Roofing Archives

How do you go about insulating your home?

15th May 2022

When it comes to home insulation, we’ve got over 30 years of expertise. Here’s a guide to cover all the bases.

So you might be feeling extra cold this winter, or noticing draught in your home. Even if you aren’t, if your home isn’t insulated then you are wasting energy and money heating your property. That’s why insulating your home is essential. Some fixes are very cheap and easy to do, but others are a bit more time consuming and expensive. However, it’s worth it in the long run for staying nice and toasty and keeping those energy bills down. We’ll go through some ways you can cut the cost of these essential improvements in this article.

Contact our project management team ‘HERE’

It’s important to insulate your homes’ walls

Many people don’t realise that the most heat in a property is lost through the walls – around 35% to be precise. However, wall insulation is a big and expensive job. Most new build houses will have insulation built-in, but older properties will most likely not have any at all.

Luckily, cavity walls can be filled with insulation materials quite easily. Solid walls can be dry-lined with thermal plasterboard, but this does add a little thickness to the walls, decreasing floor space. Radiators, sockets and the like might need to be moved to accommodate for the dry lining too.

Our team are well versed in all manner of techniques for insulating your walls. They’ll visit your home and carry out a full assessment to let you know in honesty what needs to be done.

Doors and windows – quick and not-so-quick fixes

The next highest amount of heat lost is roughly 25% through doors and windows. An easy way to keep the warm air in and the cold air out is by installing draught excludes. You can buy self-adhesive draught excluding strips from most DIY retailers, or our handyperson team can install some permanent ones for you, made to measure. Internal and external doors should have draught excluders to keep the heat in the room you need it in.

Most of us are aware of the benefits of double and triple glazed windows. These types of windows are manufactured with two or three panes of glass sealed in to a frame before it even reaches your house. A professional fitter will need to install these, and you can expect to get on average about 20 years out of your new windows.

You can also opt to have secondary glazing fitted over your existing windows, which is cost effective and can be a DIY job for someone with the right skills. However, they are a little more effort to clean and maintain compared to double or triple glazing.

The loft. Don’t mind the spiders, just think of the money you’ll save on your heating bill!

Up to another quarter of your home’s heat is lost through the roof, so you’d be wise not to neglect the loft when it comes to energy-saving improvements. Many homes already have insulation up there, which can last a good 40 years after being laid. But over time it may have degraded, been compressed by floorboards, or need extra laid down. New layers can be added on top of existing insulation, so it might not be as expensive a job as you’re expecting.

home loft insulation being laid — Loft insulation being laid

Floors lose a surprising amount of heat

Up to 15% of the heat in a house is lost through the floor. Modern houses generally have floor insulation in-built, but in older houses they are often uninsulated. If you’ve got a good carpet and decent underlay, this is often enough to stop the heat escaping.

Much like walls, floorboards can be lifted and a suspended floor can be filled with insulation material. A solid floor can have an insulated suspended floor built on top of it, but this is a fair amount of work.

Lagging pipes and tanks – key in insulating your home

Lagging is placing a jacket or sleeve of insulating material over tanks, pipes and cylinders. Cold and hot water pipes should have lagging to stop heat escaping or pipes freezing. This is particularly important in places like the loft or anywhere where there is minimal heating. Our handyperson and technical team can help you with this and identify the crucial pipes and cisterns that need it the most.

Worried about the cost? You don’t need to

Our handyperson service might be able to offer you a subsidised rate for the services we provide. If you’re living in Bristol and on pension credit, or you have a low household income and savings, ask us about how we can help.

There are some grants available to cover the cost of making your home more energy-efficient. Our partners at the Centre for Sustainable Energy are experts on the Green Homes Grant, so why not contact them on 0800 082 2234 to discuss your options. Alternatively, you can email our Information and Advice team who can look into things on your behalf.

Financial support is available for larger home improvements like insulating your home through our partners at Lendology CIC. You can find more information about their low-cost Home Improvement Loan Scheme by clicking here. Our Project Management team can support you through the entire process of updating your insulation, with your own personal Project Manager and our award-winning service.

Why not give us a call or drop us an email. We can have an obligation-free chat about insulating your home and your financial situation. For more about how we’re staying Covid Safe and protecting you during the pandemic click here. Don’t stay in the cold! We’re here to help you stay warm, healthy and independent in your own home.

