Category: DIY

Just like the shingles on your home, those on a typical 10×20 garden shed roof have are prong to get damaged over time. The constant exposure to the sun, rain, snow, and wind eventually wear down your roof shingles. Even though shingles are being designed to last longer these days, the best ones will cost you more money.  While a 50-year shingle might be a good investment on your house, you most likely will use a much shorter life shingle on your garden shed and therefore you will need to fix or replace them more often. The good news is that most shed roofs are as easy fix and you can do it all by yourself. The following tips will help you fix your garden shed roof when the time comes.

Ladders

Most sheds are not built as high as your home’s roof, so a standard 10’ ladder should do the trick for a garden shed roof.

Get your ladder situated in the proper position and on ground that is flat and level, and make sure that it’s at the right angle. Experts recommend a 1:4 ratio; So if you have 8 feet of height your ladder should be two feet away from the shed. Simple math.

Take Out the Bad Shingles

To start, remove the bad shingles and the nails. If you are fixing the whole roof, begin on the uppermost area and remove the top row, before moving down to the next row, until you get to the last row. If you find a metal drip edge, you can leave that where it is. So now that everything else is gone, you should be looking at a blank sheet of plywood. If the plywood is rotted, this is the time to replace that too. There is no sense putting a new roof on bad wood sheeting.

Roof Felt

Start placing your roofing felt on the bottom corner and move sideways, making sure to keep the felt flush. Sink in a nail every few feet. Working your way up, continue to secure the felt with nails. You don’t have to go crazy hammering in nails, as it will also be kept down by the shingle nails; you just want to ensure that it lies flat and stays in place as you work your way to the top edge.

The next roll of felt will be done the same way. Overlap the second roll of felt onto the first length of felt by a couple of inches. Again, work your way from the bottom to the top. Continue working left to right until you are done.

Starter Shingles

Starter shingles are the first row of shingles that you lay. Then you lay a second layer over the starters. To install starter shingles, remove any tabs from your sheet of shingles and place them so that it overhangs on the edge by about ¼ an inch.

Shingling the Rest of Your Roof

Now that the starter shingles are in place, you can lay your 3-tab shingle on the left bottom corner of the roof. Ensure that it is covering your starters and nail it so that it is in place. You will probably need about four nails for every shingle. Work left to right, one layer at a time. The second layer should start with about a six-inch overlap on the shingle underneath it and approximately five inches off the edge. Remember you are creating a staggered, layered, and neat shingle roof. Make sure that it is all neat so that water won’t get to the wood sheeting. Continue layering, staggering, and nailing until you get to the top. Once you are done, cut off the excess overhang on each side.

A small garden shed roof can easily be completed in a day. Take your time and make sure everything is lined up correctly. The end results will be a new roof on your garden shed that you can take pride in; you did it yourself!

Do you have an even bigger shed job? Like a shed that is so in disrepair that it’s better to build a new shed? No worries there either. Building an entire shed is just as easy as fixing the roof these days. All you need is a 3D shed building guide: “How to build a shed in a week or less?”  From 3DSHEDPLANS.COM. You will be amazed at how easy it is to start your project.

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There are various reasons why you may decide that you want to make some home improvements. It could be because you have lived there a while and want to mix up your living environment. But it could also be because you are thinking of selling your home in the next few years and want to make it as profitable as possible. Either way, there are different ways you can improve your home no matter what your budget is.

Some home improvements may require saving up, whereas some are a lot more affordable but can make massive differences to your home. Here are five ideas for home improvement that you may want to consider.

Organize as Much as You Can

Often homeowners don’t consider organization as a form of home improvement, but being more organized can make your home life a lot less stressful while also making your home appeal more to friends and viewers (and potential buyers).

This is a more affordable idea for home improvement and will require more time than money. You should focus on organizing the rooms that you spend the most time in first and then move on to the other rooms. Find permanent homes for things as this will help you to locate things quicker.

