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Dealing with Damage: Tips to Restore Your Property After a Fire

Posted on Author adminCategories Home Improvement Tips, home remodelingTags , , Leave a comment on Dealing with Damage: Tips to Restore Your Property After a Fire

Dealing with Damage, Tips to Restore Your Property After a Fire

After a fire sweeps through your home, you might think that there is no way that you can restore the home back to what it looked like. While it won’t be exactly the same, there are tips to getting your property back to a condition where you can live in the home once again. Use the time to design the home the way that you want it to look and to create a space that you can relax in.

Scrubbing And Washing
As soon as the dust and smoke settle, you want to begin washing the soot from the walls and the floors. You also want to begin washing the items in the home that can be saved. A pressure washer is ideal for using on the outside of the home and on the inside once everything is removed. A steam cleaner can also help in getting the soot from cracks and other small areas.

Linens And Clothing
The clothes that can be washed should be stored in a bag or box until you can get them laundered. Items that are damaged beyond repair can be tossed into a trash can or even a dumpster as the smell of smoke can linger. Even if items like linens or towels don’t seem to be damaged because they were in a different part of the home, you still need to wash them as the smell from the fire can settle into them.

Disinfecting
Once everything is cleaned, you need to use a disinfectant on everything to get a fresh scent in the home once again. A professional restoration company like Icon Property or someone similar in your area can help with eliminating the smells that are present by using fans and air fresheners. The company often has items that can get deep into the structure of the home to remove odors.

New Flooring And Walls
Avoid replacing the carpets, paint and other large components of the home until it’s completely clean and the smell is gone from the home. Once everything is stripped to its base, you can begin adding new flooring and paint. This is when you can get the floor that you want, such as a hardwood look in the home with linoleum or new colors on the walls.

A fire can be devastating. It can take away everything that you own, but if you are prepared, then you can save some of the items that are in the home. Once the property is safe to enter once again, you can begin the process of restoring what you can and getting the house back into a condition to sell or live in with your family.

House Remodeling Tips

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kitchen

You bought a new house and it requires some adaptations in order to meet your needs? Or your old house simply needs some refreshment? Regardless of which situation you are in, home remodeling can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t planned everything well and chosen your battles carefully. When selecting renovation projects, you have to consider usability, investment and potential return of investment (e.g. the project should either save you money in the future, or should increase the value of your home should you decide to sell). Sounds pretty complicated, right? We’ll help you with these clever remodeling tips.

Find good workforce

If you manage to find quality workers, you have already done the most important part of the job. Experienced remodelers will be able to give you advice on the most prudent projects, best materials and do their job efficiently at a fair cost. Consult the web, but also ask your friends and family for word-of-mouth recommendations. When you choose them, make sure you communicate all of your ideas and write a detailed contract.

Make extra space

Almost all remodeling projects have one clear goal: to add more space to the property. That can be done by tearing down the wall between the kitchen and the living room. If you want to go beyond that and make an extra room (family room, guest room, bathroom…) you can either go up or down. One of the greatest intricacies you can face here is enabling easy access to the space, so if you’re upgrading your attic, you’ll need more than step ladder.

Do the kitchen remodeling first

This is a project that meets both ROI demands: if you do it with energy-saving on your mind, you can cut your bills in the future, and regardless of the size of your project, you will still be able to increase the value of your property. Namely, even a minor kitchen remodeling can recoup about 80% of the invested money, says  research done by Remodeling magazine. Some small-scale projects you can pull off are repainting the cabinets, replacing the handles and pulls, painting, replacing the ordinary light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, getting a new countertop and adding a backsplash.

Do other projects that increase ROI

It’s an unwritten rule that the projects that add to the total price of your house, also increase its functionality and improve its aesthetics, so even if you’re not selling, you’ll benefit from these renovations:

Increase the curb appeal

Finally, the house’s exterior also plays a major role in the overall picture. Here are some things you can do to improve the appearance of your outdoor space:

  • Pool restoration: There is nothing cooler than owning a pool in your backyard, but if it isn’t updated for decades, it is about time to do it. The best thing about this project is that you don’t need much to do it: a bucket of swimming pool paint can instantly revive it. You can go beyond that and build a deck around the pool, make a mulch or rock border and plant small bushes and perennials, etc.
  • Wooden deck addition: Adding a wooden deck is one of those projects that can add value to your property, but it can also present a beautiful place to spend time with your family, read a good book or simply enjoy the fresh air.
  • Fixing the driveway: A cracked driveway is not a very appealing sight. Solve this by applying a driveway sealer.
  • Painting the exterior: painting a worn out façade will instantly transform your house and make it look newer.

