area is £904,426. But can you even put a price on the kind of life that the Surrey Hills has to offer? We don’t think so.

If you are interested in buying a property in the Surrey Hills (we don’t blame you!) then get in touch with the team here at Barton Wyatt. They work across Surrey, with property in Upper Longcross, Ascot, Virginia Water and many more great locations, so take a look at all our properties for sale and find your dream home today.

Ranulph Fiennes – Inspirational Speaker

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The Right Address has a huge range of speakers, ranging from business specialists and industry professionals to comedians and actors. One of our most exciting categories is, of course, fearless explorers. It doesn’t get much more thrilling than that, does it?

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is one said explorer who has jumped on board The Right Address, offering up his valuable time to speak, interact and answer questions at your events. Here’s everything you need to know about Ranulph.

Who Is Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, speaker at The Right Address, is a celebrated and widely recognised British explorer – though he prefers the terms expedition organiser and travel writer, as is expected of his humble and gentlemanly nature. In fairness, he has written over twenty books, so he can certainly label himself a ‘travel writer’! This story telling nature feeds beautifully into his speaking, where he recounts tales of his many adventures in such vivid detail and with so much tangible passion that you can’t help but become totally enthralled, hanging on every word he has to say.

His Expeditions

Ranulph has led a huge number of expeditions, including to both the North and South Pole, and is the oldest man in Britain to ever climb to the summit of Mount Everest – a difficult feat by anyone’s standards! When asked, Ranulph would probably tell you that his favourite expedition was in 1991, when he re-discovered the lost city of Ubar, and probably wouldn’t say it was when he had to use a hacksaw to cut off his own frost-bitten fingers. Yes, he really did do that!

His Charitable Work

Probably the most remarkable thing about Sir Ranulph is his great charitable nature. He is constantly raising huge sums of money for various charities, with his main project to raise money for Marie Curie Nurses. He often sets incredibly arduous goals (such as this project’s Global Reach challenge, despite his age and various medical conditions) in return for the support of the public who donate to Ranulph’s chosen charities. He’s been doing this for decades now, and shows little signs of stopping!

Why He’s an Incredible Speaker

The stories that Sir Ranulph, global inspirational speaker, can tell you are completely unique. They’re not tales of everyday life and, in fact, they’re usually stories recounting places or events that few have ever had the chance to experience! His incredible life has also given him an outlook on the world which is tangible in his talks; one of great positivity and a desire to share the wonders this world has to offer, embracing leadership, teamwork and goal setting. His nature, too, is one that would be welcome at any event. Kind and honest, yet funny and incredibly easy to talk to, we can’t recommend Sir Ranulph Fiennes speaker enough.

If you’d like to find out how you can book Sir Ranulph Fiennes to speak at your event, or any of our other wonderful guest speakers, then get in touch with The Right Address team.

What to Expect from Great Langley Estate Agents

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When it comes to moving house or buying your first property, it is important that you have an estate agent by your side that you can trust. Why? Well, because they are going to be the ones who’ll support you through the whole thing! If they are not good at their job, the process of buying, renting and selling is going to be a whole lot trickier.

As Langley estate agents, Glenn Flegg know what it takes to be a good company. In fact, they even have some basic standards that all their fabulous estate agents stick to just to make sure you get the best support and advice possible. Check them out!

Always Reliable
Their estate agents are always on time. It is a must! They don’t want their home buyers and sellers waiting around for them, wasting their valuable time. If you are paying for Glenn Flegg’s help, then they want to make sure that you can rely on them.

Know your Home-Hunters
It is absolutely vital that Glenn Flegg Langley estate agents listen to you when they working. It can be easy for agents to think they know what is best, but that’s not always the case! When it is your home they are hunting for, Glenn Flegg estate agents take into account everything you want and will be flexible to suit your plans.

Top Notch Knowledge
Just as with any job, estate agents should be totally clued-up when it comes to the homes they are selling and the area they work in. A knowledge of things like local schools and amenities near properties is a must, as well as reading up on all the specs of a home before showing you guys around. It saves you a whole lot of time and is just something they should know.

Great Communications
It helps when estate agents are great with people, so we make sure all of ours are! From small things like being polite and friendly to being able to properly communicate with home-hunters and sellers in a manner that everyone will understand, communication is key. No jargon there, thank you!

Always Put the Client First
It should go without saying, but you would be surprised! Their Langley estate agents always put you ladies and gents first when it comes to our job. They will bend over backwards to get you the home of your dreams and will not stop until you are happily settled. You guys are the reason they come to work, so it makes sense that they will do everything to make you happy!

If you’re looking for estate agents in Langley that you can trust, get in touch with Glen Flegg today. They are a friendly, professional and proactive bunch who will help you buy or sell your property as quickly as possible!

Crest Nicholson’s Garden Village in Upper Longcross

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At the beginning of the year, you may have heard the news that the Government was putting forward 14 new ‘garden villages’ as part of their housing development plans. But, what you may not have heard, is that one of those said garden villages in now taking shape in the form of Upper Longcross in the Runnymede borough of Surrey. Not only that, but it’s set to be open imminently this spring! If you’d like to learn more about this new development, read on…

What is a Garden Village?

So, we’ll start off by explaining what a garden village is as it’s not exactly an everyday term. Essentially, a garden village is a development of houses, facilities and amenities that form a brand new, stand-alone community. From schools to transport, a garden village has absolutely everything it needs for the people who live there!