Improve Your Outdoor Space

Improving the outside space of your home can seem like a tiring process, but it can be enjoyable as well as costing little money. By giving improving your home’s curb appeal, it will be more appealing to both yourself and potential buyers. Small changes you can make include changing your mailbox or adding some flower boxes. It is also a good idea to install a vinyl picket fence to make your garden look more stylish as well as making your outdoor space more secure.

Update Your Bedroom

Your bedroom should be a peaceful and relaxing room as getting rest is essential to your health and well-being. Updating your bedroom can involve small changes such as redecorating, or bigger changes like adding built-in wardrobes or under floor heating. No matter what the size of your bedroom, there are ways you can improve it.

If you are planning to sell your home, then you will want to wow and impress potential buyers when they see the master bedroom. This could seal the deal!

Loft Aspirations

This is a more expensive way to improve your home, but loft conversions are a great way to make unused space in your home functional. This is an ideal way to add both storage space as well as potentially adding an extra bedroom or bathroom to your home, increasing the house’s value. A loft conversion can completely revamp your home and make you fall back in love with where you live. While they are not a cheap way to improve your home, they make for a great investment that will benefit you in the long term.

Home improvements can seem like time-consuming and expensive challenges to undertake, but they are great ways to transform your living environment. If you are unsure of how to improve your home, these ideas are a good place to start and offer you options that vary in financial cost.

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The market for uPVC-based double-glazing is a growing one. Frames can be colored to suit the color scheme of the home, which is a good option when you wish to avoid the use of aluminum or timber. It can handle the harsh British winters and doesn’t fade during the occasional long, hot summers either.

Here are some of the benefit of getting uPVC windows fitted in your home.

Durability over the Years

uPVC windows are highly durable. They are not susceptible to mold, pollution impact, moisture or mildew build up which would otherwise hurt their ability to hold a seal. They don’t blister in the sun or flake away, and they don’t rust or rot either. This makes them superior to other window framing materials like aluminum and wood.

Soundproofing

When uPVC is matched with reliable double-glazing, it provides a soundproofing ability that often reduces discernible noise to 40 decibels. Up to 75-80 percent of outdoor noise factors are reduced to make the indoor sound far more pleasant, even when the home sits on a noisy main road.

Limited Maintenance Required

Cleaning uPVC frames is as easy as getting a bucket of water, adding some soap to create suds, and then washing the windows with a sponge. They do not peel or flake, so there’s never a need to repaint them, touch them up, sand them down or add varnish either. While it should be done carefully, stains that appear on the frame can be delicately scrubbed away too.

Optional Ventilation

Ventilation with uPVC window designs is a useful added feature. Depending on the design, some window frames can open at a fan-like angle to let breezes inside. Also, some windows can open out and around to effectively reverse their direction to permit even more air inside. Windows can often open in either direction, making them more flexible with a greater degree of control on the direction of the air flow too.

For cleaning, the ability to gain access to the other side of the window panes and window frames, from within the property stops window washing needing to be completed in two stages.

Good Security Options

uPVC windows are designed to incorporate a number of window locks to make them more secure. Either laminated or otherwise toughened glass can be installed along with uPVC to make the window even more secure.

Fire Resistant

uPVC windows are designed to be fire resistant as well as able to handle excessive winds and heavy storms without difficulty. Good news for your homeowner’s insurance policy too.

Environmentally Friendly

uPVC is a fully recyclable product. It’s also not resource-hungry during its production phase either; it requires less metal to complete a similarly sized window frame. uPVC can last over four decades, so other frames are likely to need replacing before it does. As a recycled material, it’s used in piping, tiles, and other areas of building work.

As you can tell, uPVC is an excellent material for use with window frames. It makes homes warmer, safer, and much more livable too.

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Install Outdoor Lighting

It’s important to have outdoor lighting installed on rental premises as this works to help prevent crime. Thieves and other people with not-so-good intentions are less likely to try anything nefarious if an area is well lit.

If your property is a unit in a complex of apartments, there should be lighting in stairwells, hallways and entranceways. For houses, outdoor lighting needs to be installed at both the front and back of the property. It pays to make these motion-activated; plus you can opt for solar-powered lighting where possible.

