At Modern Garden Rooms we don’t believe adding value to your home has to be a costly ordeal. We’ve come up with 24 unique ways you can add value to your own property, and help you climb the property ladder yourself.
Each tip contains an estimated percentage of how much your property value would increase by if you implemented our tips. This way you can find the right home improvement method to suit your budget. You might be asking yourself if you really need a full kitchen refurb or a new conservatory – and whilst these are great ways of adding value to your home, you might only need a lick of paint and some new light switches to raise your property value to your intended amount!
A housing bubble is created due to an upturn in housing prices caused by increased demand, speculation and exuberance. However, when this demand eventually subsides, house prices take a sharp downturn.
There are 5 parts to a housing bubble. Displacement is when the demand for property increases due to limited supply, fuelled by low interest rates and more borrowers entering the market. This leads to the eventually boom, when the market begins to inflate as consumer confidence grows, but supply is still slow to increase. Euphoria follows, when house prices begin to skyrocket, and more investment is made into the marketplace and supply gradually increases. The investors take their profit as they heed the warning signs that the bubble may be about to burst. This in turn starts the final stage of the housing bubble – the panic. Housing prices take a huge downturn as demand stagnates because of above average house prices and interest rate rises. The bubble bursts.
We can look at history to work out where we are in the bubble and try to make a prediction as to how the bubble will react to certain events in the market. Over the last 40 years in the UK housing market, there have been two booms and three busts and a lot of fluctuation in between. We can look at these market trends to determine what will happen next. On average, a housing boom tends to last around 8 years.
Warning signs that the housing bubble is about to burst includes rising interest rates, changing lending criteria meaning its harder for people to get cash for a mortgage, decreasing demand. Also, if the average house price is rising faster than your salary, this is one of the biggest signs that we are currently in a housing bubble.
Constantly taking care of your landscaping can be a hassle. You may find yourself spending all of your free time weeding and maintaining your yard. Here are some benefits to hardscape over landscape.
Decreased Water Consumption
In areas where there are water restrictions, hardscape can save on dead and dying yards. You won’t have to look out at your yard and shake your head. It can also save on your water bill each month. This increased savings can even help you to pay for the project. Then, you can feel as though you’ve done your part in conserving water. It can also provide a fire break around your home. This can give you an increased sense of security.
Less Erosion Issues
Hardscape that is done well still drains into the soil. The benefit is that during heavy downpours, you won’t have to worry about your yard becoming a bog. Proper hardscape has a solid foundation that won’t erode underneath itself. If you live on a hillside, this can be a big cause for concern. Retaining walls can help to protect your investment. Some walls can even help to prevent landslide issues of your home and property.
Increased Yard Usability
Hardscape can allow you to create an outdoor living space. You can host parties in this increased space. Another benefit is that it can increase the value of your property. It can be an accent piece for your yard. Quality hardscape can make your home more attractive to potential buyers. This may drive up the sale price of your home if you decided to sell. It can even be a good place for the kids to play. Then, you won’t have to worry about them tracking dirt in from outside.
Reduced Time for Maintenance
Depending on the extent that you decide to hardscape your yard, you can cut down on the maintenance significantly. This doesn’t mean that you need to give up all of your plants. Keeping a few planting areas will still allow you to maintain some greenery. The benefit is that you can have more free time on the weekends to do other things. Hardscape that is done well can last for a lifetime. The key is to prepare the area with the proper materials, such as gravel from Purdy Topsoil & Gravel, before you take on the project.
There are lots of potential benefits to adding hardscape to your yard. Just make sure to do it right so that it can provide lasting beauty to your home.
Buying a new home is perhaps one of the most exciting milestones in life. No matter if it’s your first or you have a few purchases under your belt, it is always satisfying to sign those papers and walk away with the keys to a chunk of the American Dream. Along with that dream comes responsibility, some maintenance, and a non-stop cleaning list. Nothing to fret over; here are a few tips that will keep your new abode feeling like a fresh and promising adventure.
Curbside Beginnings
That’s right. The minute you or your guests pull up to your home, you’ll instantly be drawn to it if it feels clean and inviting. A good power wash can brighten the exterior, knocking down dust, mold and moss as well as cobwebs and insect nests that may be hanging in the eves. Not only will this greatly improve the appearance of your home, it also protects the structure by removing elements that cause damage over time if left unaddressed.
Windows to the World
Windows are one of the greatest inventions, allowing us to not only see, but feel, as if the indoors and outdoors flow together as one living space. Windows get dirty quickly, both inside and out, and their tracks harbor mold, mildew and dust if not properly cleaned and maintained. Many folks don’t realize that the grunge clinging to our windows also harbors odors and germs.
