Category: Home Improvement

Perfect Patio: How to Create Your Own Backyard Ambiance

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Patios today are not just outdoor areas to stop before heading into a backyard. They are living areas and extensions of the inside of the home. Many different options are available that allow homeowners to design comfortable, elegant, and functional patios. Several ideas will help Orlando homeowners to create a perfect patio with ambiance and style.

Pick a Comfortable Patio Furniture Set

Modern patio furniture is just as comfortable as furniture inside the home. A great patio should have a complete set of furniture. This should include a relaxing couch, chairs, and at least one table. They can be made from strong resins or sustainable woods like teak and bamboo. Comfortable furniture will make spending time on the patio more enjoyable.

Install Designer Lighting

Good lighting is responsible for the ambiance on the patio, especially in the evening. Homeowners should install designer lighting in several places. Landscape lights can illuminate the area around the patio. Sconces and hanging pendant lights can create gentle light while dining or relaxing outside. Lights can even be installed in the patio surface for safety or unique ground illumination.

Add Attractive Plantings

Part of the ambiance of a backyard patio is the presence of nature around the property. Homeowners should add attractive plantings on, and around the patio. Large outdoor pots can hold small trees or robust succulents. Climbing vines can cover nearby fences or the walls of the home. Shrubs and hedges can act as dividers. Plants make the patio more attractive while also sometimes absorbing sound and creating privacy.

Consider Patio Heaters

Patio heaters make the space comfortable even during cold days in the winter. Patio heaters look like tall lamps or poles. They can increase the temperature on the patio so it remains comfortable, in all but the worst conditions. They can create a warm and inviting patio all year long.

Choose the Right Patio Surface

The patio surface will largely determine the comfort and stability of everything from furniture to appliances. Homeowners will want to choose concrete when designing a patio. Concrete companies provide mixtures that will pour easily and level simply. Concrete is durable and does not attract pests like some other materials. Concrete can also be finished in a number of ways to create a very distinctive and memorable appearance.

Patios should be designed just like any room inside the house. They must include lighting, a solid surface, and comfortable furniture. Patios today can even be equipped with fireplaces or kitchen appliances so it is easier to spend hours enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.

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Four Warning Signs That Your Home Might Be In Major Trouble

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

For many common damages to homes, there are telltale warning signs that allude to the problem long before it officially sets in. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what to look for in a home that is potentially vulnerable to excessive damages. These are four warning signs that your home might be in major trouble.

Clogged Drains or Leaky Plumbing

If you’ve noticed a drain that doesn’t seem to flush water as quickly as it once did, or if you’ve noticed a bit of water accumulation under the sink, it’s definitely time to make the appropriate fixes to avoid bigger problems down the line. Steer clear of excessive damage by shopping around for Orlando plumbers for quick and effective repairs to your plumbing problems.

A Weak HVAC System

HVAC systems are notorious for losing their momentum sooner or later. This is often because they are used almost all year round, and they are constantly working to keep homes and other facilities stay neutralized at a constant temperature. Eventually, this can lead to less than satisfactory results. Take caution if you hear any clunking or banging coming from your HVAC system, or if the compressor stays on a lot longer than it should. This is a sign of the system working harder than it should and the fact that it needs repair.

A Weakening Roof

On most roofs, shingles are layered with a solution of granules that provide an extra layer of protection against natural wear and tear. Over time, granule will wear away and expose the shingles to harsh weather conditions which can, in turn, excessively damage a roof. You might be up against a potentially exposed roof if you find bits of granule on the ground and around the area of where gutters drain. If you attack the problem as early as possible, it’s often easy to reroof without starting completely over with a new roof.

A Shifting Foundation

Lastly, a shifting foundation could quite possibly be the worst sign of damage for your home. As soon as you notice any cracking, bulges, or indentations, document it with the date, time, and a photograph. This will help contractors know how to fix the problem.

Above all, keep an eye attributes about your home that don’t seem or aren’t normal. Generally, if you feel like there could be potential damage done to your home due to observing questionable warning signs, there probably will be. Remember to document and contact repair professionals right away!

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Let the Lights Guide you Home – Attracting Potential Buyers with Dynamic Outdoor Lighting

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Any small advantage that can gain your home or rental property those few extra views should be viewed not with caution but with wide-eyed enthusiasm. Even small things such as making sure the house has a fresh coat of paint, making sure the windows are all clean or the floors are all recently vacuumed, should not be looked down upon.

One area that most of us overlook is outdoor lighting. It’s said that you can’t change the first impression, so why are we spending so little effort in making sure that the first impression is a keeper? Subtle, strategically placed outdoor lighting can be used to make your home appear bigger, more attractive, and more sellable. You have no doubt spent a significant amount of time and effort making sure that your indoor lighting is up to scratch, so why not spend just a fraction of that time and effort making sure your outdoor lighting is just as impressive?

Safety First

Outdoor lighting is not just aesthetically pleasing but it also makes your home safer. Not only does it dissuade potential robbers from breaking into your home due to the extra exposure they would receive, but it also means you and any potential buyers are less likely to take a nasty tumble between the car and the front door.

Lit Up

Think about it, what’s the first thing a potential buyer or renter will do before they make the decision whether or not to book a viewing? They’ll have a drive past the house of course. If they are driving past at night in the dark, they won’t be able to see anything if there are no external lights and you could have just missed out on viewing.

