Solar power is used to generate electricity for millions of homes and businesses around the world without using electricity from sources harmful to the environment.

Energy from the sun is converted into electricity using solar PV panel systems, which capture the energy and convert it into electricity to power appliances and machinery. The owner of the solar panel system can be reimbursed for any excess electricity which is fed back into the national grid.

The introduction of Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) meant homeowners had more options when it came to solar panels. Many solar panel installers would provide the systems for free, as long as they were given the rights to the FiT and the money it generated over time. Meanwhile the homeowner would be generating free electricity, saving them over £100/$200 a year and cutting their dependence on big energy companies burning fossil fuels for power.

At one time, homeowners were put off by the look of older solar panels systems, however there has been significant advances in technology in the solar industry and the new generation of panels are far superior, both in look and performance. Solar panels can now be built into the roof, blended in to the roof in the form of tiles or produced in different colours to lessen the visual impact.

There have been studies in the US which show that installing solar panels can actually increase the value of a house, making it more appealing to potential buyers and setting it apart from other houses in the area. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory compared the sale prices of 2000 homes with solar power and 70,000 homes without solar in California sold between 2000 and 2009. Their studies revealed that the resale value of homes with solar power increased by $17000 in comparison with non-solar homes.

Many estate agents or realtors are unaware of the potential energy savings and the high value of self-sufficient homes, and fail to take it into account when discussing a house with prospective buyers. Having a word with them about the benefits your solar panel system has provided you with will let them know how valuable your house is and could be the selling point which sets your house apart from others in the area.

Solar power is the best way to cut down your carbon footprint and end your reliance on devious energy companies by getting your electricity from a clean, free and widely available source. In many countries you will be guaranteed payments on your excess energy for the next 25 years and make massive savings on utility bills in times of uncertainty over energy sources.

Home insurance is split into two parts – buildings insurance, which protects the structure of your property and its permanent fittings such as your kitchen and bathroom, the other is contents insurance, which protects all your personal possessions. Underinsuring on either of these could lead to potentially disastrous consequences.

Pete Harrison is an expert in home and contents insurance at Money Supermarket who found that one in five homes in England had no contents insurance at all. “”While nobody wants to pay more than they have to for home insurance, failing to properly evaluate your home contents could cost you dear in the event of you having to make a claim.”

What is at risk?

As part of your buildings insurance you will be required to give the total rebuild cost of the property in the event of total destruction. This could be because of a flood, fire or an extreme weather related event.

Remember this is the rebuild cost, not the value of the property so it is worth getting an independent advisor to work this out for you.

According to Chubb insurance, people often underestimate the rebuild cost by between £75,000 and several million pounds.

The same can be said about contents insurance. Research has shown that the average family of four value their home contents at around £25,000, whereas the true value is usually closer to £55,000.

If your home is targeted by thieves or your contents are destroyed by a fire, based on the figures above this could leave you £30,000 short when it comes to replacing your items.

To make sure all your possessions are covered, take a tour of your home with a pen and paper in hand and list all the items in each separate room. Don’t forget to include carpets, curtains, rugs, clothes and linen if they are of value to you.

Keeping costs down

As Pete Harrison said, nobody wants to pay more for their insurance and naturally increasing the amount of cover on your policy will increase your annual premium.

Insurance is all about the risk involved and there are ways of reducing that risk, therefore reducing the amount you pay each year.

Here are some tips to help keep your home and contents insurance costs down.

• Attach a NACOSS standard alarm system to your home. This could reduce your premium by up to 7.5%.
• Joining your local neighbourhood watch scheme could save you an additional 5%.
• Invest in state of the art lock and bolts for your doors and windows.
• Install security lighting on the front and back of your property that detects movement.
• Lock away all your garden furniture and do not leave tools outside that can be used to gain access to your property.
• Increase the excess payment on your policy as this can reduce your premium although make sure it is set an amount you can afford.
• Get rid of any expensive add-ons. Do you really need accidental damage cover?
• Install and regularly check fire alarms to reduce the risk of fire.

Most people don’t give too much thought to their outer property, i.e. their garden – front and back – any alleyway access and garden sheds, forgetting that in sheds for example there can be a lot of expensive possessions, such as power tools, golf clubs, pushbikes and even motorbikes. If you are unfortunate enough to be the victim of burglary, then the safety net of house insurance is some comfort; that doesn’t mean you’ll particularly relish the thought of having to claim on it however, considering your premiums and phone bill will rise as a result. With this in mind, it’s worth taking some simple precautions to deter thefts, some of which are recommended by the police:

• An alarm that is designed specifically for sheds, which usually operate via a key fob or keypad on the unit itself.

• Any tools or equipment that belong in the shed such as lawnmowers, strimmers, garden shears etc., should always be put back after they’ve been used, especially after dark. Ladders in particular should be locked away, due to their propensity for use by burglars to reach upstairs windows in residential areas.

• Bigger items in the shed, such as again lawnmowers, push bikes or heavy power tools, should be joined together with a chain and padlocked to make them more difficult to escape with.

• After the shed has seen any use, double check it is locked before locking the outer doors of the house itself.

Sheds are susceptible to break-ins for many reasons, such as screws which are uncovered, rusty or non-security, old wood that is easily removed sometimes in entire sections, and hasps that also don’t have covered screws.

Where possible, incorporating high hedgerows and solid walls around the property will make it difficult for thieves to take items away from the garden, and using gravel on driveways acts as a natural alarm.

Shed windows should be covered so that potential thieves can’t see what’s inside, and the actual shed building should be placed in view of the back windows in the house, as a hidden shed is a much more tempting target.

