The 12 Stages Of Building A New Home Using A Building Broker

It’s certainly an exciting prospect to build a new home that you and your family will enjoy for many years to come. Especially when you get to call the shots on exactly what it will look like so it suits your individual requirements. Using a building broker will give you the best opportunity to maximise your new home investment.

But you probably have many questions in your mind, one of which might be:

What actually happens during the building process?

Like most people, you probably don’t have time to visit your building site every day or even every week to see first-hand exactly what’s going on. Here is give a brief run-down on the various stages of building.

Stage 1 – Site Survey

A land surveyor will prepare a comprehensive report detailing the contours, services, orientation, and position of neighboring properties (if relevant) for your block. Depending on your surveyor, this stage will usually take around two weeks.

Stage 2 – Home Design

This is the fun part!  You meet with your house designer to work out the design requirements for your new custom home.  An initial sketch is created, including elevations (external appearance) and floor plans.  This will be modified until you’re happy, then a final sketch is prepared.

Stage 3 – Builder Tender

At this stage you will experience the real advantage of using a building broker.  Several trusted builders are invited to tender based on your design and usually within a month you’ll receive the tenders for consideration, which will include prices and specifications.  At this point you can nominate your preferred builder and they will begin with the next stage.

Stage 4 – Preparation of Plans & Contracts

Now you can begin to select colours and finishes for your home.  In the meantime, in conjunction with your chosen builder, your planning drawings are created and submitted to the local council for approval. During this assessment phase the structural engineers will create their drawings and all required changes from the planners and engineers will be incorporated into your final working drawings. Now you’re ready to sign your building contracts.

Stage 5 – Pay Building Deposit

Once signing your building contract you will be required to pay your building deposit. The builder will also submit the final working drawings, engineering plans, specification and addendum along with the energy efficiency report back to local council for building license approval.

Stage 6 – Siteworks

You may have heard the term “slab down”.  Before the foundation is poured, there is a lot of work to do including the excavation of the site and installation of the plumbing pre-lay.  For you though, it’s an exciting time as your home is now underway and you can start to see the progress. You’ll also see a site toilet, builders sign and site shed appear on site along with a temporary power pole.

Stage 7 – Brickwork

This is when your home really begins to take shape. Interior walls, exterior walls, and whatever stairs are … READ MORE

Victorian Decor Doesn’t Have to Break a Budget

Think about Victorian decor, one of the mainstays of the “new vintage” trend, and what comes to mind? Rich-looking, ornate styles, with big price tags attached, right? It doesn’t to be expensive if you know how to make the most of what you already have, along with fabulous finds from other sources.

Victorian Decor Doesn't Have to Break a Budget
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As always with decorating on a budget, start by thinking about paint, one of the most economical yet striking changes you can make in a room. Vintage decor of the Victorian era is lush with deep, jewel tones such as emerald green, sapphire or ruby. It isn’t necessary to paint all the walls in these colors; in fact, it’s not a good idea to do so if it’s a smaller room you’re decorating in vivid vintage. If that’s the case, pick one wall as an accent, then paint the other walls in a light, but complementary tone. You’ll be surprised at how much an accent wall like this can convey.

Next, think as the Victorians did and get a brilliant Oriental area rug for the floor. Not only were the Vics fond of its ornate patterns, the vivid colors added more depth to the overall intensity of the room’s colors.

With a good rug on the floor, it’s time to think furniture. One way to keep to the budget is to get distressed tables and drape them with single-size white or floral sheets. You can tie them up here and there with ribbons (another Victorian touch) or let them pool onto the floor or area rug and top them with lace doilies.

For the larger furniture, wicker makes an economical and stylish option to the heavy carved (and expensive) walnut furniture common to Victorian decor. The trick with wicker is that it requires frequent maintenance to remove dust and dirt that collects in the curves of its woven pattern. Because of this, it’s essential to know what kind of wicker you have.

Wicker comes in three types: paper, reed and resin. Paper wicker is made by twisting paper into strips that are then woven. Reed comes from natural fibers that are soaked until pliable and then woven into the familiar crisscross pattern. Resin wicker is actually made from molded plastic, and is the most durable of the three types. All three types can be cleaned gently with a damp, but not dripping, cloth. Reed and resin wicker also can be hosed down if they get extremely dirty, but don’t hose paper wicker. As you might guess, paper wicker will soak up the water and rot.

With wicker you’ll also want plenty of cushions and pillows in floral patterns, as well as linens with embroidery, ribbons and lace in white or natural. Thrift stores, yard sales, even flea markets can be good sources for vintage linens with handmade embroidery. Linens with less expensive machine-embroidered patterns can be found at discount stores. Embroidered linens and fabrics are used on tablecloths, curtains and even upholstery in Victorian decor.

Speaking … READ MORE

Updating With Window Treatments

Updating the look of your house for personal use, or in preparation for selling, may sound like a tremendous amount of work. However, one easy transformation can take place just by changing your window treatments.

Updating With Window Treatments
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Window furnishings can help provide color and instant style to any room. While a well-designed window treatment may not increase the value of the home you are planning to sell, it can make its rooms more appealing to buyers. For instance, draperies can make a window appear larger, or offset imbalance, when they are hung either higher or wider than the actual window. Draperies hung at or near the ceiling even make a room feel taller by drawing the eye higher.

Draperies: An endless number of colors and patterns exist to choose from to help you transform a room. However, you should select a color and design that suits your home. If you intend to try something bold, your other furniture in the room should be neutral enough so as to temper the space. In addition, draperies help increase securities by providing privacy; help provide light and noise control, from and can help insulate your home from cold weather.