How can you tell if your roof needs repairing?

8th May 2022

Roofing

It can be difficult to know for sure that your roof needs repairing. Here is a quick guide to some of the telltale signs that your roof has some issues that need to be taken care of as soon as possible.

It’s not always easy to spot issues with your roof, but it’s certainly very easy to put off repairs when you’re worried about the cost or hassle. However, you should familiarise yourself with these signs that your roof needs repairing. If you delay any repairs that need doing, you could be faced with much more expensive problems further down the line. Let’s go through some simple checks you can make yourself before you give us a call.

First of all, check the inside of your roof

The very first sign that your roof needs repair is water leaking into your home. If you spot a leak, dark streaks on the walls or damp and mould on the ceilings, go into your loft and check the roof. Water can leak into the property because of broken tiles or flashing.

Whilst you’re up there, check for any light coming from outside. A secure roof should not let any light in at all. Light shining through indicates that there are holes or cracks in the roof itself. If you can see that the roof is sagging then call us straight away. A sagging roof is a very serious problem that could suggest structural issues with your home.

Next, have a look from outside

Some issues may not present themselves from the inside. You should also try to spot what you can from outside – which is also easier said than done sometimes! Some things can be clearly visible to you from below, whereas others won’t be. Any information you can pass on to us on your initial call will be helpful though.

You might be able to spot any loose, cracked or missing tiles easily. If you see any moss or mould this would suggest moisture damage on the roof. Sometimes on flat roofs, you will see water collected on the surface of the roof, which can lead to moss and mould and later a sagging roof. As the roof continues to rot from the water damage, a sag can lead to it fully collapsing. Don’t let it get to that stage!

Check your gutters

If your guttering is coming away from the exterior of your house, this could suggest that the roofing is starting to come loose. You might also find pieces of tile or shingle in the gutters – another telltale sign that the roof is rotting or starting to deteriorate.

Get in the habit of checking your roof

You should check your roof regularly, both inside and outside, for any of the signs mentioned above. If you see any of these early warning signs then it’s time to think about getting your roof repaired. The best thing to do is to act quickly and call us to discuss how we can help. One of our expert surveyors can visit your home for free to survey your roof and determine what repairs need to be undertaken.

Concerned about the cost of major repairs?

You may be able to receive some financial help to meet the cost of repairing your roof. We partner with the not-for-profit lender Lendology CIC. Lendology offers low-cost Home Improvement Loans to homeowners across the South West. If you can’t take out a loan or you aren’t eligible, we can look into other funding options on your behalf. Our Information and Advice team will be happy to discuss your circumstances with you and help in any way we can.

How do you fix a leaking gutter?

13th September 2021

Gutter

If your gutters have sprung a leak you’ll want to get them repaired as soon as you can. In order to fix a leaking gutter you need to know what the root cause of the problem is.

Gutters should allow any rainwater to flow away freely. If the water is pooling and overflowing from gutter pipes it can saturate the walls below it. This can cause some serious structural damage to your house in the long term. That’s why you should fix a leaking gutter as soon as you can. In order to do that, you need to know what’s causing the problem first.

What causes gutters to leak?

There are lots of things that can cause a gutter to leak. There are three main areas where you are likely to have a leak: the downpipe joint, the gutter joint or along the gutter length.

If there is an obstruction in the downpipe of the gutter itself then you’ll notice overflowing water. This is more than just an annoyance with the dripping or gushing water spilling onto people below. It can be a trip hazard as well as cause structural damage in the long run. You should aim to get your gutters and downpipes cleaned or cleared at least twice a year to avoid blockages.

Dirt and grit can also get stuck in the seal between joints. This happens when pipes contract during cold weather, trapping small debris inside as it shrinks. This creates a small gap for water to escape from, making it doubly important to keep the gutters clean throughout the year.

How gutter wear and tear happens

Gutters will expand and contract throughout the year with the change in the seasons and the weather. If they aren’t cut to the right length then expansion and contraction can expose the seals or not have enough pressure between the seals to seal tightly enough. Most modern guttering systems are made to handle the changes in temperature, but older ones will be subject to serious wear and tear over time.

