29 Mar, 2024
2 mins read

Home Warranty Plans For Home Sellers

The uncertainty of purchasing a home that isn’t new can be a bit unsettling. Is everything working? Will it all keep working? Even with a thorough home inspection, you don’t know how long the appliances or systems will last. More and more home sellers are turning to home warranty plans to persuade buyers to buy, and this is why:
To Avoid Disputes
Once in a while, after the sale of a home from seller to buyer, something will break soon after. This may or may not be the fault of the seller, but often times, the buyer assumes it is. It then turns into a dispute over who has to pay for it. Purchasing a warranty plan helps avoid this because the plan covers the costs of most repairs and replacements.
To Reassure Buyers
Buyers don’t know if they can trust the seller. They don’t know the history of the home or what’s inside it. Home inspections can help with this, but there’s still the uncertainty of how long everything is going to last and if the buyer will be able to afford the cost of maintenance for the home-which can be expensive. Warranty plans can resolve all of this and give the buyer peace of mind, knowing they’re covered in the event of maintenance problems.
To Protect the Seller
It’s not too common, but sometimes things break during the listing and escrow period. Then what? The seller then has unexpected and unwanted extra costs-on top of the costs of selling a home. It’s an unnecessary stress that can easily be avoided by getting a warranty plan. Do yourself a favor.
To Give Buyers Confidence in Buying a Previously Owned Home
When buying a new home, everything is new, and buyers aren’t so worried about breakdowns and maintenance. This is an extra appeal for new homes. But what about homes that aren’t new? For a seller with a previously owned home, you want to give buyers every added confidence you can give them that your home is the right home for them. Home warranty plans are the way to do that. That way, buyers can trust that even if something does break, it will be okay. Home warranty plans are a great option for sellers and buyers.…

3 mins read

Wastewater and Sewage Treatment – For Residential Properties

Most of us flush the toilet without a second thought, but what happens to the wastewater if the property’s not connected to mains drainage?
There are several options available to homeowners:
Cesspits and cesspools
A cesspit or cesspool is simply a holding tank for receiving and storing wastewater from a property. The wastewater enters the cesspit where it remains until it is emptied by a vacuum tanker. As the cesspit merely holds the wastewater rather than treating it, the tanks tend to fill quite quickly resulting in the need for frequent emptying which can be costly.
Cesspits are usually only used as a temporary measure until the property is connected to mains drainage or because the Environment Agency doesn’t allow the property to discharge. Cesspits are typically viewed as the least desirable wastewater treatment system due to a number of unfavourable factors. As the cesspit receives all the waste from a property they have to be large enough to cope with this; the sizing criteria is based on a loading of 180 litres per person per day and must have the capacity to hold 45 days’ worth of effluent which inevitably leads to a large tank.
Septic Tanks
Septic tank systems store and minimally treat sewage and usually consist of a storage tank with two or three chambers to separate the solid and liquid waste. The chambers within the septic tank hold the sewage solids long enough to allow the solids to form sludge at the bottom of the tank and are designed to retain any floating matter.
The sludge is partially broken down through anaerobic digestion and the remaining liquid passes through the outlet to a soakaway drainage system. A soakaway system disperses this partially treated liquid (known as effluent) into a drainage trench where the pathogens, nutrients and organic material are dispersed into the gravel and are removed or neutralized as the liquid moves through into the soil.
The remaining sludge in the septic tank needs to be emptied regularly; the frequency of septic tank pumping depends on the amount of waste entering the septic tank and its size.
Sewage Treatment Plants
A sewage treatment plant is by far the best method of wastewater treatment. In a sewage treatment system, the wastewater enters the plant where it is treated, producing final effluent that is of a high enough standard, as set by the Royal Commission, to be discharged to a watercourse or groundwater.
Most home sewage treatment systems comprise a primary settlement chamber, biological zone and final clarification. Depending on which make and model you choose, these components could be in separate units, or enclosed in one.
Some systems have a primary settlement chamber where the raw solids separate from the liquor; the solids need to be periodically taken away by a tanker (tankered) and the liquor is then biologically treated. Other systems don’t have a separate treatment chamber, and the solids are continuously mixed in an aeration chamber with bacteria and oxygen to allow aerobic organisms to …

2 mins read

Consider These Three Timeless Ways To Make Your Money Work for You

Most people have some motivation to succeed financially and ensure they have plenty of money to last the rest of their lives or beyond in the form of inheritances. Of course, it seems that there are countless recommended options in achieving this goal. For that reason, individuals often find the process convoluted and needlessly complex. Instead of becoming lost in the noise by those attempting to sell you on the latest fads or gimmicks, it is probably best to start with the basics. If you or someone you know is looking into ways to maximize their income and savings, keep the following guidelines in mind.

