Category: Home Improvement

Whether you’re creating more family space, adding value to your property or finally building your dream kitchen-diner, a successful house extension starts with finding the right professionals.

But with larger budgets, detailed planning and multiple stages involved, choosing experienced tradespeople can feel like a daunting process.

That’s where Rated People’s Projects service can help.

Designed for major home improvement projects, Projects makes it easier to connect with trusted local tradespeople and start your extension with confidence.

1. Personalised support to match you with the right professionals

House extensions require careful planning from day one.

When you post a qualifying extension project through Rated People, our team will contact you within 24 hours to better understand your plans, budget and requirements.

We’ll help refine your job listing so the details are clear, accurate and ready for relevant tradespeople to review.

This means your project is matched with local professionals who are better suited to the scale and complexity of extension work, helping you avoid wasted time and unsuitable quotes.

It’s a smarter, more supportive start to a major project.

2. Trusted tradespeople for high-value work

A house extension often involves multiple specialist trades, from builders and roofers to electricians and plumbers.

With Rated People, you can connect with experienced professionals who have built trust through customer reviews and completed projects.

This gives you more confidence when comparing quotes and selecting who to work with.

Because Projects leads are more detailed from the outset, tradespeople can also provide more accurate pricing and clearer expectations.

That means fewer surprises and a stronger foundation for your project.

3. Faster progress from planning to building

Large projects can take time but finding the right tradespeople shouldn’t slow you down.

Rated People’s process ensures that the first three interested tradespeople can quote for your extension, helping you receive responses faster while maintaining quality.

By refining your project early and improving trade matches, Rated People Projects helps reduce unnecessary delays and keeps your project moving.

From concept to construction, speed and clarity matter.

Ready to expand your home?

Booking your house extension through Rated People gives you expert support, access to trusted tradespeople and a faster route to getting started.

With Projects, you can approach your extension with more confidence, knowing your project has been carefully refined and matched from the beginning.

Post your job today and we’ll sort the rest. Rated People – The power to get it done.

If you’ve ever looked closely at the exterior of your home, you’ve seen the mortar (the cement-like material) between your bricks. But there is a specific art to maintaining that mortar, known in the trade as pointing.

Whether you’re dealing with a damp patch indoors or you’ve noticed your garden wall looking a bit ‘crumbly’, understanding pointing is the first step to protecting your home’s structural integrity—and its value.

What is pointing?

Pointing is the term used for the finished look of the mortar joints between bricks or stones in a wall. While the mortar holds the bricks together, the pointing is the external layer that acts as the primary seal against the elements.

Over time, exposure to rain, frost, and wind causes this mortar to erode. Repointing is the process of removing the old, damaged mortar and replacing it with fresh material to restore the weatherproofing of the building.

Why is pointing important for your home?

Many homeowners view pointing as a cosmetic fix, but it serves a vital structural purpose. Here are the three main reasons you shouldn’t ignore it:

• Prevents damp: Damaged pointing allows water to seep into the cavity or the bricks themselves, leading to damp walls and mould growth inside your home.
• Structural integrity: If mortar erodes too deeply, the weight of the wall is no longer evenly distributed, which can lead to shifting or cracking bricks.
• Saves money: A small repointing job today is significantly cheaper than fixing a major damp issue or rebuilding a structural wall in five years.

3 signs your home needs repointing

You don’t need to be a structural engineer to spot the warning signs. Take a walk around your property and look for:

1. Crumbling mortar: If you can scratch the mortar away with your finger or a key, the bond has failed.
2. Visible gaps: If you can see deep recesses where the mortar should be flush with the brick, water is already getting in.
3. Interior damp: Unexpected damp patches or peeling wallpaper on external walls are often caused by ‘bridging’, where water travels through failed pointing.

What are the different types of pointing?

A professional mason or bricklayer will choose a pointing style that matches the age and material of your home. The most common in the UK include:

• Flush pointing: The mortar is level with the brick, common in modern builds.
• Weather struck pointing: The mortar is angled so that rain sheds off the wall easily, this is considered the most durable for the UK climate.
• Tuck pointing: A decorative finish used primarily on heritage properties to give the illusion of perfectly uniform brickwork.
• Lime mortar: Essential for period homes (pre-1920s), as it allows the old bricks to ‘breathe’. Using modern cement on old bricks can actually cause them to crack.