Adding Value

It might sound too good to be true but if it’s implemented in the right way, outdoor lighting can actually increase your property value. This is especially true if your front garden is particularly attractive or there are features at the front of your house (a nice tree, a perfectly maintained flower bed or a generous space for parking perhaps) that might look quite desirable when they are illuminated.

Standing Out

Not only will an unlit home look dark and uninviting, but it will simply merge into the background. With strategically placed outdoor lighting giving your home a warm, comforting and inviting glow it will stand head and shoulders above the competition.

LED

Whilst you might (understandably) wrongly believe that outdoor lighting is an expensive pursuit, the prevalence of more energy efficient, LED lighting has meant expensive electricity bills could be a thing of the past. There are no bulbs to change, the energy efficiency is literally 10 times better than halogen bulbs and they are far more durable, meaning they are far better suited for outdoor usage. LED lights might be more of an initial investment, but their dynamism, reliability and energy efficiency will save you potential hundreds in the long run. Solar-powered outdoor LED lights are also an option.

Placement Tips

  • Outdoor lights will always appear larger in the shop than they will once they are installed so be sure to take this into account when you’re shopping around.
  • Place the exterior lighting in areas that can be seen from inside your home, it will add a deceptively bold extra layer to your overall lighting that will really help sell your property.
  • Use different types and levels of light together to give your home a three-dimensional sense of depth. Experiment with different positions and levels until you achieve the desired effect.
  • By lighting surrounding trees and bushes you can achieve a pleasant ‘spill’ effect. Also, try decorating the foliage with fairy lights, especially in winter when you can get away with it.
  • Don’t go overboard. You don’t want your home to be lit up like a fairground attraction. You simply want to give the impression that it’s a comfortable place in which someone would be happy to spend the rest of their lives! So no pressure!

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Make Your Garage More Organized by Considering These 5 Things

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

If your garage looks like a collection center for all of the overflow items that can’t fit inside your home, you are not getting that maximum benefit from that space. You can make your garage a more organized and functional space by considering the following five ideas.

Too Much Stuff

Chances are, you have a lot of things in your garage that you have forgotten you even own or things you simply don’t need. Therefore, the first step to organizing your garage is to remove what’s in there and sort the contents according to things you want to keep, things you can donate, and things to throw away. Establish an organizational system before you return the items you plan.

Look Up, Down, and Around

With the contents removed from your garage, you can mentally devise an organizational plan that will accommodate your stuff. There are lots of carts, cabinets, baskets, and other organizational tools available to help you create a system that works for you. Be sure to utilize the overhead space and all of the wall space. Pegboards, magnetic strips, and storage racks are essential features of an organized garage.

Keep Your Items Safe

After you have organized your garage, you want to be sure that the items you have stored there are safe. You can find garage door repair in Phoenix that can help you with issues such as doors that are off track, broken cables, or issues concerning the controls and remote.

Garage Aesthetics

You can feel quite proud of your organizational accomplishment, but few people will actually see your impressively organized space. However, everyone passing by will see your garage door. An unsightly door gives the impression that the space behind the door is probably a chaotic mess. You might want to consider letting an Orlando professional garage door company install the new attractive door that your organized garage is worthy of.

Add a Shed

If possible, you might consider adding a shed to your property. You can use this space for lawn and garden equipment which will free up more space in your garage and make it feel substantially less cluttered.

With tips like these, you can be sure to reduce your accumulation of stuff and organize the things you need. It can also be an immediate way to simplify your life and relieve you of the frustration of constantly searching for items you need. Improving both the interior space and exterior appearance of your garage may motivate you to pursue other home improvement and organization projects.

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How To Put Your Own Mark On Your Home: Five Do It Yourself Ideas

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

While many projects are probably best handled by a skilled contractor with years of industry experience, there are many do-it-yourself projects you can do in your home to increase its value, add to its beauty, and contribute to its uniqueness. When you buy a house, doing the project yourself is a great way to save money on any project, and it allows you to do it at your own pace and to your own specifications. Here are five do-it-yourself ideas that will put a mark on your home.

1) Paint –

Going to the home improvement store and looking at the paint color and other options available is one of the best ways to get ideas for a room. Painting is a cost-effective way to change the look of a room for the better. Before you paint, consider adding features to a room such as crown molding, chair rails, and custom lighting features. These are best picked out and added while you are painting the room rather than later. This way you will not have to move furniture around more than once.

2) A Bathroom Remodel –

As long as you do not plan on moving the main plumbing features of your bathroom, the bathroom is one of the easiest rooms in your house to remodel. Changing the tile flooring can drastically alter the look of a room, and changing the bathroom vanity and faucet gives you a plethora of style options to choose from.

3) Add a Spiral Staircase –

You can buy kits for building your own spiral staircase that adds a layer of customization to your home that the typical home does not possess. These kits come with staircases in a variety of color and style options that you can select from to match your current or planned decor and colors.

4) Make a Flowerbed –

One of the best ways to add some customization to your yard is to add a flowerbed. This is relatively easy to do and it gives you the flexibility to add flowers and shrubs of your own choosing. It’s a great way to put your personality into the exterior of your home.

5) Create a Patio –

You can create a simple patio from stones designed for this purpose that you can buy at the average home improvement store. This is a cheap and effective way to expand the living space outside your home.

These five projects are relatively easy for the typical homeowner to complete with a little preparation and effort. All of these projects will make your home a more customized, comfortable place that can match your style and personality.

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