Not everyone has the luxury of a gigantic backyard. In fact, compact homes just have a small front porch, while some apartment spaces might have a narrow balcony attached. If this sounds familiar, not to worry. A small outdoor space might seem like a negative factor of a property, but they are actually easier to maintain and can even be decorated to appear more spacious. Here are a few top tips to help you make the most out of your small, outdoor space.

Declutter the Space and Keep it Clean

The one thing you need to do with your outdoor space is to keep it clutter-free. With a lack of floor space, it is easy to allow tiny spaces to become swamped with junk over time. Unfortunately, small gardens are susceptible to looking unkempt. Luckily, keeping it clear of clutter and giving it a regular clean can help make your space appear bigger. From jet-washing the floor to sprucing up the fences and walls, a good spring clean can help refresh your garden. Not to mention, cleaning your garden regularly will help you identify the items you no longer want. By removing these items, you have more space for the things you need.

Give it a Dedicated Purpose

Giving your garden a dedicated purpose will make it look much more appealing than cramming in lots of features into the small space. While large gardens can hold play areas, outdoor seating, water features, and so on, compact spaces simply do not have this luxury. However, that does mean you can focus on one or two features and make them extra special. For example, you can turn your garden into a cosy, outdoor living space with stylish decking, comfortable patio furniture, and ambient lighting. Alternatively, the spiritual types can create a Japanese-inspired zen garden and use it to practice meditation.

 Add a Vertical Garden

Vertical gardens are stunning outdoor and indoor features that add character to a home while providing a functional purpose. Those with green fingers who wish they had more space for gardening can do so with a living wall. Not to mention, vertical gardens help draw the eyes up to the open sky instead of down towards the crowded floor. In turn, they can offer an illusion of space to small gardens. Furthermore, vertical gardens can be set up on balconies too, which gives apartment dwellers a chance to plant without the need for an actual garden. From organic produce, such as heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers, to beautiful blooms, you can plant all manner of things in a vertical garden. Happy Valley Seeds are a Sydney-based vendor that boasts a collection of over 1,200 varieties of seeds. They deliver seeds to locations within and outside of Australia at reasonable prices.

Maximize Space With Multi-Purpose Furniture

A great way to make the most out of a small space is by including multi-purpose furniture. For example, a built-in bench will give you outdoor seating without compromising your space. Additionally, an edged shelf along the shelf of your balcony rail or front porch will give you space to dine al fresco in warm weather and can also be used for potted plants.

It’s easy to overlook the importance of your garage to your property’s overall look. However, garages take up a large amount of space. Some homeowners neglect the style and design of their garage, which only makes it stand out more. Here are four ways you can upgrade the look of your garage.

1. Replace Your Door

Your garage’s door has a big impact on its utility and appearance. Replacing your old garage door with a new model is a major upgrade that can improve your home’s interior style and curb appeal. Ensure you select a door that complements your house’s aesthetic. For example, if you like more traditional styles, you might consider a carriage-style garage door for a vintage look.

2. Try New Roofing

The roofing on your garage influences the ambiance of your outdoor spaces. Replacing your garage’s roof can improve the style of your home. Don’t be afraid to try something unique and pursue the design you want. For example, you can have a thatched-roof garage that creates a classic Tudor aesthetic.

3. Update Landscaping

Updating the landscaping around your garage can improve the overall appearance of your home. You can use plants to help your garage blend in with the rest of the property. Coordinate your landscaping choices with the color and style of your garage. Your goal should be to create continuity between the garage and the rest of your home.

4. Interior Design Tips

You can also enhance the interior appearance of your garage. Try using coatings or sealants to protect the flooring of your garage. You can install shelving or cabinets to improve organization and storage capacity in your garage. If your garage has windows, consider painting with light colors and glossy textures to boost natural lighting during the days. Adequate overhead lighting can make your garage more functional, as well.

There are many ways to improve the appearance of your garage so that it no longer detracts from your home’s look. You can upgrade the interior and exterior style of your garage.