Can I do it myself or should I hire a pro?

While repointing a small garden wall is a popular DIY task, repointing your house is a different league.

Why hire a pro?

• Dust & height: The process involves grinding out old mortar, which creates immense dust and often requires scaffolding.
• Material matching: Professionals ensure the new mortar matches the strength and colour of the old, preventing patchy looking walls.
• The right mix: If the mortar mix is too hard, it can cause the faces of your bricks to pop off (spalling).

How much does repointing cost?

The cost of repointing depends on the size of the area and whether scaffolding is needed. On average, you can expect to pay between £20 and £50 per square metre. For a full semi-detached house, the project usually takes several days and requires a specialist touch.

Need a local expert to check your brickwork?

Don’t wait for the next heavy downpour to find a leak. At Rated People, we connect you with trusted, local bricklayers and stonemasons who can get your home match-ready for winter.

👉Post a job today and get quotes from local specialists.

FAQs:

How long does pointing last? 

On average, good quality pointing should last between 30 and 50 years, depending on the exposure of the wall to the elements.

What is the best time of year to repoint a house? 

The best time is Spring or Autumn. Extreme heat can dry the mortar too quickly (causing cracks), while frost can ruin wet mortar before it sets.

Proud to be a Top 100 Home Improvement Blog!

Looking for more expert trade tips, maintenance hacks, and project pricing guides? You’re in the right place! We are thrilled to share that Rated People has been officially featured in Feedspot’s Top 100 Best Home Improvement Blogs. We love helping UK homeowners protect their homes, and we couldn’t do it without our incredible community of skilled tradespeople. Check out our latest articles on our blog homepage to keep your space in top shape.

The prices in this cost guide are accurate as of 2026*

There is nothing quite like a wide expanse of glass to flood your home with natural light and create a seamless transition to your garden. If you are looking to modernise your living space, add property value, and enjoy panoramic views, a sleek set of sliding doors is a brilliant choice.

But if you are planning a renovation, you need a realistic view of your potential budget. This guide breaks down the real cost of installing sliding patio doors in the UK, comparing frame materials, sizes, and hidden structural costs so you can plan your project with confidence.

How much do sliding patio doors cost?

On average, the total cost to install sliding patio door systems in the UK typically ranges from £1,200 to £4,500+. This wide window includes both the supply of the door system and professional labour.

Where your project lands within this range depends heavily on whether you are doing a straightforward, like-for-like swap in an existing opening, or structurally modifying your wall to accommodate larger glass panels.

Cost breakdown: Supply vs. labour

• The door supply: A standard 2-panel uPVC sliding door unit can cost between £800 and £1,500. If you opt for premium, large-scale aluminium or slimline architectural designs, the supply price can jump from £1,800 to £4,500.
• Labour fees: A professional window and door fitter typically charges between £40 and £80 per hour, with day rates often starting around £300 depending heavily on the complexity of the job and your location. Because sliding doors are incredibly heavy, a fitting team usually consists of at least two tradespeople, meaning the standard labor cost to replace sliding patio door units often totals between £500 and £1,200 per job.

Sliding patio doors installation cost by material

The frame material you choose is the single biggest driver of your overall cost of new patio sliding glass doors. Below is an estimated breakdown of what you can expect to pay, including professional fitting:

Key factors that affect your final quote

When a specialist assesses your home to calculate your total radiator replacement cost or door upgrade budget, they look beyond the price tag of the product itself. Several critical variables can alter your final invoice:

1. Structural alterations vs. like-for-like swaps

If your installer is removing an old set of sliding doors and dropping a new system into the exact same gap, the job can be wrapped up in a single day. However, if you are converting a standard window into a patio door, or knocking down a brick wall to create a wider opening, costs can quickly rise by £2,000+. This extra fee covers structural lintels (RSJs), brick disposal, plastering, and potentially a structural engineer’s sign-off.

2. Glazing choices and technical specs

Standard double glazing is the baseline for modern energy efficiency regulations. However, upgrading to triple glazing, low-E thermal glass, premium security specifications, or choosing ultra-slim frame profiles will increase your material costs. As a rough benchmark, advanced glass upgrades can add an estimated 20% to 30% to your door supply costs.