Even things like snow falling from your roof or sustained weight upon the gutters can cause repetitive damage. A heavy impact from a ladder if you are having roof repairs can do a lot more damage than you think, weakening it before the elements get to it or exacerbating an existing problem. Loose gutters or downpipes may be missing connecting bolts or clips.

Quickly fixing a leaking downpipe or downpipe joint

First, if the water is overflowing from the hopper head at the top you should check to see if there is a blockage in your downpipe. You may be able to use a garden hose to blast out a simple blockage caused by leaves or small debris. To do this, cover the drain the turn on the water, aiming the hose up the pipe. You can also dislodge slightly tougher obstructions using a wire placed into the top of the downpipe. For lower down blockages you can take the section of pipe off and insert a wire or drain rod into that section directly.

For a leaking downpipe joint, first clean the area to remove any dirt, loose paint or rust. You can purchase repair tape to wrap around the joint. Overlap the ends of the length of tape then squeezing tightly to mould the tape to the shape of the joint. Once it’s dried, you can use your garden hose or a bucket of water to flush some water down the pipe to check it is fixed.

Using sealant for cracks and holes in gutters

Roof and gutter sealant might be more appropriate for the joints of metal pipework, and also cracks or holes. Again, you’ll need to clean the area around the crack or the joint. Also scrape off any excess rust if it’s metal. You’ll need to fill the cavity with just enough sealant, making sure to smooth it down with your finger (use gloves!) or a sealant smoothing tool.

For cracks and holes, first seal the inside area, wait for the sealant to dry, then seal the outside. You’ll still need to smooth the sealant down and test that the hole is repaired once it’s dried by flushing water down the gutter or pipe. Weatherproof tape is sometimes a good option for gutter cracks too. However, you may find it harder to seal the area properly compared to using sealant.

Replacement parts for leaking guttering

If you have older gutters or metal ones, you may find it difficult to source the exact parts you need. Luckily, some gutter parts from different manufacturers are interchangeable. You’d just need to know the width of the opening at the top of the gutter, the shape, and the type of material it’s made from. Generally, downpipes are easier to replace as they are usually either just round or square-shaped. However, if you’re finding any of this difficult it’s much easier to call a local handyperson with gutter repair experience. They can do the hard work for you.

How We Care Home Improvements can help

Our trading standards approved service and award-winning handypeople can tackle a multitude of jobs in your home and garden. Our local, friendly and trusted tradespeople are more than just typical handypeople. As well as knowing how to fix a leaking gutter they include experienced plumbers and carpenters.

Whatever job you need a helping hand with at home, we can send someone out to do the best quality work that you can rely on, for a competitive price. Contact us today for a quote or some obligation-free advice.

Roof repairs – how Lendology CIC and We Care Home Improvements can help you

26th March 2021

In this guest blog Ellie Lister, Service Delivery Manager for Lendology CIC, discusses why Spring is the perfect time to think about roof repairs

scaffold scaffolding roof repairs — *Spring roof repairs in progress!*

If you are a homeowner, you will know that your roof is an integral part of keeping your home protected from the elements. A sound roof, guttering and fascia boarding will ensure your home stays dry, and prevent internal water damage to ceilings and walls. Spring is the perfect time to assess any damage that may have occurred over the winter and think about the repair needs and costings now the weather is dryer.

We know that regular roof and guttering maintenance is not at the top of anyone’s to-do list, but it is critical to ensuring your home remains dry and effectively shields the rain. If you’ve been putting off repairing your leaky roof or replacing structural roof damage, Lendology CIC and We Care Home Improvements may be able to help.

Funded by Bristol City Council, Lendology CIC support eligible homeowners with funding essential home repairs via the council’s subsidised loan scheme. As an additional incentive, Bristol City Council are currently offering successful loan applicants up to £1,000 towards the cost of works.

Roof repairs and replacements can vary in cost depending on the complexity and size of the job, with the approximate cost of roof replacement being around £5,500. If you’re successful in applying for a home improvement loan, Bristol City Council’s loan leverage grant will reduce the cost of works by £1,000*. There are a range of repayment types and terms, and our team of expert advisers will work with you to find a loan solution that suits your needs and means.

roof repair home adaptation surveyor survey — *We Care’s surveyor Fatima overseeing a client’s roof repairs*

We Care Home Improvements, a local not-for-profit home improvement agency, are also able to support you to manage the entire project from start to finish from engaging contractors. This can be invaluable for people who are unsure where to find a suitable contractor and want support with the project.

