Weston Lakes – Page 2 – Real Estate & Home Improvement Advice

Maintenance

Can Removalists Help With Managing Large Furniture Items?

June 9, 2017

According to the experts Brilliance Removalists Brisbane, very large and heavy pieces of furniture can be a challenge to moving to a new house. The removal process often involves loading these large pieces and the process is often made more difficult by the absence of good handholds on the item. Fortunately, removalists can take care of all these things as they have the proper equipment to help them lift and move heavy furniture, whether it is a grand piano, pool table or a queen sized bed.

Most removalists start by packing the heavier furniture first and proceed according to the best weight distribution for the truck they are using. That said, they will often remove mattresses from beds and cushions from the lounge to make it a bit lighter and easier to load. If you find packing difficult, you can pay extra and have the removalists do all your packing for you, if they offer that service. So you’ll only have to move out with a change of clothes, then move into your new house after all the goods have been delivered and unpacked. This may seem like the ideal way to move, especially if you are frail.

Renovations

How to Save for the Cost of a House Extension

March 2, 2017

One thing that most people know is that a house extension will cost quite a lot. What they may not realise is that there are many ways of getting what you want for less. A house extension will certainly enhance your lifestyle and may save the need to move into a bigger home. If you consult with a financial planner like Andep to find the best ways of making your money go further, it can cost less than you may think.

The ideal scenario is to get a financial advisor to do some financial planning on your behalf. They not only show you how to save money when you buy your materials from Building Materials Perth, but may be able to ensure you get a bigger tax return. Even though their advice costs, you will save much over the following years once they put you on the right track. So a house extension can soon be well within your budget.

Maintenance

How to Get Lighting Into Your Work Shed

February 3, 2017

Many homes include a shed of some kind in the backyard that can be used for storage, gardening or as a work shed for various hobbies or projects around the house. These sheds only have one thing wrong with them – apart from being too small – and that is no lighting. If you get an experienced Perth electrician to add lighting, you’ll be able to get a lot more use out of that shed.

Smaller sheds often don’t even have a window to let light in, making it really difficult to find what you want and to keep the shed tidy, let alone dodge spiders. Instead, you tend to stand at the door and throw things in, hoping they’ll land somewhere you can find them next time they are needed. If you installed lighting you could have a tidy shed that will fit more in because you’d be able to see well enough to add some shelves or hooks on the walls.

Kitchens & Bathrooms Kitchen Cabinets

How to get Kitchen Cabinets with that Wow Factor

November 23, 2016

If you are renovating your kitchen, it is most likely because you were dissatisfied with the look of it. Older kitchens and kitchen cabinets were rarely designed with aesthetics in mind. In fact, most were built from the same old design that was considered good enough for what was essentially a work room. These days that is no longer good enough.

Now that open floor plans are so popular it means all the living areas are open and merge into each other. You can see the kitchen from the living room and sometimes from the front door, which means it has to look just as good as the rest of the living area does. When visitors come to your home, they can see the kitchen from the living or lounge room and can sit there comfortably and chat to their hostess while she sees to the dinner.

Gardens & Pools garden pots

8 Tips for Growing Pot Plants Successfully

October 30, 2016

Not everyone has a green thumb when it comes to growing plants in garden pots. It is a shame to see what would otherwise be a beautiful plant struggling for life in a pot. If you find your pot plants are looking a bit sick, here are some tips to help them get better.

Make sure you use quality potting mix. Follow the instructions on the bag. Often you will find that the mix should be left to settle, but you have that plant and are anxious to get the job done so you don’t want to wait. But in a week or two the mix will settle and leave the roots half exposed, or the whole lot will sink down into the pot so you have half the pot showing at the top and the roots have less room than they need.

Renovations

To Move or Not to Move During Renovations

October 12, 2016

If you are having your home renovated be prepared for a lot of noise, dust and interruptions – depending on what you are having done, of course. If only one room is being renovated you may be able to stand remaining in the same house, but if more than that is scheduled, you may want to think about contacting Brilliance Removalists to move you out so the renovators and builders have free rein.

