A guide to your new Kellen Home

The Loft

Do not obstruct the ventilation - this may cause condensation.
Do not leave the loft access open in cold spells. Heat will escape from your home, forming condensation.
Do not store anything in the loft. It’s not designed to carry such loads.

Floor Coverings

As a general rule, all floor coverings last much longer if properly maintained. Regular cleaning will reduce floor covering wear dramatically because dust, dirt, sand and grit act as abrasives, actually wearing down the floor surface and cutting the carpet fibre.

Carpet maintenance requires regular vacuuming and removal of any stains for greater longevity. Heavy objects resting on the carpet should be periodically moved to avoid matting and permanent marking. Almost all carpeting will shed at first and fade over time. It is also common for the pile to flatten a little in the areas experiencing most traffic or in door openings.

Amtico flooring products are resilient but will scratch, tear and dent under certain conditions. Shoes with metal heels and toecaps, stones trapped in the shoe tread or stiletto heels can damage the appearance of such flooring materials in a short period of time. It is also recommended that steam mops are not used on these surfaces.

Do not use too much water on your vinyl, wood or tiled floors. Instead, frequent vacuuming and dry mopping should increase their serviceability. Occasional vigorous cleaning should not harm if dried thoroughly. Ceramic tiles and similar products will require regular cleaning to remove normal build-up of surface dust, soap and other deposits. Use detergent or non-abrasive ceramic tile cleaner. Home owners should register any appropriate warranties on floor coverings.

Decorating Your New Home

During the first year, walls are subjected to stress as the various construction materials expand, contract and stabilise within their new environment, generally referred to as the ‘drying out’ process. As a result, nail popping and minor cracking may occur. It may be desirable to delay major decorating or wallpapering until the drying out process is complete as potential nail pops or cracks could affect a newly decorated wall. When touching up paintwork, there is a strong possibility that these painted areas will not exactly match the existing paint due to fading or slight colour variations in batches of paint supplied by the manufacturer.

New woodwork absorbs a lot of paint or stain, so the first decoration may not give as good a finish as future re-decorations
Any exterior woodwork should be regularly re-painted using a good quality paint or stain.
Emulsion paints are normally used on interior walls. Further coats of emulsion and oil-based paints and wallpaper can be used for later redecorations after a drying out period (normally 9–12 months)
When re-decorating, never paint on wet wood
Outside paintwork is best carried out in the summer or early autumn. Cracks on inside walls and woodwork can be fixed with filler
If redecorating your radiators, do not paint over the small valves at the top. These are bleed valves which allow you to release any air trapped in the radiators.

Bathroom

The following are some useful hints and tips on how to look after your bathroom:

DO

Use a clean, soft, damp cloth to remove any watermarks regularly from gold/chrome plated items. Should you have a build up of limescale on your taps it can be removed by an acetic based descaler but remember to rinse thoroughly after use.
Use good quality bathroom cleaner for your bathroom suites and ceramic tiles and always give them a thorough rinse to remove all traces of the cleaner to guarantee that extra sparkle!

DON’T

Use cream cleaners, solvent-based sprays, powder abrasives, metal polishes or bleach on your taps and accessories as this will invalidate any manufacturer’s guarantees.
Use abrasive cleaners on acrylic surfaces as this will cause scratches.

Kitchen

For all worktop types we recommend you follow these simple tips to keep your counters in tip top condition.

Always use a chopping board.
Clean up any spills straight away.
Never use bleach, even on stubborn stains.
Avoid using wire scourers on worktop surfaces.
Place hot pans on a trivet, pan stand or heat protective mat.

For everyday cleaning simply wipe down with warm soapy water using a soft damp cloth.

Driveway

At certain times, particularly hot periods, the tarmac may become softer. This should not cause long term damage but you must take care when manoeuvring vehicles to avoid scuffing. It is not designed to withstand point loading, particularly during the early months after it has been laid. Care should be taken with items such as ladders, builder’s skips or delivery of, for example, landscaping materials. Tarmac surfaces are often covered with a sealing grit when laid, the particles of which may cause damage to your house flooring if care is not taken. Outside shoes should be removed before entering the property during the early months of occupation when grit may become attached to the soles of your shoes.

Garden

We take great care and pride in providing attractive surroundings for every home we build. However, any landscaping undertaken on your property becomes your responsibility from legal completion. Should you have any problems with the shrubs and turf that we have planted, please let us know in writing as soon as possible after planting or legal completion (whichever is first). DO allow time for the plants and grass to bed in, taking care to keep them sufficiently watered and avoid heavy use of grassed areas until good growth has been established, especially during dry spells.

Make the most of your garden by:

Keeping your new grass watered.
Waiting until your lawn has established before cutting it. Setting your mower at its highest level for the initial cut and gradually lower it as the lawn becomes more robust.
Feeding the lawn each spring and through the summer.
Correcting surface irregularities by using compost dressing rather than using a roller
Aerating your lawn in autumn with a garden fork to encourage healthy root growth and drainage

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