For an informal chat about the loan scheme and eligibility, call Lendology on 01823 461099, email loans@lendology.org.uk or visit www.lendology.org.uk

For more information on the services provided by We Care Home Improvements, call 0300 323 0700 or visit www.wecr.org.uk

*Subject to eligibility. **A maximum reduction of £1,000 from an approved loan over £2,000. For loans £2,000 or less, the reduction will be 50% of the loan value. Budget is limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Typical Example (4% fixed interest rate, Typical 4.2% APR). Borrow £5,000 over 60 months. £92.08 monthly repayments. Total amount repayable = £5,544.96, including £20 fee for registering the Title Restriction. Missing payments could affect your credit rating and ability to obtain credit in the future. Loans are subject to status and are typically protected by a Title Restriction. This means that you may not be able to sell your home without our permission unless the loan is fully repaid. This is a financial promotion approved by Lendology CIC. Lendology CIC is a trading name of Wessex Resolutions C.I.C.: a community interest company limited by guarantee, registered in England, company number 4512225. Registered address: Heatherton Park Studios, Bradford on Tone, Taunton TA4 1EU. Wessex Resolutions C.I.C is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (675263) for credit regulated activities.

Spring Cleaning – it’s not just about dusting!

3rd April 2020

Spring has now most definitely sprung, and we want to talk about some things that we all forget when we’re about our Spring cleaning routine.

You may be looking at the bookshelf and wondering, as you dust, if some of those Stephen King novels might be better off at the local St Peter’s Hospice shop. You may be thinking of tackling some more gruesome tasks that you’ve been putting off, like cleaning behind the fridge (gulp!).

However, there are some other essential maintenance and repairs around and outside of your home that need some more serious attention. We’re all guilty of delaying things and putting them out of our minds when they seem a chore. You don’t want to end up with a worse mess later though, when now is the perfect time to get a handyman or handywoman out to nip it in the bud…

Sorry about the pun!

I know what you’re thinking – it’s all well and good us saying this. After all, we’ve got a team of handypeople right here to impart advice to us about home maintenance every day. Well, we want to share their expertise with you and help make you and your loved ones’ lives a little easier. Here are some important things to look out for that our squad of experts can take care of for you.

Now we need to preface this by saying that we aren’t a “cleaning” service per se, but we can help a little bit in that area, as you’ll see below. So don’t sack Julie the cleaner just yet! I’m sure she’s a much better choice for swabbing the decks and scrubbing the surfaces than we would be.

So without further ado, here’s our guide to the top jobs we can do for you in the Spring.

Around the home

There are lots of little general tasks about the house that you might have been delaying whilst hunkering down for the cold winter. Maybe you’ve had some nice Bristol Blue Glass for Christmas that you’d like to display. We can help with putting up shelving, either out of the box or made-to-measure by us. Not to forget assembling the Ikea flat-pack furniture that’s been sat in the box waiting for you to get fed up of piles on the floor. Our carpenters can take on anything you like, and there’s no such thing as a job too small. We do two-man jobs for the larger furniture – safety first!

We’re often finding that we are asked to move furniture around the home. We don’t do removals, but we can help to move a bed or a sofa or any other larger items of furniture to accommodate your needs. We have much experience in adapting homes for patients returning home from the hospital where a hospital bed is to be delivered. Like a real-life game of Tetris, we can configure your living spaces to the way you would like them to be or offer some advice on practical solutions.

Are you finding that you have to put your shoulder into getting into the living room because of that sticky door? Our carpenters are dab-hands at internal doors. We can hang them, trim them, even replace handles and knobs on existing doors. We’ll source the right shapes and styles for you and give you a quote for the work if it’s something non-standard. It’s no trouble at all. Doors should be easily opened and closed for ease of access and safety. We’re very keen on helping sort them out for you.

Windows are another often forgotten set of fixtures. Sure, Jim the window cleaner comes around once a month to give them a wash and a squeegee, but how is the sealing looking? If the sealant is coming away we might be able to help you replace it, as well as repair or replace sticky handles and dodgy locks. If we can’t, we know some great local contractors who don’t cost the earth that can repair and replace windows and frames.

