Blog (Page 27)
An Essential Guide to Circular Saws
Circular saws are an invaluable piece of equipment for all serious DIYers. With a single, sharped-toothed metal blade, they are capable of high speed precision sawing which yields fantastic results. For people looking to cut through large sheets of plywood or make long linear cuts – without spending an arm and a leg – circular saws are invaluable. Whether you choose to buy a cheap one from a budget hardware outlet, or if you invest in a quality, long-lasti... ❯❯❯
Traffic Management on Site
Seven workers die every year on construction sites as a result of accidents involving vehicles. A further ninety-three are injured. That’s one hundred more than it should be. The law stipulates that construction sites should be organised so that vehicles and pedestrians using site routes can move around safely, but these people weren’t safe. Construction site vehicle accidents can and should be prevented by the effective management of transport operations... ❯❯❯
Mini Diggers: Useful Tips for Excavating Foundations
Performing excavation work yourself, such as for a new extension in you home, is very manageable, provided you adhere to correct health and safety procedures. Here are some top tips to help you on your way. Determining Excavation Depth In general, strip foundations should be around 1 metre deep, though this may vary depending on the building. After you’ve dug this, you’ll need to call in the District Surveyor, to ensure that the base provides substantial... ❯❯❯
Low Cost Heating Solutions for Homeowners
With fuel bills rising constantly, most homeowners and homebuilders will be looking to find the cheapest, most efficient way to heat their homes. In the current economic climate, relying on expensive and energy-sucking heaters is no longer a viable option. Here are some great alternatives that save energy, as well as money. Proper Insulation Having proper insulation installed in your home is not so much a form of heating as a form of coldness prevention.... ❯❯❯
Easily Identifiable Home Roofing Problems
Roofs are a large investment. In order to protect your investment and ensure that it can last a lifetime, you need to be aware of signs that you roof may be damaged. Here a some of the most easy to identify home roofing problems for homeowners to keep an eye out for. Often you can tell a roof needs maintenance from the inside. If you notice, indoor leaks, dampness, stains, bubbles, bulges or discolorations, you likely have an exterior roof leak on your... ❯❯❯
Basics of Hardscape and Landscape Design for Homeowners
When working on the exterior of your home, it is important to consider both the landscaping and hardscaping of your property. Landscaping refers to the garden, plants and greenery of a yard and how they are arranged. Hardscaping refers to the non-plant design of a yard such as patios, walls, furniture and more. Here are some of the basics of hardscape and landscape design for homeowners. When focusing on hardscape, you can usually make drastic, positive... ❯❯❯
5 Window and Door Weatherstripping Tips for Homeowner
Weatherstripping is one of the key components in a home’s ability to retain energy and maintain even temperatures. In fact, many homeowners discount the importance of weatherstripping and then wonder why their energy bills are so high. Although there are also a plethora of other reasons why weather stripping is so important. For instance, it prevents moisture and condensation from building up in the window casements – moisture that can cause mold, mildew... ❯❯❯
The Latest Outdoor Furniture Trends for Homeowners in 2014
Perhaps one of the most surprising side effects to come out of the Great Recession is the trend towards outdoor living spaces. Many homeowners unable to sell their properties and upgrade as planned have found themselves looking for ways to increase their limited square footage and make the most of their homes until they are able to trade up to a larger property. And they have done this in some cases by outfitting their outdoor spaces to create the... ❯❯❯
5 Effective Ways to Halt Foreclosure Proceedings
For the most part, the rampant foreclosures that dominated the early years following the bursting bubble of the housing market and the onset of the Great Recession are nothing more than a distant memory. If you look at the number of foreclosed houses on the market today, you’ll see a marked decrease from just a few years ago. And yet, foreclosures are not limited to times of economic downturn. There are always going to be a small number of homeowners who,... ❯❯❯
5 Tips for Winning a Home in a Multiple Offer Situation
The dream for any homeowner trying to sell property is that there will be multiple bids and that at least two of the parties will engage in a bidding war, driving up the price so that the seller can get better than market value. Unfortunately, this is not the ideal situation for buyers attempting to purchase a house they have their heart set on. While you might have a pretty firm price in mind going into the prospect, chances are good you’ll put up a... ❯❯❯
Is your garage big enough?
