Author: Angela Cox

Home Plans Are Worth Every Penny When Building a New Home

Home Plans Are Worth Every Penny When Building a New Home

Building a fresh home involves a complex group of tasks, performed by many unrelated subcontractors working toward a typical goal. If the jobs are not coordinated, the labor is just not managed and the goal isn’t well defined, the entire process will turn to chaos along with the results will likely be below satisfying. A complete and comprehensive pair of construction documents (a.k.a. blue prints or house plans) is the perfect tool to prepare and manger your property building project. Home plans incorporate a full color rendering for the future home, side and rear elevations detailing the outer materials required, foundation details, a sophisticated roof plan along with a dimensional floor plan that’s concise and clear. Advanced plan sets should include material lists, assembly guides and virtual models that ensure the house is built properly and efficiently.  

Most people think about home plans as the wall layout of the property. Though these drawings are vital in defining the living spaces and traffic flow, foundation and roof plans include the most important documents of any plan set. Proper foundation and roof design ensures the structure is protected, sound and dependable. Very detailed and complex foundation and roof plans can certainly reduce the expense of home construction by removing waste and confusion from typical trial-and-error contractors with the job site. 

Many floor plans available through trusted online stores barely address roof and foundation design. In fact many online plans leave the job of foundation and roof design to the builder. Unless the builder would prefer to generate new foundation and roof plans from the online purchased floor plan, you will be struggling to maintain power over your house construction. More importantly, you will be struggling to ensure that the home is sound and stable.   

Every building and structure ever built by humans started which has a plan. From Stonehenge for the Egyptian Pyramids all successful projects started with a plan. Those buildings that stand test of your time, started with fantastic plans. If you are contemplating creating a home, make sure you are in control of the project where you can good plan. A good understanding every facets of house construction is important to keeping your costs low and building is know for your dreams. Every building project begins which has a plan, and not all plans are great plans. A comprehensive pair of construction documents will be the first step to creating your dreams come true.… READ MORE

Home Improvements Big Or Small Will Make a Difference

Home Improvements Big Or Small Will Make a Difference

Home improvement is an ideal project to get started on because weather gets nicer. People seem to have more energy and motivation at the moment of the season. This provides the perfect possiblity to get started on your own home improvement project.

There a multitude of stuff that can be achieved to enhance a home. Whether your project ideas include major construction or simply beautifying, you’re likely to profit from your house improvement projects. This will make your home more pleasurable to you, and maybe increase it’s value.

One thing that’s extremely important when planning a property improvement project, is usually to know what your allowance is. You absolutely got to know precisely how much money you are likely to dedicate to home improvement, before you begin. In fact, every person facet must be carefully and separately budgeted so as to keep you over spending without realizing. You will probably not enjoy your brand-new small remodels when they create a financial hardship for the family.

Most people realize that remodeling a kitchen or bathroom could be 2 of one of the most costly improvements that could be designed to a house. Between new cabinets and appliances and finding a construction crew, you may not are able to afford to make some other changes. With that said, you will must prioritize. Make a list such as what can be done and what you would like to own done. Be sure to generate a clear differentiation between the two.

Remember, even though you create renovations does not necessarily mean that everything must go. Keep what you are able of your respective existing materials. It is only important to replace what truly needs improvement. After all, when there is nothing wrong with the sink, or perhaps the cabinets, why go towards the cost of replacing them? This is money that can be spent on other improvements. Once everything pulls together you will find that you have made the correct choice.

Painting is really a affordable project. A nice paint job can certainly make a room accept a new look. This can be a great to improve your property within a strict budget, while saving for a larger construction project.

Having the carpets cleaned or floors refinished will likely create a clean facelift having to break the lender. Unless it’s absolutely essential to replace your existing floors, you might want to put this off until a later time if you’re with a strict budget.

Green improvements are earth friendly and definately will save a little money. Wind turbines initially might be quite costly. As a result lots of people will overlook this like a possibly to acquire something increases the home’s aesthetics. This could be a blunder. Although everyone wants their the place to find look as nice as you can, it must be considered that the large investment with this sort could save you a lot more in the end. Think of this as basically throwing away your power company bill…forever! It is … READ MORE

5 Great Summer or Dry Season, Do Your Own House Construction Project

5 Great Summer or Dry Season, Do Your Own House Construction Project

Panama finally came out of a very long and rainy rainy season, and North America had a very difficult winter. But spring is near and that means it’s time to start thinking about your summer home repair and construction project.

Every winter, or rainy season depending on where you live, your home is battered by rain, snow, wind and more. Some years are much worse than others. And this means, that when things finally dry out, you are going to have some construction or building projects that you need to deal with.

Home repair comes before new projects. Or at least it should. And the first part of good home repair is a thorough inspection. One you have determined the damage, you can begin to repair it.

1. Roof Repair

There is not a lot of point to fixing a damaged interior if your roof is still leaking. Get up on top and make sure that you have no missing or cracked tiles or shingles. If you have metal roofing, make sure that all seams are still well sealed and in good repair.

2. Fix Stained Ceilings

If your roof did leak through the winter or rainy season it is very likely you will have to repair your ceilings. This could mean removing all dry wall. Or in the case of concrete or plaster, scraping the paint and allowing everything to dry. Once the old damaged material is removed and / or cleaned and dried you can start the repair.