Air duct inspection is one of the least popular home services that consumers are interested in. This is tragic because it is fundamentally important to take care of any home and to ensure the health and safety of those living within. Here are the top two reasons to consider an air duct inspection. 

There are many reasons you should consider an air duct inspection Kankakee IL. The most significant is that you should protect the health of your family and anyone else that enters your house. When you get your air ducts inspected, they check for any major issues with your air ducts. These issues could include buildup of harmful substances that can cause long-term health effects for your family. The health of your family should be your top priority, and by seeking out air duct inspection, you can make sure it remains intact. 

The second reason you should get your air ducts inspected has to do with money. Air duct problems can be expensive to fix, but they typically are far cheaper if noticed and identified in a shorter amount of time. By scheduling an air duct inspection in a timely manner, you could potentially be saving your family tremendous amounts of money. There are online resources that outline the specifics regarding air duct cleaning services, and they can help you decide if they are the right choice for your family. Additionally, a home air duct cleaning service may not be as expensive as you may think. They are regarded as one of the most affordable home services available today.

These are the top two reasons you should consider investing in a home air duct inspection. Home air duct inspections are one of the smartest services you can order, and there are many advantages to having them done that extend beyond the scope of this article. Engaging in this practice can protect your home and your family.

Because you don’t see your roof as often as you see other parts of your home, you may not know when it’s time to replace one of the most vital structures on your property. Getting a new roof before your current one gives out could help save you a lot of time and money. Here are common signs it’s time to invest in a new roof.

Signs of a Leaky Roof in the Attic

Rather than think you must climb on top of your roof to inspect its current state, you can instead climb into your attic to check for streaks, stains and shafts of light, which may indicate you have a leaking roof.

Your Roof Is Nearing Its Life Expectancy

If you keep home improvement records, check them to determine the roof material you have and when you last replaced or reshingled your roof. Usually, an asphalt roof lasts 20 or 25 years, and roofs built on top of existing shingles last as long as 20 years. If you have a roof reaching the 20-year mark, consider contacting a company that specializes in residential and commercial roofing St Louis to see if it’s time to save up for a replacement.

Damaged Shingles

If you don’t mind climbing up on your roof, check the condition of your shingles. They should rest flat against your roof, and you shouldn’t have any bald spots. If you notice you have cracked, missing or otherwise damaged shingles, schedule repairs from a trusted and experienced roofing company.

While up on the roof, check your downspouts and gutters for flecks of shingles. If you notice a lot of granules, it could mean your roof no longer protects your home.

Roof Rot

Something else to inspect while up on your roof is signs of rotting, such as sagging and drooping. If you notice these signs, replace your roof sooner rather than later to avoid further damage. Additional signs of a decomposing roof include rotting boards, trapped moisture and sagging.

Broken Flashing

Flashing over your chimney, vents and skylights seals the roof and keeps rain from infiltrating your property. Broken flashing may make your roof vulnerable to leaking. If you currently have an older home with tar or cement flashing, think about upgrading to metal flashing for sturdier flashing performance.

Proactive is the name of the game when taking care of your roof. Rather than wait until your roof fails completely, recognize when you should invest in a replacement to get ahead of disaster.

Snow can be a sneaky cause of roof damage. It doesn’t always come with high winds, nor does it even come all at once. But the weight of dense, wet snow can be devastating to a building’s roof, sometimes even causing a complete collapse. Here are three ways you can prevent snow buildup and save your roof from damage this winter.

1. Smart Monitoring Technologies

An emerging tool used to combat snow buildup is a category called predictive monitoring technologies. This technology uses sensors to calculate the pressure of the snowpack on your business or home’s roof. Getting on your roof can be dangerous even without winter conditions. Using a monitoring system can alert you to when snow needs to be removed, saving you unnecessary trips to the top of the building. After the initial costs of setting up the system, monthly fees for snow monitoring technology can be much less than hiring an on-call snow removal crew.