We should also mention that it’s a good idea to look at your blinds and curtains as well. Are they starting to look lop-sided or the blinds won’t open properly? Repairing and replacing blinds and curtains is important for privacy and security – if curtains and blinds remain open or drawn for long stretches of time it could look like a property is vacant and an easy target… So, it’s a good idea to gave them taken care of. It’s a quick fix for privacy and peace.

It’s also a good time to think about replacing any light bulbs that have blown. We often source light bulbs for our customers so they don’t have to – everything from simple ES27 Edison screw bulbs up to fluorescent tube and coil-shaped bulbs. It’s also wise to have any switches and cords that might be broken repaired or replaced. They should also be inspected to make sure that they are safe and functioning correctly. Whilst we’re up there, we can clear out any dead flies or dust from the fixtures that might be causing an issue or blocking light out where it’s needed the most. Same goes for air vents and ceiling fans because you want them working well and not blocked up or scattering dust about your home!

In the bathroom

How are your drains and plug holes looking? Hair and fluff can block them up steadily over time. Perhaps the plug is also perishing after many years of use, causing the opposite issue. Time to inspect those now if the water is draining away slowly or draining when you don’t want it to.

Leaking taps are a nuisance with their constant “drip-drip-drip”. That’s money down the drain quite literally if you’re on a water meter. Replacing tap washers is a simple but effective first step. We are well versed in this as you’d expect, as well as replacing whole tap fixtures. Are you finding turning those old-style taps difficult nowadays? You might consider replacing them with lever taps or a mixer style tap for ease of use. This can be done in the shower as well – if you don’t have an electric power-shower that is.

In either case, the showerhead can also get clogged over time as hard water leads to limescale. This can be cleaned, or replaced if it’s broken or leaky. Shower doors and screens may have similar problems if the seals are worn, cracked or broken. Again, these can simply be replaced. Better to have them swapped out than for the leaking to go onto the bathroom floor where water is definitely not wanted.

Tiling and grouting repairs can be a chore. Panelling is all the rage these days because it cuts down on cleaning and maintenance. Of course, if you have an over-bath shower this might not be suitable for you. You might consider having a wet-room or level access shower room for ease of bathing as well as ease of cleaning. This is an area that we have a lot of expertise in, so don’t hesitate to ask us about what it entails, or see our helpful web page on the subject.

In the garden and outside your home

Ah the garden. We all want to enjoy it as much as possible, especially in the current lockdown. We’re performing limited garden works at the moment, with a focus on safety first rather than aesthetic. However, do check back with us in the coming months as the coronavirus situation changes, because we would definitely like to resume our full garden maintenance service as soon as possible.

Some things that aren’t commonly done but can make your garden safer and more pleasing to the eye include having the lawn mowed, bushes trimmed back, paving stones and paths jet washed, sheds being repaired or built, and decking stained.

We continue to offer a full gutter cleaning service, using a very nice piece of kit called a Skyvac that thoroughly cleans the entire guttering around the perimeter of the house without us even having to get on a ladder! It’s got a camera that lets our handyperson see all the action ensuring we don’t miss a single leaf. Though for more tricky blockages we will certainly get up the ladder and give it some elbow grease.

It’s also always wise to have your roof inspected by someone qualified. Our technical officers can take a look for you and offer some advice. It can be hard to see if there is a slipped tile or problems with the shingles until it’s too late and you’ve got a leak, so it’s worth enquiring about how we can help.

Phew! I know – that’s a lot of things to look out for.

You may not want to have all these things taken care of at once, or cannot afford to. Don’t forget that we can offer a subsidised rate on some of the works that we do. You may be eligible for a grant or a low-cost loan to help with some larger repairs or maintenance – please call us on 0300 323 0700 or email info@wecareandrepair.org.uk if you’d like some more information about this. It’s our passion and our pleasure to help you with all aspects of home improvements and maintenance, throughout the year.

Having problems with your roof? We can help!

10th September 2019

Everything you need to know if you are having problems with your roof

Even if you look after your roof with regular maintenance, you will likely still need to replace it. If you’re having persistent problems with your roof it will need to be replaced at some point. Its lifespan will depend on the material it is made from and the weather conditions where you live.