3. Walls

Similar to ceilings, walls will need to be fixed up if any water has gotten in. In the case of walls, water damage is more likely to come from windows than from ceilings. Any damage around the windows could have come from leaks, or it could have come from condensation. Especially in cold and extremely humid locations.

4. Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are meant to keep the outside on the outside. Sometimes during dry season or summer it is easy to ignore your windows and doors because it is dry. But fixing a leak when it is cold or rainy outside is miserable. Deal with it now.

5. Gutters, Downspouts and Standing Water

Dry season or summer is a great time to deal with your gutters and downspouts in preparation for the next wet season downpours or snow. Also you should inspect low lying areas in and around your home for any standing water. Standing water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes which spread disease like West Nile virus, Malaria and Dengue fever. Here in Panama, you can be fined for standing water because of this threat.

These 5 projects may not be that glamorous, or even fun. But, they are necessary areas that you have to deal with in the dry season. And they should be taken care of before you start working on all the fun summer projects you have planned.

So, think about the type of winter or wet season that you … READ MORE

5 Kit Home Owner-Builder Mistakes

5 Kit Home Owner-Builder Mistakes

The home-builder kit makes many construction mistakes; some minor, some quite large. Kit houses are designed to be built by amateurs, but not all are straight as they seem. Project design, selection and management errors are numerous, but mistakes that often occur to building owners revolve around the basics of construction. Registered are 5 common builder owner home kit mistakes and tips for avoiding them.

Mistake 1: Starting the installation of amateur metal roofing, installing wall plates and dry wall plates.

Tip: These three tasks are usually carried out by experienced professionals. Don’t try them without prior experience or prior technology learning. Upgrade skills in this field first or take out your wallet.

Mistake 2: Forgot to stick to the floor covering.

Tip: Nailing and even screwing the tongue floor and grooves on the raised floor system will not stop the floor squeaking. Apply builder level glue under all sheets to all beams and tighten.

Mistake 3: Have all the concrete pier holes poured all at once.

Tip: A concrete truck will pour 21 pier holes with concrete in one hour. It’s okay if you have 5 helpers, but if not, have a third poured every day. New kit builders have to pay extra and not have a heart attack trying to get every dock set and leveled and concrete finished and vaulted.

Error 4: Failed to dive into a jammed door.

Tip: Interior prefabricated frames arrive pretty well, but when they are pushed up and nailed they can be fine, making the door hang as an experiment. And just because the king’s buttons are vertical, it doesn’t mean the trimmers and lintel trimmers are flat.

Mistake 5: Not enough protectors on the wall frame.

Tip: Solid supports ensure the wall frame stays upright during the roofing process. The weight of the roof truss will easily slide the top plate of the wall frame when it is moved into position and fastened. Use adequate exterior and internal props and don’t remove them until the roof is finished.

For new kit home makers, mistakes are guaranteed. Limiting the impact of lack of experience is the answer, so read and reread the manual, get advice, continue to improve your skills and use professionals with large tasks.… READ MORE

Comfortable Interior – How to Design a True Home Style

Comfortable Interior - How to Design a True Home Style

Comfort is not just for Christmas. Comfort is a state of mind. Comfort is the end of the day when everything is peaceful. Comfort is a hug. Comfort is a blanket and a bright night sky. Comfort is a candle.

Of course we all describe comfort in very different ways. A minimalist will surely find one part of their home comfortable. To them. That would not be the same as my daughter’s definition, because it would not be possible to involve 27 teddy bears and Musical High School blankets.

So how do we make our home comfortable? What makes each of us feel ‘at home’?

There are a few common denominators, of course – crackling fire, great surface texture, but also less flattering lighting and intuitive design. This is an intangible factor of the house that is only considered if it is not functioning. Very rarely praise the comfortable flow of one’s home or the correct mood lighting. If they are done well, then these factors just fade smoothly into the fabric of the house.

Unfortunately, finding comfort at home isn’t always a case of investing in dozens of soft pillows. Comfort requires a personal definition, because while some are entertained by a basket of freshly cut logs, others prefer to surround themselves with stunning works of art, designer fabrics and expensive tassels to feel ‘comfort’. What does that mean to you?

Comfort at home is a fundamental part of human existence. Maslow identifies security as one of our most basic needs and I suggest that meeting this need, in the form of a home – shelter, escape – will mean that we are then more free to explore further into our more complex needs such as respect and self-actualization. Understanding home psychology requires more than investing in a pair of A350 curtain curtains.

Understanding what pleases you – what moves you, what lights your fire – is the first part of interior design. Appreciating what makes you happy or excites you – love for statues bought on a romantic weekend in Arles, paintings left by a grandparents, instruments played as a child – can inspire more than beautiful spaces. This will work far beyond coordination and design principles because it will be based on your life, your history and that personal element that will make the room extraordinary – very comfortable.

However, there are still rules to be followed that will help praise the ‘feel good’ factor of the object itself – be it an inherited Tiffany lamp or a simple patchwork pillow that catches your attention.

These rules are there to provide help – to show possible basic shapes, or color palettes. That thing, let’s say the copper cooking pot your grandmother always uses, will give you a scheme for the rest of the room. This will tell you whether to use curved or straight legs, it will suggest a traditional look or a more contemporary style. In short, this will give you a ‘feeling’ of a room. … READ MORE