Have Secure Doors

As you’d imagine it’s necessary to have secure doors on all entry and exit points. Start by choosing quality doors constructed of solid, heavy-duty materials. Good options include steel and wood; however choose solid wood rather than hollow doors as these are easy to break.

Steer clear of doors made of glass or with glass panels, particularly near the locking mechanism, as these panes can be broken. Doors with peepholes built into them are helpful too, as they enable tenants to look out and see who is outside without having to open the door. Security screens or chain locks provide another layer of security, allowing tenants to open their door yet still have some protection.

For optimum security, add deadbolt locks onto doors on top of having standard locks. These are much more difficult for criminals to break into. Double-cylinder deadbolts are the most secure option. These are particularly helpful when a door is located near a window, as they work to stop thieves from reaching through windows to open doors.

Secure the Windows

Similarly, it’s important to secure the windows on properties. Criminals often enter homes this way, even when windows can seem too small to provide access. Windows should have working locks, even if they’re on higher floors, as sometimes people enter through fire escapes or other access points.

For units near the ground, or for houses, particularly those in areas where crime is more of a problem, it pays to add security bars or screens to windows. While this can affect the aesthetic look of a property, it definitely increases safety and deters criminals. If security is a big issue, you can even, or instead, install window sensors. These are designed to sound an alarm if anyone tries to tamper with the locking mechanisms.

Provide Security Cameras and Alarms

Another way to increase security at properties is to provide security cameras and alarms. These are traditionally utilized more in high-end homes that receive big rents or for multi-family homes where the additional costs are justified by combined deposits.

Cameras should be installed at the front and back entrances of houses or in hallways, stairwells or other spaces you might deem necessary if you own an entire building of apartments. Security alarm systems can be wired in and either paid for by you as the landlord or charged at an additional fee for tenants who want access to the monitoring option.

There are many different types of cameras and alarms available these days, so search for providers in your area to get quotes. For example, check out these Phoenix home security services if your property is located in the Phoenix area.

Keep Properties Visible and Open

To help make tenants feel safe and to deter thieves, it’s also a good idea to make properties clearly open to view from the road. That is, don’t give criminals places to lurk or hide around your properties, where they won’t be seen from the street. To make spaces safe, remove obstructions from entrances to the property (both front and back) such as large shrubs or high, unruly hedges.

Put Managers or Guards on Site

If you own a large complex of properties, such as unit blocks of 25-plus apartments, retirement villages or the like, you may want to consider putting managers on site or arranging for security guards to patrol each day. You need to have enough properties to make this kind of expense worthwhile, and/or have your properties located in exclusive, high-value areas where your rental fees are high. These options do certainly help to make tenants feel much safer though and deter criminal activities because it’s obvious someone is always monitoring the premises.

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The world seems to become more stressful. However, there is one trend that is creating a sanctuary in homes all around the world. That trend, Nordic Minimalism, is highlighted by the use of stress-less furniture featuring Scandinavian Design.

What is Scandinavian design?

Scandinavian design emerged in the middle of the 20th century by the Scandinavian countries. This type of furniture was known for its minimalist, functional and simple design. This type of design was featured mostly with residential furniture including chairs, recliners, sofas and tables. While this trend has existed for the last 70 years, it is only recently that Scandinavian design has taken the world by storm.

Stress-less Furniture at the centerpiece of Nordic Minimalism

People seem to be overwhelmed with the number of products and purchases that they have in their life. Nordic Minimalism is an answer to the hoarding of the material. With Nordic Minimalism, people are taught to only own the things that they use every day. And that includes simple stress-less furniture that is designed to make people feel good while taking up a minimal amount of space.

Examples of Stress-less Furniture

There are currently a number of companies that make and sale stress-less furniture. European Leather Gallery being one of the largest in the United Sates. The prices of these stress-less furniture pieces cost about $2,600 for leather recliners, $3,000 for sofas and about $800 for chairs. Stress-less furniture can be made from fabric or leather with wood gain accents. Stress-less furniture is designed and styled in Scandinavian countries and available for sale all around the world.