If you don’t happen to be a person who loves the process of personally taking windows from dingy and clouded to sparkling, clear and fresh smelling—hire the job out. Cleaning your windows once or twice a year will help your windows look great and eliminate some indoor health hazards and allergens. Quarterly is ideal though. Washing windows once each season means the job will be less overwhelming and can turn into a much anticipated routine. Consider contacting a business like A-Plus Window Cleaning or someone similar to schedule your cleanings.
The Floor up
Floors are the foundation of every room in our home and serve as a frame for everything above them. If they’re dirty, it will set the same tone for the rest of your new home. Dirty spots from shoes, food, or beverages can be cleaned up with a mild vinegar solution until a professional deep cleaning can be done.
Annual carpet cleaning is highly recommended to keep allergens, dirt and odors at bay. The expense—or effort if you choose the do-it-yourself route—will be well worth it when you can breathe well and your house smells fresh. The great news is that often you can find discount coupons in local circulars for all sorts of household cleaning and maintenance.
Organization
It’s not the easiest thing for some people, but keeping your new home organized from the start will go a long way toward keeping your home feeling comfortable and well maintained. Hanging organizers in the garage, closets or basement can help you store things efficiently, especially after weatherizing during certain seasons.
After buying a home, it’s easy to start collecting and placing things about the house haphazardly. Shelving units, tool hanging racks, or even a small outdoor shed can do a lot toward keeping clutter at bay, lessening the chances of inviting pests such as spiders, mice, snakes and other unwanted house guests into your new home.
Buying a new home isn’t something you’ll get to do every day, but living in one is. Adhering to positive cleaning and maintenance routines and keeping them scheduled out on your calendar will help make living in your home a far more peaceful and healthful experience.
Designing a family home is one of the most complex undertakings there is. It can easily put those who are inexperienced and unprepared to their wit’s end. When putting together a family nest, one has to think about the way family functions. It is also a good idea to take into account how the needs and wants are going to change in the future. That is why a flexible, multifunctional design reigns supreme: it fits the family lifestyle and can be adapted over the years too. Here are some tried and tested tips on how to create a perfect home for a growing and thriving family.
Size and layout
Size of the home is one of the main factors that influence your decision making. Here, you have to factor in the fact that children grow fast. So, they might be willing to share the room with you as babies, but what about when they hit adolescence? The more rooms you have, and the larger they are, the better it is for your family. For example, a big kitchen can serve as a hub of domestic life, a room where one can cook nice and easy while children are playing around.
Furthermore, note that one essential aspect that is closely tied to the size of the home is its layout. Large, open, multifunctional spaces are in the spotlight of modern family home design. This is not about being trendy, but functional and thoughtful. An open floor plan is linked to various advantages for families, such as easier oversight of the little ones. Besides, an open and flexible space always encourages lively social interactions and enables kids to run around.
On the other hand, one of the main drawbacks is the lack of privacy, but that can be overcome with the addition of private, enclosed spaces. Many parents decide to go for a separate room and home office in order to keep the commotion at bay. Traditional living rooms are not vanishing either. After all, we all sometimes need a place to retreat to, contemplate, and unwind. This is all to say that it is possible to combine and open and conventional floor plan and get the best of both worlds.
Configuring space
Regardless, always think in terms of visibility and connectivity. To figure out the most suitable layout, which is the bedrock of everything you are trying to achieve, you can work closely with modern project home builders. Spending a bit more on professionals in this planning and construction stage will pay dividends later. Some builders even allow you to see a virtual display of how your home will look like or go on a virtual tour of an existing home, which really comes in handy. Notice that there are couples of other things you can accomplish with a nice layout and configuration.
Take the example of family homes that are connected to the outside and tend to have more appeal for children who like to come and go. There are many ways to bring the outdoors in and vice versa. For example, consider infusing patio with more comfort and warmth, features that you typically find inside. Add a veranda with a swing to the yard. Build a treehouse. You can also blur the lines between the two realms with large, floor-to-ceiling windows and glass sliding doors.
Likewise, you might also want to create a sense of indoor adventure for children. Even without walls to act as space dividers, you can compartmentalize and designate different areas, such as a snug zone for watching movies. Don’t make things too serious, but never lose sight of functionality.
Form and function
This brings us to another point. Namely, it is crucial to pick furnishings carefully. It always pays to stick to a combination of high durability, low maintenance requirements, and visual appeal. When pondering on the best flooring solution, many people for wood. This is an excellent choice that is durable and fairly easy to maintain. It also looks good and emits a warm feel. A rustic wood finish with a mid-toned shade can even conceal all those foot and paw prints.