Before you begin such a project, there are some important steps you need to take. Some need to be done before you contact potential builders or general contractors, and some have to do with hiring the contractor.

In this article we’ll review some common types of home additions, as well as give you some general guidelines to follow, for the sake of safety and quality, when hiring a contractor or builder.

Adding Directly to your Home
Perhaps the most common form of home addition is an addition built directly onto the existing structure. Many people do this to add extra space. The addition might house a larger kitchen, an expanded living area, or a set of bedrooms to accommodate a growing family. In some cases, homeowners add entire apartments onto their homes. This is quite common if a family member is coming to stay in the home permanently, or if the homeowners are seeking extra income through renting out the addition.

When considering such an addition, it’s essential to take into account exactly how the addition will flow into the rest of the house. There are many poorly-conceived additions in the world, and they’re eyesores. They’re often badly planned and tend to stick out at odd angles, making themselves very obvious additions. A well-planned addition should flow with the rest of the house as though it was built at the same time as the original structure.

Constructing a Guest House
On larger properties, a guest house is a very common way to welcome overnight visitors in style. These houses are generally constructed in the style of the original structure, for the sake of continuity. In most cases, they look like a smaller version of the main home.

Due to their intended use as guest housing, these buildings are generally very well appointed. Many feature luxurious extras such as full kitchens, spiral staircases and whirlpool baths. The cost of constructing an entire building for the sole purpose of guests makes this a project (usually) for more affluent builders, and this is the reason for the added luxuries.

If you want to provide privacy for your guests but don’t’ have the money for a luxurious home, don’t be discouraged. Some very attractive and cozy guest homes have been designed in the style of rustic cabins. This décor almost always means lowered costs, and the overall effect is very welcoming.

Building a Pool House
The definition of a pool house is very loose. The only requirement is that a pool is nearby. Other than that, you’re only limited by your imagination! Some pool houses are very much like guest houses, offering shelter for overnight visitors. Others are designed more like small resort cabins. Still others take the water theme right inside the structure, creating an ornate and whimsical building. The best pool houses have showers available for swimmers. These can be simple showers outside the structure itself, or fully equipped shower stalls inside. A large patio or deck area is also desirable, for those who prefer to lie out next to the pool and soak up the sun.

Even if you’re only constructing the most basic of structures but are planning on installing showers, check with your local regulations. In many areas, installing any new plumbing requires special permits.

Sheds and Garden Buildings
While you always have the option of purchasing a ready-made shed and sticking it in a corner, why not spend a bit more and add some functional beauty to your property? Many homeowners are taking this opportunity to add value and eye appeal to their yards. A garden building can be as simple as a rustic tool shed or as elaborate as a small barn. As always, the style should match your home for the most fluid appearance.

Build depending on your needs. A city home looks best with…and probably only has room for…a small shed. Surrounded by landscaping and constructed of sustainable materials, however, a small shed can make a big statement! Adjust the size of the building depending on the size of your property, and your outdoor needs.

Using the Newest Materials
When building a new addition, using the most environmentally-friendly building materials is a major concern. Thankfully, many home-improvement stores have recognized this. They now offer pipes, lumber, insulation and virtually every product imaginable in a version that has a much lower impact on the environment than its predecessor.

You should look for products which offer one or more of the following attributes: energy efficiency, sustainable forestry or harvesting, chemical-free treatments, mold and mildew retardation, water conservation and air quality.

If labels don’t’ make it clear which products are better for the environment, ask your contractor, or a knowledgeable employee at a home-improvement warehouse.

Hire the Best of the Best
Thanks to home-improvement websites which allow consumers and contractors to connect, the process of hiring somebody reliable has become much easier. You still need to do a bit of work, however. It’s always a good idea to insist upon a few details. If you ensure these details right away, you’ll be left with a pool of highly qualified professional from which to choose.

Licenses should be up to date and applicable to the work you need done. Insurance should be current and should cover every single worker that a contractor has on his crew. References should be full of satisfied customers, and your contractor should have experience in the type of job you’re hiring him for.

Following a few simple guidelines can make your search for a reliable professional much easier, and this, in turn, will make your entire addition project a pleasant experience instead of a worrisome headache.

A Place To Stay
After a huge event like a fire or a flood, you may realize that your family, which once had an entire house to call home, now has nowhere to stay at night. A hotel might be an option for a day or two, but that can become very expensive. It might be possible to stay with friends or neighbours, but even that is not a long term solution. If your home is destroyed, you and your family will require a place to stay for weeks or even months. Home insurance protection will allow you to find a comparable place to live while your home is being rebuilt, and cover all the associated costs.

Protect Your Assets
If something happens to your home, not only does home insurance protect the structure, but it also covers the cost of replacing the items within the home. Furniture, clothing and electronics are all covered by insurance policies. While compared to the price of rebuilding a home these items may not seem significant, adding up the value of all your possessions will reveal a staggering number. If possible, keep a list of your belongings somewhere safe outside of the home in case you ever need to recall exactly what was lost in an accident.

Liability Protection
Home insurance also covers a legal aspect of owning your own home. If you, your children or even your pets cause damage in any way on the property to a third party or their possessions, home insurance can cover the associated legal fees and protect your own financial assets should it become an expensive legal battle, or one where you are found guilty for any fines or damages paid. This can give you peace of mind when having neighbours or friends over to your home.

Home insurance is a valuable and important policy to have if you own your own home. A policy can provide you with a place to stay when you need it most, serve as a way to protect the value of your assets, and offer legal help and cover expenses should that become necessary.