What’s Upper Longcross

Upper Longcross is the newest of the garden villages, constructed by developers Crest Nicholson, and is situated on the former DERA site near Chertsey. The current development is of 20 homes, consisting of 2 to 5 bedroom houses and one to two bedroom apartments. Upper Longcross is just the start of what will be a thriving, complete community in Surrey!

Why Would You Want to Live Here?

So why is Upper Longcross a desirable place to live? Well, the most obvious benefit is that everything is brand new and therefore in perfect condition, which is always lovely when moving somewhere new. It also means that the latest issues and technologies are taken into account throughout the building process. For example, Upper Longcross is built with a strong focus on energy efficiency, which is an incredibly important part of both the way we live today and how we’ll live in the future. The housing development is also built with its natural surroundings in mind, working harmoniously with the abundance of woodlands and natural, open spaces it is settled amongst, as well as the existing quaint villages of Surrey. This makes Crest Nicholson’s garden village not only practical and efficient, but a beautiful place to live.

What is There to Do?

As we mentioned, Upper Longcross is surrounded by green spaces, making it perfect for Sunday afternoon strolls or morning dog walks. There are also cycle paths that connect Upper Longcross with the wider Longcross community, giving you a peaceful detachment but making it easy enough to get to. Some of Surrey’s more prominent towns are also very nearby, so there are plenty of opportunities to explore the county in its full glory! As Crest Nicholson’s garden village develops, there will also be a wealth of activities and facilities right on your doorstep, making it the perfect place to live.

The development of Crest Nicholson’s garden village in Upper Longcross is set to open any day now, so make sure you register your interest if you want to be in with a chance of snagging one of the highly-coveted properties!

Please contact Barton Wyatt estate agents Surrey for properties near Upper Longcross.

Get a property MOT: Barton Wyatt’s top 10 tips on how to sell your house this spring

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Multi award-winning Barton Wyatt estate agents Surrey has been selling homes in the Virginia Water area, where house prices regularly top £15 million and the average price is over a million, for over 50 years. Half a century’s worth of experience has certainly taught the team a trick or two and there is not much they don’t know about buying, selling and letting mansions in Surrey’s prime territory.
The Barton Wyatt team is trusted by Surrey’s vendors to achieve premium process for their homes, being appointed time and time again by clients both at home and overseas, who leave the sale of their homes in the custody of the long-standing, loyal team.
Byways lobbyProperty experts are, in general, predicting a bumper year in 2016 but it will be a bumpy ride for the prime market with increased stamp duty levies hitting this sector the hardest.
With this in mind your home needs to be in the best possible shape to sell. Barton Wyatt’s expert team encourage all vendors to undertake a ‘MOT’ on their propertybefore selling and here are their top 10 tips:
  1. First Impression – “This can be make or break” says Sales Manager Oliver Clarke. “If a potential purchaser is put off before the entering the front door then we are doomed. So take a look at the outside of your home as a stranger might see it. It might be winter and very wet but for a small sum or some time and energy you could tidy the garden and plant a pretty pot by your front door.”
  2. Odour – It may seem minor but the aroma of your house is really very important when you are selling. A simple diffuser discretely hidden in the lobby could do the trick. Some people proffer the advice of coffee and home baked bread but we are realistic, it could take a few weeks to sell your home and you cannot be there ready to turn on the bread maker at the drop of a hat.
  3. Tidy – Be obsessive about this, as it is a make or break to a prospective client. Our advice is to have a seriously good clear out before you put the house on the market– even if you bundle up your prized possessions and take them off site. Prospective buyers want to see clean lines and uncluttered work surfaces that create a feeling of space.
  4. Byways bathroom Clean – Fresh, sparkling and inviting would be perfect. Hard to achieve when you have an active life with pets and children running amuck we know, but the cleaner your house is the easier it is to sell.
  5. Temperature – Heating houses is an expensive business. However, taking a client into a house that has sat empty for the weekend without the heating on is going to put them off instantly – keep your house ticking over at a pleasant 15° C – it will stop your pipes bursting and mean that we don’t shiver round the viewing!
  6. Animals – People’s pets are much loved by the owner but very often just the owner and not necessarily the person that is going to buy the house. Pets also can have quite a strong odour, not to mention the litter trays, food bowls and paraphernalia that goes with having an animal in the house. Try to keep pet evidence to a minimum.
  7. Bathrooms – Generally we don’t advise sellers to refit a bathroom prior to sale – unless it is really ghastly. Do the obvious instead – re-grout, re-silicon, fluffy towels, pleasant scent, clean and spotless please!
  8. Kitchen – Spare a thought for the poor estate agent as you dash out of the house without loading the dishwasher! We want to take pride in your house when we show clients around and leftover breakfast is not the first thing they want to see as they enter the kitchen.
  9. Byways sitting Problem areas – It is possible that you have a part of your house that you would rather not draw attention to, perhaps somewhere that is mid repair. Our recommendation: don’t put the house on the market until it is in tiptop condition. Make it your problem, not the client’s.
  10. Brief the agent – The more we are prepared to answer questions about your house the easier it will be to sell it and allay any fears that prospective buyers may have. As an estate agent we dislike not having the answers. And we particularly dislike not knowing how your gadgetry works so please do show us how to use the iPad entry system, the drop down cinema and the fancy lighting system! If we make it look easy the clients will love it. If we don’t know how it works, then they won’t.
These are tried and tested tips – they will make a difference and the Barton Wyatt team are here to help, so give them a call on 01344 843 000.