3. Size and panel configuration

A standard 2-panel sliding system (around 2 metres wide) is highly cost-effective because it uses off-the-shelf manufacturer sizes. If you want a grander configuration extending across a large wall, your choice of the best patio sliding doors will naturally shift toward bespoke, larger tracking systems, which will rise significantly in price due to the specialized transport and extra manpower required to lift the heavy glass units.

Top tip: Don’t forget the hidden costs! When comparing quotes from local fitters, always ask if the price includes the safe removal and disposal of your old doors, as well as making good any damaged interior plasterwork.

Can I install sliding patio doors myself?

While confident DIYers might tackle internal doors, fitting external sliding patio doors is a job best left to the professionals. External glass doors must be perfectly level to slide smoothly along their tracks, completely weather-sealed against heavy UK downpours, and structurally secure against break-ins.

Additionally, hiring a professional registered with competent person schemes like FENSA or CERTASS ensures you receive a certificate upon completion. This acts as vital evidence of building regulations compliance and makes the building-regs sign-off process seamless if you ever decide to sell your home.

FAQ’s

Do I need planning permission for sliding patio doors?

If you are replacing existing doors like-for-like, planning permission is rarely required under permitted development. However, the rules change if you are significantly widening the opening, if your property is a listed building, or if you live in a designated conservation area. It is always best to check with your local planning authority before breaking ground.

Are sliding patio doors more expensive than bi-folds?

No, sliding patio doors are generally more affordable than bi-fold doors. Bi-fold doors feature more complex tracking mechanisms, multiple hinges, and more frame sections, which increases both the initial manufacturing costs and the precision labour required to hang them properly.

How long does it take to install sliding patio doors?

A straightforward, like-for-like replacement in an existing opening usually takes a team of two professionals between 4 and 8 hours to complete. If your project requires extensive structural alterations, such as knocking out brickwork or adding supporting steel beams, the project timeline will typically extend to 2 or 3 days.

Ready to transform your home with sliding patio doors?

Bring the outside in and upgrade your property’s security and thermal efficiency in one go. At Rated People, we connect you with thousands of trusted, local window and door fitters who can complete your installation to the highest standard.

Post a job today to receive free, no-obligation quotes from rated specialists in your area.

The prices in this cost guide are accurate as of 2026*

Stepping onto a beautifully warm tiled floor on a freezing winter morning is one of life’s simple pleasures. If you are planning a bathroom renovation, upgrading from a traditional radiator to an underfloor heating installation is one of the best ways to bring a touch of luxury into your home.

Beyond the sheer comfort, underfloor heating eliminates cold spots, frees up valuable wall space in smaller rooms, and can provide an efficient way to heat your space. But before you book a professional, you need a realistic view of your potential budget. This guide breaks down the real cost of installing underfloor heating in a bathroom, helping you weigh up electric vs water underfloor heating systems, running costs, and hidden installation expenses.

How much does bathroom underfloor heating cost?

When planning a project, your first big question is bound to be: how much does underfloor heating cost to buy and fit? On average, the total price to supply and install a system in a standard UK bathroom ranges from £300 to £1,500+.

The reason this price window is so wide comes down to the system you choose. A single-room bathroom project will vary significantly depending on whether you opt for an electric mat system or a water-based (hydronic) network connected to your central heating.

Cost breakdown: Electric vs. wet systems

To help you calculate your potential underfloor heating bathroom installation cost, it helps to compare the two main options side-by-side:

• Electric (dry) systems: This is the most popular choice for single-room bathroom renovations. It uses thin heating mats or loose cables laid directly beneath your floor tiles. Because these systems are generally low-profile, they have minimal impact on your floor height. The average cost to install electric underfloor heating in a standard 4m² bathroom typically ranges from £250 to £500 for parts and labour.
• Water (wet) systems: These systems pump warm water through a network of pipes connected to a boiler or heat pump. While they are highly efficient over larger areas, they are thicker and require specialised floor preparation or low-profile overlay boards. Fitting a wet underfloor heating system in a single 4m² bathroom usually ranges from £600 to £1,200+ due to the extra plumbing, manifolds, and balancing required.

