Home Improvement

Becoming a landlord is a major undertaking. Most people think it mainly involves owning and leasing rental property to others, you can expect to wear a different hat at every point of your career. Here are some of the major roles you can expect to play as a landlord Your main responsibility as a landlord is to get your apartments rented. Although you can hire an agency to do the work, this could...

There is a brief period of time between the end of the cold weather and when the hot weather sets in. Just as you are getting a reprieve on your heating costs, you are hit with air conditioning bills. The best way to maintain your home year-round is to maximize the use of technology to decrease your household energy costs. Never before have there been so many options for an energy-efficient home....

What better way to escape the hustle and bustle of city life than with your very own private oasis. You don’t need much to transform your backyard into a sunny retreat. A green wall, a few garden chairs, and some artistic sculptural elements are more than enough to create an inviting retreat.  But before jumping to buy that new grill or those cozy chairs, you should think about the brick...

If you’re considering buying a property and asbestos is mentioned, many potential purchasers will run a mile. But let’s not be too hasty. In this article, we look at some of the issues with asbestos and why it’s a good idea to have an Asbestos Survey carried out. What is asbestos used for? Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks and soil. Made up of six different...

If you’re planning to erect a fence or a wall that divides your property from the adjoining premises, or you’re thinking of building a wall or a garage on or near your neighbour’s boundary, you need to get their permission. To do this, you must give your neighbour a Party Wall Notice. The Party Wall Act 1996 was drawn up to protect adjoining property owners from any loss or damage...

Neglect the maintenance of a period property and you’ll regret it. Problems such as missing roof tiles, cracked gutters or blocked drains can lead to serious damp and decay issues and, if not put right, could pose a threat to the structure of the building. The longer these problems go unchecked, the greater the damage and the further the building’s structure and value will erode. In this...

Should you heat your home with oil or gas, electric or renewables? If you’re one of the 4 million households not connected to mains gas and/or electricity, this is a question you may find interesting. In most cases, the heating system will already be in place when you buy your home, but heating oil is an option you should definitely consider. Here are 5 compelling reasons why it’s a good...

If the power were to ever go out, you could be left with a refrigerator that can't keep your meat and ice cream cold. You could also be left without the ability to heat or cool your home properly. Those who rely on oxygen or other electrical devices for health reasons could be put in danger within minutes of an outage. However, a portable generator could help you avoid all of those issues and more. How...

That long-awaited kitchen remodeling project is staring you in the face, giving you the same helpless look that it did last year.  Money is tight, bills are due, but you can’t keep your eyes off of that reverse osmosis machine for your central air issues in your home. All's well even in the age of high prices and a full to-do list; this piece will teach you the correct way to fix the unfixable...

The role of a general contractor in any home construction, renovation, or improvement project is often misunderstood. You may think of the general contractor as the guy responsible for doing all of the work required to finish building a house – but the true role of a general contractor is much more deep and complex. Essentially, your general contractor is the brains of the entire operation. He may...