Problems to look out for with your roof include tiles that are missing or don’t lie flat, or if the roof is drooping or sagging, or you have a leak that cannot be repaired. A professional tradesperson will be able to assess any damage. They’ll let you know if the damage can be repaired or if you need a completely new roof.

It seems daunting as it is such a large part of the house, but it’s actually a relatively straight forward process to replace your roof. To help, we have compiled a handy checklist of everything you need to go through in the process of getting a new roof.

Here’s what you need to do

Assess the damage
You will need a professional to come and assess the work that needs to be done. It may be possible to renovate the roof and avoid replacing the whole thing. For example, they might be able to fix the damage by retiling either the entire roof or a partial replacement. If the timber frames have been damaged then the only option is to have a completely new roof construction.
Home insurance
You need to review your building insurance on your home insurance policy and check if the work needed is covered. Check your documents and speak to the insurance company to find out the process of making a claim. This will make an impact as they may have to sign off on any work.
Hire a professional
From your quotes, you can decide which company you would like to complete the work. There are many factors to consider such as price, are they trustworthy and reliable, do they have good customer testimonials? Check their payment terms as well and make sure that you are paying some of the money upon completion of the work.
Money-saving
Work with the company to consider ways that you can save money such as reusing existing roof tiles where possible or even a roof overlay, where the new roof is installed on top of the old one to save the cost of removing the old one.
Organise accommodation
You will need to decide whether you want to stay in the house when the roof is being replaced. It is normally possible but if you are retired and at home during the day, it is not advisable. Perhaps you can organise staying with family or friends for a few days, or even book a holiday!

How We Care Home Improvements can help you

Roof repairs and replacing a roof is something that our Trading Standards Approved handyperson service is able to take care of. We can even advise you on the whole process. We are an approved supplier to Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and Gloucestershire councils. This means you can be sure that our work is always to the highest standard.

So, if you need any help or advice with your roof or any other home repairs, please call us on 0300 323 0700 for a no-obligation chat with our team.

Problems with your roof? We can help you stay on top

16th July 2019

It’s never a good time to have problems with your roof. We’re here to help, whatever the weather.

How to know when you’ve got problems with your roof

Your roof is your home’s first line of defence against the weather. It has to work harder than any other part of the house to protect the rest of it. That’s why it’s crucial to tackle any avoidable problems with your roof early on. Small issues that go unchecked can lead to big, and ultimately expensive, repairs.

Often the first time you’re aware of problems with your roof is when you see evidence of water coming in. Other signs to look out for are:

Cracked and / or missing tiles
Loose pointing to chimney stacks
Damaged flashings (the covering on joints and angles)
Evidence of rot to wooden fascias and soffits (the boards that cover the ends of roof rafters)

Perished roof felt is another common cause of problems and tiles may deteriorate with age.

As well as maintaining your roof, guttering should also be kept clear. We recommend doing this once a year. Visit our Handyperson service for help with this.

Have your roof assessed by a professional

It’s very important to have your roof assessed by a professional you can trust to ensure you’re getting the right job done. Sometimes a smaller repair such as repointing the chimney stack or replacing the felt at the roof edge is all that’s needed. However, depending on the condition of your roof more extensive work or a complete roof replacement could be a better solution and prevent more problems further down the line.

Getting the right roofing contractor for the job

When you are asking contractors to quote it’s important to do some research to find the best contractor for the job. Look for reviews or testimonials from other customers who have used them or you can visit the National Federation of Roofing Contractors for a list of approved contractors.

Worried about costs?

An assessment of your roof will help you to determine the best course of action. You should also:

Check with your insurance company whether your policy might cover any of the costs. If there is storm or water leak damage there may be some assistance available. If it’s just wear and tear however, it’s unlikely they will be able to help.
Ensure quotations are itemised so you are clear on what is included in the price and that quotations obtained are comparable.
Ask questions – it’s important that you feel comfortable with and can trust the contractor you choose.
Check if there are different options according to your budget.

How We Care Home Improvements can help

We are specialists in major housing repairs in the Bristol, Bath, North and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire areas. Plus financial options for roofing works may be available.

If you think you may have problems with your roof or you haven’t had it checked for a while, please get in touch by:

Calling us on 0300 323 0700. We are open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.
Or send us a message and we can get in touch with you.

Let us keep on top of your roof so you don’t have to.