HOW TO CUT COSTS WHEN BUILDING A HOUSE

How to Cut Costs When Building a House

HOW TO CUT COSTS WHEN BUILDING A HOUSEEveryone would like to save a little money when building a new house. After all, there are added expenses when building, such as repayments on the land and during the construction phase which often adds pressure on both the buyer and builder to have the house completed as fast as possible. These simple tips will help to cut costs even before you start building your new house.

  1. Choose a block that is already prepared – A new subdivision should have all your services in place and also have a nice sandy block ready to be built on. This will reduce the cost of your earthworks which can be significant. If you’re buying in an established area with the intention of knocking down and rebuilding, call the local council to find out what the conditions of the land are like in that area. They may be able to tell you the type of engineering detail that is common and if limestone or rock is prevalent.
  2. Ensure your home designer has a track record of bringing house designs in on budget – this is also such an important step as a poor house designer or architect can spend your money on poor construction details that provide no benefit to the home or the owners. Be sure to ask them how they have performed in the past. It’s their job to ensure that they deliver a home on budget, and not blame their clients for ‘changing their mind’.
  3. Make all your product and colour selections before construction starts – Most owners don’t understand why this is critical to cost savings. A builder will typically send out for quotes at the start of the project. If colours and product selections have been totally completed then the builder can receive quotes for the entire home.
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Bringing the Past with You

Bringing the Past with You

Moving from one coast to another has been an interesting experience. I moved with my husband because he’s in the military. We’ve moved around a lot, but not to the west coast until now. I’ve missed all of the homes that we’ve been in, and all of the wonderful people that we’ve met along the way. In our last home before moving, there were these amazing wood shutters on the windows. The new home we moved into didn’t have them, so I had to find a company that would be able to install them.

I did some searching for local shutter companies and found one that would come to my home to do take some measurements and do some consulting for free.…

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HOME OFFICE DECORATION - WALL-MOUNTED SHELVING SYSTEM

Home Office Decoration – Wall-Mounted Shelving System

HOME OFFICE DECORATION - WALL-MOUNTED SHELVING SYSTEMIn many parts of the world, having a home office is a norm and Malaysia is no exception. The home office is sometimes used as a place for the kids to do their school work and it is also where parents do some last minute planning (in relation to their home, life and work) in a convenient and comfortable environment. Doing such work in a noisy living room is not always conducive.

Get your home office organized. The same way you need a bedroom to be comfortable and quiet, you need a home office that is regulated. A messy desk equals a messy head – and nobody can work well under such circumstances.

Suffice to say, a wall-mounted system is a product that can maximize your wall space without breaking your bank account. Each wall panel is affordable and fully customizable to suit your home. Accessories can be used to store stationery. If you are sharing the home office with the kids, help them organize their color pencils, pens and pencils, and other items easily and conveniently.

Easy cleaning and management. If you have a helper at home, this should be a breeze; but not everyone can afford one at the current economic climate. Hence, you might need to think of a wall-mounted shelving system that is easy to clean on a regular basis. It should not be too bulky to move around (if you have to move it to another place to have it cleaned).

Keeping things off the floor, kids not in danger. With kids running around, you have to seriously consider keeping things off the floor. They might trip, slip or injure themselves when they step on dangerous items. Even simple items like a pencil sharpener can be a choking hazard to a toddler.

There are other …

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HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF HOME DESIGN

How to Do it Yourself Home Design

HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF HOME DESIGNThere is a substantial population of people who do not want to hire an interior designer to oversee their home decorating projects. Often this is because they wish to be involved in each and every detail of redecorating their homes. For many this gives sense of satisfaction and achievement. Redecorating your home by yourself is much different from engaging an outsider to decorate your home. You know yourself better than anyone else. Therefore you are better suited to design a room according to your requirements and needs better than a professional decorator. This is true even if you are not a creative person.

You already know your favorite colors. You already know what helps you relax and what helps you feel energized. Most of all you know what the rooms in your home are used for and how often you use them. What you may not know is where to begin. If you find yourself at a loss for ideas begin by asking yourself a few simple questions.

Ask who and what each room is used for. This answer will tell you a lot about the kind of design you want. Make sure that the room shows the personality of those who use it and is functional. Next ask yourself what pieces of the room must stay and what can go. It would not be prudent to plan a décor for your dining area and then find you have no room for a table, but if you do not eat in your kitchen, having a table there may not be necessary. The third question you should ask is how much you can afford to spend. If your budget is limited you will need to find a way to decorate that is inexpensive. This is very possible and can still give …

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CARPET TILES: HISTORY, DEVELOPMENT, INSTALLATION, AND MAINTENANCE

Carpet Tiles: History, Development, Installation, and Maintenance

CARPET TILES: HISTORY, DEVELOPMENT, INSTALLATION, AND MAINTENANCE

Carpet Tiles are widely used nowadays for residential or commercial buildings. But how exactly did these become what they are now? Read on to know.

Brief history

To cut the long history short, carpet tiles originated from square carpets measuring 18″ x 18″. It was Milliken which introduced the 36″ x 36″ carpet tiles that we now know today. The idea behind the concept is to make carpets easier to install and store compared to larger and longer designs. You can even easily combine different styles and patterns in order to come up with varying designs. With varying combinations, these types of tiles can greatly complement the area where they are installed.

Installation

Speaking of installation, carpet tiles are easier to install than regular carpets or any other flooring material for that matter. This thereby saves you money from installation costs, especially if you seek assistance from a professional installer for other floor options and for full sized carpets.

Development

Originally, there was an issue with carpet squares not being as stiff as needed for the floor they cover. Backings were then developed in order for carpet squares or tiles to hold together, otherwise they are reduced to nothing else but plain pieces of cloth. Backings help achieve stiffness in the carpet tiles and also enable them to withstand pressure from traffic; thereby, increasing the lifespan of these carpets. Combined with proper maintenance, square carpet will surely become more durable and will last longer than carpet rolls.

Personal and professional maintenance

In relation to maintenance, it is easier to clean carpet squares as they are small and handy. They can be easily removed, moved outside, and cleaned with water and a cleaning agent, if there is a need to do so. If not, vacuum cleaning without the need to move …

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