As for décor, it should be bright and cheery. So, introduce pieces that ooze coziness and warmth. Ensure that the space reflects your personality and celebrates your family bonds, passions, and love. Just don’t clutter it up too much. There are many objects that could injure little kids. This reminds us that safety is another top priority. Use the best tactics to child-proof your rooms, especially hazardous areas like stairways.
Finally, to make the space more airy and soothing, maximize the amount of natural light. Invite the rejuvenating daylight inside and you will reap many health benefits, make the interior more functional, and reduce the demand for artificial light.
Home, sweet family home
When designing a living environment, try to keep it fun, practical, and comfortable. You should look beyond just your present state of mind and life stage. Design the home well for the way your family will live and develop. Let it have character and heart.
Take your time when considering key aspects of layout and size. You should be able to spend a lot of quality time with children, but also have some privacy to recharge your batteries. Remember that you can do some changes and improvement projects later in order to adjust the home to newly-arising needs.
Hey! Are you looking for all the reasons for being satisfied with the decision of getting laminate flooring at your home? Nowadays people opt for flooring solutions that look good and are easy to maintain. Laminated wooden or laminated floors are the best way to make the aesthetic value of any property higher and they also last long to give a better flooring finish. To give you a better understanding about the laminate flooring, we have given all the details about the advantages as well as disadvantages. Take a look.
Have a Look at The Advantages!
If money is one of the things which is making you think twice about getting laminate flooring at your home, then let us inform you that the laminate flooring is one of the best and the most affordable flooring options available in the market. The money you would spend on the laminate flooring is even less than the cost of hardwood. The flooring is even less expensive than the carpet. Therefore, if you want something suitable and reliable flooring for your house which would last long, then laminate flooring is the best choice.
Laminate flooring is one of the most durable floorings available in the market. It can last for really long. Also, unlike other flooring options available in the market such as marble, hardwood, and carpet, this type of flooring doesn’t lose its shine and freshness in the sunlight. Laminate flooring is also scratches and stain resistant. The reason behind this is the presence of melamine plastic layer which gets used by most of the laminate flooring manufacturers.
Laminated flooring is easy to install and maintain on daily basis:
Apart from the properties and the advantages, the one thing which sometimes becomes a tough task for most of the people is the installation process of the flooring. Well, the good news is that in laminate flooring, the installation procedure is nothing less than a bed of roses. It is quite easy and quickest things you can do. Also, the quality of sub floor is also not given that much attention to because this type of flooring doesn’t need to be glued on the surface.
After the cleaning process, there comes the cleaning part. When you invest money on such flooring, you would definitely want them to last for a longer time which is why the maintenance and cleaning of this flooring is much needed. Some flooring requires a lot of cleaning but in the case of laminate flooring, you don’t need to go through any headache because cleaning of laminate flooring is also not less than a piece of a cake.
Laminate flooring also doesn’t absorb the dust and debris just like other flooring such as carpet does. So, for all the people who are allergic to dust, the laminate flooring is one of the best options available in the market.
Laminate flooring must be installed and maintained with much caution:
One of the disadvantages is that this kind of flooring can be very noisy especially for your neighbors. The vibrations through the floors can create a lot of noise.
In most of the flooring, if they get damaged, they can get repaired but with laminate flooring, you don’t get the option of repair. If they break or get damaged, you would have to get the new one. However, when it comes to repairing and reinstalling the floors, you can get a whole lot of floor specialists and room renovation experts from the market, who can take care of the floors and also allow you to chalk out some customized designs and plans for making the floors sturdy and to make your property look good.
No one likes cleaning their home but it’s something that simply has to be done. This infographic from HappyCleans takes you through how you can make cleaning more productive by thinking of it as a workout and it can be easy to forget that cleaning is a bit of a gym workout. For example, hoovering burns around 153 calories every hour so you’re certainly not wasting your time. If you want to give the car a thorough cleaning you will burn 234 calories in an hour.
This infographic might be the motivation you need to clean the house a bit more often as it also helps to get you fit. If you only have 30 minutes even loading the dishwasher will rid you of 105 calories.
You can also turn tasks into a workout and do lunges while you’re vacuuming and even strap on light weights to your wrists while you’re dusting to tone your arms and make them stronger. Read the full infographic now for more tips.
There’s no doubt that spending time outside has numerous benefits not only for the body, but the spirit as well. Long and hard days at work and school can wear a person down, cause headaches, mood swings and irritation. Getting yourself and your kids involved and engaged in creative outdoor activities is a great way to get everyone to spend more time outside and away from the flickering screens of computers, tablets and smartphones.