House renovation is indubitably a major project. It can require a lot of time, money and patience, but take it one step at the time, and you will make it.

Guest Post By:

Amelia Atkins

“Amelia is an author on the site Smooth Decorator and now a fresh architecture student.  Love for architecture and design runs in her family ever since she can remember.”

 

 

 

House in Flames: How to Restore and Rejuvenate Your Home after a Fire

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House in Flames

Local fire departments respond to over 358,000 residential fires every year, and these disasters can change your life forever. In addition to structural damage, you might find yourself struggling to find important documents and prized personal possessions. While you will no doubt be in a state of shock for at least a short period of time, you need to immediately begin taking steps to restore your home as soon as the fire has been put out.

Contact Your Insurance Provider

Almost all home insurance providers require their clients to notify them of residential fires as soon as reasonably possible. Even if you are not ready to begin dealing with a claims adjuster, you should still speak with your insurance company about getting an advance. An advance can help you cover some of the initial costs such as replacing your clothing and toiletries. You must also track your living expenses during that time if you have a “loss of use” clause in your insurance policy.

Assess the Damage

Assessing the damage is one of the most difficult steps in this process, and making any mistakes on your claim could end up costing you quite a bit of money. That is why all homeowners should immediately invest in a binder or folder to store all of the information regarding the fire. As you remember new possessions that were in the home or the fire department notifies you of specific damage, that information must immediately go into the folder.

Account for Personal Belongings

Your home insurance most likely includes a clause regarding personal possessions that are damaged in a fire. Unlike the structural damage that will be assessed by the claims adjuster or an inspector, you will most likely need to estimate the price of your personal possessions that were lost. You should begin with some of the more expensive items that you had in your home including your furniture and appliances. Many of the smaller items like your clothing and decorations will most likely be lumped into a single payment from the insurance company.

Speak With a Fire Restoration Specialist

Depending on the severity of the fire, you might prefer to work with a fire restoration specialist instead of having your home completely rebuilt. Some companies, like Icon Property, know that many homeowners must speak with a variety of contractors to determine if it will be more economical to rebuild or restore. Most homes can be restored if the fire didn’t damage any of the key structural components such as the foundation or load-bearing walls.

Once you are finally able to move back into your home, you want to be absolutely sure that your family will remain safe in the coming years. You must install new smoke alarms and fire detectors throughout your home and then test them as often as possible. You should also have an escape plan in place so that your family knows exactly what to do in the event of an emergency.

Contemporary Cooking Space: 4 Easy DIY Hacks To Modernize Your Kitchen

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Contemporary Cooking Space 4 Easy DIY Hacks To Modernize Your Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the home. It’s where you prepare meals for your family and gather together to enjoy a meal. You can entertain friends and create memories. At times, the kitchen might appear to be boring and outdated. There are a few hacks that you can keep in mind that you can do yourself to modernize your kitchen for a brighter and contemporary look.

Storage

Keep a few of the soda boxes that you tend to throw away to use them as storage containers for cans in the cabinets or the pantry. You can paint the boxes or put contact paper on them to hide the logos. Place the boxes so that the opening is at the end of the shelf where you can easily put the cans inside and take them out. Another storage option is to hang a plastic shoe holder on the back of a door to hold small items that get lost in the kitchen or that might get mixed in with the cans and other boxes, such as seasoning packets.

Adding Color

Get rid of the plain appearance in the kitchen by adding splash backs to the walls near the counters, stove and sink. You can find numerous colors and patterns when you look online at companies like Southern Splashbacks & Showerscreens. Another idea for adding color is to change the hardware on the cabinets and drawers. A little paint can go a long way as well with ceiling medallions placed on the wall and painted over to give a 3D design.