Research Real Estate

One of the oldest and most reliable places to put money is in property. Not only is it useful in the meantime, it often increases in value over time given the right circumstances. Anyone hoping to pursue this opportunity should seek out real estate investment companies Clifton Springs NY, or a professional in any community across the U.S.

Scour Stock Tips

Another area ripe for potential profit is Wall Street. Of course, there is far more risk involved in this type of investment. Make sure any exploration in this realm comes with expert advice and plenty of diversification to absorb an unexpected blow to the stock market.

Visualize Valuable Property

In addition to major investments like land or buildings, smaller items of value can also bring about a lot of financial security. For many people, this coincides with an existing hobby or passion. Collecting watches, artwork, or baseball cards are a few common ways individuals keep and enjoy what they love while saving for the future.
For anyone preparing to enjoy a lengthy retirement, it is important to make sure every dollar is working toward that goal. The guidelines above will help making those choices a little easier.…

3 mins read

Define Your Style – Home Design Ideas

Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and when it comes to interior design this can often by the best route to take if you don’t trust your own design instincts. There is a danger however, that your house will blend into every other Magnolia drenched, carbon copy home that we see cloned on every street in Britain today. Why do we practice such safe design? Is it because we suffer from a lack of imagination, or are home owners up and down the land just not brave enough to experiment? Maybe in this difficult economic climate we cannot risk straying from that safe colour palette of cream and white?
I say, why create a ‘blank canvas’ (just in case you move home), for someone else to put his or her stamp on. Look for inspiration everywhere and don’t fear your own style. There are several ways in which you can experiment without breaking the bank and below are a few ideas and tips, which could inspire you to create your own unique groove. Firstly, do a little research. Websites such as housetohome have a fantastic gallery of pictures and suppliers that can inspire you and are less likely to be found in the house next door.
Create a mood board. Collect images, colour swabs and fabric samples in order to focus your ideas and inspire you. This way you will be able to see which colours and styles go together and it will also help you commit to only buying what you need. Steer clear of the plain and create simple elegance by choosing a simple colour palette but also experimenting with different textures of paint and fabrics. B&Q have a paint colour mixing service, which can match any of your favourite items.
Add a splash of colour by adding cushions and throws or curtains. Cushions, and more surprisingly curtains, are easy to make if you have a bit of time on your hands and you can get quality designer fabrics at greatly reduced prices online. Stores such as sell designer fabrics at £10 a meter instead of the recommended retail price of £30 to £100 a meter. If you don’t fancy making curtains yourself, Digby & Willoughby can get these made up for you. Alternatively breathe life into a favourite chair with new upholstery with Fabrics from Digby & Willoughby.
Accessorise with one or two unique pieces such as a beautiful free standing mirror or a piece of artwork. To save some pennies you could visit auction houses such as lotsroad or criterionauctions. I recently found a fantastic seascape oil painting in a charity shop and a beautiful art deco bedroom suite on so keep your eyes peeled. Love the traditional? Experiment with mixing the traditional with the new to avoid being old fashioned. Choose classic wallpapers with a funky twist from companies such as Cole & Sons and Zoffany to create a feature wall. Visit reclamation yards such as wellsreclaimation or sites such as …