2. Heating Tape

Another solution to snow buildup is heating tape. The heating tape consists of an enclosed cord that when powered, radiates heat to melt snow and ice. It is usually installed in a zig-zag pattern across the surface of the roof. However, the roof must have a proper drainage system to prevent standing water from refreezing on the roof. Heating tape works best on roofs with a slope and traditional gutters. This is a great system to keep gutters from freezing over and causing damaging ice dams. 

3. Manual Snow Removal

The simplest way to prevent damage from snow is to remove it manually. This can be as basic as taking a shovel up to the roof and getting to work. If you have a large surface to clear, it may be beneficial to hire a crew to do the labor for you and save you time. You can also utilize snowblowers or other motorized plows to cut down on time spent on the roof. Caution should always be taken any time you get on the roof, but special care should be taken during icy winter conditions.

Winter does not have to be a time of worry for your business. You can protect your structure’s roof from snow damage by removing dense snow. There are several methods to do so, ranging from ultra-high-tech solutions to tried-and-true methods of clearing. Don’t let snow wreak havoc on the structural integrity of your roof this winter.

In today’s world, it is more common than not for both spouses in a family unit to work full-time. While this may alleviate financial stress, it also introduces other problems. Balancing the demands of work and home life, especially if the household has one or more children, can be difficult.

It can even lead to burnout, especially for mothers who often bear the added weight of being expected to be the primary caregiver and housekeeper. One of the big issues they often face is the expectation that they must maintain a perfect and spotless house on top of childcare, general household running and work responsibilities, something hard for even stay-at-home moms. While there is no surefire secret technique to solve this problem, there are ways to make keeping a clean house on top of keeping up with everything else in life easier. 

1. Use a Cleaning Schedule

Organize each chore into categories based on how frequently they need to be done. Then designate a day to do each one. This can help make a seemingly endless list from overwhelming you and give you a starting place. 

2. Set Reasonable Goals

Decide that you will get this chore done on this day and then do it. Goals give you an end to work towards and offer great satisfaction when completed. Rewarding yourself with a treat like ice cream or a meal out after finishing one may help as well. 

3. Hire a Cleaning Service

Residential cleaning services Kennesaw are another option. Hiring professionals takes some of the workload off of you, freeing you up to focus more on spending time with and taking care of your family. By doing so, it also helps relieve some of the stress pressing on you, which is better for your overall mental and family health.

Maintaining multiple responsibilities at once can be difficult and exhausting. Applying these tips can make life considerably easier. 

Home improvement is all the rage in the current state of the world, and there are many ways that you can get in on the trend. From building new furniture to finishing your floors, there are many paths available on the journey that is home improvement. Here are the top two ways that you can make home improvements today.

There are many different types of home improvement options. One excellent option for those who are not interested in DIY activities is refinishing services Tustin MI. By refinishing your hardwood floors, you can show any invited guest that you mean business when it comes to home improvement projects without actually doing any work. Leave the labor to the professionals, and instead invest in the future in the best way possible. Additionally, when you refinish your hardwood floors, you will be able to call yourself a self-starter, without actually having to do any of the planning or preparation.

Another excellent option for home improvement is updating your furniture. This could take many forms. Maybe you are only interested in purchasing a few more pieces of furniture to furnish your home, or you could want to learn how to build your own furniture. In the modern-day, you can learn almost anything you want with the help of the internet. There are online resources available that can help you uncover the benefits of learning a new skill. Learning how to make your own furniture could even turn into a part-time side hustle as a furniture artist.

These are just two of the practically endless ways that exist to make home improvements in the current world. Home improvements are not only a way to improve the design of your home, but also a way to bond with your family through mutual decision making. The benefits of improving your home are virtually endless.

Having a good, strong dock with lifts can ensure great housing for your boats all year round. Getting permits for building along the waterfront can be a real hassle, however. Each state will have different rules for the waterfront area of your property, so here are some common things to consider once you decide to develop that section.