Shutter Doors

If you want a bit of decoration in the kitchen, then gather a few window shutters to put in the walls. Paint the shutters in colors to match the kitchen, but only use one or two colors as more shades will be distracting. You can hang small pictures on the shutters, flowers and cooking utensils.

Trophy-Sized

If you come across trophies at a second hand store or at a yard sale, you could consider polishing them and using them as decoration. You can use trophies to hold everything from cooking utensils to brushes that you use on the grill. This is an idea for the man who lives alone and wants a more masculine kitchen.

Updating the kitchen yourself is easy if you have the right tools. You might have to think outside the box a bit, but once you start looking at items that are around the home, then you can have more storage and decorations than ever before. There area few companies that have items that you can work with to enhance the look of the room as well.

Blooming Gardens: 4 Of The Best Flowers To Plant This Spring

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Blooming Gardens 4 Of The Best Flowers To Plant This Spring

When the spring season arrives, you begin to see the green leaves sprout on the trees and colorful flowers growing from the ground. Flowers need warmth and light to grow, which is why they tend to do a bit better in the spring with the longer days. There is often more water in the form of rain in the spring, which is another component that flowers need to grow. There are a few flowers that grow best during this time of the year compared to others, adding brightness to the lawn.

Pansy

This is a dainty flower with large petals. The center of the flower is usually yellow or light in color. Many of the pansies that you see are pink, purple or red. This flower grows best in the cool mornings of the spring season. The leaves are slightly curved along the edges, making it easier for them to capture raindrops and water that is given to them during the day. Plant the pansies in an area of the yard that sees a bit of shade as they don’t do well with the full sun beating down on them.

Iris

The iris is a flower that can grow to a tall size. They are best placed near a porch where they can climb up a trellis or a column of the porch. There are a few colors to choose from, but you usually see purple, light pink and white. The flowers blend easily together to create new colors. Most flowers will tend to get their full blooms toward the end of the spring season. The strong petals work well with an irrigation system, like those offered by Hydrotech Irrigation Co, in the yard. They need to be in an area that sees a good bit of the sun during the day.

Daffodil

Nothing will put you in a cheerful mood like a bright flower. The daffodil looks almost like a lion if you look at it from a distance. There are several sizes and shapes of the flower, such as those that have a trumpet design to those that look like a mane on a lion. Don’t water the flower too often, and keep it in the full sun.

Tulips

If there is a flower to use as a symbol of spring, it’s the tulip. You can plant the tulip along a sidewalk, around a tree or anywhere else in the yard to give a bright look to the house. There are numerous colors available, giving you a variety of ways to accent the home with the delicate flower.

Flowers in the spring often cheer up anyone after the dreary winter months. It’s best to plant the flowers at the end of winter so that the flowers have time to grow in the warm weather that arrives in the spring. Take care to add just the right amount of water to the soil as the flowers grow.

Remodeling for Revenue: How to Flip Your House to Increase Its Value

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Remodeling for Revenue How to Flip Your House to Increase Its Value

Flipping homes can be an effective way to make money from real estate. However, you need to know what types of upgrades will yield the highest returns on your investment before you decide to make them. Here are just some strategies that you should employ to ensure that you maximize your profits from each flip:

More Living Space Generally Means a Higher Price

In some areas, homes are priced per square foot. Therefore, adding more living space will translate to a higher asking price for the house. Some ideas for adding more space include finishing the attic or basement. In some cases, adding an egress to an already finished space will allow you to advertise it when listing the home.

It may also be a good idea to put an addition on the home that can be used as an extra bedroom, office or bathroom. If you are going to add to the house, make sure that you have the proper permits to do so. On average, each additional square foot that you add of living space could equal $100 or more added to the listing price.

Update the Kitchen and Bathroom

For those who have a limited budget, it is in your best interest to focus on the bathroom and kitchen spaces. Kitchens are where those who live in a home are going to spend the majority of their time. Bathrooms are generally where an individual is going to start or end his or her day. Being able to do so in style will make it more likely that a buyer will pay more for the house.

Upgrading the kitchen and bathroom is also a good idea because it makes the home easier for the next buyer to sell in the future. That alone will make the home more valuable because no one wants to pay for something that they can’t liquidate if necessary. Depending on where you live a new bathroom or updated kitchen could add $20,000 to $100,000 to the value of a house.

