A homeowner’s guide to cleaning the fireplace
There are few things guaranteed to warm the heart (and the limbs) faster than a beautiful open fireplace. As a design feature, it is delightfully sophisticated and wonderfully stylish. While many of the traditional Georgian and Victorian fireplaces have now made way for more contemporary shapes and forms, Australian homeowners still love the crackle and heat of real wood fires.
Read moreHome heating options in a nutshell
There are several options when it comes to heating your home, and the right choice will depend on your individual circumstances. Before you even consider which type of heating system will be right for you, consider how you can make your home more efficient at retaining heat. Overlooking this step could cost you dearly in the long run, resulting in the need for a more powerful heater which perpetually struggles against cold draughts and escaping heat.
Read moreRenovating your Queenslanders’ floors
The Queenslander is a much admired and sort after home that can be found in most parts of Queensland as well as northern New South Wales. There are a number of eras and designs of the Queenslander ranging from the 1800’s to post WW11 homes dotted all over Brisbane, varying in architecture as time progressed and the average size of the urban house block decreased. There are however a couple of unique features all Queenslanders share, the most iconic of which is the verandahs and the timber floors.
Read moreRoofing: concrete tiles or Colorbond steel?
Whether you’re building, renovating, or doing repairs, it’s worth reconsidering your roof. The best fit for your home and lifestyle isn’t always immediately apparent, and there are plenty of factors to consider. The most popular roofing materials in Australia are concrete tiles and Colorbond steel.
Read moreBlinds on the inside
Considering blinds for your windows? Well you will be bowled over by choice. Here is some information to get you started.
Read moreDo you have a leaking Pipe?
When leaks occur in pipes in the walls, ceilings or floor, there are usually noticeable water staining marks in the area of the leak. Vermin can chew through plastic piping in roofs and walls, causing small leaks that can be tricky to hear and see.
Read moreThe difference between skylights and roof windows
Are you looking to install a skylight in your home but keep coming across the term “roof window” in your research?
Read more5 Types of Wall Lighting - How to Choose the Right One for Your Home
When selecting the perfect bathroom wall light, quality of the fixture and its ability withstand exposure to moisture is key. Bathroom wall lights ideally need to have an IP Rating of at least IP44 to ensure they are protected from the regular exposure to moisture that comes with regular bathroom use.
Read moreRenovating? Time to think about you outdoor additions
Australians traditionally love the outdoors. We love to take advantage of the abundant sunny days and warm evenings by entertaining outdoors. Outdoor rooms and outdoor kitchens along with verandahs, decks, pergolas, patios, cabanas and gazebos provide us with a space to extend our living into the outdoors. Relaxed, informal entertaining these days is a very popular way to catch up with family and friends. You would be hard pressed to find an Australian home that does not have some form of outdoor living space.
Read moreThe importance of a professional concretor
Concrete is a versatile and very widely used building material. There would be very few homes, old or new that don’t have concrete in some way, shape or form. The mixing, forming, laying and finishing of concrete is extremely important and therefore should always be carried out by a professional, licensed and insured Concretor regardless of the size of the job. A shoddy concreting job is not only visually very obvious but also can be a risk to structural integrity and therefore a safety risk.
Read moreSetting up the ideal home office
Working from home is only worthwhile if you have a well-designed work space there. If you are setting up a home office at your place keep the following tips in mind.
Read moreChoosing the right rug for your space
A rug is the perfect way to complete your look, but they can be a very tricky thing to buy if one is unsure of what they are looking for. Design factors such as placement, colour and size are the main troublesome issues; however there are many more areas that could aide confusion.
Read moreA homeowner’s guide to planning a hassle free home renovation
Every year, millions of homeowners all across Australia embark on ambitious home renovation projects. The most popular targets are the kitchen and the bathroom, because they offer lots of opportunities for families to stamp their personality on the space. Whether it’s a full makeover, complete with entirely new fixtures and fittings, or it’s just a spruce up to revive a tired room; successful renovations can add value to a home and expand its appeal.
Read moreOutdoor Kitchens
The 21st Century has brought us lots of new innovations to simplify our lifestyles.The formal dinner parties of the past have declined to make way for a more relaxed, casual style of entertaining and none more popular than dining Al Fresco and cooking in an Outdoor Kitchen.
Read moreNew Home Construction - Exterior and Interior Colours Finished
For interior paint, choose colours wisely so they blend harmoniously with your floors, cabinetry and furnishings, adding elegance to your living spaces like no other detail can. And floors should not be overlooked; quality tiles, plush carpet or timber floors complete every room ensuring practicality combined with attractive character.
Read moreSelecting security doors and grills
Oh for the days when our personal security was not always at the fore front of our minds. It’s hard to believe that front and back doors of homes had nothing more than a simple key lock for security
Read morePros and cons of some of the common home security alarm systems
We all want to feel safe and secure in our homes and to know that our property is protected, so for many, a home security alarm system is the answer. There are both positives and negatives to installing some of the common home security alarm systems available, which are outlined below. Before looking at the pros and cons, read this article to understand how the two basic types of home security alarm systems work.
Read moreBeat the Melbourne climate install air conditioning
Australia is a country of climate extremes and while traditionally we embrace the summer months it can be exhausting and debilitating when the temperatures and the humidity rise. Our houses heat up during the day making it very uncomfortable to sleep at night. It can be just as uncomfortable trying to stay warm during the chilly winter months and if you live in Melbourne you could well experience all four seasons in one day. The perfect solution to this changing and sometimes unpredictable weather is air conditioning.
Read moreHow to choose a staircase
There are many homes throughout Australia with staircases and in some more than one. A staircase can be tucked away and unobtrusive or can be a focal point and add real wow factor to your home. Taking regulations and guidelines into account your staircase can then only be limited by space, budget and imagination.
Read moreWhen to call in a handyman
Maintaining a home is important to ensure that small problems don’t become large problems when left unaddressed for long periods of time. Our home is probably our biggest investment and we should keep it in good shape. Let’s face it – not everyone is a home handyman. You may not be handy or you may be too busy to get those little jobs done around the home and that’s when you should call in a handyman.
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