With so many thousands of hours of sun per year, southern Spain is the ideal place to install solar energy panels. What's more, thanks to new government programmes that oblige the electricity company to buy any surplus energy you generate, this can be an ideal option for some.

In Andalucia stores specialising in such items as plasma televisions, videos, DVD players, home cinema systems are referred to as specialists in “electrónica”. In early 2014 the Free to Air Satellite channels (BBC, ITV, C4 etc and C5) all moved to the UK beam on the new Astra 2E satellite and this is no longer receivable on existing dishes in Southern Spain.

As part of the overall security strategy for your Andalusian home, you might consider using a safe deposit box of some kind. Some homes - particularly those in remote urbanisations - come with built-in safes. However, even if you already have a safe at your disposal, it is essential you have some basic knowledge about these products to avoid using them inappropriately.

Plastering has become somewhat a forgotten art in many areas of the world but not here in Andalucia. Plastering is an integral part of the way homes in this region are constructed and, therefore, excellent plasterers are not hard to find, no matter where you might live.

Parque flooring is widely available in southern Spain and you will find that home improvement and construction material outlets have permanent displays offering a wide range of quality, design and colour. In general wood is not among the most popular building materials in this part of the world. Many attribute this to the climate and the hot summers. However, it is probably much more related to the lack of local forests and the need to import wood. Nowadays, this is not a problem and does not affect price as much as it might have in the past.

There are few types of home improvements that can spruce up your surroundings as quickly and as cheaply as a few coats of paint. Moreover, painting is something that nearly all of us have done at one time or another and except for the possible mess, it is very straightforward to apply. Painting can even be fun if you invite a few friends over for a "painting party" and you also supply the food and alcohol.

For those of you who either don't have the time to do your own painting and decorating or else just prefer to have such work done by professionals, Andalucia and especially provinces like Malaga and Cadiz have many excellent painter-decorators for hire in almost every community. They can help you every step of the way, from the selection of materials to the actual application. So if you have a painting job that needs doing, don't hesitate to contact one of the businesses below.

Living in Andalucia is bliss to many people, however during summer months, mosquitoes can blight our nights and cause untold grief and lack of sleep: we have all been there, dozing off in bed, only to be stirred by the faint and ever ascending scream of our resident mosquitoes, ready for another nocturnal feast.

Stone surfaces are not only durable and beautiful, but provide a quality feel that can not be replicated by synthetic materials. For this reason, even as the list of composite and other new materials continues to grow, we continue to rely on natural stone products to create the perfect ambience for homes, offices, stores and public buildings.

For any home owner, home maintenance is always an important consideration. Of course, you could always hire someone to come and do the work for you, if you have the money. However, if money is a consideration and you have the time to affect the necessary works, why not consider making the reforms yourself?

Chances are you're not reading this because you've locked your keys in your house. But, if you were, wouldn't you be glad you had the emergency telephone number of your local "Cerrajero", or locksmith?

The final touches to your home decoration often make the difference between average and spectacular results. This is particularly true of lighting. In Andalusia, where the natural light gives your home the 'wow factor' by day, you will also want to pay special attention to lighting up your home and garden by night.

Whether you are custom building a home in southern Spain, or remodeling an old one, expect to make your dreams come true in the kitchen. It is not difficult to obtain kitchen appliances, furnishings, accessories, decorations - and even advice - from many other countries. This is especially true along the Costa del Sol where you can find specialised shops from the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Italy catering to the tastes of a wide variety of foreign residents.

Iron bars are part of life in Spain. In fact, few Spaniards would even think of living without them, and many even enjoy decorating their doors and windows with custom designs that are intended to be both beautiful and secure.

Home Staging, or “House Doctoring” as it is widely known as on UK and American TV, is also available in Andalucia. It is becoming increasingly popular as a cost-effective means to redesign a property in order to realize its full potential.

Whether or not you have bars on your windows or a home security system could make a difference in your home insurance rates. Expect prices to drop as you increase security measures.

The real experts at home improvement in Andalucia are concerned not only with "how", but also "where". Where do you go to find what you need - and get it at a good price?

In the space of just a few years, audio, video and home entertainment systems have advanced to such an extent that they are opening up new worlds for some of us and rapidly becoming unrecognisable to others. DVD, MiniDisc, Digital Television, wide screen viewing, plasma screens, flat screens, surround sound systems, A/V control systems, they are all products of an on-going revolution.

With spring arriving so early, summer lasting until late October and winter that is short and sweet, home and business owners in Andalucia often spend more quality time outside than in. Whether they are basking in the sun by day or entertaining under the stars by night, the finishing touch of stylish outdoor furniture will be an intrinsic part of any Mediterranean design and lifestyle.

Woodstove or fireplace? You choose. Wood is now widely available all over Andalucia and nearly all the wood-sellers will deliver to your home. A fireplace adds a beautiful touch to any living room and these can be crafted from brick, natural stone or marble, for example.