Warning signs of pest infestations to look out for while house hunting
Check open spaces for anthills, window frames for wasps nests, trees for termite nests, and sheds and trees for possum nests. Be on the lookout for other evidence that pests are living there such as droppings under trees and the skin being eaten off lemons on fruit trees. Secondly, observe greenery in the area. If there are damaged plants or patches of grass pests may be to blame.
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 moreWhat do plumbers do?
Plumbers work is a very necessary and essential part of any building work whether it’s a new build, an extension, renovation or improvement to any home or commercial premises. It is vital to have a licensed professional plumber carry out any plumbing related work to ensure it is legal and guaranteed. When plumbing goes wrong it can be disastrous so never try to do it yourself.
Read moreSeven simple DIY ways to clear a blocked drain
Most residents give little, if any, thought to the things they flush down the toilet and wash down their sinks. Water companies spend millions each year clearing out foreign matter that has ended up in our increasingly overloaded sewer systems. But the water companies aren’t the only ones responsible for drains. Find out more and what you can do about it here.
Read moreA wallet-friendly guide to transforming your house into an eco-friendly habitat
When it comes to trying to make the shift into living a greener life, many are under the impression that the changes they have to make to their lifestyles and homes will absolutely break the bank. Whilst this can indeed sometimes be true, on the flipside, there are actually a large number of ways you can transform your home into an eco-friendly household without busting a hole in your pocket. Have a look at our wallet-friendly guide to transforming your house into an eco-friendly habitat.
Read moreHow to create kerb appeal
We have all admired other people’s homes. Regardless of the period, style, size and location there are many homes you look at and just say “wow”, “I could live there in a heartbeat” , “that’s my dream home” , “if I won Lotto that’s where I would want to live” and so on. We can be equally critical about the homes we don’t like. The ones we look at and say “what were they thinking?” “look how untidy that yard is”, “I don’t like the colour scheme” or “it looks very ramshackle”, “maybe its abandoned”.
Read moreMaking the most of a spare room
If you are lucky enough to have a spare room at your place, be sure to make the most of it. Regardless of whether you use the extra space to support a hobby, get in shape or to supplement your income, don’t waste that precious space.
Read moreExterior Painting: Why, When, and How
Painting the exterior of your home is an affordable way to make a big positive change in how it is perceived. When completed by professionals it will look great and protect your home from the elements for years to come.
Read moreA 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 moreKitchen Functionality: A Guide to 5 Popular Styles of Kitchen Islands
The dream kitchen of every chef has a U-shaped kitchen island. The three corner walls of cabinetry with its appliances are more than enough to radically improve the efficiency and functionality of any kitchen.
Read moreGet Decked Out
Thinking about what flooring or paving to choose for your patio, outdoor room, poolside surrounds, entertaining area or pathways?
Read morePest Control is a must
No one likes creepy crawling insects around the home. Mice, cockroaches, ants, spiders, silverfish, fleas and the silent assassins, termites, are all unwanted visitors to our homes.
Read moreStart the New Year with a spring clean
Christmas is a faded memory and a New Year has begun and what better way to start the New Year than with a spring clean and maintenance of your home and garden. Have you let all those little odd jobs mount up during the past year while you kept telling yourself that you will get around to fixing them. So hire a handyman and kick the year off with a good clean, repair and rubbish removal.
Read moreALARMING! Help to upgrade your home security
No matter what the size and value of our home is we want to protect it, just as we want to protect our family, and the best way to do that is with security.
Read moreHow to choose the right kitchen bench top
The kitchen is the beating heart of your home. It should be a functional and hard wearing as well as an attractive and inviting space.
Read moreRendering a fresh look
There would be few homes these days that do not have some interior or exterior rendered walls. Many contemporary homes are rendered entirely on the outside especially new builds, while a large number of existing or older style homes are rendered to give them a new lease of life and more kerb appeal. Rendering creates a modern elegant finish with clean simple lines while providing a protective layer to the walls making them longer lasting and lower in maintenance.
Read moreThe benefits of cladding
In many parts of Australia cladding is having a resurgence in popularity. A smart way to update your home once and for all. Depending on the type of cladding you choose you, once installed it will last about 50 years and that’s a life time of no more painting or maintenance.
Read moreWhat to look for when considering tiles and tilers
When it comes to tiles we tend to think of the wet areas of the house - kitchen, bathroom and laundries. But there are so many styles, shapes, sizes and materials of tiles available for many more uses than just our wet areas including floors and walls for living rooms, entry halls, fireplaces and stairs, not to mention outdoor areas such as verandahs, terraces, pathways, entertaining areas and pools.
Read moreShade Sails
Shade Sails (also known as Sail Shades) and awnings are a great solution for providing protection from sun, rain and wind in outdoor areas. There are many commercial properties such as cafes, pubs, clubs, schools, day care centres, hospitals and nursing homes utilizing their outdoor areas with overhead coverings and private companies providing outdoor space for their staff to use for coffee and lunch breaks. They are now also more and more homes and private residences with shade sails and awnings.
Read moreGuide to Bathroom Lighting and IP Rating
Starting with the technical details, safety is key when choosing your bathroom lighting. To identify whether a light is safe for your bathroom, all lights are given an IP Rating (Ingress Protection rating) which measures how resistant the light is to both water and dust particles. IP Ratings can be determined by reading the first and second digits following the initial ‘IP’.
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