For us, this term is not limited to improving wheelchair access, although it is a big and important part of it. It's second meaning is more general - removing unnecessary thresholds and other trip hazards means an improvement for everyone, but more importantly for small children and elderly. Let me give you a couple of examples : Removing thresholds on doors Older properties have inherited these from years of small and larger changes, after works have been done to varying building regulations, or dare I say common sense and DIY. The cause is usually down to the desire to save costs, where for example old floor boards have been kept in and new flooring was simply added on top. On some occasions we have come across bathroom floors which have been tiled over twice, with no regards to good workmanship. Installing a down stairs WC There usually is unused and left over space under the main stairs on the ground floor, but if this is not enough for you, a small rearrangement may be necessary. This will not only help older people, but also your guests will no longer need to use your more private bathroom upstairs. Installing level access to the garden You must have seen this in countless pictures - a wide sliding folding door slides effortless to the side, and thanks to a recessed floor mounted track, no one notices that there even was a door after a while. Many properties with smaller doors into the garden still have a step down into it. This is usually because their house was build without much foundations, with a suspended and ventilated timber floor or whoever build it wanted to save costs and basically left you with a step down into the garden. The clearest benefit of such a situation is that this helps with keeping water out from your house, as it would have to rise to a relatively high level before reaching over the threshold. However, it's not ideal, and "able" people can slip or trip on such a threshold, and it's not easy especially for children. So why not add a raised decking outside, which will give you a dry and stable platform for a nice table and chairs, and perhaps that outdoor grill you always fancied? Advice If your project deals with an older building, which is very likely given the vast number of pre war properties in London and the UK, you may be faced with a dilemma such as this : Do I spent money on so called hidden items, which won't be visible after the project is done, but changing these items will give me other benefits, such as increased height, level floors, less risk of leaking pipes, better sound and thermal insulation etc? Speaking from experience, it helps to look at it from a "how much does it cost if I get issues with it after my project is complete" viewpoint. If you look at it from this perspective, it is cheaper to do it there and then, rather than leave it covered for the next owner to solve - or yourself, just in a few years down the line - info@vorbild.co.uk

Hi retro fit is absolutely fine however there are procedures to check insulation levels that need to be followed. I have had many years experience of using Retro fit ufh system and they can be as low as 20mm. I have also mixed floors from retro to new build Which maximise heated area and especially with new and old for an extension. This is very popular at the moment but it's not an off the shelf pack as many factors need to be assessed in early stages. As a consultant specialising in ufh systems for past 10 years, I have a wealth of experience. It can become a costly problem if systems are not specified correctly. All of our systems have design along with supply, installation and 2yr workmanship warranty. Do have a look at our website www.cklbuildgroup.co.uk and email over your plans to our website. My direct email is karen@cklbuildgroup.co.uk before you make your decisions!

Yes minipie, that's precisely the concern, the walls are still drying out to this date in some areas. It is the intention to tank the bathroom, but this is a small area in a not so risky spot having only one short exterior wall. It will have both a radiator and towel radiator and extra vents whether it gets a warm floor to boot or not .... but this isnt my concern, the other nearly 65 square meters of matching floor covering, and the sheer cost of it is! I dont mind rustic, but the use of cork or lino concerns me in terms of being hard wearing enough, and clay tile sounds pricey but I shall have a look at that. I looked at Hessian, sisal... but Ive never lived with those types of floor. I've seen some say theyre hard to get stains out and I'm concerned that it would latch onto husky hair. This looks alright: http://www.corkfloor.co.uk/floor/GNVICELAND.aspx , nearly £4k (+++) without fitting or the accessories though. But it's "VinylCork" ... that's still coated and looks the same problem as LVT?! http://www.corkfloor.co.uk/floor/GNCCLSWHITE.aspx at a start of just under 2.5K (+++), which would do the job. ... but this also poses the question regarding it's "weartop" coating which is the thing that makes it any use at all for the durability I am looking for... I'm lost... I honestly cant live another 3 years with bare cold floors that look an absolute mess :( At this point, I'll whack £2.99 carpet in and sell the place

That looks fab Daisy! Lovely kitchen too 😊