The noise factor

You may not have experienced living in a house where there is constant banging and the whine of a saw going on and off all day. The latter is a bit like being in the dentist’s chair with the high pitched noise of the drill grating on your nerves. You have to be strong to put up with it. But at the dentists, you at least know it will be over in a few minutes.

Kitchens & Bathrooms Kitchen Renovation

Budget Friendly Kitchen Renovation Ideas

October 6, 2016

Since the kitchen is the most used room in the house it makes sense that it would need renovating sooner than other rooms. Perth Kitchens need not be expensive, especially if you can do the work yourself. It is the full renovation with custom build cupboards that becomes expensive, but here are some more affordable options that will improve the look of your kitchen.

Putting in new bench tops is probably the number one way to renovate a kitchen affordably. Using some of the newer materials means you can throw away your old chopping boards and just use the bench top, which withstands such abuse.

Windows Aluminium Windows

The Advantages of Aluminium Windows & Doors

September 6, 2016

If you have ever struggled to open or close a window that sticks, or if you have a door that is warped and doesn’t fit properly into the doorway, you will be interested in aluminium windows and doors. Toughened glass with an aluminium frame is never going to warp or twist like timber does. Timber absorbs moisture, then dries out during hot, dry weather and this process is what makes it warp and twist. So timber frames around doors or windows will not give the same durability as aluminium. Here are some more advantages of aluminium doors and windows.

Maintenance Maintenance

No-Stress Property Maintenance

August 6, 2016

In many homes stress is elevated to an almost unbearable level when any handyman job is getting done. This is partly due to the fact that the handyman may not really know what he is doing and so it takes longer to complete the task. The household is usually in turmoil until it is all finished and cleaned up and everyone can relax and enjoy some peace and quiet.

In some cases the stress comes about because the home handyman makes a mistake that then has to be fixed. This can be a really expensive mistake such as a break in the plumbing behind the wall, that calls for a professional person to repair it.

Since doctors now understand that stress is what causes a variety of other illnesses, it is far better to have a professional handyman come in to do your maintenance, repairs or renovations. Not only will they be in and out of there really quickly, having handled the job in next to no time, they will not make any stuff-ups and cause even more problems. If they do, they will repair it without added costs to you.

Gardens & Pools Gardening for Seniors

11 Easy Gardening Ideas for Seniors

July 15, 2016

Many people get a great deal of enjoyment out of gardening. There is something about growing plants that is in our blood and we are never happier than when messing with soil, seeds and fertiliser. But as the years roll on, gardening and landscaping becomes a more difficult chore. Seniors are not as strong as they once were and they often find it difficult to bend over or lift heavy weights. Digging sometimes becomes impossible. So how can you still enjoy gardening as a senior? Here are some tips to make it easier.

If you loved showy annuals, keep them for pot-plants and instead, grow perennials or plants that last for many years. This will save a lot of digging and bending over to plant them. There are many shrubs with showy flowers that will remain in your garden year after year with little effort from you.
Low maintenance gardens are ideal for seniors. There is less watering, next to no digging and you still get to enjoy being outdoors amongst your plants.
Add plenty of organic mulch to reduce weed growth and feed the garden. It also saves watering.
Inorganic mulch like pebbles can do the same job –apart from making fertiliser – and look very attractive in a garden.
If you have pot plants, have them up on a chair, bench or table when planting them to save bending over. Heavy pots need to be placed on a pot stand with wheels to save you lifting when they need to be moved.
Consider having an automatic watering system installed. This will save you a lot of work in watering and pulling that hose along.
Get a handyman in for those more difficult jobs rather than trying to do them yourself. It will be worth the cost to be able to enjoy your garden.

Gardens & Pools Concrete Swimming Pool

12 Benefits of a Concrete Swimming Pool

May 28, 2016

According to holiday booking experts Easy Villas, many people these days have a swimming pool in the backyard. It is almost an Aussie icon, since so much of this great country has a warm temperate in some places, a tropical climate like the island of Bali that makes swimming such a popular activity, let alone a great way to cool off. Concrete was the normal material for building a pool until fibreglass made an upsurge. But now, concrete is coming back into its own. Why?