Put a Hot Tub in the Backyard

A nice spa with all of the proper hot tub accessories in the backyard makes a home more appealing because it gives the owner a place to entertain or relax after a hard day at work. They can be used either in the winter or the summer, which makes it more versatile than a pool for those who live in more temperate climates.

While individuals may be able to install them themselves, it is generally better to have a professional install it for you. It should only take a few minutes to a few hours depending on how much electrical work needs to be done to accommodate the new item.

In some cases, your installer may suggest ways that you can further spruce up your yard to add value to the flip. In most cases, a home’s value goes up by whatever you paid for it, but it could indirectly increase your home’s value because it makes the home more appealing.

Add New Front and Garage Doors

Replacing the current front and garage door with new ones makes the home look cleaner, brighter and more attractive at first sight. Typically, you will increase the value of the home by as much as 400 percent of what you paid for them. Therefore, if you spend $5,000 for new doors, the home will be worth $20,000 more.

While flipping may not be for everyone, it can be lucrative for those who understand how to do so successfully. For the most part, you have to understand what buyers in a given market want and then tailor the home to those needs to make it as attractive as possible when it goes on sale.

Crawlspace Corruption: 3 Storage Space Culprits You Need To Be Aware Of

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Crawlspace Corruption 3 Storage Space Culprits You Need to Be Aware Of

You probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the crawl space under your house. Items may sometimes go there for storage, and after that the space is forgotten for months or even years at a time. Unfortunately, however, there are three potential crawl space problems you should be aware of. Ignoring them could damage any items you are storing there or cause structural damage to your home. Here is what you need to watch out for.

Water
Water can seep into a crawl space from just about anywhere. If your space has a dirt floor, it can even come up through the ground. Without proper ventilation, this water stays sitting in the crawl space, keeping it damp. Dampness leads to mold, mildew and rotting wood. The best solution is often to install a drainage system followed by a concrete crawl space liner, like those offered by Perma-Dry Waterproofing & Drainage, Inc. This allows for improved exterior drainage and a concrete shell that keeps water out.

Critters
Insects and rodents find crawl spaces very comfortable and homey. To keep them out, you’ll need to look for any cracks or crevices and seal them with caulk. A vapor barrier will also help slow the invasion of unwanted critters, as will the concrete liner mentioned previously. This works because moisture is attractive to insects and other pests who need a water source close to their nest to survive. A lack of water makes your space less attractive. Of course, it’s not always possible to exclude all unwanted guests all the time, so be sure to have an exterminator check your space periodically and address any issues that he finds.

Mechanical Issues
Your furnace and other large mechanical systems aren’t located in your crawl space, but there could still be some mechanical things there. HVAC ducts often run through crawl spaces where they can pick up mold or mildew and spread the spores throughout the house. Exposed electrical wires may also be present in your crawl space, along with plumbing pipes. Make sure any duct work in your crawl space is properly sealed. Have an electrical contractor reroute exposed wiring and make sure any insulation or plumbing pipes are in good condition.

A poorly maintained crawl space can cause many problems, including a crumbling foundation, damaged subfloor, higher energy bills and poor air quality throughout the home. Exposed electrical wires can also present a fire hazard. To avoid problems, check your crawlspace often and have a professional inspect it frequently.

 

Tiny Abode: How to Remodel Your Small Space to Make It Feel Larger

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Tiny Abode How to Remodel Your Small Space to Make It Feel Larger

As you sit in your home, you might think that the walls are closing in around you. Some small spaces feel this way because there simply isn’t enough space for all of the belongings that you have. There isn’t enough space to entertain or have friends over to the house like you would want. Fortunately, there are a few ideas that you can try to make your small space a bit larger.

Adding Color

One of the ways that you can make a small space seem larger is by adding a new coat of paint. The paint should be in a bright shade, such as white, teal, light gray or yellow. Choose a color that works best with that room of the home, such as green or yellow for the kitchen or a neutral shade for the living room. Once you have the walls painted, you can easily add decorations that will bring out your personality in a way like never before in your small home.