Garages across the UK have been a conventional size for a number of years. They are rectangular in shape, roughly 3m in width and 5m in length. However, when this size was established over 50 years ago, they were made this size to house the cars of that day. Yet in recent years, cars have become wider and longer, making the garage a redundant space, unable to house many modern day cars. Now some homeowners have taken the decision to develop their garage... ❯❯❯
Different Types of Security Lock Solutions for Your Home
When it comes to protecting your home and family, there is likely nothing you won’t do. Luckily, there are various options on the market that provide you with the resources to lock up your home to avoid threats to your home such as robbers or intruders. Here are a few of the different types of security lock solutions available on the marker for use in your home. First, you may choose to use a simple padlock. The benefit of a padlock is that it does not... ❯❯❯
Before It Gets Cold: 5 Winterization Tips for Homeowners
Often homeowners wait until the last minute to prepare their homes for winter, or the forget altogether and end up dealing with it when the cold months have already begun. In order to keep your home safe, stay warm, and reduce stress it is essential that you winterize in advance before it gets cold. Here are 5 winterization prep tips for homeowners that are simple and effective. Have your furnace inspected. You never want to find out that you will need... ❯❯❯
Revamp Your Home on a Shoestring
What do you do if you desperately need to give your living room or bedroom a makeover, but you don't have a fortune to spend a new furnishings and decor? There are plenty of ways in which you can spruce up your living space without breaking the bank and they do not all involve a certain Swedish chain which sells flat-pack furniture. In fact, heading to that particular store could well involve high petrol costs and the strong likelihood that you spend far... ❯❯❯
Easy Adjustments You Can Make to Lower HVAC Energy Usage
Whether your energy bill is high or low relative to rates in your area, chances are good that you won’t turn your nose up at the opportunity to save some money on your monthly expenses. We’d all rather put that money in the bank or spend it on something fun than send it off to the utility companies. And yet, you don’t want the trade-off to be that you freeze under layers of sweaters all winter long or sweat through your sheets during summer nights. You... ❯❯❯
How to overcome wheelchair restrictions - top five tips
Those who experience wheelchair restrictions can partake in a number of activities in order to overcome such restrictions. Such activities may include: The advantages of exercises are certainly not restricted to those who have full mobility. In fact, it’s often more important for those with mobility disabilities to partake in exercise on a regular basis. Many who experience mobility issues do so due to a number of reasons, including injury, illness,... ❯❯❯
Four simple design tips to help spruce up your home
We all want our homes to be a little different and to reflect our personalities. More often than not, this comes down to the interior design and layout of our home. From the furniture we choose to the colour schemes we employ from one room to the next, each decision we make in our home contributes to its overall feel. It's not always easy, however, to set our homes apart from others. Here, we take a look at a number of simple design tips which will help... ❯❯❯
How to Identify Odd Sounds Coming From Your Home’s HVAC Unit
Is your HVAC unit making strange sounds? There is a good chance that it is screaming or squealing for help. Indeed, when an HVAC unit is on the fritz, it will usually start making a sound that lets you know that it needs a tuneup or a repair. When it comes down to it, though, some noises aren’t indicative of anything too serious, but knowing when your HVAC system really needs your attention is important, because the problem could end up getting worse –... ❯❯❯
5 Reasons You Should Always Have Home Inspections Before You Buy
If you’re a first-time home buyer, you may not be aware of the many costs associated with purchasing property. In addition to the price tag on the house itself, you’ll find yourself on the hook for closing costs, fees, and a home inspection. Even if you’ve previously bought a home and you’re looking to trade up or move on, you might not completely understand why you have to pay for some of the services linked to buying a home. While you probably understand... ❯❯❯
5 Household Electrical Safety Tips
Can you imagine what life would be like if there was no electricity? We wouldn’t be able to walk in a room and turn on the lights. We wouldn’t be able to watch our favorite television shows. And we can pretty much forget about having central heat and air. Indeed, electricity is something that is an essential part of our everyday living. However, since being exposed to electrical currents come with their own potential hazards, it’s important when you are... ❯❯❯