3 mins read

How to Determine the Most Efficient Design For Your Home

Design efficiency is often overlooked and not discussed very often by buyers and builders alike. Over years of home design and building I have had to review countless house designs in order to economise the building to achieve a target budget. There are a few simple rules when going through this review which I have outlined below.
Economise wasted space
This is the most simple step for someone with a high level of spatial awareness. A quick overview of a floor plan will highlight areas that are larger than required or excessive. Examples may be significant lengths of passageways, odd sized areas where rooms don’t connect or flow properly or simply oversized rooms. Last year a client came to me and showed me a house plan he had designed through a so called architect that had a master bedroom 8.5m x 3.0m and the client didn’t identify the room as being odd until I pointed it out. If you’re familiar with viewing architectural plans this process is quite simple, however for most home buyers it’s very difficult to visualise space just by looking at a scaled drawing. A simpler way that I recommend to buyers is to take a blank piece of paper and cut out scaled sized furniture that they have in their current home, then position it on the home design plans where they think it will go. This will then help them to assess proportions of room sizes in relation to their furniture.
Remove excess engineering costs
When designing and building two storey homes the main factor in price efficiency is with engineering costs. Large spans of open space on the ground floor could cause the engineer to increase the depth of the suspended slab from 172mm to 257mm, which adds significant costs. Keeping enough structural walls beneath the slab in key positions will remove the need for this cost and can still mean you have a fantastic open space.
Minimising suspended slab extensions is also critical, something that an experienced architect or house designer will do automatically, but often overlooked by novice designers. This poor design feature will make a house have a concrete slab where it is underutilised, and hidden in the roof space which just means it’s a very expensive ceiling.
Reducing the need for structural columns is also a factor. Since the supply and installation of a structural column can cost $400-$500 each you want to reduce the number used in a house design. Clever use of internal walls can easily save $3,000 – again a cost that will never be seen once the home is completed.
This step by step analysis was performed recently on a cheap two storey home design that highlights changes made to the elevation and style of the home saved significant building costs.…

3 mins read

The 4 Most Common Septic System Problems

Septic systems are designed to process human waste and decompose it anaerobically over time. Most of the time they function perfectly, but much like any system with some amount of complexity, they are prone to some problems. Here we discuss the common septic systems problems.

Functioning Septic Systems

Septic systems break human and organic waste down into their constituent parts. The bacterial decomposition results in the formation of solids, liquids and gases. The solid part of it settles to the bottom of the tank, where it remains until it is removed by a septic tank pumper (which should be every 1 to 3 years). The gases and liquids are regularly released from the tank vents and pipes.

Almost every household has used their septic system as a dumping ground for non-organic waste. From plastic objects to tampons, people flush a wide variety of objects down the toilet, which the septic process was never designed to handle. These objects, if they do not block the pipes, make it to the septic tank and just sit there taking up space. These objects are non-biodegradable the bacteria cannot decompose them and they can only be removed by pumping the tank out.

Four of the most common problems with septic tanks are as follows:

Excess water being sent to the septic tank. Excess water is never good for a septic tank because it makes the solids overflow through the vents and pipes, which then blocks them. The blockage can completely stop the system from working and cause a backup into your house.

Sending paint thinners and solvents into the septic tank. These are toxic substances which are not good for the soil of the system, where they will finally find home because they are non-biodegradable too.

Using too many household detergents. These detergents contain phosphates, which are helpful in algae growth. Algae can block pipes and then make the septic tank overflow.

Flushing non-biodegradable products down the toilet (mentioned earlier). Non-biodegradable substances need to be regularly pumped out of the tank just because bacteria cannot decompose them.

How to solve common septic system problems:

Use a lesser amount of water than you do normally to solve the problem the excess water problem. There are various solutions to easily reduce water consumption. You can find some examples at your local hardware store.

Do not dispose of non-biodegradable waste into the septic system. At all. Ever.

Do not use the common detergents; instead use liquid soaps and gel soaps which do not contain phosphates.

Do not dispose of toxic substances like paint thinners and solvents into the septic system.

Finally, have your septic system pumped every few years. One to three years is the duration advised by the experts as an acceptable amount of time between pumpings.…

2 mins read

3 Great Ways to Enhance Your Home’s Exterior

Is the appearance of your home making you feel a little self-conscious? Luckily, there are several home improvement options to make your home become the best on the block. Here are three great ways to enhance the exterior of your home and boost your curb appeal!

1. Build a Front Porch

If your front porch is nothing more than a concrete stoop and a front door, you’ll want to build your own porch to make your home appear more inviting. Start by installing covering such as a pergola or awning. Mount outdoor lighting next to your front door to light the way for guests as they arrive. Finally, add finishing touches like new house address numbers or even some potted plants to make your porch appear more welcoming for guests.

2. Update Exterior Surfaces

Is your home’s exterior cladding dragging down your curb appeal? Improve these exterior surfaces by applying new siding or stucco. Choose professional stucco installation Columbus OH to transform your home’s exterior and give it a fresh, new look! Alternatively, you could install new surface cladding on strategic areas of the house. Manufactured stone veneer can add texture to your home and is ideal for application around the garage or around your front door.

3. Upgrade the Garage Door

If a completely new door doesn’t fit with your budget, there are easy ways to give your old door a makeover. If you have a wood door, you could either use a fresh gel stain or a coat of paint, followed by an appropriate sealant. For metal doors, consider modernizing the appearance by applying a new custom-printed vinyl wrap.