Open Things Up

When it comes to small spaces, it’s important to be able to open the area up more from time to time. This can be done by opening up a window or a bi-fold doors, like the ones that specialty glass stores like Nu-Look Glass & Aluminium Windows have. If the doors lead outside onto the patio, you can leave the doors open during the summer. You can also have certain rooms that lead into living rooms and other common areas have bi-fold doors as well so that you can open them up and have the illusion of having a bigger space.

Hidden Storage

While you’re sitting on the couch, you can grab a book or a magazine from the inside of the coffee table, surprising others in the room as they might not expect this kind of storage. You can find numerous pieces of furniture that double as a table or even a chair with hidden compartments for added space. Small items, like toys that get left on the floor, can quickly get tossed into these compartments.

Extending Upward

Instead of extending out to the center of the room, utilize the space that you have on the wall. Add shelves that reach to the ceiling for everything from books in the living room to toiletries in the bathroom. When the eye looks upward, it makes the room seem larger instead of being cluttered with items that take up most of the room.

A small space can quickly make everyone stir crazy. Use the vertical area that you have for more storage, and add brighter colors to make the room feel open. Consider changing the design of the rooms once in a while as well to give a new look.

Home-Building Happiness: 3 Necessary Tools To Help Your Renovation

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Home Building Happiness

Homeowners often perform renovations without the right tools to get the job done, which results in a lot of wasted time and money. Sometimes the use of incorrect equipment even leads to accidents and injuries.

To make your next home renovation a less stressful project that concludes with you feeling happy and satisfied, utilize these three tools from the start:

Structure Scanners

A lot of homeowners fail to scan existing structures to determine the location of wiring, water pipes, sewage lines and structural damage. They may even dig areas and install foundations without checking that the ground is stable. You can buy or rent inexpensive handheld wire, cable and pipe scanning tools in local hardware shops and online. For underground surveying, you should hire a ground penetrating radar firm instead of renting equipment. These firms can also confirm that any concrete structures that you build on, for example, haven’t degraded to a point that requires that you replace them.

Commercial Forklifts

Another necessary tool during even a medium-sized renovation is a forklift. Ripped out walls and dug up flooring and concrete, for example, create a lot of waste that is far easier and faster to remove when tossed into a bin and transported on-site via a forklift. Forklifts used with wooden pallets are also fantastic for transporting new construction materials and appliances. You can easily buy or rent a forklift through a trusted supplier like Heavy Lift Forklifts. Forklift suppliers typically also offer additional services, including a variety of attachments for different types of jobs and maintenance and repair support.

Waste Bins

No matter the size of a renovation project, you can always expect a lot of waste. You should never begin construction without first having a plan to dispose of old and leftover construction materials and renting waste bins designed for the specific materials you expect to throw away. Keep in mind that many materials are recyclable. Check with local recycling companies and construction waste recycling and disposal firms for more information and to compare bin and transport prices. Since some of the waste materials are likely hazardous, also make certain to ask for a list of materials that you should handle with care and disposal instructions.

Having read about the many benefits related to the use of these three tools, why would you ever begin a home renovation without them? Start investing in them today so that you can enjoy your renovation for years to come without any regrets.

Things To Do After Moving Into Your New Home

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The average American moves more than 11 times in his or her lifetime — often enough that one could assume it would become second nature after a few times. However, moving is one of the most stressful experiences you can have, so it’s also reasonable to assume that a lot of the minor details could get lost along the way. When those minor details include things like, “Where’s my toothbrush?” and “Did I remember to tell the post office I was moving?” they can have a decidedly major effect on everything.

Moving is more than taking all of your belongings out of your old house and moving them into your new one — it’s the act of relocating your entire life. Taking care of details like ensuring everyone knows your new address and taking a walk-through of your new place before you get settled will go a long way toward making the entire moving process feel less stressful. Ultimately, it can make the transition into your new home a lot easier.

Nonetheless, it’s easy to forget about many of the details, so this checklist can help you stay organized as you go through this major shakeup to your life. All the practice you get moving this time may not make the next time you move any easier. However, having a checklist handy while you do can help you stay organized and not be caught off-guard by any of those details that can add up to big troubles when they’re forgotten.

 

Post-Move Checklist
Post-Move Checklist created by University Moving & Storage

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