Building Codes for Marine Structures

Your general contractor for regular home-building may not be able to assist you with the buildings you want to erect along the waterway. Building structures along the river or lake in your jurisdiction may involve some separate and difficult-to-obtain permits along the way. It pays to hire a good marine inspection services company to make sure all phases of the building go smoothly.

State Laws for Waterfront Buildings

Every state has different rules regarding building structures on wetlands and waterfront areas. Checking your state and local codes is the first place to start. The laws change every year and there are lists of things to consider. It’s a good idea to leave this type of thing to consultants who have dealt with this area of your particular state’s laws for a long time. Like with any building, you want to pass inspection the first time and this means hiring the correct contractor and pre-inspection team to begin with.

Common Buildings for Waterfront Usage

Some common items people build along their waterfront properties are bulkheads, seawalls, docks, dock lifts, walkways and boat pylons. Whether you own a sailboat, a flatboat or even a yacht, having structures built to assist with parking your marine vehicles is something all property owners along the waterfront eventually decide upon. Even if you don’t own a boat, you may want to eventually sell the property to someone who does. If you are deciding to carve out that area of your property along the waterway, you should be sure the development will pass state inspection and follow the current state and local codes.

Assistance for Selling Waterfront Property

If you are planning on selling your property that contains waterfront areas, then you’ll want to be sure the property is up to date for permits and public-use access of areas on the property where applicable. You’ll probably want a professional marine inspector who has experience with current state codes to have a look at your property before selling it. You won’t be able to legally sell to a new owner if you have structures that are in disrepair or otherwise need updating under the auspices of your state’s waterfront property rules.

Did you know that there are certain mistakes that you can make during a real estate deal that are guaranteed to cost you? If you’re not careful, these mistakes can end up costing you time, money, and even the contract itself. So what are the six most common mistakes to avoid?

1. Not Having Everything in Writing

One of the biggest mistakes you can make during a real estate deal is not having everything in writing. This includes the purchase agreement, the inspection report, and any other agreements you make during a real estate deal. Even if you believe that your word is good enough, it’s simply not. The written word carries a lot more weight than anything you could ever say.

2. Not Hiring a Lawyer

Another mistake that you cannot afford to make during a real estate deal is not hiring an attorney. Even if your real estate agent says that it’s unnecessary, you should know that this is not true. The purchase agreement and related documents are far too complex for you to understand without an attorney. As such, it’s not a bad idea to hire the services of a real estate lawyer, even if you’re faced with a low-cost purchase offer.

3. Not Getting the Property Inspected

Many individuals who are new to buying property neglect to get the house inspected, resulting in serious consequences. Homes have been known to have structural defects, and you can overlook these issues if you don’t get an inspection. This could cost you a lot of money in repairs or even your life in the worst-case scenario.

4. Not Establishing a Timeline for Completing the Transaction

Another mistake that you want to avoid when buying property is not establishing a timeline for completing the transaction. The best thing you can do here is to give yourself plenty of time so that you’re not rushed into making an offer while at the same time allowing just enough time for the process to be completed. If you establish an unrealistic timeline, this can result in costly mistakes down the line.

5. Making the Purchase Price Too Low

If there’s one mistake that will cost you a property deal, it’s making the purchase price too low. Homes for Sale in Mount Dora, FL, are in high demand, and this means you need to be realistic about the prices you offer. Homes are often listed at high prices for a reason, so if you make too low of an offer, it could result in the seller refusing to lower the price.

6. Not Having a Plan of Action for Financing

When financing your purchase agreement, you must have a plan of action. If you don’t, this can result in several obstacles that can be costly. For example, if the seller decides not to cash your check for six months, you may need to develop an alternative arrangement for financing the purchase agreement.

If you’re ready to buy or sell your property, you need to be careful to avoid making mistakes during your deal. When you seek the services of a professional realtor, they can help you avoid these six common mistakes, making your deal smoother.