Blinds: If your home has outdated, metal horizontal or vertical blinds, strongly consider this an opportunity to update. Depending on the look you want to achieve, window blinds come in a variety of materials including wood, faux wood and fabric. Blinds allow you to easily adjust your view. They are also very easy to clean – just wipe or dust the slats. Choose a material and color that goes with your overall room design.

Shades: Window shades, depending on the fabric, can also allow you to control the light coming into your room, as well as privacy. They come in variety of shades from sheer to a little filtering to total light blocking to shades that block UV light. Woven woods are especially popular today. Cordless options are available too and you can choose from flat roman shades or roller shades depending on your budget. Compared to blinds, shades are easier to install but more difficult to clean.

Hardware: Window treatment hardware trends are becoming more sleek, creative and modern, compared to some of the more elaborate window hardware styles in the past. Window hardware can be made of wood, faux wood, metal and wrought iron. Use of non-standard hardware as curtain rods is also acceptable, from cup hooks, drawer pulls to doorknobs – just make sure to space the hooks evenly, check their durability and install them securely. Attach the fabric panels/draperies using metal rings, fabric tabs or grommets.

Consider your needs and your budget when shopping for window treatments. There are plenty other choices aside from the ones I mentioned above, so make sure to do your research and choose what works best for you. One thing is for sure, updating your window treatment can instantly change the mood and add life to an otherwise dull and dated room.… READ MORE

Bringing Fiber To The Home Could Turn Out To Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You

Bringing Fiber To The Home Could Turn Out To Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You
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In today’s planet, data and communications technology is what guidelines. Because the need to have to transfer information via more quickly solutions increases, additional and more analysis is being carried out to address the challenges. Now, the optical fiber connections are seen because the fastest method of transferring data and bringing fiber towards the residence will likely be an excellent improvement towards the market.

As the net continues to develop day by day, people possess the growing will need for more rapidly information transfer speed as points like online purchasing, multi-level marketing and advertising and e-commerce is expanding, a more quickly connection will probably be an advantage to every person. Thus, possessing a fiber connection to a household is going to be quite beneficial.Since the beginning of the internet, it has come a long way. People virtually live online. Since the dawn of the information age, people have always wanted to have all information about everything accessible from a single point; in this case, a computer. So to handle all these traffic, faster connections were needed at homes as well.

Now, with social networking and online stores, people do not even have to step out of their houses to meet someone or to buy something. You can even get a loan approved online in a matter of hours and the money will be delivered to your doorstep, if not, they will be deposited to your bank account, enabling you to spend it in any way you choose to.

Emails and VoIP have replaced the conventional mailing system and telephones almost completely. Therefore, speedy connections are required to have clarity throughout conversations. Interference during a conversation will only lead to client frustration and therefore internet providers take extra effort to keep their clients happy by providing the maximum technology available to them.

Many popular telecommunications companies have taken steps to integrate fiber technology to their home to home connections, giving end users an ultra-high speed communication experience. Companies using this technology provide unmatched speed which will put their competitors out of business if they are not kept up to date with the technology.

Therefore, almost all companies have integrated this method to their system to offer all customers a pleasant experience. Some people however, may wonder why a home should have such a speed in connection. Those are the people who are satisfied with what they get and do not push the boundaries of their limits. They make use of whatever connection speed they have in order to send an email or chat with a friend through IM services.

But the newer generation requires much more. Now, many young people enjoy the virtual gaming experience, they will definitely need to have a very high speed internet connection to stay connected in the game, or they will lose. Therefore, it is vital that homes need fast communications to keep up with the ever changing world of ICT.

The possibilities of bringing fiber to the home are limitless. You can now … READ MORE

Funeral Home Services You Should Know About When Arranging a Funeral

When a loved one dies, people naturally look for a funeral home. Also referred to as mortuaries, these businesses are involved with managing the activities surrounding funerals. Mortuaries offer an assortment of services for the deceased as well as the family and friends who wish to pay their respects. Each mortuary is different. The types of services offered can vary, affecting the quality of service and total price.

Funeral Home Services You Should Know About When Arranging a Funeral
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The work of the funeral director and his staff begins with the initial meeting. This is where any planning and decision making is confirmed with the bereaved. Mortuaries are also responsible for doing any paperwork and arrangements. This includes filing for any permits and authorizations required for transporting and burying the body. The mortuary is also responsible for making the arrangements with the cemetery, crematorium or other related parties.

One of the basic services involves prepping the body for viewing. This includes embalming, cosmetology, grooming and dressing the body. Depending on the package and services being offered, a casket may also be selected and included with the fee.

Another service offered involves preparing an area for the viewing and visitation stage. This can be done at the funeral parlor itself or at another location. The amenities and staff involved at this stage are also prepared. After the wake, the body is carried to its final resting place. A hearse, service car and flower truck are also reserved for this purpose.

Planning a funeral can be costly if people are not aware of the hidden costs. There are expenses which people normally assume as part of the fee but are often not. One of these expenses involves the burial clothes. Mortuaries can charge hundreds of dollars for complete outfits, which includes the shoes, and underwear for the deceased. Some mortuaries also offer the service of having the obituaries published in local newspapers. The price for this type of service can vary from free to over several hundred dollars depending on the size of the obituary and the type of publication. Having death certificates reproduced can also cost the bereaved starting from $11 and up for each additional copy.

Obtaining the services of a funeral home makes it easier for families and loved ones to go through this difficult time. There are lots to choose from within a given location, offering better choices on services to fit the budget and need.… READ MORE