Stress-less Furniture is Growing

While many people have not heard of stress-less furniture, there has been enough of a growth in this trend to have large investors take notice. Recently, a top Chinese investment company put a $630 million dollar bid for Scandinavian furniture maker Ekornes. That is on top of the fact that the biggest seller of Scandinavian furniture, IKEA, has been selling stress-less furniture for decades.

How to Get Started with Nordic Minimalism

The best way to get started with Nordic Minimalism is to begin to de-clutter unnecessary things in your life. Once you have gotten rid of the things you do not use every day, you can begin to introduce stress-less furniture into your life. One thing to consider is how you will use the furniture every day. For instance, if you like to have guest over, consider a Scandinavian sofa. If your life to read or watch TV, then consider a recliner. As the world become more crowded and complicated, Nordic Minimalism will seek to bring clarity and simplicity to those who seek it.

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There are many reasons why a renovation is exactly what you need. The right improvement and changes made around the house can greatly affect the property’s comfort level, ambiance, and even value. In many cases, a major renovation is also needed because of structural damage or problems that need to be solved.

Unlike smaller remodeling projects, a major renovation is trickier to deal with. There are more factors to consider and things to prepare in order to have a smooth and efficient renovation project. To help you get started, we are going to focus on how you can plan better for a major renovation in this article.

List the Necessary Changes

You should always do a thorough inspection – well, have professionals do the inspection – before planning a major renovation project. The inspection will reveal issues around the house, giving you the opportunity to add fixing those issues to the plan.

The inspection should cover everything from top to bottom. You need to know if there are leaks and moisture affecting the walls, whether you have roofing problems to deal with, and even if there is wirings or fixtures that need to be replaced around the house.

After the inspection, compile a list of all the things you need to do. The list is your guideline when you are trying to plan for the project. Divide them based on areas and start working on a renovation plan. Prioritize tasks and organize them accordingly.

Prepare for the Worst

Even when you have a complete list of things to do, there are still additional things to prepare before you can have a truly smooth and uninterrupted project. At this point, you want to start interviewing contractors and finding a good one to work with for the renovation project.

Depending on the size of the contractor and the tasks in hand, you may need to schedule the renovation to be done in stages, tackling one room or area of the house at a time. This will allow you to keep the house usable for the duration of the project.

You also need to tackle details such as preparing additional restrooms for the workers or replacement restrooms for when your main bathroom is being renovated. You can now have Satellite handle everything from setting up portable restrooms all the way to keeping them clean using Satelite Industries deodorizers for maximum convenience.

Plan Your Deliveries

One last challenge to tackle is the delivery of materials. Essential materials must be available on the site for the renovation project to continue smoothly. This is often easier said than done, especially when you have multiple suppliers to work with.

Worry not because careful planning is how you overcome this challenge. Work with your contractor and create estimates on when each set of materials is needed. Schedule the delivery of the materials early by one or two days. You can keep the project running smoothly without filling your house with piles of materials this way.

Careful planning is how you have a smooth renovation project. Don’t hesitate to go into detail and to anticipate everything as you plan for your own major renovation. The better you plan, the easier it will be to manage the project.

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They say that the average amount of time to sell a home is ten weeks, but for many of us this goes on for a lot longer. Unfortunately, statistics seldom help us when it comes to the property market and what happens for one seller, certainly isn’t guaranteed to occur for another. There are simply too many variables.

Following on from the above, we cannot claim to have all of the answers when it comes to selling your new home. What we do have are some tried-and-tested methods to help you along your way and through the course of today’s post, we will take a look at some of these methods in further detail.

Inflate the size (artificially, of course)

Don’t worry, this first tip isn’t about paying for a brand-new extension. This guide is all about quick hacks after all, and this first one involves making your room at least appear larger than it really is to the naked eye.

There are various ways to trick the eye, and one of these involves manipulating light. For example, mirrors can make a room immediately appear significantly bigger than it is, and the effect is multiplied in a smaller room.

Lights have the same effect. If you have any dark corners of a room, try some Pagazzi lighting to brighten things up. In a flash, the area will appear more spacious.

