Enclosed elegance: 4 steps towards preparing your house for guests
With Christmas right around the corner, it won’t be long until you start making plans for the holiday and the most important meal of the year. In fact, you might already have begun. Some families like to get organised early and know exactly who is staying where and in which house to find the turkey.
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Choosing timber flooring
When it comes to flooring which is remarkable, long lasting, timelessly beautiful, and natural, you can’t go past timber. However, there are many different types of timber floors to choose from, and it can become confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Solid, hardwood floors made from new or recycled timber are traditional and remain popular, however floating and engineered floorboards and parquetry are also great options.
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House Inspections: Uncovering Hidden Problems and Potential Solutions
A qualified building inspector often holds certifications from recognized industry bodies, ensuring they follow standard procedures and guidelines. For example, in Australia, inspectors may be licensed by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) or hold accreditation from the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors. These certifications validate the inspector's expertise and ability to provide a thorough, reliable assessment.
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Outdoor 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.
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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.
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Rain Water Tanks
Each Australian on average uses 53,000 liters of water per year. That sounds like a lot but we probably don’t stop to think about the many ways we use water and how the consumption can add up.
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5 practical ways to create a seamless flow between interior and exterior living
Enjoying time outdoors is a wonderful thing. To have a house that has outdoor recreation areas means having space to play games in the backyard, host barbecues, and form many fond memories. One of the best parts about the outdoor sections of a house is the way they integrate with the inside of a house, and the more flexible and changeable the middle-ground is, the nicer the overall effect. Sometimes it can be hard to work out ways to make one’s outdoor area more indoor-friendly, but not to worry, we’ve created this straightforward
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How to have a clever clothes line
The Hills Hoist was arguably the most recognized iconic symbol of a typical Australian back yard. There was and still is, nothing like a rotary clothes hoist loaded with washing and spinning in the breeze providing an environmentally safe and cost effective way to dry the washing.
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Why should you get an inspection?
When purchasing an existing property it is important to understand that you are buying the property in an as-is condition. What this means is that the condition of the property at the time of the inspection is what you are purchasing. This article explains why a property inspection is important and what these inspectors are looking for.
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Bathroom ideas and trends
After kitchens, bathrooms are the most important room in the house and perhaps the next most expensive. There are no hard and fast rules to building a brand new bathroom or renovating an existing one, other than the importance of the highest standard of workmanship in waterproofing and plumbing.
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ALARMING! 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.
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Driveways make a statement
Everyone wants the front of their home to look fantastic. The driveway of the average Australian suburban house block takes up a big chunk of real estate. Your driveway needs to compliment the style of your home and landscaping. A driveway needs not only look great but has to be able to stand up to the rigors of having the ton or so of family car traversing it constantly. Other than the kids bedrooms it will take more abuse than any other part of your home
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Pest control: why you should hire a professional
Pest control products are likely available for purchase in your local store, and the directions seem fairly straight forward. Is there really any risk to skipping the professional and managing your pest control yourself?
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Recommended finishes for solid timber entrance doors
There have been numerous articles or recommendations on the types of finish for exterior doors, some of which are disputable. It is important to select an exterior finish that allows for movement of the timber as well as maintenance and preservation.
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The Modern Day Butler’s Pantry
The traditional Butler’s Pantry has evolved over many years from what were a series of rooms such as the scullery, pantry and larder where each stage of food preparation and clean up was conducted. These rooms were eventually condensed into one room being what we would now call a kitchen.
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Building inspection - why do you need one?
What is a Building Inspection? A building inspection is an examination by qualified professionals which identifies faults and hazards in a property. These can include anything from maintenance and safety issues to serious structural faults or damage. Often the problems identified are not immediately visible or apparent to the untrained eye. Special equipment may be used to gather more information. After the inspection, a report is provided which details the issues. This allows home owners and potential buyers to make informed decisions.
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Can you get a Home Loan with a Bad Credit history?
Debt can sometimes just get out of hand. It’s not necessarily through financial illiteracy, financial mismanagement, excessive risk taking or other nefarious reasons – life just happens. Businesses, for instance, impacted financially by unforeseen events like natural disasters, may fall into this category. These customers may benefit from the net savings made from consolidating various debts into one.
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Is polished concrete more expensive than tiling?
There are a number of things to consider when choosing between polished concrete and tiles, and it is important to think carefully before making a final decision. From how the flooring surface will be used to the relative costs involved, these considerations will help guide your project and allow you to make a sound decision.
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Renovating? 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.
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3 reasons to install shade sails
Shade sails have one obvious function- to provide shade. But their benefits go beyond that.
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