Underfloor heating costs per square metre

If you are trying to calculate a precise underfloor heating cost per m2 uk price for your specific layout, expect to see the following broad price ranges across the UK market:

Key factors that affect the overall price

When a heating specialist or plumber provides a quote for installing underfloor heating in a bathroom, they look beyond the size of the room. Several critical variables can alter your final invoice:

1. Room shape and layout

A square or rectangular bathroom is incredibly straightforward because installers can lay standard heating mats quickly. However, if your bathroom has an awkward shape, or if the installer has to meticulously weave loose heating cables around a freestanding bath, a toilet pedestal, and a basin vanity, the extra precision required will increase the labour time.

2. Choice of new flooring

Underfloor heating must be paired with compatible flooring. While porcelain or ceramic tiles are the absolute best choice for conducting and retaining heat, your quote will vary depending on the finish you choose. Don’t forget to account for the cost of laying bathroom tiles, which can add an extra £40 to £70 per square metre for professional installation.

3. Insulation boards

Never skimp on insulation. Laying dedicated thermal insulation boards beneath your heating elements stops warmth from escaping into the subfloor below, forcing the heat upward into your room. High-quality insulation boards typically add £10 to £25 per square metre to your materials bill, but they pay for themselves rapidly by lowering your energy consumption.

Top tip: When comparing quotes, always check if your installer includes a smart, programmable thermostat. Upgrading to a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat adds £120 to £220 upfront but allows you to schedule your heating efficiently, ensuring the floor is only warm when you actually use the room.

Is underfloor heating expensive to run?

A common worry for homeowners looking at the cost of underfloor heating in a bathroom is whether their utility bills will skyrocket. If you are wondering is underfloor heating expensive to run, the answer depends heavily on your system type, insulation quality, and local energy tariffs:

• Electric systems heat up relatively quickly, making them ideal for morning and evening bursts. However, electricity is generally more expensive per unit than gas, meaning running costs can escalate if the system is left on for extended periods. As a rough example, running electric UFH in a small, well-insulated bathroom for a few hours a day might add a modest amount to your monthly bill, but exact costs depend heavily on your thermostat settings and insulation.
• Water systems take longer to warm up but retain their heat beautifully. If your wet system is hooked up to a modern gas boiler or a heat pump, it can be noticeably more energy-efficient than standard radiators over time. This makes it highly cost-effective for larger spaces or ground floors where the heating stays on at a consistent, low temperature.

Can I install underfloor heating myself?

While a confident DIYer can lay insulation boards and physically roll out an electric heating mat, you should never complete the final hookup yourself. All electrical connections must be thoroughly tested, signed off, and commissioned by a qualified, Part P-certified electrician to comply with UK Building Regulations.

Similarly, a wet system involves complex plumbing, pressure testing, and hydraulic balancing that should be handled by a qualified heating engineer or specialist installer. If the system links to a gas boiler, a Gas Safe engineer will be needed for that specific part of the connection. One small leak under a newly tiled floor can result in a catastrophic repair bill.

FAQ’s

How long does it take to install underfloor heating in a bathroom?

For a standard electric mat system, the preparation and wiring layout can often be completed in a couple of days. A water-based system requires more invasive plumbing and floor balancing, which will extend the initial timeline. Keep in mind that the total project duration will also depend on the complexity of your floor preparation, tiling, and necessary drying or curing times.

Will underfloor heating raise my bathroom floor height?

Electric heating mats are ultra-thin and generally have a negligible impact on floor buildup. However, water systems require thicker pipes and overlay boards, which will raise your floor level to some degree. If you have tight door clearances or threshold transitions, ask your installer about modern, ultra-low-profile retrofit wet systems.

Can underfloor heating completely replace my bathroom radiator?

In well-insulated, modern homes, underfloor heating can easily act as the sole heat source for a bathroom. However, in older period properties with high ceilings, you may want to pair your floor heating with a compact dual-fuel heated towel rail to ensure the room stays cosy and your towels dry quickly.

Ready to warm up your bathroom floor?

Don’t settle for freezing cold tiles. At Rated People, we connect you with thousands of trusted, local heating engineers, plumbers, and electricians who can install your underfloor heating safely and efficiently.

Post a job today to receive free, no-obligation quotes from rated specialists in your local area.