With your kids’ safety and fun in mind, here are several ideas how to create a backyard that your kids will love spending time in.
An outdoor easel
An outdoor easel made of an over-sized chalkboard will have your kids go wild drawing, scribbling and doodling and you very happy to have it all happening outside, and not on your living room walls! Create your own chalkboard using a large piece of plywood and paint it with either store-bought paint or your own mix, using unsanded tile grout mixed with exterior latex enamel paint. Apply two coats and once it’s dried, hang it at your kids’ height using heavy-duty hardware. Add a bright coloured frame, a bucket to store the chalk and fun times can begin!
A flower garden
Planting a flower garden can give your kids a chance to experience the satisfaction of growing a garden from scratch and watching its entire life cycle. It will also teach them the responsibility of caring for plants and honouring their daily duties. One more plus is that you’ll have a beautiful and colourful backyard. Local nurseries commonly offer loads of different flowers to choose from and you can decide how to shape the flower beds, from traditional rectangular ones to imaginative spirals, circles or hearts.
A summer stage
Making a summer stage in your backyard is an amazing opportunity for your kids to let their imagination run wild and enjoy role plays or their own little theatre shows. It’s a quick, easy and cheap project that will give your kids the chance to express themselves and you a free, fun show while enjoying your glass of ice tea.
All you need is a clothesline, clip-on curtain rings and 6 yards of red fabric. Cut the fabric in two, 3-yard long pieces, fold down one end of each piece and clip the curtain rings, spacing them equally apart. Pull the clothesline through the rings and hang it between two trees. The line can stay up for the entire summer and the clips will make it easy to take the curtains down or put them up again.
A crafts table
Another inexpensive and fun outdoor addition to your backyard is a crafts table. Use a reclaimed pallet to make a low patio table and add several colourful cushions. Bring out whatever arts and crafts your kids like and make a little workshop in the fresh air. Just be careful you all get proper sun protection in hot summer months. The best way to do it is to install a custom cantilever umbrella on your patio, which has a durable canopy and can rotate 360 degrees to follow the movement of the sun.
Stepping stones/stumps
Stepping stones or stumps will create a balance challenge for your kids as they run or play catch. You can opt for cut logs in different heights that you can space just far enough apart so your kids have to carefully plan each step. Or, you can make it a joint project and create stepping stones together using ready-mix mortar or concrete. Kids will love to participate and get dirty! Choose the moulds you like and pour the mortar mix at least 2 inches thick. While it’s still wet and soft, let the kids decorate them with pebbles, marbles or beads, or write their names. It’ll stay as a wonderful reminder when they grow up.
Whatever you decide to create in your backyard, you’ll have an opportunity to spend quality time with your kids, be outside in the fresh air and create wonderful memories together, so pick a project and get cracking.
Many homes lack modern curb appeal. This can leave you feeling unhappy with your home and, perhaps, even self-conscious about how others see it when they drive or walk by it. Here are some solutions to give your home a more modern exterior appearance:
Upgrade Your Driveway
Your driveway can make the exterior of your home appear dated. It can drag down the rest of your home. You have some options when it comes to improving the appearance of your driveway. You can seal the cracks that may be causing more damage to your driveway. This is a short term solution. You will eventually have to completely replace or have your driveway repaired. A new driveway will increase the curb appeal of your home. It will also be more functional for long term use.
Change out the Windows
Older windows don’t tend to be as energy-efficient as newer windows. The windows in your home may still be of the single-pane variety. This type of window allows for a lot of air and noise exchange. With new windows, you can also change the overall appearance of your house. This is because there are lots of different styles and sizes available compared to when your home was probably first built. Although you may choose to swap out the windows for one of equal size, you can also increase or decrease their size.
Consider a New Paint Color
Historic homes tend to have their own unique color palates that don’t really complement today’s styles. You can modernize the exterior of your home by selecting a new color scheme. The style of your home should set the tone for your color choices. To help, consider colors that will complement the age of the home. Many modern colors tend to be more neutral. If you want your home to stand out, select colors that will go with the theme of your home. Use bright colors as accents as opposed to the base color.
Revitalize Your Entry
Many homes of the past had grand entries. If this applies to your house, it may just need a little updating. Older homes didn’t always have a door right at the front of the house. Sometimes, it was hidden off to the side. Today, however, having a defined entry point is an important part when it comes to curb appeal.
If you have a front porch near the entryway, consider changing out the handrails. Use materials that will last the test of time—you don’t want anything that will rust too quickly or break too easily.
If updating your older home is a priority, consider putting the above tips into action. Always keep in mind, however, your family’s personality and try to incorporate it as best as possible as you go about making changes.