There are many benefits to having a concrete swimming pool. Here are some of them: –

The design of a concrete swimming pool is almost limitless. It can be deeper and bigger than a fibreglass one which is great as long as you have a pool cleaner. Fibreglass pools are made in the factory to a set mould. There are many different shapes and sizes, but they are all limited to a certain size because they have to fit on a truck for delivery.
Concrete pools are made on the location. They can have anything in them that you want as far as seating, steps, ledges and varying depths are concerned. This is really handy if you have children of varying ages; littlies can play in the shallow part and older children can swim where it’s deeper.
You can have a spa attachment in a concrete pool.

Kitchens & Bathrooms Upgrading Your Bathroom

Go Green When Upgrading Your Bathroom

March 24, 2016

Not everyone can afford a professional bathroom upgrade, but you can do amazing things with your bathroom when you go green. Apart from new frameless shower screens, one of the trendiest things that people pay thousands of dollars for is a vamped up old dresser to hold the hand basin, yet you can do this yourself for next to nothing.

Where to find the dresser

Many people have an old dresser stored in the attic. If you don’t, you can easily find one at a goodwill store or a recycling depot. You may be able to get one cheap online at places such as Gumtree or Etsy, or pick up one at a garage sale.

All you need to do is cut a hole in the top to take the basin and then cut plumbing holes in the back or through the shelves if it comes up from the floor. Of course, the whole thing will need to be painted to seal it from getting wet, and the hand basin will need to have caulking around the edges to seal them.

Green towel rails

Going green with your bathroom renovations is easy to do with towel hangers or rails. Anything that looks like it will hold a towel can be used. Old copper pipes or even plastic plumbing can be used. Shelving can also be made from recycled planks or other materials for added interest. How about half a bicycle wheel with the flat side to the wall? Put the other half underneath for two high interest shelves that can hold folded towels and washers.

Fencing Security Fencing

What Type of Security Fencing Do You Need?

January 10, 2016

Security fencing ensures that whatever is enclosed within it is safe from intruders and it also keeps the public safe from wandering into a place that may not be safe for them. It can surround residential property, commercial establishments and even industrial sites that are many hectares in size. There are several different types of fencing and what you need will the dictated by the kind of establishment you want to surround, where it is, the length the fence needs to be and your budget. Here are some different kinds of security fencing.

Chain link fencing. This kind of fence has a diamond mesh body with two diameters; 2.50mm or 3.15mm. The mesh is galvanised or PVC coated. The top of the fence can be two or three strands of barbed – razor – wire, which can also be Y-shaped or double Y-shaped so that it extends over the verticals on each side. It is highly effective and is used for mine sites, construction sites, sporting fields and anywhere that high security is essential.

Windows

9 Ways to Use Glass in the Home

November 4, 2015

Older homes were built with a minimum amount of glass; small windows and a tiny glass panel in the front or back door and that was about it. If you get the correct building advice, you will find that toughened glass has become an increasingly popular building material. Whether you are building a new home or renovating an old one, glass can really make your home pop. Here are 9 ways to make more use of glass in the home.

Glass shower screens allow natural light into the shower stall and enhance the size of the bathroom. No shadows are created by glass walls so even in the night time, your bathroom will look lighter and brighter.
Many modern homes have glass walls that let in natural light and sunlight during the winter months to save on the cost of heating. With wider eaves to keep the summer sun out, these walls can let in the view as well as warmth and enhance your lifestyle.

Equipment

Making the Most of a Sloping Block

August 6, 2015

Whether you intend to build a new home or hire some heavy equipment such as an excavator and do some serious renovations to your present home, land excavations may be needed if your block is not dead level – and very few are. Sloping blocks are often cheaper than flat blocks because of the perceived cost of building on them. Those extra excavations needed tend to put the building price up. So if you thought to save money with that cheaper, sloping block it may not quite work out that way. Much depends on just how steep it is and what your house design is going to be.

There are two basic choices when building on a sloping block.