If you make the right home improvements, you can easily boost your home’s curb appeal. By following these tips, your home will soon become the envy of the entire neighborhood!…

2 mins read

Tips to Beautiful Your Home’s Exterior

If you’re looking to beautify the outside of your home, you’re in luck. There are plenty of projects you can do to create an outdoor space that’s truly dazzling and will help turn your home into a showpiece. If you’re not sure where you should start to beautify your home, here are some common projects that homeowners typically do to up their curb appeal and outdoor aesthetics.

Paint

For many homeowners, one of the easiest ways to beautify the outside of their homes is to give it a fresh coat of paint. You can paint your home’s exterior to freshen it up and make it stand out. There are other options as well, such as adding or changing siding which not only makes your home pop but can also protect it from the elements.

Landscaping

Landscaping is one of the most important ways that a homeowner can beautify their home. Your landscaping is a statement of your personal style and a great way to show off your personality. You don’t have to be a landscaping expert to create a beautiful outdoor space for your home, either. If you have a vision in mind for your home’s landscaping, you can rely on landscaping companies boca raton to bring that vision to life to create a beautiful look that is sure to impress.

Gardens

If you’re interested in putting your green thumb to work, you can add a garden to your yard. There are several types of gardens you can implement, from flower gardens and butterfly gardens to zen gardens or fruit and vegetable gardens. Not only can they provide a great aesthetic addition to your home, but gardening can also be a great way to de-stress as it’s often seen as a relaxing activity.

With these tips in mind, you can create a truly beautiful home that you and others will enjoy.…

2 mins read

4 Things To Consider When Building a Home Outside of Town

If you already own the land in a rural area that you will build your new home on, you are partway through the toughest decisions you will ever make in the construction process. Now you have to decide on a few other critical options that can be confusing and affect the way your home suits your needs. Here are four things to consider when building a home outside of town.

1. Restrictions

Before you make big plans on building a compound for your family, starting a business on the land, or selling off portions of your large acreage, beware! Contact your county seat and identify the restrictions there are on the property. The limits can range from what type of home you can build to whether you can have animals to the placement of outbuildings.

2. Utilities

Homes that are outside of town may rely on a generator for electricity for several weeks during the winter and summer when extreme weather downs lines or drains the power. Some homes are heated with wood, propane, or central air, while internet service can be sporadic, depending on where your home is located. Don’t forget to contact a well digging Fort Bend service for water access to your new home.

3. Budget

Establish a budget for your project. It can be difficult because there are always unexpected surprises that spring up. However, it is important to try and stick as close to your budget as possible so you can finish your home.

4. Blueprints

You know what your property looks like, so now it is time to find a set of blueprints that draws up a home that you can live in for many years to come. Make sure you don’t under-build so that you won’t outgrow the house in a few years, and don’t over-build so that you find yourself resenting all the energy expenses for heating and cooling.

Building a new home is exciting when you know what to expect. Deciding what you want before you begin building is the first step.…

2 mins read

Professional Home Design Made Easy

Have you ever browsed through a design magazine and wondered how the pros do it? You’re not alone-every homeowner wants a professionally designed home, the kind where the colors, patterns, spaces and lighting just work perfectly together. Well, the good news is that it’s not that hard to pull off, and you don’t even have to spend a fortune for it. The pros really go by just a few simple rules, and the rest is a matter of creativity.
The first thing you have to decide on is color: after all, it’s the first and last thing that people notice when they look at a home. For the most part, it’s a personal decision. You want a color that you can live with for a long time, but is also versatile enough to go with changing tastes and trends. If you’re not sure what to pick, you can play it safe by just using neutrals like black, white or beige, and then adding colorful pieces as you see fit.
Textures are the second most important element in home design. Sometimes a home may have the perfect color combination, but still appear flat because it lacks texture. Wherever there’s an expanse of space, think of ways to liven it up. Use textured paint or wall art to break up the monotony of a blank wall. If you have lots of bare floor, lay out a rug or runner for some variety. Just make sure not to overdo it, as it makes the room look messy.
Finally, you need to find a focal point-a point of interest that draws the viewer’s eye and directs it around the room. It can be a lighting fixture, a painting, or a window with a view. These days, many designers are using area rugs as focal points, and it’s easy to see why. Not only are they bright and colorful, they also add a nice warm glow to any space. You can use one rug for a small room or two larger ones if you have a larger area. Look for a rug that fits your décor theme, and place it somewhere visible like the middle of a floor or the front of your fireplace.…