The small fixes all add up

A broken door handle here, a bit of peeling plaster there. In isolation, they really don’t mean much. However, as soon as a prospective buyer wanders around your property, they start to set eyes on them and the dollar signs start to add up. They will look for more problems, regardless of their severity, and they’ll quickly realize that your home isn’t quite as spruced up as it might have appeared in the real estate brochure.

The solution? Make all of these little fixes. They won’t cost you a small fortune, but they will save potential buyers a lot of time and make them more inclined to make an offer.

Work on the curb appeal

Curb appeal is perhaps the biggest buzz phrase in real estate now, but it’s for good reason. As we have been taught for a number of years, first impressions are made within the first few seconds. As such, if the front of your home doesn’t look inviting, you’ve just ruined someone’s first impression and made them less likely to pursue the property.

As such, work on the front door, garden and anything else you can spot from the outside. It will make a monumental difference to opinions.

Let the estate agent do their job

One common mistake that eager sellers make is trying to jump in and run proceedings as soon as someone comes to visit their property. Instead, take a step back, and let the estate agent do their job. Chances are, some tricky questions might come their way, and they know exactly how to handle them. Just remember, if you say the wrong thing, you can turn a “maybe” into a “no” quite quickly in the property game.

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Our house is our castle, but after a few years even the most amazing castle becomes redundant in appearance. Looking at the same painted walls, carpet or furniture may feel tired…and boring. Every home needs a facelift eventually, but sprucing up your sanctuary doesn’t have to be budget ending.

Remodeling means different things to every homeowner. While a remodel may be as drastic as adding on a new wing to a home, the renovation process may be as subtle as a new coat of paint. No matter how extreme or conservative your plan, the choice to remodel is one that every homeowner considers during their residency. Taking the big leap doesn’t have to be scary, though, because you can take baby steps toward that final vision of home perfection.

Ready to give your castle a facelift? Check out these home remodeling ideas that can take a boring blah space into a modern masterpiece!

A Sweep of Color

If a room’s walls have been the same color for years—or maybe decades—it’s time to consider a new look or hue. You don’t have to go crazy with color palettes, but adventure is good…in the realm of color. The beauty of paint is that it can be changed if the color doesn’t flatter the room or your end design. Of course, you should swatch a color first and see if that hue is the one that screams décor perfection. However, if a room is small, don’t pick a dark shade…otherwise you will make the room look even smaller. You also can add interest to walls by using different textures of paint.

New Fixes for Old Fixtures

If overhead lighting, lamps or other household fixtures in a room look dated and old, switch them out. Choose a bold new chandelier to hang in the middle of a great room or head to an antique shop to discover amazing vintage lamps and other treasures. New fixtures also can transform old bathrooms in an instant. Select fun and funky faucets for a modern update or replace a tired old vanity with a pedestal sink and an antique mirror.

Decorate with Greenery

Plants and flowers infuse oxygen and beauty into a room. Houseplants also provide an instant touch of style and interest without the work of intense remodeling. Before you start adding bouquets of fresh flowers or investing in plants for any room, be sure to figure out how much work each variety requires. Houseplants require upkeep…and some are more finicky than others. Succulents are often fairly low-key and can be used to create modern and inexpensive dish gardens on tabletops. Head to a local nursery for advice about what varieties will work best for your home and lifestyle.

Light it Up

Lighting can transform the room; softer bulbs provide a warm ambience. Don’t forget to use natural lighting to transform a room as well. A large picture window or a wall lined with multiple windows opens up a room. Use roller shades to easily cover and uncover large window spaces to take advantage of the sun’s natural glow. Flameless candles also may be set within an unused fireplace for a décor touch that combines form and function. When decorating with candles, mix up the sizes for a bouquet of candlelight. You also can gather a group of flameless (or real) candles alongside a bathtub for romantic ambience.

Most homeowners will consider remodeling to update their home’s appearance. But remodeling doesn’t necessarily mean major construction and never-ending mess. Giving your home a face lift can be as simple as a new color of paint, fun fixtures or updated lighting. Small changes can make a huge impact on the beauty of your home.

Authored by NYC Writer Maggie Baker

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