Renovations Carpet Renovations

Carpet Renovations and Your Budget

April 12, 2015

Often, the best renovation for your home is to put in new carpet. Old carpet that looks tatty and grubby will ruin the look of any room, no matter what other kinds of home improvement you do – even if you just bought new furniture to go in it. But when you pull up the old carpet you will see that the underfelt is left and if you are on a budget, it will be tempting to keep it as underlay for the new one. Is this truly a good idea? Professional carpet cleaners like brilliancecleaning.com.au advise against it. Why?

It’s dirty

For a start, underfelt gets dirty, just the same as the carpet. Much of the dirt and dust sinks right through the carpet and ends up trapped in the underfelt, if not professionally cleaned by a commercial cleaning company. This dirt and dust will actually work its way into the fibres of your new carpet, thus soiling it from the bottom up, resulting in a carpet that is spoiled long before its time. The underfelt can have all kinds of nasty bacteria and even fleas or flea eggs in it, if you have pets inside.

Equipment Equipment, Property Renovation

How to Get the Right Equipment for Full Property Renovation

March 6, 2015

If you are rolling up your sleeves ready to get stuck into that property renovation you may want to stop for a moment and consider what equipment hire you will need. Property renovation requires more than a few handyman tools, which are usually not strong enough to do more than light jobs. It needs commercial tools that work better, are sharper and larger with bigger motors that will not wear out before the job is done.

However, to purchase all the tools and equipment you need will probably not be cost effective, at least, not unless you have a handyman business, and maybe not even then. It depends on what type of projects you do. Often there is the need for a small excavator or ditch digger to take care of foundations or plumbing. It can be far more cost effective to hire these things than to purchase them outright, especially if you will only need them for one or two projects.

Gardens & Pools Pond

How a Small Pond can Enhance Your Garden

April 14, 2014

When looking at a partial or complete Sydney landscape design, adding a small pond to your garden can increase its beauty exponentially. For a start, with water close by you can add more plants of a different kind; those that love wet feet. You can add other features such as rocks that would simply look out of place without the water to tie them in together. And you can add other features to the pond such as a waterfall or statues that add more visual impact and create sound effects. Running water is a sound that is both soothing and enjoyable.

In addition, adding a pond to the garden is a environmentally sound idea because it offers water loving birds a place to bathe and drink and creates a home for other wildlife such as frogs and insects. This helps to restore the natural balance to nature that is usually lost in a big city.

One of the ways to create a peaceful paradise outdoors, It is easier than you may think to establish a pond, but the smaller it is the easier it is. The ultimate small pond can simply be a waterproof dish with a fake water lily floating on it. Many water features include tiny ponds and these can be made to look bigger with the addition of rocks and plants around the edges. Some may be suitable for the addition of fish.

Maintenance Professional Handyman

When You Need to Hire a Professional Handyman

July 21, 2013

Many people save money by doing repairs and renovations on their home themselves. After all, some of those jobs are fairly easy and it doesn’t take too much skill or effort to learn how to do them properly. But there are times you really do need a professional on the job because it is easy to mess it up and that will end up costing you more in the long run. So how do you know when a professional handyman is needed? Here are some ways to tell.

If the job requires specific tools that you don’t have. Yes, you may be able to hire the tools, but if you don’t have them it’s almost certain that you have never used them before and so won’t be proficient in their use. This can lead to costly mistakes, or doing a job that looks amateurish and may have to be done again. Not cost effective.

Maintenance

Make Your Bathroom Luxurious with Carpet

June 12, 2013

Nearly every bathroom has tiles on the floor as this seems to be the accepted norm. The trouble is that tiles are very cold. And they are hard if you happen to take a tumble when getting out of the bath or shower. If you are considering to use a bathroom renovation services, you may want to consider using special carpet in there rather than tiles, especially if you are a mature aged person.

You might think that an expert carpet cleaner would find it difficult in the bathroom because of all the water likely to get on it. But when you have no children in the house, you can be more careful to reduce those kinds of spills. In addition, you can still have a rubber-backed bath mat to step onto from the shower. This will leave your main carpet dry and easy to vacuum when necessary.